Eliana Willis

Max Buondonno/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysTCL’s 98-inch Class S5 Series TV More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The new Bose Smart Soundbar is available for $499 This soundbar offers premium features like AirPlay, Dolby Atmos, and unique integration with Bose earbuds Its standout software features can be hit-or-miss. more buying choices These days, a soundbar is a vital component of your home TV setup. If your TV speakers […] More

A new Costco membership comes with a $20 gift card right now. StackSocial Thinking about joining Costco? Or, have you been sharing a membership card with your parents or friends? Now that Costco is starting to crack down on membership sharing (in the coming months, the stores will start scanning cards at the entrance and […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETI’ve spent much of my life figuring out new ways to save battery life on Android phones. That might sound like an exaggeration, but growing up with access to nothing but poorly made Android devices meant I’ve always tinkered with their settings to maximize charge and push my phone’s battery life to the limit.Also: 7 reasons why I choose Android over iOS (and sideloading is not one of them)So, when I started writing this guide on the settings you should use to save battery life, it all came naturally to me. These settings are the most effective, easiest, and quickest ways to save battery life regardless of the Android phone you’re rocking, whether it’s the latest device from Samsung, a fancy Google Pixel, or a cutting-edge OnePlus device. Plus, you won’t have to sacrifice the high-quality experience of using your phone.Note: While all these settings are available on practically any Android phone you can buy, the process for adjusting them can vary between devices. Keep this in mind when following the steps I lay out because the approach might be slightly different depending on which phone you’re using.1. Turn off the always-on displayOne of the biggest battery drainers for any smartphone is the always-on display. Companies regularly tell you that this display setting only drains about 1% to 2% an hour, but let’s be honest — it’s always way more. It may be nice to glance at your phone while it sits on a table to check the time, but it’s probably not worth sacrificing battery life.Also: This $200 Android phone has no business being this good (and it’s not a Samsung or Motorola)How to: Open the Settings app and locate the Lock Screen portion of the app, whether it’s in the main list of settings or under “Display”. From there, you’ll find the option to “always show info” or a simple toggle to enable the Always On Display. Either way, turn the option off and check to make sure your screen goes completely blank when you lock it.2. Enable Adaptive BatteryThere’s a handy feature built into Androids called Adaptive Battery, and it’s available on most devices. Adaptive Battery can automatically manage your phone’s performance and efficiency in the background using special processes to extend your battery life. For example, when you don’t need maximum performance for something simple like scrolling through your inbox, the setting will throttle things down and save you some juice.How to: Go to Settings > Battery > Adaptive preferences and check to ensure “Adaptive battery” is enabled. If it’s not, flick it on.3. Activate Battery SaverAlongside Adaptive Battery, Battery Saver mode is another helpful feature that can extend the longevity of your smartphone between charges. The feature makes sweeping changes across your device’s software, like limiting visual effects, restricting apps in the background, and turning on dark mode if it isn’t already on. Also: The best power banks you can buy: Expert testedPixel phones take this effort further by having an Extreme Battery Saver, which deactivates more features and pauses most apps. However, because it greatly restricts an Android phone’s performance, I recommend only using Extreme Battery Saver when it’s absolutely necessary, such as when the phone’s charge is in the single digits.Most, if not all, Android phones possess a Battery Saver function, although they may have different names. On Galaxy phones, for example, it’s called Power Saving mode. Others may refer to it as low-power mode. Be sure to visit your phone’s manufacturer’s support website for help on your model.How to: On Pixel phones, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver. You can also choose a schedule for when the feature will activate or turn off automatically. On Galaxy phones, go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery. Flip the toggle switch next to Power Saving to activate the feature.4. Switch to dark mode More

This year’s Black Friday may be the most competitive shopping season yet, with the biggest retailers and carriers battling it out to serve you the best phone deals. If you’re doing some early holiday shopping (or just missed out on Prime Day sales last month), we’re already seeing aggressive offers from Samsung, Google, Motorola, and, yes, even Apple.Also: The best Black Friday deals available nowThe phone deals below will save you a significant amount of money on some of the best handsets we’ve tested and recommend at ZDNET. You’ll also find links to the retailer with the best offer, whether that’s Best Buy, Amazon, Verizon, or AT&T. Stay tuned as the list will be constantly updated as new deals appear going into Black Friday.Our favorite phone deals for Black Friday 2024OnePlus Open More

Jada Jones/ZDNETApple’s latest mobile software update — iOS18.1 — includes new hearing health features for the AirPods Pro 2 More

Amazon/ZDNETAs part of Amazon’s Handpicked event, Samsung has opened preorders for two new displays: the Odyssey G95C Curved Gaming Monitor More

Black Friday, arguably the best holiday, is still a month away. But retailers like Amazon More