Eliana Willis

You probably already know that MagSafe technology is a pretty handy feature. You can use it to wirelessly charge your phone, attach a wallet to the back of your phone, use it as a combination phone stand and power bank, and more. To put it simply: MagSafe makes phone charging fun and far more convenient. But with plenty of accessories on the market, it can be hard to know what is and isn’t worth your cash. That’s why we’ve tested plenty of options on the market, so you can find the most useful MagSafe accessories for your lifestyle. Also: The best wireless chargers: Expert testedWhat are the best MagSafe accessories right now?We rounded up some of the best the best MagSafe accessories right now, each of differing use. Some of our favorites are Anker’s 3-1 MagGo Wireless Qi2 Charger More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETAmazon has discounted several Mac Mini M4 builds as part of a new series of unexpected deals. You can purchase the compact desktop for as low as $549 More

NurPhoto/Getty Images The consequences of Meta’s recent content moderation change are starting to reveal themselves. Last month, Meta announced it would roll back its fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads starting this spring in favor of a Community Notes approach, where individual users volunteer to comment on posts with additional context or differing information. […] More

CNET/ZDNETLive TV streaming services were designed to disrupt the cable monopoly. And for a while, it looked like the plan was working.Cable companies, no longer blessed with monopoly power, are losing millions of customers every year. But the cord-cutting alternatives that were supposed to save us have been raising prices steadily, and today the price of a live TV streaming service is nearly as high as one of those old cable bills.Also: Bye bye, Wi-Fi: How to add a wired network to your home without running EthernetTake YouTube TV, for example. At its launch in 2017, Google’s live TV streaming service cost a mere $35 a month. Since then, Google has raised prices every year. By the time I signed up in early 2020, the price had crept up to $50 a month. The latest price increase, which took effect in January 2025, raised the cost of the base plan to $83, plus an extra $10 for the 4K add-on. For the base plan alone, that’s a 66% increase in five years.And then there’s Fubo TV, which announced at the start of January that it would be acquired by Disney and would share the same corporate parent as Hulu with Live TV.  And by the end of January … yes, you guessed it: Fubo raised the monthly base prices of all its subscriptions.That flurry of price increases got me asking questions:Am I really getting my money’s worth out of that $90-plus subscription?Are any competitors offering a better deal?What happens if I decide to just cut out my live TV streaming service altogether?The competitionFor customers in the US, there are currently six live TV streaming services to choose from. Each one works using an app on a streaming device or smart TV platform. Subscribers choose a plan that offers some combination of basic and premium cable channels, local broadcast channels, and regional sports networks, along with DVR capabilities so you can pause live TV and record shows to watch later.Also: Having trouble hearing whispery TV dialogue? I found 3 ways to fix thatZDNET has already done the work of assembling the available choices. I reviewed each one of those services three years ago and decided to take a fresh look in 2025 to see what’s changed.Four of those services offer strikingly similar lineups at prices that are nearly identical: between $82 and $87 a month, before add-ons. The other two are noticeably cheaper, so that’s where I started, working from least to most expensive. More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETAmazon has been focused on bringing generative AI to Alexa for the past few years, hitting multiple delays in launching new features that the company first announced in September 2023. The delayed Alexa 2.0 seems poised for a 2025 release, as evidenced by the surprise Devices and Services event Amazon is hosting this week.Amid rumors of Alexa 2.0 shortcomings, Amazon skipped its 2024 Devices and Services event, where the company typically announces new Alexa features and hardware devices. Now, the company plans to host an Amazon Alexa-themed event on Wednesday, where it is expected to unveil the voice assistant’s generative AI features and finally put an ETA on its launch.Also: 5 ways AI can help with your taxes – and 10 major mistakes to avoidThe event will take place on Feb. 26 in New York City and will be Panos Panay’s first since joining the Devices and Services division after his Microsoft exit. But aside from new Alexa features, Amazon could be preparing to launch other devices.What to expect from Amazon’s February 2025 event More

If you’re just starting out at a Twitch streamer or content creator, you have plenty of options for high-quality, affordable streaming lights. The Elgato Key Light Mini retails for about $80, and offers several brightness and color temperature options for fine-tuning your signature style and boosting production values. But even something like the Newmowa 60W mobile light, which retails for about $25, can go a long way towards improving the quality of your recordings and live streams.More established streamers and creators may want to spring for more sophisticated lights, like the Lume Cube Tube Light Mini, which are capable of both warm/cool white and RGB colors. When blended with similarly capable lights, you can create custom color schemes to match your stream or eSports team colors, personal branding, or just show off your favorite colors that day. Other lights, like the GE Cync strip lights, feature reactive lighting functions, producing impactful visuals in time with music, sound effects, and dialogue.Buy this best streaming light…If you need…Elgato Key Light Mini A well-rounded key light for streaming. The Elgato Key Light Mini features a magnetic mount for nearly endless placement options as well as Bluetooth connectivity for enhanced control. Lume Cube Ring Light Pro A professional-quality ring light for streaming. The Lume Cube Ring Light Pro not only offers Bluetooth connectivity, but also a built-in battery for better portability. Govee Hexa Glide A set of RGB light panels for streaming. With multiple kit options, the Govee Hexa Glide allows you to create custom RGB wall lighting for stream backgrounds. Govee Neon Rope Light 2A reliable strip light option for streaming. The strip light is capable of both white and RGB lighting and easily integrates with Alexa and Hey Google for hands-free controls. Newmowa mobile light A budget-friendly and portable light for streaming. The Newmowa mobile light’s quality vs. price made it go viral on TikTok, and it can elevate your content without breaking the bank. More

In May 2024, Apple unveiled a new lineup of M3 and M4 iPad Air and Pro models. Alongside the latest tablets, the tech giant released the brand new Apple Pencil Pro, the first actual upgrade to Apple’s stylus lineup since the release of the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) in 2018. The upgraded stylus incorporates advanced features like squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback to make marking up, taking notes, and creating an artistic masterpiece more intuitive. The Apple Pencil Pro charges wirelessly and was designed to work with the newest iPad Pro and upgraded software, which makes it our top stylus choice for the new iPad Pro and Air models.Also: Apple Pencil Pro vs. Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)If you’re buying a new M3 iPad Air or M4 iPad Pro, purchasing the Apple Pencil Pro makes sense since its advanced features leverage the chip and AI technology incorporated into Apple’s new tablets for the most productivity, functionality, and value out of your new iPad. ZDNET’s Jason Hiner says the Apple Pencil Pro could easily have been branded as the Apple Pencil 3. After all, it is the third generation of the Apple Pencil, and therefore, it is the natural evolution of the product with incremental new features that make a good product even better. Physically, the form factor looks and feels exactly the same as the second-generation Apple Pencil, with one flat side that is magnetized to fit neatly along one side of an iPad Pro. But it packs some new technology inside — a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, and a haptic feedback engine — that gives it several valuable new tricks that make it more streamlined and a lot more powerful to use. You can now squeeze the Pencil Pro to activate an on-screen menu and select from the various pen tips. You can double-tap to switch between writing and erasing. You can also spin the pencil to activate the barrel roll for added creativity with the brush. These features make the iPad Pro an Apple Pencil-centric device more than ever. Current Pencil Pro owners on Reddit said they liked the new haptic feedback and squeeze gestures, as well as the overall aesthetic. However, some Redditors said they did not like the weight distribution of the new pencil, which some called “top-heavy,” and others were experiencing some sensitivity issues. Owners noted a bit of a learning curve with the new pencil and said that many apps and software offerings are still updating their content to support the latest features of the Pencil Pro. Apple Pencil Pro specs: Weight: 0.68 ounces | Battery life: Around 12 hours | Palm rejection: Yes | Tilt recognition: Yes | Added Features: Barrel roll, Squeeze gesture, Double tap, and Find My technology | Compatibility: iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2)The Apple Pencil Pro is on sale for $90 (save $39) at several major retailers like Amazon and Walmart at the time of publication.  More

If it looks like a duck… it might be a duck (or it might be Linux). Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNETSince I started covering Linux and open-source technology in the late 1990s, my goal has been to help make the operating system easier to understand and use. One part of that gig is finding Linux distributions perfectly suited for those looking to jump from Windows but who don’t want to deal with an unfamiliar UI.That quest has led me down some less-than-trustworthy paths, resulting in Linux distributions that could steal data and other nefarious schemes. Fortunately, most Linux distributions are trustworthy, and the Q40S distribution is one you can rely on.Also: How to set up 2FA for Linux desktop logins for added securityThe distro is officially called XPQ4 and offers rethemed versions of Q40S that resemble either Windows 10 or XP. I don’t know if the developers intend to give this theme the Windows 11 treatment, but the Windows 10 option should please anyone looking to make the migration.If you’re a bit confused about the breakdown so far, here’s the hierarchy:Debian is the baseQ40S is the distributionXPQ4 is what gives Q40S the Windows lookFreeXP is the version that resembles Windows XP, and Free10 is the version that resembles Windows 10If you go with the FreeXP version, you’ll even find the Bliss Wallpaper made famous by Microsoft, and a very familiar Start button.Also: Bluestar Linux is a gorgeous MacOS-like take on KDE Plasma that’s easy to useI used Free10 for my tests because most people are probably more familiar with Windows 10 than XP. More