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    I changed these 6 settings on my iPad to significantly improve its battery life

    Maria Diaz/ZDNETAs an avid iPad user, I’m all too familiar with the internal struggles that course through me when the battery is about to die. I love using either the iPad 11 or iPad Air to write and work, but I also use it to stream content, play games, and browse the internet after work. This makes me appreciate the iPad’s long battery life, yet my anxiety grows when I start getting ‘low battery’ alerts without a charger nearby.Also: How you’re charging your tablet is slowly killing it – 3 methods to avoid (and the right way)There are many things you can do to increase your iPad’s battery life that go beyond the usual advice. You can start with the usual: lowering your screen brightness and setting the auto-lock to a shorter time, which I’ll cover here. I’ll also cover other ways to extend your battery life that have, altogether, given me a few more hours of use from my iPad.1. Lower screen brightnessThis is one of the first recommendations you’ll hear from anyone offering tips on conserving your iPad’s battery life — and it truly works. Depending on your usage, lowering your screen’s brightness settings could offer you over an hour of extra use on each charge. Also: 5 Apple products you definitely shouldn’t buy this month (and 7 to get instead)Doing so also makes it easier on your eyes, reducing the eye strain involved with staring at bright screens for too long. That’s the main reason I prefer keeping my brightness low, but the perk of a longer battery life makes it even more worthwhile. Your iPad’s screen brightness can be adjusted from the Control Center by swiping down on the top right side of your screen.2. Turn off location servicesLocation services can keep your iPad working extra, especially if you have them enabled for multiple apps. It’s a good idea to turn off location services for any apps that you don’t use often, especially those that you know you won’t be using in the next day or two. While turning off your iPad’s location services won’t double your battery life, it can add a good half hour or more of use. To check and turn off your location services, follow these stepsGo to your iPad SettingsSelect Privacy & SecurityGo to Location ServicesAlso: 8 reasons why I replaced my Kindle with an iPad Mini for reading ebooksYou can check which applications have access to your iPad’s location and decide which ones to revoke. Alternatively, you can turn off all Location Services altogether, especially if you’ll be using your tablet for work, streaming, or playing.3. Turn off wireless when idle More

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    I’ve tested every iPad sold by Apple right now – here’s the model I recommend most

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The 11th-generation iPad 11th Generation normally retails for $349. The upgraded iPad has double the base storage as the previous generation, more RAM, and an upgraded processor in the A16 Bionic chip. However, it still isn’t compatible with Apple Intelligence and doesn’t support the Apple Pencil Pro. more buying choices It’s […] More

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    5 iOS 26 features that made updating my iPhone worthwhile (and how to try them)

    Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple has been busy prepping iOS 26 for its likely debut in September. Until then, the iPhone’s upcoming new OS has been accessible for anyone to try via a developer beta (now up to version 5) and the initial public beta. Though iOS 26 still has at least a month of tweaks before it’s finalized, the beta flavors already provide a peek at what to expect.You can download iOS 26 beta on your iPhone now. Here’s how to install it — and which models support it.Also: My biggest regret after updating my iPhone to iOS 26 (and how to fix it)I’ve been running the public beta since its release on July 24. Among the new and improved features in iOS 26, these are my five favorites so far.1. Liquid Glass More

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    I tried Lenovo’s new rollable ThinkBook and can’t go back to regular-sized screens

    ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 is available now, starting at $3,300. The 120Hz, OLED, portrait-style 16.7-inch display delivers an expansive workspace, supported by a haptic touchpad. It has limited I/O, has some visible creasing on the rollable display, and has a sky-high price. –> Lenovo unveiled […] More

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    3 portable power stations I travel everywhere with (and how they differ)

    Manufacturers typically offer different runtimes for lamps, refrigerators, CPAP machines, and so on, but if you want to work this out for yourself, you may need two figures, and a bit of math!First, you need the power rating of the device you plan on running, which can usually be found on a label on the device and is measured in Watts (W). You also need to know the capacity of the power station, measured in Watt hours (Wh), which should be printed somewhere on the device. Let’s say you have a device that consumes 200W and a power station that has a capacity of 2,048Wh, you can get a ballpark runtime for the device using the following equation:(2048 x 0.85)/200 = 8.7 hoursNote that the capacity of the power station is multiplied by 0.85 to account for efficiency losses that happen. More

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    I answered the million-dollar question about buying laptops – here’s the ultimate guide

    Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETChoosing the right laptop can feel overwhelming — even for someone like me who’s lived and breathed laptops for years. You get all these options, configurations, and feature lists that it’s impossible not to know up from down. So, to make things easier for you, I’ll be breaking down laptops and their essentials using three broad usage categories: school, work, and gaming.Also: The best laptops you can buy: Expert testedMost laptops fall into one of these buckets, and while there is some crossover regarding hardware, each type is designed with a specific purpose in mind. Below, I walk through what defines each category, highlighting key features to look out for and providing example products along the way.Keep in mind, this advice is based on my own experience and expertise. Ultimately, the best laptop is the one that fits your needs best.How to pick a laptop for school More

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    The best Linux distros for beginners in 2025 make switching from MacOS or Windows so easy

    Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysLinux offers more security, privacy, and freedom from vendors.Modern Linux distros are user-friendly — even for non-techies.Linux Mint, Zorin OS, MX Linux top beginner distro list.Why would you want to switch to the Linux desktop? There are many reasons, but the short version is that the operating system is more secure, provides far more privacy, and frees you from vendor lock-in. For current Windows users, it also provides a way to continue using your Windows 10 PC even if your machine cannot be upgraded to Windows 11.Besides, contrary to popular opinion, anyone can use and enjoy Linux as a desktop operating system. I taught my then-mother-in-law, who was 79 years old, how to use Ubuntu Linux, and we didn’t even speak the same language! If she could do it, you can do it. Also: 8 ways I quickly leveled up my Linux skills – and you can tooYes, Linux was once difficult to learn, but those days are long gone. Don’t believe me? Ever use an Android phone? A Chromebook? Congratulations, you’re already a Linux user, but maybe you didn’t know it. If you want to, you can dive deep into Linux shell scripts and do all your work from the Bash shell, but nobody must do that anymore. There are old-school desktop distributions, such as Gentoo and Linux From Scratch, where you need to be a Linux maven to make the most of them. But those distros aren’t for you. Also: The best Linux laptops you can buy: Expert tested for students, hobbyists, and prosYou need a Linux distribution that looks like Windows with a gentle learning curve. I get that. While I’ve used Linux for over three decades and Unix desktops before that, I know what it’s like to be a new user. It also doesn’t help your situation that there are hundreds of desktop Linux distributions to choose from. Some are hard, but most are simple. I’m here to help you select the version of Linux that will get you started on the right foot. I’ve tested all these myself. 1. Linux Mint Best Linux distribution for beginners overall Price: Free | Core code: Ubuntu 24.04 | Open source: Yes More