Eliana Willis

Save big on this lifetime Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro bundle.  Kerry Wan/ZDNETIt doesn’t matter if you’re upgrading to a new laptop or just upgrading your existing system — access to Microsoft Office and Windows is a necessity for getting things done on your computer these days. And right now, you can buy a bundled lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro from Stack Social for $50 — that’s 88% off. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 includes all of the classic and essential Microsoft offerings, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access, and Teams. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, check out this deal for Microsoft Office 2019, which offers all the same features except for Teams. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is an operating system perfect for working professionals or at-home users. Get an easy-to-navigate interface, biometrics login, Smart App Control, Windows Studio Effects, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and top features like snap layouts, desktops, seamless redocking, improved voice typing, and a powerful search experience. You’ll also get access to Microsoft Copilot, an AI platform designed to upgrade your workflow experience. Also: How to use Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat)There’s one caveat, though. While Stack Social is an authorized Microsoft partner and offers “lifetime” access to Office, it is possible that Microsoft could end the license. But the site has been running these Microsoft deals for years now, and ZDNET’s Alison DeNisco Rayome can personally vouch for them — she purchased an Office license from Stack Social about two years ago, and it’s still working on her personal MacBook today. While this bundle deal offers a lot, you won’t get the benefits of the latest Microsoft Office 365 subscription, so if you’re looking for Microsoft 365, this deal may not be for you (though Stack Social does have a discount on Office 365, too.) Windows users must update their OS to Windows 10 or 11 to access these software deals. Get your lifetime license bundles for Microsoft Office Pro 2021 and Windows 11 Pro right now. More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G More

Amazon Echo Studio 4 / 5 Very good pros and cons Pros Powerful punch that maintains crispness Easily compatible with Fire TV Rich, enjoyable sound quality Cons Large footprint Price could be lower compared to the competition Some distortion over Bluetooth more buying choices This review was originally published on November 10th, 2022, and was […] More

PM Images/Getty Images Ever wonder what factors influence how an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot responds when conversing with a human being? Anthropic, the company behind Claude, has revealed the secret sauce powering the AI.  In new release notes published on Monday, the company drew back the curtains on the system prompts, or commands, that direct and […] More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWhile there’s been much talk surrounding Amazon’s generative AI-powered overhaul of its voice assistant, Alexa, and its expected subscription fees, we’ve heard little from the e-commerce giant about a launch date. New reports indicate it’s expected to launch in October and confirm that a subscription will be required.Also: 5 ways Amazon can make an AI-powered Alexa subscription worth the costThe new and improved Alexa with gen AI should launch in just over a month, a delayed drop from what was expected earlier this year when reports indicated it would launch in September. It will be a paid alternative voice assistant to the “classic Alexa,” which Amazon refers to the currently available free version in internal documents obtained by the Washington Post. The report indicates that a subscription to the new virtual assistant, dubbed “Remarkable Alexa,” could cost as much as $10 a month. By giving Alexa gen AI features, Amazon would give its widely popular artificial intelligence assistant the capacity to generate content instead of repeating answers from its trained commands. Instead of searching for a recipe, for example, Alexa could create one customized to dietary restrictions or use the ingredients in your pantry. More

Get Microsoft Project 2021 Pro or Visio 2021 on sale right now.  Stack Social Project management is the bread and butter of the professional world, but actually getting things done can be a challenge. Professional software can optimize many operations to maximize efficiency and productivity when you need it most. You might want to consider […] More

Ugreen 145W 25,000 portable power bank Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysUgreen’s 145W 25,000mAh portable power bank More