Eliana Willis

Amazon/Maria Diaz/ZDNETWith Amazon preparing to kick off Prime Day in less than two weeks, some great deals have already appeared. If years past are any indication, we can expect to see even more significant discounts on July 8 through July 11, with little time to grab them before they’re gone. Alexa can help you watch for some highly sought-after deals, but Amazon has also offered a few “invitation-only” opportunities ahead of previous Prime Day events.Also: Best Prime Day Apple deals: My 15 favorite sales live nowRequesting an invitation to one of these limited deals doesn’t guarantee you’ll snag the deal when it goes live, but it can give you a peek at some of the great deals Amazon is planning. Amazon has yet to publish invitation-only deals, but we’ll add as many as we can find as they come up over the coming days. How to sign up for Amazon’s invite-only Prime Day dealsWhat you’ll need: A Prime subscription is required to access the Prime Day deals exclusive to members. If you don’t have a membership, you can start a free 30-day trial, but you will be charged $139 for the year (or $14.99 monthly) if you don’t cancel it within the trial period. (If you’re a student or between 18 and 24 years old, you can save money on a subscription with a Prime student membership.)Also: My air conditioner broke during a heat wave – and this portable AC saved the day More

Muhammad Aqib / Getty Images The unstoppable march of AI continues to gather pace. Analyst Gartner recently forecast that half of all business decisions will be fully automated or at least partially augmented by AI agents within the next two years. Also: 4 ways to turn AI into your business advantage Some organizations have experimented […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETLet’s be real: it’s getting harder and harder to afford technology, especially with rising costs and tariffs. If a new phone, tablet, or smartwatch feels out of reach, you may want to check out this Verizon deal: Trade in select phones More

smirkdingo/Getty Images Veo 3, Google’s new video-generating model that’s been making waves across the internet, is now available for everyone in public preview, the company announced Thursday. The tool was initially available only to subscribers of Gemini Ultra and through Flow, Google’s AI-powered filmmaking platform that was also revealed at the most recent I/O. As of Thursday, it can […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThink that Apple’s Siri snooped on your private conversations in the past? If so, you may be able to snag a slice of the $95 million that Apple is paying out to settle a class-action lawsuit. But you have to act fast, as the deadline to submit your claim is days away.Also: My favorite iPhone productivity feature just got a major upgrade with iOS 26 (and it’s not Siri)A settlement page recently published in the case of Lopez v. Apple Inc. explains the steps and deadlines for people who want to make a claim. The settlement is geared toward current or former users of a Siri device in the US whose conversations with the voice assistant were captured by Apple or shared with third parties due to an “unintended Siri activation.” How to tell if you qualify If you are in the US and used a Siri-supported device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024, you might be eligible for part of the payout from Apple. In May, a notice approved by the US District Court for the Northern District of California was sent to affected parties. Some ZDNET staffers received it with the subject line “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” Also: 5 reasons I turn to ChatGPT every day – from faster research to replacing SiriTo learn more about the claim submission process, check out the FAQ section on the settlement page. If you still have questions, you can also contact the settlement administrator by snail mail or by phone.How to enter your claim todayIf you’re in the qualifying group, you should have received a notice email with a Claim Identification Code and a Confirmation Code alerting you to the settlement. The email should have been sent from an account called info@lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com. If you received such an email, don’t delete it. You may also want to check your spam folder to see if the message is trapped there. Also: 10 easy ways to make Siri work better on your iPhone todayIf you didn’t receive an email or even a postcard, which was also sent to affected parties, you can still try to put together a claim.If you got an email or postcard…If you received a notice, go to the claim submissions page, enter your claim codes from the email or postcard, and log in to proceed. If you didn’t get an email or postcard…If you don’t receive either the email or the postcard, you can enter a new claim at the submission page. You’ll be asked to provide your contact information along with a serial number and model name for the Siri device or proof of purchase. You can add as many as five different devices, including an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, or any other gadget that uses Siri. Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to iOS 26 (and which ones don’t support it)Either way, you’ll be asked whether you want to receive your payout by direct deposit to your bank account or by electronic check. When is the deadline? Don’t wait too long to file a claim. The deadline is July 2, 2025. You can also opt to do nothing, in which case you simply won’t collect anything.Also: Your iPhone can be used as a digital driver’s license – here’s how it works for these statesFollowing the filing deadline, the court still has to approve the settlement before payouts can begin. A final approval hearing is scheduled for August 1 with US District Judge Jeffrey White in the federal court in Oakland, Calif.. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Klein Tools 80016 Circuit Breaker Finder effectively maps circuits throughout your home. It’s a useful tool with clear discovery indicators and improved safety features. It’s somewhat pricey at $65, with minimal directions for beginners. –> Do you ever wonder what wall socket corresponds to which circuit breaker or circuit in […] More

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETThe arrival of HDMI 2.2 technology ushers in a new era of A/V potential, which is great news for enthusiasts and future-proofing fanatics. It might be a little while before every device on the market sports the new tech, but you can expect to see the first “Ultra96” HDMI cables hitting shelves later this year. Increased bandwidth and resolutionThis is a significant leap forward from the current HDMI 2.1. Even ultra-high-speed 2.1 cables cap out at 48 Gbps. While 48 Gbps has capably handled resolutions up to 10K and 4K content at 120 Hz, HDMI 2.2 throws open the gates to even more mind-bending visual experiences. Imagine 4K at a fluid 480 Hz, 8K at a zippy 240 Hz, and a jaw-dropping 16K at 60 Hz. For your exceptionally discerning eye, it will also flawlessly transmit uncompressed video formats with 10-bit and 12-bit color at 8K 60 Hz and 4K 240 Hz.Also: Are you paying more for cable and internet? It’s bad all overBefore you start dreaming of 16K cable TV, though, let’s keep things in perspective. Native 8K content is still incredibly rare, and HDMI 2.1, which debuted in 2017, hasn’t even been fully leveraged by most hardware manufacturers yet. So, while HDMI 2.2’s increased bandwidth and resolution capabilities might feel a bit ahead of its time, that’s because it’s laying the groundwork for innovations yet to come. More