Eliana Willis

It’s my job to be honest with you. So, with that in mind, I would not recommend over-ear headphones for exercising. Over-ear headphones are simply not built for rigorous, strenuous, or super-sweaty workout sessions.Consumer tech companies get their products independently tested to receive an internationally standardized IP rating. Most over-ear headphones don’t have an official IP (ingress protection) rating. Your smartphone probably has an IP68 rating, which means it’s fully protected from water and dust. This high rating is why you can fully submerge your smartphone in water for a short period, and it (hopefully) won’t incur severe damage. On the other hand, your over-ear headphones most likely did not receive a formal IP rating. In fact, none of the headphones featured in this list have an official IP rating. The lack of an IP rating means the company did not formally test the headphones for dust or water ingress, meaning you should assume your over-ears are unprotected from solids (dust) or water splashes, droplets, and sprays.Many over-ear headphones, especially ones with hybrid or active noise-canceling properties, have speakers and microphones on the outside of the ear cups. Water can easily pass through the openings that house the speakers and mics, which can hinder the device’s performance.If you choose to exercise in your over-ears or wear them in the rain, your sweat or rainwater may damage the ear cup fabric or the internal audio components. You also risk water seeping into the buttons or accumulating on the ear cups, which can hinder the buttons’ functionality or interfere with any tap/swipe controls on the ear cups. Not to mention, you’ll increase the heat buildup inside the ear cups if you choose to exercise in your over-ear headphones, which can make them uncomfortable to wear.I suggest investing in a pair of earbuds for exercising, which usually have an IPX4 rating or higher. This rating makes them splash and sweat-resistant and more suitable for rigorous workouts. More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETLast week, Google announced the next generation of Pixel products at its annual Made by Google event, including the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel Watch Pro 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Also: Everything announced at Made by GoogleIf you are looking for a quality pair of earbuds that offer exclusive features for your Google device, the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a great choice. The second generation of Google’s earbuds includes a new Find My Device feature, improved battery life, and better Bluetooth connectivity. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 cost $229 and are available from multiple retailers. However, if you order from Amazon, Best Buy, or the Google Store, you’ll receive a $30 gift card. Best Buy is offering a trade-in deal, too. Here are the best Pixel Buds 2 Pro deals we’ve found so far.View at Google Store More

Denon/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Denon PerL earbuds More

The RefreshOS desktop with the addition of the floating Plasma panel enabled. Jack WallenZDNETAny time I review a distribution based on Debian, I’m pondering two things. First, how does this distro set itself apart from all the other Debian-based distributions? Second, is this a good enough distribution to help lure Windows users to Linux?Most often, a distribution will differentiate itself by a combination of desktop customizations and pre-installed software titles. Those changes depend on the developer’s goals, of course. With RefreshOS, it’s all about user-friendliness, speed, and elegance, which explains why the team chose to combine Debian (one of the most stable operating systems) with Plasma Desktop (one of the most familiar and elegant desktops available).The one-two combination of Debian and Plasma is almost always a sure sign that, no matter how deeply the team has customized the desktop, the distribution will most likely work well for all types of users.Also: The new COSMIC Linux desktop from System76 is out of this worldSuch is the case with RefreshOS. It’s based on Debian, defaults to the Plasma Desktop — with only one specific configuration change (more on that in a bit) — and is a great option for anyone looking to jump ship from Microsoft’s flagship operation system.According to the official RefreshOS website, the distribution “focuses on stability, customization, and seamless Qt integration, with enhanced features and improved performance to meet diverse user needs.” More

If you’re using a content management system (CMS) to manage your website, there’s a very good chance you’re using WordPress. According to W3Techs, around 63% of all websites using content management use WordPress, and 43% of all websites on the planet run WordPress. WordPress is a backend website CMS system in a blog format that is very easy to learn. Nearly every web hosting provider offers WordPress as an option, as all it takes is a relatively modern tech stack and a quick install, so there’s a low barrier of entry for a hosting provider to offer WordPress support. But just because so many hosting providers offer WordPress support doesn’t mean they are all created equal. Also: The best web hosting services: Expert testedWhat is the best WordPress hosting provider right now?We at ZDNET have extensively tested and reviewed many WordPress hosting providers over the years, often designing our own websites using these services. Based on our testing, our pick for the best WordPress hosting service overall is Hostinger More

Several colleges, universities, and K-12 schools have already made the return to the classroom ahead of Labor Day, but the back-to-school season lasts well into September. While a chaotic time for parents and educators alike, back to the classroom means back-to-school savings are abundant, especially on top tech from brands like Apple, Samsung, and more.Also: These 5 gadgets are the college essentials you’ll actually reach forIf you’re looking to get the best deals on back-to-school tech that will last all year, you already know that shopping for the best laptops, tablets, iPads, earbuds, and other tech essentials starts early. Plus, you don’t want to miss out on educational discounts and offers exclusive to students and teachers. Also: Buying a Mac or iPad? Students can get a $150 Apple gift card. Here’s howIf your student is in the market for a new smartphone this school year, OnePlus More

Blue/ZDNETBlue is one of the biggest names in home recording equipment. You may be familiar with their more popular USB microphone, the Yeti. But they also offer an excellent XLR option for experienced content creators, musicians, and podcasters with the Baby Bottle cardioid microphone. With higher-fidelity recording, you’ll get rich, more accurate master recordings for mixing and editing. Right now at Amazon, you can save $237 (or almost 60%) on a Blue Baby Bottle cardioid microphone More

Jack Wallen/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysLinux Lite 7.0 is available to download and install for free from the official site.This lightweight Linux distribution comes with everything you need and performs like an absolute champ.The default desktop is a bit bland, but it’s fairly easy to customize.My friend recently wanted to bring an old laptop back to life. Her aging Intel MacBook was no longer supported by Apple, and instead of letting the machine wind up in a landfill somewhere, she decided to install Linux, an OS she’d never used before.She started her quest with Linux Mint, which is always a good place to start. Unfortunately, the installation failed for her (mostly because of the doggedly slow nature of the machine), so she reached out.Also: Thinking about switching to Linux? 10 things you need to knowGiven her hardware, there was only one logical suggestion to make — Linux Lite. This installation went well for her, except the keyboard layout was automatically selected incorrectly. Fortunately, that was an easy fix.After this experience, I realized I hadn’t reviewed Linux Lite in a while, and it was time to rectify that. So, I downloaded the ISO, spun up a virtual machine, and in less than five minutes logged into the desktop.Also: 5 essential Linux terms every new user needs to knowAny time I review a lightweight Linux distribution, I know what I’m getting into. They tend to be fairly generic, with a lack of eye candy and panache. They get the job done and not much more.  That’s why Linux Lite struck me as unique among the “genre.” No, it doesn’t offer a plethora of effects or beautifications. It’s a very straightforward (albeit customized) version of the Xfce desktop, which means you can always further customize it to meet your needs. It took me all of two minutes to configure the desktop to how I prefer the interface (with a dock-like panel, no desktop icons, and a lighter theme). More