Sony/ZDNETIf you’ve been considering jumping into the world of VR gaming, but you’re scared by the eye-popping price of the Vision Pro and the still fairly expensive Meta Quest 3, there’s a deal going on right now you’ll want to pay attention to.The PlayStation VR2, which made our list of the best VR headsets because of its ultra-smooth gameplay, is currently $200 off its normal $549.99 price at Amazon More
The Yeedi Cube goes seamlessly from hard floors to rugs or carpet. Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Yeedi Cube robot vacuum and mop More
Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysEcovacs just launched a new Deebot T30S Combo More
June Wan/ZDNETThe Apple Watch Series 9 More
Jack Wallen/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Denon PerL earbuds More
Apple’s iPad Mini is our top pick for the best small tablet thanks to its A15 Bionic chip, which makes it a powerful tablet packed into a small package. The iPad Mini was last updated in the fall of 2021 with new features like support for the second-gen Apple Pencil, a slightly bigger screen size, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.There’s a spot on the right side of the tablet to charge the Apple Pencil, making it a great tablet for drawing or writing notes. Customers who bought the iPad Mini reported in reviews that they were impressed by its battery life, durability, and display. They also noted its portability to fit in purses and bags, particularly for entertainment purposes. Review: Apple iPad Mini (6th Gen.)ZDNET Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner tested the iPad Mini and said that it “feels more like an [oversized] smartphone than a small tablet at times.””It can easily slip into bags, purses, and even the pockets of some cargo pants and vests,” he wrote. “Compared to a phone, it’s better for reading ebooks, PDFs, documents, news apps, and other digital content — especially when leaning back in a chair or a couch.”Of course, you’ll also get iPadOS 16 with features like shared tab groups, Stage Manager, and external display support if you ever need to see something on a bigger screen. Ultimately, you get all these things for less than what you would pay for an iPad Air or an iPad Pro. iPad Mini tech specs: Display: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display | Processor: A15 Bionic | Storage: 64GB or 256GB | Colors: Space gray, pink, purple, starlight | Cameras: 8MP rear, 1080p video. 12MP FaceTime camera with Center Stage | Weight: 0.65 pounds | Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches | Connections: USB-C | Battery life: 10 hours More
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETClimate change has brought an increasing number of wildfires and air quality problems. In the US, the West Coast has seen more than its fair share of fires over the past several years. Here on the East Coast, we were affected by wildfires in Canada last year, creating a haze across the skies and warnings to stay indoors as much as possible. Such environmental hazards have hit many regions around the world.”During one week in July, according to reports, firefighters fought through the night as wildfires blazed on the Greek islands of Kos, Chios and Crete,” Google said in a recent blog post. “Authorities in the Spanish community of Extremadura activated 60 personnel to control a forest fire — one of 18 threatening the region. One wildfire, according to reports, in the Paphos region of Cyprus, was caused by light refracted through broken glass. According to estimates, territory that is fire-prone in Europe has doubled in the last 50 years.”To help people avoid these hazards, Google has been offering wildfire tracking in the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. This week, the company added 15 more countries to the list, including Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Monaco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Türkiye, Google noted in its blog post.Also: How AI is saving homes and lives in California during wildfire seasonGoogle’s wildfire tracking relies on multiple sources, such as data from satellite imagery. The company also uses AI to compare its wildfire model with its own model of fire scars (the black scarring left over after a fire has burned through all the vegetation). Other AI models verify the presence of wildfires to more precisely measure their size.To report on air quality in a given area, Google turns to an Air Quality Index in the US and other countries. This measures common pollutants in the air, such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The index typically averages the readings for a defined period of time, anywhere from one to 24 hours. More
Max Buondonno/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe OnePlus Pad 2 More
