<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways This ruggedized smartphone has a huge battery, a massive 800-lumen flashlight, and a night vision camera. The massive battery does make the handset weigh a hefty 2 pounds. The display can be a bit washed out in bright sunlight. –> I remember when smartphones started to use the built-in flash as […] More
Maria Korneeva/Getty Images Popularity in the tech world is hard to measure. I’ve talked at length about this in my discussions of programming language popularity. It really comes down to what you use to measure popularity — and how available those metrics are to those doing the analysis. It’s difficult to generically define popularity, especially when […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETI love March Madness, at least until Louisville gets knocked out in the first round. Then, I just sit back, free of stress, and enjoy watching other teams play their hearts out like everything is on the line — because it is. While NCAA basketball continues to be broadcast in standard HD, the games can look clear, bright, and beautiful on most modern TVs. Part of that appeal, though, is owed to your TV’s motion-smoothing capabilities. Also: Your TV’s USB port is seriously underrated: 5 benefits you’re not taking advantage ofFor many people, motion smoothing is only appropriate for gaming and watching live sports; enthusiasts typically prefer turning off the feature to watch anything else because it can detract from the filmmaker’s original intent, making on-screen images seem artificial or hyper-realistic. This is what’s called the “soap opera effect.” It’s a perfectly descriptive metaphor that probably requires no explanation. You can see it all too well: the cinematic film should not look like a daytime soap; you shouldn’t feel like you’re on the set with the actors. But it is appealing to feel like you’re in the stadium watching your team with thousands of fans. The soap opera effect makes sense for live sporting event broadcasts. More
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThe 2024 version of Windows 11 is yet again creating headaches for certain users. As described by Microsoft, a conflict between Windows 11 24H2 and a security driver is crashing unlucky systems.The trouble centers on a file called sprotect.sys, a driver from SenseShield Technology that provides encryption through specialized enterprise security software. This particular driver can be added to Windows through the installation of many different applications, according to Microsoft, so it cannot be pinned down to one specific program. Also: 6 things I always do after setting up Windows 11 – and why you should tooBut if the driver is on a PC updated to Windows 11 24H2, the system can stop responding and display a blue or black screen error, typically known as the infamous Blue Screen of Death. The problem can occur with any version of the sprotect.sys driver, specifically versions 1.0.2.372 and 1.0.3.48903. Microsoft has blocked the Windows 11 2024 update for PCs with this driver. That means you will not see the latest flavor of Windows 11 in Windows Update, and you should not try to manually install it. What you can doAnd what about people who have already updated and are bumping into blue screens? Microsoft said that it is working with SenseShield to try to resolve the issue. In the meantime, you have a couple of options. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways A well-designed multitool with a range of quality tools that can handle a variety of tasks. At under $20, this is in a class of its own in terms of price, and it makes it a great tool for occasional use, or a tool that you don[t mind if it gets […] More
Moto G Stylus 2025 MotorolaMotorola started the year off strong. The 2025 Moto G and Moto G Power proved to be solid midrange smartphones thanks to their lengthy battery life, high-definition screens, and decent camera systems. Now the company has announced a third model: the 2025 Moto G Stylus.Also: The best Android phones you can buy (including top models from Samsung and Google)As the name reveals, this model has a built-in stylus to help users jot down notes, navigate the UI, and enable better interactions with such key features as Sketch to Image, which utilizes artificial intelligence to bring crude drawings to life within the Moto Note app. There’s also Google’s Circle to Search, which lets owners look up on-screen items on the search engine just by circling them. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Ruggedized smartphone with a huge battery, massive 800 lumen flashlight, and night vision camera. The battery is a massive 15,000mAh in size, but this does make the handset weigh a hefty 2 pounds. Display can be a bit washed out in bright sunlight. –> I remember when smartphones started to use […] More
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETI’m not a smartwatch person, and I gave up on them three years ago for one simple reason: I didn’t want unsolicited notifications on my wrist. Over the years, I’ve only worn a smartwatch to review it or check out new features. However, I returned to the Apple Watch with its latest iteration — Series 10, in Jet Black — two months ago, and I don’t mind having it on my wrist daily anymore. Also: Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 9: Should you upgrade to the latest model?It turns out Apple has resolved most of my Apple Watch annoyances, both hardware and software, over the years. Plus, three years changed a lot of things in life, and tracking health data outweighs the inconvenience of unsolicited notifications (which can be turned off) now. Sure, I can choose one of the more affordable options, but I trust the Apple Watch more for its track record of saving lives through irregular heartbeats, and alerts that matter. Just to be clear, I’m not using it as a medical device substitute. Instead, it’s a nice-to-have, but also a reliable companion for health tracking. Also: 3 Apple devices you definitely shouldn’t buy this month (and 10 to get instead)After wearing the Apple Watch Series 10 More
