Eliana Willis

Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Roborock Flexi Lite More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung took the smart ring space to new heights when it unveiled its first-ever Galaxy Ring More

Suppose Casetify is like your trendy Gen Z coworker who brings fresh designs and innovative features to the table. In that case, Burga is the more sophisticated, sleek, and cohesive millennial with just a few more years behind them. Like Casetify, Burga is extremely popular for iPhone cases, but it’s easy to overlook the brand’s other protective offerings for devices like the iPad. Burga’s folio case for the iPad Air combines style and function. It features a spot for stylus storage and Apple Pencil charging, has a hard shell backing and a soft close folio front, can be used as a stand for your iPad, features shock absorption and a raised bezel design, and is overall sleek in profile. Perhaps the best part of Burga’s case is that it comes in a slew of designs, patterns, and colors. It’s sophisticated but practical and offers enough secure protection for everyday use. When I tested the Burga case on the last few weeks I liked its light weight feel, Apple Pencil storage, folio-style cover, stand configuration, and numerous prints and designs. It’s a great basic case to protect from everyday bumps and scratches, but I recommend bumping up to something more secure, such as an Otterbox or even the Zugu case, if you’re accident prone or are rougher around the edges when it comes to handling your tech. I also wish the stand options on the case were a bit more comfortable for viewing, though it’s a nice add-on to have the option to prop up my iPad up at all while watching a show or video. For the $60 price tag though, I think this a great buy for the features you are getting, especially considering a similar folio case from Apple is now around $80 and ones at Casetify start at $92. Current customers on the Burga website said they like the overall value of the case, with emphasis on the case’s design, build, and and quality. Many said they enjoyed the fun patterns and color options — which outdo most other case mentioned on this list in the color department, and compete with the likes of only Casetify. Burga iPad Air Case features: Raised bezel design for camera and screen protection | Apple Pencil storage and charging spot | Variety of colors and styles | Shock absorbing bumper | Stand configurations | Never-fading prints  More

Charlie Osborne/ZDNETHere at ZDNET, we extensively cover the virtual private network (VPN) market and keep an eye out for any worthwhile deals.  Over at Stack Social, we’ve spotted an interesting promotion for anyone who wants to use VPN software to mask their online activity from prying eyes, including ISPs, marketers, and other groups that may track what websites you visit and what online services you use.  Also: The best VPN servicesThe VPN in question is from AdGuard, a company well-known for its ad and tracker-blocking technologies. Now, you also have the option to try out their standalone VPN, which could provide an additional layer of privacy to protect your browsing.  What I like about this deal is the price. For $40 (88% off), you can sign up for a five-year plan, which gives you access to a VPN for the equivalent of around $0.67 per month. The subscription includes 10 simultaneous device connections, and AdGuard operates a no-logging policy. One- and three-year subscription AdGuard VPN deals are also available for $20 and $30, respectively, and while inexpensive, they are more in line with typical promotions offered by other VPN providers. Also: The best VPN for streamingThe mobile iOS and Android versions of this VPN are easy to set up, with a clean layout and a simple menu bar. You can opt for the default “smart” location just by clicking a button, or you can wander through the server and country list (over 60 locations) to find your preferred location. Its speeds are fine, and I didn’t notice any real difference in my browsing or app usage. There is a caveat, though: I can’t recommend this VPN for purely MacOS usage. During my testing, I found it a challenge to even sign in, and it is extremely slow. In short, the mobile user experience is what you would expect from a decent VPN, but the MacOS app needs a lot of work. (We do have a list of VPNs that are great for Mac, if you need one.) A free option is available, but keep in mind that VPN traffic, connection speed, and server locations are very limited.  More

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETMove over, Google Maps. Apple Maps now has its own website. On Wednesday, Apple announced that its Maps service is now accessible on the web. Yes, that means you no longer need to fire up the app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to find places to visit and figure out how to reach them.With the new beta version, you can browse to the Apple Maps website to get driving and walking directions and check out popular destinations. As with the Apple Maps app, you can view photos, hours, ratings, and reviews for restaurants and other businesses.Also: 12 ways Apple Maps can help you plan a better summer vacationThere’s also the handy Guides feature to discover places to eat, shop, and explore. The only feature missing is Look Around, which displays 360-degree panoramic views of specific locales, but that will arrive in the coming months, Apple said.Just like with Google Maps, developers can even link to Apple Maps on their websites using MapKit JS. As a result, you may find more sites offering directions and other details via Apple Maps in the future.The main hiccup so far is that the Apple Maps website supports only certain languages, browsers, and platforms. Currently accessible in English, the site is compatible with Safari and Chrome on a Mac and iPad, as well as Chrome and Edge on Windows computers. When I tried visiting the site using Firefox, I received an error telling me the browser wasn’t supported. More

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open went tooth and nail for the top spot on this list, but key feature advantages put the latter ahead. Still, the Z Fold 6 remains a formidable option for foldable shoppers this year thanks to its more refined and durable design, productivity-inducing software, and undervalued after-sales support.Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6The Z Fold 6 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which has proven to yield better on-device and hybrid-based AI capabilities, including Samsung’s new Sketch-to-Image, Interpreter Mode, Composer, and more. Samsung also upgraded the hinge this year, making the Fold notably thinner and lighter yet still durable enough to withstand 200,000 bends — maybe more — throughout its lifespan. Thanks to a brighter 2,600-nit display and a crease that’s a little less noticeable when open, “the Z Fold 6’s 7.6-inch screen is a near-perfect canvas for watching movies, playing games, and getting work done,” I mentioned in my review. It’s unfortunate that Samsung didn’t upgrade the cameras or charging speeds all that much with the latest generation; otherwise, it would’ve given the OnePlus a run for its money.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display sizes: 6.2-inch exterior and 7.6-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 12GB with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Battery: 4,400mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, 10MP front | Price: Starting at $1,899 More

No, ANC earbuds should not be confused with a hearing protection device, and experts agree.”Nobody should ever think of them as, in my opinion, pure hearing protection. They’re not,” says ENT Dr. Joe Donzelli. And while noise-canceling earbuds can offer some passive protection like any sound wave boundary, Dr. Donzelli assures that they don’t deter the culprit of hearing loss: Inner ear trauma.”Everything is all about the sound you’re delivering through the headphones, so you can get the greatest noise cancellation ever, but if you just turn up the volume and expose yourself to high decibels for long periods of time, you’ll then create inner ear trauma,” Donzelli explains.However, since listening to music at high volume for long periods of time can damage hearing, a good pair of ANC headphones may have some secondary hearing protection benefits.”If someone is using ANC earbuds to get rid of ambient noise, they may not have to turn the volume up as loud to hear the in-ear sound,” Donzelli says.Essentially, here’s how ANC earbuds may help: You find your ANC earbuds effectively cancel out distracting noises. Before, you had to blast the volume just to hear accurately, but thanks to the magic of ANC, the sound is clear at half the volume. Now, you’re listening at a lower volume for longer, and therefore likely have less exposure to damaging decibel levels, which means less inner ear trauma. But Donzelli reiterates that the “tighter you put something in your ear and the louder you make it, the more damage. So if somebody runs around with their [earbuds] turned up all the way with or without noise cancellation, it doesn’t make a difference.”  More

David Gewirtz/ZDNETI love my Echo Show More