SEAN GLADWELL/Getty Images Like many people, cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence to help them work faster, easier, and smarter. With automated bots, account takeovers, and social engineering, a savvy scammer knows how to enhance their usual tactics with an AI spin. A new report from Gartner shows how this is playing out now and how […] More
Kilito Chan/Getty Images For at least two decades, Software as a Service — aka, SaaS — has been at the center of the technology universe, with applications fully accessible via the internet. Now, artificial intelligence is turning this arrangement on its head, leveraging applications autonomously to deliver services. They’re calling it “Services as Software.” AI […] More
When is Amazon’s Spring Sale 2025? The Amazon Big Spring Sale starts on March 25 and ends on March 31. Are robot vacuums really cheaper during Amazon sales? Yes, robot vacuums are actually cheaper during Amazon sales. Prices often reach all-time lows during Prime Day events and the Amazon Big Spring Sale. You can find robot vacuum discounts sporadically throughout the year, but these big sales events tend to feature the biggest discounts and are often the best time to buy.How did we choose these Spring Sale deals?As a robot vacuum reviewer, I’ve become familiar with unique features and tested various devices in every price range. This experience has made me realize that the robot vacuum market has a lot of competition and helps me discern which robot vacuums are worth their retail price and when a discount is a good deal.I check robot vacuum deals weekly, paying special attention during sales events. I always choose to feature the deals that deliver the most features and best performance for the least money. Using our expertise and different tools to track deals, we can determine when a deal is worth it and ensure we only cover those.Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Apple’s MacBook Air M4 is available now, starting at $999 for the 13-inch, and $1,199 for the 15-inch. The M4 Air supports up to two external monitors with the lid open, and scales up to 32GB of unified memory. There are still only two USB-C ports on the left side, and […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Lenovo Tab Plus retails for $330. Contrary to its small size, the model houses a booming eight-speaker system and a long-lasting battery. The MediaTek Helio chipset and dim display won’t be winning any awards. more buying choices If you’re in the market for a new tablet that won’t break the […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETI love March Madness, at least when my team is invited to the Big Dance. I even 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: How to watch March Madness 2025: The best streaming optionsFor 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
When is Amazon’s Big Spring Sale 2025? The e-commerce giant’s latest sales event will run from Tuesday, March 25, to Monday, March 31. However, several deals will go live before and after that time frame.Are deals really better during Amazon sales?While there are no guarantees that the prices you see are the lowest ever, Amazon — and the various retailers and sellers it works with — tends to keep promotions as competitive as possible. That’s why you can expect discounts that match all-time-lows — or at least somewhere near them.How did we choose these Spring Sale deals?While it’s always helpful when products are discounted significantly (we usually cover ones that are at least 20% off), ZDNET experts also prioritize promotions on products we’ve personally tested and can vouch for. Since the products you purchase are considerable investments, we ensure that our recommendations are grounded by thorough research, testing, and value.We also source reviews from actual customers, whether through Best Buy and Amazon testimonials (with hands-on images) or online forums like Reddit.Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends. More
ZDNETOn March 14, 2025, a root certificate used to verify signed content and add-ons for Firefox, Thunderbird, and other Mozilla projects expired. The expiration of this certificate will cause problems for Firefox users unless they update to version 128 (or ESR 115.13+). This includes versions for Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS — in other words, all platforms.Also: The Firefox I loved is gone – how to protect your privacy on it nowWithout updating, all features that rely on remote updates will cease to function, all add-ons will be automatically disabled, and DRM-protected content will stop playing. In addition, all systems dependent on content verification could stop functioning as expected. The web browser itself will continue to work, but much of what you do with the browser will be broken. Also: How to protect yourself from phishing attacks in Chrome and FirefoxThis means every Firefox user around the world must update to the latest version; otherwise, they’ll find out the hard way that this upgrade isn’t optional. What is a root certificate? A root certificate is used to verify the authenticity of websites, add-ons, and software updates. Without a root certificate in place, your browser cannot verify these items, and you could wind up with malicious software on your hands. Also: The best secure browsers for privacyRoot certificates are crucial for the following reasons: Top-level validation: When a website or application requests a digital certificate from an intermediate certificate authority, it can be validated by checking the signature against the root certificate.Trusted certificates: When you visit a website, your browser checks that each certificate in the chain is signed by a trusted root certificate.Security chain: Every certificate has an issuer that points to a certificate higher in the hierarchy, which forms a chain of trust from the website back to the root certificate. More
