Eliana Willis

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETHaven’t updated your Windows 11 PC in a while? Then you could find yourself on the outs with Microsoft. Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2 are now no longer supported by the folks in Redmond. This means that anyone still running these versions won’t receive future bug fixes, security patches, or other updates. And that could place your computer at a greater risk for malware, security flaws, and other threats.Also: Yes, you can upgrade that old PC to Windows 11, even if Microsoft says no. These readers proved itOn Sunday, Microsoft revised its Windows 11 release information page to indicate the retirement of the two older versions, listing both 21H2 and 22H2 as having reached the end of servicing for Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations. Only the Enterprise and Education editions are spared; they’re still able to receive updates to Windows 11 22H2 until October 14 of 2025.How do you know which version you’re running? That’s easy enough. Head to Settings, select System, and then click About. Scroll down to the section for Windows specifications to find the version. If Windows 11 23H2 is listed, then you’re fine. But what if you’re stuck with an older edition? In that case, you can update your PC yourself, or Microsoft will now do it for you.Also: Microsoft is going to start charging for Windows 10 updates next year. Here’s how muchGo to Settings, select Windows Update, and click the button for “Check for Updates.” Microsoft will download and install the latest updates, which will include 23H2. If you don’t do this yourself, and automatic updates are turned on, the update will automatically run as part of this month’s Patch Tuesday rolled out on September 10.Keeping track of Windows updates can be challenging and frustrating, especially with so many of them pushed out on a regular and irregular basis. Microsoft has tried to streamline the major updates by launching them annually and naming them with the year and period. But the names can be confusing since we’re almost in the final quarter of 2024 and Windows 11 is still stuck on a 2023 version. In the midst of this messiness, making sure your PC is fully protected against security hazards is the most critical task.On its Windows Message Center page, Microsoft issued this warning:”The October 2024 security update is the last security release for Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11, version 21H2 and Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, version 22H2. After this date, devices running these editions will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates containing protections from the latest security threats.” More

The Black Apple Watch Series 10 with a blue band, pictured after Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event. Jason Hiner/ZDNETSome new features make the new Apple Watch Series 10 an attractive prospect, but my old Apple Watch Series 7 has one notable thing that Apple’s new smartwatches lack: blood oxygen tracking. This is enough to keep me happy with my older model.The blood oxygen monitoring feature is only available in the Apple Watch Series 6, 7, 8, and the Ultra released in 2022. Notably, Apple is now releasing the Apple Watch Series 10 without the feature in the US.Also: Buying an Apple Watch Series 10? Consider these 3 features before upgradingApple removed the blood oxygen capability in the US in January 2024, just a few months after the release of the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 a year ago. More

Eoneren/Getty Images In recent years, there has been a loud buzz about how generative AI (gen AI) is making software developers’ lives easier since it generates code snippets, suggestions, and related documentation on demand. Many developers feel that productivity is pushed intuitively, of course. Now we have hard data to back up that premise.  However, […] More

Matthew Miller/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe AGM X6 Phantom More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETAs initially reported by Mishaal Rahman on Android Authority, Google is planning a major overhaul to the Notification Shade and Quick Settings for Android 16. Should this alteration come to fruition, it will change how users access both features on Android devices. Given these features haven’t had any major design changes since 2021, it should be no surprise if Google has decided to modify both.If you swipe down once from the top of the Android display, the Notification Shade appears. Swipe down a second time and you’re given access to the Quick Settings tiles. However, users will notice some differences if the reported changes make it to the final release.Also: How to easily share files between Windows and Android with Google’s Quick ShareAccessing the Notification Shade will remain the same, with a single swipe down from the top of the display. The only change you’ll see is that the shade doesn’t take up the entire screen. Instead, the Notification Shade will only take up one-quarter of the display.As for Quick Settings, accessing that feature will require a two-finger swipe down from the top of the screen. When you open the Quick Settings panel, it will replace the Notification Shade. More

Huawei/ZDNETShortly after Apple unveiled the iPhone 16, Chinese tech company Huawei announced “the world’s first triple-fold smartphone” — the Mate XT Ultimate Design. Foldable phones typically have a single hinge, but this device sports an interesting bi-fold hinge that allows it to fold up in a ‘Z’ shape.Also: The best foldable phones you can buy: Expert testedThe Mate XT can operate in three different configurations. When opened fully, the Mate XT has a massive 10.2-inch, 3K (2,232 x 3,184 pixels) OLED display. Users can close a third of the touchscreen to have a 7.9-inch device. That’s bigger than an unfurled Galaxy Z Fold 6. Collapsing the smartphone entirely gives you a 6.4-inch screen, with 2,232 x 1,008-pixel resolution. More

Sony/ZDNETDuring a short Technical Presentation, Sony officially revealed the PlayStation 5 Pro after months of anticipation. The existence of the PS5’s mid-generation upgrade has been a poorly kept secret as rumors about the console have been floating around the internet for some time now. Also: The best TVs for PS5: Expert testedBe aware the PS5 Pro is not a massive overhaul. The processor stays the same, as the device is focused on delivering improved graphical output. According to Sony, the PS5 Pro houses a stronger graphics card with “67% more Compute Units” than before and “28% faster memory”. The result is “45% faster rendering for gameplay”. New features are being added, too. The company is introducing powerful ray tracing to enable more realistic lighting. This capability also allows the PS5 Pro to cast the rays at double, sometimes triple, the speeds of the standard PlayStation 5. More