Eliana Willis

ZDNETIt’s a rare occasion that a piece of Linux software slips by me, especially when it’s a desktop environment or window manager.But here we are. Just a week or so ago, I ran into what I originally thought was a Linux compositor, but soon after I looked into it, I realized it was actually a window manager. That software in question was Hyprland. Hyprland is a tiling window manager that aims to provide a fast, secure, and user-friendly Linux desktop experience. I said “aims” because Hyprland doesn’t exactly achieve these — yet. Also: 10 Linux apps I install on every new machine (and why you should, too)First off, Hyprland is relatively new, which means it’s not well supported — yet. Hyprland is not user-friendly, which means it’s meant for advanced users willing to spend some time troubleshooting and configuring. Hyprland isn’t exactly fast, but I chalk that up to its youth. What is a tiling window manager?You might be asking yourself, “What is a tiling window manager?” I’ve answered that question in my piece, “How to install a tiling window manager on Linux (and why you’d want to).” Essentially, a tiling window manager is one that automates the placement of windows in such a way as to make the desktop more efficient for you. On top of that, a tiling window manager makes it possible for you to not have to constantly switch between keyboard and mouse (because windows can be navigated with keyboard shortcuts). The thing about tiling window managers is that they are so far removed from how you normally work that they can be a hard sell. Once you get used to working with a tiling window manager, all bets are off because you might well find them to be incredibly efficient. But what about Hyprland? What sets it apart from other tiling window managers? First off, it does try to add a bit more panache into the mix. When I first installed and logged into AcroPlasma (with Hyprland installed), I was immediately reminded of the old Star Trek LCARS interface. It’s the colors and the shapes that send my memory back to *The Next Generation*, and (I’m not gonna lie) it does put a smile on my face. More

ZDNETIn 2006, Digg, a social networking and bookmarking site, was one of the most popular websites. Today, many of you have probably never even heard of this Reddit-like site. Now, in a surprising turn of events, Digg is attempting a comeback, backed by an unlikely alliance between its founder, Kevin Rose, and former rival Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit.Social networks have become toxicWhy? Because, as you may have noticed, social networks have become increasingly unpleasant. Meta, like X (Twitter) before it, has rolled back its fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. As a result, all these networks have become more toxic. Digg’s new team sees this. They declared, “The current social media landscape, community discourse has grown increasingly combative, cluttered, and exhausting. Users are bogged down by misinformation, spam, and the emotional toll of navigating hostile interactions.” Also: This social media shift could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting forIronically, it is just such failures that brought Digg down in the first place. Digg’s disgrace began in 2010 when it was revealed that the so-called Digg Patriots were engaged in a widespread censorship campaign against left-leaning users. Using multiple accounts, up-vote padding, and ban campaigns, they muzzled liberal conversation on the site for months. In response, Rose removed the power of users to up-vote and down-vote stories. This failed. The Digg community hated this change. The users saw Digg was no longer a “site built by the community, for the community” and left. Digg never recovered, and Reddit largely took its place. More

krblokhin/Getty Images A new “smishing scam” is targeting people for their personal information under the guise of unpaid tolls. Scammers, purporting to be from E-ZPass or other toll providers (like SunPass, Peach Pass, or EZDriveMA), are sending fraudulent text messages asking for toll payments and urging recipients to click a link to settle their bills. […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The CaseUp Combo includes ProtoArc’s wireless keyboard, mouse, and laptop stand is available for $79 on Amazon. The ease of use and transport make this a solid option for improving your hybrid and remote work setup. The mouse, while comfrortable, might be too small for some people. –> There is no […] More

Apple/ZDNETApple just quietly dropped a new iPad Air More

Philips | Aleksandra Konoplia/Getty Images Roku and Philips are partnering up for the first time to create the Philips OLED Roku TV<!–>, a new smart television now arriving in stores. This first Philips Roku TV features an OLED panel with over eight million individually dimming pixels and up to 4K resolution, all paired with Dolby […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETGoogle has begun rolling out its March 2025 Pixel feature drop, bringing some serious upgrades to the entire Pixel family. Also: 4 Pixel phone tricks every user should know – including my favoriteMost Pixel phones are getting new scam detection, the Pixel Watch 3 is receiving a first-of-its-kind feature, there’s a new option to share your location with friends, and more. What’s new in the March 2025 Pixel feature drop?Among all the new features in this month’s drop, 10 stand out. For example, your Pixel phone is gaining a new way to protect you, and your Pixel Watch is receiving a never-before-seen feature.  Here’s what’s new.1. Real-time alerts for suspicious textsFirst up: In addition to listening in on your calls for words associated with scams, your phone now monitors your text messages. With AI-powered Scam Detection on-device, Google says Messages will now flag text patterns commonly associated with scams and alert you about suspicious conversations. While the phone call version of this feature is only available on the Pixel 9, the text message version is available on the Pixel 6 and newer. 2. Share your location with trusted contactsFind My Device now lets you share your location with trusted contacts. With the same app you use to find a lost device, your friends can now see your live location on a map, no matter which device they use. This is coming to all Android devices. 3. Loss of pulse detection More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The OnePlus Watch 3 normally retails for $330. Its five-day battery life, durability, rotating digital crown, and superb design make this a compelling smartwatch. However, the OHealth app needs some work, workout data screens are limited, and ECG measurements are not supported. –> The OnePlus Watch 3 is on sale. If […] More