Information Technology

Maria Diaz/ZDNETCosts are steadily rising in the US, and energy costs are a prominent example. This is made worse by summer temperatures being at record highs, with heat waves wreaking havoc across various states in the past few weeks. As someone who’s gone through a few of these this summer alone, I’m constantly looking for ways to conserve energy.There are many little things you can do that can shave dollars off your monthly energy bill, and they go beyond switching off the lights when you leave the room. Did you know you can save 3% on cooling costs for every 1°F increase in your thermostat? As a fan of data, I’ve looked into multiple quantifiable ways to save energy and how these translate into saving money. Also: Apple’s tariff costs and iPhone sales are soaring – how long until device prices are too?Unplugging a single device when not in use isn’t going to save you a bucket of cash. But unplugging multiple devices adds up quickly to help you save, especially when you make a habit of it. Here are the devices you should unplug when they’re not in use, and how doing so could save you almost $200 a year, depending on your local rates.1. TVs, gaming consoles, and office devices More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The 15-inch Skylight Calendar is a smart display for $320, with a 10-inch version available for $160. It’s a touchscreen calendar designed with busy lifestyles in mind that allows for shared use within a household or team. Though it’s proven indispensable for my family, I wish the chores, not just the […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysSamsung is rolling out a redesigned version of Bixby on smart TVs.The new Bixby will have upgraded conversational abilities.You’ll also be able to control smart home devices.If you have a Samsung television, you’re about to get a big upgrade to your TV’s built-in Bixby assistant.In a recent announcement, Samsung detailed a redesigned Bixby that brings a host of new features, including the ability to look up information, utilize Click to Search, and even control your smart home.Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why it makes such a noticeable difference)At present, Bixby is essentially a voice-controlled extension of your remote. You can use it to do basic things like open apps, control your TV’s volume, control media playback, check the weather, or search for content.Here’s what’s coming with the new Bixby.1. Smarter, more natural conversationsSamsung says the new Bixby assistant, powered by generative AI, will provide a much more natural experience compared to the previous version. Bixby can answer any question you have and understand context and follow-up questions, letting you have more of a flowing conversation. Also: How to turn off ACR on your TV (and why you shouldn’t wait to do it)You can ask queries like, “What’s the tallest mountain in America” or “Suggest a chill playlist for a rainy day”. Bixby can also answer questions about what’s on your screen. 2. Click to SearchBixby is now integrated into Click to Search, letting you discover and explore while watching live TV, cable channels, or Samsung TV Plus. You can ask about an actor, a show, or a broader topic, and get answers right on your TV. More

Thomas Barwick/Getty Images ZDNET’s takeaways Perplexity’s new feature lets you make a restaurant reservation straight through OpenTable. The feature uses OpenTable’s system, so you don’t have to trust the AI to do it for you. Instead of navigating between apps or tabs to find a restaurant and then book a table, Perplexity handles everything. Finding […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysLinux has several high-quality video editors.You’ll find some pro-level and some built for consumers.The best-in-class goes to DaVinci Resolve.I’ve been filming and editing videos for a long time. When I first started, I worked with software that was user-friendly but incapable of producing professional-level videos. Slowly, I climbed the ladder. Now I feel like the tools I have are worthy of being taken seriously.That’s not to say those apps I used early on aren’t viable options, but it does depend on the results you want to achieve, your target audience, and how/where you plan on distributing/submitting your work.Whether you’re just starting with video edits or have been around that particular block a few times, there are some quality editors available for the Linux operating system. Here are my top four.1. DaVinci ResolveDaVinci Resolve (by Black Magic) is my go-to editor these days. Yes, it has a steep learning curve (and a lot of features), but it’s worth every second you put into it. I’ve been using Resolve for a couple of years, and every time I use it, I find something new to love. One of the best things about Resolve is its color grading tools (which are incredible). Outside of Adobe Premiere, you won’t find a better tool for getting just the right color for your videos. And with the latest releases, those tools are even smarter and easier to use. Also: 5 new features in DaVinci Resolve 19 that make my favorite video editor even betterBut, as I said, there is a steep learning curve with this software. If you really want to get the most out of DaVinci Resolve, you have to take the time to learn things like a node-based workflow and have a solid understanding of how color works in film. The good news is that Resolve does have built-in support for a large number of cameras. The caveat is that the majority of cameras included are cinema-quality and not consumer-grade. With DaVinci Resolve, you can get artistic with your color grading or simply make it look as real as possible.DaVinci Resolve has both a free version and a paid Studio version ($295), which adds tons of extra features (such as AI, temporal and spatial noise reduction, text-based editing, Magic Mask, multi-GPU support, and more).2. LightworksLightworks video editor lives in that space between consumer and professional. Lightworks has a timeline editor that can handle video clips of all sizes, frame rates, and qualities. This editor isn’t nearly as difficult to learn as Resolve, but it can still produce stunning work. You’ll get background rendering and exporting, so you can continue to work as the editor does its thing. More

Anthropic / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysAutomated security reviews in Claude Code help ensure code safety.Spot and fix vulnerabilities before your code reaches production.Run the /security-review command in the terminal or via GitHub Action.Claude Code became generally available in May, and since then, it has become popular among developers for its coding assistance, available right in the terminal or integrated development environments (IDEs). Now, new features are coming to Claude that make it easier to build safely, too.On Wednesday, Anthropic introduced automated security reviews in Claude Code. They allow developers to more easily identify and fix security concerns, and can be invoked either manually using the new “/security-review” command or automatically via the new GitHub Action for Claude Code. Also: Claude Code’s new tool is all about maximizing ROI in your organization – how to try it”On demand or automatically, Claude will review the code that you’re working on, the code that you’re pushing, or your entire repository, and practically identify vulnerabilities and suggest ways to fix them,” said Logan Graham, Frontier Red Team lead at Anthropic, to ZDNET. [embedded content] Command in Claude Code All developers have to do is invoke the /security-review command in Claude Code, which will trigger the security analysis in the terminal. Anthropic said Claude will then search the codebase, identify common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection risks, insecure data handling, and authentication flaws, and explain the issues found. “We want it to be, and I think we can get there soon if it’s not there already, kind of like having the best security engineer or best senior software engineer, over shoulder, helping you do your work, better and securely,” added Graham. Also: The best AI for coding in 2025 (including a new winner – and what not to use)After identifying the issues, the user can also ask Claude Code to implement the fixes for each one. This allows developers to catch issues easily by integrating the security reviews before committing the code or before it reaches production. ZDNET’s own David Gewirtz, a computer science professor turned AI innovator, found the update helpful, saying, “Adding the security review as a command is good. Otherwise, you’d have to embed it in each query or add it to their system instructions.” More

Getty Images/raferto ZDNET’s Key Takeaways ChatGPT study mode is meant to help students actively learn.  I tried study mode and it has key differences from standard ChatGPT. It’s available to logged-in ChatGPT Free, Plus, Pro, and Team users. When generative AI arrived in late 2022, educators were immediately concerned about students using chatbots to do […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s key takeaways New iPhones and Apple Watches are inbound, with the company expected to host an event in September.New AirPods Pro and HomeHub hardware are also rumored.Expect pricing tweaks to offset tariff costs, as well as changes to existing product lines.It’s August, and that means we’re now in the home stretch to Apple’s biggest yearly update. New iPhones are weeks away, and it’s likely we’ll see new Apple Watches, and possibly new AirPods Pro and a HomeHub device. Also: The best Apple deals right now: Save on MacBooks, iPhones, and moreFor the savvy buyer, this situation means that there are a lot more items on the “don’t buy” list than usual. But fear not, as this guide will ensure you don’t spend your money on something outdated in a few weeks. Tariffs and trade wars Tariffs still dominate the news. One moment they’re on, next they’re off, then they’re on again with a list of ifs, buts, and exceptions that may or may not stick around. CNET: Tracking tariff prices: See how the new tariffs are hitting these 11 popular productsAccording to Apple’s July 31 earnings call, tariffs have cost the company approximately $800 million for the last quarter, with this figure expected to rise to $1.1 billion for the current quarter. So far, Apple is shouldering that burden.So far. More