Information Technology

Kerry Wan/ZDNETThere’s been no shortage of Pixel 10 leaks leading up to its expected August launch event — even Google has taken part in it. While early renders and marketing imagery point to a family of phones that look nearly identical (if not the same) as the last generation, the biggest feature upgrade with the Pixel 10 series may actually be hidden in plain sight.Qi2 certificationI’m talking about Qi2 certification, the wireless charging standard introduced at CES more than two years ago that has yet to gain widespread market adoption due to material costs, lack of user demand, and other reasons, according to brands. At the time of writing, only recent iPhone and Samsung models and the HMD Skyline are considered Qi2‑ready. That’s it. Also: The next big wireless charging leap is coming soon: What Qi2 25W means for Android phonesIf the latest rumors are true, the Pixel 10 series will join that list, while also surpassing the likes of Samsung for one key reason: magnets. More

Form Smart Swim 2 Pro <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available for $329, with the premium subscription for $119/year or $15/month. The included solution keeps the goggles fog free, and the annual subscription provides extensive training and analysis features. Peripheral visibility is limited, the glasses are rather expensive, and […] More

Yarbo Robot Mower <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Yarbo is a modular yard care robot starting at $5,000. It does well caring for large yards with complex layouts thanks to its tracked design, and its modular features make it easy to use year-round. The Yarbo is one of the most expensive robot mowers on the […] More

Moto Buds Loop <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways These Moto Buds Loop earbuds are avaialble now on Amazon for $300. With plenty of bling factor, these earbuds don’t skimp on the sound You’ll definately want to use the app and the custom EQ option to get the best sound from these earbuds. –> I’ll be honest: […] More

MarinaZg/Getty Images For the longest time, Microsoft’s VS Code has been one of the most popular IDEs (Integrated Developer Environment) on the market. It’s free to use and includes all the features developers need to get the job done. Microsoft might have been shaking in its boots when Google revealed Project IDX, which was eventually […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETUsually, whenever a new feature comes out for Windows, Microsoft advertises it widely in a blog post to let everyone know. Or if they don’t, people discover the feature soon after an update. However, a helpful feature sometimes slips through the cracks, only to be unearthed years later.Also: Hate Windows 11? Here’s how you can make it work more like Windows 10That was my reaction when I found this obscure Emergency Restart method for Windows 11 after stumbling across a post on the Sysadmin subreddit. Reddit user ‘-Steets-‘ shared the information in 2022, although other commenters claim the method was present on Windows XP, which came out over 20 years ago.To access Emergency Restart, press the CTRL + ALT + DEL keys on your Windows PC — a pretty normal action. However, this time, hold down the CTRL key and click the power button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETGoogle last month released Android 16 to Pixel devices and select OEMs, bringing performance improvements, new Material You changes, and more upgrades. If you want to try this update but are hesitant because you’ve noticed your Android phone or tablet already feels too sluggish, clearing app and browser caches can give it a fresh boost and free up some storage space.Over time, cached data can accumulate, become corrupted, or simply get outdated, which may slow down your device. Restarting your phone often helps, but a targeted cache-clear is a quick way to boost responsiveness without upgrading hardware.Also: I changed 12 settings on my Android phone to give it an instant battery boostIn this guide, I’ll show you how to clear cached data on Android. If you’re an Apple user, here’s how to clear the cache on an iPhone.How to clear cached data from Android appsWhat you’ll need: Any Android device. The exact steps may vary slightly by manufacturer, but the general process remains the same. More

Google Love it or hate it, Google’s AI Mode has revamped the way you search for information. Instead of presenting you with tens of thousands of website links, Google serves up an AI-generated overview and summary of the results. Also: Sick of AI in your search results? Try these 7 Google alternatives with old-school, AI-free charm […] More