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TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways TCL’s 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G is on sale on Amazon for $222. It has a unique display, and a feature set that promotes minimalism and digital well-being. I just wish the camera system and general performance were better. –> Being glued to your smartphone’s screen all […] More
Sony Get this: The beloved Sony WH-1000XM4<!–> with a 30-hour battery life and stellar sound is on sale for $198 right now at Amazon. If you’re in the market for a comfortable-fitting headset and some silence, you can’t go wrong with a pair of Sony’s noise-canceling headphones. This deal extends to all three color options: […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETAs a full-time smartphone reviewer, I spend most of my year testing Android phones.By habit, I’ve picked up several shortcuts, tips, and tricks for setting up handsets, tweaking them so that they perform as best as possible when the verdicts are due.Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and why it’s the easiest way to speed it up)One tip I always give to family members, friends, and passersby when asked, “How can I make my phone faster?” is straightforward yet typically hidden: Adjusting the animation speed.The method of doing so is quick, simple, and absolutely free. As a bonus, you’ll feel like the “guy behind the computer” in action movies. Here are the steps. More
Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysResearchers demonstrated a way to hack Google Home devices via Gemini.Google put additional safeguards in place for Gemini in response.Keeping your devices up-to-date on security patches is the best protection.The idea that artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to maliciously control your home and life is one of the main reasons why many are reluctant to adopt the new technology — it’s downright scary. Almost as scary as having your smart devices hacked. What if I told you some researchers just accomplished that?Also: Why AI-powered security tools are your secret weapon against tomorrow’s attacksCybersecurity researchers from multiple institutions demonstrated a major vulnerability in Google’s popular AI model, Gemini. They launched a controlled, indirect prompt injection attack — aka promptware — to trick Gemini into controlling smart home devices, like turning on a boiler and opening shutters. This is a demonstration of an AI system causing real-world, physical actions through a digital hijack.How the attack workedA group of researchers from Tel Aviv University, Technion, and SafeBreach created a project called “Invitation is all you need.” They embedded malicious instructions into Google Calendar invites, and when users asked Gemini to “summarize my calendar,” the AI assistant triggered pre-programmed actions, including controlling smart home devices without the users’ asking. More
MF3d/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways Dashlane is discontinuing its free plan, effective Sept. 16. Current Dashlane Free subscribers get 50% off a one-year paid plan. Subscribers who don’t want to pay have one year to export their data. Dashlane, one of the world’s most popular password management solutions, is about to get a lot more […] More
Asus ProArt P16 <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Asus’ ProArt P16 is on sale for $2,500 at Best Buy. This year’s model keeps much of what made the previous generation so good, with key hardware improvements. It also means it has the same problems as before, such as running hot. –> If you’re familiar with Asus’ […] More
Jada Jones/ZDNETThe next college semester is only a few weeks away, and to help the next generation of students prepare, we’ve been scouring online retailers for great deals on audio tech. Lo and behold, we just happened to find one at Bose’s website. For a limited time, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones More
Is it worth updating to iOS 18.6? Absolutely. While there are no new bells and whistles, it patches a high-severity WebKit zero-day (CVE-2025-6558) and more. Can I change the Action button? Sure! Go to Settings > Action Button to customize the new Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro/16/16E/16 Pro. Just swipe to pick a task like Camera, Shazam, Remote for Apple TV, or even a Shortcut or Visual Intelligence action, then tap Choose to set it. Can I customize the home screen? Of course. Give your home screen a fresh look by entering jiggle mode (long-press the screen), tapping Edit > Customize, and then: Reposition apps anywhere on the grid.Expand icons into widgets by tapping the resize handles.Choose Automatic, Dark, Light, or Tinted icon styles (use the eyedropper to match your wallpaper).Toggle Large icons to hide labels and boost visibility.Tap anywhere to apply and then exit. Voila! Will these tweaks work on any iPhone model? Most of these work on any iPhone running iOS 18 or later. However, features like Prioritize Notifications and the Action Button require an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model. Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More
