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    No one pays ransomware demands anymore – so attackers have a new goal

    solarseven/iStock/Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Ransomware payments have reached a historic low of 23%. Dropping success rates could lead to more targeted attacks with higher payouts. Large enterprises could have an increased risk of becoming targets. Fewer and fewer companies are capitulating to ransomware payment demands, […] More

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    Shop the best early Costco deals for Black Friday 2025

    When is Black Friday? This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, the day after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday follows soon after, on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.Does Costco have a Black Friday sale?Yes. According to the latest mailer, Costco’s first holiday savings event runs Oct. 31-Nov. 16, both in-warehouse and online. The second (and main Black Friday event) will run from Nov. 17-Dec. 1. Costco will also run Cyber Monday deals online on Dec. 1. Are tech products really cheaper during Black Friday? Yes — we often see some of the lowest prices of the year on a variety of tech products during Black Friday sales, including TVs, laptops, headphones, and more.How did we choose these early Black Friday deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.  More

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    ServiceNow and Nvidia say their new open-source model is built for security – here’s why

    Javier Zayas Photography/Moment via Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways ServiceNow and Nvidia have launched a new open-source AI model. It’s designed to build custom agents and optimize security. Despite ample hype, many businesses aren’t seeing ROI from AI. Software company ServiceNow announced on Tuesday that it’s expanding […] More

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    This 2-in-1 Windows laptop just redefined my expectations for this price point

    Acer Aspire 16 AI <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Acer Aspire 16 AI is currently on sale for $699. It’s a reliable, lightweight workhorse with a marathon battery that’s ideal for long days. However, its hardware has performance limitations. more buying choices Acer’s new Aspire 16 AI–> is a humble laptop. It isn’t flashy or […] More

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    5 ways to verify your age on Google Play (and which states will see it first)

    SOPA Images/Contributor/LightRocket via Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Age verification is rolling out in the Google Play Store. Users will have several methods to prove their age. Access to apps is limited until they verify their age. Several months after AI-powered age verification rolled out to YouTube, […] More

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    Need the best AI content detector in 2025? Try these four tools (you probably already use one)

    seamartini/iStock/Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Using an AI to do your writing is plagiarism. Services marketed as AI content detectors are a mixed bag. Our tests show chatbots perform as well as or better than standalone tools. How hard is it in 2025  – […] More

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    Sick of your slides? Let Gemini make them – here’s how

    antishock/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Google’s October Gemini Drop includes upgrades to Gemini Canvas. Explain a topic or upload images for Gemini to generate Slides from. All Gemini users get Canvas; upgraded subscribers get more.  It’s easy to spend more time than necessary […] More