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    Just installed iOS 18.6 on your iPhone? I’d change these 11 settings ASAP

    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

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    I took over 500 photos with the Samsung S25 Ultra and Oppo Find X8 Ultra – the winner is very clear

    Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysOppo Find X8 Ultra performs better than its Samsung rival in almost every scenario.The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes close in ultrawide camera comparison.Oppo’s flagship has unique features like XPAN mode, Hasselblad color science, and Master mode.The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra houses one of the most versatile camera systems on a mainstream phone, thanks to its two telephoto cameras and an ultrawide sensor coupled with a 200MP primary camera.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the best Android phones, and it was very closeBut the Oppo Find X8 Ultra is equally, if not more, versatile. It has bigger sensors on the four 50MP cameras on its back. Plus, the Oppo flagship is paired with a renewed Hasselblad partnership — for extra features like XPAN mode, better Portraits, and Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, re-engineered for mobile. I was confused about which phone to take on my trip to Sweden, so I took both and compared the results, which are… interesting.Comparing the camera specsCategoryOppo Find X8 UltraSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraMain Camera50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0″-type sensor, 1.6µm, OIS200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, OISTelephoto 150 MP, f/2.1, 70mm (periscope), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, 3x optical zoom, OIS10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, 3x optical zoom, OISTelephoto 250 MP, f/3.1, 135mm (periscope), 1/1.95″, 0.8µm, 6x optical zoom, OIS50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope), 1/2.52″, 0.7µm, 5x optical zoom, OISUltrawide Camera50 MP, f/2.0, 15mm, 120˚ FoV, 1/2.75″, 0.64µm50 MP, f/1.9, 120˚ FoV, 1/2.5″, 0.7µm,Oppo and Samsung flagships are some of the best phones of 2025. Both sport four rear cameras, but the Find X8 Ultra houses bigger sensors on three of those. It is led by a 1-inch-type 50MP main sensor, which snaps better quality photos than Samsung’s 200MP primary camera. But it’s the rest of the sensors that help it take the lead. The 10MP 3x optical zoom Samsung telephoto camera stands no chance against Oppo’s 50MP 3x optical zoom supported periscope camera, while it competes closely in ultrawide shots and 50MP secondary 5x (6x on Oppo) periscope zoom photos.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the best Android phones, and it was very closeThere’s no doubt that the Find X8 Ultra has a better camera package than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, thanks to its bigger sensors and Hasselblad color science. But it can also be inconsistent at times, giving the edge to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here’s how the two compare in my vacation photos.It’s all about the color science More

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    ChatGPT can now talk nerdy to you – plus more personalities and other upgrades beyond GPT-5

    Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s Key Takeaways:OpenAI launched ChatGPT customization updates.Users can choose chat color and personality.All users (even free) can now access Advanced Voice Mode.OpenAI is having one of its biggest product launch weeks, releasing its highly anticipated open-source models, gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, and GPT-5. Buried within the deluge of the large language models (LLMs) are helpful ChatGPT features that add customization options that could make the ChatGPT experience more enjoyable. Also: GPT-5 is finally here, and you can access it for free today – no subscription neededIn OpenAI’s Summer Update event on Thursday, the company added the ability to choose a color for ChatGPT chats, choose from new personalities when using the Custom Instructions feature, more easily connect your Google productivity apps, and better interact with Advanced Voice Mode. Keep reading below for the full overview of the features’ capabilities and how to access them. ChatGPT chat color optionsStarting with perhaps the most self-explanatory feature, you can now choose a color for your chats. This option is available to everyone, but a few exclusive options are available for paid users. While this won’t largely change your productivity within ChatGPT, it can make the experience more enjoyable or better match your aesthetic preferences. New personalities in Custom Instructions.Custom Instructions, launched in April 2023, lets users set preferences that tailor how ChatGPT generates responses. Now, OpenAI has launched a research preview of four preset personalities: Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd, available in the Custom Instructions experience. The personalities tweak how ChatGPT interacts with users, giving the chatbot different tones that better match your needs and communication styles. For example, OpenAI said some are concise and professional, while others are a bit sarcastic. The personalities are available to all users, opt-in, and adjustable anytime in your Customize ChatGPT settings.  More

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    Changing this Android setting instantly doubled my phone speed (Samsung and Google models included)

    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

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    TP-Link’s new Wi-Fi 7 router is a travel-friendly option that won’t break the bank

    TP-Link ZDNET’s key takeaways TP-Link’s new BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router is designed with portability in mind, making it ideal for business travelers. Still, it packs useful connectivity features like dual-band support with up to 3.6 Gbps, adjustable antennas ,and more. The router is priced at $140, with a promotional code on Amazon bringing it […] More