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DamnwellMedia/iStock/Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Nearly all developers now rely on AI tools. AI amplifies strengths and magnifies dysfunction. High-quality platforms are a must for AI success. Google released its 2025 DORA software development report–>. DORA (DevOps Research & Assessment) is a research program at Google […] More
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Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETAt its recent Summit 2025 event, Qualcomm took the stage to announce its next generation of laptop chipsets: the Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme.I’ve been closely following Qualcomm’s journey through the laptop industry since the company launched the first generation of Snapdragon hardware back in 2024. These chipsets perfectly balance performance with energy efficiency, allowing host computers to last all day long. Judging from preliminary information, the second generation is bringing improvements across board.Also: Qualcomm patches three exploited security flaws, but you could still be vulnerableMuch of the data we have only pertains to the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, so it’ll be our main focus. According to Qualcomm, the platform will consist of the new third-generation 18-core Oryon processor, a revamped Adreno GPU, and an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU providing an extra boost to performance.All this is paired with LPDDR5 RAM to ensure lightning-fast processing speeds. To further emphasize how much of an upgrade the Elite Extreme is, Qualcomm also detailed benchmark results comparing its future hardware to competing chipsets. The results are interesting because they show the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme is significantly better than Apple’s M4 chipset.Also: You can get the M4 MacBook Pro for $300 off – one of the lowest prices we’ve seenFor example, in the Geekbench 6.5 multi-core test, the Elite Extreme peaked at 23,491 points, whereas the M4 only hit 15,146 points. Similarly, GPU performance is better too as the Snapdragon model hit 90.06. Apple’s hardware, on the other hand, went up to 65.12. It’s the same story with the NPU results. The gap between the two platforms is pretty big. More
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Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source More
skynesher/E+/Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Workers are using AI to create low-quality “workslop.” Bosses have to pick up hours of slack to fix it, harming careers. AI ROI is still unclear for most workplaces. Workers are becoming overly reliant on AI. The result? Lackluster product, now coined […] More
Why is my Fire TV running so slow? That’s a complex question to answer. It could be the age of your device. Older hardware might struggle to load the latest apps and services. But it could also be a combination of outdated software, too many background processes, and accumulated temporary files. All these things can make your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick lag. Fortunately, the tips above address most of these problems. Are there any other Fire TV features I can disable? Amazon’s Fire TV has a surprising amount of “features” running in the background — many of which you might never use. These processes eat up system resources and can slow things down. Turning off the ones you don’t need can speed up performance and tighten your privacy a bit. For instance, hold down the Home button on your remote to open the quick menu. Go to Settings > Applications > Prime Photos and toggle off Allow guest connections and Access Prime Photos (if you don’t use Prime Photos). Also: Slow Fire TV? This 30-second fix made my system run like new againWhile still under Applications, select Appstore and disable Automatic Updates (you can update apps manually later). Also in Appstore, you can optionally turn off In-app Purchases. Then select GameCircle (if you don’t game on your Fire TV) and toggle off Share your GameCircle Nickname and Whispersync for Games. Each item you disable frees up a little extra memory and CPU overhead, which adds up over time — especially on older devices with limited RAM. How often should I restart my Fire TV? If you leave your Fire TV device powered on for long stretches at a time, a weekly restart is a good rule of thumb. Will clearing cache or uninstalling apps delete my data? Clearing cache will remove temporary files, not your logins or saved preferences. Uninstalling apps does remove any data specific to that app, but most streaming services store your watch history and preferences in the cloud, so you won’t lose purchases or profiles. You will need to log back into an app if you choose to delete it from your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick. Do I really need to disable data monitoring and autoplay? Disabling data monitoring and autoplay doesn’t affect your ability to watch shows or use apps — it just stops your Fire TV from constantly tracking data usage or playing auto-preview videos, which reduces background load. When should I consider a factory reset? As I mentioned above, a factory reset is a last resort. If you’ve been using your Fire TV for years and it’s still unbearably slow after trying every other tip, it’s worth a shot. It erases everything you’ve installed and customized and gives you a fresh start. Also: Your car’s USB port is seriously underutilized: 5 features you’re not taking advantage ofAll these tweaks, or even just a combination of some of them, will help you reclaim the speed you once enjoyed on your Fire TV. Let me know which in the comments worked for you and if there are others I missed and should consider trying. Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More
MicroStockHub/iStock/Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Phishing is a major and growing threat to businesses. But phishing awareness training has a minimal success rate. Researchers urge organizations to invest in countermeasures. A new study has confirmed what many of us suspected – employee phishing training is simply […] More
