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BlackJack3D/Getty Images The Greek myth of King Midas is a parable of hubris: seeking fabulous wealth, the king is granted the power to turn all he touches to solid gold–but this includes, tragically, his food and his daughter. The point is that the short-sightedness of humans can often lead us into trouble in the long […] More
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETEvery so often, an Android app decides it wants to distract me from what I’m doing. I might like that app, might even use it quite often, but in that moment, it’s bothersome. I could mute my phone or even turn it off, but there might be other apps that I need to use. I could also uninstall the app, knowing I’d have to reinstall it later.Why go through all of that when you can temporarily disable that distracting Android app? Also: 6 hidden Android features that make my life easier – and that you’re overlookingYou can do exactly that, and it can help prevent those distractions without having to mute everything or uninstall the offending app. One thing to keep in mind is that with Pixel phones, there’s a very easy way to pause apps, and on older phones, the process is a bit cumbersome. How to disable an app in Android on Pixel devices What you’ll need: The only thing you’ll need for this method is a Pixel phone and an app to pause. This method is much easier than pausing apps on non-Pixel devices. More
Adam Breeden/ZDNETDid you know that a modern TV uses significantly less energy than a TV that’s a decade old? Maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise, considering how much more power-efficient today’s display panels are. According to Perch Energy, the average power consumption of an old TV runs around $54 per year in energy costs. Because LED-backlit TVs and OLEDs consume less power than traditional LCD screens, newer models cost about $32 annually. Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why you shouldn’t wait to do it)In large part, the bigger your screen size, the more power your TV requires. But there are ways to attenuate your TV’s power consumption every time you turn it on. Here are some settings you can change to save more money on your next electricity bill. Even if it’s just tens of dollars that you’re ultimately saving, it’s still a little less money coming out of your pocket, and that’s the goal. More
Maybe your touchpad is working but something is off. You may be triggering unwanted taps or clicks with your wrist or one of your fingers. The touchpad might feel too sensitive or not sensitive enough. The speed of the cursor could be too fast or too slow. To resolve these issues, you’ll want to review and tweak your touchpad settings.In Windows 10, go to Settings, click Devices, and select Touchpad. In Windows 11, head to Settings, click Bluetooth & devices, and then select Touchpad. The look and layout for the touchpad settings screen in Windows 10 and 11 differ, but most of the settings are the same.If the touchpad cursor is moving too fast or too slow, move the slider at the top to adjust it. If the touchpad is responding to your taps and clicks too easily or not easily enough, go to Taps and click the drop-down menu for Touchpad sensitivity. You can then experiment among the four different options — Most sensitive, High sensitivity, Medium sensitivity, and Low sensitivity. In my case, I have a heavy touch and found that the sensitivity was too high, so I had to change it to low.Also: The best Windows laptops: Expert tested and reviewedNext, you’ll see four options that control different actions based on your taps. You’ll certainly want to keep the first option to tap with a single finger to single click. You’ll probably want to keep the next one for tapping with two fingers to right-click, as well as the third option for tapping twice and dragging to multi-select. The fourth option is more of a judgment call. On my laptop, I kept accidentally pressing the lower right corner of the touchpad with my wrist or pinkie, resulting in a right-click menu popping up. For that reason, I disabled this one and now use only two fingers when I want to right-click. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The UAG Metropolis Wallet is a MagSafe wallet and stand made of vegan leather for $45. It holds up to five cards and cash, has a kickstand, is RFID blocking, and features pockets. It’s only available in Black. more buying choices As ZDNET’s MagSafe expert, I’ve tried many magnetic accessories, from […] More
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETA variety of AI sites and services let you create videos based on your text descriptions. But Google’s Flow takes the process a few steps further. With Flow, you can describe not only the scene but also the camera shots and angles. You can add sound effects and even dialogue. I played virtual filmmaker by trying all the cool features in Flow to create videos. Here’s what happened.Also: How to try Veo 3, Google’s AI video generator that’s going viral on the internetTo use Flow, you need a Google AI subscription, either the $20-per-month Google AI Pro More
Bloomberg/Contributor/Getty Images Executives at Apple are weighing the possibility of buying buzzy AI start-up Perplexity, Bloomberg reported on Friday. Citing anonymous sources close to the matter, the report said that talks within Apple to bid for an acquisition of Perplexity were still in early stages. A spokesperson for Perplexity told Reuters that the company had […] More
Jada Jones/ZDNETBack-to-school season is approaching, whether you want to admit it or not. For those starting college this fall, a good computer and noise-canceling headphones are the most excellent tools. Luckily, Apple has a convenient sale where you can get the best of both worlds, but without paying full price.Also: Get 50% off an Amazon Prime membership if you’re age 18-24 – here’s howNow through September 30, Apple is offering a deal just in time: you can get a free pair of AirPods or any eligible accessory More
