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The Lenovo Chromebook Plus with an OLED display. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETChromebooks are continuing to level up. Google just announced a host of new AI features live in ChromeOS now, along with the Lenovo Chromebook Plus More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETAndroid 16 is officially here, and Google has some big upgrades on the way. Instead of releasing a new OS and a new phone lineup at the same time, Google is making the same move it did with Android 15 and giving both software and hardware their time to shine. Also: How to turn on Android’s Private DNS mode – and why it’s an absolute must for securityThis is the earliest Google has launched a major Android release in a while (for comparison, Android 15 was released on Oct. 15, 2024, and Android 14 was released on Oct. 4, 2023). Here’s a look at four of the biggest upgrades in Android 16. All of these features will drop for Pixel devices first, including models as old as the Pixel 6 and 7 series, and other devices later in the year. 1. Streamlined updates and lock screen app updates: Don’t want to unlock your phone every time you check to see when your late-night food order is arriving? Feeling uneasy in a new city and want to make sure your ride-share is close? Streamlined app updates give you the ability to see real-time updates from your lock screen. Google says it’s working with app partners to bring this capability to Android, including in Samsung’s Now Bar and OnePlus’ Live Alerts.Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025Google says it’s also automatically grouping notifications that come from a single app to make sure you don’t get information overload. More
Meta Meta has officially entered into a new partnership with Microsoft by launching its “first-ever limited edition” headset — the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition<!–>. For this new bundle, the tech giant isn’t changing the headset’s hardware. It’s still the same Quest 3S running on a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset. It still supports full-color […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Amazfit Balance 2 smartwatch is available now for $249. The watch has a vivid AMOLED display with sapphire glass, 21-day battery life, dual speakers, and advanced golf features. Subscription music services are not supported and the app store is still limited. –> Late last year I bought a lovely Woodland […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Amazfit Helio Strap is available now for $99. As a smartwatch alternative, the strap offers virtually all the same health tracking features via the robust Zepp app, with over a week of battery life. The fabric strap isn’t made of exceedingly high quality materials, but luckily can be easily replaced. […] More
Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETGoogle released Android 16 a bit earlier than expected, and although it was missing some crucial features, there are key additions to the platform that go a long way to improve security.This was an important step forward, as the need for improved security grows every year. Without companies like Google, Apple, and others upping the ante on security, the mobile space would wind up the wild west of the technological landscape, with ne’er-do-wells popping up all over the place, stealing data at will. Also: How to turn on Android’s Private DNS mode — and why it’s an absolute must for securityWell, Google has taken a pretty big step forward with Android 16 in the form of two key features, which I’m going to explain here. 1. Identity Check This feature was actually added back in 2024, but it wasn’t until the release of Android 16 that it started receiving much attention. What is Identity Check? Let’s say you’re away from home (which you’ve designated as a trusted location; more on that in a bit). While you’re gone, someone gains access to your phone and either goes to make changes to critical security settings or attempts to access saved passwords or other sensitive information. Because the phone is away from your trusted location, when that person tries to make those changes, biometric authentication will prevent them from accessing those features or data. Also: 7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy – and why you should tooHere’s the thing about Identity Check: it’s not easy to find. The best way to locate the feature is to open the Settings app and search for “identity check.” Once on the Identity Check page, you can enable the feature (it should be enabled by default) and add a trusted location. Once you’ve added a trusted location, biometrics won’t be required for that particular place. More
Some people want every aspect of their health and fitness measured and graded, like it’s a test they’re trying to ace. Other people simply want to know that their health is in a generally good shape and receive notifications when something is off. I like the Apple Watch most for this reason. There’s much talk on the internet about how endlessly monitoring your health data can cause excessive stress in wearers and users. Because a lot of this tech, like Oura’s smart ring, Whoop’s fitness band, and Samsung’s ring and smartwatches, provides scores for factors like sleep, fitness, and stress, users report that they experience heightened pressure to achieve high scores—and that pressure is stressing them out. Apple takes a more holistic approach to its data capture and scoring mechanisms. For one, it doesn’t score anything out of 100, unlike the devices I’ve mentioned above. If you wear the smartwatch to bed, Apple’s Vitals app tells you if your overnight vitals, that is, your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration, are within normal or abnormal ranges, notifying you when something is off and keeping you carrying on when nothing is. The watch tracks your time asleep and the various stages you fall into throughout the night, as well as heart rate graphs. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgradeI don’t use the Apple Watch much for sleep, but I always use it for exercise. The Activity Rings are a simple encouragement to stay active and move throughout the day, and the Fitness app’s seamless workout logging capability, which displays heart rate zones throughout the workout and active calorie burn, is great for quick glances mid-workout. I like the Apple Watch as a health tracker, yes, but also as an iPhone that’s wrapped around my wrist. I can receive calls and texts, set timers, ask Siri questions, and check the weather all through my Apple Watch. It’s a convenient device, especially for workers who can’t check their phone on the job or for people who want to leave their iPhone behind on walks or social outings while still staying minimally connected, if need be. There are a few Apple Watches to choose from, but I prefer the Series 10 over the SE and Ultra 2 thanks to the Series 10’s quick-charging capabilities, long battery life, and an appropriate amount of features for the price. The other two options are either too minimal for my tastes or too expensive for my budget. More
Microsoft/Mark Russinovich Boy, do I wish I had been at this dinner. For decades, Microsoft and Linux fought like cats and dogs. However, while the conflict has cooled down, and Microsoft loves Linux these days, the two leaders, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Linux creator Linus Torvalds, had never met… until now. Also: Your jump from […] More
