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    Tech leaders are rushing to deploy agentic AI, study shows

    Piyawat Wuttichaikitcharoen / Getty Images Tech executives are moving swiftly to embrace AI agents, according to the latest Technology Pulse Poll from accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY). The poll, which surveyed more than 500 tech leaders in April, found about half (48%) of respondents have at least begun deploying agentic AI within their organizations. […] More

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    The fastest VPNs of 2025: Great speeds and secure connections anywhere

    One question about VPNs I often encounter as a VPN reviewer is, which is the fastest VPN in the world? Though I have extensively tested, researched, and written about VPNs, there’s still no conclusive answer. A VPN can be relatively fast in one instance and slow in another, mainly influenced by factors like the encryption process, server load and distance, time of day, app configurations and settings, and more.If you’re looking for the fastest VPN for browsing, remote work, streaming, gaming, or torrenting, we’ve run the speed tests and selected the best-performing services to help you out. Also: Best free VPNs in 2025What is the fastest VPN right now?Our pick for the fastest VPN overall is NordVPN, following speed tests in many locations. It works seamlessly on commonly-used devices like laptops and phones, with a rapidly growing global server fleet that makes it easier to find reliable servers in or near any location. The app updates very frequently, which can be annoying, but this is expected of such an elite service packed with many secure features.Also: 3 things to consider when buying a new VPN
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    These 6 gadgets helped me cut cable for good – and save $1,200 a year

    Going with the theme of Roku, I went with a TCL Roku TV for our guest bedroom TV, but there are other options from Toshiba, Samsung, Insignia, and more built in with streaming capabilities right off the bat–no streaming stick required. I plugged the TV in, signed directly into Roku, and it was set up in seconds. How easy is that? Most smart TVs come with Dolby Atmos support for cinema audio quality or Dolby Vision for crystal clear pictures. The other benefits of smart TVs is that aside from built-in streaming, you can set up voice controls via Alexa, Hey Google, or even Siri with an Apple HomeKit speaker to cast to the TV, control smart home devices, and more. Also: The best Roku TVs you can buy More

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    This affordable Asus is my go-to laptop for work travel – and it’s on sale

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Vivobook S 15, Asus’ first Copilot+ PC, normally retails for over $1,000, but it’s currently on sale at Walmart for $709. It’s sleek and lightweight with a gorgeous OLED, 120Hz display, great battery life, and snappy performance. Users might run into the usual compatability issues seen on Arm-compatible devices. –> […] More

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    This power bank sets a whole new standard for me – but not in the way you’re expecting

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Vonmählen’s Evergreen Mag is currently only available in Europe for €70. It’s ultra-thin and light with a premium metal finish, USB-C port, and Qi2 charging pad. Unfortunately it’s not available in North America yet. –> The tech explosion has vastly outstripped our ability to recycle tech once it reaches the end […] More

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    Who wants to be a chief AI officer? A new career path emerges

    gremlin/Getty Images In the year ahead, nine out of 10 organizations are expected to hire talent with generative AI expertise, with a quarter of organizations forecasting that at least half of their new hires will need this skill. In addition, six in 10 companies now have a chief AI officer (CAIO) to guide the process. […] More

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    I skipped the pricey iPad Pro for the $299 base model and have no regrets. Here’s why

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The 2025 iPad 11th Generation is on sale now for $299 (typically $349.) The upgraded iPad has double the base storage as year’s model, more RAM, and an upgraded processor in the A16 Bionic chip. However, it still isn’t compatible with Apple Intelligence and doesn’t support the Apple Pencil Pro. more […] More

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    Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 support deadlines changed? This story just won’t die

    ZDNETHere we go again. A zombie news story that should have been laid to rest last January has risen from the grave and is walking among us again.The original storyIn case you missed the original story, here’s a recap: Last January, dozens of tech-focused news sites reported that the free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 was “for a limited time only.” In a quote from the same source, they warned that Microsoft had decreed you would need to upgrade to Windows 11 to continue using Microsoft 365 apps on your PC after the Oct. 14, 2025, end-of-support deadline for Windows 10. Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 – 2 free optionsThe problem with all those reports is they were based on an article by a very junior Microsoft employee posted on an obscure blog for Microsoft nonprofit customers. It wasn’t an official announcement, and the post was deleted that same day. A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNET’s sister publication PCMag that the blog post “contained inaccurate information and a misleading headline.” Microsoft’s official support document, “What Windows end of support means for Office and Microsoft 365,” had been published a month earlier and was much less alarming. It begins: “Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10 after it reaches end of support on October 14, 2025.” That statement is repeated in bold later in the document: Support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After that date, if you’re running Microsoft 365 Apps on a Windows 10 device, the applications will continue to function as before. However, we strongly recommend upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid performance and reliability issues over time. Back in the newsSo why did this zombie story start appearing in my news feeds today? I blame Forbes.They’re the ones standing there, shovel in hand, shouting about “Microsoft’s surprise deadline u-turn” while continuing to quote from the inaccurate, long-since-deleted zombie blog post. Also: Is your Microsoft account passwordless yet? Why it (probably) should be and how to do it rightToday’s fuss is based on a newly published page at Microsoft’s product documentation site, Microsoft Learn: “Windows 10 end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps,” which contains this note: To help maintain security while you transition to Windows 11, Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support. These updates will be delivered through the standard update channels, ending on October 10, 2028. That shouldn’t be a surprise. The three-year continuation in security updates for Microsoft 365 matches the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates available to Microsoft’s enterprise customers. It would be a nightmare to rebuild the Microsoft 365 update servers so they delivered updates only to PCs running Windows 10 with an ESU subscription while blocking other Windows 10 devices. So everyone gets those updates. More