More stories

  • in

    Prime Day is over, but our favorite laptop deals are still live

    The Amazon Prime Day sale has come and gone, but don’t worry — there are still lots of excellent deals on laptops available now, including major price cuts on the latest MacBooks, Chromebooks, and Windows PCs from Lenovo, Dell, HP, and more. If you need a new computer ahead of back-to-school season, now’s still the time to shop. Get daily deals straight to your inbox during Prime Day when you sign up for ZDNET Recommends, your one-stop newsletter for the sale.Also: The 100+ best Prime Day deals still liveWe’ve gone hands-on with dozens of the best laptops of this year, and only highlight sales on laptops we’ve tested and can personally vouch for. That means significant discounts, solid value relative to price, good portability, and respectable performance. Read on to explore some of the best laptop deals Amazon (and competing retailers) still have to offer. Our favorite Prime Day laptop deals still live More

  • in

    The best Sam’s Club deals still live: TVs, speakers, laptops, and appliances

    When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? Amazon Prime Day began on July 8, 2025, and ends on July 11, 2025. During Amazon’s sale event, many other retailers will activate their own sales to compete for your business.Is tech really cheaper on Prime Day? Yes, you can find lots of tech for cheaper prices during Amazon Prime Day. Sometimes, you can find tech for cheaper at other retailers, since they’re all competing with one another. During this sale, some companies will offer bundles, freebies, or lower prices to entice you to buy directly from them instead of Amazon.We’re monitoring everyone’s sale prices leading up to the sale to update you on the most worthwhile ones.How did we choose these Sam’s Club deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. We scour the sale offerings from Sam’s Club but also Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and more to let you decide where you’d rather purchase from.We also keep an eye on deals from brands and manufacturers of our favorite products, as sometimes they offer free gifts and bundle sales during Amazon’s sale event. We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. What are the best Prime Day deals still live? ZDNET’s experts have been searching through Prime Day and other sales to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals still live:You can also find the best deals from other retailers competing with Prime Day sales: More

  • in

    Our favorite 100+ Prime Day deals still live right now

    Tharon Green/ZDNET When does Prime Day end? This year, Amazon Prime Day ends on Friday, July 11, at 11:59 p.m. PT.  When is Amazon Prime Day?  Amazon Prime Day runs from Tuesday, July 8, to Friday, July 11, 2025. The annual two-day sale was extended to four days in 2025.  How long will Prime Day […] More

  • in

    An electrician’s plea: Don’t plug these 7 appliances (including AC units) into extension cords

    Maria Diaz/ZDNETExtension cords are generally a safe solution for running power to electronics that are too far from the nearest wall outlet. But the operative word here is “electronics,” which is not as all-encompassing as some people might think.Appliances (like refrigerators and toaster ovens) are obviously electronic devices, but they’re in a different class from most electronics because of the amperage demands they need to function. Why you shouldn’t plug everything into an extension cordExtension cords are manufactured with a maximum capacity to handle electrical current, which is determined by the size or gauge of the wire used in the cord. For instance, a 16-gauge extension cord can handle a maximum of 13 amps, while a 14-gauge cord can handle up to 15 amps (or 1,800 watts), the same as a standard wall outlet in the US. Also: Are portable AC units viable at home? My verdict after testing one during a heat waveWhen an appliance demands more power than the extension cord can handle, it results in an overload, which could lead to overheating. You really don’t want your cord’s insulation to melt, exposing the live wires and potentially sparking a fire.Any appliance requiring more than 1,800 watts should be on a dedicated circuit — never connected by an extension cord. And the following are seven household devices you’ll definitely want to connect directly to an outlet. More

  • in

    How to download the iOS 26 beta on your iPhone right now (and which models support it)

    How do I install the iOS 26 public beta?Once Apple releases the public beta of iOS 26, you will not need to go through the above steps to to test the developer beta. Instead, follow the steps below. You’ll still need an iPhone running iOS 16.5 or later, and since not all iPhones are compatible with iOS 26, you’ll also need a model newer than the iPhone 11.Go to your iPhone’s Settings and select General.Go to Software Update in Settings.Enable Beta Updates (off by default).Select “iOS 26 Public Beta” (if available).Once you do this, return to the previous page. If an update is available now, your iPhone will prompt you to download and install it. You’ll then begin receiving automatic software updates to the latest beta version of iOS 26.  Which iPhones are compatible with iOS 26? Apple removed the iPhone XR and XS from its list of supported devices with iOS 26, so any iPhone 11 or newer is compatible with the new operating system, including the iPhone SE. Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to iOS 26 (and which ones don’t support it) When will iOS 26 be released? The iOS 26 developer beta (Beta 3) is available now. The public beta will likely go live mid-July 2025. If Apple follows its usual cadence, the final, general release of iOS 26 should arrive in September 2025. What to do before installing the iOS 26 developer beta? You can always join the Apple Beta program to get the latest beta versions of iOS. Before you download a beta version of an operating system, keep these housekeeping items in mind: Back up your device and personal information.Don’t download beta software, which will likely have bugs and glitches, on your everyday iPhone.Beta versions are released so you can test new features and share feedback to improve iOS.How to submit beta feedback to AppleBy the time the public beta is released, Apple will have two beta versions of iOS: iOS 26 public beta and iOS 26 developer beta. Both betas come with a built-in Feedback Assistant app, which can be opened from the Home screen on your iPhone or iPad. Whenever you experience an issue or something does not work as expected, send your feedback directly to Apple with Feedback Assistant.Also: Five iOS 26 features that I’ve been using on my Android phone for yearsEditor’s note: This article was originally published in 2024. It was fact-checked and thoroughly updated on July 8, 2025.Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More

  • in

    Can a Linux laptop replace my MacBook? This one is off to a good start

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Tuxedo Computers InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen 9 is available now on the official site for around $1,137. This laptop outperformed my expectations in every way, with a powerful CPU and a gorgeous display. It’s manufactured in Europe, so use caution when selecting your keyboard during the order process. –> I […] More