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Sony includes removable fitting cushions with LinkBuds Clip to improve fit

Sony's LinkBuds Clip come with removable ear-fitting cushions that address common fit and stability issues with clip-on open-ear earbuds, ZDNET reviewer Jada Jones wrote. Jones said the cushions dramatically change how the earbuds fit and perform, closing the gap between the earbuds' hooks and the ear so

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 discounted to $169.99 at Amazon

Kotaku reports the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is available at Amazon for $169.99, down from $249.99, a savings of $80 and approximately 32% off the retail price. The write-up highlights the watch’s fitness and health features, including step and heart-rate tracking, workout monitoring, and sleep tracking, plus

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FTC warns of texts and emails impersonating the IRS claiming tax refunds

The Federal Trade Commission has issued an advisory warning taxpayers about text and email scams that impersonate the IRS or state tax offices and claim recipients are due a tax refund. According to the advisory, these scams typically begin with a message saying your refund claim has been processed or

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Prince of Persia Sands of Time remake said to be near completion before cancellation

Pcgamer reports Ubisoft cancelled its remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time as one of six projects included in a "major reset" of the company. One day after the announcement — which also included a promise of more "player-facing generative AI" — Ubisoft shares dropped to

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GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro produces fast nugget ice but costs $500

ZDNET reviewed the GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro, a countertop machine that produces soft nugget ice, can make up to 2.5 pounds per hour, and is priced at $500; ZDNET also notes the bucket stores and keeps ice cool for hours. The unit measures 16 inches deep, 17

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Linux developer ports Windows 8–style desktop to Linux with Win8DE

A Linux developer who goes by er-bharat on GitHub has created Win8DE, a desktop environment for Linux that closely resembles the Windows 8 user interface. The project is in alpha and the latest release is v0.5.0. ZDNet's author said they spent roughly two hours trying to

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Afghan start-up HesabPay uses blockchain to send aid to Syria and Afghanistan

An Afghan start-up, HesabPay, is using a blockchain-based system to deliver humanitarian cash assistance abroad, allowing a farmer in Halfaya, northwestern Syria, to receive $500 on a plastic card to help restart her farm. HesabPay was developed in Afghanistan and has been used by the U.N. refugee agency to

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Turn an iPad or Android tablet into a dedicated e-reader

ZDNet writer Kerry Wan outlines how any iPad or Android tablet can be made to feel like an e-reader, saying tablets already do what e-readers do and that turning one into a reading device is easier than it might seem. The article notes common reasons people choose dedicated e-readers—eye

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January Windows update patched vulnerabilities but caused multiple new bugs

Microsoft's January Patch Tuesday update, released on Jan. 13, addressed 114 security vulnerabilities but has also triggered several new bugs affecting Windows users. The update fixed critical vulnerabilities and one that had been exploited in the wild, yet introduced issues including Remote Desktop sign-in failures for Cloud PC

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Verizon offers free Samsung tablet or 43-inch TV with home internet sign-up

Verizon is offering new customers of its 1 Gig and 2 Gig home internet plans a choice of a free Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G, a free 43-inch Q7F QLED TV, or a $15 monthly credit for 36 months if they sign up from now until Feb. 4, the

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Five TV adjustments that can reduce your electricity bill

Kerry Wan at ZDNET says changing five TV settings can lower a household’s electricity use and help cut winter energy bills. According to Perch Energy, older TVs cost about $54 per year to run while newer LED-backlit and OLED models average about $32 annually. Wan highlights EnergyGuide labels and

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GOG says Devotion delisting may have harmed its credibility five years on

Gamesradar reports that GOG has reflected on its decision to delist cult horror game Devotion five years ago, with managing director Maciej Gołębiewski saying the move might have come "at a cost to our credibility." Gołębiewski told Eurogamer the "situation remains difficult to reflect on" and

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Samsung QN90F Neo QLED: ZDNET finds near‑OLED picture and stronger audio

ZDNET tested the Samsung QN90F Neo QLED in its Louisville lab and recommends it as a strong value compared with pricier OLED models, noting current discounts of up to 40% at Samsung, Best Buy and Amazon and savings of up to $6,000 when buying directly from Samsung. In lab

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ZDNet review picks BambooHR as top employee monitoring software for 2026

ZDNet’s expert testing of employee monitoring software names BambooHR as its top pick for 2026, highlighting tools that aim to balance oversight with employee privacy for hybrid and remote teams. The review says BambooHR is strong on performance-focused features rather than micromanagement, with goal tracking, peer reviews, performance evaluations,

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Car USB ports do more than charge phones, ZDNET says

ZDNET's Chris Bayer says the USB ports in modern vehicles are “seriously underrated” and can be used for more than just charging phones. The article notes that USB ports first appeared in cars widely in the mid-2000s — about 3.3 million cars sold in 2005 included at least

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Xbox: Fable to launch on PS5 day one, Forza Horizon 6's PS5 release delayed

Kotaku reports that Xbox has set release windows for two major 2026 titles — Forza Horizon 6 on May 15 and a long-awaited Fable reboot "sometime in the fall" — but says Fable will launch on Xbox and PS5 simultaneously while Forza's PS5 version will arrive after the

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ZDNET reporter used Gemini prompts to find cheaper upstate New York–Florida flights

ZDNET reporter Elyse Betters Picaro ran 20 prompts through Google's Gemini to hunt for the cheapest flights for a proposed late‑August family trip from upstate New York to Florida and reported that Gemini provided specific, actionable guidance rather than generic tips. Gemini pushed the reporter toward alternative

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ZDNET: LG C5 OLED praised for picture and ultra‑thin design but costs more than C4

ZDNET says LG's 2025 C5 OLED ranks among the best OLED TVs for picture quality, with an ultra‑thin 0.25‑inch screen, premium materials and a distinctive look. The review notes the set was on sale at the time of writing and that some discounts exceeded $1,

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Oura Ring warned user of illness before symptoms appeared, ZDNET writer says

Nina Raemont wrote for ZDNET that her Oura Ring's Symptom Radar flagged "major signs of strain" in her biometrics the morning she felt fine, a warning she initially dismissed. Raemont said the ring tracks metrics such as heart rate, respiration rate, skin temperature and oxygen saturation

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Why phone and laptop batteries can explode and how to stay safe

Rechargeable batteries in everyday devices such as smartphones, laptops and power banks can sometimes explode or catch fire, and ZDNET says they are linked to roughly 1,500 house fires and about 5,000 overheating incidents each year. ZDNET outlines three common causes: manufacturing defects, flawed design or counterfeit products

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Spotify introduces Prompted Playlists beta that builds playlists from natural-language prompts

Spotify has launched a new Prompted Playlist feature that creates playlists from natural-language prompts and personalizes them using a listener's history, the company said. The feature was launched on Thursday and was previously tested in beta in New Zealand in December 2025. Users can describe moods, pop-culture references,

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Sims 4 mod WickedWhims remains widely used, creator says

Kotaku reports that WickedWhims, a fan-made mod for The Sims 4 led by modder Turbodriver, remains widely used. The mod, which adds fully animated and interactive sex along with expanded relationships, menstrual cycles and birth control, has over 16,000 paid supporters on Patreon, and Turbodriver told German site Taz

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Six Samsung TV settings to change to improve picture quality

ZDNET contributor Adam Breeden says changing six settings on Samsung TVs can significantly improve the viewing experience. Breeden’s recommendations are: disable Eco Mode (All Settings > General and Privacy > Power and Energy Saving > Energy Saving Solution) and Brightness Optimization; select a film-focused Picture Mode such as Movie,

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Educators urge social‑emotional learning and judgment training as A.I. enters schools

Letters to The New York Times responding to a recent Business article on A.I. in classrooms argue that schools must pair new technologies with stronger teaching of social and emotional skills and human judgment. Matt Levinson of Seattle, an education leader for more than 30 years, wrote that social

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ZDNET recommends five free terminal-based Linux file managers

ZDNET contributor Jack Wallen highlights five free terminal-based file managers for Linux, recommending them for situations where a graphical interface won’t do — for example, when logged into a remote server, already working in a terminal window, or when a user simply prefers the command line. Wallen says there are