1+ hour, 16+ min ago (1015+ words) I used to struggle when shopping for a new computer-- there's a lot to keep in mind. Over time, I learned to narrow it down to what I call the "performance trifecta" -- three main components you should be mindful of: processor, storage drive, and RAM. A good processor is the brains of the computer, and a lot of local storage means you'll have plenty of room for all your files. Also: You're cleaning your desktop PC wrong: 8 cheap and easy ways to maintaining it There's a lot of information and differing opinions regarding RAM and how much you need on your computer. Should you opt for the laptop with the 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, or will 16GB be enough? I'm here to cut through all the fog and provide easy-to-understand advice on the amount of memory you should get. The short answer: it depends…...

4+ hour, 18+ min ago (1011+ words) For a limited time, the CMF Buds 2 Plus is available for $55 during Amazon Prime Day, which is a 30% discount. The Nothing CMF Buds 2 Plus sit above the CMF Buds Pro 2 in price hierarchy and offer similar sound, better call quality, and longer battery life. They fit well, and there's not much to fault at that $79 price point, and even less to complain about when they're often discounted to $55. Soon after launch, I shifted to the CMF Buds 2 Plus as my daily driver for music and calls." Also: 100+ best Black Friday deals from Amazon, Walmart, & more still live Apart from one minor annoyance, there's a lot to like. These might be my new go-to recommendation for budget earbuds. Nothing's CMF Buds 2 Plus are one of the best budget-friendly earbuds on the market right now, thanks to their comfortable fit, clear sound,…...

7+ hour, 57+ min ago (360+ words) Also: The best Cyber Week AirPods deals to shop The Nothing Ear (a) are thoughtfully designed earbuds for an affordable $99. They're the earbuds your cool friend wears. The Nothing Ear (a) advances on the specs from the brand's Ear (1) earbuds from 2021. The new buds offer plenty of upgrades like improved active noise cancellation, transparency mode, longer battery life, Bluetooth multipoint, minimized latency for gaming, and pinch controls. Also: The best earbuds of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed The earbuds come with three ear tip sizes in the box and are available in three colors: black, white, and yellow. I tried these buds in yellow, which is the first non-neutral color in Nothing's earbud lineup. The color feels daring and bright and is just as much a fashion accessory as it is a tech accessory." Also:"This Sony soundbar delivers deliciously crisp audio for…...

13+ hour, 4+ min ago (751+ words) For months now, I've used the Boox Note Air 4C tablet as my go-to digital notebook. This tablet is the perfect companion for those who like taking notes on the go, but it's also become the best substitute for my bullet journal. Writing on the Boox Note Air 4C tablet feels similar to writing on paper, though it's never exactly the same. However, the included pen is fast and responsive. The pressure-sensitive Boox pen is unforgiving, providing a contrasting experience to the Apple Pencil Pro." Also: Live updates: We found the 100+ best Black Friday deals up to 75% off The Boox Note Air 4C is a color ePaper tablet that replaces papers, notepads, notebooks, and even books, making for a great e-reader." I'm an avid bullet-journaler -- I love the freedom of creating calendar and page layouts that suit my needs. Naturally, I transitioned to…...

13+ hour, 38+ min ago (574+ words) Also: Live updates: We found the 100+ best Black Friday deals up to 75% off I'm sure you've heard of TCL and even seen its more budget-friendly TVs at Walmart or on Amazon. The QM8 is part of the company's midrange line. It boasts a QLED screen supporting Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which helps create bolder colors and deeper contrasts. This is a 75-inch 4K screen featuring Dolby Vision IQ and a 144Hz variable refresh rate. Setting up the HDR is a quick, two- to three-minute process. You can always make changes later in the TV's settings. Additionally, when setting up'game consoles'like the PlayStation 5, you can configure game-specific HDR settings. There's also a dedicated game mode, which you can access by holding the hamburger menu button while using a game console via HDMI. The mode creates a top and bottom bar that allows you to monitor…...

1+ day, 46+ min ago (322+ words) If you're looking to bulk up your home tool kit, consider this great deal from DeWalt: For $129, you can get a DeWalt 20V MAX cordless drill and impact driver set-- saving you 28% off the usual price on Amazon ahead of Black Friday, and the lowest price it's been all year. Also:10 most popular gadgets this year, according to thousands of readers (including surprise picks) Now, I can't say that I'm much of a tool brand fanboy, but I've grown quite fond of DeWalt power tools. It's a brand that delivers decent tools at fair prices. I've owned these exact same tools, and they've been heavily used and abused -- to the point where both have now and then been used as hammers -- and they're still going strong. The 20V system is powerful enough to tackle most jobs you're likely to come across, yet…...

1+ day, 3+ hour ago (399+ words) Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google. Looking for a good deal on a new tablet? Apple's latest entry-level device, the 11-inch iPad A16 is currently on sale for just $274, over 20% off the regular price of $349 for Black Friday. The A16 chip brings several improvements to the iPad, pushing it closer to the Pro version while keeping the price accessible. You get 128GB of storage standard on the iPad now, but if you want more, you can opt for 256GB on sale for $374, or 512GB, on sale for $579. Also: We found the 100+ best Black Friday deals live now up to 75% off from Amazon, Walmart, Target & more The A16 chip offers next-gen performance, with support for Wi-Fi 6, Touch ID built into the top button, and all the latest upgrades to the latest iPadOS, and all four colorways are on sale. Note that this iPad just…...

1+ day, 11+ hour ago (940+ words) A firewall is often the heart and soul of desktop security." With a firewall, you can block or allow traffic in and/or out of your computer. Of course, it's the incoming traffic that you need to be most concerned about. You don't want some ne'er-do-well to see port 25 open on your PC and use it as a way to get into your system and do bad things. To that end, your firewall is the way you shut those ports down. Also: 6 simple cybersecurity rules to live by Back in the old days, the Linux firewall was a very complicated piece of the puzzle. To use a Linux firewall in those early days, you had to learn the very complicated iptables system. Suffice it to say, that was not easy. I always had to keep copious notes on how to…...

1+ day, 12+ hour ago (1665+ words) I'm sure you've had the dreadful experience of your iPhone hitting 1% when you're miles away from an outlet. It's the worst. If this happens more often than not, especially on an older phone, a quick Google search will tell you to head to a repair center or Apple Store to get a fresh battery or upgrade to a newer model." Yeah, no. Not everyone can drop hundreds of dollars just for more battery life. Luckily, there are plenty of iOS tweaks you can try to squeeze extra hours out of your charge." Also:"I charged my iPhone the 'Apple way' for 2 years - here's how the battery fares now The best part? They're all free and easy to implement. Apple regularly updates iPhone software with new tricks and features, and sometimes those updates improve power management or fix battery-draining bugs. They…...

2+ day, 1+ hour ago (1011+ words) Despite its bite-sized form factor, the ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 is a powerhouse. Lenovo first showcased this ultraportable at CES 2024, and initial impressions centered on the return of Magic Bay, a modular family of peripherals that connect to the laptop via magnetic pogo pins (think MagSafe, but for laptops)." Also: I'm saving up to 75% off on the best Black Friday deals from Amazon, Walmart, Target & more But even though the Magic Bay products might be the most attention-grabbing, this Lenovo laptop has a lot more going for it under the hood. In fact, this laptop is surprisingly versatile. The ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 comes with the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor (2.4 GHz) but can be supercharged with the Intel Core Ultra 9 -- an option I was surprised to see for this laptop -- which propels it to be in line with other performant enterprise machines (raising the…...