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ZDNET’s key takeaways The DT Research tablet is built as rugged as it gets, with IP65, MIL-STD-810H, and MIL-STD-461G certifications. The choice of Intel Core i5 and i7 processors offers flexibility when buying the system. The tablet is big and rather chunky, far larger than a traditional iPad. Let’s face it: Your average laptop or tablet is a pretty fragile piece of technology. One accidental drop, and more often than not, something critical — usually…

ZDNET’s key takeaways I tested a 20-in-1 gadget cleaning tool, which is available from Amazon for $13. The kit is compact, the components are all quality items that can be reused many times, and the kit contains a variety of brushes and cleaners. A larger container for lens cleaning fluid would have been useful. I dare you to take a close look at your keyboard. If it’s like mine or the systems I find myself…

CFOTO/Contributor/Getty Images Chinese startup DeepSeek AI and its open-source language models took over the news cycle this week. Besides being comparable to models like Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s o1, the models have raised several concerns about data privacy, security, and Chinese-government-enforced censorship within their training.  AI search platform Perplexity and AI assistant You.com have found a way around that.  Also: What is DeepSeek AI? Is it safe? Here’s everything you need to know Access the…

Jason Hiner/ZDNET Apple this week launched one big thing and removed five smaller things in the process. With the unveiling of the new iPhone 16e, the company’s entry-level handset that brings modernized processing power and AI capabilities downmarket, Apple also did away with several familiar products and services — some more obvious than others. Also: What does the ‘e’ in iPhone 16e stand for? These five products weren’t sacrifices per se, but their removal was…

Microsoft says its Majorana 1 contains eight topological qubits and can scale to a million, though the details on how it will scale are scant. Microsoft Quantum Microsoft’s quantum computing scientists announced they have finally realized a long-held goal of building a “topological qubit”, the equivalent of a transistor for ordinary chips, that may help advance quantum computing.  The qubit is the functional element of a quantum chip, called Majorana 1, based on an exotic…

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET The world’s thinnest book-style foldable, the Oppo Find N5, is finally here. I’ve had it for a week, and it has surprised me in more ways than one — both positively and negatively.  At 8.93mm thick when folded, it’s closer to slab phones than any other foldable has ever been. But that slimness didn’t come without compromises. Judging by the on-paper camera specifications, I expected it to be underwhelming, but it’s better than…

As our phones become more like digital wallets that let you pay, present identification, and even travel, traditional wallets already feel pretty antiquated. However, we’re not completely finished with the paper trail just yet. There are still incidentals — like your work ID or certain travel passes — that you may not be able to present virtually, and places that may not accept services like Google Pay and Apple Pay. Plus, a virtual wallet won’t do you any good if…

ZDNET Apple’s Visual Intelligence skill is expanding beyond the iPhone 16. The iPhone 15 Pro will soon get custody of the feature, which digs up details on objects you snap through the camera. In a post published on Wednesday, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber said that Apple representatives told him that iPhone 15 Pro (and presumably iPhone 15 Pro Max) owners will be able to use Visual Intelligence on their devices.  The company wouldn’t reveal exactly…

Kerry Wan/ZDNET With the way we use our iPhones these days, it can be hard to make it through a single day on a full charge. A few FaceTime calls, some text messaging, and opening Maps a few times, and you could already be 25% down.  If you’ve experienced this problem, you’re not alone. These phones can be very power-hungry — even the more affordable iPhone SE 4 has battery issues. The problem is made…

Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Is Android Auto causing your phone to reboot? You’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, posts on support forums like Reddit have reported a strange glitch. Any time you try to use Android Auto, the reports say, your phone reboots. In some cases, like those reported on Google’s official page, Android Auto has stopped working entirely. Also: 5 reasons your Android Auto keeps disconnecting – and how to…