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ZDNET’s key takeaways The Echo Show 21 is a $400 smart display from Amazon. more buying choices A great smart display is a sight to behold, but it doesn’t need to be huge to be outstanding. I love the idea of a great display for smart home control and everyday home management, like keeping my family’s calendars, to-do lists, reminders, shopping lists, and more updated, easy to find, and visible for everyone. Also: Change these 5…

Undoubtedly, 2024 has been a groundbreaking year for the laptop industry. Between advances in processor technology, the development of new materials, and AI powering it all, the market has shifted. That’s great news for consumers because it means thinner, lighter machines with record-breaking battery life and more customizability.  Also: The best laptops under $1,000 you can buy: Expert tested We’ve gone hands-on with dozens of laptops this year, breaking down the pros and cons of all…

bgwalker/Getty Images Extension 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. Also: Bye bye, Wi-Fi: How to add a wired network to your home without running Ethernet Appliances (like refrigerators and toaster ovens) are obviously electronic devices, but they’re in a different class from most electronics…

ZDNET Many organizations are either delaying or pulling the plug on generative AI due to concerns about its ethics and safety. This is prompting calls to move AI out of technology departments and involve more non-technical business stakeholders in AI design and management. Also: The most popular AI tools of 2024 (and what that even means) More than half (56%) of businesses are delaying major investments in generative AI until there is clarity on AI standards…

Earlier in the week, American Airlines was forced to ground flights for up to an hour on Christmas Eve, one of the busiest travel days of the year. American asked US Federal Aviation Administration to issue a “nationwide groundstop” at 6:50 am Eastern Time on Tuesday, preventing any of its aircraft from flying. The advisory was lifted an hour later. Vendor technology issue The airline blamed the problems on a “vendor technology issue” in a…

A robot vacuum is a worthwhile investment, but it can still be a lot of money to spend on a household product. Whatever the price, you want a quality device that can reliably tackle your floor’s cleaning needs. Luckily, iRobot has been around the block for a while and has several reputable robot vacuums you can buy. Here at ZDNET, we’ve spent a lot of time testing and reviewing machines made by iRobot and other manufacturers…

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Anytime you create a new email account using Google, you get 15GB of storage, which is generous for coming with no price tag. But that 15GB can fill up quickly, especially because that chunk of data storage includes any videos and pictures you download to Google Drive and Google Photos.  If your inbox is overflowing with unread newsletters and spammy emails that made it past your filter, you can take action to preserve…

Nina Raemont/ZDNET In a year brimming with technological advancements, from Apple’s first-ever mixed reality headset to the modern-day space race that is artificial intelligence, one particular niche of products saw its mainstream aspirations realized: smart rings. According to IDC, global ring sales were estimated at 880,000 units in 2023. This year, the market research firm is forecasting a rise to 1.7 million units, with an even larger spike of 3.2 million units in 2025. As…

ZDNET You may have used generative AI to create text, images, and even videos. But have you ever called on it to conjure up your own music? A few different text-to-music tools can act as virtual composers, but one worth trying is Suno. Available on the web, through dedicated iPhone and Android apps, and via a Microsoft Copilot plug-in, Suno will write and play music based on your input. You can describe the topic and…

It’s high time to ditch the traditional upright vacuum, even if you have dogs, cats, or both. As a robot vacuum reviewer, pet hair is one of my pet peeves, so evaluating how a robot vacuum performs against it is one of the main characteristics I look for when testing these robots. With a very hairy dog and three young kids, the only thing that keeps my floors clean without manually vacuuming daily is a…