NETWORKING

Jackie Niam/Getty Images Generative AI (Gen AI) has advanced significantly since its public launch two years ago. The technology has led to transformative applications that can create text, images, and other media with impressive accuracy and creativity.  Also: We have an official open-source AI definition now Open-source generative models are valuable for developers, researchers, and organizations wanting to leverage cutting-edge AI technology without incurring high licensing fees or restrictive commercial policies. Let’s find out more. Open-source…

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET Want to keep on top of Tuesday’s ongoing election results without constantly checking news and social media sites? Apple has one solution — at least for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users. Starting late Tuesday, Apple News will display the election results with real-time updates on the Home Screen and Lock Screen of your device. iPhone owners will be able to view the results through the Live Activity feature in which…

Jason Hiner/ZDNET The big ticket item for MacOS 15.1 is Apple Intelligence but I’m not interested in using AI. Even so, I did want to see what the fuss was all about but quickly discovered that, even with the 15.1 update on my MacBook Pro M1, I had to get on the Apple Intelligence waiting list before it would become available. The wait wasn’t long (maybe 24 hours), and I had Apple’s version of AI…

Jack Wallen/ZDNET If you follow the Android Security Bulletin, then you might have noticed a listing for the November security patch level that includes two critical vulnerabilities, which are: CVE-2024-43047 CVE-2024-43093 According to the bulletin, “There are indications that the following may be under limited, targeted exploitation.” Also: An anti-theft upgrade is coming to Android phones. Here’s how to see if you have it yet The first of those vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-43047, is described as “memory…

Moor Studio/Getty Images Microsoft is getting ready to expand the reach of its Copilot feature set, bringing its AI capabilities to Office apps for anyone currently subscribed to Microsoft 365 Personal or Family. Today, those features are only available with an extremely pricey Copilot Pro subscription. For Personal and Family subscribers, the upgrade costs an extra $20 monthly, which is more than double the cost of the basic Microsoft 365 subscription. Also: Microsoft Copilot vs….

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET Want to keep on top of Tuesday’s ongoing election results without constantly checking news and social media sites? Apple has one solution — at least for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users. Starting late Tuesday, Apple News will display the election results with real-time updates on the Home Screen and Lock Screen of your device. iPhone owners will be able to view the results through the Live Activity feature in which…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The Dreame L40 Ultra is a high-end robot vacuum and mop available on Amazon for $1,500, though you can get it for $1,300 with a $200 on-page coupon This Dreame robot vacuum doesn’t disappoint in performance It has strong suction power, thorough cleaning capabilities, extendable side brush and mop pad to clean corners and edges, and an above-average mopping feature The downside is that the Dreame L40 Ultra isn’t cheap, at $1,500…

The holiday shopping season will be here before you know it. And if you have a gamer on your gift list whose main platform is the PlayStation 5, it’s the perfect time to get them the latest games and accessories as well as consoles bundled with digital downloads of popular titles.  Also: The best Black Friday deals live now While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping days of the year,…

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular modern gaming consoles, and one of the most popular consoles, period. And coupled with Nintendo’s reluctance to run regular discounts and sales, even on digital games, that means the holiday shopping season is your best bet for upgrading your Switch setup with a new OLED console or snagging a few new games for your library or replacement Joy-Con controllers. Also: The best Black Friday deals live…

Don’t miss this Sam’s Club membership to save big on everything from groceries to electronics. Sam’s Club/ZDNET A Sam’s Club membership will get you discounts on groceries, clothing, electronics, and just about everything else you might need. And right now, StackSocial is offering a deal that will get you a Sam’s Club membership for $25 for the year with auto-renew — down from the usual price of $50. That’s 50% off.  Your Sam’s Club membership will…