Samsung/ZDNET Samsung upgraded their largest gaming monitor, the 55-inch Odyssey Ark, with a 165Hz refresh rate, Mini-LED panel, and 1ms response time. And if you’ve been waiting for a great deal to snap up this premium gaming monitor, you can save $1,100 at Samsung right now during their spring sale event, bringing the price to just $1,800. And if that wasn’t enough, as part of Samsung’s Deal of the Day, you can snag a 24-inch…

Jason Hiner/ZDNET Amazon has discounted several Mac Mini M4 builds as part of a new series of unexpected deals. The compact desktop can be purchased for as low as $529, although this price drop only applies to the 16GB RAM/256GB SSD model. If you want more storage space, the Mac Mini M4 with the 512GB SSD has seen a 13% discount, going from $799 to $699. The biggest discount has been given to the third…

ArtemisDiana/Getty Images Google is adding even more AI to Search.  In an announcement today, Google introduced AI Mode, an AI chatbot that responds to Search queries – essentially, it’s Google’s answer to ChatGPT Search. Also: 10 key reasons AI went mainstream overnight – and what happens next When you ask a question in AI Mode, Gemini 2.0 builds an answer. You can ask follow-up questions or request links to learn more. AI Mode does the…

ZDNET As a general rule, I’m not a huge fan of talking to AI. Even though many of them sound pretty human, they’re still “off” enough that I much prefer typing when I want to converse with one. Sesame changed that. This AI sounds real In a blog post titled “Crossing the Uncanny Valley of Conversational Voice,” the company dropped a demo of its new AI that lets you talk to either “Maya” or “Miles.” The…

OpenAI Last week, OpenAI launched GPT-4.5, which the company claims is the “largest and most knowledgeable model yet.” It was launched as a research preview available only to users subscribed to ChatGPT Pro, a $200-per-month plan. However, today, more OpenAI users can access it for much less money.  Expanded GPT-4.5 access On Wednesday morning, OpenAI announced via an X post that it began rolling out GPT-4.5 to ChatGPT Plus users. When first announced, OpenAI shared…

Matthew Miller/ZDNET The Discover Samsung Sale lasts all week, and you can find deals on Samsung’s website from smartphones and tablets to TVs and wearables. One deal caught our eye if you’re in the market for a new smartwatch, especially since you get a free item.  Also: The best Discover Samsung Spring Sale deals you can shop now You can save up to $480 on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra by trading- n an eligible…

Apple/ZDNET In March 1975, The Eagles’ Best of My Love, was the number one song, the top box office movie was The Godfather Part II, and All in the Family was the most popular TV show. However, I was most excited about the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer, arguably the first PC. I wasn’t alone. At Gordon French’s garage in Menlo Park, California on March 5, 1975, a small group of electronic enthusiasts gathered to look…

ZDNET For years, Pinterest has been dubbed the go-to social media site for inspirational mood boards, tracking lifestyle, fashion, and beauty trends, and finding niche and popular consumer-based products. Recently, however, the site has been plagued with an onslaught of AI slop, making it difficult for users to decipher what’s real, human-made content or fake. Also: AI scams have infiltrated the knitting and crochet world – why it matters for everyone Because AI has infiltrated…

David Gewirtz/ZDNET It’s never a good sign when I start writing an article about a new product announcement and my biggest concern is whether I’ll be able to complete the article with my credit card intact. My daily driver is a well-equipped Mac Studio, but it’s getting a few years old now, and I’ve noticed it running out of steam for some of my complex 3D models and occasionally when doing video production. Also: The new…