David Gewirtz / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET I record many hands-on projects for my YouTube channel. Often, one or more stages of a project must be recorded in a single take. That’s because once whatever it is I’m doing is done, it’s done. Take unboxing videos, for example. Some of the items I’m opening come in giant crates. The crates must be aggressively disassembled to access the gear inside. Once that disassembly is completed,…

CIOs can drive change Even though it’s difficult to calculate an organization’s carbon footprint, CIOs and IT purchasing leaders trying to reduce their environmental impact can influence data center operators, experts say. “Customers have a very large voice,” Seagate’s Feist says. “Don’t underestimate how powerful that CIO feedback loop is. The large cloud accounts are customer-obsessed organizations, so they listen, and they react.” While DataBank began using renewable energy years ago, customer demand can push…

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Much to the chagrin of those who would like to malign the Linux operating system, it’s actually quite easy to use. Thanks to modern GUI desktop environments and applications, anyone can jump into the fray and know what they’re doing. On the rare occasions when trouble arises, you might want to know a few commands to help you out. The problem is that there are so many…

rob dobi/Getty Images Accompanying the rise in detentions and deportations by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other authorities are increasingly frequent reports of smartphone searches. US authorities allegedly dig through past emails, photos, social network activity, and other content to establish grounds for apprehension or other enforcement decisions. While such intrusions as a function of domestic law enforcement are nothing new, concern that more people could be held accountable for their beliefs, acquaintances,…

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Samsung’s One UI 7 is my favorite Android skin right now. It is fast, responsive, and intuitive. But nothing comes fine-tuned to your experience straight out of the box. You need to personalize your smartphone to make it more appealing. I change almost a dozen settings on every Samsung Galaxy phone to best suit my needs, and I believe these will elevate your user experience, too. Also: The best Samsung phones to buy From…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The Eero Pro 7 is available for $300. The tri-band Eero Pro 7 supports wireless speeds of up to 3.8Gbps and a coverage area of up to 2,500 square feet per unit, making it ideal for congestion management. As a midrange router, the Eero Pro 7 is not great for complicated smart home setups, and it’s also not the most attainable at $300 each. I’ve been testing the Eero Pro 7 for…

June Wan/ZDNET In honor of Earth Day, Samsung is giving you the chance to help keep e-waste out of landfills and score a discount on a flagship phone. Starting today, the Galaxy S24 series, including the S24 Ultra, S24+, and the S24, are available as part of Samsung’s Certified Renewed program, which allows you to purchase refurbished phones at a value price. With this program, Samsung explains, you’re getting a like-new phone while keeping a…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The Torras PolarCircle is on sale on Amazon for $40. It has an active cooler that’s more effective than a standard fan, and it’s almost totally silent. Naturally, it also consumes more power than most. more buying choices On Amazon and Torras’ website, the Torras PolarCircle Qi2 is on sale for $49, $10 off its retail price. I’ve become a fan of wireless charging because it’s quick, easy, and far more convenient…

ZDNET’s key takeaways This super-thin, super-durable tool has a myriad of uses. These are priced well, with cheaper copies on the market, but you should avoid them because they’re not a patch on the originals. The only downside I’ve found is that I can’t seem to find the Mini Spudgers for sale on their own, only as part of a set. One question I get asked a lot is which of my tools is my…