ZDNET First things first: ArcoPlasma (which is a spin of ArcoLinux) isn’t best suited for those with little to no Linux experience. I had a few issues with the distribution (such as the db.lck file blocking updates — which was an easy fix if you know what you’re doing), so keep that in mind as you read on.  Even with those issues, I found ArcoPlasma to be a pretty groovy desktop OS. What are ArcoLinux and…

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Right now, you can get a Ring Stick Up Cam Pro at Amazon for only $90 (that’s half off). The 50% discount is available on the battery Pro model, but you can also get a plug-in version of the base model for $60 or the battery-powered Ring Stick Up Cam at 20% off for $80. Also: Better than Ring? This video doorbell has all the benefits and no monthly fees Since the Ring Stick Up…

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET The launch of ChatGPT sparked a generative AI craze, igniting a tech revolution that has forced companies to rapidly innovate to stay competitive in this evolving landscape.  Although Apple was late to the AI race, its launch of Apple Intelligence promised a transformative overhaul, putting Siri at the center of the Apple ecosystem as a context-aware personal assistant. However, a new Bloomberg report suggests this vision may take longer to materialize than expected. When can you…

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET The launch of ChatGPT sparked a generative AI craze, igniting a tech revolution that has forced companies to rapidly innovate to stay competitive in this evolving landscape.  Although Apple was late to the AI race, its launch of Apple Intelligence promised a transformative overhaul, putting Siri at the center of the Apple ecosystem as a context-aware personal assistant. However, a new Bloomberg report suggests this vision may take longer to materialize than expected. When can you…

Geary/ZDNET I’ve used every Linux email client on the market, from the terminal-based Alpine (originally just Pine) to the Evolution groupware, and everything in between. Some of those email clients I stuck with for years, but eventually walked away from them for one reason or another — too ugly, too inefficient, too outdated, too slow, too broken, etc. Also: How to use Linux without ever touching the terminal Had you asked me five years ago which…

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET I’ve been flying drones, both recreationally and commercially, for over a decade — and hold a handful of drone licenses and certifications. Over those hundreds of hours of flying, I’ve yet to lose a drone. Yet, almost daily, I come across stories on social media of people losing their drones. Some drones crash on their first flight, some after months or years of problem-free service. Also: I tested DJI’s new foldable drone, and would…

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 $557, 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 7% discount, going from $799 to $742. The biggest discount has been given to the third…

Khanchit Khirisutchalual/Getty Images Partnerships between AI companies and the US government are expanding, even as the future of AI safety and regulation remains unclear. On Friday, Anthropic, OpenAI, and other AI companies brought 1,000 scientists together to test their latest models. The event, hosted by OpenAI and called an AI Jam Session, gave scientists across nine labs a day to use several models — including OpenAI’s o3-mini and Claude 3.7 Sonnet, Anthropic’s latest release —…

Opera/ZDNET The team behind the Opera web browser has announced a new AI agent called Browser Operator, capable of performing browsing tasks for users. This new agentic browsing marks a paradigm shift that could mark the next evolution of web browsers. Also: Which AI agent is the best? This new leaderboard can tell you According to Krystian Kolondra, EVP at Opera, “For more than 30 years, the browser gave you access to the web, but it…

ZDNET Power stations can range in price from a few hundred dollars for a small, portable unit to several thousand dollars for a large system capable of powering your entire home. Given the significant investment, it’s only natural to want to maximize the lifespan of your power station and get the best value for your money. With proper care and maintenance, a power station can last for many years. In fact, I have units that…