Microsoft There’s been a ton of buzz about how AIs can help programming, but in the first year or two of generative AI, much of that was hype. Microsoft ran huge events celebrating how Copilot could help you code, but when I put it to the test in April 2024, it failed all four of my standardized tests. It completely struck out. Crashed and burned. Fell off the cliff. It performed the worst of any…

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET With AI, one can now produce thousands of high-quality illustrations and videos. But that is only part of the story. Last August, a group of artists took AI imaging tools providers to court, which ruled against Stability AI and MidJourney’s motion to dismiss the artists’ copyright infringement claims. The case has moved to discovery and is set to begin in September 2026. Also: Can AI supercharge creativity without stealing from…

Nina Raemont/ZDNET The Nothing Ear (a) are $20 off right now, taking the price of my favorite earbuds down to $79, compared to $100.  ZDNET’s key takeaways  For $99, the new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds offer clear sound and a thoughtful design.  Their affordability, comfort, and long battery life make them a great option for budget-conscious shoppers. They’re so great that I’ve taken them practically everywhere: on flights, to work in the office, and to run…

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ChatGPT users can now try out a new, lightweight version of the AI’s Deep Research tool, and you don’t even need a paid subscription. Announced in an X post on Thursday, the new version is not only free to use but will automatically activate for paid subscribers who use up their quota of the full Deep Research. Also: How much energy does a single chatbot prompt use? This…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The Zygo Z2 headset is available for $329 You can stream all your subscription music, the headset stays firmly in place, coaching is available for a small fee, and audio quality is good in the water The headset range doesn’t support open water swimming, your phone and transmitter need to be near the pool, and the headset only works with the paired transmitter. One significant challenge to enjoying music while you swim…

ZDNET’s key takeaways MSI’s new Raider 18 HX is on sale now, starting at $3,139. This is, without a doubt, the most powerful laptop I’ve tested in 2025, due to its Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. As you can imagine, it is quite expensive and rather heavy. more buying choices 2025 has been a big year for mega nerds like me with the launch of Nvidia’s RTX 50-series graphics cards….