Amazon is running a Fire sale on its 4K TV Sticks for up to 50% off right now

Amazon is running a Fire sale on its 4K TV Sticks for up to 50% off right now

Kerry Wan/ZDNET The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max got a big refresh, with 16GB of internal storage, cloud gaming support, and a gallery of over 2,000 pieces of museum-quality art to turn your TV into a frame. Ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, you can snag the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for over 40%…

How to turn on Google’s free VPN on your Pixel – it’s worth your 30 seconds

How to turn on Google’s free VPN on your Pixel – it’s worth your 30 seconds

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Pixel 7 and newer devices include a built-in free Google VPN. VPN by Google encrypts your traffic to protect you on public Wi-Fi. You can pause the VPN, add a quick tile, or exclude specific apps. If…

I compared the best budget phones from Apple, Google, and Samsung – this model won it

I compared the best budget phones from Apple, Google, and Samsung – this model won it

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Apple, Google, and Samsung are once again butting heads in the midrange phone market, with the former two having recently released new models. Samsung beat the others to the punch when it launched the Galaxy A56 back on July 18, 2025.  Eight months later, on…

How to disable ACR on your TV – and why doing so is critical for your privacy

How to disable ACR on your TV – and why doing so is critical for your privacy

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Smart TVs track viewing habits with ACR tech. Collected data fuels billions in targeted ads. Turning off ACR protects privacy but takes effort. Most modern smart TVs come with a silent partner: Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). This ad-tracking tech monitors everything on…

This USB-C accessory gave my iPhone and Android an unexpectedly useful superpower

This USB-C accessory gave my iPhone and Android an unexpectedly useful superpower

Heat It Insect Bite Healer ZDNET’s key takeaways The Heat It is available on Amazon for $30 for a limited time. It heats up from your smartphone and reduces swelling and itchiness from bug bites. While its power consumption is modest, it will take some charge from your phone. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred…

This Linux desktop runs like an app on your current desktop – and it’s amazing

This Linux desktop runs like an app on your current desktop – and it’s amazing

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways A new Linux desktop is in the works. This portable desktop can be run like an app. Orbitiny is free to use and runs on any Linux distribution. Leave it to the Linux community to come up…

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I compared the flagship phones, and this one wins

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I compared the flagship phones, and this one wins

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Samsung’s Unpacked 2026 event last month left us with a new trio of flagship phones, the most premium being the Galaxy S26 Ultra. On the other side of the coin, Apple’s best phone, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is $100 cheaper, and has its own pros…

I compared Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T 5G coverage on a road trip – and the winner surprised me

I compared Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T 5G coverage on a road trip – and the winner surprised me

Adam Doud/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways My 5G road trip tests included rigorous testing on three Google Pixel phones. Signal reliability generally proved good to decent across three major interstate carriers. Network architecture, including non-standalone 5G, emerged as a factor in deployment. 5G made a number of promises…

A $30 router with a built-in VPN? I had to try it – and haven’t had any regrets

A $30 router with a built-in VPN? I had to try it – and haven’t had any regrets

GL.iNet Mango GL-MT300N-V2 pros and cons Pros Compact and can be powered with USB Offers several ways to get an internet connection when traveling Built-in VPN support is a great way to create a secure network when out and about. Cons Uses microUSB for power rather than USB-C The “getting started” guide only skims the…

TechCrunch Mobility: Uber everywhere, all at once

TechCrunch Mobility: Uber everywhere, all at once

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! If you haven’t noticed, Uber is suddenly everywhere, at least when it comes to autonomous vehicles. The company sold off Uber ATG,…