Topic: product testing
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Unlock Samsung's Secret Wi-Fi Menu for Better Connectivity
Samsung phones have a hidden service menu, accessible by dialing `*#0011#`, which provides detailed technical data on Wi-Fi and cellular connections for advanced troubleshooting. The menu is navigated using hardware keys and offers additional diagnostic tools, like ping tests and connection logs,...
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Top Gaming Chairs of 2025: Our Expert Picks After Rigorous Testing
The article evaluates gaming chairs based on comfort, support, and budget, highlighting top picks like the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 for overall excellence, the Corsair TC100 Relaxed for affordability, and the Herman Miller x Logitech Embody for premium ergonomics. Key considerations for selection...
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Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero Review: The Ultimate AM5 Board?
The Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero is a premium, all-black AM5 motherboard designed for high-end performance and a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, targeting enthusiast builders. It features an exceptional connectivity suite, including dual Ethernet (10 GbE/5 GbE), Wi-Fi 7, two USB4 ports, five M...
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Detect Scams for Free with ChatGPT and Malwarebytes
Use **ChatGPT** as a conversational tool to analyze suspicious messages for common scam red flags, such as urgent demands or grammatical errors, and to understand the mechanics of various frauds. Employ the free version of **Malwarebytes** for technical defense, as it can detect and remove malwar...
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Last Year's Samsung QLED TV: $1,300 Off & Highly Recommended
Samsung's QN85B QLED TV is currently discounted by $1,300, offering premium picture quality with Quantum Dot technology and features ideal for movies and gaming. The article's recommendations are based on hands-on evaluation, research, and analysis of customer feedback from reliable sources. The ...
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CES 2026: New AI Tracks Your Pet's Health Data
A new category of AI-powered pet health monitors is emerging, using sensors and machine learning to analyze vital signs and behavior for a comprehensive health dashboard. These systems provide proactive care by establishing a pet's normal baseline and detecting subtle deviations for early illness...
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2025's Top Expert-Tested Products: Phones, TVs, AI & More
The annual review highlights top-performing technology across categories, selected through rigorous real-world testing for genuine innovation and exceptional user experience. Key product advancements include foldable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, specialized laptops for enterprise...
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Best Products of 2025: Top Picks for Phones, TVs & AI
ZDNET's Best of 2025 awards highlight innovative technology, from smartphones to home devices, rigorously tested for real-world problem-solving and performance. Smartphone advancements include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for portability and photography, the iPhone 17 for premium features in a bas...
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Starlink's New $40 Unlimited Data Plan Has Key Limitations
ZDNET's product recommendations are based on hands-on testing, thorough research, and analysis of user feedback and market sources. The company maintains editorial independence by not accepting compensation for reviews and ensuring affiliate commissions do not influence content or prices. All con...
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ZDNET's Top-Tested Products of 2025: Phones, Laptops & TVs
Smartphones in 2025 advanced significantly, with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 offering a slim design and flagship camera, the iPhone 17 integrating pro features into its base model, and the Oppo Find X9 Pro setting new standards in telephotography. Laptops emphasized specialization, featuring the ...
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My AI Glasses Promised a Genius Upgrade, But I Got Clippy Instead
The Halo Glass prototype, an AI-powered smart eyewear, aims to enhance memory and intelligence by discreetly providing answers and summaries during conversations, but it falls short of its futuristic vision in practice. Technical glitches from third-party hardware and awkward design, such as requ...
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Samsung Unpacked July 2025: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Watch 8 Ultra & More
Tech recommendations are based on hands-on testing, market research, and comparisons, incorporating manufacturer specs, expert reviews, and user feedback for accuracy. Affiliate links fund research without influencing editorial independence, with strict fact-checking and prompt corrections to ens...
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TCL's PlayCube Projector: More Fun Than a Rubik's Cube
The TCL PlayCube is a compact, versatile projector featuring a unique 90-degree rotating design for flexible image placement and strong portability, making it ideal for mobile use like camping. It delivers impressive brightness (750 ISO lumens) for its small size and offers solid battery life of ...
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Google Seeks 15 Pixel Superfans to Test Secret Phones
Google is launching an exclusive program for 15 Pixel Superfans to test and provide feedback on unreleased Pixel phones, marking a shift from its previous internal-only testing policy. The initiative involves a contest within the Superfans community to select participants who must demonstrate dee...
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Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: The Best Small Smartphone Stabilizer for Tracking
The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is a compact smartphone stabilizer with advanced AI-powered tracking that works seamlessly across apps and includes a detachable remote and built-in fill light. It excels at keeping moving subjects in focus using a built-in 2MP camera, supports both front and rear camer...
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Roomba's New Owner: Who Is Picea Robotics?
iRobot, maker of the Roomba, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will be fully acquired by its Chinese contract manufacturer, Picea Robotics, as part of a debt-forgiveness and restructuring deal. The company's newer Roomba models had become less distinctive, facing performance issues and rese...
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Top Smart Rings for Sleep and Health Tracking
Smart rings primarily focus on discreet health and wellness tracking, especially for continuous sleep monitoring, but generally lack features like smart alarms and are not ideal for intense fitness or weightlifting. The Oura Ring 4 is the top recommendation for most users due to its superior hard...
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Roborock Saros 10 Robovac Hits All-Time Low Price
The Roborock Saros 10 is available at a record low price of $1,099.99, a $500 discount, making this high-end robot vacuum and mop combo a compelling purchase. It delivers powerful cleaning with 22,000Pa suction and a tangle-resistant brush system, while its intelligent navigation automatically li...
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Create Fun Stickers with AI-Powered Stickerbox for Kids
Stickerbox is a $99.99 voice-activated AI device that transforms children's spoken ideas into printed, colorable stickers, blending digital creativity with hands-on play. Designed for safety, it uses proprietary AI models to block inappropriate content and encourages imaginative, child-friendly r...
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My Portable Label Printer Is a Game-Changer for My Office
The Nelko PM220 is a compact, Bluetooth-enabled thermal label printer that produces durable, adhesive labels via a smartphone app, suitable for various environments but may fade with heat and sunlight. After extensive testing in a café setting, it printed over 5,000 labels with consistent high-qu...
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Perplexity AI's 'Max' Upgrade: Features, Pricing & More
Trustworthy tech recommendations rely on thorough testing, expert analysis of specifications and performance, and real-world user feedback to guide purchasing decisions. Quality advice prioritizes genuine customer insights on reliability and usability, while maintaining transparency about affilia...
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DJI Mic 3: Record 4 Subjects Simultaneously in a Compact Design
The DJI Mic 3 is a compact, lightweight wireless audio system capable of recording up to four subjects simultaneously, with significant improvements in sound quality, noise reduction, and connectivity. It features extended battery life of up to 28 hours with the charging case, supports multi-came...
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The Best Xbox Controllers, Tested and Recommended
The Xbox controller market offers diverse options beyond the standard model, catering to competitive gamers, budget buyers, and collectors with specialized features. Premium alternatives like the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra provide advanced customization and value, while budget-friendly picks like...
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How a Fanny Pack Robot Helped Me Walk Miles
A new generation of lightweight exoskeletons, like the Wirobotics Wim S, focuses on reducing walking fatigue by up to 20% through subtle motor assistance, rather than providing superhuman speed or strength. Its innovative fanny pack design, weighing just 3.6 pounds, offers significant improvement...
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Google's AI Inbox: The Future of Gmail?
Google is testing a new AI Inbox for Gmail that provides a summarized, task-oriented view of emails instead of a chronological list, aiming to make email a more proactive tool. The feature currently shows potential for users who struggle with email management, but its AI-generated priorities can ...
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Cutting With a Knife That Vibrates 30,000 Times Per Second
The C-200 is an ultrasonic chef's knife that vibrates its blade over 30,000 times per second, aiming to reduce the physical force needed for slicing delicate or dense foods. In testing, the knife excelled at cleanly slicing soft items like tomatoes with minimal pressure, though its non-stick perf...
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Our 2025 Black Friday Picks: Tested, Tracked & Verified
The article highlights verified Black Friday deals across categories like computers, TV & audio, and mobile devices, ensuring genuine discounts on quality products through team testing and price tracking. Notable tech offers include the Dell 14 Plus laptop at $500 for strong performance and the M...
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WIRED's Top Extreme Alarm Clock for 2025
Extreme alarm clocks use physical movement, puzzles, and varied frequencies to wake even heavy sleepers and those with hearing impairments, offering a powerful alternative to standard alarms. Testing diverse, highly-reviewed models confirmed their effectiveness in ensuring prompt wake-ups, though...
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Top Holiday Photo Cards for 2025: Mixbook, Vistaprint & Canva
Mixbook is the top choice for holiday photo cards, offering superior design flexibility and excellent print quality, making it ideal for creating memorable seasonal greetings. Vistaprint is a strong runner-up, providing budget-friendly options with sharp image reproduction, though it has more lim...
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The Inevitable Rise of Wearable Tech
Major tech companies are aggressively expanding wearable ecosystems, pushing consumers to adopt multiple devices like smart glasses, rings, and watches simultaneously. The proliferation of wearables creates compatibility issues and physical limitations, as devices compete for space on the body an...
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Nothing Super Mic: A Small But Mighty Upgrade for Earbud Audio
Nothing's Ear 3 introduces Super Mic, which relocates the primary microphone to the charging case for clearer audio by positioning it closer to the mouth. Super Mic excels with aggressive noise cancellation in loud environments but can cause choppy audio and has noticeable latency in video, affec...
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3D-Scanned Insoles: Placebo Tech or Real Innovation?
Groov uses an iPhone's Face ID camera and AI to create custom, 3D-printed shoe inserts for $150, positioning itself as a more affordable and convenient alternative to both generic drugstore insoles and expensive podiatrist orthotics. The author's testing revealed the product provided better arch ...
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Google Boosts AI Overviews with Prominent Links and AI Mode
Google has updated its AI search features to make source links more prominent and interactive, aiming to improve user engagement and bridge AI summaries with original publishers. The redesign includes a pop-up window for desktop hover and clearer icons, intended to drive more referral traffic to ...
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CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet Review (2026): See Real Results
The CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet is an FDA-cleared, at-home device that uses specific red light wavelengths (620-660 nm) to stimulate hair follicles, improve scalp health, and encourage growth. After approximately three months of consistent daily use, the reviewer observed tangible results,...
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Hori Puff Pouch for Switch 2 Review: A Solid, Budget-Friendly Case
The Hori Puff Pouch is a budget-friendly, licensed soft case offering decent padding and practical storage for the Nintendo Switch 2, making it suitable for casual transport. Its design includes effective console padding and multiple storage compartments, but it has a divisive aesthetic, attracts...
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Apple AirTag Controversy: Tracking Tim Cook's Lost Fans?
Apple launched a refined second-generation AirTag with practical upgrades like better precision finding, but the product release was overshadowed by broader scrutiny of the company's leadership. CEO Tim Cook faced significant public criticism for attending an exclusive White House event, which ma...
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Sony's PS5 DualSense Controller May Get Major Battery Boost
The new Sony DualSense V2 controller reportedly offers over 15 hours of battery life, a major improvement over previous models, due to internal redesigns for greater efficiency. Key hardware changes include the removal of a secondary microphone and a revised internal structure, as identified by h...
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2025's Biggest Black Friday Office Chair & Standing Desk Sale
Branch Furniture is currently offering a Black Friday sale through December 3, with 15% off all items and 20% off bundled products, making their ergonomic office furniture more affordable. The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro is highly recommended for its comfort, adjustability, and style under $500, w...
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Speechify Chrome Extension Now Features Voice Typing & Assistant
The Speechify Chrome extension now includes voice typing and a conversational voice assistant, expanding its role as a productivity tool for speech-based interactions. While voice typing performs well in Gmail and Google Docs, it faces compatibility issues on some platforms and currently has a hi...
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Why Your LED Lights Burn Out So Fast, According to Experts
LED lifespan ratings are statistical averages based on ideal lab conditions, not guarantees, and can be influenced by how manufacturers define daily usage. Premature LED failure is often caused by heat damaging the drivers and electronics, especially in enclosed fixtures or due to unstable "dirty...
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RIG R5 Spear Pro HS Review: Top Budget Gaming Headset
The Nacon RIG R5 Spear Pro HS is a budget-friendly wired gaming headset that offers exceptional audio quality, robust construction, and comfort for extended use. It features universal compatibility via a 3.5mm jack, working seamlessly with PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC, though it lac...
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Amazon's Smart Glasses Guide Drivers and Scan Packages
Amazon's "Amelia" smart glasses for delivery drivers feature a built-in display and camera to streamline locating packages, provide navigation, and capture hands-free delivery photos. The glasses connect to a specialized vest with a swappable battery and controller, include transition and prescri...
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Top 7 Smartwatches of 2025: Unexpected Picks Revealed
The Apple Watch SE 3 is the most practical choice for most users, offering essential features like an always-on display and the S10 chip at a lower cost, though it lacks blood oxygen monitoring. For Android users, the Google Pixel Watch 4 stands out with its sleek design, comfortable wear, and ad...
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Top Bluetooth Trackers for Apple & Android Phones
Bluetooth trackers help locate misplaced items by connecting to smartphones and using features like ultra-wideband for directional guidance and crowdsourced networks to find items beyond Bluetooth range. Apple AirTag is the top choice for iPhone users, offering precision finding and access to the...
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TechWoven Thrives: Positive Update and Future Outlook
The TechWoven case for the iPhone 17 Pro is highly durable and scratch-resistant, showing no damage after rigorous testing and marking a significant improvement over the easily scratched FineWoven predecessor. Apple introduced TechWoven as a replacement for the FineWoven line, which was phased ou...
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Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro Drops to $89.99 at Amazon
The Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro is a high-performance CPU cooler offering exceptional cooling for demanding processors, currently discounted to $89.99 on Amazon. It features a 360mm radiator, three high-speed fans, an integrated VRM fan, and supports all modern CPU sockets, but requires case cl...
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Why Your LED Lights Keep Failing: The Real Reason
LED lifespan ratings are statistical averages, not guarantees, and can be inflated by varying manufacturer testing methods, leading to some bulbs failing prematurely. The primary cause of early failure is often the LED driver, which is vulnerable to overheating in enclosed fixtures or poor ventil...
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8BitDo Arcade Stick Review: Your First Leverless Controller
The 8BitDo Arcade Controller is an affordable leverless option for newcomers, featuring an intuitive button layout and costing under $100, making it significantly cheaper than premium competitors like Victrix and Hit Box. Its slim, lightweight design enhances portability for tournaments, and it i...
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AirPods 4 Hit $120, a Near-Record Low for Noise Cancellation
The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are on sale for $119, a significant $60 discount, offering a rare deal on a core Apple audio product. They feature effective noise cancellation for constant ambient sounds and provide a notable audio upgrade with richer bass compared to previous non-Pr...
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Google AI Overviews Shrink When Users Ignore Them
Google's AI Overviews are dynamically shown or hidden based on real-time user engagement, not by default, as the system learns from metrics like clicks to determine if a summary provides value for a specific query. The system often expands searches "under the hood" by issuing additional internal ...
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