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You may be able to buy Apple products without paying state sales tax

If you live in one of nine eligible states, you can buy a range of Apple products without paying state sales tax. The sales tax holidays take place annually, with varying dates and product eligibility, but in almost all cases you get only a few days to act … Sales tax holidays are brief periods in which states let companies sell products without adding sales tax to the total. Local sales taxes may still apply. In most cases, the ability to take advantage of them for Apple purchases is constra

OpenAI's ChatGPT-powered browser is codenamed 'Aura'

OpenAI is following Perplexity and is working on its own AI-powered browser codenamed "Aura." X user Tibor found references to "Aura," which is probably the codename for the new OpenAI browser. There are already mentions of "is Aura" ("mini-root," which is similar to checks for Android, iOS, or Electron/ChatGPT Windows desktop app), "is Aura Sidebar," and "in Aura" in the ChatGPT web app. Reuters previously reported that OpenAI is building a Chromium-based Chrome alternative that will use gen

I finally found a pair of earbuds that drown out my noisy commute (and they're $99)

ZDNET's key takeaways The OnePlus Buds 4 are available now for $99. They give flagship earbuds a run for their money with top-notch ANC performance and a comfortable fit. The swipe gestures can be finicky, and the slick case is easy to drop. $99 at Amazon The OnePlus Buds 4 sit below the Pro model in name, but they borrow some of its best features and pack them into a more affordable price tag. With a handful of upgrades over their predecessor, the OnePlus Buds 4 feature a new dual DAC system

Is Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste an Effective Fluoride Alternative? Dentists Weigh In

Picking the best toothpaste can be a challenge, especially with newer ingredients being added to the market. Nano-hydroxyapatite is a timely example and the star ingredient for popular brands like Boka and Davids. Amidst health concerns around fluoride and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US Secretary of Health and Human Services, proposing to remove it from public water, nano-hydroxyapatite has been promoted as an effective alternative to fluoride in toothpaste. Many claim that it can repair enamel, prev

Don't Want to Upgrade to Windows 11? Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Security Updates

The era of Windows 10 is almost at an end. In October 2025, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 and stopping security support. Initially Microsoft was offering a one-year extended security update for $30, but we've got good news. Microsoft has added a free option, allowing you to stick with Windows 10 for another year. However, in order to access it, users will need to use cloud backup and connect it with their OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty b

Interest Restarts for SAVE Student Loans on Aug. 1. Should You Switch to Another Payment Plan by Then?

Interest will restart for SAVE borrowers whose loans remain in a general forbearance on Aug. 1. Viva Tung/CNET Starting on Aug. 1, borrowers who are enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan will begin accruing interest charges on their loan balances. The Department of Education is encouraging borrowers to pick a new payment plan, but you also have the option to leave your loans where they are. The Department of Education "urges all borrowers in the SAVE plan to quickly transition to

Amogy raises $80M to power ships and data centers with ammonia

From tariffs to the recent reconciliation bill, climate tech startups have been grappling with a rapidly changing landscape. Brooklyn-based startup Amogy has managed to avoid turbulence induced by U.S. politics by keeping its sights on more promising foreign markets. Amogy’s ammonia-to-power tech and its focus on Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, has helped it land a fresh $23 million in funding. The round, which brings its most recent fundraise to $80 million, increas

Form makes its smart swimming goggles tougher with Gorilla Glass lenses

It’s been a little over a year since Form released its second-generation smart swim goggles into the world. Since then, the company has been working on a way to ensure its headgear is even more attractive to swimmers who like to get out in the rough. Today, it’s announcing the Smart Swim 2 Pro, a modest upgrade on its predecessor with a focus on durability. The 2 Pro’s lenses are now made of Gorilla Glass 3, which adds a gram or two more weight but should keep them scratch-free for far longer.

Topics: fog form goggles pro swim

Five 'new' iOS 26 features that feel familiar (I've been using them on Android for years)

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Apple's WWDC annual developer conference signaled the first major redesign of iOS since 2013, with flashy demos of iOS 26's Liquid Glass design and AI-driven features. Apple sometimes takes its time bringing features to its many surfaces, but when it does, it's often a highly polished and well-considered take on a familiar theme. Let's unpack a few ways where Apple is catching up, and how they stack up against their Android counterpart. 1. Call Screening and Hold Assist Kerry

Martin (YC S23) Is Hiring Founding Engineers to Build a Better Siri

Why you should join Martin Martin is real-life JARVIS. You can text, call or email Martin. He manages your inbox, calendar, to-dos, notes, phone calls, reminders, and more. It is the most advanced AI personal assistant on the market, light years ahead of Siri and Alexa. 5 months since launch, Martin has completed over 500,000 tasks for 30,000 users, and our user base is growing 10% every week. We are funded by top investors like Y-Combinator and Pioneer Fund, and notable angels like the co-fou

Sony phones are disappearing across key markets: Is the Xperia era coming to an end?

Alex Walker-Todd / Android Authority TL;DR Sony may be on the verge of completely exiting the European market. The company has already confirmed a full retreat from Finland, but its devices are no longer available through official channels in multiple European countries. Sony’s smartphone presence looks just as weak outside of Europe, with the mobile phone category completely wiped off from its US website. Sony may be heading toward a full retreat from the smartphone market, with clear signs

Transition to using 16 KB page sizes for Android apps and games

Get ready to upgrade your app's performance as Android embraces 16 KB memory page sizes Android’s transition to 16 KB Page size Posted by Mayank Jain – Product Manager and Jomo Fisher – Software Engineer Traditionally, Android has operated with the 4 KB memory page size. However many ARM CPUs (the most common processors for Android phones) support the larger 16 KB page size, offering improved performance gains. With Android 15, the Android operating system is page-size-agnostic, allowing devi

Topics: 16 android kb page size

My Secret Weapon for Camping Is This Portable Projector That's 22% Off

CNET's key takeaways Anker's Nebula Mars 3 Air is a compact portable projector with a reasonable $599 price (and currently on sale for $470 Despite its size, it delivers a bright picture and loud audio for a portable projector. It can even double as a Bluetooth speaker. Its size is great for backyard movie nights or car camping, but might be a little large for backpackers. I recently took an epic road trip through a land of giants, and there's only one compact projector I would take with me

Amazon launches Kiro, its own Claude-powered challenger to Windsurf and Codex

Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now Amid the big news that Windsurf is being acquired by Cognition (after its founders went to Google), developers interested in AI-powered coding may be on the hunt for new alternatives. In a bit of fortuitous timing, today also saw Amazon’s release of Kiro, a new agentic integrated development environment (IDE) built to help developers move

Dog Walk: Blender Studio's official game project

Blender Studio's official game project is a short casual interactive story. Play a big, adorable dog traversing through winter woods and help out a little kid decorate a snowman with colorful items hidden in the environment. You are let loose to roam camping grounds, forest paths, idyllic creeks and a frozen pond in this miniature open world. Guide or drag around your little kid owner that you have in tow. Help each other out, be a menace or be a good boy. Dive straight in and hav

Walt Disney Returns as a Surreal Animatronic for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary

As of this week, Walt Disney returns to his original Magic Kingdom, with a little help from the magic-makers at Imagineering. Through the audio-animatronics technology Walt Disney introduced when he opened Disneyland 70 years ago, the evolution of the show robots has gone from static positioning with some movements, as first seen on the singing birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room, to a roaming animatronic of Uncle Walt. Stationed in the Main Street Opera House, the (m)animatronic is the crown jewe

IDC: Emerging markets helped Apple offset iPhone slowdown in China during Q2

During the second quarter of 2025, Apple saw a modest gain in iPhone shipments, holding its worldwide ground amid slowing demand in China. Here are IDC’s preliminary numbers for the quarter. Emerging markets offset Apple’s China dip, while Samsung pulls ahead IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker (via AppleInsider) shows that Apple shipped 46.4 million iPhones in Q2 2025 (up 1.5% year-over-year). That was enough to secure second place globally, behind Samsung’s 58 million units, and a

Show HN: Bedrock – An 8-bit computing system for running programs anywhere

Bedrock is a compact and portable 8-bit computer system, designed to last forever. Click here to jump straight to the live demos. Overview Bedrock is a computer system that makes it easy to write useful programs that will last forever. The system is small and quick to learn, with only 32 instructions and 12 devices to remember. Bedrock isn’t a real computer system that you can pick up and hold in your hands. It’s a specification that describes an interface for any kind of computing device, al

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for July 15, #765

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles. Today's NYT Connections puzzle had some fun categories, and wasn't too tough. It helps to know your scary movies. Read on for clues and today's Connections answers. The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric

Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 15, #295

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles. It helps to have an interest in UK sports for today's Connections: Sports Edition. And as is often the case, the purple-group words have an unexpected link between them. Keep reading for hints and the answers. Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sund

iPhone 17 Colors: Rumor Has It This Familiar Hue Could Be Limited to Just One iPhone Model

The rumored iPhone 17 color lineup is here, but there are some unexpected changes. A Korean blogger named yeux1122 on Friday published two images of camera covers that could be the full lineup for Apple. The most recent colorful rumor gives us a full lineup of what colors we can expect from the iPhone 17 base model and the rumored iPhone 17 Air. We've heard rumors that the iPhone 17 base model could come in purple, green and sky blue. But two other familiar colors are now said to be included i

Topics: 17 blue colors iphone pro

Reddit’s UK users must now prove they’re 18 to view adult content

Reddit announced today that it has started verifying UK users' ages before letting them "view certain mature content" in order to comply with the country's Online Safety Act. Reddit said that users "shouldn't need to share personal information to participate in meaningful discussions," but that it will comply with the law by verifying age in a way that protects users' privacy. "Using Reddit has never required disclosing your real world identity, and these updates don't change that," Reddit said

Rocket Lab stock jumps nearly 11%, building on strong rally

An Electron rocket launches the Baby Come Back mission from New Zealand on July 17, 2023. Rocket Lab stock soared nearly 11% Monday, building on a strong run fueled by space innovation. Shares of the space infrastructure company have nearly doubled over the past two months following a slew of successful launches and a deal with the European Union. The stock is up 63% year to date after surging nearly sixfold in 2024. Shares have skyrocketed nearly 70% over the last month. Last month, Rocket

Android’s hidden phone info menu is finally getting organized

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Android Canary is showing a change to the hidden phone information menu. There’s a new entry called “Phone Information V2.” The new entry separates information that was on one page into four categories: Device Details, Data & Network, Satellite, and IMS. Did you know that Android has secret short codes you can use to gain quick access to certain features or information? You just have to enter one of the codes into the dialer to trigger an action or be

M5 iPad Pro could finally deliver something we’ve all been asking for

Apple’s M5 iPad Pro is launching this fall, and thanks to the huge upgrades coming in iPadOS 26, it’s set to deliver something users have long asked for: new hardware that’s truly pushed to the limits by it software. M5 iPad Pro set to reverse the software shortcoming of every prior launch I’ve been an iPad Pro user for nearly a decade, and an iPad user even longer. One trademark of the iPad Pro era in particular is that hardware has outpaced software. If you revisit iPad Pro reviews from th

Claude AI now integrates with Canva

Anthropic's Claude can now create and edit designs with visual studio Canva from within an AI chat. This integration is powered by a Canva server that uses Anthropic's Model Context Protocol, or MCP. Claude can use Canvas's tools to generate a design or search for materials within a user's Canva workspace. This functionality requires a paid subscription to Claude, and access also varies based on the user's Canva plan. Multiple artificial intelligence platforms have started using MCP to connect

Sonos' cheapest smart speaker is also the one I use the most. Here's why

Jada Jones/ZDNET In addition to a pair of trusty headphones for private listening when you're out in public, you need a portable speaker to keep the music bumping when you're outside grilling, swimming, or walking. A speaker to have inside for jamming out while you're cleaning, cooking, or hosting friends is a bonus, and one that's stylish enough to go from your outdoor hike to your indoor dinner party is a rarity. Also: Here's how a free software upgrade made the Sonos Ace worth their price t

This security-minded Linux distribution makes it easy to browse anonymously

Ger Bosma/Getty There are some Linux distributions that were created for specific purposes. There are those for creating multimedia, developing software, network routing, ethical hacking, general use, and everything in between. And then there are some distributions that can easily serve multiple purposes. When I think of ParrotOS, I generally think of security: forensics, penetration testing, etc. I've used ParrotOS for similar purposes before, but always neglected to test the Home edition.

M.2 SSD Can Self-Destruct by Giving Itself a Burst of Voltage

Worried your data could fall into the wrong hands? A company has developed an M.2 SSD storage drive that can self-destruct by frying its own memory. The product, the P250Q Self-Destruct SSD, is engineered to instantly wipe its memory at the push of a button —either through a software-based erasure or a hardware method that's supposed to physically destroy the flash chip. The product comes from the Taiwanese memory vendor Team Group, which is marketing the SSD to customers working in sensitive

Topics: based group self ssd team

Oh Great, the TikTok People Want to Strap AR Goggles on Your Face

There’s reportedly a potential new player in AR glasses, and you’ll never guess who it is. I’ll give you a hint: they make the app you’re about to unconsciously check in about 15 seconds. No, not Tinder; get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about TikTok, or more specifically, ByteDance, which owns TikTok and also, according to The Information, which cites sources within the company, has aspirations of entering the burgeoning world of XR hardware. ByteDance’s entrant, according to the rep

Topics: just like meta pro vision