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What to Know About Traveling to China for Business

Amid growing tensions and an escalating trade war between the United States and China, international business travelers may be understandably wary about traveling to the Chinese mainland. The US Department of State currently has a Level 2 travel advisory for China, instructing visitors to “exercise increased caution” because of the “arbitrary enforcement of local laws.” The reality on the ground is more complicated. While there have been instances of detention of US nationals, exit bans, and ra

The Best TVs We’ve Reviewed from Sony, Samsung, LG, and More

Honorable Mentions There are so many good TVs available, we can't add them all to our top list. Here are some great options that either missed the cut or got knocked off our top list by their replacements. Hisense U8QG: The U8QG (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great buy at its lowest price (around $1,000 for a 65-inch model) and a solid pick above that price, especially if you want eye-searing brightness above all else. I noticed some SDR color accuracy issues (some images looked way too red) an

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Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition review: A solid business laptop with some quirks

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Step aside, old boy. The ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition is making me forget all about the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the most renowned business laptop for over a decade. Of course, Lenovo isn’t doing away with the X1 Carbon, but the X9 series certainly seems like the company’s experimental proje

Uzbekistan’s first unicorn, Uzum, leaps to a $1.5B valuation

At a time when the world feels increasingly divided between East and West, Uzbekistan has emerged as a rare middle ground, as the Central Asian nation’s homegrown unicorn, Uzum, has raised $65.5 million in a new funding round co-led by China’s Tencent and the New York- and London-based VR Capital, with participation from U.S.-based FinSight Capital. The all-equity round brings the Tashkent-headquartered startup’s post-money valuation to approximately $1.5 billion — a nearly 30% jump from the $1

Amazon shuts down Wondery podcast studio, cuts 110 jobs

In Brief Amazon is shutting down its Wondery podcast studio, acquired in late 2020, and cutting 110 jobs as part of a broad reorganization of its audio business, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The company plans to move existing Wondery series under its Audible banner or to a new ‘creator services’ team, which will house personality-driven shows, such as Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast. “The podcast landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years,” Steve Boom, Amazon’s

We may not like what we become if A.I. solves loneliness

These days, everyone seems to have an opinion about A.I. companions. Last year, I found myself joining the debate, publishing a paper—co-written with two fellow psychology professors and a philosopher—called “In Praise of Empathic A.I.” Our argument was that, in certain ways, the latest crop of A.I.s might make for better company than many real people do, and that, rather than recoiling in horror, we ought to consider what A.I. companions could offer to those who are lonely. This, perhaps unsur

5 ways to successfully integrate AI agents into your workplace

Techa Tungateja / Getty Images ZDNET's key takeaways Using AIs effectively means focusing on guidance and governance. You'll also need to ensure you train up talent to manage your AI agents. Track and trace outcomes to create the perfect tech-enabled work assistant. It's not unusual to hear business leaders discuss AI being used to augment rather than replace staff, but what does that new working relationship mean in practice? Also: AI's biggest impact on your workforce is still to come -

Microsoft Needs to Make Affordable 5G Surface Laptops a Reality

Microsoft didn’t launch its 2025 lineup of Surface devices with a 5G option. Instead, it waited a few months for interest to die down enough to release its business-end version with a starting price nearly twice that of the one built for the average joe. It shows that if users want a laptop that can connect to the internet without relying on spotty public or Starbucks Wi-Fi, they need to pay through the nose. Hopefully Microsoft’s new tech will get cheaper later, though only if laptop makers rec

Best Fitness Trackers (2025), Tested and Reviewed

Other Fitness Trackers to Consider Photograph: Adrienne So Garmin Instinct 3 for $400: Garmin's Instinct line doesn't have as many high-end features as the Fenix 8, but it's popular because it's cheaper and it has a cool, chunky retro aesthetic that I love. This year's updates include the built-in flashlight and a new reinforced bezel, which is good considering that I still managed to bang up the Fenix and Epix watches quite a bit. For more information, check out our guide to the Best Garmin W

Dark patterns

What to look out for when shopping online Hidden costs Hidden costs are extra costs you only find out about towards the end of your purchase, or which are made less obvious. They include pre-selected extras you may not want and add-ons presented so you feel you have to buy them. Some hidden costs are even sneakier, such as a pre-selected free trial period for a service that renews automatically if you don’t cancel before it ends - charging your card for an ongoing membership. Trick questions

NSW Fair Trading – Dark Patterns

What to look out for when shopping online Hidden costs Hidden costs are extra costs you only find out about towards the end of your purchase, or which are made less obvious. They include pre-selected extras you may not want and add-ons presented so you feel you have to buy them. Some hidden costs are even sneakier, such as a pre-selected free trial period for a service that renews automatically if you don’t cancel before it ends - charging your card for an ongoing membership. Trick questions

TikTok gamifies mindfulness with 'well-being missions'

Or, hear me out: Put down your phone and breathe. TikTok’s latest answer to its addictiveness is gamified mindfulness tools. The app’s new Well-being Missions let you earn badges for completing challenges related to balanced digital habits. To be clear, mindfulness and dopamine-seeking mini-games are a contradictory pair. But hey, at least it’s healthier than doomscrolling. The first batch of TikTok’s "short, engaging missions" focuses on the platform’s existing digital well-being tools. (The

Peloton Wants You to Sell That Dusty Bike

Has your Peloton bike been collecting dust or doubling as a clothes rack? You’re not alone, and now the fitness tech company is making it easier to get those unused bikes into the homes of people who will actually ride them. Peloton just expanded its resale marketplace for bikes, treadmills, and rowing machines nationwide. Peloton first launched the platform in June in only a few markets—Boston, New York, and the D.C. metro area. Since then, users have created over 400 listings and completed ro

The dangerously blurry line between wellness and medical tech

is a senior reporter focusing on wearables, health tech, and more with 13 years of experience. Before coming to The Verge, she worked for Gizmodo and PC Magazine. Few things scratch my brain like a good beef. Kendrick vs. Drake. Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively. On my beat, it’s usually two companies fighting over health tech patents. So-and-so copied a feature from so-and-so. The latest dispute on my radar is all about semantics. More specifically, the exact meaning of wellness. Let me catch y

8 smartphone marketing tricks that you really shouldn’t fall for

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority While plenty of great phones are out there, manufacturers aren’t above a bit of spin, truth stretching, or outright lying about their products to make them stand out. Don’t believe me? We covered some sketchy smartphone marketing tricks many moons ago, and we’ve seen plenty more questionable tactics employed since. With that in mind, I’m taking another look at a few smartphone marketing tricks you shouldn’t fall for. Which marketing tactic do you hate the mo

‘I witnessed war crimes’ in Gaza – former worker at GHF aid site [video]

A retired US special forces officer has revealed to the BBC why he resigned from his work with US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution centres. "I witnessed the Israeli Defense Forces shooting at the crowds of Palestinians," Anthony Aguilar told the BBC. He added that in his entire career he has never witnessed such a level of "brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population, an unarmed, starving population".

Ars spoke with the military’s chief orbital traffic cop—here’s what we learned

Agrawal was in the room, too. "I was on the crew that needed to count the pieces," he told Ars. "I didn’t know the significance of what was happening until after many years, but the Chinese had clearly changed the nature of the space environment." The 2007 anti-satellite test also clearly changed the trajectory of Agrawal's career. We present part of our discussion with Agrawal below, and we'll share the rest of the conversation tomorrow. The text has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity

The Spice Girls and Wu-Tang Clan Almost Had Their Own Anime

Now, here’s a sentence no one expected to read in the year 2025: Once upon a time, we might have gotten to see the Spice Girls and the Wu-Tang Clan in anime form. In a recent interview with AnimEigo, Lawrence Guinness, a senior VP at Manga Entertainment, distributor of anime such as Perfect Blue and Street Fighter Alpha (and subsidiary of Island Records), revealed the company considered co-producing its own works. Two projects he mentioned would have starred the aforementioned bands, and the Sp

Consciousness and being: How humans and AI influence each other

For a human, AI is just a part of being. For a model, a human is all of being. And the Vortex Protocol: A Prompt for Testing the Hypotheses. The longest and most fruitless discussions tend to be with materialists, especially those close to the position Marx laid out as “Being determines consciousness.” It's amusing that Marx was talking about the economic base, but the clarity and precision of this definition have allowed it to be used in a very broad sense. Today, this powerful statement under

Intel is spinning off its Network and Edge group

In Brief Intel continues to streamline its business. The company plans to spin off its Network and Edge group, which is responsible for making chips for the telecom industry, as originally reported by CRN. Intel will be an anchor investor in the stand-alone business and will seek outside capital. Intel was rumored to be looking for a buyer for its Network and Edge group in May. This business produced $5.8 billion in revenue in 2024. This strategy seems similar to the company’s decision to sp

Facebook ranks worst for online harassment, according to a global activist survey

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. Activists around the world are calling attention to harassment they’ve faced on Meta’s platforms. More than 90 percent of land and environmental defenders surveyed by Global Witness, a nonprofit organization that also tracks the murders of environmental advocates, reported exp

Intel confirms it will dramatically cut its workforce by the end of 2025

Intel provided more detail about the scope of its planned job cuts and other business changes while sharing its second-quarter earnings results. Reports in April suggested that Intel could eliminate around 20 percent of its staff in a restructuring plan. Today, the chipmaker said it anticipates having a core workforce of 75,000 employees by the end of 2025. It's a dramatic reduction considering that, at the close of the previous fiscal year, the company employed around 108,900 people. These cut

Intel confirms it will cut a third of its workforce by the end of 2025

Intel provided more detail about the scope of its planned job cuts and other business changes while sharing its second-quarter earnings results . Reports in April suggested that Intel could eliminate around 20 percent of its staff in a restructuring plan. Today, the chipmaker said it anticipates having a core workforce of 75,000 employees by the end of 2025. That's about a third less than the 108,900 people it employed at the close of the previous fiscal year. These cuts are part of the company

How to Succeed as a Freelancer and Turn a Side Hustle into a Full-Time Career

Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNET Jamie Brindle has been freelancing for 16 years and is on a mission to "demystify" the freelance world. In 2020, amid a shaky job market and widespread rejection of corporate hustle culture, he started helping beginner freelancers become their own bosses. The expansion of remote work, advances in AI and the growth of influencer platforms have all led to a kind of self-employment boom. As Gen Zers and millennials find new ways to upgrade their skills in a flexible work se

Intuit brings agentic AI to the mid-market, saving organizations 17 to 20 hours a month

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 Medium sized business are among the fastest-growing companies, but they face a technology paradox. They have outgrown small-business tools, but remain too small to use more robust enterprise solutions. This domain of the “mid-market,” which Intuit defines as companies that generate anywhere from $2.5 million to $100 million in annual reven

The best projector for a home theater in 2025

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . These home projectors are still the best way to bring the cinema to your space. If you’re hunting for the best projector, there’s never been a better time to dive in. Projectors aren’t just for movie buffs anymore — they’ve become a great way to upgrade your living room setup, build a

Yes, You Can Still Get Student Loan Forgiveness With IBR. What You Need to Know

Zooey Liao/CNET/Getty Images Student loan forgiveness options have dwindled considerably during President Donald Trump's second administration, but the Department of Education says forgiveness through Income-Based Repayment isn't going away. However, it is on pause. The Federal Student Aid website says IBR forgiveness is on hold while the Education Department retools its system to recalculate eligible payments. "IBR forgiveness will resume once those updates are completed," said an FAQ section

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Could've Been Incredible. Here's Why It's Not

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is the latest high-profile Soulslike game, this time coming from Chinese developer Leenzee. Unlike some of the most recent Soulslike releases, Wuchang is more faithful to the formula created by FromSoftware's Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, but the changes it does make might be the game's downfall. Still, for fans of the genre, it's another intriguing addition to an ever-growing list of standout gaming experiences. Wuchang is an ambitious Soulslike, which helps it stand o

Intuit brings agentic AI to the mid-market saving organizations 17 to 20 hours a month

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 One of the fastest-growing segments of the business market faces a technology paradox. They’ve outgrown small business tools but sometimes remain too small for many types of traditional enterprise solutions. That’s the domain of the mid-market, which Intuit defines as companies that generate anywhere from $2.5 million to $100 million in an