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OnePlus 13R vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 FE: Which Cheaper Flagship Is Best?

The $600 OnePlus 13R and the $650 Samsung Galaxy S24 FE each have a similar mission: Provide a phone that includes all the essential features of more-expensive phones by scaling back on certain hardware and software features. Ideally, this approach should get you all the essential features of the more expensive OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy S24 phones, and in-turn, scale back on features that are less noticeable or important. However, I do think OnePlus and Samsung take very different approache

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL: Massive Phone Specs Compared

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max is a real beast of a phone, with a whopping 6.9-inch screen, but Google's Pixel 9 Pro XL is also a meaty contender. Both flagship phones are packed with top-tier mobile tech, from powerful cameras and next-gen processors to advanced AI features -- all designed to win you over. So let's take a dive into the specs to see how Apple and Google's phones compare. At the end of this article, you'll find a chart comparing all of the tech specs, side-by-side. The size is the bi

Apple's iPhone 16E Has Lots of Features, but I'm Confused by What's Left Out

Apple's $599 iPhone 16E is the cheapest new phone that the company's released in years. Its debut Wednesday showcases a big rethink to how Apple presents itself for value-oriented shoppers. On one hand, Apple's created a device that's built to last for years by including the same A18 processor that's shipping in the $799 iPhone 16. The device's similarities to the iPhone 16 don't end there, with a similar display size, screen resolution, a USB-C port and front-facing camera. While there are som

Topics: 16e apple iphone new usb

Alexa Is Getting a Major AI Upgrade From Amazon. What We Know So Far

Amazon is expected to announce a major artificial intelligence upgrade for its voice assistant Alexa next week, which could change how we interact with this popular piece of smart home tech. Amazon sent out media invites for a Feb. 26 event in New York City, and Amazon's Devices and Services team lead Panos Panay is scheduled to speak. Panay joined Amazon in 2023 after spending decades at Microsoft, where he helped shape the Surface product line. The event is expected to preview Alexa's long-r

Get Outside Just After Sunset to See Six Planets in a Spectacular Planet Parade

2025 is starting off with a bang for skygazers, with a planet parade now visible in the night sky. A planet parade is when several of our solar system's planets are visible in the night sky at the same time. There will be six planets visible this time around, including Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. The six planets are visible now, and will remain so until late February. Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn should be visible to the naked eye. You'll need a high-powered viewing dev

6 of the Best Pull-Up Bars for Your Home Gym in 2025

Pull-up bars have different height and weight capacities. Make sure the one you pick can handle your weight and height. Pull-up bars can come straight or with handles in different angles intended to target different upper body muscles. Determine whether you prefer an over the door, free standing or wall-installed pull-up bar for personal use. CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. A pull-up b

Topics: bar bars expert pull ups

Best Internet Providers in Naperville, Illinois

What is the best internet provider in Naperville? Xfinity is CNET’s top choice for the best internet service provider in Naperville. We've picked it as the top option for most households in the area because it offers a ton of different plans and solid availability. Xfinity's plans start at $35 a month for 150Mbps and go up to $95 for the 2,000Mbps plan. If you're outside the coverage area of Xfinity, you can consider Astound, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G. Looking for the cheapest internet plans in

Experts Say These 6 Vitamins and Minerals Unlock Healthy Aging

Throughout our lives, we get nearly all the vitamins and minerals we need from a balanced diet. However, that can change as we age because we're at an increased risk for low vitamin consumption, partly because our bodies can no longer effectively absorb certain nutrients. So if you're dealing with deficiencies, are on specific medications or have particular health conditions, your doctor may advise you to take certain supplements to make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs. These are

Best Pet Insurance Companies for 2025

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Americans love their pets. Data from the Insurance Information Institute shows that 66% of US households -- roughly 86.9 million families -- own a pet. Yet only 5.7 million pets are enrolled in a pet insurance plan, a pet healthcare package designed to help you better afford vet costs. "As a veterinary surgeon and pet owner, I urge all my clients, friends,

Best Gel Mattress for 2025, Tested by CNET’s Bed Experts

We've been testing mattresses, bedding and sleep accessories for years -- a few members have been doing this for eight years already. We estimate that our team has rolled around and slept on 350 different mattresses from dozens of brands, ranging from bigwigs like Serta and Tempur-Pedic to niche players like Sonu and Airweave. Our bed testers have varying body weights and types, heights, genders and sleep preferences, which allows us to provide an overarching assessment of each mattress from a

Apple Pulls iCloud Encryption Feature Following UK Government Demands

Apple is withdrawing its Advanced Data Protection tool from the UK, leaving iCloud users without the highest level of encryption the company currently offers. The move comes just weeks after reports emerged that the British government was pressuring Apple to create a backdoor into its encrypted services for law enforcement and spying purposes. ADP is an opt-in security tool, which provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud services to those who want it. The UK's Home Office had refused to confir

Premier League Soccer: Livestream Leicester vs. Brentford From Anywhere

Brentford travel to Leicester on Friday as they aim to do the league double over the Foxes for the first time since 1953. The Bees come into this English Premier League clash off the back of a battling 1-0 London derby win away at West Ham last weekend. That result has given Thomas Frank's men a 4-point buffer in 11th spot over 12th-placed capital rivals Tottenham. Leicester City, meanwhile, remain in the bottom three after putting in a hard-fought but ultimately fruitless display in their 2-0

Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 Is Live: The Thing and Human Torch Join the Battle

Marvel Rivals, the new hero shooter based on Marvel comics characters, is about halfway through its first full season. The free-to-play game launched season 0 on Dec. 6 and quickly reached 20 million players before starting its first full season in early January. The midseason update brings two new heroes, one new map and (thank Odin) does feature a rank reset as originally announced. Read more: Marvel Rivals: How to Choose Which Heroes and Roles to Play New Marvel Rivals heroes and maps Sea

EV battery manufacturing capacity will rise when 10 plants come online this year

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy, and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. Ten new electric vehicle battery factories are on track to go online this year in the United States. This includes large plants from global battery giants such as Panasonic, Samsung, and SK On, and automakers such as Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Stellantis, and Toyota. If they all open in 2025, the country’s EV batte

Doctors find worms squirming through teen’s neck: A cautionary tale

Regardless of the state of the world—whether you're staring down a Constitutional crisis or enjoying happier times, at ease on a beach—it's wise to remember that there will always be tiny worms with gaping mouths ringed by razor-sharp teeth ready to pierce your body, burrow into your skin, and tunnel through your flesh like an ambitious gopher in springtime. I'm referring, of course, to hookworms, the blood-feeding parasites aptly named for the hook-like heads they use to latch onto their victi

More than 376,000 Tesla Model Y, Model 3s have faulty steering

Some Tesla owners have yet another thing to worry about. As sales crash in Europe and protests gather outside Tesla showrooms in the US as a result of the CEO's political engagement, it now emerges that more than 376,000 Model Y crossovers and Model 3 sedans are at risk for power steering failure. So far, it has resulted in more than 3,000 warranty claims and caused 570 crashes, according to Tesla and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Federal investigators have known about the

An episode of The Simpsons? Fake speakers found in Chinese Volvos.

Do you remember The Simpsons episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield"? It first aired in February 1996, and it's the one where Homer and Bart go to Appliance Zone and are confronted with "genuine" Panaphonics, Sorny, and Magnetbox TVs. Well, it seems a similar brand name game has been going on at a Volvo dealership in China. News started filtering out of China last week about an owner of a Volvo S60 sedan who realized the speakers in his car were not from Bowers and Wilkins, as t

HP realizes that mandatory 15-minute support call wait times isn’t good support

In an odd approach to trying to improve customer tech support, HP allegedly implemented mandatory, 15-minute wait times for people calling the vendor for help with their computers and printers in certain geographies. Callers from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy were met with the forced holding periods, The Register reported on Thursday. The publication cited internal communications it saw from February 18 that reportedly said the wait times aimed to "influence customers

SEC’s “scorched-earth” lawsuit against Coinbase to be dropped, company says

On Friday, a Coinbase executive declared the "war against crypto" over—"at least as it applies to Coinbase." According to Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to drop its lawsuit against the largest US cryptocurrency exchange as the agency shifts to embrace Donald Trump's new approach to regulating cryptocurrency in the US. The SEC sued Coinbase in 2023, accusing Coinbase of "operating its crypto asset trading platform as an unregister

Nissan’s latest desperate gamble—see if Tesla will buy the company

Senior politicians in Japan are not going to let Nissan die easily. The automaker has been struggling for some time now, with an outdated product portfolio, ongoing quarterly losses, and soon, the closure of factories and thousands of layoffs. The Japanese government has been trying to find a suitor and had hoped that Honda would do its patriotic duty and save its rival from extinction. That deal—one branded "a desperate move" by former Nissan CEO and fugitive from Japanese justice Carlos Ghosn

Apple pulls end-to-end encryption in UK, spurning backdoors for gov’t spying

After the United Kingdom demanded that Apple create a backdoor that would allow government officials globally to spy on encrypted data, Apple decided to simply turn off encryption services in the UK rather than risk exposing its customers to snooping. Apple had previously allowed end-to-end encryption of data on UK devices through its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) tool, but that ended Friday, a spokesperson said in a lengthy statement. "Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP)

DeepSeek goes beyond “open weights” AI with plans for source code release

Last month, DeepSeek turned the AI world on its head with the release of a new, competitive simulated reasoning model that was free to download and use under an MIT license. Now, the company is preparing to make the underlying code behind that model more accessible, promising to release five open source repos starting next week. In a social media post late Thursday, DeepSeek said the daily releases it is planning for its "Open Source Week" would provide visibility into "these humble building bl

Google’s cheaper YouTube Premium Lite subscription will drop Music

YouTube dominates online video, but it's absolutely crammed full of ads these days. A YouTube Premium subscription takes care of that, but ad blockers do exist. Google seems to have gotten the message—a cheaper streaming subscription is on the way that drops YouTube Music from the plan. You may have to give up more than music to get the cheaper rate, though. Google started testing cheaper YouTube subscriptions in a few international markets, including Germany and Australia, over the past year.

The 31 Best Movies on Max (aka HBO Max) Right Now (February 2025)

As the birthplace of prestige TV shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, HBO—and, by extension, Max (aka the streamer formerly known as HBO Max)—is best known for its impressive lineup of original series. The network has also been upping the ante with feature-length content that is the stuff of Oscar dreams. Below is a list of some of our favorite films streaming on Max—from Oscar-winning foreign films to dystopian sci-fi classics. If you decide you’re in more of a TV mood, head over to our picks

Topics: best film life max oscar

Game Developers Fear Anti-Trans Measures Could Hit Their Industry Next

Ashley Poprik has never been the model for a video game character. As a writer on projects like Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, they work on games, not as characters within them. In 2023, however, a cabal of angry gamers was convinced otherwise. They were furious over how Spider-Man 2’s Mary Jane looked; more specifically, they complained, she simply wasn’t hot enough. The problem, these gamers falsely claimed, was that Poprik—then a writing intern with no ability to change a charac

6 Best Travel Mugs of 2025, Tested and Reviewed by WIRED Staffers

Honorable Mentions Photograph: KeepCup We've run through many travel mugs, and not all of them are winners. These are a few we like, just not as much as the ones above. KeepCup 12oz Coffee Cup for $28: This double-walled, insulated mug is meant to replicate (and replace) paper coffee shop cups. This is a solid option if you're looking for a glass cup (the rubber grip is plastic, though). That said, it’s not the best for preserving your coffee's temperature, and the lid is a tad wobbly. Oxo G

Topics: coffee cup lid mug steel

What Are Those Weird Devices Basketball Players Are Holding?

The mood during the second half of the 2024 NCAA women’s basketball national title game was predictably intense. In what would later be revealed as the most-watched women’s college game of all time, the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks were looking to close out a perfect season against Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark. The score margin had rarely left single digits. Players on both squads were leaving everything on the floor. As Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley instructed her team during time-ou

The US Is Considering a TP-Link Router Ban—Should You Worry?

TP-Link is one of the most popular router manufacturers in the US, but the company is facing a potential ban due to security concerns about its links to China. A December report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that the US Commerce, Defense, and Justice Departments are investigating TP-Link, though no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing has yet emerged. “We are a US company,” Jeff Barney, president of TP-Link told WIRED, “We have no affiliation with TP-Link Tech, which focuses on mainland Ch

Did a Rock Hit Your Windshield, or Did Your Windshield Hit a Rock?

You’re driving along, minding your own business, and—TING! Something smacks your windshield. You didn't see it coming, but the glass is cracked. Where the heck did it come from, and why did it hit your windshield? As I always say, you don’t understand something unless you can model it. So let’s try a little thought experiment. We’ll start with a basic scenario, where someone ahead of you drops an object in the road, and then see what we need to make it work. Follow the Bouncing Ball OK, imagi

Topics: air ball car drag force

Roll Over Shakespeare: ChatGPT Is Here

Sitting in Lincoln Center awaiting the curtain for Ayad Akhtar’s McNeal—a much anticipated theater production starring Robert Downey Jr., with ChatGPT in a supporting role—I mused how playwrights have been dealing with the implications of AI for over a century. In 1920—well before Alan Turing devised his famous test and decades before the 1956 summer Dartmouth conference that gave artificial intelligence its name—a Czech playwright named Karel Čapek wrote R.U.R.—Rossum’s Universal Robots. Not on