All posts tagged: expert

The best USB-C cables for the iPhone 15 in 2025: Expert tested

The best USB-C cables for the iPhone 15 in 2025: Expert tested

Published by skeptic

The USB 2.0 data connectivity standard was introduced in April of 2000, with a data transfer rate of 480Mbps. Lightning, the connector standard used from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 14, and the USB-C connector on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, use USB 2.0 signaling protocols and data transfer rates. The USB 3.1 data connectivity standard was introduced in July 2013, and the USB Type-C connector was finalized by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) in August 2014. USB 3.2 was introduced in September 2017, replacing, absorbing, and renaming the USB 3.1 specification. However, USB 3.1 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 data connectivity standards are the same, also known as SuperSpeed+, delivering 10 Gbps. Products labeled under either specification should work on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone Pro Max at native speeds, especially if they are USB-IF certified. Thunderbolt is a proprietary technology owned by Intel and co-developed with Apple. It is a hardware interface for connecting external peripherals to a computer (a PC or a Mac). Thunderbolt version 3 …

Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth – an expert explains what we know

Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth – an expert explains what we know

Published by skeptic

Barnard’s Star is a small, dim star, of the type that astronomers call red dwarfs. Consequently, even though it is one of the closest stars to Earth, such that its light takes only six years to get here, it is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. Now, four small planets have been found orbiting the star. Teams in America and Europe achieved this challenging detection by exploiting precision instruments on the world’s largest telescopes. Diminutive Barnard’s Star is closer in size to Jupiter than to the Sun. Only the three stars that make up the Alpha Centauri system lie closer to us. The planets newly discovered around Barnard’s Star are much too faint to be seen directly, so how were they found? The answer lies in the effect of their gravity on the star. The mutual gravitational attraction keeps the planets in their orbits, but also tugs on the star, moving it in a rhythmic dance that can be detected by sensitive spectrograph instruments. Spectrographs split up the star’s light into its …

The best laptops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

The best laptops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Published by skeptic

The past year has been huge for laptops. With so many new models, identifying the best laptop for you can be overwhelming. Our experts have tested some of the best laptops of the year, like the latest Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell’s XPS lineup, and the creative powerhouse Asus ProArt P16. We reviewed spec sheets to evaluate random access memory (RAM) and storage, build quality, portability, and value, in addition to testing some of the best affordable laptops. Using industry-standard benchmarking programs, we test all laptops to measure performance, battery life, and display quality. After going hands-on with dozens of models, we found the best laptop to be the MacBook Pro M4 for its fantastic battery life, fast performance, and sleek, portable form factor. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus | Best Chromebook laptop Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Best Chromebook laptop Bending the rules of what we expect from a Chromebook, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus has a stunning display, thin and ultralight form factor, and an all-day battery. Show more (3 items) What is the best laptop right now? Our pick for the overall …

Skincare Expert Vanessa Lee Shares How to Wake Up With a Defined Jawline and More A-List Approved Tips

Skincare Expert Vanessa Lee Shares How to Wake Up With a Defined Jawline and More A-List Approved Tips

Published by skeptic

Get that glow! Vanessa Lee is known for helping celebs like Kourtney and Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba, Gabrielle Union, Kate Hudson, and more achieve clear, sculpted skin, and now The Things We Do founder is sharing her top tips with ET. For starters, the medical aesthetic provider believes finding a personalized regimen that works for you is key. “When you know your skin well, you end up saving yourself a lot of time and money. It is so easy to see someone with great skin and want to follow their routine, only to get sucked up in a cycle that doesn’t serve you,” she explains.  Some questions to consider: “Do you take after mom or dad more with your skin? Are you oily mainly in the t-zone or all over? Do you break out in small, superficial breakouts or larger cystic ones or both? How long does it take you to recover from a red or brown spot?” Vanessa Lee/Instagram From there, the skincare guru can focus on your specific concerns and goals. “The most …

The best MagSafe wallets of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

The best MagSafe wallets of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Published by skeptic

As our phones become more like digital wallets that let you pay, present identification, and even travel, traditional wallets already feel pretty antiquated. However, we’re not completely finished with the paper trail just yet. There are still incidentals — like your work ID or certain travel passes — that you may not be able to present virtually, and places that may not accept services like Google Pay and Apple Pay. Plus, a virtual wallet won’t do you any good if your phone dies.  A MagSafe wallet is an easy way to keep your cards and cash securely attached to your phone. MagSafe cardholders use magnets to securely attach to your phone, making them easy to detach for wireless charging or to change your phone’s look. Plus, they tend to be an affordable iPhone accessory, making them widely accessible for most price points. They’re a great accessory to have in your phone’s repertoire for vacations, concerts, special events, and more.  Also: The best MagSafe battery packs What’s the best MagSafe wallet right now?  With so many choices available, ZDNET went hands-on with …

I’m a Security Expert, and This Is My Favorite Free Password Manager

I’m a Security Expert, and This Is My Favorite Free Password Manager

Published by skeptic

Setting secure passwords is great; remembering them later is a chore. Password managers are a handy way to store passwords, and while I’ve tried a few, Bitwarden remains my daily driver. What Is Bitwarden? Bitwarden is a password manager that can generate and store your passwords. You can download Bitwarden as a browser extension, which is the main way I use it; however, there is also a mobile and desktop app worth checking out. Once you set up a login for a website, you can invoke Bitwarden to fill in your details automatically when you log in. It saves a ton of time typing in your details and lets you use secure and unique passwords without needing to remember them all. Why I Use Bitwarden Instead of Other Password Managers So, why do I use Bitwarden over every other password manager? Well, it does a few things very well. It’s open source. When it comes to my security, I’d prefer to entrust my data with an open-source app. That way, I know the company isn’t …

MPs support replacing High Court with expert panel in assisted dying bill

MPs support replacing High Court with expert panel in assisted dying bill

Published by skeptic

MPs have rallied around Kim Leadbeater MP’s amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill that would replace the role of the High Court in the Bill with a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission and expert panels. Their views come as the amendment is expected to be published late today. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision have welcomed this proposal. The role of the High Court and its workability has been repeatedly challenged by retired judges such as Sir James Munby, Sir Nicholas Mostyn, and others, on the basis that the Court doesn’t have capacity and that it wouldn’t provide additional safety. Now Ms Leadbeater is proposing a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission, led by a High Court judge or senior former judge. It would oversee all cases and report each year on the number of applications and how many were approved or rejected. It would also appoint expert panels, with each applicant for assisted dying going to a panel for a decision after sign-off by two doctors. The panel would be chaired by a senior lawyer …

Expert explains the devastating psychology of romance scams after “Brad Pitt” fraud case

Expert explains the devastating psychology of romance scams after “Brad Pitt” fraud case

Published by José

The story of an extraordinary romance fraud is making global headlines as its victim is mocked around the world for her naïveté. The story of Anne, a French woman in her 50s, was recently broadcast on the French TV channel TFI. Anne explained how she ended up paying 830,000 Euros ($1.2 million) to swindlers posing as a sickly Brad Pitt, who was supposedly in love with her. The scammers sent fake selfies generated by artificial intelligence. Anne was ruined financially by the fraud and has attempted to take her own life three times. TF1 withdrew the report from all its platforms because of the wave of harassment that ensued. Yet research shows that victims of romance fraud do not lack judgment as much as people assume. On the contrary, a large proportion of victims are highly educated. As an expert in the field of technology fraud, I want to shed some light on the typical pattern of romance fraud and expose the psychological factors that make victims vulnerable to this type of scam. A scam …

Humanists UK welcomes plan to replace High Court with expert panels

Humanists UK welcomes plan to replace High Court with expert panels

Published by skeptic

Kim Leadbeater MP, who is proposing the Bill. Photo credit Parliament (CC BY 3.0) Kim Leadbeater, the MP sponsoring the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life Choices) Bill, has proposed to replace the role of the High Court in the Bill with a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission and expert panels. Humanists UK has welcomed this proposal. The role of the High Court and its workability has been repeatedly challenged by retired judges such as James Munby, Nicholas Mostyn, and others, on the basis that the Court doesn’t have capacity and that it wouldn’t provide additional safety. Now Ms Leadbeater is to propose a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission, led by a High Court judge or senior former judge. It would oversee all cases and report each year on the number of applications and how many were approved or rejected. It would also appoint expert panels, with each applicant for assisted dying going to a panel for a decision after sign-off by two doctors. The panel would be chaired by a senior lawyer or retired judge and …

Industry Expert Forecasts Book Sales in 2025

Industry Expert Forecasts Book Sales in 2025

Published by skeptic

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. The Rehab Demon Copperhead Built Barbara Kingsolver, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Demon Copperhead depicted the catastrophic impacts of the opioid crisis in Appalachia, has used the profits from the book to fund an addiction recovery center in Lee County, Virginia. When Higher Ground Women’s Recovery Center opens later this spring, it will offer housing, counseling services, and other support, including education and career services, for up to 12 women at a time, for stays as long as two years. If you know anything about rehab centers, you know that is an incredibly generous care plan. Kingsolver, who conducted much of her research for Demon Copperhead in Lee County, returned soon after the book’s release—it was an immediate hit and eventually sold more than 3 million copies—and asked people directly affected by opioid addiction what she could do to …