So I'm trying to sell power. I have an abundance and the neighbor is a bigger city. Do I just need to wait or is there a bug maybe? Haven't been playing for long and started in 1900.

There should be a way to propose deals and not just wait for them to happen.

A few other questions:
-Does the music change to the ominous one depending on your budget or pollution level, or is that my imagination?
-Is there no newspaper like in 2k?

-Is technology always tied to education level here?
-When in general is it good to connect to a neighbor and is it ever bad?
-Are roundabouts useful?

To be able to be offered a power deal you have to run your power lines to the edge of the map and say yes to the connection.

That may depend on which game you are actually playing.

Yes that was the first thing I did. Playing Unlimited if it makes a difference.

Water--- impossible to maintain
Electricity-- the game keeps pushing you to build more plants and it can become a trap
Garbage-- not bad

Newspaper-- no

Don't know about music

Better IQ; more high tech businesses. But there comes a time when you get complaints about "not enough high tech jobs." Never could get that one solved. (IQ-- adequate schools and libraries; plus museums, zoos).

Roundabouts-- have to see the design of the City.

Right now I just want to get offered one electricity deal, I let it run for a few more years and nothing has happened there.

I was considering placing a roundabout near water or the edge of the map, thinking that would be better than a road that just stops but maybe it doesn't matter?

Thanks, I'm on it when it comes to education. Where is the stat for that though since there is no coverage display on the map?

1)Did you pay for the connection?

2)If you use rail a lot then a roundabout will soon lead to complaints of overcrowded trains (having traffic stay on one line). I tend to use rails a lot and have only been able to avoid the complaint with parallel lines in residential and commercial areas. No so important in Industrial areas. Along with Bus Stops. (again not in industrial areas).
Bus stops work like a cab stop rather than a bus line. So keep an eye on whether Sims are actually using the bus stop. Sometimes sticking one in an residential are will be used a lot.

One of the Buttons has a series of graphs (health, aura, etc.) IQ is on one of those graphs.
PS. I used IQ. In the game it is EQ (Education Quotient). Also, the funding of education is important.

Yeah, there's the green arrow there. I did get offered a garbage deal after establishing a rail connection so that's good. Then the same city offered to sell me power instead lol. Trying another neighbour for power.

Thanks again. I have put some bus stops in residential areas as well as industrial ones which are almost on the other side of the map, with both rail and road in-between.

Good Luck and keep an eye on the bus stops (esp industrial ones). Unused Bus Stops can get expensive early on

PS
Connects = Commerce. So roads and rail connections (and an ever larger Port) = more dense Commercial areas.

I forgot to mention that you need a Mayor's House before any deal can show up from another City

I see. Well I do and did have that actually.

Your own city needs to be at less than 50% of electrical capacity before another city will offer a deal.