Eliana Willis

Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysResearchers demonstrated a way to hack Google Home devices via Gemini.Google put additional safeguards in place for Gemini in response.Keeping your devices up-to-date on security patches is the best protection.The idea that artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to maliciously control your home and life is one of the main reasons why many are reluctant to adopt the new technology — it’s downright scary. Almost as scary as having your smart devices hacked. What if I told you some researchers just accomplished that?Also: Why AI-powered security tools are your secret weapon against tomorrow’s attacksCybersecurity researchers from multiple institutions demonstrated a major vulnerability in Google’s popular AI model, Gemini. They launched a controlled, indirect prompt injection attack — aka promptware — to trick Gemini into controlling smart home devices, like turning on a boiler and opening shutters. This is a demonstration of an AI system causing real-world, physical actions through a digital hijack.How the attack workedA group of researchers from Tel Aviv University, Technion, and SafeBreach created a project called “Invitation is all you need.” They embedded malicious instructions into Google Calendar invites, and when users asked Gemini to “summarize my calendar,” the AI assistant triggered pre-programmed actions, including controlling smart home devices without the users’ asking.  More

MF3d/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways Dashlane is discontinuing its free plan, effective Sept. 16. Current Dashlane Free subscribers get 50% off a one-year paid plan. Subscribers who don’t want to pay have one year to export their data. Dashlane, one of the world’s most popular password management solutions, is about to get a lot more […] More

Asus ProArt P16 <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Asus’ ProArt P16 is on sale for $2,500 at Best Buy. This year’s model keeps much of what made the previous generation so good, with key hardware improvements. It also means it has the same problems as before, such as running hot. –> If you’re familiar with Asus’ […] More

Jada Jones/ZDNETThe next college semester is only a few weeks away, and to help the next generation of students prepare, we’ve been scouring online retailers for great deals on audio tech. Lo and behold, we just happened to find one at Bose’s website. For a limited time, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones More

Is it worth updating to iOS 18.6? Absolutely. While there are no new bells and whistles, it patches a high-severity WebKit zero-day (CVE-2025-6558) and more. Can I change the Action button? Sure! Go to Settings > Action Button to customize the new Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro/16/16E/16 Pro. Just swipe to pick a task like Camera, Shazam, Remote for Apple TV, or even a Shortcut or Visual Intelligence action, then tap Choose to set it. Can I customize the home screen? Of course. Give your home screen a fresh look by entering jiggle mode (long-press the screen), tapping Edit > Customize, and then: Reposition apps anywhere on the grid.Expand icons into widgets by tapping the resize handles.Choose Automatic, Dark, Light, or Tinted icon styles (use the eyedropper to match your wallpaper).Toggle Large icons to hide labels and boost visibility.Tap anywhere to apply and then exit. Voila! Will these tweaks work on any iPhone model? Most of these work on any iPhone running iOS 18 or later. However, features like Prioritize Notifications and the Action Button require an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model. Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysOppo Find X8 Ultra performs better than its Samsung rival in almost every scenario.The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes close in ultrawide camera comparison.Oppo’s flagship has unique features like XPAN mode, Hasselblad color science, and Master mode.The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra houses one of the most versatile camera systems on a mainstream phone, thanks to its two telephoto cameras and an ultrawide sensor coupled with a 200MP primary camera.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the best Android phones, and it was very closeBut the Oppo Find X8 Ultra is equally, if not more, versatile. It has bigger sensors on the four 50MP cameras on its back. Plus, the Oppo flagship is paired with a renewed Hasselblad partnership — for extra features like XPAN mode, better Portraits, and Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, re-engineered for mobile. I was confused about which phone to take on my trip to Sweden, so I took both and compared the results, which are… interesting.Comparing the camera specsCategoryOppo Find X8 UltraSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraMain Camera50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0″-type sensor, 1.6µm, OIS200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, OISTelephoto 150 MP, f/2.1, 70mm (periscope), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, 3x optical zoom, OIS10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, 3x optical zoom, OISTelephoto 250 MP, f/3.1, 135mm (periscope), 1/1.95″, 0.8µm, 6x optical zoom, OIS50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope), 1/2.52″, 0.7µm, 5x optical zoom, OISUltrawide Camera50 MP, f/2.0, 15mm, 120˚ FoV, 1/2.75″, 0.64µm50 MP, f/1.9, 120˚ FoV, 1/2.5″, 0.7µm,Oppo and Samsung flagships are some of the best phones of 2025. Both sport four rear cameras, but the Find X8 Ultra houses bigger sensors on three of those. It is led by a 1-inch-type 50MP main sensor, which snaps better quality photos than Samsung’s 200MP primary camera. But it’s the rest of the sensors that help it take the lead. The 10MP 3x optical zoom Samsung telephoto camera stands no chance against Oppo’s 50MP 3x optical zoom supported periscope camera, while it competes closely in ultrawide shots and 50MP secondary 5x (6x on Oppo) periscope zoom photos.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the best Android phones, and it was very closeThere’s no doubt that the Find X8 Ultra has a better camera package than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, thanks to its bigger sensors and Hasselblad color science. But it can also be inconsistent at times, giving the edge to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here’s how the two compare in my vacation photos.It’s all about the color science More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s Key Takeaways:OpenAI launched ChatGPT customization updates.Users can choose chat color and personality.All users (even free) can now access Advanced Voice Mode.OpenAI is having one of its biggest product launch weeks, releasing its highly anticipated open-source models, gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, and GPT-5. Buried within the deluge of the large language models (LLMs) are helpful ChatGPT features that add customization options that could make the ChatGPT experience more enjoyable. Also: GPT-5 is finally here, and you can access it for free today – no subscription neededIn OpenAI’s Summer Update event on Thursday, the company added the ability to choose a color for ChatGPT chats, choose from new personalities when using the Custom Instructions feature, more easily connect your Google productivity apps, and better interact with Advanced Voice Mode. Keep reading below for the full overview of the features’ capabilities and how to access them. ChatGPT chat color optionsStarting with perhaps the most self-explanatory feature, you can now choose a color for your chats. This option is available to everyone, but a few exclusive options are available for paid users. While this won’t largely change your productivity within ChatGPT, it can make the experience more enjoyable or better match your aesthetic preferences. New personalities in Custom Instructions.Custom Instructions, launched in April 2023, lets users set preferences that tailor how ChatGPT generates responses. Now, OpenAI has launched a research preview of four preset personalities: Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd, available in the Custom Instructions experience. The personalities tweak how ChatGPT interacts with users, giving the chatbot different tones that better match your needs and communication styles. For example, OpenAI said some are concise and professional, while others are a bit sarcastic. The personalities are available to all users, opt-in, and adjustable anytime in your Customize ChatGPT settings.  More