Eliana Willis

ZDNETThis week, OpenAI is introducing a research preview called Operator. I initially wanted to do a hands-on, but once I found out that you need a Pro account (which costs $200 per month), I decided to watch the various OpenAI demos, share them with you, and then share my thoughts. Altman did say that users of the $20-per-month Plus plan would eventually be able to use Operator.Operator is an AI agent. Fundamentally, it simulates keyboard and mouse clicks in a browser, reading the screen, and performing actions.Also: Have a genealogy mystery? How I used AI to solve a family puzzleI have a fairly long history of building this kind of app, using mostly algorithmic programming along with a little machine learning to identify the location of certain images on the screen.My most recent project was an auto-posting tool that would make my social media posts for me. Yes, there are a plethora of subscription services that will do that for you, but I decided to see what it would take to build my own.My code used a combination of the DOM (document object model) for individual social media service pages, along with image recognizers that were able to find buttons (like the + or Post buttons). I used the tool I built for about a year but ran into a very annoying snag.About every two weeks, one of the six sites I was navigating made a small change to the screen interface, which proceeded to break my code. So every two weeks, instead of posting my social media posts normally, I had to spend a few hours fixing whatever had broken.The fact that the web is constantly changing (for example, a blue “Post” button might turn into a red “Post / Subscribe at 30% off” button during a promotion) might knock the AI off its game. Computer-using agent The model OpenAI is using is called CUA, or computing-using agent. This model dictates how Operator talks to the websites it’s supposed to navigate.[embedded content]In their introduction video, Sam Altman and OpenAI team members Yash Kumar, Casey Chu, and Reiichiro Nakano explained that Operator doesn’t use APIs and isn’t working off of extracted text pulled from the DOM. Instead, it’s “viewing” an actual web page in a live browser running in the cloud, reading the context directly off the screen.Also: How ChatGPT scanned 170k lines of code in seconds, saving me hours of workThey were very clear that the control mechanism for the web pages was mouse and keyboard simulation, and the input that the AI reads is the visual representation of the actual web page that we see as humans.The OpenAI team did say that Operator will work just like a human using a web browser — searching, clicking, and visiting websites. But there is a contradiction that I haven’t fully figured out yet, which is that OpenAI has partnered with a bunch of sites (Instacart, DoorDash, Etsy, OpenTable, Tripadvisor, AP, Priceline, StubHub, Thumbtack, Target, Uber, and more). More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Insta360 Connect is available now starting at $1,999, but the touch panel and other mounts can increase the price by up to $700. It’s an advanced speaker bar that sports 14 microphones, dual 4K cameras, simple connectivity, and AI enhancements for small room conferencing. A desktop stand is supplied, but […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways It boosts battery life up to a decade. It is water and dustproof. However, it does add bulk to the sleek AirTag. –> Apple AirTags<!–> have revolutionized every aspect of my life. From finding my keys and wallet in the morning to keeping an eye on my luggage while traveling, not […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Coway IconS is available for $615. This air purifier cleans large rooms of up to 1,298 square feet, has a washable pre-filter for easy maintenance, and looks stylish enough to blend in with your home decor. Unfortunately, the IconS is large and expensive. –> Air purifiers are commonly used to […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Eureka E20 Plus is a midrange robot vacuum and mop available for $400. This is a self-emptying robot vacuum with a bagless system, so you never have to buy replacement bags for it; it features 8,000Pa of suction power and an anti-tangle brush system. While the vacuum proved capable of […] More

Jada Jones/ZDNETDuring this week’s Samsung Unpacked event, Google announced that the new Galaxy S25 devices and the latest Pixel 9 phones will support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio. This feature isn’t exactly new for Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones, as the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 already supported LE Audio, but the added benefit is still worth noting.Also: I may finally switch from Google Pixel to Samsung Galaxy in 2025 – and hardware has little to do with itCompatibility with LE Audio makes the phones function better when paired with the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds, and other Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers, headphones, earbuds, and hearing aids. Here’s what else you gain from the free upgrade.Broadcast audio from one device to many othersThe LE Audio Bluetooth protocol includes Auracast, a Bluetooth feature that allows users to broadcast audio from one device to many other devices. For example, if you’re watching a YouTube video on your Galaxy S25 smartphone through your Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, a nearby friend can listen to it with their Auracast-enabled headphones.Also: Is Samsung’s new upgrade program for the Galaxy S25 worth it? Here’s the breakdownGalaxy S25 users can also tune into Auracast broadcasts with their Galaxy Buds. In this instance, your smartphone acts as a broadcast assistant, allowing you to connect to a broadcast, such as a silent TV in a sports bar or gym. Connect your Galaxy Buds to your smartphone, and the earbuds act as the broadcast receiver, allowing you to listen to the broadcast privately. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSimplifying the smart home is no easy task, yet we smart home users are always striving to do it. At Samsung Unpacked 2025, the company unveiled new Home AI features for its SmartThings platform designed to simplify daily life. This is part of Samsung’s initiative towards a more personalized, knowledge-based AI experience that can learn from your habits and apply this knowledge across multiple apps. Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2025: Galaxy S25 Ultra, Gemini AI, moreThe new Home AI features will detect when someone is working out or sleeping, for example, to suggest different routines for the activity. So, if you always exercise with loud music and work in complete silence, it can suggest routines to automatically switch off the music while working at your desk.  More

With all the new Windows laptops released over the course of the past year, we’ve seen more than a handful of impressive machines. But it all comes down to which ones deliver an exceptional experience. That could mean delivering on solid performance, offering a unique feature, or just being a fantastic value relative to the competition. Advances in processor technology have blown up over the last 12 months, and with the release of the ever-growing Copilot+ lineup, Windows machines are thinner, sleeker, and run cooler than ever before. Not to mention the fantastic battery life on devices like the Surface Laptop and HP Omnibook Ultra Flip 14. Also: The best lightweight laptops of 2025: Expert testedOur experts have tested dozens of the best laptops this year, and broken down our favorites by aligning them to common use cases that we think will be helpful to most folks. Here are our top Windows laptops of 2024. What is the best Windows laptop right now?We’ve gone hands-on with all of the best Windows laptops on this list, including models from Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Samsung, Microsoft, and more. Currently, our pick for the best overall Windows laptop is the Dell XPS 16 More