Microsoft There’s been a ton of buzz about how AIs can help programming, but in the first year or two of generative AI, much of that was hype. Microsoft ran huge events celebrating how Copilot could help you code, but when I put it to the test in April 2024, it failed all four of […] More
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Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETChatGPT users can now try out a new, lightweight version of the AI’s Deep Research tool, and you don’t even need a paid subscription. Announced in an X post on Thursday, the new version is not only free to use but will automatically activate for paid subscribers who use up their quota of the full Deep Research.Also: How much energy does a single chatbot prompt use? This AI tool can show youUnveiled in early February, Deep Research browses the web to find and compile the information you need. Simply submit your question or request to ChatGPT, and the AI will search the web for the most relevant sources to answer your query. After completing its search, ChatGPT creates and displays a detailed report on your topic. Also: 3 clever ChatGPT tricks that prove it’s still the AI to beatDeep Research is quickly becoming one of the latest trends in AI, now offered by Google Gemini, Perplexity AI, and even xAI’s Grok (which calls it DeepSearch). Microsoft’s Copilot has yet to add a true Deep Research option; its Think Deeper skill is essentially a lightweight version. Lightweight limitationsPreviously, ChatGPT’s Deep Research had a few drawbacks. It was available only to paid subscribers with Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise plans. It also limited the number of queries you could submit per month — 120 for Pro users and 10 for other subscribers. Depending on your question, Deep Research could take as long as 30 minutes to deliver results. However, the new lightweight version helps overcome these barriers. Also: How to use ChatGPT: A beginner’s guide to the most popular AI chatbotIn total, ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Edu users now get 25 queries per month (10 full and 15 lightweight), Enterprise users get 10 (all full), Pro users get 250 (125 full and 125 lightweight), and free users get 5 (all lightweight). Once you reach your limit for the full version of Deep Research, your queries automatically default to the lightweight version. Moreover, the lighter version is much quicker than the full one. Also: Is ChatGPT Plus worth your $20? Here’s how it compares to Free and Pro plans”The lightweight version of Deep Research is powered by a version of OpenAI o4-mini and is nearly as intelligent as the Deep Research people already know and love, while being significantly cheaper to serve,” OpenAI said in its post. “Responses will typically be shorter while maintaining the depth and quality you’ve come to expect.” More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Zygo Z2 headset is available for $329 You can stream all your subscription music, the headset stays firmly in place, coaching is available for a small fee, and audio quality is good in the water The headset range doesn’t support open water swimming, your phone and transmitter need to be […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways MSI’s new Raider 18 HX is on sale now, starting at $3,139. This is, without a doubt, the most powerful laptop I’ve tested in 2025, due to its Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. As you can imagine, it is quite expensive and rather heavy. more buying […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is on pre-order through the company’s online store and Amazon for $999. It stands tall as a high-performing gaming handheld with a vibrant touchscreen and unique design. However, its large size won’t be for everyone, and there are still a few software bugs. more buying choices […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETIn 2015, Jony Ive, Apple’s then-industrial designer, introduced the Apple Watch and explained the design decisions behind the wearable that would eventually revolutionize health technology. “You can’t determine a boundary between the physical object and the software,” Ive said. Also: Your next Apple Watch could have a feature that transforms healthcareOn the Apple Watch’s 10th birthday, this concept of boundary-less-ness still holds. Eight years after the iPhone’s debut, Apple created a device that blended into the wearer’s life, with technology that tracked steps, maintained connections with friends and family, and even saved a few lives along the way. Sure, the Apple Watch debuted during Fitbit’s reign, but the smartwatch, aided by constant feature innovation and mainstream ubiquity, trumped its competition in the long run.Tim Cook has said that Apple’s greatest contributions will be through its developments in health — and nowhere is this more true than through the Apple Watch. Throughout its 10-year run, the tech giant has churned out lifesaving features around a user’s wrist. In celebration of 10 years of the Apple Watch, here are some of the most impactful features that have come out of the device and revolutionized wearable technology.1. Closing rings More
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETNearly half of all Americans use subtitles when they watch TV, a recent study showed, so Netflix is making them even better.In a blog post this week, Netflix announced a new subtitle option — dialogue only. Also: I discovered Netflix’s secret genre codes and my watchlist exploded – how they workRight now, if you turn on subtitles, you’ll see not just words that are spoken, but other audio cues like [cell phone rings] or [dog barks] ([or squelching noises] for Stranger Things fans). You’ll also see the names and titles of songs that play. With the new setting, captions will only display spoken words. No background sounds will appear. It’s a small change, but it’s an improvement for the many people who turn on captions to make sure they catch every word over the bustle of kids, dogs, or other family members around them, or people watching with lower volume at night. Also: The best Netflix VPNs: Expert tested and reviewedIt’s not just background noise causing difficulty, though, as a New York Times report indicates the issue stems largely from the way audio is mixed for cheaper televisions and phones. More
