Eliana Willis

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETRight now, Lenovo is slashing prices for many of its laptops. This includes the sixth-generation ThinkPad T14s, a great computer I tested in February. Sadly, my configuration is no longer available for sale (although the company is planning on restocking).Fortunately, there are other versions that I would highly recommend. One such model is the Snapdragon X Plus model of the ThinkPad T14s.Also: The best Lenovo laptops of 2025For a limited time, the ThinkPad T14s with the Snapdragon X Plus hardware More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIt’s not far-fetched to call today’s WWDC Apple’s most important event of the year — it might even be its most important event this decade, with major implications for where the company stands in today’s AI space race.Off the back of developer conferences by Google, Microsoft, and Anthropic, the folks at Cupertino find themselves even further behind in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry — or at least it seems that way. Even my dad, who still rocks an iPhone 8 because he “can’t live without Touch ID,” understands that for Apple to leapfrog the competition, it must convince the public that it, too, can do AI. AI, the Apple way.Also: Apple’s secret sauce is exactly what AI is missingWhile the value of the company’s “Apple Intelligence” features has been rather disappointing, there’s one thing I don’t want to see during today’s keynote: extravagance. Cut out the lavish image and video generators, circle to searches, and the chatbots that impersonate celebrities. And please, don’t seclude any AI tools in separate hardware. Instead, give me features that blend so seamlessly with my daily apps and services that I almost forget they exist. More

SwitchBot SwitchBot just announced that its K20+ Pro household robot will be coming to market, available for preorder today.   The SwitchBot K20+ Pro is a multitasking robot with modular flexibility through a FusionPlatform. The platform connects to the self-emptying robot vacuum and transports items around the house. It also has ports to connect cameras and other […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf the rumors are true, Apple is working on its biggest visual overhaul to its mobile operating system since iOS 7 — which famously ditched skeuomorphic features in favor of flat design. It reportedly plans to update the look of icons, menus and windows, system buttons, and even apps. But that’s not all: The company wants to extend this overhaul to all its devices. Also: How to watch Apple WWDC 2025 keynote : What to expect with iOS 26, Siri, AIAccording to Bloomberg, Apple aims to roll out a consistent appearance across its operating systems  — from the iPhone to Vision Pro — and will use WWDC 2025 today to reveal this big update that’s currently called Solarium.  What is Solarium? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first reported in March that iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and MacOS 16 will receive new designs, including more translucency for a glass-like appearance. Now, in May, he’s claiming the codename for this major redesign is known internally at Apple as Solarium. It’s meant to conjure thoughts of bright, glass-walled rooms full of sunlight.  Also: 6 things I did immediately after installing iOS 18.5 on my iPhone – and why you should tooThis leaked codename is seen as evidence that the company is designing updated, modern interfaces. Gurman confirmed Solarium is expected to touch every corner of Apple’s software ecosystem — not just the iPhone — and it will be its biggest UI revamp in over a decade. There aren’t many details just yet, but the changes will “go well beyond a new design language and aesthetic tweaks.” How Solarium might change things More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETGoogle Gemini has kicked off a new skill that can proactively carry out tasks for you. Now rolling out to the Gemini app is a feature called “scheduled actions.” With this one, you tell Gemini to perform a future task either once or on a recurring basis, and the AI will carry out your request at the proper dates and times.The sole barrier is that the new skill is available only to Gemini app users with a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription. That’s not unusual. New features like this typically start off with access limited to subscribers, but then eventually expand to free users.Also: Collaborating in Google Drive? Gemini can catch you up on changes made to your files nowGemini’s scheduled actions skill is similar to the ChatGPT Tasks feature that OpenAI introduced this past January. In both cases, the goal is to save you time by letting you issue a regular request just once, which the AI can then perform on a recurring basis. “With scheduled actions, you can streamline routine tasks or receive personalized updates directly from Gemini,” Google said in a blog post on Friday. “In your conversation, simply ask Gemini to perform a task at a specific time, or transform a prompt you’re already using into a recurring action. You can manage them anytime within the scheduled actions page within settings.”As some examples suggested by Google, you could ask Gemini for a summary of your calendar appointments and unread emails, or request five ideas for your blog each Monday. You might want to see updates on your favorite sports team each day or receive the results from an awards ceremony just on the morning after.Also: How to turn off Gemini in your Gmail, Docs, Photos, and more – it’s easy to opt outTo try this out, make sure you’re running the latest version of the Gemini app on your iPhone or Android phone. The scheduled actions skill is still rolling out, so it may not yet be available on your device. To check, open the Gemini app and tap your profile icon in the upper right. The resulting screen should show Scheduled actions as one of the options. If not, you’ll have to wait until it reaches you.Once the feature is accessible, go to the main screen to write a new prompt. As you describe the action you want Gemini to perform, remember to add a date and time or recurring interval. In response, the AI will schedule the task and then carry it out at the requested time. To view or manage your tasks, return to the previous menu and tap the entry for Scheduled actions.Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETApple will hold its annual WWDC conference today, and the leaks about what might be announced are pouring out at full speed. I recently told you how the company is reportedly planning a massive UI overhaul called Solarium for every corner of its software ecosystem. Shortly after that, reports emerged that Apple would also rename its operating systems to follow a year-based convention, with iOS 19 being called iOS 26. Now, 9to5Mac has the scoop on what, specifically, iOS 26 will introduce.Also: How to watch Apple WWDC 2025 keynote : What to expect with iOS 26, Siri, AI9to5Mac has a solid track record when it comes to Apple leaks. So when it reveals what the next major iteration of Apple’s mobile software could bring in terms of upgrades, you listen. While the Solarium redesign, which is thought to be the biggest visual overhaul since iOS 7, will undoubtedly steal the spotlight, some of the under-the-radar changes could be equally exciting.What’s coming to iOS 26?When Apple unveils iOS 26, it will supposedly discuss a few new features and software upgrades coming to Messages, Music, Notes, CarPlay, and more. Keep in mind that none of this has been revealed by Apple just yet. I’ve contacted the company for a comment, but I do not expect it to confirm 9to5Mac’s reporting. It will use WWDC 2025 to reveal the new features in iOS 26.1. MessagesiOS 26 will bring AI-powered real-time translation to Messages, automatically detecting and translating incoming texts and your replies so recipients can see them in their language. Also: Your iPhone is getting these useful features with iOS 26 – including a big AI oneIt will also add polls. You’ll be able to tap a new “Poll” button, enter your question and options, and everyone in a chat can vote, with results updating in real time. Apple Intelligence will even suggest poll options based on your conversation. So, if you’re deciding on dinner, it might offer “pizza,” “burgers,” or “sushi” as poll choices.2. Apple MusicThis isn’t the biggest change, but you can expect animated album art — which is already a thing inside Apple Music — to appear on your Lock Screen. So, when your iPhone is locked, album artwork should appear to come to life, in full-screen glory. 3. NotesAnother small feature reportedly coming to the iPhone with iOS 26 should make some note‐takers and writers happy: they’ll get the ability to export notes in Markdown from Apple Notes. Until now, doing this required third‐party apps.4. CarPlay9to5Mac reports that Apple plans to bring the Solarium design language to CarPlay with iOS 26. That means it’ll likely update menus, buttons, and widgets to match your iPhone’s and iPad’s new look. Earlier reports had mentioned that iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, TVOS, and VisionOS are all set to receive this visual overhaul — but now, it appears CarPlay will, too. Since Solarium is all about bright, translucent elements, you can expect CarPlay to look more modern and lightweight after the update. More

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETWith spring here and summer on the horizon, many retailers like Best Buy More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETAhead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2025 More