Eliana Willis

Maria Diaz/ZDNETDuring the iOS 18 unveiling at WWDC 2024, Apple announced plans to give the Apple Home app support for the core functionality of vacuum cleaners by the end of 2024 — but those plans were delayed. Now that iOS 18.2 is live, new clues indicate that the next big iOS drop of 18.3 could finally bring Apple Home support for robot vacuums. Along with delaying robot vacuum support for HomeKit, Apple had already delayed several Apple Intelligence features that were expected with iOS 18 — which has been generally available since September — until the launch of version 18.2 some days ago. Also: The best robot vacuums for 2024: Expert tested and reviewedThe Home app’s iOS 18.3 beta 1 code features a list of values referencing robot vacuums, indicating that this is the iOS version that would give Apple Home robot vacuum control. This timeline supports what’s currently visible on Apple’s HomeKit page, which indicates that the robot vacuum “feature will be available in early 2025.” More

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETI’ve spent a long time traveling dumb. Overpacking. Underpacking. Having everything crammed into a bulging suitcase or uncomfortable backpack. I’ve traveled for six weeks with little more than a bunch of drones and no space for much more than a change of underwear, and I’ve gone away for three days with 50 lbs of luggage, most of which came back untouched. I’ve lost things, broken things, misplaced things, and had some heart-stopping moments when I thought my travel documents had gone AWOL. Also: The best travel VPNs: Expert tested and reviewedI’ve learned — through painful experience — to travel smarter, and having the right gear is one of the key ways to accomplish this. Here’s the gear I use, along with some more affordable alternatives.1. Sling laptop bag   More

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images It’s old news by now that business processes are being transformed into artificial intelligence (AI) operations. Companies such as Salesforce, Hubspot, and Microsoft unveiled a slew of AI “agent” capabilities this year for business functions such as customer service and sales.  Now, a wave of privately backed software firms are using AI […] More

ZDNETIt’s the time of year when people start to struggle to find last-minute gifts for those who are not (or are) on your naughty list. If those wonderful people are MacOS users, why not give them something to make their digital life a bit more enjoyable and/or productive?Also: 5 Apple products you shouldn’t buy right now (including this popular iPhone model)There are plenty of MacOS-related gifts to have, but for me, these are at the top of the list.1. Apple hardwareLet’s start with the obvious… a new MacBook, iMac, or Mac Mini. Why not go all out and give your loved one a new laptop or desktop powered by the latest Apple Silicon?For my needs, it comes down to either the new  MacBook Pro 14″ M4 Pro in Space Black More

Incase Phone case and accessory makers Incase just announced a new line of peripherals “designed by Microsoft,” unveiling the first products from the two brands’ partnership that will revive Microsoft’s discontinued devices. Incase, best known for its collection of cases, laptop sleeves, and bags, announced the collaboration earlier this year, marking the company’s first line of PC […] More

Richard Drury/Getty Images A long, long time ago, I built websites by hand using the vi editor to write HTML. It was hard. Then along came NoteTab and Bluefish, which made writing and editing HTML easier but still a pain.  DreamWeaver, one of the first what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) tools, was a big jump forward. But, the […] More

Gone are the days of huge PC towers taking up tons of desk space. Laptops with abundant power are everywhere nowadays as different companies create well-made mid-range laptops across various price ranges. Some of the best laptops even cost under $1,000. 2024 has been a big year for laptop releases, and we’ve gone hands-on with various devices from top brands. Also: The best laptops of 2024What is the best laptop under $1,000 right now?Our pick for the best laptop under $1,000 is the M2 MacBook Air More

David Merron Photography/Getty Images I’ve been covering Linux and open-source since 1999 (the year of Prince). During that long stretch, a year hasn’t gone by that I haven’t experienced someone (or a group of someones) still believing the myths that seem to be forever churning about the open-source operating system. Also: The 3 most Windows-like Linux […] More