Eliana Willis

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images Welcome to ZDNET’s Innovation Index, which identifies the most innovative developments in tech from the past week and ranks the top four, based on votes from our panel of editors and experts. Our mission is to help you identify the trends that will have the biggest impact on the future.  For once, a […] More

amgun/Getty Images In the rapidly evolving landscape of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), large language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI’s GPT-4, Google’s Gemma, Meta’s LLaMA 3.1, Mistral.AI, Falcon, and other AI tools are becoming indispensable business assets.  Also: Make room for RAG: How Gen AI’s balance of power is shifting One of the most promising […] More

Qualcomm showcased its reference AR glasses, made by Goertek, at Mobile World Congress 2024. Kerry Wan/ZDNETWe’ve only heard murmurs about Qualcomm, Samsung, and Google’s joint project since the three first made things official early last year. What once started as an XR headset competitor to Apple’s then-unofficial Vision Pro was met with internal disagreements that led to reset after reset after reset. Recently, in an interview with CNBC, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon cleared the air and painted a more vivid picture. And it’s not exactly what most people imagined.Also: I saw the future of AI at Qualcomm’s headquarters, and Copilot+ PCs were only just the beginningInstead of an XR headset that would be self-powered or tethered to a battery pack, the chip maker is partnering with Samsung and Google to develop a pair of mixed-reality smart glasses. Most importantly, the wearable will be linked to a smartphone, offloading much of a traditional headset’s weight, processing, and battery needs onto a device we’re already used to carrying around. More

Jada Jones/ZDNETCredible reports assert that Apple has two new versions of AirPods in its back pocket, ready to launch during its annual hardware event on Monday, Sept. 9. Rumors also swirl that Apple will announce the second generation of its over-ear headphones, AirPods Max, during the same hardware event. The annual event is when the company unveils the latest iPhones, iPads, Macs, and AirPods.Also: What to expect from Apple’s iPhone 16 ‘It’s Glowtime’ event, and how to watch the livestreamApple’s current AirPods lineup consists of one premium over-ear option, one premium in-ear version, and two base model options with minimal upgraded features. Reports say that Apple’s new earbuds will replace the second and third-generation base model AirPods. Here are the features I’d like to see in the upcoming releases.1. Angled tips onlyThe AirPods Pro and third-generation AirPods sport angled ear tips, compared to the second-generation AirPods with straight ear tips. Angled ear tips enhance audio clarity, promote a more comfortable fit, and provide a better seal between the earbuds and the ear canal for improved noise isolation.Also: I used my iPhone 15 Pro without a case for a year. Here’s how it looks todayI want Apple to retire the second-generation AirPods’ design altogether or at least reserve it only for wired EarPods. The design can be uncomfortable and cheap-feeling, leaving customers asking why they’re paying $129 for glorified EarPods More

The Aventho 300 headphones in Black and White. Beyerdynamic/ZDNETPopular consumer audio brand Beyerdynamic announced new flagship headphones and true wireless earbuds during IFA 2024 in Berlin, Germany. On Thursday, the German audio brand debuted the Aventho 300 over-ear headphones and the Amiron 300 true wireless earbuds.  The new flagship headphones offer listeners modern features and upgrades. According to Beyerdynamic, the Aventho 300 headphones prioritize comfort with their high-grade swivel, aluminum yokes, and ergonomic design. According to a press release, the headphones are built with all-day comfort in mind, and the brand’s Stellar.45 drivers are embedded into the headset for a rich sound experience. The Aventho 300 are compatible with a host of audio codecs, like AAC, LE Audio, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless. Also: The new Soundcore Space One Pro are smaller and mightier in all the right waysThe Aventho 300 offer up to 50 hours of battery life, noise-canceling and transparency modes powered by dual Sony chipsets, and spatial audio with Dolby Head Tracking technology, an increasingly popular audio feature for premium headphones. Beyerdynamic’s new over-ear headphones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.4, which promises more stable connections and higher-quality audio playback.Beyerdynamic’s new true wireless earbuds, the Amiron 300, also include several advanced features within a light and wireless package. According to Beyerdynamic, the Amiron 300 earbuds are designed with a flat back, so you can listen to them while lying on your side with no discomfort. The company says the Amiron 300 prioritizes “deep bass, precise mids, and crystal-clear highs.”  More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETLenovo just unveiled a handful of new laptops with novel features ahead of IFA 2024 in Berlin, but one of the coolest is its new Auto Twist concept on its new line of 13-inch Intel ThinkBooks. We’ve all seen “convertible” laptops that allow the screen to fold all the way back — this feature takes it a step further by enabling the screen to rotate horizontally in either direction, as well. This means you can flip your screen around 180 degrees to show it to someone sitting directly opposite of you with the keyboard in place, then fold it back completely to turn the laptop into a tablet.  Also: Your next laptop may be powered by this Intel AI chip, and the benefits are mind-blowingEven more impressive is the voice activation feature, which prompts the laptop to open and close the screen on its own. If you say, “Hey Twist, open laptop,” for example, the clamshell cheerfully opens up. Conversely, saying “close laptop” closes the screen no matter its configuration. Saying “tablet mode” will rotate the screen to become a proper tablet, and “laptop mode” switches it back. Seeing it for yourself. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETThere are also some interesting integrations with the laptop’s camera. For example, if you’re using the laptop for a video call or giving a presentation, the display “locks on” to your face and will auto-rotate to stay facing you, with a maximum horizontal rotation of 270 degrees. I recently had a chance to experience the new Auto Twist feature at a Lenovo product demo, and the idea as a proof of concept is impressive in the sense that I couldn’t help but think, “I’m surprised no one’s thought of this before.” Also: OpenAI, Intel, and Qualcomm talk AI compute at legendary Hot Chips conferenceIn practice, however, I wonder about its usefulness. Opening and closing the lid is hardly the most challenging thing you can do on a laptop, especially because it’s much faster to do it yourself. When it opens and closes on its own, it does so very carefully, and while the motion is mostly smooth, there’s some screen wobble as it rotates into position. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETPerhaps more useful is the laptop’s ability to close the display on its own after a designated period of inactivity. This means you can walk away from your laptop and return to find it closed and locked, a handy security feature.  I was also curious about the logistics involved with this and couldn’t help but ask what would happen if you push the screen open while it’s trying to close or vice versa. Luckily, because there are no gears involved, nothing will be damaged if you force the screen in either direction.  More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETLenovo just unveiled its new line of Aura Edition laptops in partnership with Intel, and they’re full of features that, if nothing else, are attention-grabbing. One of the most noteworthy is the new auto-rotating laptops that open and close on their own, something I tried out first-hand at a recent demo. Also: 5 most interesting Copilot+ laptops revealed at IFA 2024 (including one for gaming)On the software side, Lenovo’s Aura Edition laptops also come with a host of AI-infused “smart modes.” The ability to set your laptop in different modes isn’t anything new, but Lenovo’s smart modes use AI to go beyond “battery saver” or “performance mode” for some pretty clever features. More