Eliana Willis

Jada Jones/ZDNETLook out, AirPods Pro 2 users, a new firmware update (v7A294) has arrived that contains features you’re going to want. In particular, the new update adds Siri interactions, making it possible to interact with your phone without having your phone in hand. This feature is possible thanks to machine learning on the H2 chip that can detect head movements, such as a node or a shake. In other words, you can tell Siri yes or no without uttering a syllable. This is especially important for those who tend to use their AirPods Pro 2 earbuds in environments where speaking out loud might be frowned upon.Also: Get the AirPods Pro 2 (that can turn into a hearing aid) for 24% off right nowAnother feature that uses the H2 chip is voice isolation, which vastly improves how you sound during phone calls. This new feature isolates your voice from background noise, almost eliminating distractions. Wind, running water, fans, AC units — all of these sounds will be removed entirely or greatly reduced during calls. Voice Isolation is enabled by default. More

Vertigo3d/Getty Images Schools and universities are back in full swing, and education and technology companies continue to release tools that make the transition smoother — increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (gen AI). But could they be altering essential parts of the school experience in the process?  On Monday, Adobe announced a “deeply discounted yet fully featured” […] More

oxygen/Getty Images If you’re an avid AI user, you’ll likely want to try out OpenAI’s recent o1 model as it boasts some of the most advanced reasoning capabilities yet. However, if you use another model, you may not want to make an OpenAI account or subscribe. With these two platforms, you don’t have to.  Also: OpenAI […] More

shapecharge/Getty Iages A recent survey of 5,000 CIOs shows 56% see citizen development — the creation of applications outside of formal IT channels — as one of their top priorities moving forward. Nearly two in five, 38%, started a citizen development program just this year.  Close to two-thirds, 65%, say citizen development will help reduce […] More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETChatGPT has consistently generated high-quality responses, improving its quality through updates with newer models. Last week, OpenAI unveiled an even more capable model, o1, and users quickly reached limits. OpenAI has now responded to this high demand with an update. On Monday, OpenAI shared via an X post that it is increasing the o1-preview and o1-mini limits for Plus and Teams users due to high interest. The o1-mini limits have been expanded sevenfold from 50 messages per week to 50 per day. Since o1-preview is a bit more costly, OpenAI increased that rate by a bit less, increasing the limits from 30 messages per week to 50 messages a week. Also: Microsoft Copilot’s Wave 2 is here. Everything you need to knowThese higher limits require a ChatGPT Plus membership of $20 per month; however, if you depend on coding for your daily workflow, it may be worth the investment. ZDNET’s David Gewirtz put o1- preview to the test and was impressed by its ability to tackle several complex tasks with lots of detail, including writing a WordPress plugin, rewriting a string function, finding an annoying bug, and more. Even if you aren’t a coder, developer, or programmer, you can still benefit from the advanced reasoning that the o1 models offer, as they process your query longer before generating a response, resulting in more thorough responses to complex prompts. Because o1-preview and o1-mini lack internet browsing and media uploads, GPT-4o is still a better alternative for most general requests. More

Download a lifetime license to Microsoft Office at a deep discount with this deal. Stack Social If you need access to Microsoft Office but don’t want to pay the yearly fee to access Office 365, you’re in luck: Stack Social is offering a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows or Mac, starting […] More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Motorola Razr (2024) More