<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Plantaform Rejuvenate is a smart indoor garden available for $540. It’s an all-in-one garden structure that only requires power for the grow lights and for you to add water and the included fertilizer when it runs low; thankfully, the app gives you notifications and detailed instructions. Unfortunately, you can’t easily […] More
Amazon If you’ve ever picked up the latest book in a series and couldn’t remember characters or what happened in the last book, Amazon has a new feature that might help you. Also: Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of options Starting today, your Kindle is getting “Kindle Recaps,” something Amazon says is similar […] More
Apple Apple’s latest version of iOS seems to be causing hiccups with CarPlay. Some users who installed the update are complaining on X and Reddit about random connection problems and other issues. Also: A bizarre iOS 18.4 bug is surprising iPhone users with random app installs As spotted by 9to5Mac, several discussion threads have popped up […] More
@phantomofearth/X Microsoft is testing a dramatic overhaul of the controversial Windows 11 Start menu. Potentially rolling out later this year, the changes aim to address some of the many criticisms that have dogged the menu over the years. Also: Want free AI training from Microsoft? You can sign up for its AI Skills Fest now […] More
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThere are thousands of songs about staying up all night to have fun, yet fewer about how nice it is to go to bed early. After a long day of work, nerve-inducing headlines, and strenuous exercise, all I want is sleep. That’s when the lyrics of Hall and Oates’ song, “When the Morning Comes,” a tune mainly about rejection that can be interpreted as an ode to a good night’s rest, come to mind: “It’ll be all right when the morning comes,” the duo sing. As a sleep enthusiast, I can’t help but agree.Also: The best sleep trackersAs a health and wearables editor, I wear smartwatches and smart rings around the clock. By testing these products, my interest in optimizing my sleep and health has grown. Not to brag, but I’m amazing at sleeping — my roommates jokingly refer to me as the Sleepytime Tea Bear. I treat my sleep the same way a professional athlete treats their workout routine, and it’s paying dividends. My sleep scores reach the high eighties and low nineties consistently, and I get around eight hours — the expert-recommended daily sleep dose — every night. My focus is clear and my energy is long-lasting. If you want to level up your sleep scores, I’ve consulted experts from wearables specialists, such as Oura and Whoop, and drawn on my own experience using these products and witnessing my sleep results to compile a list of tips I swear by for better slumber. 1. Consistency is key In early January, I caught a sinus infection that kept me bedridden for nearly two weeks. To get better, I would go to bed early — around 8pm. At the beginning, when sleep was dire, I would head off to bed at 9pm; by the tail end of my recovery, I would head off at 10pm. As I became more of a stickler for my sleep times, I would wake up at 6:30am every morning — no alarm needed. While I wish I didn’t have to endure two weeks of antibiotics, hacking coughs, and blowing my nose to develop an unwavering wake-up time, I’m thankful I got to reconfigure my circadian rhythms to a 6am wake-up time that works for me. I rise earlier, go to work earlier, come home and exercise earlier, and, most importantly, go to bed earlier. It’s great. This pattern is in line with the recommendation of Raphael Vallat, Oura’s lead machine learning data scientist — go to sleep and wake up at the same time seven days a week. Also: I tried a new anti-stress browser to see if it could really help me relax – and it actually works”Quality sleep isn’t just about time in bed — it’s about consistency and efficiency. A stable nighttime routine and an ideal sleep environment play a crucial role in optimizing rest,” a Whoop spokesperson wrote in an email. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Tessan 65W GaN Universal Travel Adapter retails for $42. It’s the perfect size, weight, and power output for traveling. It doesn’t convert mains AC voltage, and the USB ports on the bottom can be tricky to use. –> Gone are the days of packing multiple chargers with different connectors when […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Nitecore NB Air is is available now for $37. Weighing just 3.14 ounces, it’s the lightest power bank I’ve tested. There’s no USB-C cable or pouch included with the power bank. –> For hikers and runners, every ounce you’re carrying counts. Power banks can be a big challenge because you […] More
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETMost people know that the famous Turing Test, a thought experiment conceived by computer pioneer Alan Turing, is a popular measure of progress in artificial intelligence.Many mistakenly assume, however, that it is proof that machines are actually thinking. The latest research on the Turing Test from scholars at the University of California at San Diego shows that OpenAI’s latest large language model, GPT-4.5, can fool humans into thinking that the AI model is a person in text chats, even more than a human can convince another person that they are human. Also: How to use ChatGPT: A beginner’s guide to the most popular AI chatbotThat’s a breakthrough in the ability of gen AI to produce compelling output in response to a prompt. More
