<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Wacom Movink is priced at $700 and comes with an OLED display It’s ultraportable, with a built quality that should last you years I just wish there was an integrated stand for a more comfortable drawing experience. more buying choices Wacom is well known as the leader in tablet and […] More
Lance Whitney/ZDNETA variety of generative AI programs and websites are able to craft images based on your input. But if you have access to Apple Intelligence through an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, one cool tool you can use is the Image Playground.Available with iOS/iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2, the Image Playground will create animated images or illustrations based on specific concepts, your own descriptions, and photos from your library.Also: Top mobile AI features Apple and Samsung owners actually useThe tool is accessible as a standalone program, but you can also use it with built-in apps like Messages as well as supported third-party apps. If you’re happy with the final images, you can save them or share them with other people.To use any of the Apple Intelligence AI features, including Image Playground, you must have the right type of device. That means any iPhone 16 model, an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad model with an M1 chip or later, a 2024 iPad mini with an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M1 chip or later. More
Lance Whitney/ZDNETDo you use any of the AI features on your smartphone, and if so, do you find them valuable? Those are two of the questions covered in a recent survey from phone reseller SellCell. Released on Monday, the results found that people are less than thrilled with the current crop of AI features but do use certain ones.Also: I’m an AI tools expert, and these are the only two I pay forThe goal of the survey was to gauge what smartphone users think of the new mobile AI features, whether they’d switch brands for better AI tools, how important AI is when buying a new phone, and whether they’d pay for AI. Conducted online from November 28 to December 6, 2024, the survey gathered responses from more than 2,000 smartphone users in the US.Among those polled, more than 1,000 owned an AI-enabled iPhone such as an iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Another 1,000+ owned an AI-equipped Samsung Galaxy phone, such as the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Flip5, or Galaxy Z Flip4. Only those with AI-powered phones were allowed to participate in the survey.Which AI features are most popular?iPhone users were asked if they had used any of the Apple Intelligence AI features introduced in iOS 18.1 (the current version of iOS 18.2 was released after the survey), and if so, which ones. Writing Tools came in first place, cited as the top feature by 72% of the respondents. These tools can help proofread, revise, and summarize text across a range of apps, including Mail, Messages, and Notes.Also: Just installed iOS 18.2? Change these 4 iPhone settings nowIn second place, used by 54% of those surveyed, was the Notification Summaries feature, which offers a digest of multiple notifications in one shot. Next, 45% gave the nod to Priority Messages, which highlights urgent emails and summarizes messages.Other AI features used by iPhone owners included the Clean Up option in Photos to remove objects with one tap, the Smart Reply in Mail and Messages to help draft responses, the Natural Language Search feature in Photos, Transcription Summaries to generate a summary of an audio message or phone call, the Memory Movie feature in Photos to create customized movies and slideshows, and the enhanced Siri with a better grasp of language and the ability to switch between voice and text. More
piranka/Getty Images Agentic AI is on the rise — some reports predict that 25% of businesses will deploy it next year (whether they’re ready to or not). AI company Blitzy believes it has the autonomous powerhouse to keep up, without sacrificing human oversight. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts-based company announced Blitzy Platform, an agentic system that “batch-builds […] More
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETThose who like to spice up text messages with emojis may get tired of using the same old generic images. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could create your own emojis? Now, you can, if you own an iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence.Unveiled in iOS/iPadOS 18.2, a new feature called Genmoji lets you cook up your custom emoji. Just describe the character or object you envision, and Apple’s AI does its best to match your description. You can then insert your new emoji in a message, copy it, share it, add a caption, and save it as a sticker to reuse it. Here’s how this process works.Also: Apple Intelligence will improve Siri in 2024, but don’t expect most updates until 2025To use any of the Apple Intelligence AI features, including Genmoji, you must have the right device. That means any iPhone 16 More
ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 USB-C cable with power meter. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETIf you’re a professional repair technician, then having one or more USB power meters in your toolkit is essential. These devices are invaluable as they provide a quick and efficient means of diagnosing issues. A USB power meter can instantly read voltage and amperage, what power protocols are being used, and much more, helping technicians pinpoint power-related problems with various devices. This capability makes them an indispensable, time-saving tool in the fast-paced environment of electronic repairs.Also: My favorite USB-C stocking stuffers for tech-savvy friends and familyBut if you’re a hobbyist, investing over $100 in a high-end, feature-packed USB power meter might not make sense. For most enthusiasts, a simpler power meter that covers the basics is more than sufficient. Such a device can provide essential readings like voltage and current, which are typically all that’s needed to carry out routine checks and minor repairs. This way, hobbyists can enjoy the practical benefits of a USB power meter without the steep cost associated with more advanced models.This is what the ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 More
Getty Images/Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library Slowly but surely, Starlink is growing into a leading broadband internet alternative. Its network of low Earth orbit satellites ensures its users high-speed internet access, even in areas where traditional infrastructure such as cell towers can’t reach. Now, that technology can provide service to your mobile device. On Monday, T-Mobile […] More
Screenshot by Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETOpenAI upped the ante in the video generation space earlier this month, making Sora — its state-of-the-art text-to-video generator model — available to ChatGPT Plus users with Sora Turbo. Now, Google is gearing up to compete with the launch of its most advanced video generator. On Monday, Google launched Veo 2, a text-to-video generator that boasts improvements from the company’s previous model, including a better understanding of real-world physics, which helps the AI produce better generations with more detail and realism, according to Google. Also: This new Google AI tool lets you easily generate images from other photos – no prompt requiredThe videos generated can reach up to 4K resolution and, Google said, can tackle common video generator challenges — including hallucinations such as extra fingers. When evaluated by human raters against other leading video models, including Sora Turbo, Kiling v1.5, and Meta Movie Gen, Veo 2 was voted best on overall performance and prompt adherence. More
