Eliana Willis

Though I mostly enjoy mowing my lawn, I can’t say I always look forward to it. After getting a robot mower, what used to be quiet time with my mower has turned into quality active time with my kids, and I’ll never complain about that. A robot mower functions like a robot vacuum and mop, with sensors to navigate obstacles and stay within boundaries while cutting grass and a companion app for control.Also: This futuristic portable battery kept my home running during an outage. Here’s howUnlike a robot vacuum, a robot mower uses a physical boundary, such as a buried wire along a perimeter, or a combination of GPS and LiDAR navigation aided by a satellite antenna to autonomously mow within a specified area. Because robot mowers are battery-powered, they’re also a sustainable alternative to traditional gas-powered mowers. But all these features and differences can make choosing the right one for your yard difficult.  What is the best robot mower right now?After testing some of the top robot mowers on the market, ZDNET’s pick for the best robot mower overall is the Mammotion Luba 2 More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETSince the early 2000s, I’ve always set my Linux desktops to focus follows mouse. What is that mysterious feature? It’s actually quite simple. By default, most OS desktops require you to click on a window before it gets focus. Essentially, you’ve had to move the cursor to the window and then click on the window before you can use it.Focus follows mouse does away with that last step, so, all you have to do is move your mouse to a window, and it automatically gets focus.Say, for instance, you’re working with two different terminal window apps (or two completely different apps,) and you want to quickly switch between them. With both of those windows on your desktop, all you have to do is move the mouse to one, use it, and then move your mouse to the other.Also: How to easily use Cloudflare’s secure DNS on your Mac and why it even mattersEven better, there’s a feature called auto raise that not only gives the new window focus but also automatically raises the window. If you’re using two widows and one is behind the other, you can hover your mouse over any part of the background window, and it will get focus and auto-raise so you can start working.I find that focus follows mouse and auto-raise makes the desktop much easier to use, and you can have that feature on MacOS with a simple app called AutoRaise.There is one caveat with using focus follows mouse and AutoRaise. If you use Stage Manager, it won’t really be all that effective. If you don’t use Stage Manager, you’ll find AutoRaise to be a real boon to your efficiency.Let me show you how it’s done.How to install AutoRaise on your MacWhat you’ll need: The only thing you’ll need for this is a MacOS device. I’ll demonstrate the process with a MacBook Pro running MacOS 15.1.1. That’s it — let’s make some desktop magic. More

mbortolino/Getty Images As we’re seeing across all kinds of industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is the next frontier in education. Now one charter school network is experimenting with using AI to teach students — and it’s expanding its reach across the US.  Just before the holidays, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools became the latest to approve an all-virtual, […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETiOS 18.2 rolled out just a month ago, introducing new features like Visual Intelligence and Image Playground. The AI updates may have taken center stage, but the patch also added several quality-of-life improvements to iPhones that you may not be aware of. They range from changing the layout of the Lock Screen to additional controls on the Photos app. The patch is quite large, so instead of going through every single update, we will highlight the most impactful changes. Also: The best iPhones you can buy right now (and if you should upgrade to iPhone 16)After you’re done reading, you can install iOS 18.2 on your iPhone by opening the Settings menu and then going to General. Tap Software Update to find the patch. Be aware that you will need a phone capable of supporting iOS 18, like the iPhone 13 Pro. Note that the Apple Intelligence features are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16 series. Unfortunately, older models don’t support them.1. New layout controls More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Configurations for Lenovo’s LOQ Tower 17IRR9 start at $899. The computer is a great option for people looking for a well-performing, compact, and affordable computer. However, because of its small size, it has a limited number of available ports. more buying choices Lenovo’s Legion series is positioned as the company’s flagship gaming […] More

The design in Apple’s new 2024 iPad Pro lineup is much slimmer than previous Pro models, and you’ll find Apple’s powerful M4 processor. This chip consists of a new 10-core GPU, next-generation machine learning accelerators to handle a diverse range of tasks, and ProMotion technology, enabling variable screen refresh rates ranging from 10 to 120Hz.ZDNET reviews editor June Wan tested the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro, and said he was especially impressed by the new Tandem OLED screen. “In practice, Tandem OLED makes the iPad Pro a phenomenal tablet for visual experiences. I’ve been able to complete text-heavy and photo-editing work — which often require adequate viewing angles — under a New York City sun that thinks it’s already summer,” Wan wrote in his review. “Watching Netflix and Disney+ on the iPad is straight eye candy; colors pop, and the darker, moodier scenes have a level of shadow detail unseen on older Pro models.”Review: Apple iPad Pro (7th generation)The Pro also supports the new Apple Pencil Pro, which has a range of features, including a squeeze gesture for quick tool, color, and other changes, a gyroscope for precise control of pens and brush tools with a simple rotation, and custom haptic feedback that you can feel via a pulse. It also pairs with the newly revamped Magic Keyboard, which is thinner and lighter, has a larger trackpad, and a new row of function keys this year, making the keyboard case more essential than ever for the full iPad experience. For most of us, getting the M4 iPad Pro would be like buying a Ferrari to commute five miles to work and never going over 30mph. Make no mistake, this machine is screaming fast, has a stunning display, and the Apple Pencil Pro is an incredible digital tool. But, this is a machine for the highest of high-end professionals. Unless you are an artist or a designer using the Apple Pencil Pro with it every day, or you are a filmmaker using it to view footage or even start your first edits in the field — or putting it to use in other creative fields — then we’d recommend sticking to the standard iPad.iPad Pro (7th generation) specs: Display: 11- or 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion | Processor: Apple Silicon M4 | Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB | Biometrics: Face ID | Colors: Silver, space black | Cameras: 12MP wide (4K, ProRes), Landscape 12MP ultra-wide | Weight: 11-inch: .98 pounds, 13-inch: 1.28 pounds | Dimensions: 9.83 x 6.99 x .21 inches or 11.09 x 8.48 x 0.20 inches | Connections: USB-C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4 | Battery life: Up to 10 hours of surfing the web More

Looking for a TV to take your gaming to the next level or to make movie night special? Need something for everyday viewing? Samsung’s newest additions to their TV line-up offer plenty of reasons to consider upgrading your old Samsung set. The latest TVs provide the premium video and audio quality Samsung is known for, along with a 144Hz for smoother action in movies, shows, and games. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s a Samsung set that will fit your needs.Also: The best TVs you can buyWhat is the best Samsung TV right now?ZDNET staff went hands-on with plenty of Samsung TV models, and our pick for the best Samsung TV overall is the Samsung S95D More