Robotics

Jason Hiner/ZDNETYour AirPods Max might be getting a long-awaited free audio upgrade. Also: The best AirPods: Expert-tested and reviewedIn an announcement this week, Apple said that its high-end AirPods are getting lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio via a software update next month. This marks the first upgrade to the device since it launched over four years ago (except for the port change from Lightning to USB-C). The catchUnfortunately, this only applies to models with a USB-C connector and not to the previous generation of AirPods Max with a Lightning connector (due to the way the Lightning cable converts the signal, it’s not totally lossless). Also: 6 ways the new AirPods Max could have been so much better”With the included USB-C cable,” Apple explained, “users can enjoy the highest-quality audio across music, movies, and games, while music creators can experience significant enhancements to songwriting, beat making, production, and mixing.” Lossless audio is a form of audio compression. Most audio files lose data from the original source, but lossless audio is essentially audio straight from the production team. Bluetooth connections don’t support lossless audio, meaning you need to use a wired connection. Apple’s $549 headphones More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Kindle Colorsoft is available now for $279. It has a bright display (even in direct sunlight), customizable color settings, and zippy performance while browsing titles and turning pages. It could be a bit larger to get the full effect of the color display. more buying choices The new Amazon Kindle Colorsoft–> is […] More

ZDNETEarlier this month, Google introduced AI Mode — an AI chatbot that replies to search queries and works much like ChatGPT Search. While it began as an exclusive feature for Google One AI Premium users who pay $20 a month, it’s now open to all Google account holders.Also: Gemini just got ChatGPT’s best productivity feature, plus Audio Overviews”Today we’re expanding access to AI Mode beyond Google One AI Premium subscribers in the US, as we begin taking people off the Labs waitlist,” explained Robby Stein, Google Search’s vice president of product. “We’re hearing early users really appreciate the ability to get AI responses for tougher questions, along with fresh, high-quality info and the option to keep exploring through follow-ups and helpful web links.” More

<!–> Adam Breeden/ZDNET When does Amazon’s Spring Sale end? The 2025 Big Spring Sale is slated to end Monday, March 31. However, as with most Amazon sales, we expect to see some lingering offers after the sale officially ends, as well as live offers from other retailers. We’ll keep you updated with all the best […] More

Jada Jones/ZDNETIf you’re an Android user wanting a pair of premium earbuds, look no further than the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. Google’s second-generation flagship earbuds debuted last fall with improved noise-canceling capabilities, a smaller bud shape, enhanced sound quality, and Google Gemini integration. Also: Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is live: The 95+ best tech deals to shopThe Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 normally retail for $229, but they’re currently on for $179 at Amazon More

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETThe first time I used an anti-reflective display on a personal device was last year when I reviewed the Galaxy S24 Ultra. I was amazed by the quality-of-life improvements it brought to my daily use — and I wanted to see it on more devices. Therefore, I wasn’t too pleased when Apple priced its nano-texture iPad Pro out of budget by limiting it to the 1TB variant. I wanted a flagship iPad with an anti-reflective screen, but that price made the feature inaccessible. Finally, I’ve found a great tablet with a nanotexture display that doesn’t break the bank.Also: I tried to replace my MacBook Pro with the M3 iPad Air – then the reality of iPadOS struck meThe Xiaomi Pad 7 More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The 2024 Mac Mini is considerably smaller and faster, has two USB-C ports on the front, and upgrades the base RAM from 8GB to 16GB, all while staying at the $599 starting price (when not on sale). While you could pair this compact computer with Apple’s premium – albeit high-priced – […] More

fotograzia/Getty Images The internet (and especially my inbox) has been awash with buzz about vibe coding, a term coined by a former OpenAI founder and master programmer who waxed poetic about using an AI to do a lot of his coding’s more prosaic work. I went into substantial depth about that post and the definition […] More