Robotics

Kerry Wan/ZDNETPixel phones have an excellent reputation for smart software, but battery life has been a common complaint with Google’s smartphones. Thankfully, that same smart software is now improving battery life and longevity, though many features aren’t set up for maximum endurance out of the box. I’ve found that a handful of features can dramatically improve how long your Pixel lasts, both in a single day and over the long haul.Also: I’ve owned every Google Pixel flagship phone since the first – here’s why 2025 will be differentHere are the battery tweaks I rely on with my Pixel, and how you can set them up for the best results.1. Use Battery Saver and Extreme Battery Saver modes More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETGoogle’s Pixel phones aren’t the only ones with battery-saving secrets to explore. Motorola offers almost as many features inside its menus. After three weeks with the Moto Razr Ultra and separately, the Moto G Stylus 2025, I discovered a handful of tweaks hiding in plain sight that you’ll likely find on your Motorola device if you know where to look.1. Battery Saver keeps the lights on when your gauge hits the red More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysUnplug at 100%, keep battery between 20% and 80%.Avoid draining to 0%; store unused tablets at 50%.Use certified chargers to prevent stress and overheating.As someone who uses a tablet daily, I’m constantly looking for ways to make its battery last longer. However, some habits you don’t think twice about could actually be hurting your battery over time. There are ways to extend your tablet’s battery life, and there are some things you should avoid that do the opposite.Also: These 7 common household items were draining power all day – until I pulled the plugMost tablets offer six to eight hours of use on a single charge, though battery life diminishes with age and continued use. While there are many things you can do to conserve battery life, here are the ones you should avoid to ensure your battery’s longevity. 1. Leaving your tablet plugged in overnight This isn’t always a problem with newer tablets, but most tablets on the market will suffer from being left plugged in overnight. Tablets typically charge to 100% and stop using electricity. However, leaving your tablet plugged in can cause it to continue trickle-charging to keep the battery full, which can stress the battery over time and diminish its lifespan. Instead, unplug your tablet when its battery reaches 100%. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to keep your battery charged between 20% and 80%. Also: Why I recommend this Samsung tablet over pricier models – especially the UltraLike all the common charging mistakes we make with our tablets, leaving it plugged in overnight once or twice won’t permanently damage it. Battery damage happens when these incorrect practices become a habit and are followed often. 2. Letting the battery drain to 0% (and forgetting it) More

Voltme Hypercore 10K power bank <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Voltme’s Hypercore 10K power bank is available on Amazon for $23. It’s very compact and easy to carry, with both USB-C and USB-A ports to charge two devices simultaneously. Its small but chunky, as some might prefer a flatter charger. –> Power banks are a tradeoff: […] More

Google ZDNET’s key takeaways: World models could help to advance AI research, entertainment, etc. Genie 3, Google DeepMind’s world model, debuted on Tuesday. Google DeepMind says Genie 3 has an “understanding” of the world. Imagine exploring a virtual environment without boundaries, where everything you see looks and behaves just as it would in reality. This […] More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWith the adoption of remote and hybrid working, having a reliable internet connection at home is imperative — not just for one device, but for several. If you have a family, maybe even dozens. So what’s better, one single access point, or a mesh network spread about the home?The answer depends on how your home and office are set up and what kind of connection you need. Wi-Fi routers are so good these days that a single access point is often the most straightforward solution. But if you have a larger home or your office is located far away from your router, a mesh network could be a game-changer, boosting the signal no matter where you are.  Also: The best VPN routers of 2025If you’re not sure of the difference, that’s okay, too. Let’s examine both types of connection and consider their pros and cons to determine which one is best for you. What is a traditional Wi-Fi router?A traditional router acts as a central hub for internet connectivity. The router acquires the connection from your internet service provider (ISP), and then allows other devices around the home to connect to it, either via Wi-Fi, or by simply plugging in an Ethernet cable. Typically, routers are password-protected so only your household can connect to it.  You should buy a traditional Wi-Fi router if… More

GIMP / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETI’ve been using image editors for a very long time. I’ve used them for article images, book covers, promos, flyers, and just about everything in between. Some might expect I’d be turning to an operating system like MacOS or Windows for image editing. But they’d be wrong. Linux has plenty of image editing tools, and although not all of them are created equal, each serves a worthwhile purpose. From my perspective, four image editors available for Linux are worth your time and effort. Also: 10 Linux apps I install on every new machine (and why you should, too)Let’s dive in and see what there is to see.1. GIMPGIMP is the obvious first choice here because it’s as close to Photoshop as you’ll find on Linux. GIMP includes all the tools you need to create stunning images from scratch or from existing photos. With the latest release (v3.0), the developers added non-destructive editing, which enables you to make changes to an image without overwriting the original image data. This was a huge step forward for the editor. There are plenty of filters to be found (and you can even install the G’MIC plugin for more). GIMP reads most file formats, and can export to nearly as many. There are also plugins, brushes, a configurable workspace, and all the tools you’ll need.Also: How to create a gradient transparency in GIMPSome of my favorite GIMP features include layers, layer masks, gradients, the fuzzy select tool, smart guides, snapping, and the many filters (and those are just scratching the surface). I’d go so far as to say that GIMP offers more tweaks and configurable options than Photoshop. The only caveat to GIMP is getting used to the interface. If you’ve used Photoshop for years, you’ll have to take some time to get up to speed with the GIMP UI. GIMP can be installed from the standard repositories or via Flatpak. 2. KritaKrita is another Photoshop alternative for Linux that takes image editing a bit further than GIMP with the help of AI plugins. For the longest time, Krita wasn’t taken nearly as seriously as GIMP, but with the latest updates (Krita development moves much faster than GIMP’s), it’s closed the gap quite a bit. Krita is targeted primarily at digital painters and illustrators, and I would say that it’s more user-friendly than GIMP.  More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways The best business leaders ensure people have a platform to air views.Employees need to feel their opinions are heard and valued.Reach out to customers and partners for their sentiments.Great managers don’t just talk a good game; they also deliver results — and great outcomes are often tied to an ability to listen to people effectively.Harvard Business Review suggests that leaders who listen well create company cultures where people feel heard, valued, and engaged. HBR also reports that employees who experience high-quality listening have higher levels of job satisfaction. Also: How AI-enabled autonomous business will change the way you work foreverHere are five techniques you can use to ensure people feel like you’re listening to them effectively. 1. Practice active listening Tim Chilton, managing consultant at Ordnance Survey, the UK’s national mapping service, said he’s chatty but practices active listening every day. He told ZDNET about how some of his earlier workplace experiences, including as a product manager and business analyst, have shaped his current approach to leadership. “You talk to people, but the whole point is, you also let them talk, so you can find out what their requirements are, and then you play those objectives back,” he said. “The whole idea of active listening is that you listen, you learn, and then you say, ‘Here’s my understanding. Is that correct?'” Also: 5 ways to ensure your team gets the credit it deserves, according to business leadersChilton has used that technique for many years. The strategy helps people feel they’ve been listened to because they hear their suggestions played back. “It gives them a chance to refine and comment, and you build a relationship that way, because it’s an interactive conversation,” he said. Chilton said the key to listening actively is spending time with the people you interact with. “Before you go in with your PowerPoint slides saying, ‘This is what you need,’ you do a large round of coffees to find out what’s going on in their world,” he said. “And that initial phase must be a little bit slower than going in all guns blazing. So, success is about active listening and taking your time in that initial relationship-building phase.” More