Robotics

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETLooking for a text-to-speech reader that can add some personality and pizzazz to its voice? ElevenLabs is expanding its Reader app across the world with support for 32 different languages.Handling anything from a PDF to an article to a novel, the app can read aloud to you in hundreds of different voices, including such celebrities as Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds, and Sir Laurence Olivier.Also: 7 Android accessibility features that can make your life easierInitially launched in June, Reader had been limited to the US, the UK, and Canada. But with the latest expansion, the app is now available in several other countries, with support for Portuguese, Spanish, French, Hindi, German, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, Italian, Tamil, and Swedish, as reported by TechCrunch.The latest flavor of the app is powered by ElevenLabs’ new Turbo 2.5 model, which promises higher-quality and lower-latency conversational artificial intelligence (AI). Thanks to the new model, English text-to-speech is now 25% faster. Hindi, French, Spanish, Mandarin, and 27 other languages are three times faster, while support has been added for Vietnamese, Hungarian, and Norwegian.Reader has been available only as an iOS app, but the company recently released a version for Android users. The app is free for the first three months, after which a variety of plans are available More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETWhile Samsung’s latest foldable phones, earbuds, and smart ring have been at the center of attention, if you look past the fanfare, you’ll find a lingering Galaxy device that’s secretly the best wearable deal right now. I’m talking about the Galaxy Watch FE More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETI love my Apple Watch. It’s with me wherever I go, whether that’s to the gym for my (almost) daily workout or to the office so I can check my notifications at a glance. I like switching between the different watch faces, trying to find the right band to fit my style, and replying to messages with the surprisingly accurate QWERTY keyboard on my wrist. Occasionally, I’ll even crack open an app to manage my to-do list or check the tides at Lakes Bay in Atlantic City.View at Amazon More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWhen OnePlus More

It’s my job to be honest with you. So, with that in mind, I would not recommend over-ear headphones for exercising. Over-ear headphones are simply not built for rigorous, strenuous, or super-sweaty workout sessions.Consumer tech companies get their products independently tested to receive an internationally standardized IP rating. Most over-ear headphones don’t have an official IP (ingress protection) rating. Your smartphone probably has an IP68 rating, which means it’s fully protected from water and dust. This high rating is why you can fully submerge your smartphone in water for a short period, and it (hopefully) won’t incur severe damage. On the other hand, your over-ear headphones most likely did not receive a formal IP rating. In fact, none of the headphones featured in this list have an official IP rating. The lack of an IP rating means the company did not formally test the headphones for dust or water ingress, meaning you should assume your over-ears are unprotected from solids (dust) or water splashes, droplets, and sprays.Many over-ear headphones, especially ones with hybrid or active noise-canceling properties, have speakers and microphones on the outside of the ear cups. Water can easily pass through the openings that house the speakers and mics, which can hinder the device’s performance.If you choose to exercise in your over-ears or wear them in the rain, your sweat or rainwater may damage the ear cup fabric or the internal audio components. You also risk water seeping into the buttons or accumulating on the ear cups, which can hinder the buttons’ functionality or interfere with any tap/swipe controls on the ear cups. Not to mention, you’ll increase the heat buildup inside the ear cups if you choose to exercise in your over-ear headphones, which can make them uncomfortable to wear.I suggest investing in a pair of earbuds for exercising, which usually have an IPX4 rating or higher. This rating makes them splash and sweat-resistant and more suitable for rigorous workouts. More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETLast week, Google announced the next generation of Pixel products at its annual Made by Google event, including the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel Watch Pro 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Also: Everything announced at Made by GoogleIf you are looking for a quality pair of earbuds that offer exclusive features for your Google device, the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a great choice. The second generation of Google’s earbuds includes a new Find My Device feature, improved battery life, and better Bluetooth connectivity. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 cost $229 and are available from multiple retailers. However, if you order from Amazon, Best Buy, or the Google Store, you’ll receive a $30 gift card. Best Buy is offering a trade-in deal, too. Here are the best Pixel Buds 2 Pro deals we’ve found so far.View at Google Store More

Denon/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Denon PerL earbuds More

The RefreshOS desktop with the addition of the floating Plasma panel enabled. Jack WallenZDNETAny time I review a distribution based on Debian, I’m pondering two things. First, how does this distro set itself apart from all the other Debian-based distributions? Second, is this a good enough distribution to help lure Windows users to Linux?Most often, a distribution will differentiate itself by a combination of desktop customizations and pre-installed software titles. Those changes depend on the developer’s goals, of course. With RefreshOS, it’s all about user-friendliness, speed, and elegance, which explains why the team chose to combine Debian (one of the most stable operating systems) with Plasma Desktop (one of the most familiar and elegant desktops available).The one-two combination of Debian and Plasma is almost always a sure sign that, no matter how deeply the team has customized the desktop, the distribution will most likely work well for all types of users.Also: The new COSMIC Linux desktop from System76 is out of this worldSuch is the case with RefreshOS. It’s based on Debian, defaults to the Plasma Desktop — with only one specific configuration change (more on that in a bit) — and is a great option for anyone looking to jump ship from Microsoft’s flagship operation system.According to the official RefreshOS website, the distribution “focuses on stability, customization, and seamless Qt integration, with enhanced features and improved performance to meet diverse user needs.” More