Robotics

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETThose of you with Microsoft 365 subscriptions may have noticed that Copilot now pops up in Word and other applications in the suite. How did it get there when you didn’t buy or request Copilot and don’t necessarily want it? Blame it on Microsoft’s usual sleight of hand.Also: The Microsoft 365 Copilot launch was a total disasterIn an effort to push Copilot, Microsoft has added the AI to its Microsoft 365 Family and Personal plans. Open Excel, PowerPoint, or OneNote, and you’ll now see a Copilot icon on the ribbon. That’s not so bad, as you can easily ignore it. But launch Microsoft Word, and Copilot gets in your face with an icon in the left margin and a huge, annoying message prompting you to “Draft with Copilot.” More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf you have a Samsung account you haven’t used in a while, consider checking on it to see if there’s anything you need. Otherwise, it might get deleted.Until now, inactive Samsung accounts have been left untouched. If you switched phones to another brand, you had a little assurance that your old information would still be there if you ever needed it or decided to go back to Samsung someday. Also: Grab the Samsung Galaxy S25 for up to $560 off – here’s howThat’s changing soon.In a recent email to affected customers (first reported by sammobile.com), the company said it’s implementing a new policy for inactive accounts starting July 31. If a user hasn’t logged in for 24 months, that account, and everything associated with it — like Samsung Cloud data, stored photos, device backups, Samsung Wallet and Samsung Health details, downloaded apps, Find My Mobile data, and more — will be deleted.  More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The RayNeo Air 3S is available for $269 These XR glasses provide advanced micro-OLED screens, dual speaker chamber design, and a 201-inch screen visual experience There are no light-blocking shades or electrochromic dimming capability, and productivity support is limited to native MacOS and Windows support. more buying choices Just about every […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Oukitel WP100 Titan is a feature-packed phone that starts at $999 on Amazon. With a built-in projector, massive battery, rugged chassis, and powerful light, this phone is ideal for outdoorsy types. It’s also massive and weighs nearly 1.5 pounds. –> I have in my hand the single heaviest phone I’ve […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETApple will hold its annual WWDC conference in a few days, and the leaks about what might be announced are pouring out at full speed. I recently told you how the company is reportedly planning a massive UI overhaul called Solarium for every corner of its software ecosystem. Shortly after that, reports emerged that Apple would also rename its operating systems to follow a year-based convention, with iOS 19 being called iOS 26. Now, 9to5Mac has the scoop on what, specifically, iOS 26 will introduce.Also: iOS 19 may give your iPhone a big battery life upgrade – without you needing to do a thing9to5Mac has a solid track record when it comes to Apple leaks. So when it reveals what the next major iteration of Apple’s mobile software could bring in terms of upgrades, you listen. While the Solarium redesign, which is thought to be the biggest visual overhaul since iOS 7, will undoubtedly steal the spotlight, some of the under-the-radar changes could be equally exciting.What’s coming to iOS 26?When Apple unveils iOS 26, it will supposedly discuss a few new features and software upgrades coming to Messages, Music, Notes, CarPlay, and more. Keep in mind that none of this has been revealed by Apple just yet. I’ve contacted the company for a comment, but I do not expect it to confirm 9to5Mac’s reporting. It will use WWDC 2025 to reveal the new features in iOS 26.Also: Skip the iPad Pro and save $50 on Apple’s newest 11th Gen iPad right nowMessagesiOS 26 will bring AI-powered real-time translation to Messages, automatically detecting and translating incoming texts and your replies so recipients can see them in their language. It will also add polls. You’ll be able to tap a new “Poll” button, enter your question and options, and everyone in a chat can vote, with results updating in real time. Apple Intelligence will even suggest poll options based on your conversation. So, if you’re deciding on dinner, it might offer “pizza,” “burgers,” or “sushi” as poll choices.Apple MusicThis isn’t the biggest change, but you can expect animated album art — which is already a thing inside Apple Music — to appear on your Lock Screen. So, when your iPhone is locked, album artwork should appear to come to life, in full-screen glory. NotesAnother small feature reportedly coming to the iPhone with iOS 26 should make some note‐takers and writers happy: they’ll get the ability to export notes in Markdown from Apple Notes. Until now, doing this required third‐party apps.CarPlay9to5Mac reports that Apple plans to bring the Solarium design language to CarPlay with iOS 26. That means it’ll likely update menus, buttons, and widgets to match your iPhone’s and iPad’s new look. Earlier reports had mentioned that iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, TVOS, and VisionOS are all set to receive this visual overhaul — but now, it appears CarPlay will, too. Since Solarium is all about bright, translucent elements, you can expect CarPlay to look more modern and lightweight after the update. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Crucial X10 portable SSD is available now, starting at $139 for the 1TB version. It’s a super small SSD drive that will go anywhere, and the IP65 rating means that it can shrug off rain and dirt. It’s not exactly cheap, as the durability comes with a cost. –> For […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWhether you’re considering buying a new TV or your old flat panel seems to be doing fine, there are still ways to optimize your viewing experience, and it all begins with your television’s settings. Let’s explore some of the key factors determining how your TV performs and what you can do to make it look even better.1. Turn down the sharpnessThe sharper the picture, the better. Right? Not necessarily.Contrary to popular belief, the “sharpness” setting on your TV doesn’t affect the actual sharpness of the displayed image. True sharpness is determined by factors such as screen resolution, source material resolution, and contrast. Instead, the sharpness setting alters the artificial edge enhancement — a processor-driven adjustment that can introduce unwanted noise and, ironically, distort details in the image.Also: I replaced my 4K TV with a UST projector – and the visual upgrade was worth itEdge enhancement is designed to make on-screen objects more distinct by emphasizing the boundaries between them, theoretically creating a more lifelike image. However, this feature acts like a universal Instagram filter, potentially leading to an unnatural appearance in some media. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Lenovo’s ThinkStation P3 Tiny is available now starting at $769, but upgrades will bring it up to $2,000. There’s some powerful hardware here packed into a tiny frame, and pro users will appreciate its upgradeability and support for up to six monitors. Higher-tier configurations are pricey, the power supply is almost […] More