Robotics

Some people want every aspect of their health and fitness measured and graded, like it’s a test they’re trying to ace. Other people simply want to know that their health is in a generally good shape and receive notifications when something is off. I like the Apple Watch most for this reason. There’s much talk on the internet about how endlessly monitoring your health data can cause excessive stress in wearers and users. Because a lot of this tech, like Oura’s smart ring, Whoop’s fitness band, and Samsung’s ring and smartwatches, provides scores for factors like sleep, fitness, and stress, users report that they experience heightened pressure to achieve high scores—and that pressure is stressing them out. Apple takes a more holistic approach to its data capture and scoring mechanisms. For one, it doesn’t score anything out of 100, unlike the devices I’ve mentioned above. If you wear the smartwatch to bed, Apple’s Vitals app tells you if your overnight vitals, that is, your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration, are within normal or abnormal ranges, notifying you when something is off and keeping you carrying on when nothing is. The watch tracks your time asleep and the various stages you fall into throughout the night, as well as heart rate graphs. Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgradeI don’t use the Apple Watch much for sleep, but I always use it for exercise. The Activity Rings are a simple encouragement to stay active and move throughout the day, and the Fitness app’s seamless workout logging capability, which displays heart rate zones throughout the workout and active calorie burn, is great for quick glances mid-workout. I like the Apple Watch as a health tracker, yes, but also as an iPhone that’s wrapped around my wrist. I can receive calls and texts, set timers, ask Siri questions, and check the weather all through my Apple Watch. It’s a convenient device, especially for workers who can’t check their phone on the job or for people who want to leave their iPhone behind on walks or social outings while still staying minimally connected, if need be. There are a few Apple Watches to choose from, but I prefer the Series 10 over the SE and Ultra 2 thanks to the Series 10’s quick-charging capabilities, long battery life, and an appropriate amount of features for the price. The other two options are either too minimal for my tastes or too expensive for my budget.   More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Baseus MC1 earbuds are availble now on Amazon for $69 Although the sound of the MC1 earbuds won’t blow you away, the comfort and ease of control make up for it You really need to use the Baseus app to get the most out of these earbuds. –> The Baseus […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Perfect way to share 100W of power between three devices. This cable does exactly what it says it will on the box – something that a lot of cables can’t claim. Some might find the 65W limit a bit restrictive for charging laptops. more buying choices Over the past couple of […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Lenovo’s 10th-Gen Yoga Slim 9i retails for $1,760. It’s a lightweight laptop with a striking design and an even more striking 4K OLED touchscreen. However, some will find its lack of ports limiting and the webcam low-quality. more buying choices One of the things I appreciate about Lenovo is its willingness […] More

Lance Whitney/ZDNETMany popular AIs offer a voice mode that enables you to carry on live conversations with a chatbot. Often, chatting by voice is more convenient, more natural, and more fun than trying to converse through text prompts. Plus, you can typically review a transcript of the conversation after you’re done, so you still have access to the actual text.But which AIs are the best conversationalists? I tried chatting by voice with ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Meta AI, and Grok using their respective mobile apps. I started with the same topic to see how each one would react and where the conversation would go.Also: ElevenLabs’ new AI voice assistant can automate your favorite tasks – and you can try it for freeSpecifically, I told each one that our cat, Mr. Giggles, was acting very nervous and anxious lately and that I was worried and didn’t know what to do. This is partly true. Our cat always feels a bit traumatized after he returns home from a vet checkup. That effect goes away after a day or two, but I thought it would be a good topic of conversation.I judged the AIs’ conversational abilities not just on knowledge but on tone and personality, two factors that are important when you’re speaking with a person or a bot. Here’s how the conversations went and which AI I liked best. More

Deagreez/Getty A Gallup poll published Wednesday found that 30% of teachers are using AI weekly — and that it’s saving them “six weeks a year.”   According to data from the 2024 to 2025 school year, 60% of K-12 teachers reported using some kind of AI tool in their work, most commonly to create worksheets […] More

ANDREY DENISYUK/Getty The Trump administration’s tax bill — also called its “big, beautiful bill” — which rounds up key pieces of the president’s agenda, also includes a rule that would prevent states from enforcing their own AI legislation for 10 years, if passed. After an initial budget hiccup, Republican senators successfully amended the rule to […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra battery and inverter unit is available now for $6,299 while the Smart Home Panel 2 is available for $1,899. The single unit has a 6kWh capacity and supports a 7,200W output and 5.6kW solar input, allowing it to run an entire home, especially when stacked with […] More