Robotics

Jason Hiner/ZDNETEver since upgrading to iOS 18, my iPhone’s battery life has taken a serious hit. Things only got worse with subsequent releases, and nothing has been improved by the latest 18.3.1 security patch. By lunchtime, my battery is rarely above 40%, and I’ve had to make power banks my new best friends.Also: Can rebooting your iPhone really make it run faster? I tried it every day to find outDay or night, the battery drain has been relentless — far worse than anything I remember with previous updates. Even Low Power Mode barely makes a difference, leaving me constantly searching for a charger.I decided to investigateSo, a few weeks ago, I began looking into the issue.For any battery drain problem, the first place I always look is under the Battery screen in Settings. This section is a treasure trove of information, not only related to the battery but also to the apps that are running and consuming power. Two charts are displayed here: Battery Level, which shows how the charge level changes at 15-minute intervals, and Activity, which uses a bar chart to illustrate which apps have been active and using battery power in hourly intervals. You can tap on the bars for a deeper dive into what’s been happening on your iPhone during that period.But other than elevated usage by Home & Lock Screen (basically, any activity on the lock screen, such as notifications or widgets), there was nothing out of the ordinary. I did try disabling the iPhone’s always-on display — the setting to do this is under Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display — but to no avail.The problem persisted. More

ZDNETMicrosoft just added a small feature to the Outlook app, but it’s one that’s going to be incredibly useful and potentially save you time.Starting today, you can minimize an email, switch to another task, and then return to your message.No more digging through draftsIf you’re like me, you often send emails on your phone. If you find yourself writing a message and then needing to find a piece of information, though, the process is clunky.Let’s say you’re sending an email but need to check your calendar or copy something from a text. You have to exit your email entirely, find the information, go back to your email app, find your message in drafts, open it again, and continue. It’s not necessarily a huge inconvenience, but it’s frustrating — especially if you’re in a hurry.Also: This easy email trick will make your inbox clutter vanish – automagicallyWith Microsoft’s new feature, you don’t have to dig through drafts to see what you were working on. Just tap the minimize button, and your message will shrink to the bottom, where you can tap the button to open it right back up. You can easily look through other emails or head to another app entirely if you need to.If you switch out of a Gmail message, it adds the draft to the current thread, making it easy to find if you’re replying to a message at the top of your inbox. If it’s a new message or you’re replying to an older one, though, off to your drafts you go. More

ZDNETThe next time you play a game on your cell phone, you might just be paying your bill instead.Ad It Up is a popular app that lets users earn points by playing games, answering surveys, watching videos, scanning receipts, and shopping. Now, Metro, T-Mobile’s popular prepaid provider, has partnered with the app to let you use those points toward next month’s bill.How it all worksWhen you download Ad It Up More

ZDNETThere are myriad reasons your internet connection might be slow. There is a checklist for troubleshooting most of these issues, and the solutions range from surprisingly easy to complex and expensive.Also: Slow home internet? 3 simple things I always check first for faster Wi-FiThe problem of internet “throttling,” though, is not on a typical troubleshooting checklist because it is intentionally perpetrated by your internet service provider. Your slow connection may have nothing at all to do with failing hardware, software, or the positioning of your router.Why would an ISP deliberately slow down your data feed? An ISP might deliberately slow down your connection in order to manage network congestion, enforce data caps on your plan, or prioritize certain types of traffic. A more insidious reason might be the ISP’s intention to influence your personal internet habits. For example, your provider might slow down specific websites and applications to steer customers away from Amazon Prime or Netflix in favor of using the ISP’s own streaming platform instead.Moreover, throttling can be used as a leverage tool to extract higher payments from companies. By slowing down the load times for a particular service, ISPs can pressure the company to pay for faster speeds for its customers. The additional costs incurred by the company are directly passed on to its subscribers in the form of higher fees or prices. More

ZDNETOur businesses are undergoing an AI transformation. Increasing numbers of professionals use generative AI and machine learning to complete mundane tasks and spend more time on the activities that matter most.Also: AI transformation is a double-edged sword. Here’s how to avoid the risksBusiness and digital leaders are charged with turning these initial forays with emerging technology into a long-term competitive advantage. Here are three ways to ensure AI changes your organization for the better.1. Increase time spent on value-adding activitiesDave Moyes, partner for information and digital systems at architect SimpsonHaugh, said his firm uses AI in three key areas: word AI, image AI, and generative AI (Gen AI).Word AI is a productivity boon. The practice is introducing automation to help staff reduce the hours spent on time-intensive tasks such as preparing emails, creating meeting minutes, and developing site reports.The practice uses Gen AI for parametric design, where building elements and engineering components are shaped using algorithmic processes rather than direct, manual manipulation.Also: How Gen AI means better customer experiences – see one bank’s approachMoyes told ZDNET that this branch of AI is well-established in architecture. His firm hones its approach using tools like Autodesk Forma and the Grasshopper visual programming interface in Rhino.”Something as simple as the orientation of a building can make a massive difference, particularly when dealing with tall towers,” he said.”Being able to rotate the building by 10 degrees to see the effect of the wind is quick with AI. Previously, that process would have required a specialist and taken many hours.”Moyes said the good news is that the automation enabled by Gen AI means staff spend less time on paperwork and more time on value-adding activities.”Architects can focus on design because the technology removes many of the questions around compliance.”Also: Your AI transformation depends on these 5 business tacticsFinally, the practice uses image AI — and the specialist tool, ComfyUI — to help professionals generate early-stage design proposals based on sketches and prompts.”Early-stage architecture is a sales pitch around the vision for the scheme, the context within the city, the benefits to the environment, and the benefits to the clients. Image generation allows us to enhance the sales pitch,” he said.”Our staff might say, ‘Give me an image of somebody sitting in a bedroom overlooking the beach.’ Generating that image within a large language model is easy.”However, Moyes cautioned other business leaders to ensure highly skilled humans stay in the loop.”For example, the tools may not understand what a dual-aspect apartment is,” he said. “So, there’s still a level of input required from the architect to say, ‘Actually, the scheme this AI tool has created is not right.’ The technology still needs somebody to validate the data.” More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Asus Zenbook A14 will be available in late February, 2025. Asus’ new ultraportable is a fantastic balance of innovation and value with a brilliant OLED display, competitive hardware, and a satisfying physical form. While its use case is clearly defined, the laptop has its limits when it comes to high-end […] More

The middle of winter is the perfect time to find a protective and stylish case for your iPad Pro. After all, a premium iPad Pro case is a necessary investment to safeguard your expensive tech. You will need a case that combines versatility, aesthetics, and durability to transform your tablet into a powerful ultra-portable computer. Also: The best iPads of 2025: Expert testedOur team has rigorously tested the best iPad Pro cases on the market to help you make an informed decision. From cases with robust drop protection to those with built-in trackpads, there’s something to suit everyone’s unique needs because when you’ve invested in an iPad Pro, it is crucial to protect it with a good-looking, functional, and tough case. Also: The 4 most exciting iPad Pro 2024 features (and what they can do for you)What’s the best iPad Pro case right now? Right now, our top pick for the best iPad Pro case is the Zugu 11-inch More

ZDNETThere are myriad reasons your internet connection might be slow. There is a checklist for troubleshooting most of these issues, and the solutions range from surprisingly easy to complex and expensive.Also: Slow home internet? 3 simple things I always check first for faster Wi-FiThe problem of internet “throttling,” though, is not on a typical troubleshooting checklist because it is intentionally perpetrated by your internet service provider. Your slow connection may have nothing at all to do with failing hardware, software, or the positioning of your router.Why would an ISP deliberately slow down your data feed? An ISP might deliberately slow down your connection in order to manage network congestion, enforce data caps on your plan, or prioritize certain types of traffic. A more insidious reason might be the ISP’s intention to influence your personal internet habits. For example, your provider might slow down specific websites and applications to steer customers away from Amazon Prime or Netflix in favor of using the ISP’s own streaming platform instead.Moreover, throttling can be used as a leverage tool to extract higher payments from companies. By slowing down the load times for a particular service, ISPs can pressure the company to pay for faster speeds for its customers. The additional costs incurred by the company are directly passed on to its subscribers in the form of higher fees or prices. More