Robotics

Kerry Wan/ZDNETDuring the biggest week in tech, we saw CES announcements from giants like Samsung, Google, Nvidia, Asus, Lenovo, LG, and Dell, as well as new and innovative brands with cool concepts. Here’s the stuff that impressed us the most, both in terms of products we think could be worth buying and technologies that will impact the future.Also: We have named the 12 winners for the official Best of CES 2025 awards1. Smart glasses with an invisible display More

Jada Jones/ZDNETAt CES this year, several trends dominate the showcased products, including AI and smart glasses. Despite the fierce competition, Halliday’s smart glasses stood out because of their impressive design and performance, which emphasize comfort.   The Halliday smart glasses unveiled at CES have an invisible display; that is, the display is not built into the lens but rather integrated into the frame. This is made possible by using what the company calls the world’s smallest optical module. Despite its 3.6mm size, the display provides users with a field of view similar to that of a 3.5-inch screen. Also: CES 2025: ZDNET’s 25 products that impressed us the mostThe major advantage of such a small display is that the frames are very light, weighing just 35 grams. Compared to the 48-gram Meta Ray-Bans I wore to the event, these felt noticeably lighter. The frames have a classic, sleek design, a battery that lasts up to 12 hours, a microphone, and speakers — and come in three colors: Amber, Black, and Gradient. Enough of the hardware: Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for — the display.  More

ZDNETThe start of a new year brings a host of resolutions, including a desire to boost personal knowledge and skills. Evidence suggests continuous learning is a resolution you’ll want to keep.Harvard Business Review suggests that skills-based hiring is increasingly important to corporate recruitment strategies. In an era of constant change, professionals who acquire new knowledge are more likely to ascend the career ladder.Also: 4 ways to be a great digital leader during 2025’s tech revolutionSo, how can you focus on continuous learning? Six business leaders share their top tips.1. Keep your eyes openDave Moyes, partner of information and digital systems at SimpsonHaugh Architects, said the best way to learn new things is to stay inquisitive.”Be that five-year-old kid that wants to stick your finger in a hole,” he said.However, acting like a child as a senior professional is easier said than done. Moyes said the key to success is remaining humble.”You’ve got to look at everything with open eyes,” he said. “Somebody always knows more than you do about something, whatever that is.”Also: 5 ways to tell people what to do at workMoyes told ZDNET that continual learners assume nothing and drop any sense of arrogance.”You know a lot of stuff about what you know, but somebody else knows an awful lot, too,” he said. “Just learn from them. Talk to them. The world’s a big place.” More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETGoogle has been a fierce competitor in the AI space with its Gemini assistant, which powers its chatbot and voice assistant on devices. Now, the company is infusing Gemini into Google TV to level up your home entertainment. I got a demo of the upcoming features, and here’s a break down of the best new tools.1. Google Assistant replacementGoogle’s releases at CES 2025 are focused on improving your Google TV experience. One of the biggest updates is the integration of Gemini capabilities on Google TV. This will replace Google Assistant with a much more capable voice assistant, which will help the assistant better understand your requests and provide better assistance.Also: CES 2025: The 13 most impressive products so farWith the upgrade, you’ll now be able to speak to it more seamlessly, using natural language and conversing with Google TV without needing to say “Hey Google,” and using conversational queries to find what you are looking for. For example, in the demo below, the user asked to see movies like Jurassic Park, but for kids. Gemini was able to understand what they meant and provide options.2. Ask more complex queriesUsers can also now ask more complex queries you typically wouldn’t ask the Google Assistant on Google TV. For example, in a demo, the user asked, “Tell me about the solar system for a third grader,” and “Help me plan a vacation spot with great beaches.” In both instances, Gemini was able to quickly generate the answer and display it on the TV, presented in the same way as the photo above.Also: The Google TV Streamer pleasantly surprised me – and I’m an extreme cord cutterRelated YouTube videos will also accompany Gemini answers, since when looking for something on TV, you are likely looking for visual content over standard web text content. You will also be able to use your voice to create AI-generated screensavers and to control your smart home devices more easily. More

Getty Images Almost every aspect of modern life is affected by our connectivity to the Web. On those rare occasions when my internet provider has an outage, life seems to come to a standstill. Everything from logging onto a VPN for work to streaming Spotify is suddenly out of the question. Even many smart home […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWhile this year was only my fourth time at CES, you don’t need to physically be in Vegas to know just how much vaporware floods the show floor. Also: CES 2025: ZDNET’s 25 products that impressed us the mostAt this point, it’s almost an expectation for the flashiest, most promising products at the show to be ones that will either never go on sale or cease to exist in a matter of years — when companies, small and large, shift their focuses to the next big industry buzzword.But if I put all that doubt aside and looked at CES as if it were weeklong programming of QVC, here are three products that would make me yell, “Take my money!”. 1. Mcon MagSafe phone controller More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETRoborock just dropped the mic in the robot vacuum market at CES 2025 with the Saros Z70 robot vacuum launch, which features a mechanical arm to remove obstacles in its path. The company also launched two new robot vacuums, the Saros 10 and Saros 10R.Also: The best robot vacuum we saw at CES 2025 – and 4 others that impressed usThe Saros Z70 features a foldable mechanical arm with OmniGrip technology that deploys itself to remove obstacles under 300 grams or about 8 oz. The five-axis arm will initially be limited to socks, small towels or cloths, tissue papers or napkins, and sandals, but Roborock plans to add more items over time. The Roborock Saros Z70 cleans your floors and identifies objects it can lift in a first pass. Then, the robot returns to pick up the identified items, put them away, and clean the missed areas.  More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The OnePlus 13 is a snappy, nearly no-compromise phone that starts at $899. A Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with a 6,000mAh battery and 80W fast charging, is a recipe for endurance success. IP69 is almost excessive, but you’ll appreciate it when least expected. more buying choices It’s not often that I […] More