Robotics

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETMicrosoft is overhauling its sign-in screens to make it easier to authenticate your account using passkeys and other passwordless methods. In a blog post published Wednesday, Robin Goldstein, partner director of product management for Microsoft Identity, said that the new sign-in process will appear in Outlook, Xbox, Windows, and Microsoft 365, among other services.Also: The best security keysThe new screens have already been popping up, starting with Xbox this past month. The rollout will continue through the end of April. At that point, the more than 3 billion Microsoft users around the world should see the revamped process when they log in to Windows on their PCs and to Microsoft’s platforms on the web. Streamlining the authentication UXOne of the main goals of the new process is to help people more easily use passwordless options, such as passkeys, facial recognition, and fingerprint scans. The current sign-in screens still emphasize passwords as the default login method. But given the move toward easier and more secure forms of authentication, a change has been needed. “Streamlining the authentication UX [user experience] design allowed us to rethink the default experiences for sign-in, putting even greater emphasis on usability and security,” Goldstein said. “Over the last few years, we’ve introduced several enhancements, including the ability to completely remove the password from your account and support for passkey sign-in instead of using a password. Our new UX is optimized for a passwordless and passkey-first experience.” Also: Microsoft is changing the way you sign in – and it could be a security nightmareThe new experience starts with the sign-up process. If you sign up for a Microsoft service with an existing email address, you won’t be prompted to create a password. Instead, you’ll receive a one-time security code via email that you’ll then verify to gain access. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be asked to create a passkey. If you do so, your passkey will become the default sign-in option whenever possible. “By bringing your own email address to a new Microsoft account, you start in a recoverable state, and you don’t have to create a new Microsoft password that could be easily forgotten or guessed by an attacker,” Goldstein explained. “All you need to do is verify the email with a one-time code, and this becomes the default credential for your new account, so you start off passwordless. Not only that, but you now have an email address attached to your account if you ever need to recover your account or get started on a new device.” Also: These 10 weak passwords can leave you vulnerable to remote desktop attacksMicrosoft is also revamping the flow of the sign-in screens. Depending on how you currently log in, you may have to contend with multiple screens, each with its own choices. That can make the entire experience too complex and cumbersome. The new process promises to reorder the screens in a more intuitive way and simplify each screen so they all flow more smoothly. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The TCL QM8 (2024) features rich colors and searing brightness. It has enhanced audio over 2023’s model, while still being easy to set up and navigate. I wish the viewing angles weren’t somewhat limited, and you’ll want to wait for a deal to buy one. more buying choices Best Buy is […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSince 2014, Google’s Chromecast has been an affordable means for helping viewers turn their older model TVs into smart TVs, allowing them to stream content from their phones, tablets, and computers to a bigger screen. Also: Is your Chromecast still throwing errors? This fix will get you streaming againAlas, the era of the Chromecast has come to an end. Google is replacing it with the Google TV Streamer, promising a faster processor, Thread and Matter integration, and the ability to summarize TV episodes or whole seasons, among other new tricks.But that doesn’t mean the Chromecast is obsolete yet; in fact, Google has promised to continue providing software and security updates for now. I found a number of cool things anyone can do with their trusty Chromecast that most users are unaware of. More

Current price: $200 for the lowest priced ringOriginal price: $250If you’ve heard anything about smart rings, you’ve probably heard about the Oura Ring. It’s one of the original smart rings that tracks and displays your sleep data (in my opinion, better than Apple), monitors your stress, and automatically logs your activity. In recent years, the updates to heart health, women’s health, stress, and more have made the Oura Ring an immensely impressive and competitive health tracker. There’s even a feature, called Symptom Radar, that can tell you when you’re about to get sick. Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4The Oura Ring 3, available in the full circle Horizon or the circular-but-indented Heritage, are discounted by up to $100 right now. That’s because Oura released its fourth-generation ring in October, and the third-generation is on its way out. But you’ll still have access to all those aforementioned features that make the Oura Ring special. What you’ll miss out on, however, is one more day of battery life and flat sensors inside the ring’s exterior.  More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The GE Profile Opal 2.0 nugget ice maker is a smart kitchen appliance that sells for $599. This machine will do the trick if you want those satisfyingly munchable ice pellets often served at fast food restaurants It’s also operable via a mobile app. It’s pricey, especially given what it is, […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Blackview BL9000 Pro is available now on Amazon for $800. It’s a rugged, feature-rich phone that’s ready for anything you can throw at it, and has a very long battery life. Its thick, chunky form factor definitely isn’t for everyone. –> Amazon has discounted the Blackview BL9000 Pro by $180 […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETChatGPT is a popular AI chatbot created by OpenAI. It launched in late 2022 and has been continually improving ever since with each new update and model release. You can ask it to do anything — whether it’s writing emails or essays, generating images and videos, brainstorming ideas, translating languages, helping with coding, or simply answering random questions. Also: Research suggests heavy ChatGPT use might make you lonelierOpenAI offers a free version ChatGPT as well as paid plans with extra features for those who want to do more with it. In this guide, I’ll show you how to get started and make the most of ChatGPT for whatever you need. How to use ChatGPT What you’ll need: A computer or phone with an internet connection. ChatGPT is a website or app, and it’s free to get started with it. More

Yutthana Gaetgeaw/Getty Images Generative AI is starting to deliver promising but limited results. However, the IT industry is pushing full speed ahead to the next level of automation, agentic AI. Since AI can’t yet design, build, and deploy agents, it’s up to humans to learn to create and target these agents productively. But this development […] More