Robotics

GPS sports watches are fantastic for long battery life, training guidance, and tracking fitness trends, but on my other wrist I like to mount the best smartwatch available today. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 provides me with cellular connectivity on the go, messaging triage, and a vast number of mobile applications. There isn’t much I can’t do with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but the two-day battery life can be a bit limiting when training for longer events. Despite the colorful, vibrant display, I proved that the Watch Ultra could survive the rocks, water, and stress of a Tough Mudder event.Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in WatchOS 26 WatchOS 26 is bringing Workout Buddy to the Watch Ultra. It is an AI health feature that will consider your fitness history, pace, Activity Rings, Training Load, and more to deliver feedback and encouragement ahead of, during, and after your exercise. With these new features on the way, I may be able to limit myself to a single watch in the near future. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETAt this point in time, three things are certain when July comes along: backyard barbecues, fireworks past midnight, and Samsung Unpacked. Also: The best Samsung phones to buy in 2025Just yesterday, Samsung confirmed that the next Unpacked event will take place on Wednesday, July 9, in Brooklyn, New York. This follows the host cities of Paris, France, and Seoul, South Korea, over the past two years, with the company suggesting that it’s chosen Brooklyn for its “bold ideas, creativity, and culture.” What’s expected at this summer’s Unpacked event? Foldable phones have been the trend for Samsung, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 slated for release. Key improvements we’re expecting include lighter and thinner designs, camera upgrades, and displays that match the quality of the well-tested S25 series. Hopefully, pricing will be a little more wallet-friendly, too. Also: I changed 7 Samsung phone settings to instantly improve the battery lifeIf we’re lucky, we’ll also see a set of wearables and accessories to accommodate the handsets. Maybe a new Galaxy Watch Ultra? Galaxy Buds? Galaxy Ring? Regardless, the upcoming Samsung event will kick off the second half of the year for consumer hardware launches after a busy stretch of software-focused developer conferences. More

Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images In today’s very very long blog post (more than 2,400 words!) about end-of-support options for Windows 10 PCs, Microsoft tried to bury an unpleasant statistic. That data point is tossed off casually in the opening paragraph, as Microsoft executive VP and consumer chief marketing officer Yusuf Mehdi says, “Today, Windows is the most widely used operating […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Minisforum AI370 EliteMini with the Ryzen AI 9 and 64GB of RAM normally retails for $1,249, but is currently on sale for less. It’s a powerful mini PC with plenty of ports, support for an 8K display, and runs cool and quiet. You’ll still need to supply your own peripherals, […] More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETAre you guilty of sticking it out with an old phone because you don’t want to pay a monthly fee or flat rate for a new device? Look no further than T-Mobile, which is offering a free iPhone 16 Pro More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIn the age of smart TVs, convenience is king. With just a few clicks, we can dive into endless entertainment — but that ease comes with a downside: the buildup of cache data. Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why doing so makes such a big difference)Just like on your phone or computer, a cluttered TV cache can lead to sluggish performance, app crashes, and even hinder new content from loading properly. That’s why it’s important to clear all that extra cache and make your TV feel like new again. Before I break down the steps for how to do it, let’s address the big elephant in the room first. What is a cache? A cache is a temporary storage area where data is kept for quick access. On your smart TV, the cache stores information from apps, websites, and system processes to help them load faster every time you turn it on. Think of it as a bunch of temporary files intended to speed up loading times for frequently accessed information. Also: The best TVs of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedFor instance, when you open a streaming app, the cache might store thumbnails, login details, or recently watched shows. Caches are designed to help your TV load this content more quickly. Over time, however, the cache can become overloaded with outdated or unnecessary data, which can consequently slow down your TV’s performance. More

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETPower stations are increasingly popular, but as their capacity grows, so does the price tag. A system capable of handling heavy loads and providing enough battery capacity to power a home during an outage typically costs around $2,000. Also: The best early Amazon Prime Day deals live now However, there are opportunities to find great deals. Bluetti is promoting the new Elite 200 V2 power station More

Meta Meta has officially entered into a new partnership with Microsoft by launching its “first-ever limited edition” headset — the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition<!–>.  For this new bundle, the tech giant isn’t changing the headset’s hardware. It’s still the same Quest 3S running on a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset. It still supports full-color […] More