Robotics

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWith the adoption of remote and hybrid working, having a reliable internet connection at home is imperative — not just for one device, but for several. If you have a family, maybe even dozens. So what’s better, one single access point, or a mesh network spread about the home?The answer depends on how your home and office are set up and what kind of connection you need. Wi-Fi routers are so good these days that a single access point is often the most straightforward solution. But if you have a larger home or your office is located far away from your router, a mesh network could be a game-changer, boosting the signal no matter where you are.  Also: The best VPN routers of 2025If you’re not sure of the difference, that’s okay, too. Let’s examine both types of connection and consider their pros and cons to determine which one is best for you. What is a traditional Wi-Fi router?A traditional router acts as a central hub for internet connectivity. The router acquires the connection from your internet service provider (ISP), and then allows other devices around the home to connect to it, either via Wi-Fi, or by simply plugging in an Ethernet cable. Typically, routers are password-protected so only your household can connect to it.  You should buy a traditional Wi-Fi router if… More

GIMP / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETI’ve been using image editors for a very long time. I’ve used them for article images, book covers, promos, flyers, and just about everything in between. Some might expect I’d be turning to an operating system like MacOS or Windows for image editing. But they’d be wrong. Linux has plenty of image editing tools, and although not all of them are created equal, each serves a worthwhile purpose. From my perspective, four image editors available for Linux are worth your time and effort. Also: 10 Linux apps I install on every new machine (and why you should, too)Let’s dive in and see what there is to see.1. GIMPGIMP is the obvious first choice here because it’s as close to Photoshop as you’ll find on Linux. GIMP includes all the tools you need to create stunning images from scratch or from existing photos. With the latest release (v3.0), the developers added non-destructive editing, which enables you to make changes to an image without overwriting the original image data. This was a huge step forward for the editor. There are plenty of filters to be found (and you can even install the G’MIC plugin for more). GIMP reads most file formats, and can export to nearly as many. There are also plugins, brushes, a configurable workspace, and all the tools you’ll need.Also: How to create a gradient transparency in GIMPSome of my favorite GIMP features include layers, layer masks, gradients, the fuzzy select tool, smart guides, snapping, and the many filters (and those are just scratching the surface). I’d go so far as to say that GIMP offers more tweaks and configurable options than Photoshop. The only caveat to GIMP is getting used to the interface. If you’ve used Photoshop for years, you’ll have to take some time to get up to speed with the GIMP UI. GIMP can be installed from the standard repositories or via Flatpak. 2. KritaKrita is another Photoshop alternative for Linux that takes image editing a bit further than GIMP with the help of AI plugins. For the longest time, Krita wasn’t taken nearly as seriously as GIMP, but with the latest updates (Krita development moves much faster than GIMP’s), it’s closed the gap quite a bit. Krita is targeted primarily at digital painters and illustrators, and I would say that it’s more user-friendly than GIMP.  More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways The best business leaders ensure people have a platform to air views.Employees need to feel their opinions are heard and valued.Reach out to customers and partners for their sentiments.Great managers don’t just talk a good game; they also deliver results — and great outcomes are often tied to an ability to listen to people effectively.Harvard Business Review suggests that leaders who listen well create company cultures where people feel heard, valued, and engaged. HBR also reports that employees who experience high-quality listening have higher levels of job satisfaction. Also: How AI-enabled autonomous business will change the way you work foreverHere are five techniques you can use to ensure people feel like you’re listening to them effectively. 1. Practice active listening Tim Chilton, managing consultant at Ordnance Survey, the UK’s national mapping service, said he’s chatty but practices active listening every day. He told ZDNET about how some of his earlier workplace experiences, including as a product manager and business analyst, have shaped his current approach to leadership. “You talk to people, but the whole point is, you also let them talk, so you can find out what their requirements are, and then you play those objectives back,” he said. “The whole idea of active listening is that you listen, you learn, and then you say, ‘Here’s my understanding. Is that correct?'” Also: 5 ways to ensure your team gets the credit it deserves, according to business leadersChilton has used that technique for many years. The strategy helps people feel they’ve been listened to because they hear their suggestions played back. “It gives them a chance to refine and comment, and you build a relationship that way, because it’s an interactive conversation,” he said. Chilton said the key to listening actively is spending time with the people you interact with. “Before you go in with your PowerPoint slides saying, ‘This is what you need,’ you do a large round of coffees to find out what’s going on in their world,” he said. “And that initial phase must be a little bit slower than going in all guns blazing. So, success is about active listening and taking your time in that initial relationship-building phase.” More

Tang Ming Tung/Getty Images ZDNET’s takeaways Perplexity’s new feature lets you make a restaurant reservation straight through OpenTable. The feature uses OpenTable’s system, so you don’t have to trust the AI to do it for you. Instead of navigating between apps or tabs to find a restaurant and then book a table, Perplexity handles everything. […] More

JBL Bar 1000MK2 <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The JBL Bar 1000MK2 includes a soundbar, two detachable rear speakers, and an external subwoofer for $1,200. It’s a versatile system, with powerful audio performance suitable for large rooms. It’s not an ideal option for people who want permanent rear speakers. more buying choices The original JBL Bar […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple has been busy prepping iOS 26 for its likely debut in September. Until then, the iPhone’s upcoming new OS has been accessible for anyone to try via a developer beta (now up to version 5) and the initial public beta. Though iOS 26 still has at least a month of tweaks before it’s finalized, the beta flavors already provide a peek at what to expect.You can download iOS 26 beta on your iPhone now. Here’s how to install it — and which models support it.Also: The best MagSafe accessories of 2025 for your iPhoneI’ve been running the public beta since its release on July 24. Among the new and improved features in iOS 26, these are my five favorites so far.1. Liquid Glass More

Siro Rodenas Cortes/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways Self-learning and self-improving technology will transform enterprise activities. From augmented leadership to machines as customers, analyst Gartner identifies key trends. While true autonomous business is a long way off, smart business leaders are preparing now. The future of your business is autonomous. While there’s a lot of debate […] More

Jack Wallen/ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways Google is developing another Linux terminal app.The app runs a full Debian environment.Developers will be able to build Android apps on device.For some time, Android has had access to a terminal app that ran a full-blown, text-only Linux environment. This app is enabled via Android’s developer options feature and makes it possible for users to run Linux commands (even SSH).From Google’s perspective, that wasn’t enough. Also: 5 Linux terminal apps better than your defaultBut it seemed a bit odd when they went mum on the Linux Terminal app at the annual I/O developer conference. Even with that silence, a bit of new news has surfaced that points to Google releasing a new take on the Linux terminal app, one that targets developers. Build directly on Android devicesThis new Linux terminal app will allow developers to build Android apps directly on Android devices. That’s a huge change from having to build on emulators running on top of a desktop OS. Also: 5 surprisingly productive things you can do with the Linux terminalThe new Linux terminal app uses the Android Virtualization Framework to boot into a Debian image running on a virtual machine. This new terminal app provides a full-blown Linux development environment that allows developers to leverage the tools they need to build native apps. That includes Android Studio. More