Robotics

Microsoft’s Surface lineup helped usher in the 2-in-1 detachable computer market, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t include it on this list. 97% of Best Buy customers who have purchased this tablet would recommend others buying it, giving it an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5. With the Surface Pro 9, you’re getting a tablet that runs Windows 11 out of the box, instead of a mobile operating system like Android or iPadOS. That means you’re not going to have to worry about finding apps or workarounds for your workflows. Review: Microsoft Surface Pro 9ZDNET senior reviews editor, June Wan, went hands-on with the Surface Pro 9, calling it, “the MacBook competitor Windows users have been waiting for,” calling out one issue with the tablet. “That keyboard, along with the Surface Slim Pen 2, is sold separately but is quintessential to achieving the optimal Surface Pro experience,” Wan wrote. “The Surface line has built quite the reputation with this two-in-one form factor, so my disappointment with Microsoft for not bundling the keyboard at least remains a thing.”If you want to use the Surface Pro 9 as a laptop you’ll need to buy a Surface Pro Signature Keyboard. Or, you can opt to get the bundle that includes the keyboard and Microsoft’s Slim Pen 2 stylus, but you’ll be shelling out $280. Microsoft Surface Pro 9 tech specs: Display: 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display | Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 or Microsoft SQ3 | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Memory: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB | Biometrics: Windows Hello | Colors: Sapphire, platinum, forest, graphite | Cameras: Rear: 10MP autofocus camera with up to 4K video Front: 1080p full HD video | Weight: 1.95 pounds | Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches | Connections: 2x USB-C (4.0 on Intel model, 3.2 on 5G), Surface Connect and Keyboard ports, nano SIM on 5G model | Battery life: Up to 15.5 hours of typical usage More

As you can guess, automatic litter boxes can be costly due to the technology involved. But if you’re looking for a more straightforward solution that won’t break the bank, this option from PetSafe is a great budget pick at $280. Using sensors, it automatically removes waste after your cat does its business. When it’s time to clean the box, you throw out the disposable tray. The disposable trays that come with the litter box are filled with crystal litter, which helps control odors and reduce dust tracking. In addition, a built-in health counter tracks how many times your furry feline uses the box to detect any abnormal bathroom behavior.Also: The best automatic pet feeders you can buyZDNET managing editor Alison DeNisco Rayome has been using this litter box for years and highly recommends it as a budget option. “The counter works accurately, and is helpful for reminding us when we need to change out the tray (for our one cat, it’s about once every 3-4 weeks),” she said, adding, “You do need to buy the crystal litter, which is pricier than regular litter. But to me, it’s well worth not having to do any scooping.”Customers who have used the PetSafe litter box also agree that this model is the #1 best seller on Amazon in the self-cleaning litter box category. PetSafe ScoopFree Litter Box tech specs: Dimensions: 20.38 x 7.13 x 28 inches | Power: N/A | Weight: 16 pounds | # of cats: 1 More

Sony Bravia X90L 4K LED TV Jason Hiner/ZDNETThe Sony Bravia X90L More

The Kindle Scribe is the perfect example of a smart notebook that doubles as a tablet. It has the same functions you’ve come to know and love in a Kindle, like a 300ppi glare-free screen, weeks of battery life, and adjustable warm light. It’s also compatible with Amazon’s Basic or Premium Pen, so you can take handwritten notes or underline important quotations within the book you’re reading. Your notes are automatically organized in one place for every book so that you can browse, review, and export them via email. The Kindle Scribe also comes with preset templates to help you create notebooks, journals, and lists, and you can create sticky notes in Microsoft Word and other compatible Word documents. Read the review: Amazon Kindle Scribe review: 7 ways it could be even more remarkableZDNET’s Matthew Miller said the Scribe has “made paper and pen notes obsolete for me.” “While I have various other tablets, I’ve yet to find a pairing that feels natural, both in hardware and software and often end up rarely ever using the stylus that they support,” he wrote. “Also, I love that I can highlight text, make notes, and even sign documents with a signature that doesn’t look like that of a two-year-old with the Scribe.”In addition, the Kindle Scribe comes with the Basic pen, but for the more advanced features like a dedicated eraser and the shortcut button, you’ll need the premium pen, which costs $30 extra. Overall, 93% of customers who have bought the Kindle Scribe at Best Buy said they would recommend it.Kindle Scribe features: Colors: Black with colored folios | Storage: 16GB/32GB, or 64GB | Display: 10.2-inch display with 300ppi, 16-level gray scale | Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity More

Guillermo Spelucin/Getty Images Looking for advice on how to protect your home and office from cyberattacks? A good place to start is with the people who do this stuff every day on behalf of the United States government. If you really want to get deep into the details of digital security, read the four-volume Digital […] More

The Logitech Slim Folio Keyboard case is designed, as named, to have a sleek and stylish profile while still delivering function. This keyboard case is available for most iPad models out of any other case on this list and has remained a mainstay on the market for several years. The Slim Folio features a three-year battery life, a stylus holder, front and back protection, two fixed viewing angles, and three modes of use (type, sketch, and read). It is made of water-repellent, easy-to-clean fabric that is durable for long use and has a one-year limited warranty. However, there are no trackpads or backlit keys. Current Logitech Slim Folio customers said they like the keyboard’s overall value, function, fit, and typing capabilities, which has an overall rating of 4/5 stars on the Logitech website.  Several customers said they were repeats after purchasing a new Slim Folio after upgrading their iPad models. “After years of using my previous Slim Folio, I realized I needed to replace the keyboard. The keyboard is easy to set up, and I replace batteries when needed and type messages on my iPad. Highly recommend this product,” one customer wrote. Logitech Slim Folio Keyboard specs: Dimensions: 7.4 x 10 x 0.8 inches | Connectivity: iPad 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Gen (9.7 inches, 10.2 inches, 10.9 inches) | 3 year battery life | Slim design | Stylus holder | Front and back protection | Water repellent, easy-to-clean fabric and durable plastic material | Two fixed viewing angles | 3 modes of use (type, sketch, read) | 1 year limited warranty  More

Getty Images/Westend61 Since its launch in 2007, Credit Karma has aimed to help people make sense of their finances by providing them with key insights, resources, and more. On Wednesday, Credit Karma unveiled an updated version of Intuit Assist, a generative AI financial assistant initially launched in private beta last fall.  The AI assistant, available […] More

Meta’s Llama 3.1 405B is the largest open-source large language model to date, capable of multimodal tasks and also “tool use.” Its construction and training represent a tour de force of engineering choices.  Meta Properties Meta on Tuesday unveiled the latest incarnation of Llama, its family of large language models (LLMs). The company says Llama 3.1 is […] More