Robotics

Jada Jones/ZDNETIt’s been one year since Sonos released its first pair of consumer headphones, and although they made waves when they first dropped, how have they fared after the hype has died down? You can often find the Ace discounted for up to $120 off their original price, and if you’re interested in them, that’s the best time to buy them.Also: The best headphones of 2025I’ve worn the Sonos Ace More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe first Roku device was launched 17 years ago. It was initially developed in partnership with Netflix to stream its “Watch Instantly” service. Since then, the company has released numerous generations of streaming players and its very own Roku TVs — which means you might own one of these older devices. What is a cache?Just like your computer or smartphone, your Roku TV also stores temporary data (the cache) to help apps load faster. It’s like a digital shortcut; when you open an app, instead of redownloading everything from scratch, your Roku remembers certain elements, like images or login information. Over time, this cache can become cluttered, corrupted, or just plain too full. When that happens, it can lead to sluggish performance, apps freezing, audio-video sync issues, or even those dreaded error messages that pop up right when the show you’re watching is getting good. Also: Which Roku streaming stick should you buy in 2025? I recommend only these modelsWhile Roku is somewhat unique compared with other smart TVs that might have a direct “clear cache” button buried in the settings, it’s still an option, and an important one to check now and then. Below are the two quickest and most effective ways to clear your Roku cache. More

We Are/Getty Images Not so long ago, generative AI could only communicate with human users via text. Now it’s increasingly being given the power of speech — and this ability is improving by the day. On Thursday, AI voice platform ElevenLabs introduced v3, described on the company’s website as “the most expressive text-to-speech model ever.” […] More

Jada Jones/ZDNETApple’s annual developer conference, WWDC, kicks off Monday morning. This year, the company is expected to announce a rebrand of its operating system naming scheme and design, reveal new Apple Intelligence features, showcase some CarPlay capabilities, and much more.Also: How to watch Apple WWDC 2025 and what to expect next weekNew hardware typically isn’t on the menu during WWDC, and analysts and industry insiders assert that an AirPods Pro 3 appearance may not happen until late 2025 or early 2026. But Apple often rolls out new AirPods features alongside its iOS updates, and users have a handful of them to look forward to, as recently reported by 9to5Mac.1. Camera control More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways A ruggedized handset that has it all – a fast processor, lots of RAM, a big battery, and a fantastic display This is one of the few rugged handsets that squarely falls into the mid-range category This is a big handset that you’re definitely going to feel in a pocket. –> […] More

Allison Murray/ZDNETThe Petlibro Polar Wet Food Automatic Feeder More

Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETIf you invest in stocks or mutual funds, Google just added a new feature to Search you’ll want to know about.Also: 3 ways Google’s AI Mode will change how you shop online – if it worksStarting today, you’ll see custom, interactive charts in Google Search’s AI Mode when you look for financial information related to investments like stocks. Interactive chartsIn an announcement about the feature, Google explains you can ask queries like “compare the stock performance of blue chip CPG companies in 2024” and follow up with “did any of these companies pay back dividends?” Instead of just showing the information through search, Google will create a chart you can interact with. GoogleAlso: How much energy does AI really use? The answer is surprising – and a little complicatedThis means you don’t have to research individual companies and their stock prices, but you can let Gemini do the work for you. Google says that its advanced AI models will understand the intent of your question, find both real-time and historical information, and decide how to best present that data to you. Also: Why the end of Google as we know it could be your biggest opportunity yetRobby Stein, VP of Product at Google Search, further explained on X, saying Gemini “brings this data to life by turning these complex datasets into clear, custom graphics that you can interact with (e.g. hover over the graph to see prices on a specific date).” More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIn 2015, Jony Ive, Apple’s then-industrial designer, introduced the Apple Watch and explained the design decisions behind the wearable that would eventually revolutionize health technology. “You can’t determine a boundary between the physical object and the software,” Ive said. Also: Could WWDC be Apple’s AI turning point? Here’s what analysts are predictingOn the Apple Watch’s 10th birthday, this concept of boundary-less-ness still holds. Eight years after the iPhone’s debut, Apple created a device that blended into the wearer’s life, with technology that tracked steps, maintained connections with friends and family, and even saved a few lives along the way. Sure, the Apple Watch debuted during Fitbit’s reign, but the smartwatch, aided by constant feature innovation and mainstream ubiquity, trumped its competition in the long run.Tim Cook has said that Apple’s greatest contributions will be through its developments in health — and nowhere is this more true than through the Apple Watch. Throughout its 10-year run, the tech giant has churned out lifesaving features around a user’s wrist. In celebration of 10 years of the Apple Watch, here are some of the most impactful features that have come out of the device and revolutionized wearable technology.1. Closing rings More