Robotics

Apple/ZDNETOn Thursday, Apple unveiled the newest edition to its iPhone lineup, namely the iPhone 16e. Also: I revisited the iPhone SE in 2025Initially, many people assumed Apple would christen it with the name iPhone SE 4. But the new moniker makes greater sense given the phone’s more robust features and Apple’s obvious desire to position it in the iPhone 16 family.What’s new with the iPhone 16e?Starting at $600, the iPhone 16e offers a host of enhancements over its SE predecessors. You’ll find a newer and refreshed design, a 6.1-inch OLED display, support for the AI-powered Apple Intelligence, an A18 chipset, Face ID, a USB-C connection, and Apple’s first in-house modem. On the camera end, the new model sports a 48MP wide camera on the back with an integrated 2x telephoto lens and a 12MP front-facing camera. Also: The best Apple deals of February 2025Sounds pretty good. But then there’s that “e” at the end.  More

Jaque Silva/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Google Wallet has quietly become one of the most useful apps in your phone’s arsenal. Not only does it let you tap to pay in stores without your physical wallet or card, but you can store multiple cards, loyalty cards, official state IDs, your US passport, and more. Also: Android […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Eufy FamiLock S3 Max is a new video smart lock available for pre-order for $400, though, for a limited time, you can get a $70 discount. This smart lock also features a camera and doorbell button, and an indoor screen shows you who is at the door. I just wish […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The RingConn Gen 2 is a subscription-free smart ring that retails for $300 It monitors your sleep, activity, stress, and vitals, and it’s got a marathon battery life The only downside is the user interface feels underdeveloped. –> Most smart rings these days claim to offer marathon battery lives but often […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways This battery-powered printer is perfect for taking on the road, and it connects to devices using Bluetooth or USB Thermal printing means there are no ink cartridges to replace, but the downside is the printer cannot use regular paper Installing the Windows and Mac drivers is a bit painful and unintuitive. […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways This super-thin, super-durable tool has a myriad of uses These are priced well There are cheaper copies on the market, but avoid them because they’re not a patch on the originals The only downside I’ve found is that I can’t seem to find the Mini Spudgers for sale on their own, […] More

ZDNET | Charlie OsborneI recently purchased a vehicle that includes Android Auto, and I was excited to finally be able to use that functionality with my phone. However, one of the first things I noticed was how unreliable the phone/car connection could be. One minute, Android Auto is open, and the next — it’s gone. Also: Finally, I found a wireless Android Auto adapter that’s snappy, functional, and won’t break the bankI did some troubleshooting and discovered there are a few reasons why this keeps happening. Hopefully, what I found will help you. Let’s dive right in. 1. Incompatible USB cable I’ve written about how you can avoid getting burned by bad USB cables. The truth is, not all USB cables are created equal. Some cables are cheap and incapable of maintaining a constant connection or data rate. The problem here is that Android Auto is rather finicky about its connection when USB is required. If you have a bad cable, a damaged cable, a slow cable, or a cable that is too long, the connection between the phone and the car will not be reliable enough. To that end, I would suggest you either locate the OEM cable that shipped with your phone or purchase one of the brands I mentioned in the article above, which are: One of the most reliable (but cost-effective) cables is the Belkin BoostCharge More

ZDNETHere’s a variation on the chicken-or-egg-style question: does the judicious embrace of technology contribute to greater career success and satisfaction, or are higher achievers more likely to be tech-savvy? The answer could be both, but evidence suggests higher achievers’ technology habits differ from other users. That’s the prognosis from two recent surveys that attempted to call out the technology habits of higher-achieving or higher-earning professionals. Also: 5 quick ways Apple’s AI tools can fine-tune your writing on the flyResumeLab surveyed 1,000 professionals and found higher achievers are more likely to use laptops than desktop computers and are more likely to use Apple iPhones than Android-based devices. The study’s authors defined high achievement as overall lifestyle satisfaction. While income was among the leading contributors to success, only 6% of professionals believed they were highly successful in this area. Instead, people were more confident when it came to family (27%), relationship status (18%), mental health (16%), and physical health (16%). More