Robotics

CNET/ZDNETLive TV streaming services were designed to disrupt the cable monopoly. And for a while, it looked like the plan was working.Cable companies, no longer blessed with monopoly power, are losing millions of customers every year. But the cord-cutting alternatives that were supposed to save us have been raising prices steadily, and today the price of a live TV streaming service is nearly as high as one of those old cable bills.Also: Bye bye, Wi-Fi: How to add a wired network to your home without running EthernetTake YouTube TV, for example. At its launch in 2017, Google’s live TV streaming service cost a mere $35 a month. Since then, Google has raised prices every year. By the time I signed up in early 2020, the price had crept up to $50 a month. The latest price increase, which takes effect in January 2025, will raise the cost of the base plan to $83, plus an extra $10 for the 4K add-on. For the base plan alone, that’s a 66% increase in five years.That price increase got me asking questions:Am I really getting my money’s worth out of that $90-plus subscription?Are any competitors offering a better deal?What happens if I decide to just cut out my live TV streaming service altogether?The competitionFor customers in the US, there are currently six live TV streaming services to choose from. Each one works using an app on a streaming device or smart TV platform. Subscribers choose a plan that offers some combination of basic and premium cable channels, local broadcast channels, and regional sports networks, along with DVR capabilities so you can pause live TV and record shows to watch later.ZDNET has already done the work of assembling the available choices. I reviewed each one of those services three years ago and decided to take a fresh look in 2025 to see what’s changed.Also: Want to avoid the YouTube TV price hike? This trick worked for me (eventually)Four of those services offer strikingly similar lineups at prices that are nearly identical: between $82 and $87 a month, before add-ons. The other two are noticeably cheaper, so that’s where I started, working from least to most expensive.PhiloYou get what you pay forAt a mere $28 a month for 70+ channels, this service seems like a genuine bargain. You also get access to the AMC+ library and another 100+ free ad-supported channels. (You can see the whole lineup in Philo’s channel guide.)Also: I invested $50 in Bitcoin in 2022, and it’s been a ride. Here’s how much I have nowIf you just want something to watch, Philo has plenty to offer, but its offering is too lean for me. It keeps costs low by not paying to carry the most expensive cable channels, so you won’t find The Weather Channel, for example, or any of the three big US-based cable news networks: CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News. (The only news is via BBC World News.) Philo also doesn’t include any local channels or regional sports networks, which means no weekend sports.Philo More

June Wan/ZDNETHow often does a simple tweak of your phone settings deliver a glimpse of the future?OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft all are launching AI-powered voice assistants; OpenAI’s iteration — Advanced Voice — boasts one major advantage: understanding your surroundings.  Also: The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT, Copilot, and notable alternativesEarly last year, ChatGPT’s Voice Mode was upgraded with video, screen share, and image uploads; last month, OpenAI brought that enhanced experience to Plus and Pro users. For the $20 per month, users can take advantage of video and on-screen awareness, which helps the assistant understand their surroundings and use that context to provide more informed and relevant answers. The assistant also has access to the internet, allowing users to fulfill nearly all of their voice assistant needs with one tool. Despite the latest iPhone’s Siri having access to ChatGPT to some capacity for answers that ChatGPT can better assist, there is no native iOS integration for accessing the Advance Voice experience. However, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 users can tweak their Action Button to activate Advance Voice Mode when clicked, creating an experience almost as seamless as that of using Siri. As AI expert Ethan Mollick, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, shared in an X post, this quick adjustment can give users a glimpse at the future of voice assistants.If you have an iPhone and want to get a sense of the future of AI as an assistant, you can map your action button to Advanced Voice on ChatGPTThe addition of video (it can “see” what your camera sees) & internet search (it can look up website info) make it suddenly very useful pic.twitter.com/1tM13oXDFx— Ethan Mollick (@emollick) January 2, 2025

The best part: Setup is easy. Here are some quick instructions. How to access ChatGPT’s voice assistant right from your iPhone’s Action ButtonBefore you even get started, there are a few things you’ll want to make sure you have, including an iPhone with the Action Button, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro and the entire iPhone 16 lineup. Also: How to use Gemini Live on Android as your AI voice assistant – for freeYou will also need a ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Teams subscription to access the video feature and to have unlimited access to advanced voice audio. Free users only have access to a monthly preview to try Advanced Voice. For most users, the ChatGPT Plus $20 per month subscription will suffice, although there is the Pro subscription, at $200 per month, for mega users. Once you have that out of the way, here’s how to get started:  More

Samsung If you’re seeking smart tech for someone who’s not tech savvy, buying your kid their first smartphone, or simply trying to save some money with a no-frills device, you’ll want to pay attention to two new Samsung offerings.  Samsung is bringing two popular budget devices – a smartphone and a fitness tracker – to […] More

You might consider holding off on buying a Samsung flagship right now because the next iteration is just weeks away. But the 2024 lineup still packs serious power. From the Galaxy S24 Ultra to the Z Fold 6 and even the latest Galaxy S24 FE, Samsung’s current devices are some of the best phones on the market. They’re all solid picks as we head into 2025.Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025What is the best Samsung phone right now?After extensively testing the latest phones on the market, I’ve found that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra More

There’s never been a better time to upgrade your phone than right now. It doesn’t matter if you’re team Android or team iOS, 2024’s options were stacked. We tested and reviewed the latest and greatest flagships from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and Apple to bring you the definitive list of the best devices going into 2025.While the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy may not look dramatically different from previous models, the real evolution is in the software. These systems are designed to keep us connected, boost productivity, and inspire creativity. And the highlight of 2024? On-device AI. Every major brand, including Apple, has made it a focal point of their latest releases, as you’ll learn more about throughout this tier list.Also: The best 5G phones: Expert testedWhat is the best smartphone right now?After extensive testing of dozens of devices, our pick for the best phone overall is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra More

ZDNETThe OnlyOffice Desktop Editors make for an outstanding MS Office alternative. With this application, you can either work locally or connect it to a cloud instance (self-hosted or hosted by a third party) and work with documents, spreadsheets, presentations, or PDF forms. OnlyOffice Document Editors is also compatible with MS Office documents and Open Document Format files (such as those from LibreOffice).Also: How to edit a PDF file: 3 waysWith the latest release of OnlyOffice, the team has added the ability to integrate AI for queries, summaries, and translations. The feature works seamlessly, but you have to manually configure the AI model of your choice. OnlyOffice Desktop Editors support the following AI models:I want to walk you through the process of adding AI to the OnlyOffice Desktop Editors.How to add an AI model to OnlyOffice Desktop EditorsWhat you’ll need: For this, you’ll need two things: a running instance of the new version of OnlyOffice Desktop Editors (at least version 8.2.2.22, which can be installed on Linux, MacOS, and Windows), a valid account for one of the above AI models, and an API key from the AI model you’ve chosen. Also: How to use ChatGPT to write Excel formulasHow you access your API key will depend on the model you’ve chosen. For example, with Mistral, you generate an API key from the API key section on the left sidebar. With the free account of Mistral, you can create up to 10 API keys. You only need one.Let’s get this added. More

The Oura Ring is one of the most popular fitness rings on the market, offering five different finishes and various sizes. The Oura Ring 4 debuted in October and boasts some substantial hardware and software upgrades from the tried and true Oura Ring 3. Oura is still the top brand for smart rings, and you can’t go wrong with the Oura Ring 3, but if comfort is your main priority, the Oura Ring 4 is best for you. That’s because one of the most essential upgrades from generation to generation is Oura’s smart sensing technology that allows for the raised sensor domes on the Oura Ring 3 to recede on the Oura Ring 4 — and makes for a more continuous and accurate data capture. The Oura Ring 3 had eight signal pathways it used within the ring to gather data; the Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, upgraded that number to 18. Thanks to that signal pathway upgrade, there’s more data to capture throughout the day and fewer gaps within the data.You can record your workout heart rate on the app and view your activity score, inactive time, and burned calories. Then, the next day, you get a glance at your recovery scores to see how you bounced back from your intense workout. As it gets to know you, it can detect which activities you perform, whether that’s running, walking, pickleball, or tennis, without you having to log it immediately. As the smart ring market becomes more competitive, Oura has been rolling out new feature after feature to keep its top spot, like a meal logging feature, menstrual cycle insights, cardiovascular age (that helps you see how young or old your heart health is), and more. The ring is known for its exceptional sleep tracking. It provides insightful data that surpasses what you would receive from a Fitbit or the best smart rings. For instance, it displays your HRV balance, temperature changes during sleep (which can be used to predict menstrual cycles), blood oxygen levels, and the duration of each sleep stage.Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Which is right for you? In addition to impressive sleep tracking, the Oura Ring excels in activity tracking. It monitors your steps, calories burned (including active calories), heart rate during exercise, and training volume. One feature that separates Oura from other fitness rings is its resilience feature, which measures how well you bounce back from stress.Another fun Oura feature that runners will love is the ability to sync your Strava data to Oura and vice versa. When you record a run on the running app, it will immediately import into the Oura app. This is a lifesaver as an avid runner who sometimes forgets to start recording on one app before my run. One downside to note is its tendency to get scratched and scraped. Many Reddit users say that while the Oura Ring does sleep tracking well, it comes at a hefty price that may or may not be worth it to some. Oura Ring Gen 4 specs: Sizing: 4-15 | Material: Titanium | Colors: Black, brushed silver, gold, silver, rose gold | Water resistance: Up to 328 feet | Sensors: Heart rate and heart rate variability, respiration, blood oxygen, PPG, skin temperature, 3D accelerometer for activity | Connectivity: Bluetooth Low-Energy, Airplane Mode | Battery: Up to eight days More

Though I mostly enjoy mowing my lawn, I can’t say I always look forward to it. After getting a robot mower, what used to be quiet time with my mower has turned into quality active time with my kids, and I’ll never complain about that. A robot mower functions like a robot vacuum and mop, with sensors to navigate obstacles and stay within boundaries while cutting grass and a companion app for control.Also: This futuristic portable battery kept my home running during an outage. Here’s howUnlike a robot vacuum, a robot mower uses a physical boundary, such as a buried wire along a perimeter, or a combination of GPS and LiDAR navigation aided by a satellite antenna to autonomously mow within a specified area. Because robot mowers are battery-powered, they’re also a sustainable alternative to traditional gas-powered mowers. But all these features and differences can make choosing the right one for your yard difficult.  What is the best robot mower right now?After testing some of the top robot mowers on the market, ZDNET’s pick for the best robot mower overall is the Mammotion Luba 2 More