Robotics

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWhat’s the deal?Amazon is giving Prime members the opportunity to purchase the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 power station for $3,262 More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways OnePlus 13R starts at $599 and features a bright display, powerful performance, and fast charging. It doesn’t have a flagship camera system and wireless charging. But for the money, you won’t find a more balanced handset. more buying choices The new OnePlus 13R–> follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, delivering […] More

Finding the right virtual private network (VPN) to keep your internet connection encrypted and secure and your browsing private can be challenging, as so many options are available to you. When you set up your new VPN, you can install its apps individually to protect your devices, set up a VPN on your router for blanket coverage, or use an accompanying extension to protect your browser sessions.Also: The best VPN routers you can buyA VPN extension is also a great solution to quickly mask your IP address for a single browser session. You may want to, for example, switch your location to access geo-blocked content or just want to use a VPN on a particular browser to access specific content. An estimated 68.3% of internet users favor Chrome for their browser, beating Safari, Edge, and Firefox. This guide focuses on recommendations for the best VPNs that offer reliable Chrome extensions to protect your online activities.What is the best Chrome VPN right now?Our pick for the best Chrome VPN overall is ExpressVPN More

Kayla Solino/ZDNETIt’s everyone’s favorite January news — tax season is nearly here, and if you want to get a jump on filing, TurboTax is offering up to 20% off right now More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSay you recently picked up a shiny new TV. You unbox it like a kid at Christmas and prepare to indulge in all its visual glory. You think to yourself, “This is 2025. TV technology is sizzling, and it’s going to look amazing no matter what.” So you plug it in and don’t take one look at the default settings. Big mistake.Also: Every Samsung TV announced at CES 2025: Best features coming to OLED, QLED, 8K modelsI’ve been guilty of it. And I’m okay with that because it’s widely accepted that the majority of consumers neglect to alter the most basic settings when setting up their TVs. Even if your TV is a few years old, you may have never modified its defaults. For Samsung TVs, in particular, you can change a few settings to improve your viewing experience and make a dystopian survival thriller look that much more appealing. Following are six tips for doing just that. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETI’ve spent a significant part of my life finding new ways to extend battery life on Android phones. It might sound dramatic, but growing up with only budget Android devices meant I was constantly tweaking settings to maximize battery performance and squeeze every bit of life out of a single charge. to nothing but poorly made Android devices meant I’ve always tinkered with their settings to maximize charge and push my phone’s battery life to the limit.Also: Android Automotive users are about to see a lot more apps in their vehiclesSo, when I started writing this guide on the settings you should use to save battery life, it all came naturally to me. These settings are the most effective, easiest, and quickest ways to save battery life regardless of the Android phone you’re rocking, whether it’s the latest device from Samsung, a fancy Google Pixel, or a cutting-edge OnePlus device. Plus, you won’t have to sacrifice the high-quality experience of using your phone.Note: While all these settings are available on practically any Android phone you can buy, the process for adjusting them can vary between devices. Keep this in mind when following the steps I lay out because the approach might be slightly different depending on which phone you’re using.1. Turn off the always-on displayOne of the biggest battery drainers for any smartphone is the always-on display. Companies regularly tell you that this display setting only drains about 1% to 2% an hour, but let’s be honest — it’s always way more. It may be nice to glance at your phone while it sits on a table to check the time, but it’s probably not worth sacrificing battery life.Also: 6 ways Google’s Digital Wellbeing could be so much betterHow to: Open the Settings app and locate the Lock Screen portion of the app, whether it’s in the main list of settings or under “Display”. From there, you’ll find the option to “always show info” or a simple toggle to enable the Always On Display. Either way, turn the option off and check to make sure your screen goes completely blank when you lock it.2. Enable Adaptive BatteryThere’s a handy feature built into Androids called Adaptive Battery, and it’s available on most devices. Adaptive Battery can automatically manage your phone’s performance and efficiency in the background using special processes to extend your battery life. For example, when you don’t need maximum performance for something simple like scrolling through your inbox, the setting will throttle things down and save you some juice.How to: Go to Settings > Battery > Adaptive preferences and check to ensure “Adaptive battery” is enabled. If it’s not, flick it on.3. Activate Battery SaverAlongside Adaptive Battery, Battery Saver mode is another helpful feature that can extend the longevity of your smartphone between charges. The feature makes sweeping changes across your device’s software, like limiting visual effects, restricting apps in the background, and turning on dark mode if it isn’t already on. Also: The best power banks you can buy: Expert testedPixel phones take this effort further by having an Extreme Battery Saver, which deactivates more features and pauses most apps. However, because it greatly restricts an Android phone’s performance, I recommend only using Extreme Battery Saver when it’s absolutely necessary, such as when the phone’s charge is in the single digits.Most, if not all, Android phones possess a Battery Saver function, although they may have different names. On Galaxy phones, for example, it’s called Power Saving mode. Others may refer to it as low-power mode. Be sure to visit your phone’s manufacturer’s support website for help on your model.How to: On Pixel phones, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver. You can also choose a schedule for when the feature will activate or turn off automatically. On Galaxy phones, go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery. Flip the toggle switch next to Power Saving to activate the feature.4. Switch to dark mode More

If you’re in the market for an iPad Air this year, you’ll also need to outfit it with a case to protect against scratches, dents, and accidental drops. While some cases add unnecessary bulk, making the tablet feel less sleek and portable, many can enhance its functionality with features like keyboards, track pads, and built-in stands. Review: iPad Air (2024): Apple’s M2 tablet is even better than my $1,200 AndroidThat’s why we’ve gone hands-on with iPad Air cases from brands like Casetify, Apple, Logitech, and more to find the best ones to suit your needs and wants while still providing great protection. Also: Apple iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022)What is the best iPad Air case right now?The Zugu iPad Air case More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Asus’ ProArt PA27 is on sale at Amazon for $800. This 5K monitor delivers stunning visual quality and color reproduction on par with Apple’s monitors. Power users, however, may be frustrated with the display’s limited array of ports and low refresh rate. more buying choices High-quality 5K monitors have been around […] More