Robotics

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETI remember back in the day when Linux was a challenge, even for computer scientists. It was all text-based; you had to manually format the hard drive, understand how networking functioned, and use the command line like a magician.Today’s Linux is a far easier experience. In fact, there are some Linux distributions that are so easy to install that anyone, regardless of skill, can do it. With that particular breed of distribution, the hardest part is burning an ISO to a USB drive. Even so, from the start of the ISO download to logging into your new Linux system, it should only take about 10 minutes — depending on the speed of your internet connection for downloading the ISO and the performance of your machine. Also: 5 factors steadily fueling Linux’s desktop riseSo, which distributions are the easiest? I’ve chosen five, all of which you can install without knowing anything about Linux. 1. Ubuntu More

HJBC/Getty Images It took Microsoft long enough, but the company has finally open-sourced its Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) code. The announcement was made at the Build 2025 developer conference, closing a nearly nine-year-old request from the developer community, and signals a new era of collaboration between Microsoft and open-source contributors. Also: Rust turns 10: […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETGoogle unveiled a slew of new AI tools and features at I/O, dropping the term Gemini 95 times and AI 92 times. However, the best announcement of the entire show wasn’t an AI feature; rather, the title went to one of the two hardware products announced — the Android XR glasses. Also: I’m an AI expert, and these 8 announcements at Google I/O impressed me the mostFor the first time, Google gave the public a look at its long-awaited smart glasses, which pack Gemini’s assistance, in-lens displays, speakers, cameras, and mics into the form factor of traditional eyeglasses. I had the opportunity to wear them for five minutes, during which I ran through a demo of using them to get visual Gemini assistance, take photos, and get navigation directions. As a Meta Ray-Bans user, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities and differences between the two smart glasses — and the features I now wish my Meta pair had. In-lens displays More

Oura/ZDNETOura might be a stellar sleep tracker, but it hasn’t always been a reliable activity tracker. Reddit users under the r/ouraring subreddit regularly lament this situation, saying the Oura Ring miscounts steps during activities and workout sessions. One recent Reddit post called the step tracker “wildly inaccurate.”  Also: I took these sleep trackers to bed to find out which is bestOura has seemingly listened to these complaints. The company has announced it is upgrading the smart ring’s step-tracking feature. That’s right: activity enhancements and upgrades are coming to the app, including new trends for viewing your active time, integrations from partners like Apple and Android for heart rate data, and more accurate calorie- and step-counting mechanisms. Let’s run through some of the activity upgrade highlights.  Improved accuracy for calorie and step counting The new step-counting algorithm functions like a pedometer to track movements and interpret steps. The algorithm should improve average daily step count errors; Oura said it cuts that metric by 61%. Additionally, users can expect to see 20% fewer steps logged with this updated algorithm.  Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Opt for the older, discounted smart ring or the newest?Calorie tracking now considers movement intensity (heart rate zones). This update should allow the ring to accurately track calories burned during exercise, slashing median active calorie error by 53%, according to Oura. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Acer’s Nitro GA271U P smart display is available now for $349. It’s a solid budget smart monitor with a matte, 27-inch IPS WQHD display and 180Hz refresh rate. However, the speakers leave much to be desired. –> When Acer entered the smart monitor market with the Nitro GA271U P smart display, […] More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETComputex 2025 just kicked off, and we’re on the ground in Taipei with eyes on all the latest gadgets in the computing world. Unsurprisingly, AI is everywhere, with a general theme of leveling up on the gains made in the last year when it comes to processing power, power efficiency, and next-gen NPUs. Both Nvidia and AMD announced new GPUs, with the GeForce RTX 5060 series and Radeon RX 9060 XT series, respectively, and Intel teased its new “Panther Lake” series of processors, along with some of the first devices to sport the new chips. Also: I went hands-on with every new Acer laptop from its 2025 lineup. Here’s what stood outBut it’s not just laptops and computers in the spotlight. We saw some exciting new gaming handhelds, a split keyboard from Asus, and a competitively priced smart ring from Acer that takes aim at the more expensive models — the first of its kind from the computing giant. 1. Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 5060 GPU More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETAt Computex 2025, computing giant Acer announced its first wearable, the FreeSense Smart Ring, a competitively-priced health tracker with no subscription fee. In a market where other smart rings can run up to $500 More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETOnline shopping has never been perfect. If I’m online scouting for a good deal on a pair of shoes, I have to sort through several options, sizes, colors, and price points to find what I want. That takes time. And if I want to buy the shoes at a discount, I have to wait several weeks or months and come back when the price drops. Also: Everything announced at Google I/O 2025: Gemini, Search, Android XR, and moreAt Google’s annual developer event, Google IO, the tech giant is debuting an AI-powered solution to online shoppers’ problems in the form of AI Mode. AI Mode offers online shoppers several options for finding exactly what they want, virtually trying on the clothing before they buy, and tracking prices to buy when a product is at its lowest. AI Mode will fundamentally shake up how people search for products and shop online. Here’s how. 1. Google’s Shopping Graph gets a major upgradeGemini combines forces with Google’s Shopping Graph, now with more than 50 billion product listings sourced from big-name brands and indie shops to elevate your browsing and shopping experience. Two billion listings are refreshed every hour to keep the results relevant and updated, so shoppers will get current pricing, the most recent discounts, and availability. Also: 8 best AI features and tools revealed at Google I/O 2025When a shopper searches for a product, they type what they’re looking for and the occasion they’ll be using the product for, and Google scouts options that fit those descriptors. In a press release, Google provides the example of a “cute travel bag” for a Portland, Oregon, vacation. AI Mode initiates a “query fan-out” to run several simultaneous searches and investigate a travel bag with pockets that meets the conditions or fits underneath an airplane seat. Additionally, a panel will update with new brands and options as you search. US users can expect AI Mode for shopping to roll out in the coming months. 2. Google will price-track – and purchase – your products for youSet the size, color, and desired price point on a product, and keep an eye on its price with Google’s new price-tracking feature. Once you’ve set up price-tracking on a product, Google will send you price-drop notifications to buy when the product is discounted. Additionally, Google will add the product to your cart and securely check out with Google Pay once the price drops to your desired range. Also: Google’s new AI tool can track products and buy for you when the price dropsLike AI Mode, this feature will also roll out in the coming months. More