Robotics

Spring is on the way, and the warmer weather might invite you to get out and get healthy after a cold winter inside. Whether you’re dialing into your fitness routine or interested in learning more about your activity patterns, a health tracker can uncover the details of your activity throughout the day, week, and month. I use my fitness tracker to record my workouts and keep track of my daily step counts, and it’s been a major motivator for showing up to the gym or getting myself out the door on long runs. Also: The best early Amazon Spring Sale deals live nowWhile the price of some of these trackers can be high, Amazon’s incoming Big Spring Sale, which the retailer confirmed kicks off next week, will help with that. But Amazon already has plenty of early sales and discounts on even the most popular health and fitness wearables. Whether you’re investing in your first-ever Apple Watch for step-counting or looking to upgrade that Garmin Forerunner to the latest generation, I’ve rounded up some of the hottest deals on health trackers, you can take advantage of right now, even before Amazon’s Spring Sale. The best smartwatch, smart ring, and fitness tracker deals for Amazon Spring Sale 2025Oura Ring 3 More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The 2025 iPad Air is available in an 11-inch model starting at $600 and a 13-inch model starting at $800. The latest iPad Air features Apple Intelligence, an M3 processor, and some of the best performance I’ve seen on an iPad to date. But the iPad Air gets expensive quickly, with […] More

Artur Debat/Getty Images Developing, deploying, and supporting artificial intelligence can be a daunting venture that calls for an often-confusing array of new skills and technologies. Yet, ostensibly, it’s supposed to reduce complexity. Can we have it both ways? Magical or a lot of work? AI can’t just be dropped into an organization to start churning […] More

ZDNETI often use the Phone Link app in Windows to interact with my iPhone or Android phone. This lets me send and receive phone calls and text messages directly from my PC. Now, Microsoft has kicked off another feature that lets you control your phone from your computer.New Phone Connection optionThe latest version of the Windows Copilot app introduces an option called Phone Connection. Using this capability, you can ask Copilot to perform certain tasks on your Android device, such as sending a text, setting a timer, or getting directions. Also: Microsoft’s Copilot AI now has a Mac app – here’s what you’ll need to run itAs spotted and tested by Windows Latest, Phone Connection takes a page from Phone Link. The goal is to save you time and effort by not having to reach for your phone whenever you want to perform a specific task. And by using Copilot, you don’t have to manually go through each step as you do with Phone Link. Just type your request in natural language, and Copilot will attempt to carry out your command. How set up and use Phone ConnectionWant to take Phone Connection for a spin? You’ll have to meet a few conditions. First, make sure you’ve already set up your Android phone to sync with your PC using the Windows Phone Link app. If not, check the steps in my article on how to link your Android phone to your Windows 11 PC. Though these steps are geared toward Windows 11, the process is the same in Windows 10. Your Android phone must be running Android 14 or higher. Check your current version under Settings and download the latest update if required. Also: All Copilot users now get free unlimited access to its two best features – how to use themYou also need to have the newest version of the Copilot app. Download the app from the Microsoft Store if you don’t already have it. Otherwise, open the Microsoft Store app, select Downloads, and then click the button for “Check for Updates.” That will update all your store apps, including Copilot. Next, launch Copilot from the Windows Start menu or All Apps screen. Make sure you’re signed in with the same Microsoft account or work/school account that you use with the Link to Windows app on your Android device. In Copilot, click the profile icon at the bottom of the left sidebar, select Settings, and scroll to the bottom of the Settings screen. Under Phone Connection, make sure your Android phone is listed and that the switch is turned on. Return to the main Copilot screen and start a new conversation. Instead of posing a general question, ask it to do something using your phone. Microsoft’s support page on Phone Connection offers a few suggestions. Also: You can ‘Press to Talk’ to Copilot via a Windows hotkey now – here’s howYou can tell Copilot to send a text to a specific person in your phone’s contacts list. You can tell it to set a timer or alarm for a certain time. You can ask it to locate a specific place, such as the nearest pharmacy. You can ask it for directions (though this works only with specific Samsung phones). You can also try other requests that involve your phone, though your results may vary. More

I’ve been working with AI for a very long time. I conducted one of the first-ever academic studies of AI ethics as a thesis project way back in the day. I created and launched an expert system development environment before the first link was connected on the World Wide Web. I did some of the first research of AI on RISC-based computing architectures (the chips in your phone) when RISC processors were the size of refrigerators. I also wrote and deployed the AI Editor, a generative AI tool that built news and content dynamically. That may not seem like much today, but I did it way back in 2010, when I had to create a generative AI engine from scratch. At that point, to work, it had to be distributed across five individual servers, each running one agent of a team of clustered AI agents.Also: Six skills you need to become an AI prompt engineerI also have a master’s degree in education, focusing on learning and technology. My specialty is adult online learning, so this kind of stuff is right up my alley. When it comes to the courses and programs I’m spotlighting here, there’s no way I could take all of them. But I have taken at least one course from each vendor, in order to test them out and report back to you. And, given my long background in the world of AI, this is a topic that has fascinated and enthralled me for most of my academic and professional career.With all that, I will say that the absolute high point was when I could get an AI to talk like a pirate. More

Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images I’m starting to think we might be able to declare 2025 the year of enterprise AI. We introduced generative AI in 2023 and adopted it at warp speed through 2024. But now, in 2025, we’re starting to see the major technology players introduce deep AI-based offerings that are tightly integrated […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Audio-Technica Sound Burger retails for $199 and comes in yellow, black, or white. The Sound Burger has unparalleled portability, a long battery life, and provides a novel listening experience. It doesn’t have a counterweight, and also doesn’t have an auto-return feature. more buying choices The Audio-Technica Sound Burger–> is $25 […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Nitecore NB Air is is available now for $37. Weighing just 3.14 ounces, it’s the lightest power bank I’ve tested. There’s no USB-C cable or pouch included with the power bank. –> For hikers and runners, every ounce you’re carrying counts. Power banks can be a big challenge because you […] More