ZDNET’s pick for the best robot vacuum and mop is $300 off for a limited time

Microsoft recently announced the end of its Mail, Calendar, and People apps, with a deadline of December 31, 2024, for users to switch to the new Outlook app. Business-oriented Microsoft 365 users are being encouraged to transition to the new Outlook app, with a planned completion date of April 2026. Classic Outlook will be supported until at least 2029, but it remains uncertain if missing features will be added to the new app. Full Article

Google’s NotebookLM and its podcast-like Audio Overviews are introducing a new feature that allows users to interact with AI “hosts” by asking questions during the overviews. The new Interactive mode feature lets users join in, ask questions, and receive personalized responses from the hosts. The platform is also rolling out NotebookLM Plus subscription for businesses, schools, and organizations, offering more features like customizable responses, shared team notebooks, and enhanced privacy and security, along with the...

The Game Awards concluded with Team Asobi's Astro Bot winning Game of the Year. The event featured numerous game announcements, including titles like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, The Witcher 4, and Split Fiction. Notable revivals were also announced, with franchises like Okami, Onimusha, Ninja Gaiden, and Virtua Fighter making a return. Full Article

Meta has introduced Meta Motivo, an AI model designed to control the movements of a human-like digital agent in the Metaverse, aiming to enhance the user experience. The company, formerly known as Facebook, announced the release of this artificial intelligence tool on Thursday, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize virtual interactions and immersive environments. Meta Motivo is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of the Metaverse by offering more realistic and engaging...

Anthropic has released its latest AI model, 3.5 Haiku, for use with the Claude chatbot, catering to software teams for coding efficiency and productivity. Although there was some confusion regarding the latest version, Haiku is reported to be cheaper and higher-quality than average, excelling in coding tasks and outperforming other popular models. Users can access the model through the free tier with messaging limits or upgrade to the Claude Pro plan for more extensive usage...

Artisan, a San Francisco AI startup backed by Y-Combinator, is boldly advertising generative AI technology as a replacement for human employees, with posters proclaiming "Stop Hiring Humans" and highlighting the superiority of AI over human workers. The company's AI agent, Ava, is touted as a cost-effective alternative to human employees, able to participate in meetings, improve performance, and cost 96% less. Despite the controversial campaign, Artisan CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack defends the ads as a reflection...