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At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Aiper marked a new chapter in its smart yard ecosystem by officially announcing its brand positioning as the World’s No. 1 Smart Robotic Pool Cleaner, which was credited by Euromonitor* for its innovative products that are smart, reliable and carefree. The company showcased a fourth-generation lineup designed to deliver smarter performance, reliable real-world operation, and the carefree ownership experience modern homeowners increasingly expect. HGTV star and outdoor living expert Chip Wade appeared at the Aiper booth at CES and headlined the brand’s new product launch event. Introduced by Chip Wade, the new portfolio includes three breakthrough innovations: the Scuba V3 series, the world’s first cognitive AI powered robotic pool cleaner series; the IrriSense 2, the world’s first 4-in-1 multi-zone smart irrigation system, and EcoSurfer Senti, the world’s first AI powered skimmer with water quality management. Learn more about Aiper`s full CES 2026 lineup Cognitive AI: A smarter, more autonomous cleaning engine At the heart of Aiper’s next-generation systems is Cognitive AI, a new intelligent engine that constantly loops through four functions—see, interpret, decide, and adapt. Unlike earlier AI-vision systems that simply recognized pool debris, Cognitive AI continuously learns from real-world conditions. It interprets pool size, daily and seasonal weather patterns, and historical cleaning data to optimize routes, frequency, and intensity. This self-improving intelligence allows Aiper devices to deliver a fully automated, carefree cleaning experience all week long without requiring user intervention. Scuba V3 Series: World’s first Cognitive AI powered robotic pool cleaner series Leading the lineup is the Scuba V3 Series, Aiper’s most advanced robotic pool cleaners yet and the world’s first to fully leverage Cognitive AI, including the Scuba V3, Scuba V3 Pro and Scuba V3 Ultra. Aiper The 2026 CES Innovation awards winner Scuba V3 Ultra, the world’s 1st cognitive AI powered 6-in-1 robotic pool cleaner, is introducing 6-in-1 full-coverage cleaning, 20cm shallow-area operation, and the industry’s first dual-camera AI Patrol Cleaning system. Its Cognitive AI Navium™ mode delivers hands-off, week-long automation by analyzing environmental conditions and cleaning history to intelligently schedule and adapt each cleaning cycle. The Ultra also features JellyFloat™ Energy-Smart Lift Engine—an anti-stuck hovering and energy-efficient lift system that helps the robot glide smoothly across varying surfaces. Vertical jet propulsion and active buoyancy let the robot rise, pivot, and reroute freely, escaping obstacles and moving smoothly between deep and shallow zones. The sleek Scuba V3 brings the same core innovations—AI Patrol Cleaning, Cognitive AI Navium™ mode, and feather-light design—along with TÜV-Certified Data Privacy Protection, ensuring the onboard camera collects only cleaning-related data and stores nothing externally. Aiper Together, the Scuba V3 Series offer practical, meaningful benefits for everyday pool owners: Carefree Pool Cleaning: Autonomous scheduling and adaptive cleaning keep pools pristine all week long without monitoring. More Precise Cleaning: AI detection of over 20 debris or object types delivers up to 10× faster cleaning efficiency. Smart Scheduling: Automatic adjustments based on weather, pool size, and historical patterns ensure consistent performance with zero manual planning. EcoSurfer Senti: World’s first AI powered skimmer with water quality management Aiper Aiper also expanded its reach above the pool cleaner with 2026 CES Innovation Award honoree EcoSurfer Senti, the first solar-powered surface skimmer to pair AI vision with water-quality management. Its AI Surface Patrol system uses a high-precision camera with a 2-meter detection range to identify over 20 floating debris/object types. A DebrisGuard™ anti-leakage design and 150µm fine filtration basket maximize debris capture while keeping the system clean and efficient. What truly sets EcoSurfer Senti apart is its built-in water quality testing suite, measuring pH, free chlorine, ORP, and temperature with high accuracy. Combined with an automated management system and real-time safety dashboard, EcoSurfer Senti helps maintain balanced water around the clock. Its solar-powered architecture and anti-stranding engineering enable 24/7 uninterrupted, energy-free cleaning—providing continuous surface cleaning and safer, clearer water with no effort required from the owner. IrriSense 2: World’s first 4-in-1 multi-zone smart irrigation system Aiper Rounding out the lineup, IrriSense 2 extends Aiper’s mission beyond the pool to the entire Smart yard ecosystem. This pioneering irrigation solution combines four traditionally separate components—an irrigation controller, rotor sprinkler, electrical valve, and nutrient feeder—into one single device capable of managing multiple customized zones with intuitive point-line-area mapping. Designed for water-smart outdoor care, IrriSense 2 delivers: Up to 40% water savings through perfect precision with customizable watering zones and automatic weather-responsive system. It maintains consistent pressure for even, efficient watering across all zones, backed by TÜV certification for reliable water pressure stability, plus safety and performance; Nurture the soil and plants: EvenRain™ technology, which simulates natural rain for even watering across up to 4,800 sq. ft, with adaptive Re-Spray to eliminate blind spots and protect soil and seedlings. SoilPulse™ Microbial Organic Soil Amendment enhances soil fertility and moisture retention while breaking down residues, and promoting stronger roots and healthier plants; Easy to use: 15-minute DIY installation and robust app control with smart scheduling and remote Wi-Fi connectivity. It supports up to ten irrigation maps with independent schedules and watering depths, delivering precise care tailored to lawns, flowerbeds, shrubs, and trees.d robust app control with smart scheduling and remote Wi-Fi connectivity. A smarter, more carefree and reliable Smart Yard future With Cognitive AI at the center of its 2026 portfolio, Aiper is transforming the smart yard ecosystem into a seamlessly automated experience—from crystal-clear pools to healthier gardens. The innovative new lineup reinforces Aiper’s leadership as the world’s No. 1 smart robotic pool cleaner while expanding its vision for smarter, more reliable, and truly carefree smart yard experience. To learn more about Aiper at CES and its 4th generation product line, visit aiper.com. World`s Number 1 Smart Robotic Pool Cleaner Learn more about Aiper`s full CES 2026 lineup *Aiper is the No.1 brand of smart robotic pool cleaner in the world in terms of sales volume. Source: Euromonitor International Co., Ltd., in terms of 2025 manufacturer sales volume (units) in the world. Smart robotic pool cleaner is defined as: intelligent service robots integrating mechanical, electronic, software algorithm and sensor technologies. They autonomously or with minimal human intervention perform pool cleaning and maintenance tasks, typically featuring smart navigation, path planning, and multiple cleaning modes. Research completed in 2025/12. Read...

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Known primarily for robots that scale steel structures and automate hazardous industrial maintenance, RobotPlusPlus is at CES this week trying something new: a robot lawn mower for everyday consumers. Developed with the same engineering used in industrial surface-climbing robots, the flagship M6 is designed to handle real-world residential terrain, including steep slopes, uneven ground, and large lawn areas. The company claims the unit can traverse inclines up to 90 percent and clear obstacles as high as 75 mm (2.6 inches), capabilities uncommon among consumer-grade mowers. The M6 runs on an expandable lithium-ion battery platform that offers up to 360 minutes of runtime and can mow up to 1 acre per charge or 2 acres per day with scheduled runs. It supports lawn sizes from 1,000 to 10,000 square meters (0.25 to 2.5 acres) and charges from 20 to 80 percent in 90 minutes with the dual-battery option. Navigation is handled by what the company calls CyberNav Fusion, a multi-sensor system combining VSLAM (visual simultaneous localization and mapping), RTK (real-time kinematic), inertial measurement units, and wheel odometry. Unlike other RTK-based systems, the M6 prioritizes vision-based mapping to improve performance in environments with obstructed satellite signals, such as under trees or near buildings. The mower can store maps of up to 60,000 square meters and manage multiple mowing zones without the need for buried boundary wires. The Goko M6 is designed to handle steep slopes, uneven ground, and large lawn areas. Goko For object detection and avoidance, the M6 uses a four-camera system—one stereo and two mono—branded as QuadVision. The cameras enable real-time identification of obstacles, pets, and people to reduce the risk of collisions and improve safety during autonomous operation. The M6 cuts with a 42 cm (16.5-inch) floating deck with adjustable height settings ranging from 25 to 100 mm. Users can choose between two blade systems: dual rotary mulching blades for tougher grass or dual razor-disc blades aimed at quieter, precision cutting. The mower’s 4WD configuration, paired with front-wheel active steering and adaptive suspension, is intended to improve traction and maneuverability on uneven terrain. The Goko M6 includes smart home integration with Alexa and Google Home, as well as onboard controls via a 4.3-inch LCD screen. It supports 4G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. Theft deterrence features include GPS tracking, geo-fencing, ownership authentication, and off-ground alerts. The M6 is scheduled to ship in late spring 2026, with preorders expected to open in the second quarter. If you’re attending CES in person, Goko is exhibiting its wares at booth #51772. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot lawn mowers. Read...

In 2026, it’s time to say goodbye again—to popular programs that we’ve been working with day in and day out. Microsoft is discontinuing several versions of Windows, Office, and other products this year. Here’s what you need to know if you’re still using these products. Windows 11 24H2 Microsoft is discontinuing support for Windows 11 24H2—both Home and Pro editions—according to this support page, with the end date slated for October 13th, 2026. That’s when the next major Windows 11 update will be released. (This was also the case in 2025 when support for Windows 11 23H2 ended in the fall.) On October 13th, 2026, expect to receive the very last update for Windows 11 24H2. After that, you should update to a newer Windows version, which will likely be Windows 11 25H2. (Windows 11 25H2, which released last fall, will receive updates until October 12th, 2027.) Windows 11 24H2, which brought several new features to the operating system, also caused headaches for many users. For some, the installation failed; for others, there was a hail of error messages and crashes; for others yet, the taskbar kept freezing, frame rates dropped drastically in some video games, and some Office apps stopped working. Windows 11 SE The end of support for Windows 11 24H2 has a side effect: Windows 11 SE is also finally coming to its end. Microsoft touted Windows 11 SE as an alternative to Google’s Chrome OS back in November 2021, but Windows 11 SE was unable to establish itself in the market. SE was primarily intended for inexpensive notebooks for school use. We reported on this discontinuation last year: Windows 11 SE was announced in late 2021 and launched in January of 2022, explicitly designed for the education market. While it shares most of the codebase and features of Windows 11, it’s also far more locked down, with standard users unable to install third-party 32-bit apps or even apps from the Windows Store without admin assistance. Windows 11 SE lacks widgets and some Snap Layout options for the sake of being “distraction-free,” it’s even more insistent upon Microsoft applications like Office and Edge, and it needs to be managed via the Intune system. Windows 11 SE was meant to be a successor to Windows 10 S, which didn’t make a particularly big splash, either. It’s easy to imagine how school administrators, used to standard Windows 10/11 or Google’s popular and cheap Chromebook education setup, wouldn’t be keen on sacrificing advanced features. Microsoft will provide updates for the last time in October 2026, as explained on this support page. Afterwards, there will be no more support or updates for Windows 11 SE. Windows 11 23H2 November 10th, 2026 also marks the end of support for Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise, according to this support page. Meanwhile, Windows 11 23H2 Home and Pro were already discontinued back in November 2025. Microsoft Office 2021 Microsoft Office 2021, which was released back in October 2021 and is the predecessor to the now-current Office 2024, will also be discontinued on October 13th, 2026 alongside Windows 11 24H2. That includes discontinued support for Office LTSC 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 for Mac, as reported by Windows Latest. Although you can continue to use Office 2021 after the end of support, the software won’t be getting new updates, which means any newly discovered security vulnerabilities will remain unfixed. In other words, it’s a security risk to keep using Office 2021 post-support. Affected customers should therefore switch to either Microsoft Office 2024 (a non-subscription one-time payment with only security updates) or Microsoft 365 (a subscription payment that includes both feature and security updates). Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t offer a discount for upgrading from Office 2021 to Office 2024. Not sure which way to go? Learn more about whether you should subscribe to Microsoft 365 or buy Microsoft Office 2024. Various Windows features In addition to the above products being discontinued, Microsoft has also removed several features from Windows over 2025. Here are the most notable ones worth knowing about: Location History (API for Cortana) Line Printer Daemon (older printer protocol) Windows UWP Map Control and Windows Maps Platform API (replaced by Azure Maps) Windows Maps (replaced by Bing Maps) Device Metadata (partially replaced by INF) Dev Home (partially moved to Settings) Windows PowerShell 2.0 (newer versions still available) Windows Management Instrumentation Command-Line (has been replaced by Windows PowerShell for WMI) Legacy Web Components (partially replaced by WebView2) What features will be removed from Windows in 2026? Well, that remains to be seen. Read...

New year, new you, right? At least, that’s what I told myself this year, setting up some fitness goals that I hope to actually stick to. If you’re in the same boat, then you need a way to stay motivated—and a fitness tracker might just do the trick as it prods you along when you aren’t hitting your goals. The Fitbit Charge 6 is on sale for $99.95 right now, a lofty 38% off its original $159.95 on Amazon, bringing it down to its best-ever price. Now that’s a deal worth grabbing! View this Amazon deal The Fitbit Charge 6 provides you with quick access to a ton of health tracking tools. It comes with built-in GPS for accurate tracking of your walks and runs, it continuously monitors your heart rate, and it even tracks your sleep and analyzes it (to some degree). Its water-resistant design makes it suitable for swimming and durable enough for daily wear. You can even use the watch to run an ECG, and it can be used to pay for things without taking out your phone or credit card. Our friends at Tech Advisor reviewed the Fitbit Charge 6 and gave it a 4-star rating, loving its quick access to Google Maps and Google Pay, the quality of the heart rate sensor, and the ease of using that side button for interface navigation. The fact that it also synchronizes to gym equipment is definitely a plus, too. Get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions with the Fitbit Charge 6 for $99.95 before this deal expires. Save 38% on the Fitbit Charge 6 and hit your goals this yearBuy now at Amazon Read...

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Ten years ago, the answer to the question of whether you should get fixed broadband or settle for mobile was simple: Yes, you should, as long as it is technically possible and not outrageously expensive. Mobile broadband was an emergency solution for summer cottages and houses in rural areas where the fiber network did not reach, and a backup system for those who needed constant connectivity even if the regular connection was down. Today, both 4G and 5G networks have been rolled out and cover large parts of the country. Operators selling mobile broadband promise speeds of up to 1Gbit/s — more than many fixed connections. Does this mean that you can just as easily choose mobile broadband and ignore fiber? We all know that mobile networks have different coverage in different places, and that speeds can vary widely. Sometimes you can barely download emails on your mobile phone, other times you can stream films and play fast online games like Fortnite. How can you decide for yourself if mobile broadband can meet your needs? To answer this question, I’ve enlisted the help of researchers Anna Brunström, professor at Karlstad University, and Mikael Gidlund, professor at Mid Sweden University. Tianji Buqi How it works Apart from the fact that both fixed fiber broadband and mobile broadband can achieve bandwidths of hundreds of megabits per second — and thus qualify as broadband — they are two fundamentally different technologies. The differences are fundamentally about the way the technologies are built: Fiber carries light through a physical cable, while 5G uses radio and has to compete for space in the air. “A practical but often underestimated difference is that fiber is delivered directly into the house, while mobile broadband first has to get through the outer walls before the router even makes contact,” says Mikael Gidlund. Anna Brunström, professor at Karlstad University.Karlstads universitet Anna Brunström says that fiber normally provides more stable speeds and more even latency (delay), as each customer has their own physical connection. With mobile broadband, all users share the total capacity of the mobile network. Therefore, mobile broadband is more affected by location, time, and load. Another difference is that mobile broadband often uses something called Carrier-Grade NAT, a feature that allows many subscribers to share a few public IPv4 addresses. Instead of your router getting a unique public address, it is often given a private address, while fiber packages often provide public addressing directly. This is important if you want to set up a server at home, for example. Mobile broadband, on the other hand, is more flexible and portable. It’s easy to get started and you can often take the subscription with you to different locations. Mikael Gidlund summarizes the differences between fixed and mobile broadband as follows: ParameterFixed fiber connectionMobile broadband (4G/5G)StabilityVery high and predictable. Capacity is in practice dedicated.Variable as capacity is shared by all users in the same cell. Walls, load and distance affect.DownloadingStable high speeds even in heavy local use.Can be very high in good coverage, but drops when many people use the cell at the same time.ChargingOften symmetric or close to symmetric — important for work, AI generation, cloud services, backup.Significantly lower than the download and heavily affected by load.LatencyConsistently low and smooth. For games and real-time services.Higher and more variable. Affected by signal strength, load and distance.FlexibilityFixed solution tied to the address.Very flexible — can be taken, moved, and used in multiple locations. Could mobile broadband be better? At addresses where fiber is not already deployed, the simplicity of mobile broadband may trump the technical advantages of fixed connection. The cost can also be significantly lower in situations where you would have to bear the cost of digging and laying the fiber cable to the house yourself. Mobile broadband is also easy to take with you or activate at a new address, which makes it convenient and can be cost-effective if you want to use one subscription in several locations, such as your home and your vacation home or camper van. For many users, mobile broadband is fully capable of meeting their needs, although speeds and latency can vary more than fiber. In places where fiber is not available, mobile broadband can also provide a significantly better user experience than fixed broadband based on older technologies such as ADSL,” says Anna Brunström. Mikael GidlundTina Stafrén/Mittuniversitetet Mikael Gidlund also points to flexibility as a major advantage of mobile broadband, saying that users who mainly download (for example, surfing and streaming films) will not notice the mobile network’s more limited upload speed as much as those who, for example, play games or are on video calls. How can you decide what’s right for your situation? With fiber, it’s really only the price and the internet operator’s customer service that affect how well the connection works. When you choose a subscription, you can basically count on getting the promised speed, and it will normally not vary significantly. With mobile broadband, it’s much trickier and the situation can be completely different even for two neighbors. Always start by thinking about your household needs. How dependent are you on a stable connection at all times? What kind of services do you use and how many simultaneous users can you expect? Is it mostly downloads or do you also need to upload large amounts of data? If you need a public IP address, check that it is possible to get one for the subscription you are considering,” says Anna Brunström. Mikael Gidlund says that the performance you will get with mobile broadband depends on factors such as the environment, load, the operator’s network you choose, and the type of construction the house is built with. He recommends that anyone thinking of choosing mobile broadband should look at four things: 1. How well the network works where you live Thiago Japyassu It is rarely possible to test a subscription in advance, but you can still get a relatively reliable idea of how the connection will behave. The most practical way is to use a mobile phone from the same operator you plan to use and carry out tests where the router will be placed. It is important to measure at different times of the day, especially in the evening when the load is normally highest,” says Mikael Gidlund. Speed tests such as Fast.com work well for this purpose, while coverage maps should only be seen as a rough guide and are often over-optimistic. 2. How the house is constructed Mikael Gidlund says the material of the outer walls has a big impact on the speed of the mobile network inside the house. Many new houses have windows with energy glass covered by a metal film, which greatly attenuates the signal strength. In a modern passive house, the mobile signal becomes weak. An external antenna may be needed.Jörg Blobelt (CC BY-SA 4.0) This is a technical problem that does not depend on the operator, but on the laws of physics: The higher the frequency, the more difficult it is for the signal to penetrate materials. The fastest 5G networks use these higher frequencies. One way to get round the house design is to get an external antenna. In addition to being placed outdoors where the signal is stronger, it can be directional and have signal boosters. In some cases, this may be the only way to get a satisfactory mobile broadband speed. 3. Choice of operator The rollout of 4G and 5G is far from evenly distributed. Larger cities often have good 5G coverage. But in smaller communities and sparsely populated areas, 4G still provides the most practical coverage, and 5G may not be available at all or may only reach certain parts of the locality. Differences between operators are significant. It is not uncommon for one operator to perform excellently in a particular location, while another performs significantly worse despite similar coverage maps. Therefore, the choice of operator should be considered at least as important as the choice between fiber and mobile broadband,” says Mikael Gidlund. 4. How many people share the capacity? Cottonbro Studio All users connected to a given cell (i.e. a mobile mast) must share its total capacity. The more users and the more they try to do, the less capacity there is for each user. This is particularly noticeable in the evenings when many people are streaming films, if there is an event going on in the area so that more people than usual are present, in places where unusually many people are using mobile broadband instead of fixed, and in large apartment blocks. In other words, if you’re alone in a country house that happens to be close to a mobile tower, have few neighbors, and mainly use the internet during the day, you’re likely to get a much better experience than if you mainly want to watch Netflix in the evenings and live in a large apartment block. Are ‘unlimited’ mobile broadband plans really unlimited? Jean van der Meulen Anna Brunström says that most unlimited plans will be perceived as unlimited in normal use. But there are limits you can hit. For example, mobile broadband does not normally include roaming the country. There are also often clauses in the contract that limit abnormal use. If you “hit the cap” on your subscription, you typically get a reduced speed until the period is reset or the opportunity to top up. Always read the small print. Mikael Gidlund says that operators often have rules for so-called “fair use.” Those who use a lot of data in a short time may have their speed reduced, either temporarily during peak periods or until the end of the payment period. Evgeny Opanasenko A third option Anna Brunström points out that fiber and mobile networks are not the only technologies available to get an internet connection. Another option that has become viable in recent years is satellite internet. The most common consumer solutions, such as Starlink, rely on satellites orbiting close to the Earth with typical speeds around 50-200Mbit/s and latency around 20-50ms, which is sufficient for streaming, video conferencing, and everyday browsing. On the positive side, mobile broadband and satellite are also complementary, as satellite can work less well in densely populated areas where there is usually good mobile coverage. Areas with poorer mobile coverage often work well with satellite. Related content 6 things Starlink does better than regular home internet Never, ever put these 6 devices near your Wi-Fi router Are 5G laptops worth it? 7 key facts you need to know Read...

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