Anthropic’s Claude Takes Control of a Robot Dog

As more robots start showing up in warehouses, offices, and even people’s homes, the idea of large language models hacking into complex systems sounds like the stuff of sci-fi nightmares. So, naturally, Anthropic researchers were eager to see what would happen if Claude tried taking control of a robot—in this case, a robot dog. In…

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Quietest Vacuums of 2025

In our lab, CR’s engineers put vacuum cleaners through a set of tough tests to evaluate how well a model picks up dirt, how much debris it retains, how easy it is to maneuver, and how noisy it is.  We embed sand and pet hair into carpets to see how effective the appliance is at…

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3 Best Smart Displays (2025): Tested By a Smart Home Addict

Comparing Our Favorite Smart Displays More Smart Displays We Like Echo Hub for $180: The Echo Hub isn’t exactly a smart display. It lacks powerful speaker capabilities and doesn’t have a camera for calls or Amazon’s Drop-In video call feature. Instead, it focuses entirely on being a smart home dashboard with built-in Alexa, plus features…

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Most Discounted New Cars Right Now

For this list, we focused on what people paid, and we didn’t limit the selections to models that meet the stringent criteria to be recommended by CR. We identified 10 models that are selling for well below their sticker price, with each going for less than $50,000. (In addition to these vehicles, there are discounts…

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How Safe Is Your Baby’s Pacifier?

Before 2008, there was no requirement for pacifiers—or any children’s products—to be tested for safety, according to Nancy Cowles, product safety advocate and former executive director of the nonprofit Kids in Danger. “I think that consumers can trust that pacifiers sold at major retailers have been tested,” Cowles says. “It might be harder to tell…

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Most Reliable Laundry Appliance Brands

Keith Flamer Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories…

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How to Replace Cable TV for Less Than $35 a Month

Even at the slightly higher price, Disney+ is compelling. The company owns Lucasfilm (the “Star Wars” franchise), Marvel Studios (“The Avengers,” “Black Panther”), and Pixar (“Toy Story,” “Up”). The recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox gives it 20th Century Studios (“The Simpsons”) and the lion’s share of National Geographic content. Disney+’s updated library of content…

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Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Aarian Marshall: Hello. Michael Calore: Given today’s topic, I’m curious to know what is the most unexpected thing you’ve both ordered through a delivery app? Louise Matsakis: So I was on a press trip to China recently, and I was taking notes during an interview, and I got pen all over my white pants. So…

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