I knew things were not quite right when I had to throw a towel over a broken Ikea lamp to block out its light. How did I get here? I cover fancy and capable tech for a living, and yet, it took me two years to get rid of a pair of old, broken Ikea lamps in my bedroom. Then I got some floor lamps from Govee that changed everything.
Technology
How this humanoid robot learned to make coffee by watching videos
What if I told you that a robot can make you a cup of coffee just by watching a video of a human doing it?
It’s almost hard to believe, but it actually happened.
Thanks to a breakthrough in artificial intelligence, humanoid robots can now watch and learn from humans, just like we do.
Humanoid Figure-01 robot (Figure)
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The company behind the coffee-making robot
The company behind this innovation is Figure, which has developed a full-body humanoid robot called Figure-01. This AI robot can walk, talk, and interact with its surroundings, and it can also learn new skills by watching videos.
Humanoid Figure-01 robot (Figure)
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How the robot was able to make a cup of coffee
Figure recently demonstrated how Figure-01 can make coffee using a Keurig machine. The demonstration took place at Figure’s headquarters in San Francisco, where a human asked Figure-01 to make him a coffee. The robot responded with a cheerful “Sure, I can do that!” and proceeded to the Keurig machine.
Humanoid Figure-01 robot making coffee (Figure)
The robot had previously watched a video of a human making coffee using the same machine, and it had learned how to mimic the human’s actions. It used its vision system to recognize the machine and its parts, and its motion planning system to coordinate its movements.
It opened the hatch, inserted the pod, closed the hatch, and pressed the button, all by itself. It then waited for the coffee to be ready, and let the human grab the full cup out of the machine himself.
MORE: 10 COFFEE MAKERS TO MAKE YOUR MORNINGS BETTER
Humanoid Figure-01 robot making coffee (Figure)
The whole process took less than a minute, and the robot did not need any human assistance or guidance. It was able to perform the task autonomously, using only the video as a reference. This is an example of end-to-end AI, where the neural networks take video in and trajectories out.
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Humanoid Figure-01 robot making coffee (Figure)
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What this means for AI and robotics
The demonstration was not only impressive but also significant and impactful. It showed that Figure-01 has added a new autonomous action to its library, which can be transferred to any other Figure robot running on the same system via swarm learning.
This means that if one robot learns something new, all the other robots can learn it, too, without having to watch the video themselves. This makes the learning process faster and more efficient and enables the robots to share their knowledge and skills with each other.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
Humanoid Figure-01 robot making coffee (Figure)
The demonstration also showed that this learning process could be used across a broad range of different tasks and that Figure-01 can learn to do anything from peeling bananas to using power tools to making art, all by watching videos. The robot can also learn not only what to do but also why and how to do it and how to adapt to different situations and contexts.
MORE: HOW THIS ROBOT HELPS YOU PROTECT AND CONNECT YOUR HOME
What’s next for Figure-01 and video learning?
The demonstration was just the beginning. Figure says that 01 can learn to do anything by watching videos and that it is constantly improving its capabilities and performance. The company has big plans for the future, and it wants to make its robot more versatile, creative, and collaborative.
Humanoid Figure-01 robot (Figure)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Imagine if Figure-01 could soon go find a cup in the kitchen, check that the Keurig’s plugged in and has plenty of water in it, make the press-button coffee, and bring it to your desk without spilling it, all by watching videos and using its walking and language capabilities. These are some of the possibilities and applications of video learning for robots, and they are not far from reality.
Does this sound like progress or simply terrifying where this may lead? What would you like to teach a robot by showing it a video? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Those Ikea lamps were around for two years after I moved from Orange County to Los Angeles. Soon after that move, my mom’s Parkinson’s disease — a neurodegenerative condition with no cure — progressed quickly, my mental health took a hit, and most of my own to-do list quietly slid to the back burner as she lost mobility and more urgent things took over. So the big, ugly lamps just… stayed. They became part of the background, like everything else I wasn’t taking care of.
I didn’t even have them plugged into a smart plug — another small upgrade I kept meaning to add to my bedroom, despite having them all over the apartment — which meant I had to get up every time I wanted to turn one on.
One blasted harsh, overpoweringly bright light through a cracked shade. The other was warmer — but not warm enough — so I solved that problem one exhausted night by just throwing a towel over it. Yes, a fire hazard. Yes, I meant it as a temporary fix for a few days. But scattered caregiving brain means temporary fixes can turn into long-term solutions. At some point, it stopped feeling temporary and just became my new normal, even if it clearly wasn’t.
Then my brother bought my mom and me two separate Govee Uplighter Floor Lamps for Christmas, and my Ikea lamp troubles were over. I did not expect to develop an emotional attachment to a lamp. But I did, and now it’s one of my favorite gadgets.
The Govee was quick and easy to assemble, and much slimmer, taking up way less space than the old lamps. As I got rid of the old and set up the new, I felt an odd sense of relief and a small sense of control I hadn’t felt since the move.
Within a week, the old lamp was out of my room. That small shift gave me momentum. I started decluttering other corners that had quietly piled up, things I’d been stepping around for months without really seeing anymore.
The bedroom stopped feeling like an unfinished project I was merely surviving, and started feeling steadier. Calmer. Like a place I could finally exhale in. My days often feel structured around what my mom needs and what has to get done next. I don’t really think about my own space at all, except as something else I haven’t gotten to yet. Having a room that felt calm, even a little bit, made it easier to wind down at the end of the day instead of carrying that feeling of being “on” all the time into the night. It brought me back to myself, even if only a little.
I could relax in a way I hadn’t in a while, without feeling like I should be getting up to do something else. I could dim the lamp from my phone instead of standing up. I could shift from cool to warm without needing a towel and risking starting a fire. There’s a ripple effect that slowly moves across the wall and, for reasons I can’t fully explain, genuinely helps me fall asleep. Cycling through soft colors in the app and syncing it with ambient music is soothing. Sometimes, the changing colors feel a little bit like magic, and I find myself watching them the way I might have as a kid, reminded — briefly — that life can be more playful than it’s felt in a while. The warm, shifting light seems to have a similar effect on my mom, who lives with me, sometimes comforting and even dazzling her as she navigates some of the more difficult parts of the disease, like sundowning, along with her own quiet grief of losing pieces of herself.
And I love that it does all that and more without demanding much. Setup took about 15 to 20 minutes and didn’t require that I try to wrap my head around tools. You control it through the Govee app on your phone, and because it supports Matter, you can also pair it with platforms like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control. It offers a wide range of colors, along with 80 preset scenes and seven music modes. At $179.99, it’s pricey, but it’s versatile, basically acting as three lights in one: a top section that casts a soft ripple onto the ceiling, a colorful middle light, and a regular white light at the bottom.
It’s an amazing gift, truly, and I am so grateful for it. Mine, however, had just one problem: It sometimes forgets to be a lamp. It doesn’t lose Wi-Fi. It doesn’t show as offline in the app. It just turns off randomly. The first time it happened, I was rewatching Stranger Things to prepare for the last season. The lights flickered on screen, and then my room went dark. The vibe went from relaxing to terrifying in a second, as I briefly wondered if reality and TV had merged (I might have also had too much wine). Once my brain rebooted, I opened the Govee app and turned it back on. No problem. I assumed it was a power or Wi-Fi issue. Govee sent me a new unit that worked perfectly.
When it works — which is most of the time — it quietly makes my life better. And somehow, that’s been enough to make it one of my new favorite gadgets. It didn’t fix everything, but it helped me start taking care of my space — and myself — again.
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Chances are, you have never thought much about who owns the satellites keeping your phone connected in the middle of nowhere. That could change soon. Amazon is betting $11.57 billion that you will start paying attention. Its acquisition of Globalstar is a major move against Starlink, and the stakes go far beyond bragging rights.
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AMAZON TAKES ON ELON MUSK, LAUNCHING 27 INTERNET SATELLITES
Amazon is making a major satellite push with Globalstar, aiming to challenge Starlink and expand direct-to-device connectivity for remote users. (Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
What Amazon’s Globalstar deal means for you
Globalstar has operated for more than 30 years as a mobile satellite services provider. It brings something Amazon needed badly: spectrum. The company operates in Band 53, a slice of spectrum from 2483.5 to 2495 MHz. It describes this aslicensed spectrum with global authorizations designed to support fast, low-latency connectivity with reduced interference. That matters. Spectrum is limited, and having access to it gives Amazon a real edge.
Amazon is also getting Globalstar’s satellites, infrastructure and global licenses. It is a full package. But the real value is the spectrum. This deal is also about what that spectrum enables. Amazon plans to use it to power direct-to-device satellite services, allowing phones to send texts, make calls and access data even when there is no cellular signal.
The system is expected to roll out starting in 2028 and will support features on devices like iPhones and Apple Watches, including emergency messaging and roadside assistance. That turns this into more than an infrastructure deal. It is a shift in how everyday devices stay connected beyond traditional networks.
Amazon vs Starlink: Where things stand now
Let’s be clear about the gap. Starlink serves more than nine million users and has about 10,000 satellites in orbit. Amazon’s Leo network has just over 200 satellites. Adding Globalstar’s two dozen barely moves the number. So why spend $11.57 billion? Because this deal is not about satellite count. It is about future capability.
Amazon plans to launch a next-generation direct-to-device system in 2028. This would deliver voice, data and messaging straight to phones. The Globalstar deal gives Amazon the tools to make that happen. It brings spectrum, infrastructure and experience together.
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Amazon’s planned Globalstar acquisition gives it spectrum, satellites and infrastructure to power satellite texting, calls and data beyond cell coverage. (Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
How Amazon’s satellite service will power iPhones and Apple Watches
This is where the story hits home. Amazon and Apple have an agreement for Amazon Leo to support satellite features on iPhones and Apple Watches. That includes Emergency SOS via satellite. If you rely on that feature in a dead zone, it will soon run through Amazon’s network. Apple says the service has already helped in real emergencies, including stranded hikers and crash victims rescued in remote areas. Amazon will continue supporting current devices using Globalstar’s system while working with Apple on future upgrades. So nothing breaks, but the system behind it changes.
Amazon satellite timeline and FCC approval
The deal still needs regulatory approval, and that takes time. Amazon expects it to close in 2027. The FCC will decide, though early signs look positive. Amazon also faces a deadline. It plans to deploy about 3,200 satellites by 2029. About half must be in orbit by July 2026. That timeline adds pressure to move fast.
What this means for rural and remote users
This deal matters most in places where cell towers do not reach. Satellite connectivity can act as a backup during disasters like hurricanes or wildfires. In those moments, having no signal can be dangerous. But the impact goes beyond emergencies. Remote workers, trucking fleets, maritime crews and rural communities all stand to benefit. These are places where traditional networks fall short. Amazon’s full Leo network will include thousands of satellites. It aims to support hundreds of millions of devices worldwide.
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BLUE ORIGIN LAUNCHES 38TH NEW SHEPARD FLIGHT INTO SPACE
Amazon launched its second fleet of 27 Project Kuiper internet satellites in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 23, 2025, to create a mega constellation which will offer global broadband internet access. (GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Amazon’s $11.57 billion acquisition of Globalstar sends a clear message. It does not plan to let Starlink dominate the sky. Right now, the satellite gap is massive. Amazon knows that. Instead, it is betting on better spectrum, smarter technology and key partnerships like Apple. Amazon executive Panos Panay says billions of people still lack reliable connectivity. Amazon wants to close that gap. That is a real problem and a serious opportunity. The big question is speed. Can Amazon scale fast enough to compete before Starlink pulls further ahead?
If two of the richest companies in the world are racing to control the sky, who decides how that access is priced and delivered? And what does that mean for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Windows users will no longer be forced to run automatic updates in the middle of a game or a busy day. Microsoft is rolling out some long-awaited changes to Windows Update to users on its Dev and Experimental Windows Insider channels, including the ability to indefinitely delay updates up to 35 days at a time.
Last month, Microsoft announced a slew of upcoming changes to improve Windows 11 and address some of users’ most common complaints about the platform. Chief among the company’s planned fixes was making updates less disruptive. In its blog post on Friday, Microsoft says you’ll be able to “extend the pause end date as many times as you need” and that there are “no limits” on how many times you can reset to another 35-day window. If you don’t re-pause updates at the end of the 35-day period, updates will run as usual.
The changes to Windows Update also include more detailed titles for driver updates, which will now include the device class they apply to, such as display, audio, or battery.
Additionally, Windows 11 will now always have options in the power menu to restart or shut down without running updates, as well as the option to skip updates when setting up a new Windows device. Microsoft is also “unifying the update experience” to bunch together updates so users don’t have to reboot as frequently. Instead, “updates will download in the background, then will wait for a coordinated installation and restart.”
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