Consumer & Gadgets news

Consumer & Gadgets

Can you feel sorry for a robot? Research indicates you can

A pitiful sound from tinny speakers, sad virtual eyes, trembling robot arms: It doesn't take much to feel sorry for a robot. This is the conclusion of a study by Marieke Wieringa, who will be defending her Ph.D. thesis at ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Storytelling study provides a window into the inner workings, ongoing limitations of generative AI tools like ChatGPT

Imagine you decide to write a short story about a protagonist who creates an artificial human and then falls in love with it. What gender is your protagonist? What about the artificial human? Would you write a moving love ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Dangers of the metaverse and VR for US youth revealed in new research

The metaverse, a space where the lines between physical and digital realities blur, is rising among younger populations. As of March, 33% of teens own a virtual reality (VR) device and 13% use it weekly.

Consumer & Gadgets

Showing AI users diversity in training data can boost perceived fairness and trust

While artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as home assistants, search engines or large language models like ChatGPT, may seem nearly omniscient, their outputs are only as good as the data on which they are trained. ...

Consumer & Gadgets

New tool can detect malware on Android phones

Screen readers, voice-to-text, and other accessibility features have enabled people with disabilities to use smartphones. Yet these same features make the phones more accessible to hackers, too.

Consumer & Gadgets

Exploring the hidden costs of free apps

Procrastination, sleep deprivation and reduced focus are part of the price we pay for free mobile apps. This is according to researchers at Linköping University and RISE, who have investigated the costs hidden behind the ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Q&A: Generative AI embraced faster than internet, PCs

ChatGPT's debut in November 2022 caused a near-instant sensation. It gave most users their first opportunity to try out a new type of artificial intelligence that uses existing data and published materials to create content ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Will Meta's Orion smart glasses be the next 'iPhone moment'?

Meta supremo Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Orion smart glasses, a new augmented reality (AR) prototype, at the annual Meta Connect developer conference. Ten years in the making, and still not expected on high streets until 2027, ...

Consumer & Gadgets

New device lets owners know exactly where their dog is

The pandemic gave people a lot more time with their dogs and cats, but return to the office has disrupted that connection. Pet cameras can help but are needed in every room and don't really tell owners what their furry friend ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Sony hikes PS5 prices in some markets, US consumers spared

Sony's PlayStation 5 is already notoriously difficult to find, and on Thursday the popular console's manufacturer said that it will also become more expensive for gamers in many parts of the world.

Consumer & Gadgets

Meta removes fake accounts tied to pro-US influence campaign

A covert online persuasion campaign to cast the U.S. and its allies in a positive light in the Middle East and Central Asia—as well as to bash its adversaries—was disrupted by Meta Platforms Inc. and Twitter Inc., which ...