Consumer & Gadgets news

Consumer & Gadgets

A behind-the-scenes look at Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo's Switch 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor of eight years past as the video game developer pushes to bring its brand into "a new era" where social experiences are at the forefront.

Consumer & Gadgets

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Big appliances, like washing machines, ovens and refrigerators, are a major investment for many households. Consumers hope that these appliances will last for decades. More and more, however, people have the perception that ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Nintendo Switch 2 launches in June with new Mario Kart World game

Nintendo has announced a June 5 launch date and $449.99 price tag for its latest gaming console, the Switch 2, which will introduce interactive chat and screenshare functions to connect gamers.

Consumer & Gadgets

How Meta's upcoming $1,000+ smart glasses with a screen will work

Meta Platforms Inc., ramping up work on a deluxe version of its popular smart glasses, plans to include hand-gesture controls and a screen for displaying photos and apps.

Consumer & Gadgets

Robotic dogs can inspire emergent leadership in humans

A study from the Media Innovation Lab (miLAB) at Reichman University's School of Communications explored how a robotic dog can influence leadership dynamics between humans. The study revealed that simple gestures of affection ...

Consumer & Gadgets

E-scooter crashes mainly caused by reckless driving, study shows

Crashes on electric scooters are mostly due to the behavior of the riders, with one-handed steering and riding in a group being some of the largest risk factors. Researchers are also concerned about riders who deliberately ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Q&A: What happens to your data if 23andMe collapses?

A paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine calls for regulations to protect customers' personal and genetic data in light of biotech company 23andMe's uncertain future.

Consumer & Gadgets

Young Chinese women find virtual love in 'Deepspace'

Rafayel's girlfriends went all out to celebrate their lover's birthday, renting malls across China for parties, decorating high-speed trains with his photos, and even staging a dazzling drone show.

Consumer & Gadgets

Safeguarding coffee grinders from hidden stones with acoustics

Most coffee connoisseurs are familiar with the gentle hum of their favorite café's grinder while they wait in eager anticipation of that aromatic first sip. But behind this everyday scene lies a surprisingly tricky problem. ...

Consumer & Gadgets

How simple prompts can make partially automated cars safer

A new study finds that prompts do a good job of getting drivers to engage with their environment and take over control of the vehicle when necessary while using partially automated driving systems—with one exception. If ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Dead tree, hangover, shovel: What 2025's new emojis are telling us

A leafless, lifeless tree is among the most striking new emojis coming to our smartphones in the coming weeks, as part of the latest batch being released by the Unicode Consortium, which sets the international standard for ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Young Chinese turn to AI pets for emotional relief

At a shopping mall in Beijing, Zhang Yachun murmurs quietly to her closest confidant, a fluffy AI-powered robot whose soothing chirps remind her that she is not alone.

Consumer & Gadgets

Alexa, should voice assistants have a gender?

Studies have long shown that men are more likely to interrupt, particularly when speaking with women. New research by Johns Hopkins engineers reveals that this behavior also extends to AI-powered voice assistants like Alexa ...