Consumer & Gadgets news
Consumer & Gadgets
New deep learning framework solves the cold-start problem
Recommender systems suggest potentially relevant content by evaluating user preferences and are essential in reducing information overload. However, when users join a new online platform, recommendation systems often struggle ...
Mar 16, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
New music release day could be dangerous for distracted drivers
Researchers seeking to understand the impact of smartphones on driving safety have a warning for music fans: Release day might be dangerous. The study, described in a working paper published last month by the National Bureau ...
Mar 13, 2026
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Report calls for AI toy safety standards to protect young children
AI-powered toys that "talk" with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, according to a report that warns they are not always developed with children's psychological safety in mind. ...
Mar 12, 2026
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How Apple's new low-cost MacBook Neo may shake up the market
With a price tag of $600—$500 with a student discount—Apple's new MacBook Neo releasing today is shaking up the entry-level PC market and education sector, competing squarely with similarly priced Windows laptops and ...
Mar 12, 2026
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AI assistants can sway writers' attitudes, even when they're watching for bias, experiments indicate
Artificial intelligence-powered writing tools such as autocomplete suggestions can definitely change the way people express themselves, but can they also change how they think? Cornell Tech researchers think so.
Mar 11, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
It's tempting to offload your thinking to AI. Cognitive science shows why that's a bad idea
With so many artificial intelligence (AI) products being offered now, it's increasingly tempting to offload difficult thinking tasks to chatbots, agents and other tools.
Mar 10, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Behind the feed: New research explores how social media algorithms shape our digital lives
Every time you scroll, like, or share on a social media platform, an algorithm is watching, learning, and deciding what you see next. But how many of us stop to think about what's actually driving those decisions and what's ...
Mar 9, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Smart pillow lets users stream podcasts and music with hugs and presses
A "smart pillow" that enables people to access digital content at bedtime without looking at screens could help cut down on problematic evening smartphone use, its inventors say. Computing scientists at the University of ...
Mar 9, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Apple launches $599 MacBook Neo, threatening Windows PC market
Apple Inc. rolled out the $599 MacBook Neo in its biggest push yet into low-end laptops, aiming to challenge Windows PCs and Chromebooks for budget-minded shoppers.
Mar 8, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Why you need to charge your electric car more often in the cold: Tips from a battery expert
When the temperature drops to -20°C, electric car owners quickly notice it in their wallets. But is it just a matter of driving with the heat on full blast? And what can we do to save the battery as much as possible?
Mar 5, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Describe the vibe, see the look: An AI-based system projects makeup onto the user's face
An artificial intelligence-based projection makeup system from Science Tokyo lets users describe a mood or style in their own words and instantly see matching makeup colors on their faces. The technology learns each person's ...
Mar 5, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Nearly half of UK adults happy to use ChatGPT as a counselor, study finds
More than 4 in 10 adults in the U.K. are happy to use ChatGPT for their mental health support, new research suggests. The study, led by Bournemouth University, surveyed nearly 31,000 adults in 35 countries about their use ...
Mar 5, 2026
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Internet
Are Google's 'preferred sources' a good thing for online news?
Why do you see the results you do when you search for information online? It's a complex mix of what the source is, its relationships to other sources online, and your own past browsing history and device settings.
Mar 5, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Apple's 'big week' launches a pair of $599 devices aimed at budget buyers
Apple CEO Tim Cook promised a "big week" of product announcements has seen the introduction of a new budget-friendly iPhone trim, an entry-level MacBook tier, updated iPad Air models, refreshed monitors and higher-end chipsets. ...
Mar 4, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Privacy and attention promises from alternative phones at MWC
Alternative phones on offer at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) telecoms trade show in Barcelona this week aim to answer demand for devices that protect users' data and attention.
Mar 4, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Gray screens and loading delays cut gaming time by 30%
You know it's time to put your phone down, but your thumb finds "Play Again" once more. In an age where digital entertainment never sleeps, willpower alone isn't enough. As more players, especially the younger generations, ...
Mar 3, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Video messaging effectiveness depends on quality of streaming experience, research shows
Low-resolution online videos are less likely to influence opinion and also more likely to dissuade viewers from engaging with future content, research by Oregon State University scientists shows. The study carries major implications ...
Mar 3, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Zuckerberg borrows Big Tobacco playbook in landmark social media addiction trial—psychologists aren't buying it
While internal emails reveal Meta executives once described themselves as "pushers," Mark Zuckerberg faces a jury to argue that 16-hour-a-day scrolling habits are a sign of "value," not addiction.
Mar 3, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Second-hand phones surf rising green consumer wave
The secondhand market for smartphones has surged in recent years, borne up by lower prices as well as interest in eco-friendly consumption even as some still fear buying a dud.
Mar 3, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
For solar power to truly provide affordable energy access, we need to deploy it better, say researchers
Small household solar power systems have been gaining traction—and investment—as a means to provide affordable and sustainable energy to those living without access to electricity. But new research led by the University ...
Feb 26, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
New system designed to protect drones from cyber threats
Adelaide University researchers have initiated the development of a world-first cybersecurity system designed to protect drones from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The new study led by the Industrial AI Research ...
Feb 26, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
VR game helps police officers manage stress better
Training police officers with a virtual-reality game can significantly improve their ability to regulate stress, even in realistic, high-pressure situations. The VR game, developed at the Donders Institute at Radboud University, ...
Feb 26, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
AirDrop is coming to Android phones
The cell phone world is divided into two camps—iPhone users and Android users. Apple curates new features for iOS and Google develops for Android, and they likely don't spend a ton of time worrying about how their phones ...
Feb 25, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
HEART benchmark assesses ability of LLMs and humans to offer emotional support
Large language models (LLMs), artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can process human language and generate texts in response to specific user queries, are now used daily by a growing number of people worldwide. While ...
Consumer & Gadgets
How can you avoid AI sycophancy? Keep it professional, researchers say
Drawing boundaries isn't just important for relationships with humans anymore. It could be the key to people's relationships with their favorite AI chatbots. Researchers recently discovered that the overly agreeable behavior ...
Feb 24, 2026
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