Consumer & Gadgets news

Consumer & Gadgets

AI 'CHEF' could help those with cognitive declines complete home tasks

In the United States, 11% of adults over age 45 self-report some cognitive decline, which may impact their ability to care for themselves and perform tasks such as cooking or paying bills. A team of Washington University ...

Internet

WhatsApp data reveal people often deceive themselves

How quickly we reply, how active we really are in chats—many people misjudge their own behavior. Researchers at Bielefeld University have, for the first time, used anonymized WhatsApp metadata to make such misperceptions ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Brew, smell, and serve: AI steals the show at CES 2026

AI took over CES 2026, powering coffee machines to brew the perfect espresso, a device to create your perfect scent, and ball-hitting tennis robots that make you forget it's human against machine.

Consumer & Gadgets

From sci-fi to sidewalk: Exoskeletons go mainstream

Exoskeletons are shedding their bulky, sci-fi image to become lightweight, AI-powered consumer devices that manufacturers hope will become as commonplace as smartwatches, targeting everyone from hikers to seniors seeking ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Dose of uncertainty: Experts wary of AI health gadgets at CES

Health tech gadgets displayed at the annual CES trade show make a lot of promises. A smart scale promoted a healthier lifestyle by scanning your feet to track your heart health, and an egg-shaped hormone tracker uses AI to ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Smart glasses find purpose among blind users

The actual use-value of smart glasses remains keenly debated—but less so among blind people, who are increasingly relying on the latest models to improve their lives.

Consumer & Gadgets

Living differently can help reduce your home's carbon footprint

An EPFL study has measured the carbon footprint of 20,000 residential buildings in Vaud Canton in Switzerland. The authors' findings show that a targeted approach will be key to lowering the emissions associated with residential ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Apple's move to eSIM-only strengthens global trend

Apple's Tuesday announcement that the new iPhone 17 Air will only be available around the world without physical SIM cards marks a new advance for the virtual eSIM technology the firm has relied on in the US for years.

Consumer & Gadgets

AI and iPhones likely stars of Apple event

Apple is set to unveil its iPhone 17 lineup on Tuesday, with enhanced artificial intelligence features expected to take center stage.

Consumer & Gadgets

40 years of 'Mario' games that have grown up with fans

Surrounded by thousands of objects bearing the likeness of Nintendo's mustachioed plumber, 40-year-old Kikai reflects that his "life would be totally different without Mario" who also marks four decades this week.

Consumer & Gadgets

Apertus: A fully open, transparent, multilingual language model

In July, EPFL, ETH Zurich, and CSCS announced their joint initiative to build a large language model (LLM). Now, this model is available and serves as a building block for developers and organizations for future applications ...

Consumer & Gadgets

When AI blurs reality: The rise of hyperreal digital culture

From Bigfoot vlogs to algorithmically created personas, hyperrealistic AI content is redefining the boundaries of digital creators. These influencers are entirely virtual personas created using generative AI tools that simulate ...