Consumer & Gadgets news
Consumer & Gadgets
Everything you say to an Alexa speaker will be sent to Amazon—starting today
Amazon has disabled two key privacy features in its Alexa smart speakers, in a push to introduce artificial intelligence-powered "agentic capabilities" and turn a profit from the popular devices.
Mar 29, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Those constantly distracted by their phone will just find other ways to procrastinate if it isn't nearby, study suggests
A new study published in Frontiers in Computer Science investigated if placing smartphones just out of our reach while we're at work influenced device use for activities not related to work.
Mar 28, 2025
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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 ...
Mar 27, 2025
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Fear of addiction, fear of missing out: How increased AI use can trigger anxiety
A new study by Prof. Guy Hochman and Adi Frenkenberg from the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at Reichman University presents new findings on the relationship between anxiety, motivation, and dependence on artificial intelligence, ...
Mar 27, 2025
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AI robot pets can be adorable and emotionally responsive. They also raise questions about attachment and mental health
Remember Furbies—the eerie, gremlin-like toys from the late 90s that gained a cult following? Now, imagine one powered by ChatGPT. That's exactly what happened when a programmer rewired a Furby, only for it to reveal a ...
Mar 27, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Study shows people in Japan treat robots and AI agents more respectfully than people in Western societies
Imagine an automated delivery vehicle rushing to complete a grocery drop-off while you are hurrying to meet friends for a long-awaited dinner. At a busy intersection, you both arrive at the same time. Do you slow down to ...
Mar 26, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Revolutionizing touch: Researchers explore the future of wearable multi-sensory haptic technology
From virtual reality to rehabilitation and communication, haptic technology has revolutionized the way humans interact with the digital world. While early haptic devices focused on single-sensory cues like vibration-based ...
Mar 25, 2025
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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 ...
Mar 25, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
'Literally just child gambling': What kids say about Roblox, lootboxes and money in online games
Roblox is one of the world's most popular online platforms for children, offering a variety of "experiences" including games and virtual spaces. Most of the experiences are free, but offer upgrades, bonuses and random items ...
Mar 24, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Researchers develop AI app to help speech-impaired users communicate more naturally
More than 250 million people worldwide have verbal communication disorders that make it difficult to use automatic speech recognition programs. Simply sharing what they'd like to eat for dinner by using ASR is cumbersome.
Mar 24, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Household electricity three times more expensive than upcoming 'eco-friendly' aviation e-fuels, study reveals
Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research published in Climate Policy shows.
Mar 23, 2025
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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.
Mar 21, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Amazon ends little-used privacy feature that let Echo users opt out of sending recordings to company
Amazon is ending a little-used privacy feature that let some users of its Echo smart speaker prevent their voice commands from going to the company's cloud.
Mar 20, 2025
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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.
Mar 20, 2025
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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. ...
Mar 19, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Reproductive health apps must do more to protect user data, researchers say
A study by CUNY SPH researchers raises concerns about the privacy and security practices of popular reproductive health apps. The research, conducted by alumna Nina Zadushlivy, Assistant Professor Karmen Williams, and Arizona ...
Mar 19, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Social media design is key to protecting kids online
Social media is a complex environment that presents both opportunities and threats for adolescents, with self-expression and emotional support on the one hand and body-shaming, cyberbullying and addictive behaviors on the ...
Mar 19, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Streaming, surveillance and the power of suggestion: The hidden cost of ten years of Netflix
This month marks a decade since Netflix—the world's most influential and widely subscribed streaming service—launched in Australia.
Mar 18, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Leap of faith for Ubisoft with 'Assassin's Creed' set in Japan
Packing familiar formulas into an all-new Japanese setting, "Assassin's Creed Shadows" is the latest big-budget game from developer Ubisoft that is staking its future on the title.
Mar 18, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
YouTube influencers: Gaming's best friend or worst enemy?
YouTube influencers are shaping the gaming industry in unexpected ways, and a new study in the journal Marketing Science uncovers the surprising truth: Although influencers can drive massive engagement with video games, they ...
Mar 14, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Unofficial parental control apps put children's safety and privacy at risk
Some "unofficial" parental control apps have excessive access to personal data and hide their presence, raising concerns about their potential for unethical surveillance as well as domestic abuse, according to new research ...
Mar 13, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Security is just a side quest: Insights from the video game industry
The video game industry is a constantly changing market worth billions. In a qualitative interview study with industry experts, CISPA researcher Philip Klostermeyer from the team of CISPA Faculty Prof. Dr. Sascha Fahl investigated ...
Mar 13, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Co-design empowers inclusive tech for individuals with intellectual disabilities
A series of QUT research studies have shed light on the importance of involving individuals with intellectual disabilities in the development of assistive technologies.
Mar 13, 2025
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Consumer & Gadgets
Electric cars were once marketed as 'women's cars.' Did this hold back their development over the next century?
It was not a given that petrol-powered cars would come to dominate the world. In fact, back in 1900, just 22% of cars produced in the US were powered by gasoline (also known as petrol, benzine or various other names). The ...
Mar 13, 2025
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Internet
One Tech Tip: Wasting too much time on social media apps? Tips and tricks to curb smartphone use
If you've got a smartphone, you probably spend too much time on it—checking Instagram, watching silly TikTok videos, messaging on WhatsApp or doomscrolling on X.
Mar 13, 2025
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