https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/consumer-gadgets-news/ en-us Tthe latest news on consumer electronics, electronic gadgets and electronics. Imagine tapping your thumb and index finger together twice to skip to the next song or clicking around your laptop or desktop computer without a mouse, using discreet finger motions. New first-of-its-kind wearable technology from researchers at Cornell and KAIST, in South Korea, brings that vision closer to reality. The system, called WatchHand, equips off-the-shelf smartwatches with AI-powered micro sonar capable of tracking hand movements. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-sonar-stock-smartwatches-tracking-advancement.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:40:05 EDT news694696262 Samsung is saying goodbye its namesake texting app. According to an end of service announcement published on the tech giant's U.S. support website, Samsung Messages will be discontinued in July. Impacted owners of Samsung smartphones and other gadgets are being asked to switch to Google Messages in the meantime, "to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-samsung-discontinuing-texting-app-impacted.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:30:03 EDT news694693205 Voice-activated, conversational artificial intelligence (AI) agents must provide clear explanations for their suggestions, or older adults aren't likely to trust them. That's one of the main findings from a study by AI Caring on what older adults expect from explainable AI (XAI). https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-older-adults-ai.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:20:03 EDT news694691882 In a landmark decision, a Los Angeles jury has found that social media company Meta and video streaming service YouTube harmed a young user with addictive design features that led to mental health distress, including body dysmorphia, depression and suicidal thoughts. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-neuroscience-teens-vulnerable-big-tech.html Consumer & Gadgets Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:03 EDT news694412931 AI companions are always available, never judge, never tire and never demand anything in return. If someone is struggling with loneliness, this frictionlessness can seem profoundly appealing. However, new research shows that in the long term, seeking emotional support from an AI companion can pull users away from important human relationships. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-companions-comfort-lonely-users.html Consumer & Gadgets Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:00:06 EDT news694177965 US courts have ruled against platform providers for failing to protect children, and the debate over age restrictions for social media has gained momentum. An international group of experts from academia, children's rights organizations and non-profit institutions is convinced that bans would be the wrong approach. In the journal Science, they advocate for new strategies for the digital safety of children and youth aged 13 and older. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-qa-social-media-platforms-blanket.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:40:05 EDT news694359481 A new app developed by Yun Huang, associate professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, aims to make navigating conferences less work and more fun, so that attendees can meet others, discover fresh ideas, and "experience academic life as an exciting adventure." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-app-conference.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:00:06 EDT news694337685 Despite the hype about streaming services, traditional broadcast television still dominates advertising dollars. This year, advertisers will spend $139 billion on "linear" TV—where viewers watch programs at scheduled times—compared with $33 billion on streaming or "connected" TV. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-tv-ads-smart-tvs.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:40:01 EDT news694337644 A scrawny hippie and a nerdy engineer who became prank-playing friends vowed to change the world when they founded a Silicon Valley startup on April Fools' Day 50 years ago and then—no joke—pulled it off. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-apple-year-odyssey-redefined-technology.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:19:44 EDT news694235917 A QUT study of 20 popular paid and free apps for children aged 5 to 8 years found that most contained deceptive design patterns aimed at attracting children to paid content, increasing their time spent using the app, or encouraging them to watch advertisements for other products. Corresponding author Professor Daniel Johnson from QUT's School of Computer Science and the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence for the Digital Child, said the study found at least one deceptive pattern in 15 of the 20 apps. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-popular-kids-apps-deceptive-tactics.html Internet Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:40:02 EDT news694168741 In the early 1970s, the idea of an ordinary person owning a computer sounded absurd. Computers back then were more like aircraft carriers or nuclear power plants than household appliances—vast machines housed in data centers operated by teams of specialists, serving governments, universities and large corporations. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-apple-technology-world.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:30:02 EDT news694110421 Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets let us see the world around us with virtual elements superimposed on top. For example, many modern AR/MR headsets use hand-tracking cameras to detect hand gestures in the air, which allows users to type on a virtual keyboard that appears to be floating in front of the user. As exciting as this sounds initially, the approach often needs handheld controllers, and keeping your hands in the air for a long time can cause arm fatigue. These air gestures also lack physical feedback, which can make interaction less comfortable. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-technique-everyday-surfaces-walls-desks.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:00:04 EDT news694095059 iPhone maker Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary on April 1 having marked pop culture and the tech industry like few other firms since its beginnings in 1976. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-apple-anecdotes-iphone-maker-years.html Consumer & Gadgets Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:10:01 EDT news693990479 Last week leading chipmaker Nvidia announced DLSS-5 (Deep Learning Super Sampling), a new artificial intelligence (AI) rendering tool it describes as a "breakthrough in visual fidelity for games." The software takes low-resolution images and uses AI to upscale them, adding what Nvidia calls "photoreal lighting and materials." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-nvidia-ai-tool-female-game.html Consumer & Gadgets Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:40:04 EDT news693825722 A landmark California verdict that found the social media company Meta and video-sharing service YouTube liable for the depression and mental health challenges of a young woman could be "the beginning of a tidal wave," a social media expert said. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-verdicts-meta-youtube-expert.html Consumer & Gadgets Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:40:01 EDT news693819001 In a new study published in Science, Stanford computer scientists showed that artificial intelligence large language models are overly agreeable, or sycophantic, when users solicit advice on interpersonal dilemmas. Even when users described harmful or illegal behavior, the models often affirmed their choices. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-overly-affirms-users-personal.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:18 EDT news693667021 To get the best out of AI, some users tell it to provide answers as if it were an expert. Others ask it to adopt a persona, such as a safety monitor, to guide its responses. However, this approach can sometimes hurt performance, according to a study available on the arXiv preprint server. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-expert-reliable.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:30:04 EDT news693673246 A multi-channel wearable scent display developed at Institute of Science Tokyo allows a user to experience multiple scents while exploring virtual environments. Based on virtual scenes, the device can blend up to eight fragrances in real time and deliver them with precise control of odor intensity. By synchronizing smell with virtual reality content, the device enables better immersion and realism, opening new possibilities for enhanced digital entertainment, realistic simulation training, and future digital scent technologies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-vr-scent-technology-blends-fragrances.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:40:05 EDT news693653259 Love is mysterious. You feel it in your chest, your knees, your soul. Love will put you on budget airplanes across the world, leave you hiding from your own phone after a sent text message or perhaps standing in the rain with your belongings in a box. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-dating-app-algorithms.html Internet Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:30:01 EDT news693582035 Amid hot discussion on screen time, social media use and the impact of digital devices on our well-being, a seven-month study from Aalto University in Finland sheds new light on what overwhelms users the most—and the results aren't what you might think. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-fragmented-total-screen-main-driver.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:20:03 EDT news693575281 Can using a large language model (LLM) make a person more creative? Prior work has shown that using LLMs can make creative outputs more homogeneous, but this homogenization could stem from the specific LLM used or from widespread use of the same model. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-llms-creativity-ai-responses-variety.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:40:07 EDT news693565572 The US Federal Communications Commission on Monday banned authorizations for all new consumer routers produced in foreign countries, citing "national security" reasons. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-blacklists-foreign-routers.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 24 Mar 2026 04:52:43 EDT news693546743 During the First World War, the British government was looking for ways to help people stretch their limited food supplies. It found pamphlets from a noted 19th-century herbalist who said rhubarb leaves could be used as a vegetable along with the stalks. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-chatbot.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:00:10 EDT news693484490 I remember sitting very close to the television as a child and seeing the image was made up of tiny colored dots, each of which broke down into miniature vertical strips of red, green and blue when I looked even closer. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-tvs-pixels-approaching-limits-eyes.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:04 EDT news693489241 Googling isn't quite what it used to be. Now, when typing something into Google's search engine, the first response flashing to life on your screen is not the top-ranked search result but an "AI Overview." When asked why (using Google's search engine), the AI Overview replied: "… to provide users with quick, synthesized answers to complex or multi-step questions, enhancing efficiency and user experience. The goal is to save users time by presenting relevant information from multiple sources in one place, reducing the need to click through multiple links." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-tools-chatgpt-easier-persuasive.html Consumer & Gadgets Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:30:03 EDT news693046023 A Los Angeles courtroom is hosting what may become the most consequential legal challenge Big Tech has ever faced. This is an inflection point in the global debate over Big Tech liability: For the first time, an American jury is being asked to decide whether platform design itself can give rise to product liability—not because of what users post on them, but because of how they were built. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-instagram-addictiveness-lawsuit-reshape-social.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:10:01 EDT news693133253 While large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are adept at answering countless questions, they often remain unaware of a user's minor habits or previous conversational contexts. This is why AI, despite being deeply integrated into our daily lives, can still feel like a "stranger." Overcoming these limitations, researchers at KAIST, led by Professor Hoi-Jun Yoo from the Graduate School of AI Semiconductors, have developed the world's first AI semiconductor, dubbed "SoulMate," which learns and adapts to a user's speech style, preferences, and emotions in real-time—becoming a true "digital soulmate." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-soulmate-llm-evolves-specific-characteristics.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:40:06 EDT news693044581 It's a familiar feeling: You start a text message, and your phone's autocomplete function suggests several choices for the next word, ranging from banal to hilarious. "I love…" you, or coffee? Or you're finishing an email, and merely typing the word "Let" prompts your app to suggest "Let me know if you have any questions" in light gray text. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-finishing-sentences-unique-voice.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:40:06 EDT news692969462 The integration of large language model-based AI chatbots into multiple facets of our everyday lives has opened us up to advantages that would have been considered impossible even a decade ago. The same development has, however, opened us up to unforeseen risks, including the impact that engaging with AI chatbots can have on people dealing with mental illness. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-ai-chatbots-tendency-delusions-vulnerable.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:00:09 EDT news692963624 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 to understand their preferences. With no prior interactions in the new environment, these "cold-start" users are difficult to serve accurately. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-deep-framework-cold-problem.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:56:58 EDT news692862972