Consumer News

Think back to a time when you needed a quick answer, maybe for a recipe or a DIY project. A few years ago, most people's first instinct was to "Google it." Today, however, many people are more likely to reach for ChatGPT, OpenAI's conversational AI, which is changing the way... Read more

Smart homes are intended to make life easier, but logging into individual devices is often still an onerous task. Researchers from ETH Zurich have investigated how everyday routines could be used for secure and user-friendly authentication—with no need for cumbersome passwords.... Read more

The growth of extended reality technology means new enhanced measures are needed to protect people's privacy, a new study says.... Read more

Increasingly sophisticated computer graphics and spatial 3D sound are combining to make the virtual world of games bigger, badder and more beautiful than ever. And beyond sight and sound, haptic technology can create a sense of touch—including vibrations in your gaming chair from an explosion, or difficulty turning the wheel... Read more

Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks and toy stores as Nintendo goes all out to win non-gamer fans.... Read more

A study from the IT University of Copenhagen reveals a high rate of non-compliance in social media advertising for gambling-like loot boxes in video games, with only 7% of ads disclosing their presence as required by UK advertising regulations and EU consumer protection law.... Read more

Fitness apps have revolutionized the way we approach health and exercise. They provide users with the ability to track their workouts, monitor their progress towards fitness goals and share achievements with a like-minded community. However, these benefits come with significant privacy and security risks, particularly regarding the disclosure of users'... Read more

As governments worldwide move to restrict teenagers' access to smartphones and social media, a fierce scientific debate has erupted over whether these digital technologies actually harm young people's mental health.... Read more

Around 95% of UK households will be able to watch television over the internet by 2040, new research has revealed. The national proliferation of fast broadband and smart TVs, and the allure of subscription-based services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+, have driven the huge change in television delivery... Read more

The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would institute an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance.... Read more

Japanese video game maker Nintendo's chief said Wednesday that Switch console sales were still going strong, while he promised its successor is coming.... Read more

Journalists have long used newspapers, radio, television, magazines and, more recently, the internet to entertain and inform the public on the stories that matter most. But what if there's a richer, more compelling and interactive way to share and address real world issues?... Read more

On a train or bus, or just standing in a queue, the most common sight these days is the muted glow of a screen, and the flickering thumbs of people lost in the endless scroll on their smartphones.... Read more

Social virtual reality games and apps such as VRChat, AltspaceVR and Rec Room are immersive 3D experiences that let people with disabilities—both visible and invisible—try activities that might not be available to them in the non-virtual world.... Read more

A step toward improving online music education by developing an AI tool that can recognize musical notation is described in a paper published in the International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing.... Read more