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Meta's wristband breakthrough lets you use digital devices without touching them
Could Meta be on the verge of transforming how we interact with our digital devices? If the company's latest innovation takes off, we might soon be controlling our computers, cell phones and tablets with a simple flick of the wrist.... Read more
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Investigating self-disclosure in the era of video communication and embodied virtual reality
Self-disclosure, or the process of conveying one's details to others verbally, is crucial for communication. Self-disclosure includes expressing personal information, thoughts, and feelings. It encompasses self-expression and clarification, social validation and control, as well as relationship development, and is closely related to reciprocity, intimacy, trust, interactional enjoyment, and satisfaction.... Read more
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Apple launches $20-a-month AppleCare One plan covering up to three devices
Apple Inc. is launching a new product-insurance plan that bundles coverage for as many as three devices, part of a broader effort to drum up subscription revenue.... Read more
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These tips from experts can help your teenager navigate AI companions
As artificial intelligence technology becomes part of daily life, adolescents are turning to chatbots for advice, guidance and conversation. The appeal is clear: Chatbots are patient, never judgmental, supportive and always available.... Read more
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New research shows why people use the Internet of Things (IoT) and why sometimes they do not
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new way to connect devices like smart watches, home speakers, and health monitors to the internet. Many people believe these smart products make life easier and more enjoyable. But even with so many good things, not everyone is quick to start using IoT.... Read more
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Indie game studios battle for piece of Switch 2 success
Players line up inside Nintendo's booth at a Japanese game fair to try upcoming Switch 2 titles, but, for once, the company's chirpy red-capped mascot Mario is nowhere to be seen.... Read more
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When the stakes are high, do machine learning models make fair decisions?
Machine learning is an integral part of high-stakes decision-making in a broad swath of human-computer interactions. You apply for a job. You submit a loan application. Algorithms determine who advances and who is declined.... Read more
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Japan's Sega eyes return to 1990s gaming glory
The big-screen success of 1990s video game speedster "Sonic the Hedgehog" has brought new fans to Japan's Sega, which says it is poised for a comeback after two tough decades.... Read more
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One Tech Tip: How to clean your computer, earbuds and smartphone
Smartphones, laptops, headphones and other electronic devices are essential for work and play in our daily lives. But all that time spent typing, scrolling or listening also means our devices gradually accumulate grime that needs to be cleaned off.... Read more
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Law enforcement is learning how to use AI more ethically
As more and more sectors experiment with artificial intelligence, one of the areas that has most quickly adopted this new technology is law enforcement. It's led to some problematic growing pains, from false arrests to concerns around facial recognition.... Read more
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Research identifies 'hidden epidemic' of fraud anxiety in adults living alone
New research from the University of Portsmouth has found that a significant number of older adults in the U.K. are affected by fear of fraud, especially those who live alone or have previously been victims of crime.... Read more
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Study of Google's advertising power: Regulation alone is not enough
Alphabet, Google's parent company, dominates large parts of the technical infrastructure for the digital advertising market. This includes the supply chain through which advertising space is now traded automatically. This system, known as programmatic advertising, decides within milliseconds which ad is displayed to which user.... Read more
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AI helps stroke survivors find their voice
A new approach using generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT is showing promise in enhancing communication for people with language disorders.... Read more
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Amazon Prime Day finds success amid tariffs, consumer concerns
Amazon Prime Day sales looked bumpy at first this week, with year-over-year comparisons for the first two days down. But by Friday, early data showed solid sales for the tech giant despite economic uncertainty.... Read more
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Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables
You can only sit in front of the fridge with the door open for so long.... Read more
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Cyber crime and real-world crime are converging in a dangerous new way—here's how to stay safe
It starts with a call from someone claiming to be your bank. They know your name. They know your bank. They even know your credit card number. There's been "unusual activity" on your account, they say—and they just sent you a one-time passcode to verify your identity so they can... Read more
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Semiconducting polymers and collagen combine to create safe, green wearable tech
The world of wearable technology—such as sensors and energy-producing devices—is expanding, thanks to new research into a unique combination of materials that are flexible, safe to use on or inside the human body, and environmentally friendly.... Read more
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Samsung unveils its new line of foldable devices at Unpacked
Samsung introduced several updates to its foldable devices lineup on Wednesday, with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and the new Z Flip 7 FE taking stage at the latest Unpacked event.... Read more
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Fraud, ageism and fear: Understanding the unique risks faced by senior citizens online
Ageism is not only a deeply ingrained societal bias; it is a powerful tool used by cybercriminals to target and financially exploit vulnerable senior citizens, say researchers from the University of Surrey... Read more
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Interoperable indoor positioning systems can determine locations of people and objects within buildings
Maxim Van de Wynckel, a researcher at the WISE lab of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), successfully defended his Ph.D. in computer science on 30 June 2025. Over six years, he explored a major challenge facing many modern technologies: How can indoor positioning systems—which determine the location of people or... Read more
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Your data privacy is slipping away. Here's why, and what you can do about it
Cybersecurity and data privacy are constantly in the news. Governments are passing new cybersecurity laws. Companies are investing in cybersecurity controls such as firewalls, encryption and awareness training at record levels.... Read more
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AI personal assistants could buy your groceries and book your plane tickets
If you have always wanted a personal shopping assistant, you may be in luck: The tech industry is creating digital ones that can buy things for you.... Read more
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LLMs display different cultural tendencies when responding to queries in English and Chinese, study finds
Large language models (LLMs), such as the model underpinning the functioning of OpenAI's conversational platform ChatGPT, are now widely used by people worldwide to source information and generate content for various purposes.... Read more
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Chatbots are on the rise, but customers still trust human agents more
Customers contact companies regularly to purchase products and services, inquire about orders, make payments and request returns. Until recently, the most common way for customers to contact companies was through phone calls or by interacting with human agents via company websites and mobile apps.... Read more
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One Tech Tip: Get the most out of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots with better prompts
If you're using ChatGPT but getting mediocre results, don't blame the chatbot. Instead, try sharpening up your prompts.... Read more
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Key biases in AI models used for detecting depression on social media
Artificial intelligence models used to detect depression on social media are often biased and methodologically flawed, according to a study led by Northeastern University computer science graduates.... Read more
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Regional dialect scam warning as research uncovers AI capabilities
Researchers at Abertay University have raised concerns that advances in AI voice technology could be exploited by scammers to target unsuspecting victims by using regional accents.... Read more
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Longer suspensions on platforms like Roblox could help curb bad behavior, new research finds
Social platforms are constantly trying to strike a balance when it comes to managing bad behavior. How do you crack down on harassment and cyberbullying without slipping into censorship that drives people off your platform?... Read more
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AI-powered assistive technologies are changing how we experience and imagine public space
New applications and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable devices are changing the way users interact with their environments and each other. The impacts and reach of these new technologies have yet to be fully understood.... Read more
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Hear here: How loudness and acoustic cues help us judge where a speaker is facing
As technology increasingly integrates complex soundscapes into virtual spaces, understanding how humans perceive directional audio becomes vital. This need is bolstered by the rise of immersive media, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), where users are virtually transported into other worlds. In a recent study, researchers explored... Read more
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AI-driven lifecycle management for end-of-life household appliances
Household appliances need to be refurbished and/or recycled at the end of their useful lives. The KIKERP project (see below) aims to harness artificial intelligence to collect information about used appliances and determine parameters such as model and condition to help decide whether a particular device should be refurbished or... Read more
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Interactive games can boost online fraud awareness
A new pilot study has found that game-based learning (GBL) can be a highly effective method for teaching adults how to identify and avoid e-commerce fraud and scams, an issue that continues to rise globally as more people shop online.... Read more
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Cities are unprepared for social and economic impact of robots, according to study
From delivering food in restaurants to cleaning airports, robots are becoming increasingly common in society—but are our policies ready to keep up?... Read more
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Widespread non-compliance found in loot box advertising disclosure rules in the UK and South Korea
A new study has found overwhelming (90%+) non-compliance with mandatory advertising disclosure requirements for gambling-like loot boxes in video games, raising concerns about consumer protection enforcement in both the United Kingdom and South Korea.... Read more
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Why human empathy still matters in the age of AI
A new international study finds that people place greater emotional value on empathy they believe comes from humans—even when the exact same response is generated by artificial intelligence.... Read more
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AI vision language models provide video descriptions for blind users
For people who are blind or have low vision, the audio descriptions of action in movies and TV shows are essential to understanding what is happening. Networks and streaming services hire professionals to create audio descriptions, but that's not the case for billions of YouTube and TikTok videos.... Read more
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Roblox's Grow a Garden explodes online video game numbers
A gardening game created by a teenager on online platform Roblox has attracted a record 21 million simultaneous players, a figure rarely seen in the industry.... Read more
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Mattel and OpenAI have partnered up. Here's why parents should be concerned about AI in toys
Mattel may seem like an unchanging, old-school brand. Most of us are familiar with it—be it through Barbie, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends, Uno, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, MEGA or Polly Pocket.... Read more
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Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design
There is a comfort in finding and being yourself. Video games offer opportunities for this comfort. They allow people to exist in safe spaces, to develop community, and to explore the self—as well as the potential self.... Read more
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How the Internet of Things devices affect your privacy, even when they're not yours
Some unusual witnesses helped convict Alex Murdaugh of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.... Read more
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eSafety boss wants YouTube included in the social media ban. But AI raises even more concerns for kids
Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, today addressed the National Press Club to outline how her office will be driving the Social Media Minimum Age Bill when it comes into effect in December this year.... Read more
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Your smartwatch might know you're sick before you do—and it might help stop pandemics
Smartwatch features that measure heart rates, oxygen levels, fitness levels and sleep quality have been marketed as valuable tools for people who are eager to monitor their health.... Read more
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TikTok ban delayed for third time—experts aren't surprised
The TikTok ban has been delayed. Again.... Read more
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NASA air taxi passenger comfort studies move forward
NASA's Advanced Air Mobility vision involves the skies above the U.S. filled with new types of aircraft, including air taxis. But making that vision a reality involves ensuring that people will actually want to ride these aircraft—which is why NASA has been working to evaluate comfort, to see what passengers... Read more
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One Tech Tip: No more lost cats and dogs. Use tech to track your pet
"Have you seen the cats?" That's a common refrain in my household because our two felines, Maple and Juniper, can venture outside through a flap in the backdoor. Like many other London house cats, they're free to come and go, roaming the surrounding backyards and beyond, equipped with microchips to... Read more
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Jamming with AI: Jazz trio plays live with AI-generated sound
A fascinating recent development enabling musicians to improvise live music with AI-generated sound could be the biggest innovation since the advent of sampling, or perhaps even the invention of recorded sound, according to a music researcher at York.... Read more
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In an era where empathy feels unfamiliar, AI now translates emotions
A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea) has developed AI technology that helps individuals deeply understand others' emotions by analyzing individual personality traits and values and generating personalized analogy.... Read more
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Train a virtual dragon? Film studios turn to Roblox and other games to reach young fans
Surrounded by virtual cliffs and a cascading waterfall, dragon riders on Roblox's massive online gaming platform immerse themselves in a memorable scene from "How to Train Your Dragon."... Read more
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Tinder bets on group dating feature to win back Gen Z
Tired of navigating the online dating landscape alone? Now you can swipe right along with friends.... Read more
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Websites are tracking you via browser fingerprinting, researchers show
Clearing your cookies is not enough to protect your privacy online. New research led by Texas A&M University has found that websites are covertly using browser fingerprinting—a method to uniquely identify a web browser—to track people across browser sessions and sites.... Read more