Consumer & Gadgets

AI toys and games? Barbie maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI to create new products

Your next toy or game may be able to converse with you. Mattel, the El Segundo toy maker behind Barbie and Hot Wheels, said Thursday that it's teaming up with OpenAI, which created the popular chatbot ChatGPT, to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences."

13/06/2025 13:57

AI literacy: What it is, what it isn't, who needs it and why it's hard to define

It is "the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Americans," reads an executive order President Donald Trump issued on April 23, 2025. The executive order, titled Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth, signals that advancing AI literacy is now an official national priority.

12/06/2025 21:03

AI tools collect and store data about you from all your devices. Here's how to be aware of what you're revealing

Like it or not, artificial intelligence has become part of daily life. Many devices—including electric razors and toothbrushes—have become "AI-powered," using machine learning algorithms to track how a person uses the device, how the device is working in real time, and provide feedback. From asking questions to an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to monitoring a daily fitness routine with a smartwatch, many people use an AI system or tool every day.

12/06/2025 20:58

Happy to hand over the keys to a robot? Augmented reality might help

Would you trust a driverless car? A 2024 global survey involving nearly 8,000 participants suggests most people are wary of handing over the steering wheel to sensors, cameras and computer algorithms.

11/06/2025 17:23

Wearing a computer on your face? Snap looks to take on rivals with new augmented reality glasses

For years, Snap has envisioned a future where people wear glasses to view and interact with computer-generated images without having to scroll through their smartphones.

11/06/2025 14:15

Nintendo's Switch 2 scores record early sales

The Switch 2 has smashed records to become the fastest-selling console ever after gamers snapped up 3.5 million units in its first four days, Nintendo said Wednesday.

11/06/2025 11:49

Do you know how to prepare for your digital life after death? This student-run clinic has some advice

From family photos in the cloud to email archives and social media accounts, the digital lives of Americans are extensive and growing.

10/06/2025 20:00

Forget techno-optimists vs. Luddites—most people judge AI by perceived capability and personalization needs

Suppose you were shown that an artificial intelligence tool offers accurate predictions about some stocks you own. How would you feel about using it? Now, suppose you are applying for a job at a company where the HR department uses an AI system to screen resumes. Would you be comfortable with that?

10/06/2025 19:40

Apple debuts Liquid Glass interface at design-focused WWDC event

Apple Inc. unveiled a new operating system interface called Liquid Glass at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, an event that focused heavily on aesthetics and design elements rather than software breakthroughs.

10/06/2025 17:50

Apple unveils iOS 26 and a new 'liquid glass' design

After stumbling out of the starting gate in Big Tech's pivotal race to capitalize on artificial intelligence, Apple tried to regain its footing Monday during an annual developers conference that focused mostly on incremental advances and cosmetic changes in its technology.

10/06/2025 11:54

Nintendo's Switch 2 soups up the graphics, but does it deliver the games?

I'm cruising around Bowser's Castle with my old pal Toad. It's not exactly relaxing, what with all the lava pits and banana peels and turtle shells littering the road. Add 23 other characters—is that a cow driving?—who are trying to get to the finish line first, and it's chaos.

09/06/2025 19:34

Microsoft unveils ROG Xbox Ally handheld video game devices

Microsoft on Sunday unveiled its first Xbox-branded handheld gaming devices, touting them as a way to play its vast library of titles anywhere.

09/06/2025 11:43

Research reveals how fake social media accounts could be the cause of serious security breaches

New research led by the University of Portsmouth has found that fake social media profiles, particularly LinkedIn accounts, are a leading cause of security breaches among professionals.

05/06/2025 17:06

Gamers get hold of Nintendo's hotly awaited Switch 2

Gamers finally got their hands on Nintendo's new Switch 2 on Thursday, the console that could score record early sales for the Japanese "Super Mario" creator.

05/06/2025 12:00

Nintendo fans stoked for Switch 2 'mega launch'

With shops planning midnight launch parties after a run on pre-orders, Nintendo releases the Switch 2 on Thursday, hoping to score record early sales for a games console.

04/06/2025 20:04

AI churns out funnier memes, but people still deliver the biggest laughs

Can AI do humor? A new study suggests artificial intelligence can create internet memes as funny as those made by humans. But when it comes to gags that truly connect with viewers, people still have the edge.

04/06/2025 18:44

Exploring the real reasons why some people choose not to use AI

Generative artificial intelligence is everywhere, but not everyone is ready to embrace it—and it's not just people who fear that AI might replace their jobs or that ChatGPT will become sentient and take over the world.

04/06/2025 00:18

One Tech Tip: How to use your smartphone to photograph the Northern Lights

People in parts of the U.S. may be able to see Northern lights Monday night—or at least use a smartphone's camera to reveal hints of the aurora not visible to the naked eye.

03/06/2025 11:09

Debunking five myths about when your devices get wet

Nearly everyone has encountered the unthinkable: Your smartphone landed in the toilet. Or you forgot to take off your smartwatch before jumping into the pool. Or maybe you meant to take those earbuds out of your pocket before running the laundry. What now?

02/06/2025 21:41

Airbnb scams: New book explores thriving criminal activity on big tech platforms

Big tech sharing economy platforms like Airbnb and Uber are marketed as trustworthy, but a new book by a South African media scholar argues that they are highly vulnerable to scammers who spread delusive speech (a form of disinformation, designed to deceive by criminal intent).

02/06/2025 21:28

Blind box toys are booming: Are they just child's play or something more concerning?

If you've seen videos of people tearing into tiny toy packages online, or noticed teens obsessing over pastel-colored figurines at the mall, you've probably encountered the global craze for blind box toys.

02/06/2025 20:47

Your smartphone is a parasite, according to evolution

Head lice, fleas and tapeworms have been humanity's companions throughout our evolutionary history. Yet, the greatest parasite of the modern age is no blood-sucking invertebrate. It is sleek, glass-fronted and addictive by design. Its host? Every human on Earth with a Wi-Fi signal.

02/06/2025 20:42

Smartphones: The parasite of the modern era?

Smartphones have become "the greatest parasite of the modern age," according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU) published in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy.

02/06/2025 18:54

Nintendo aims to match Switch success with new console

Nintendo hopes to match the runaway success of the Switch when its leveled-up new console hits shelves Thursday, with strong early sales expected despite the gadget's high price.

01/06/2025 13:24

NASA tech gives treadmill users a 'boost'

Creators of the original antigravity treadmill continue to advance technology with a new company.

30/05/2025 16:41

Virtual reality has transformed design process for robotic floor-cleaners at Tennant

After Tennant figured out how to keep its plants open during the pandemic, it had a second problem to solve.

29/05/2025 16:10

Five things to do in virtual reality—and five to avoid

Open-heart surgery is a hard thing to practice in the real world, and airplane pilots cannot learn from their mistakes midair. These are some scenarios where virtual reality solves really hard problems, but the technology has limits. That's the upshot of a review of experimental research on VR, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

28/05/2025 17:04

Large language models struggle with coordination in social and cooperative games

Large language models (LLMs), such as the model underpinning the functioning of the popular conversational platform ChatGPT, are now widely used by people worldwide to source information, as well as to summarize, analyze and generate texts. Studies examining the responses provided by LLMs in different scenarios could help to gain a deeper understanding of their tendencies during social interactions, which could fuel their future advancement.

28/05/2025 15:48

Hands-on with 'Street Fighter 6' on the Nintendo Switch 2

Capcom doesn't have a huge presence for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, but it is offering two stellar titles that have been released on other platforms. One game is "Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess," which is a surprisingly good game I reviewed last year, and the other is more well-known—"Street Fighter 6."

28/05/2025 13:50

UK loot box self-regulation fails: New study finds rampant non-compliance and no enforcement

Loot boxes and gacha are gambling-like products inside video games that players buy to obtain random rewards. Concerns have been raised about consumers, particularly children, experiencing financial harm and developing gambling problems. The previous Conservative UK government asked the industry, represented by Ukie, to try self-regulating, rather than to impose legislation.

28/05/2025 02:00