Author: News Room

When a customer service representative says, “I totally get your frustration,” it feels natural. When a chatbot says the same thing, something feels deeply off. Now, researchers have confirmed that gut feeling with actual data. As reported by Techxplore, a new study published in MIS Quarterly finds that when AI chatbots express empathy during a service failure, it can actually make things worse for customers, not better. Why does chatbot empathy backfire? The research team from McGill University, University of South Florida, and Hong Kong Baptist University ran three separate experiments, where participants interacted with a service chatbot that made…

Framework isn’t just focused on its new Laptop 13 Pro. The company is also rolling out a solid set of updates to the Framework Laptop 16, which was one of the best laptops you can buy. The best part of the update is that Framework is addressing all the issues that past Framework 16 owners have been asking for since the laptop launched two years ago. The biggest quality-of-life upgrade is the new one-piece haptic touchpad. One of the trade-offs of the Laptop 16’s modular input system has been the visible seams around the touchpad area.  The new one-piece design…

If you spend most of your working day at a mouse, the Logitech MX Vertical is one of the more practical desk upgrades you can make, and at $74.99 it’s down $45 off its $119.99 list price in a limited-time deal. The vertical design isn’t a gimmick: Logitech’s own testing shows a 10% reduction in muscular activity compared to a standard mouse, and the 57° wrist angle addresses the pressure points that build up over a long day in a way that a standard horizontal mouse simply doesn’t. What you’re getting The MX Vertical’s 57° angle puts your hand in…

YouTube is cracking down on celebrity deepfakes, and this time around, it is not just talking about the problem in vague platform-safety terms. In a new blog post, YouTube announced that it is expanding its likeness detection technology to the entertainment industry. So now, the tools will be accessible to talent agencies and management companies for the celebrities they represent. This tool works in a way that is similar to Content ID, but rather than matching copyrighted media, it looks for AI-generated content using a person’s likeness and gives eligible participants the ability to find that content and request removal.…

Samsung is gearing up for a wider One UI 8.5 update release, which is set to bring some of the Galaxy S26‘s best AI features to older models. The company’s One UI 8.5 beta roll out will cover the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and the Galaxy S25 FE. What to expect from One UI 8.5 The beta for One UI 8.5 was spotted with various features like Call Screening, which can answer unknown callers and show live transcripts on your phone. Samsung is even bringing…

Framework has been quietly perfecting its modular laptop formula for six years, and the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro might be close to its final form. It’s a complete ground-up redesign that tackles the biggest complaints users have had, starting with battery life, and it doesn’t stop there. Does it really beat a MacBook Pro on battery? You read that right. Framework claims the Laptop 13 Pro lasts over 20 hours on Netflix 4K streaming. That’s 12 hours more than the previous Framework Laptop 13 and, impressively, slightly longer than Apple’s 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro.  Apple claims up to…

Seven months after introducing new, more expensive tiers for Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has announced it is cutting the price of Game Pass Ultimate for console and PC. Furthermore, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be included in the library at launch.Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced on X that “Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players,” and that the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has dropped from $29.99 a month to $22.99. PC Game Pass, previously $16.49 a month, will now cost $13.99. Sharma states the price change takes effect today, and after…

There’s a fundamental problem with how we communicate today, and most people don’t even realize it. It’s not a lack of ideas, but the friction between having a thought and turning it into something you can actually send. By the time you unlock your phone, open an app, type, and edit, the clarity of that idea often fades. The result is communication that feels slower, less precise, and sometimes less impactful than intended. One thing worth clarifying upfront: SpeakON is not a note-taking app with a button attached. It doesn’t exist to archive your thoughts for later review. It exists…

Last summer, Nintendo revealed a single-player spin-off of its popular multiplayer team shooter Splatoon called Splatoon Raiders. After nearly a year of relative silence, the game has a new trailer that reveals a July 23 launch date.The Switch 2 exclusive adventure sees players controlling a customizable Inkling mechanic who travels to Spirhalite Islands alongside Deep Cut, the trio of musicians from Splatoon 3. The island is also inhabited by villainous Salmonids, whom the players must battle using the familiar paint guns and brushes. In addition to combat, the trailer shows the character gradually discovering more of what appears to be…

Motorola has a busy week ahead. The Edge 70 Pro is set to launch in India on April 22, but it looks like that’s not the only device worth watching. Prolific leaker Evan Blass has shared high-resolution render images of the Motorola Edge 70 Pro+, giving you an early look at the more premium sibling, the Edge 70 Pro+ in the lineup. What colors and finishes is the Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ coming in? The renders reveal five color options for the Edge 70 Pro+. You’re looking at white, dark blue, light blue (turquoise), brown, and maroon color, along with…