Hacker News with Generative AI: Consumer Products

Jooki – Taking Control of a Forgotten Device (nv1t.github.io)
Jooki was a dream come true for parents—an intuitive, screen-free audio player that let kids enjoy music and stories with the tap of a token. But that dream turned into frustration when the company behind Jooki went bankrupt, leaving countless devices bricked and families frustrated. But what if Jooki isn’t as dead as it seems?

Hardware, Music, Startups, Consumer Products

60 points by nfriedly 12 days ago | 6 comments

Experts Call for an Immediate Ban on Magic Sponges for Household Cleaning (jasondeegan.com)
For many, magic sponges are a household cleaning miracle—an easy, no-fuss solution to remove stubborn stains with minimal effort.

Household Cleaning, Science, Consumer Products, News

22 points by mikhael 13 days ago | 9 comments

Ask HN: List of consumer AI/consumer hardware startups? (ycombinator.com)

Startups, Artificial Intelligence, Hardware, Consumer Products

7 points by iotambat 15 days ago | 5 comments

Science of Microwave Ovens (2016) (genuineideas.com)
Walk into any American kitchen, and about 95% of them contain a microwave oven. As do most break rooms, and even many gas stations. Why? Because they do their job, and do it well. Microwave ovens are fast, reheat leftovers directly in their serving tray, "nuke" popcorn with abandon, and remain cool to the touch. Yet, after a half century of popularity, microwave ovens are hardly ever used to cook a meal from scratch.

Science, Consumer Products, Technology

75 points by comebhack 15 days ago | 61 comments

Your Light Bulb Is Lying to You: Why so many LEDs look so bad (theatlantic.com)
God said, “Let there be light”—everyone knows that. But God did not specify what color light, and this would eventually prove problematic.

Lighting, Technology, Consumer Products, Design

4 points by fortran77 25 days ago | 0 comments

47% of 160 Top Selling Protein Powders Tested Exceed P65 Limit for Toxic Metals [pdf] (cleanlabelproject.org)

Health, Food, Science, Safety, Consumer Products

74 points by clumsysmurf 38 days ago | 58 comments

Sonos CEO Leaving After Botched App Revamp Led to Customer Revolt (bloomberg.com)
Sonos Inc. Chief Executive Officer Patrick Spence is leaving after eight years in the job, a move that follows a botched app revamp that upset customers and stymied growth.

Business, Technology, Leadership, Consumer Products, Customer Service

6 points by pyrophoenix 39 days ago | 3 comments

Lead and cadmium found in muscle-building protein powders, report says (wqow.com)
Over-the-counter protein powders may contain disturbing levels of lead and cadmium, with the highest amounts found in plant-based, organic and chocolate-flavored products, according to a new investigation.

Health, Supplements, Food Safety, Heavy Metals, Consumer Products

89 points by mikhael 40 days ago | 92 comments

Foods with the Most Plastic Chemicals: Study Reveals Surprising Results (newsweek.com)
From popular brands like Burger King, McDonald's, Starbucks, and Whole Foods to everyday kitchen staples such as rice and salt, a new study highlights the alarming extent of plastic contamination in foods.

Food Safety, Environmental Issues, Consumer Products, Science, Health

17 points by XzetaU8 46 days ago | 1 comments

Ask HN: Why haven't we progressed in Consumer Robots? (ycombinator.com)
I've seen countless videos about robots, but seems like up until now there isn't a meaningful product that can be considered a home robot that can do a range of things.

Robotics, Consumer Products, Technology, Artificial Intelligence

12 points by halamadrid 47 days ago | 9 comments

List of Products with Microplastics (plasticlist.org)

Microplastics, Environmental Issues, Consumer Products

6 points by IG_Semmelweiss 50 days ago | 3 comments

Researchers detect elevated levels of PFAS in fitness tracker/smartwatch bands (news.nd.edu)
Fitness trackers and smartwatch bands are the latest consumer products found to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to new research from the University of Notre Dame.

Health, Consumer Products, Research, Chemicals

15 points by gnabgib 65 days ago | 3 comments

Air fryer might be sharing your private data (techradar.com)

Privacy, Technology, Security, Consumer Products

3 points by speckx 65 days ago | 2 comments

Huge math error corrected in black plastic study; authors say it doesn't matter (arstechnica.com)
Editors of the environmental chemistry journal Chemosphere have posted an eye-catching correction to a study reporting toxic flame retardants from electronics wind up in some household products made of black plastic, including kitchen utensils.

Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Consumer Products, Research

173 points by ars 67 days ago | 112 comments

Startup will brick $800 emotional support robot for kids without refunds (arstechnica.com)
Startup Embodied is closing down, and its product, an $800 robot for kids ages 5 to 10, will soon be bricked.

Startups, Robotics, Consumer Products, Business

60 points by jemp 71 days ago | 2 comments

A simple math error sparked a panic about black plastic kitchen utensils (nationalpost.com)
The simple arithmetic error that unnecessarily sent countless plastic spatulas into the trash over a toxic chemical scare came to light a few days ago as Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, sat reading a research paper in his office in the Otto Maass Chemistry building on Montreal’s Sherbrooke Street.

Science, Misinformation, Consumer Products, Chemistry

16 points by cpncrunch 72 days ago | 0 comments

Startup will brick $800 emotional support robot for kids without refunds (arstechnica.com)
Startup Embodied is closing down, and its product, an $800 robot for kids ages 5 to 10, will soon be bricked.

Startup, Robotics, Consumer Products, Business

18 points by LinuxBender 73 days ago | 1 comments

Why are cassette and CD players so bulky now? [video] (youtube.com)

Technology, Nostalgia, Consumer Products

20 points by marcher 75 days ago | 28 comments

Bevy of smart doorbell bugs earn Ekon an FCC penalty for negligence (scworld.com)
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a $734,872 penalty against a smart doorbell manufacturer that was anything but.

Security, IoT, Consumer Products, Regulation, FCC

5 points by LinuxBender 89 days ago | 0 comments

More states ban PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' in more products (phys.org)
Legislative momentum against PFAS has surged this year, as at least 11 states enacted laws to restrict the use of "forever chemicals" in everyday consumer products or professional firefighting foam.

Environment, Legislation, Consumer Products, Chemicals

4 points by PaulHoule 109 days ago | 0 comments

Tiny Glade: How Could They Do This? [video] (youtube.com)

Consumer Products, Marketing, Criticism, Video

35 points by CharlesW 131 days ago | 4 comments

Company sues customer for reverse-engineering knockoff Keurig K-cup coffee pods (startribune.com)
In 2014, a Minnesota tech company helped a generic coffee-pod maker crack Keurig’s top-secret ink signature so its knockoff pods could work with the newest versions of the popular single-serve coffee machines.

Lawsuits, Intellectual Property, Coffee, Reverse Engineering, Consumer Products

3 points by walterbell 138 days ago | 0 comments

Brazilian Electric "Suicide" Shower Heads [video] (youtube.com)

Brazil, Safety, Consumer Products, Video

46 points by popcalc 144 days ago | 80 comments

Just 5k people use the Rabbit R1 every day (theverge.com)
Pour one out for the Rabbit R1. Only 5,000 people of the 100,000 who bought the orange AI gadget are still using it daily, five months after it launched.

Artificial Intelligence, Consumer Products, Failure, Technology

22 points by lawgimenez 148 days ago | 26 comments

Man in the middle HP Ink cartridge (youtube.com)

Security, Hacking, Hardware, Consumer Products

4 points by taf2 149 days ago | 0 comments

The DEADLY self-cleaning litter boxes that have flooded the market [video] (youtube.com)

Pets, Technology, Consumer Products, Safety

17 points by dazhbog 157 days ago | 4 comments

Gas stoves may soon come with a tobacco-style health warning label in California (npr.org)
The next time you shop for a cooking stove, the gas versions might show a health warning label similar to those on tobacco products.

Health, Consumer Products, California, Regulations, Gas Appliances

18 points by rntn 161 days ago | 24 comments

Ask HN: Any hope for removable, rechargable battery standards? (ycombinator.com)
I have so many batteries for things like power tools, vacuum cleaners, and even some kid toys that all seem like they have similar volt/amps but are not interchangeable.

Batteries, Consumer Products, Standards, Technology

44 points by candiddevmike 166 days ago | 68 comments

The wellness drink for sober people that some say they can't stop drinking (theguardian.com)