Hacker News with Generative AI: Consumer Products

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret' (macrumors.com)
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal.

Apple, Virtual Reality, Consumer Products, User Reviews, Technology

11 points by retskrad 6 days ago | 6 comments

Philips will let you fix your trimmer with 3D printable parts and accessories (theverge.com)
Philips Fixables wants to make it easier for consumers to keep their devices running.

3D Printing, Sustainability, Consumer Products, Repair, Electronics

28 points by c5karl 11 days ago | 1 comments

Industry groups are not happy about the imminent demise of Energy Star (insideclimatenews.org)
It’s a voluntary program launched during a Republican administration, endorsed by manufacturers and well-recognized by U.S. consumers, who have saved an estimated $500 billion over the past 33 years guided by its familiar blue label.

Energy Efficiency, Environmental Policy, Consumer Products, Government Regulation

86 points by Tomte 13 days ago | 110 comments

I bought a $1k electric boat from China. Here's what showed up (2023) (electrek.co)
Ever since I helped my dad upgrade his fishing kayak with an electric motor, I’ve been angling for an electric boat of my own. And with some significant internet digging, a deep breath and, a leap of faith, I sent $1,000 off to China for an electric boat I found on Alibaba. A few months later, this is what showed up.

Electric Boats, China, Consumer Products, Online Shopping

23 points by namanyayg 19 days ago | 9 comments

Disney's Got a Star Wars Droid to Sell You for $3k (gizmodo.com)
Star Wars Day means new merch to buy, and if Jar-Jar and new Lego sets weren’t enough for you, Disney’s got a little droid up for sale.

Star Wars, Consumer Products, Disney, Merchandise

5 points by ulrischa 20 days ago | 1 comments

Wyze pays $255k of tariffs on $167k of floodlights (twitter.com)
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.

Tariffs, Business, Consumer Products, Security

169 points by computer23 23 days ago | 146 comments

Apple's mouse is so bad Tim Cook uses another brand at work (2024) (glassalmanac.com)
In a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse, Tim Cook revealed that his desk setup includes a mouse that isn’t even made by Apple—and honestly, it’s hard to blame him.

Apple, Technology, Hardware, Consumer Products, News

38 points by mandeepj 47 days ago | 83 comments

How Silica Gel Took Over the World (scopeofwork.net)
I find them stuffed into the toes of a new pair of sneakers. I find them wedged into a sheaf of seaweed snacks. I find them in the over-inflated bag that contains my new inhaler, and in the vacuum-sealed one puckered around my kids’ 3D printing filament.

Consumer Products, Everyday Objects, Design

231 points by Hooke 52 days ago | 174 comments

How Silica Gel Took over the World (scopeofwork.net)
I find them stuffed into the toes of a new pair of sneakers. I find them wedged into a sheaf of seaweed snacks. I find them in the over-inflated bag that contains my new inhaler, and in the vacuum-sealed one puckered around my kids’ 3D printing filament.

Consumer Products, Everyday Objects, Science

28 points by NaOH 53 days ago | 5 comments

The Pyrex Glass Controversy That Just Won't Die (2019) (gizmodo.com)
Clear glass Pyrex cookware is practically an American icon. With its pleasing heft and remarkable resilience, these famous clear pans have been essential when cooking biscuits, casseroles, and pies since 1915. There’s only one problem. A few years ago, the pans started exploding when they got too hot—which is ironic since Pyrex glass was specifically designed to be heat resistant. Some blamed a change in the glass formula and flocked to thrift stores to buy older models. Others cried hoax.

Consumer Products, History, Science

28 points by Tomte 56 days ago | 39 comments

Why do people keep buying printers they hate? (ft.com)
Why do people keep buying printers they hate?

Consumer Behavior, Technology, Consumer Products

19 points by austinallegro 65 days ago | 22 comments

Canada proposes phase out of 'forever chemicals' in consumer products (phys.org)
Canada on Wednesday proposed phasing out "forever chemicals" in many consumer products after finding them to be toxic and harmful at current high levels found in people and the environment.

Environment, Chemicals, Canada, Consumer Products, Government Regulation

4 points by PaulHoule 66 days ago | 0 comments

Show HN: Barcode Scanner to check if a product is European (fragdaspdf.de)
Enter a product barcode or scan it with your camera to check if it originates from the European Union.

Barcode Scanning, Europe, Consumer Products

33 points by mnewme 67 days ago | 4 comments

Origami measuring spoon incites fury after 9 years of Kickstarter delay hell (arstechnica.com)
An attention-grabbing Kickstarter campaign attempting to reinvent the measuring spoon has turned into a mad, mad, mad, mad world for backers after years of broken promises and thousands of missing spoons.

Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, Design, Consumer Products, Delays

13 points by Tomte 68 days ago | 7 comments

Repairable Flatpack Toaster (kaseyhou.com)

Repairable, Design, DIY, Consumer Products, Sustainability

836 points by t-3 81 days ago | 263 comments

Dangerous chemicals were detected in 100% of the braiding hair we tested (consumerreports.org)
Dangerous Chemicals Were Detected in 100% of the Braiding Hair We Tested

Consumer Products, Health, Safety, Hair Care

15 points by pessimizer 82 days ago | 4 comments

New reviews for Lumina Probiotic, the genetically engineered toothpaste (sfstandard.com)
In January of last year, a handful of tech elites flew to Honduras to try a single-use toothpaste that wasn’t available in the U.S. Shelling out up to $20,000 for a dose, they hoped the genetically engineered dental rinse might permanently ward off cavities.

Genetics, Biotechnology, Dental Health, Consumer Products, Social Commentary

4 points by tomwiddles 90 days ago | 0 comments

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 102 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 103 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 106 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 106 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 116 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 129 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 130 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 131 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 137 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 138 days ago | 9 comments

List of Products with Microplastics (plasticlist.org)

Microplastics, Environmental Issues, Consumer Products

6 points by IG_Semmelweiss 141 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.