Technologies

Motorola’s Rollable Phone Concept Points to a Wild Future

This bizarre transforming phone unrolls at the press of a button.

Motorola made a big impression in 2020 with its clamshell-folding Razr, and it’s taken the flexible display to new heights at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Motorola rollable phone concept has a display that wraps around the bottom of the phone. That rolled-up screen can then automatically extend outwards to create a bigger display, or roll away and provide a handy second screen.

Take a look at the phone in action.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I got my hands on the phone and although it’s just a proof of concept, it actually works. Double-pressing a button on the side unrolls the phone, with the display extending beyond the top edge to create a larger 16:9 display. Double press again and it gently slides its way back in.

Certain apps will trigger the transformation automatically: If you’re watching a YouTube video and turn the phone into a horizontal position, as the YouTube app automatically flips orientation, the display will also extend outwards, providing a bigger surface to immerse you more in your content of choice.

In my demo, I also saw how the phone will remain in its smaller mode when swiping through your emails, but tapping «Compose» triggers the screen to extend, providing more room for the keyboard.

When it’s in its small mode, the screen wraps around the back of the phone and can function as a second display. You can use it to check the weather, incoming notifications or other information. Fire up the camera and that rear display becomes a viewfinder for taking selfies.

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It’s a cool concept and it was genuinely exciting seeing the phone transform in my hand. I have concerns about the durability of the display when it extends, though. It’s extremely thin when it pokes over the top of the phone, and it feels like it could very easily take damage. But those are exactly the sort of kinks that will get worked out throughout the concept stage.

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Motorola isn’t saying whether this phone will ever go on sale, or how much we could expect to have to pay if it ever did. And while it has multiple cameras, the company isn’t elaborating on those cameras’ specs — or, indeed, any key specs of the phone itself. So for now, if you’re into bendy phone screens, check out our list of the best foldable phones you can actually buy.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Smokes, informally
Answer: CIGS

5A clue: «Don’t have ___, man!» (Bart Simpson catchphrase)
Answer: ACOW

6A clue: What the vehicle in «lane one» of this crossword is winning?
Answer: RACE

7A clue: Pitt of Hollywood
Answer: BRAD

8A clue: «Yeah, whatever»
Answer: SURE

9A clue: Rd. crossers
Answer: STS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Things to «load» before a marathon
Answer: CARBS

2D clue: Mythical figure who inspired the idiom «fly too close to the sun»
Answer: ICARUS

3D clue: Zoomer around a small track
Answer: GOCART

4D clue: Neighbors of Norwegians
Answer: SWEDES

Technologies

Watch SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 11

Technologies

New California Law Wants Companion Chatbots to Tell Kids to Take Breaks

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the new requirements on AI companions into law on Monday.

AI companion chatbots will have to remind users in California that they’re not human under a new law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The law, SB 243, also requires companion chatbot companies to maintain protocols for identifying and addressing cases in which users express suicidal ideation or self-harm. For users under 18, chatbots will have to provide a notification at least every three hours that reminds users to take a break and that the bot is not human.

It’s one of several bills Newsom has signed in recent weeks dealing with social media, artificial intelligence and other consumer technology issues. Another bill signed Monday, AB 56, requires warning labels on social media platforms, similar to those required for tobacco products. Last week, Newsom signed measures requiring internet browsers to make it easy for people to tell websites they don’t want them to sell their data and banning loud advertisements on streaming platforms.

AI companion chatbots have drawn particular scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in recent months. The Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several companies in response to complaints by consumer groups and parents that the bots were harming children’s mental health. OpenAI introduced new parental controls and other guardrails in its popular ChatGPT platform after the company was sued by parents who allege ChatGPT contributed to their teen son’s suicide.

«We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability,» Newsom said in a statement.

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One AI companion developer, Replika, told CNET that it already has protocols to detect self-harm as required by the new law, and that it is working with regulators and others to comply with requirements and protect consumers.

«As one of the pioneers in AI companionship, we recognize our profound responsibility to lead on safety,» Replika’s Minju Song said in an emailed statement. Song said Replika uses content-filtering systems, community guidelines and safety systems that refer users to crisis resources when needed.

A Character.ai spokesperson said the company «welcomes working with regulators and lawmakers as they develop regulations and legislation for this emerging space, and will comply with laws, including SB 243.» OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice called the bill a «meaningful move forward» for AI safety. «By setting clear guardrails, California is helping shape a more responsible approach to AI development and deployment across the country,» Radice said in an email.

One bill Newsom has yet to sign, AB 1064, would go further by prohibiting developers from making companion chatbots available to children unless the AI companion is «not foreseeably capable of» encouraging harmful activities or engaging in sexually explicit interactions, among other things.