Earlier this year, during the launch of the Galaxy S24, Samsung teased the Galaxy Ring for the first time. In the following weeks, the South Korean firm gave us a closer look at its first Galaxy Ring and revealed some of its features. It now looks like the Galaxy Ring could launch soon, as it has appeared in One UI.
The Galaxy Ring has appeared in Samsung’s stock Battery Widget. Once you add the widget to the home screen and go to its Settings menu, you can see the Galaxy Ring entry, along with entries for the Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Watch, and other devices. Since Samsung has added the Galaxy Ring to the Battery Widget already, we think that the company will launch its first smart ring in a few weeks or months.
The Galaxy Ring is very light and comes in various sizes and colors/finishes. It has a built-in heart rate sensor and sleep tracking. Whether or not it features SpO2 hasn’t been confirmed yet. It could last up to a week on a single charge and is very comfortable, making it an ideal choice to track sleep length and quality. You can watch our hands-on video of the Galaxy Ring in the video below.
Smart rings are connected devices with sensors designed to collect lots of data about you, like your steps, sleep and heart rate. They’ve been around for a while; Finnish health tech company Oura released the first version of its smart ring back in 2015. Since then, several other brands have come and gone because creating a smart ring isn’t easy – a lot of tech needs to fit into a small space while still feeling and looking good.
They can also be hard to market. Companies need to convince people to take a risk on an unknown design rather than opt for a more affordable smartwatch or fitness tracker that can (for the most part) do all of the same things. But 2024 could be the year more companies get it right – Samsung is set to release its Galaxy Ring in late 2024, and there are rumors that even Apple is working on one, too.
However, as more brands enter the space and compete for our hands and our money, there’s been an influx of lower-quality, cheap smart rings that don’t clarify how their wearable tech works or who made it.
I’ve encountered several of these myself while reviewing them for TechRadar’s best smart ring guide, and I’ve been approached by brands that won’t divulge what their tech really does or where it’s from. Let’s take a closer look at what to watch out for and how to ensure you find the best smart ring.
Carbon copies: One ring, many brands
(Image credit: Gloring)
I first became suspicious of several smart ring brands when I was researching new devices and discovered a few looked eerily similar despite being sold by different brands. I wanted to know why, and my research led me to Art Parnell, an Enterprise Systems Architect based in Northern Virginia, US. He created the SmartRings community on Reddit, which is dedicated to sharing news and holding brands accountable.
“I push for the resolution of current smart ring issues and seek improvements with app UI and connectivity,” Art tells me. “This was initially to improve my personal experience with these devices, but now I use those connections to elevate broader community concerns.”
One of the big problems with smart rings is licensees, or clones. Generally speaking, this is when a company buys a wholesale product from a third-party manufacturer – in this case, a big batch of smart rings – and then brands them as their own. This happens much more commonly than you might think across various industries, including consumer technology. If you go to Amazon and look up fitness trackers, you’ll see many cheap devices from brands you may not have heard of, and there’s a chance several of these are from the same manufacturer.
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Of course, many tech companies, including big players like Apple and Samsung, don’t create every component of their new devices themselves. However, there’s a difference between outsourcing the screen or processor of a TV, and buying the whole TV from someone else and sticking your logo on top of it.
Art calls these licensees ‘clones’ and tells me he’s dedicated to weeding them out. “I ended up creating a ‘cheat sheet’ image so that someone could recognize the most prevalent examples at a glance,” he says. “This has had mixed reactions from people loyal to one of these devices. But, most of the time, they have not even compared the device they own to another.”
It might be easier to spot clones if you’re buying a fitness tracker for your wrist, but because the smart ring market is so new, it seems that buyers aren’t doing their due diligence. They’ve just taken a new brand’s word for it.
Why would a company sell a clone? “I believe many of the licensees are just trying to take a shortcut into the smart ring space,” Art says. “Why invest in R&D when you can just buy a commercial device at wholesale and just start raking in the money?” He tells us that some companies may buy these smart ring clones for legitimate reasons, but they do it without realizing how many other companies have also licensed that same device.
The result? A whole load of rings that look the same with slightly different branding. Maybe some people won’t care; they like their new ring, the app looks nice, and everything works. But when I started reviewing one and asked the company whether it was licensed or not, they wouldn’t give me an honest answer.
Health data concerns
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Art says there are also other reasons why the company not actually ”owning” the ring and its app can be a problem. “Licensees do not always have access to the data in their companion apps,” he explains. “Instead, some are only granted the perception of ownership with a space for their branding, perhaps a registration page, and sometimes control over the color palette.”
This is a concern for users who may think their data isn’t being stored on-device or on company servers. Health data is extremely valuable, and should remain confidential. Most legitimate companies take data privacy very seriously. However, if the ring is a clone, it could be sending the health data it collects to an unknown company for unknown purposes. You’d have to read the fine print to know it, and even then it’s not clear.,
The prevalence of smart ring clones isn’t the only problem Art has noticed over his years running the SmartRings Reddit community. He says the more rings that are being rushed to market, the more companies seem to be cutting corners.
“So many of the rings that are emerging highlight their overall features and analysis, without really seeming to care about accuracy,” Art explains. “ But, accuracy should be the foundation.” He uses the example of stress, saying that several smart rings market their stress-tracking capabilities, but that’s not something they can measure directly yet. Instead, it’s algorithms paired with heart rate data. Yet that may not account for other non-stressful situations that might increase heart rate, leading to misleading results.
He also has an issue with how smart rings are sold as providing personalized insights and recommendations, but the baselines used to make recommendations are often too general. Not considering things like non-traditional sleep schedules, shift workers or mothers tending to babies. “It’s a reasonable expectation that when people buy these rings to help them monitor their own health, that it should be exactly that. Not how your personal baselines contrast with arbitrary baselines that don’t factor in these variances,” he explains.
Some of these concerns are problems we’ve faced when assessing the accuracy of fitness and health tracking tech more generally, not just smart rings. But this doesn’t always come across in the big, bold ways they’re marketed. “Smart rings are not medical devices,” Art says. “But that doesn’t mean they should get a free pass on accuracy.”
Why honesty is the best policy for smart ring manufacturers…
(Image credit: Circular)
Art says another problem concerns customer expectation, especially given that many smart rings are crowdfunded or have faced technical difficulties. Delivery dates slip and devices don’t always look the same as early press photos. “Those who are the most vocal critics just don’t understand how crowdfunding works. Or they only have limited experience with it,” Art says “Crowdfunding platforms are not stores!”
But this problem, and most others, can be addressed by more transparency from smart ring brands every step of the way. “If [a company is] licensing a ring, be honest about its capabilities, and don’t imply or directly say that the device is made by (company country) and it is their own invention,” Art says.
The same goes for marketing claims. “Sometimes, through no fault of their own, the internal or outsourced marketing teams that companies use are often deceptive,” Art says. For example, if you say a ring is the thinnest in the world and cite specific numbers, those numbers better be right.
“Many of these products are being developed by people who don’t have experience with communications… But the better they’re able to communicate honestly on a regular basis, the more people trust them.”
…And why patience is a virtue for smart ring buyers
(Image credit: Becca Caddy)
The research firm Exactitude Consultancy predicts the smart ring market may balloon from $314.52 billion in 2023 to $2,570.30 billion by 2030, a 718 percent increase. This means more and more new devices will be hitting the market, and anyone who wants one will need to be wary.
Art’s Reddit community is a good place to start, but finding the best smart ring still requires you to do your research, which isn’t easy for everyone. “You need to verify that the company is legitimate and that the device they’re pushing is not only something unique that they’ve developed on their own, but also that their claims are realistic,” he tells us. It’ll be no surprise if people default to the big brands that have already had a lot of press interest, which means smaller brands that are genuinely creating innovative new devices could miss out.
He also tells us that people need to be wary of reviews that aren’t honest, even on Reddit communities and tech sites. “It’s a disturbing reality and part of the reason that I created the SmartRings community,” Art says. He tells us that many companies have dedicated communities, which he says have become “echo chambers of praise”. In contrast, he tries to make his community as honest as possible. “I allow company representatives to interact with posters, and I flag them as company reps so there is full transparency,” Art says.
As with all new tech developments, taking it slow and doing your best to scrutinize bold claims is the best – albeit not the easiest – advice. “Don’t take marketing hype at face value. Dig deeper, and you might find your way to your ideal device.”
Art says he’d advise most people to wait until a device is out on the market and has been tested by multiple people, even though it can be hard to wait. “Early adopters like myself know to take everything with a bit of scepticism and know that much of the time, the promises will not match reality,” Art tells us. “But everyone isn’t wired to accept this, and most don’t want to ‘invest’ time and money into something that may not pan out.”
AI firm VTouch has unveiled the Wizpr Ring: a rare smart ring that isn’t focused on fitness and health tracking. Instead, it’s packing a microphone designed to be used to ask questions and prompt conversational AI services.
This AI-powered smart ring, which earned a CES 2024 Innovation Award, is said to be ideal for dictation and conversational computing since it offers a microphone with “advanced AI capabilities” to cut out background noise, to the point where it can understand a whisper – hence the name. It’s certainly one of the more unique rings out there – all the entries in our best smart rings list are focused on fitness or NFC payments.
It offers call functionality through the proximity-sensing mic when paired with earphones, and will close the call when moving the mic away from the user’s mouth. Speaking out loud in general conversation allegedly won’t trigger the AI: the act of bringing the ring to your mouth is essentially the equivalent of saying a voice assistant’s wake word.
The Wizpr Ring pairs with a smartphone app, and works with the usual conversational AI suspects such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and more. It can interact with your smart home, too.
Although it earned an award at CES 2024, it’s not actually on shelves yet: VTouch has launched a Kickstarter for the product, which is fully funded.
Analysis: Do we really need an AI ring?
(Image credit: VTouch Inc)
While the idea of a secure way to have a conversation with AI may appeal to some, it feels like a surprising place to take the still-burgeoning smart rings category. It feels a lot like the Humane AI Pin, which uses conversational AI in a similar way and won one of our Best of MWC awards. Still, with AI and machine learning creeping into our daily lives over the last year or so, it could be a forward-thinking choice – and there’s more that it can do, too.
“AI-based conversational computing is expected to be the next big thing that goes beyond the limitations of ‘graphical user interfaces’ such as PCs and smartphones,” SJ Kim, Founder & Co-CEO of VTouch said in a press release.
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“With Wizpr Ring, we aim to realize a conversational computing environment where you can interact with AI by talking to it with your voice anytime, anywhere, without having to look at a screen.”
There’s also an SOS system to notify emergency contacts, and the WHSP RING can nudge you for task reminders, too.
Users can expect 90 hours of battery life, and it charges via USB-C. The Wizpr Ring is expected to go on sale in the US for $199, around £156 / AU$305.
As we get closer to the full launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, we’re slowly learning more about its many talents – and some fresh rumors suggest these could include planning meals to improve your diet.
Samsung calls this app an “AI-powered food and recipe platform”, as it can whip up tailored meal plans and even give you step-by-step guides to making specific dishes. The exact integration with the Galaxy Ring isn’t clear, but according to the Korean site, the wearable will help make dietary suggestions based on your calorie consumption and body mass index (BMI).
The ultimate aim is apparently to integrate this system with smart appliances (made by Samsung, of course) like refrigerators and ovens. While they aren’t yet widely available, appliances like Samsung Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator and Bespoke AI Oven include cameras that can design or cook recipes based on your dietary needs.
It sounds like the Galaxy Ring, and presumably smartwatches like the incoming Galaxy Watch 7 series, are the missing links in a system that can monitor your health and feed that info into the Samsung Food app, which you can download now for Android and iOS.
The Ring’s role in this process will presumably be more limited than smartwatches, whose screens can help you log meals and more. But the rumors hint at how big Samsung’s ambitions are for its long-awaited ring, which will be a strong new challenger in our best smart rings guide when it lands (most likely in July).
Hungry for data
(Image credit: Samsung)
During our early hands-on with the Galaxy Ring, it was clear that Samsung is mostly focusing on its sleep-tracking potential. It goes beyond Samsung’s smartwatches here, offering unique insights including night movement, resting heart rate during sleep, and sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).
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But Samsung has also talked up the Galaxy Ring’s broader health potential more recently. It’ll apparently be able to generate a My Vitality Score in Samsung’s Health app (by crunching together data like your activity and heart rate) and eventually integrate with appliances like smart fridges.
This means it’s no surprise to hear that the Galaxy Ring could also play nice with the Samsung Food app. That said, the ring’s hardware limitations mean this will likely be a minor feature initially, as its tracking is more focused on sleep and exercise.
We’re actually more excited about the Ring’s potential to control our smart home than integrate with appliances like smart ovens, but more features are never a bad thing – as long as you’re happy to give up significant amounts of health data to Samsung.
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro (Ring Battery Pro) is a smart doorbell that gives you the ability to remotely monitor and talk to visitors outside your property via your phone or desktop using Wi-Fi. If it seems a bit familiar, that’s because it looks almost identical to many of the best video doorbells from Ring, but in particular it boasts many of the same features and functionality as the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus (Ring Battery Plus), which was released in April 2023.
There are a lot of similarities with the Ring Battery Plus, given this is just a slightly improved iteration with a higher price tag. The Ring Battery Pro once again is a wireless device with head-to-toe visibility thanks to its 1536p camera, which also offers night vision with color. It’s got decent battery life, although Amazon doesn’t tend to commit to confirming just what that is; it’s all very dependent on how much motion occurs around your home and how it is configured. However, in my experience, it doesn’t need recharging more often than once every couple of months.
The Ring Battery Pro can detect motion within a user-defined zone to alert you to any movement or packages that have been delivered even if the doorbell button has not been pressed, as well as notify you when someone comes knocking so you can quickly speak with them – even if you’re away from home.
(Image credit: Future)
I’ve been using the Ring Battery Plus for several months and was perfectly content with its performance and features, except for one thing this year’s Pro model addresses; notification fatigue. The detection zone that I set up for the Plus model included my parked car which is a much larger detection zone than just the path to my front door. Unfortunately, the camera-based motion detector initially detected everything that went past the house; cars, bicycles, deer, cats, and dogs, and after a while, I began to just filter out the notification sounds.
Although the Ring app provides a means of adjusting the detection sensitivity, it proved difficult to find a good compromise between detecting movement around my car that I might object to and detecting any other moving object. On the other hand, the radar-powered 3D motion detection of the Ring Battery Pro is a significant improvement in this respect, resulting in far fewer unnecessary alerts and notifications.
The feed from the camera also includes a moveable Bird’s eye view overlay window on which it plots markers to indicate where the motion was detected and what path was taken. A cool feature? Absolutely, but it feels a bit redundant when you can use the pre-roll feature instead to see what happened in the seconds before the motion was detected or the doorbell was pressed. It also remains to be seen if the feature is of any use at all once the free trial subscription period expires and there is no video to replay.
The only other differences between the Ring Battery Pro and its predecessor are that the Pro also features:
Audio+ (improved microphones and speakers for two-way communication – though I haven’t noticed much of a difference).
Low-Light Sight, a feature presently exclusive to this model that offers low light compensation settings for color, glare and for situations where the camera is used through glass thanks to the enhanced imaging sensors.
The Ring Battery Pro is a bit more expensive than the older Plus model, and while I do think it’s an improvement, in these cost-conscious times, it’s not enough to justify the price difference.
(Image credit: Future)
Price and availability
List price: $229.99 / £199.99
The Ring Battery Pro is available from Ring for $229.99 / £199.99 and is available directly from both Amazon and the Ring website.
The best comparison is to the Ring Battery Plus, which was originally $179.99 / £159.99 but is now available for $149.99 / £129.99. Given that its hardware is only somewhat improved and I’m a little underwhelmed by the utility of some of the new features, that $70 / £70 price difference smarts a little.
There is a great range of accessories and parts for ring doorbells, too; the benefit of a product identity and design that has not changed in years is that there are ample options.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0
US
UK
AU
Chime
$34.99
£29.99
AU$59.00
Chime Pro
$59.99
£49.99
AU$89.00
Quick Release Battery Pack
$34.99
£24.99
N/A
Charging Station
$29.99
£25.99
AU$65.00
Plug-in Adapter
$24.99
£20.99
N/A
Metallic Interchangeable Faceplate
$24.99
£21.99
AU$40.00
Interchangeable Faceplate
$14.99
£14.99
AU$23.00
Holiday Interchangeable Faceplate
$14.99
£14.99
AU$25.00
Intercom Kit
$17.99
£16.00
N/A
Solar Panel for Doorbells
$39.99
£49.00
AU$59.00
Solar charger 2nd generation for Battery Doorbells
$44.99
£39.99
AU$79.00
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro review: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dimensions
12.8cm x 6.2cm x 2.8cm
Colours
Silver/black
Hub required
No
Smart home compatibility
Amazon Alexa, IFTTT
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 2.5 GHz
Mobile compatibility
iOS, Android
Field of view:
150 degrees x 150 degrees (h x v)
Video resolution:
1536
(Image credit: Future)
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro review: Design
It’s a ring doorbell, and looks the part
Rechargable and removable battery
Easy installation
There is nothing wrong with the design of the Ring doorbell. I like how the device is packaged, but I am ambivalent about how it looks, and I suppose that’s the point. Split into a black top section housing its 1536p camera and a matte silver bottom section with the doorbell button, it’s neither quasi-iconic nor Quasimodo; I wouldn’t say it’s ugly, but it doesn’t exactly set the pulse racing. Familiarity breeds contempt, and Ring’s design is a victim of its success.
As can be seen in the price and availability section above, there are benefits to keeping things consistent when it comes to accessories and spares. The problem here is that there is now a bewildering array of Ring doorbells available online that all look the same.
It’s straightforward to install and I like the included angled mounting bracket and spare screws; these both make the Ring Battery Pro a far more configurable video doorbell to set up than older models.
Like the Ring Battery Plus, the Pro features a removable battery. Do I often drop the little screw when I remove the battery to charge it? Yes, but is it annoying enough to warrant buying the power adapter and running the cable from inside my home to the doorbell? No. A small magnet on the case to stick the screw onto once you removed it would help. I do like that it comes with its own screwdriver and USB cable, though.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Once the battery is charged and the doorbell has been attached to your home the next task is to download the Ring app, set up an account and add your new device to the app. This is as straightforward as all of the other steps so far, and Ring has sensibly put the pairing code on the box and the manual as well as on the back of the device itself.
From the app, you can easily check your Ring Battery Pro’s live feed, communicate using two-way audio and set up features like motion and privacy zones. These zones as a feature can be immensely useful, helping to maintain your and your neighbors’ privacy, but as I’ve found in my previous Ring testing experience, editing the motion zones is frustrating. Moving the markers to adjust the area is very hit-or-miss and would sometimes erroneously move the entire zone. I tested this on an iPad as well in the hope that a bigger screen would increase accuracy, but alas, it was just as frustrating.
Much like the Ring Battery Plus, the Pro’s HD+ 1536p camera has HDR and night vision with color, which are switched off by default to increase battery life. It’s worth experimenting with these features to figure out if you need to use them in your home; the battery life could become a real issue if you have a lot of activity outside of your home and keep these features on. I, for one, didn’t find the color night vision particularly illuminating, which says more about where I live (grey and boring) than the usefulness of the color night vision feature.
The head-to-toe view, much like in the Ring Battery Plus, is an excellent evolution of the older Ring models’ aspect ratio, allowing you to see much more of your entryway and even spot any packages. As I suggested before, I really can’t tell much difference between the Ring Battery Plus and Pro in terms of audio, despite the newer model supposedly featuring enhanced microphones and speakers, meaning the audio can still be a little muffled when visitors aren’t facing the doorbell directly.
There is another similarity between the Ring Battery Plus and the Ring Battery Pro; reliability. I have many smart devices running on 2.5 GHz inside my house and some of them have random connection issues and buggy software. The Ring Battery Pro, however, is on the outside of my house and is relentless in its detection duties.
All in all, the Ring Battery Pro offers excellent performance. As always, though, it’s worth highlighting its full potential is unlocked with an added Ring Protect subscription. As ever, it’s a shame to see some of the most useful features like smart home trigger responses, advanced motion detection, package detection, and recorded video events be so gated, but, unfortunately, that’s the nature of many video doorbells these days.
(Image credit: Future)
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro review: Should I buy?
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro review: How I tested
I have several other Ring devices and compared the settings within the app to find any new features and test them.
I predominantly used the app on an iPhone for changing settings. I also investigated the app on an iPad as well as the Ring website.
I connected the Ring Pro to Apple Homekit via Homebridge.
I installed the Ring Pro next to my home’s front door on the angled bracket and adjusted the motion zone so that I could detect movement at the front of my house and around my car.
To compare what was going on outside with any notifications from the doorbell, I monitored the video output on an ongoing basis using Apple Homekit (via Homebridge) while working on the computer. It is possible to do that via the Ring website, but you won’t find the battery charge information.
I enabled all of the default disabled features to test if the impact on the battery life rendered the features impractical. The battery performed as expected; it drained faster with everything switched on but did not need to be re-charged incessantly.
I set off the default windchimes alert tone in the supermarket to test how many customers had Ring doorbells… I changed the Ring alert tone to something else shortly after.
I’ve been using smart home devices for several years now, and have a whopping 30+ years (gulp) of tech enthusiasm and experience under my belt.
“Open your eyes, and observe all the objects of your surroundings,” said the voice of Gwyneth Paltrow, live, from LA. “now become aware of the empty space around your objects, and how the space allows everything to exist within it.”
It was odd to do a meditation breathing exercise with another person on Zoom. I was staring out the window at nothing in particular, picking a water spot on the glass as a focal point while the Iron Man franchise star and Goop owner talked me through the exercise. I was used to closing my eyes and sitting on a chair or cushion while I practiced mindfulness, but as my eyes glazed over, I could see how taking your practice anywhere could be very useful.
I was lucky enough to be part of a video call presentation and discussion from Gwyneth Paltrow about Moments of Space, a new meditation app co-owned by Paltrow, and moderated by the app’s creator, Kim Little.
Meditation apps have been around for a very long time: most of the best fitness apps offer some sort of mindfulness or breathing exercise element, while dedicated apps like Headspace and Calm offer audio experiences for short mindfulness sessions, long meditations, sleeping, naps, and everything in between.
Moments of Space has its own unique selling point (other than Paltrow’s involvement, that is): a focus on open-eye techniques, encouraging you to experience the world around you while you meditate, not just sitting on the floor with your eyes closed.
(Image credit: Moments of Space)
During the call, Paltrow said: “Eyes-open meditation has changed my life because I find that all-day-every-day, I can just steal a few minutes here and there. I can be at my desk, walking down a hall, on a zoom (no offense) and I can meditate!
“I find it’s really deepened the results of what meditation does.”
The other unique bit is that rather than remain carefully secular, like Headspace and Calm, it’s unashamedly rooted in Dzogchen Buddhist teachings while embracing modern tech advancements, like artificial intelligence. The app’s AI is said to identify your personality traits and put you on structured paths of content (for example, a particular course of meditations designed to soothe anxiety), but it will also identify ‘transient’ states and recommend standalone meditations called ‘Moments’ to match. “The more you use the app,” said founder Kim Little, “the better it will get to understanding your needs in the moment.
“With the advent of AI, it’s all going to be about hyper-personalization. Everything will become personalized to the user, completely customized and dynamic, and I know in our app we’re trying to solve this problem of giving the user the right content. That’s the potential impact of tech in wellness… everything becoming unique to that user.”
Identifying your personality traits puts you on structured paths of content, but it will also identify transient states and recommend standalone meditations called “Moments” to match. The more you use the app, the better it will understand your needs in the moment.
(Image credit: Oura)
Gwyneth Paltrow is a bona fide wellness guru, promoting alternative (and occasionally controversial) approaches to the norm. It stands to reason that as the industry moves on, she’s investing in products like Moments of Space that are making use of the vast suite of health metrics your phone and wearables can collect.
“I think we’re living in the most amazing time where technology is moving at an incredible pace,” said Paltrow. “There will be a lot of opportunity with technology to provide us data and roadmaps to help further our own wellness. For example, I have an Oura Ring which I wear and it uses technology and hardware to help me track certain wellness markers which are important to me.
“I can set up my Oura Ring before I meditate and it will tell me what my heart rate was before and after my meditation, body temperature, and so on. It’s predictive, so I think technology being able to help us pull data lets us go further. I can make adjustments based on that data in terms of how I drink alcohol or don’t drink alcohol, for example, which impacts my sleep.”
The best smart rings are fantastic for recording these kinds of passive experiences, as they don’t have a screen to interact with. This places the emphasis less on fitness and more on holistic well-being, so it’s no surprise Paltrow prefers rings to the best smartwatches.
Moments of Space sounds like it’s got enough going for it to distinguish itself from the rest of the meditation app pack, not the least of which is wellness guru’s Paltrow involvement. Even her brief presentation has me second-guessing what I thought I knew about mindfulness.
There have been several rumors in recent weeks about Apple’s work on a finger-worn smart ring, and while it’s not clear if the project is in active development at this time, we thought we’d round up the rumors that are circulating.
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Ring
This guide aggregates what we’ve heard so far on an Apple-branded smart ring.
Potential Features
A February rumor from Electronic Times suggested that Apple is “speeding up development” on a smart ring with health-related features.
Like the Apple Watch, an Apple Ring could track heart rate, activity, sleep, and respiratory rate, using that information to provide users with sleep insights and health recommendations.
Apple could also potentially use a smart ring as an input device for the iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, or Mac.
Ring vs. Watch
Apple already has an Apple Watch that is able to track multiple health metrics, but a smart ring would be more comfortable for certain activities. A ring could be preferable for sleep, for example, or in situations where the wrists need to be covered, like when wearing supportive wrist wraps.
A ring would not likely need a constant connection to an iPhone or another Apple device because it has no display, so the battery would probably last for a longer period of time. On the downside, a smart ring would convey information via Bluetooth or a similar method, so while it would collect data, that data would not be synced to the iPhone in real-time as it is with the Apple Watch.
There is a possibility that a smart ring would be more affordable than the Apple Watch, with higher-end smart rings priced at around $300 from Apple’s competitors.
Apple’s Competition
Samsung is developing a Galaxy Ring that is expected to be available in the second half of the year. It can track heart rate, activity, and sleep, plus it is able to make wireless payments and control Samsung devices.
Companies like Oura and Ultrahuman have been making and selling smart rings for several years. The third-generation Oura ring is able to collect activity information and measure heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep quality.
The Ultrahuman Ring Air measures heart rate, skin temperature, respiratory rate, recovery times, and sleep.
Ring Patents
Apple has patented smart ring technology. One patent, for example, explains how a smart ring (or several smart rings) could be used as a control method for a VR headset. Sensors in the ring would gather input from the user, and haptic output could provide feedback.
Another patent describes using a ring with a touch-sensitive display to control a TV or tablet, while a third outlines a smart ring with NFC.
Release Date
While Electronic Times said that Apple is seriously considering a smart ring, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurmanclaimed in February that Apple is not actively developing a finger-worn device at this time.
Apple’s industrial design team did present the idea of a smart ring focused on health and fitness to executives a few years back, but it may not be a project that Apple is planning to bring to market right now.
Imagine stepping into the vast, fantastical world of Elden Ring with a powerful ally by your side—an AI assistant designed to make your journey through this challenging game smoother and more enjoyable. This isn’t just any helper; it’s a sophisticated tool built on the GPT-4 language model, ready to provide you with real-time information and support as you explore, battle, and uncover the game’s secrets.
You’re in the middle of a fierce battle, and you’re not sure how to defeat the towering boss before you. With a simple click of your mouse, your AI assistant springs into action. Take a screenshot of your dilemma, and the assistant analyzes it, offering tailored advice based on your character’s unique abilities. If you’re playing as a samurai, for example, it might suggest strategies that capitalize on your dexterity and vigor, giving you a better chance to emerge victorious.
This AI isn’t just a silent partner; it’s a responsive companion that communicates with you in a clear, conversational manner. It’s there to help you make sense of the game’s intricate lore, optimize your character’s build, and provide strategic insights—all without pulling you away from the immersive experience that Elden Ring offers.
Features of the Elden Ring AI Assistant
Screenshot Analysis: By pressing a side button on the mouse, players can take a screenshot while in-game. This screenshot is then processed by GPT-4 (or any chosen LLM through the Groq API) to extract and interpret visual information. This can include identifying items, locations, or characters within the game, providing a seamless way to learn more about the Elden Ring world without leaving the game environment.
Voice Commands: The system allows for voice commands through a scroll button on the mouse. When pressed, it activates voice recording, enabling players to ask questions or seek guidance about the game. The speech is transcribed and processed, with responses generated by the AI model and delivered audibly, making it an interactive and hands-free aid.
Interactive Feedback: The AI provides conversational responses to queries, offering explanations, lore background, and gameplay tips. This interaction is tailored to be short and engaging, using text-to-speech technology for a natural listening experience.
Adaptability: Although demonstrated with Elden Ring, the system is designed to be adaptable to any video game. This flexibility is crucial for catering to a wide range of gaming experiences and preferences.
Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of building and using AI assistants for a wide variety of different applications :
Technical Setup:
The system is controlled via a PC mouse, allowing for easy integration into the gaming setup.
Python serves as the backend, facilitating the processing of screenshots and voice commands. This includes the use of models like Whisper for speech transcription.
The Groq API is used to interface with GPT-4, though the system is designed to work with any LLM, providing flexibility in choosing the model best suited for the game or information needed.
The setup incorporates text-to-speech functionality, making the interaction more dynamic and accessible.
The technology behind this assistant is as impressive as the advice it gives. It runs on a robust Python framework, with code meticulously crafted to handle tasks like capturing screenshots, recording audio, and maintaining a continuous loop of responsiveness. This ensures that your gaming experience is seamless, with the AI blending into the background until you need its expertise.
For those eager to integrate this AI technology into their gaming setup, the developer is preparing a tutorial. They plan to release a comprehensive guide on their YouTube members page, designed to walk you through the setup process step by step. This guidance aims to make the integration as straightforward as possible, so you can focus on enjoying the game rather than wrestling with technical details.
As you embark on your Elden Ring adventure, this AI assistant is more than just a tool; it’s a companion that enhances your gameplay. It provides personalized advice and strategic recommendations through an intuitive interface, allowing you to tackle the game’s challenges with informed confidence. With this AI by your side, you’re not just playing Elden Ring—you’re mastering it with a blend of skill and intelligence.
Your Elden Ring AI Assistant represents a significant step forward in integrating AI into the gaming experience, offering a blend of convenience, adaptability, and depth that enriches player interaction with the game world. By combining real-time analysis, voice interaction, and a user-friendly interface, it sets a new standard for how AI can enhance not just gaming but any interactive digital experience.
Filed Under: Gaming News, Top News
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Vera is a ring that does more than just sparkle. Picture a sleek, stylish accessory that doubles as a personal health advisor, quietly working around the clock to keep you informed about your body’s well-being. This is the Vera Ring, a cutting-edge health monitoring device designed to fit seamlessly into your life, offering valuable insights into your physical condition while maintaining the appearance of a chic piece of jewelry. Watch the video below to learn more about this unique wearable health tracking ring.
At the heart of the Vera Ring’s capabilities is its ability to keep a close watch on your heart’s health. It constantly measures your heart rate, keeping tabs on how fast your heart beats and how much it varies from beat to beat. This information is crucial because it can give you a clear picture of your heart’s condition. The ring is even gearing up to track your blood pressure in the near future. With all this data, the Vera Ring calculates a score for your heart’s health and gives you personalized advice to help you keep it strong and healthy.
Specially priced early bird pledges are now available for the innovational project from roughly $249 or £196 (depending on current exchange rates), offering a considerable discount of approximately 28% off the retail amount, while the Indiegogo crowd funding is under way.
Key Health Categories Monitored:
Heart Health:
– Tracks Beats Per Minute (BPM), Resting Heart Rate (RHR), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Blood Pressure (BP, feature upcoming). – Offers a Heart Score and recommendations for cardiovascular improvement.
Sleep Quality:
– Monitors Sleep Duration, Time Awake, Light Sleep, Deep Sleep, and REM cycles. – Provides a Sleep Score and suggestions for enhancing sleep quality.
Respiratory Health:
– Measures Blood Oxygen (SpO2), VO2 Max, and Respiratory Rate. – Delivers insights and advice on respiratory function.
Immune System Status:
– Combines temperature, HRV, stress, and sleep data to assess immune health. – Advises on optimal times for rest or activity.
Stress Levels:
– Utilizes heart rate and temperature data to offer stress-related information. – Helps identify stress triggers and provides strategies for stress management.
Physical Activity:
– Goes beyond step counting with proprietary ActiveZone technology. – Generates an Activity Score and shows its impact on overall health.
But the Vera Ring doesn’t stop there. It also acts as a guardian of your sleep, analyzing how long and how well you rest each night. It breaks down your sleep into different stages, like light, deep, and REM sleep, and then gives you a score to help you understand the quality of your rest. With this information, you can make changes to improve your sleep, which is a cornerstone of good health.
Wearable health monitor ring
Breathing is something we do without thinking, but it can reveal a lot about our health. The Vera Ring measures the oxygen level in your blood, your maximum oxygen uptake, and how fast you breathe. These insights are especially important in today’s world, where respiratory health is more crucial than ever. The ring offers suggestions to help you maintain or improve your breathing, which can be a key indicator of your overall health.
Your immune system is your body’s defense against illness, and the Vera Ring helps you keep it in top shape. It looks at your body temperature, heart rate variability, stress levels, and sleep data to give you a clear picture of your immune health. With this information, the ring advises you on when to rest and when you can push yourself a bit more, helping you maintain a strong immune system.
If the Vera Ring campaign successfully raises its required pledge goal and the project progresses smoothly, worldwide shipping is expected to take place sometime around May 2024. To learn more about the Vera Ring wearable health monitor ring project study the promotional video below.
Managing stress is a challenge in our fast-paced world, but the Vera Ring is here to help. It identifies when you’re feeling stressed by monitoring your heart rate and body temperature. Then, it offers techniques to help you manage that stress effectively. This feature is designed to help you stay calm and focused, no matter what life throws your way.
For those who like to stay active, the Vera Ring is a supportive companion. It uses ActiveZone technology to track your physical activity more accurately than just counting steps. It gives you an Activity Score, showing you how your exercise habits affect your overall health. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just enjoy a casual walk, the Vera Ring makes it clear how staying active contributes to your health story.
The Vera Ring is more than just a piece of wearable technology; it’s a discreet, all-in-one health companion that provides continuous health metrics and practical advice. It empowers you to make informed decisions for a healthier, more balanced life. With its blend of style and function, the Vera Ring is a prime example of how wearable tech can have a positive impact on our health and wellness. Whether you’re deeply invested in your health data or just looking for a nudge to keep you on track, the Vera Ring is designed to be your go-to gadget for staying in tune with your body’s needs.
For a complete list of all available backing options, stretch goals, extra media and performance metrics for the wearable health monitor ring, jump over to the official Vera Ring crowd funding campaign page by navigating to the link below.
Source : Indiegogo
Disclaimer: Participating in Kickstarter campaigns involves inherent risks. While many projects successfully meet their goals, others may fail to deliver due to numerous challenges. Always conduct thorough research and exercise caution when pledging your hard-earned money.
Filed Under: Gadgets News, Top News
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There have been rumors about a new Apple Ring and now Samsung has revealed that they are working on the Samsung Galaxy Ring and the device is coming later this year, they have a working prototype of the device which you can see in the photo above.
Not many details about the new Galaxy Ring have been revealed as yet, although the device is part of Samsung’s vision for improving health and wellness, you can see more details on what Samsung has to say about the device below.
Mobile devices will become the primary access point for AI, and through Samsung Galaxy — with our broad and comprehensive product portfolio, heritage of innovation and philosophy of open collaboration — we’re well positioned to accelerate its global expansion. That’s why we’re thrilled to be introducing Samsung Galaxy Ring later this year — bringing Samsung’s accumulated innovations to the smallest form for comfortable 24/7 wear. As a new addition to our wearables portfolio, Galaxy Ring will offer users an all-new way to simplify everyday wellness, empowering them with greater insights and more ways to understand themselves day and night. With Galaxy Ring, users can embrace an unrivalled experience during every step of their wellness journey, all while being delivered in lockstep with Samsung’s broader vision for a more connected, integrated and seamless digital wellness platform.
Samsung will continue to enrich and expand Galaxy AI experiences across our product categories and collaborations to bring forward mobile experiences that defy imagination. The launch of Galaxy Ring is just one of Samsung’s many initiatives that exemplifies this and delivers on our vision of improving the health and wellness of billions, starting at home, with you. Through the power of intelligence, partnerships and advanced technology, we’re helping more people better understand themselves and make the small changes that have a big impact, every day. With this, the power of Galaxy AI and many more exciting health and wellness solutions and updates on the horizon, we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store.
We are looking forward to finding out more information about the new Samsung Galaxy ring and exactly what Samsung has planned for health and wellness devices in the future.
Source Samsung
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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Ring
