Last week I reviewed a smart nail chip that I saw on some trashy reality TV. This week, I give you a social video demonstrating how some of its NFC-powered features work. My favorite is playing the John Cena theme song every time I destroy my spouse in an argument.
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Verge Score
Impractical party trick? Most definitely. But if you’re creative, a NFC nail chip is a cool wearable experiment.
Dubbed Oura Advisor, the chatbot combines generative AI with your actual data so you can ask it about your long-term trends and patterns, as well as general guidance on health matters. This is the second feature from the company’s experimental Oura Labs program — the first being Symptom Radar.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter notes Apple’s push for an AI agent-powered “Project Mulberry” upgrade for its Health app next year, and that its its long-running attempt noninvasive glucose monitoring via Apple Watch sensors is still “many years away.” (Here’s more on why that’s been so difficult).
But if you’re into hardware, he reports new M5 iPad Pros are already in testing in addition to work on 2027-targeted M6 editions with Apple’s in-house modems, and while the regularly scheduled MacBook Pro M5 refresh is “a lock” for this year, a design overhaul may not come until its M6 update in 2026.
Apple has been expected to switch to a plastic case for its entry level smartwatch, but that plan is reportedly “in serious jeopardy,” according to Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter for Bloomberg. Gurman writes:
The design team doesn’t like the look, and the operations team is finding it difficult to make the casing materially cheaper than the current aluminum chassis.
Last week, I reported that all but two Zombies, Run! staffers had been laid off. Now we have an official statement from Six to Start, the company behind the game, confirming that the ZRX app will remain “available and fully functioning.” Zombies, Run! and Marvel Move subscribers will also retain access to episode catalogues and Rofflenet, its message board. New episodes, however, are on pause.
[facebook.com]
The SpellRing was developed by Cornell researchers and uses AI plus micro-sonar tech to track real-time fingerspelling. Right now, it can be used to input text into computers and smartphones. It’s a neat, given that the researchers say alternatives have been too bulky and impractical for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
There are caveats. This isn’t a consumer product yet and may never be. Plus, fingerspelling is only one aspect of American Sign Language. Still, you love to see people working on accessibility tech!
