#wearables

#wearables

Starting Sept. 8, Samsung Health users can schedule virtual visits with doctors and connect to Walgreens pharmacies for prescription management. In partnership with virtual care clinic HealthTap, Samsung Health will now connect users with doctors when they're looking for a faster alternative to an in-person doctor's visit. The new feature lets Samsung users message their virtual doctors in between video visits and same-day appointments. The press release also highlights its 365-day on-demand urgent care.

Every day, I shift between strategy and execution, guiding a team that depends on me to make clear decisions. The constant pressure takes its toll. Stress lingers, energy dips at the wrong moment, and brain fog has a way of showing up when clarity is most needed. I feel this even more with the added demands of being a working mom and hosting a podcast, where I have to be sharp, present and on my toes no matter what else is happening in my day.

Fitness trackers have come a long way from the simple bands that tracked steps and little else. Modern trackers can monitor everything from your heart health to how well you've recovered from a hard bout of training. Even flagship smartwatches, which used to be lackluster trackers, have become pretty adept workout companions. Whatever your fitness goals are, there's probably a fitness tracker that can help you achieve them.

With the Galaxy Watch8 Series, Samsung is doing just that. For the first time ever, a smartwatch features Google's Gemini AI built in - not as a voice assistant you have to dig for, not as a cloud service that lags behind - but as a native, on-device intelligence layer that powers everything from workouts to grocery lists to urgent work messages.

Amazfit Helio Strap and Amazfit Balance 2 have been launched in India. The new wearables come with a BioTracker 6.0 PPG biometric sensor for monitoring heart rate and feature a dedicated Hyrox Race Mode. The Helio Strap is the Amazfit's first fitness tracker without a screen, and it supports 27 sports modes. The Amazfit Balance 2 supports Bluetooth calling and has over 170 sports modes.

The Pixel line has often been on the cutting edge of mobile photography. This year, that means baking AI straight into the camera app and making us grapple with all of the very messy things that means. I've been scouring the internet for sample images of the Pixel 10 Pro's AI-enhanced 100x zoom feature - Pro Res Zoom - and the early results have been all over the place.

Unlike its prescription-only sibling, the G7, Stelo doesn't require a prescription, and it's not intended for people on insulin. It's about the size of a quarter with tiny prongs that go just under the skin and are essentially painless. Once applied, Stelo pairs with your phone and delivers glucose readings every 15 minutes. That's less frequent than prescription CGMs, but more than enough to show how food, activity, sleep and stress affect your glucose.

Google is encountering supply chain problems that may delay the release of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, and Pixel Buds 2a until October 9th, 2025.

Amazon has acquired Bee, an AI company known for its always-listening wearable that transcribes conversations and provides actionable insights.

To be clear, there is a lot to like about it. And I have a lot more to write about such things - once it is started up, I often don't want to stop using it (hence the song in my head).

The standard Gorilla Glass on Google's watches is prone to damage, while competitors use more durable sapphire glass, leading to issues with repairs and sustainability.

Qualcomm is developing a new Snapdragon SoC specifically for wearables, codenamed Aspen, aiming to enhance performance for the next generation of Wear OS.

Samsung's offerings are expanding beyond smartwatches to include fitness-focused smart rings and future wearables like glasses, earrings, and necklaces to ensure user convenience.

Samsung's Unpacked event on July 9 will feature anticipated releases like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, alongside potential wearables and accessories.

The iQOO Neo10 Pro+ launches alongside the iQOO Pad5, Pad5 Pro, Watch 5 smartwatch, and TWS Air3 earbuds, showcasing cutting-edge specifications and features.

"In a world where we are increasingly cluttered with devices, the conversation around our phones, smartwatches, and potential new tech like a cellular MacBook illustrates our desire for functionality over excess."

The premise of the AI recorder is compelling; it brings the idea of perfect memory that records everything, but is that truly beneficial?