A second attempt in as many months to reform the outdated Computer Misuse Act (CMA) of 1990 to provide legal protections for cyber security professionals and ethical hackers who fear prosecution under the vague offence of unauthorised access to a computer has been knocked back in the House of Lords by former government chief scientific adviser turned minister for science, research and innovation Patrick Vallance.Two amendments proposed by Chris Holmes and Tim Clement-Jones to the Data (Access and Use) Bill would address this by amending the CMA in such a way that legitimate cyber pros can prove their actions were necessary for the detection or prevention of crime or justified as being in the public interest.Despite strong support from other members of the House of Lords, a previous attempt to introduce these amendments in December 2024 stalled with the government arguing they were premature.Speaking on Tuesday 28 January, Holmes said: It [the CMA] was put into statute at a time when technology looked nothing like it did 10 or 20 years ago, never mind today.The Computer Misuse Act constrains the sector from keeping us as safe as it might and constrains businesses in terms of their growth and what they could be adding today to our economyThere is no reason for us to continue with the Computer Misuse Act when we have the solution in our hands.Speaking in support of Holmes amendments, Merlin Hey, Earl of Erroll, said that during the CMAs passage in 1990, similar concerns had been expressed but that the government had dismissed them.We were always deeply unhappy about it but had to go along with it because we had to have something; otherwise, we could not do anything about hacking tools being freely available, said Hey.We ended up with a rather odd situation where there is no defence against being a good guy. This is a very sensible amendment to clean up an anomaly that has been sitting in our law for a long time and should probably have been cleaned up a long time ago.In his assessment, Vallance who as chief scientific adviser made similar recommendations in a review on pro-innovation tech regulation, which were accepted at the time said that his recommendations were still in play as part of an ongoing review of the CMA, but that the issues around reform were highly complex.Our engagement with stakeholders has revealed differing views, even among industry. While some industry partners highlightthat the Computer Misuse Act may prevent legitimate public interest activity, others have concerns about the unintended consequences. Law enforcement has considerable concerns that allowing unauthorised access to systems under the pretext of identifying vulnerabilities could be exploited by cyber criminals, said Vallance.Without robust safeguards and oversight, this amendment could significantly hinder investigations and place a burden on law enforcement partners to establish whether a persons actions were in the public interest.The introduction of these specific amendments could unintentionally pose more risk to the UKs cyber security, not least by inadvertently creating a loophole for cyber criminals to exploit to defend themselves against a prosecution.Vallance said that the government would continue to work both with industry, law enforcement and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and that an update would be provided in due course.Andrew Jones, strategy director at the Cyber Scheme and spokesperson for the CyberUp Campaign which has been arguing for reform for years said: While we appreciate the governments efforts to ensure it handles updating the Computer Misuse Act correctly, we are somewhat disappointed that another opportunity to protect our cyber security professionals and strengthen the UKs defences has been missed.The Computer Misuse Act is a relic of the 20th century, inadvertently criminalising critical research conducted by UK cyber security professionals to support national cyber defence operations, law enforcement, intelligence agencies and critical national infrastructure operators. This leaves the UK increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated and disruptive cyber threats. As the US and EU move to safeguard ethical cyber security work as a cornerstone of national resilience, the UK cannot afford to lag behind.Urgent action is needed. The statutory defence proposed drafted in consultation with industry and legal experts offers a practical, proportionate and robust solution that would protect legitimate cyber security professionals, support HMG intent on a responsible future for AI, strengthen UK cyber defences and reinforce its place as a cyber security leader.We remain fully prepared to work with the government to help implement this necessary change in the future, as soon as it isreadytoact.Timeline: Computer Misuse Act reformJanuary 2020: A group of campaigners says the Computer Misuse Act 1990 risks criminalising cyber security professionals andneeds reforming.June 2020: The CyberUp coalition writes to Boris Johnson to urge him to reformthe UKs 30-year-old cyber crime laws.November 2020: CyberUp, a group of campaigners who want to reform the Computer Misuse Act, finds 80% of security professionals are concerned that they may be prosecutedjust for doing their jobs.May 2021: Home secretary Priti Patel announces plans to explore reforming the Computer Misuse Act as calls mount for the 31-year-old law to be updatedto reflect the changed online world.June 2022: A cross-party group in the House of Lords has proposed an amendment to the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill that would address concerns about security researchers or ethical hackers being prosecutedin the course of their work.August 2022: A study produced by the CyberUp Campaign reveals broad alignment among security professionals on questions around the Computer Misuse Act, which it hopes will give confidence to policymakersas they explore its reform.September 2022: The CyberUp coalition, a campaign to reform the Computer Misuse Act, has called on Liz Truss to push ahead with needed changes to protect cyber professionalsfrom potential prosecution.January 2023: Cyber accreditation association Crest International lends its support to the CyberUp Campaign forreform to the Computer Misuse Act 1990.February 2023: Westminster opens a new consultation on proposed reforms to the Computer Misuse Act 1990, but campaigners who want the law changed to protect cyber professionalshave been left disappointed.March 2023: The deadline for submissions to the governments consultation on reform of the Computer Misuse Act is fast approaching, and cyber professionals need to make their voices heard,say Bugcrowds ethical hackers.November 2023: A group of activists who want to reform the UKs computer misuse laws to protect bona fide cyber professionals from prosecution have been leftfrustrated by a lack of legislative progress.July 2024: In the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill introduced in the Kings Speech, the UKs new government pledges to give regulators more teeth to ensure compliance with security best practiceand to mandate incident reporting.July 2024: The CyberUp Campaign for reform of the 1990 Computer Misuse Act launches an industry survey inviting cyber experts to share their views on how the outdated lawhinders legitimate work.December 2024: An amendment to the proposed Data (Access and Use) Bill that will right a 35-year-old wrong and protect security professionals from criminalisationis to be debated at Westminster.December 2024: Amendments to the Data Bill that would have given the UK cyber industry a boost by updating restrictive elements of the Computer Misuse Act have failed to progress beyond a Lords committee.

Smart rings that you put around your finger gather the same health data as a smartwatch -- but without the bulkiness and extra screen space. If you're training for a marathon, taking exercise classes, or working out at the gym, a fitness ring can help you reach your activity goals and offer you a greater perspective on your overall wellness. It's a handy piece of tech that measures your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, and more to provide data-driven guidance on your training regimen. Once a niche wearable, smart rings are now coming out of major tech brands like Samsung to shake up the small but growing market.Also: The best smart rings you can buyI love using my smart ring as I exercise, whether I'm riding a bike, doing core exercise, running, or dancing, because I can record my workout heart rate and get hyper-specific data that informs my rest and recovery program. Alongside data on my activity, smart rings also advise me when to take a break, get more rest, and pay attention to my health. They're far less bulky and more discreet than a smartwatch, so I don't have to be tied to another screen as I exercise or sleep. However, I wouldn't recommend a smart ring to heavy weightlifters, climbers, or anyone who regularly uses their hands while exercising, given how the ring can pinch your skin as you lift weights or grip things.Also: The Oura Ring 4 has four features I'm especially excitedWhat is the best fitness ring right now?Our pick for the best fitness ring overall is the Oura Ring 4 for its comprehensive health suite, discreet form factor, high-quality materials, and impressive battery life. We'll continue to test out all of the new fitness rings on the market and update this list with buying advice. Read on to find out how all the leading fitness ring options on the market compare and how to choose the best one. Sort by All Battery life Additional features Health tracking Comfort and wear App functionality The best fitness rings of 2025 Show less View now at Oura The Oura Ring is one of the most popular fitness rings on the market, offering five different finishes and various sizes. The Oura Ring 4 debuted in October and boasts some substantial hardware and software upgrades from the tried and true Oura Ring 3. Oura is still the top brand for smart rings, and you can't go wrong with the Oura Ring 3, but if comfort is your main priority, the Oura Ring 4 is best for you.That's because one of the most essential upgrades from generation to generation is Oura's smart sensing technology that allows for the raised sensor domes on the Oura Ring 3 to recede on the Oura Ring 4 -- and makes for a more continuous and accurate data capture. The Oura Ring 3 had eight signal pathways it used within the ring to gather data; the Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, upgraded that number to 18. Thanks to that signal pathway upgrade, there's more data to capture throughout the day and fewer gaps within the data.You can record your workout heart rate on the app and view your activity score, inactive time, and burned calories. Then, the next day, you get a glance at your recovery scores to see how you bounced back from your intense workout. As it gets to know you, it can detect which activities you perform, whether that's running, walking, pickleball, or tennis, without you having to log it immediately.As the smart ring market becomes more competitive, Oura has been rolling out new feature after feature to keep its top spot, like a meal logging feature, menstrual cycle insights, cardiovascular age (that helps you see how young or old your heart health is), and more.The ring is known for its exceptionalsleep tracking. It provides insightful data that surpasses what you would receive from a Fitbit or the best smart rings. For instance, it displays your HRV balance, temperature changes during sleep (which can be used to predict menstrual cycles), blood oxygen levels, and the duration of each sleep stage.Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Which is right for you?In addition to impressive sleep tracking, the Oura Ring excels in activity tracking. It monitors your steps, calories burned (including active calories), heart rate during exercise, and training volume. One feature that separates Oura from other fitness rings is its resilience feature, which measures how well you bounce back from stress.Another fun Oura feature that runners will love is the ability to sync your Strava data to Oura and vice versa. When you record a run on the running app, it will immediately import into the Oura app. This is a lifesaver as an avid runner who sometimes forgets to start recording on one app before my run.One downside to note is its tendency to get scratched and scraped. Many Reddit users say that while the Oura Ring does sleep tracking well, it comes at a hefty price that may or may not be worth it to some.Oura Ring Gen 4specs: Sizing:4-15|Material:Titanium |Colors: Black, brushed silver, gold, silver, rose gold |Water resistance:Up to 328 feet |Sensors: Heart rate and heart rate variability, respiration, blood oxygen, PPG, skin temperature, 3D accelerometer for activity |Connectivity:Bluetooth Low-Energy, Airplane Mode |Battery:Up to eight days Battery life 8 Additional features 10 Health tracking 10 Comfort and wear 9 App functionality 10 Pros Best sleep tracking on the market Automatic heart rate monitoring during 40 different activities Cons Pricey -- and a monthly membership is required Battery life can vary Tarnishes easily Oura Ring 4 Best fitness ring overall 4.7 / 5 Score The Oura Ring is one of the most popular fitness rings on the market, offering five different finishes and various sizes. The Oura Ring 4 debuted in October and boasts some substantial hardware and software upgrades from the tried and true Oura Ring 3. Oura is still the top brand for smart rings, and you can't go wrong with the Oura Ring 3, but if comfort is your main priority, the Oura Ring 4 is best for you.That's because one of the most essential upgrades from generation to generation is Oura's smart sensing technology that allows for the raised sensor domes on the Oura Ring 3 to recede on the Oura Ring 4 -- and makes for a more continuous and accurate data capture. The Oura Ring 3 had eight signal pathways it used within the ring to gather data; the Oura Ring 4, on the other hand, upgraded that number to 18. Thanks to that signal pathway upgrade, there's more data to capture throughout the day and fewer gaps within the data.You can record your workout heart rate on the app and view your activity score, inactive time, and burned calories. Then, the next day, you get a glance at your recovery scores to see how you bounced back from your intense workout. As it gets to know you, it can detect which activities you perform, whether that's running, walking, pickleball, or tennis, without you having to log it immediately.As the smart ring market becomes more competitive, Oura has been rolling out new feature after feature to keep its top spot, like a meal logging feature, menstrual cycle insights, cardiovascular age (that helps you see how young or old your heart health is), and more.The ring is known for its exceptionalsleep tracking. It provides insightful data that surpasses what you would receive from a Fitbit or the best smart rings. For instance, it displays your HRV balance, temperature changes during sleep (which can be used to predict menstrual cycles), blood oxygen levels, and the duration of each sleep stage.Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Which is right for you?In addition to impressive sleep tracking, the Oura Ring excels in activity tracking. It monitors your steps, calories burned (including active calories), heart rate during exercise, and training volume. One feature that separates Oura from other fitness rings is its resilience feature, which measures how well you bounce back from stress.Another fun Oura feature that runners will love is the ability to sync your Strava data to Oura and vice versa. When you record a run on the running app, it will immediately import into the Oura app. This is a lifesaver as an avid runner who sometimes forgets to start recording on one app before my run.One downside to note is its tendency to get scratched and scraped. Many Reddit users say that while the Oura Ring does sleep tracking well, it comes at a hefty price that may or may not be worth it to some.Oura Ring Gen 4specs: Sizing:4-15|Material:Titanium |Colors: Black, brushed silver, gold, silver, rose gold |Water resistance:Up to 328 feet |Sensors: Heart rate and heart rate variability, respiration, blood oxygen, PPG, skin temperature, 3D accelerometer for activity |Connectivity:Bluetooth Low-Energy, Airplane Mode |Battery:Up to eight days Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Qvc If you don't want an Oura Ring, you should get yourself the Ultrahuman Ring Air. It is by far the runner-up in the smart ring race -- and that's no insult. Plus, it's consistently one of the top products ZDNET readers buy month after month; it even earned the number one spot in June.As I wrote in my review of the Ultrahuman Ring Air, "If the Oura Ring is the girl next door, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the Silicon Valley-based, Bitcoin-mining neighbor who drinks Soylent." This is the ring for fitness obsessives. The ring monitors all the good stuff: activity, sleep, and recovery. Plus, it prioritizes comfort and a sleek build that doesn't tarnish quickly or interfere with the rote tasks of your day, like carrying heavy bags, washing hands and dishes, and showering.What's remarkable about the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the notifications you get during or after your activity. For example, I went on a run with this ring one morning, and after my workout, it notified me to delay any caffeine for around an hour to allow the adenosine I built up from my run to flush out of my system. Later in the day, it reminded me to stretch my legs to recover from my morning run and relieve tension.Review:Ultrahuman Ring AirYou can also document your diet, while the ring's app offers AI insights into the health information behind each food you eat. Some of the data becomes excessive, but I can imagine that anyone who is all-in on optimizing their lifestyle for marathon training or some other fitness goal will find the information Ultrahuman offers useful. Plus, the app has a Discover tab with guided workouts for everything from pilates, high-intensity interval training, vinyasa yoga, and more. You can sync other workout app data, like the run you recorded on Strava, to the Ultrahuman app, which helps keep all your various activities in one place.The battery life is on par with Oura's, as I charged both simultaneously and found that they ran out of juice within hours of each other (about six days). And unlike the Oura Ring, which seemingly scratches when in contact with abrasive material, the Ultrahuman has maintained its sheen sans. I don't have trouble recommending this ring to health-minded individuals honing their workout and recovery regimen. Plus, unlike Oura, the Ultrahuman Ring Air doesn't come with the price of a monthly subscription.Redditors say the Ultrahuman Ring Air is on par with Oura, but the rings aren't as effective at fitness tracking as a smartwatch or chest strap. The care and drive for improvement with this ring is palpable: Upon reading user reviews on Reddit, I've noticed that Ultrahuman's founder, Mohit Kumar, is on threads interacting with users who leave reviews or ask questions about the product -- not something I've seen before.Ultrahuman Ring Air specs:Sizing:5-14 |Material:Titanium coated with Tungsten Carbide Carbon |Colors: Matte grey, Aster black, space silver, bionic gold|Water resistance:Up to 330 feet |Sensors: Infrared Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, Non-contact medical-grade skin temperature sensor, 6-axis motion sensors, Red LEDs (heart rate monitoring and oxygen saturation) Green LEDs (heart rate monitoring) Infrared LEDs (heart rate monitoring) |Connectivity:Bluetooth Low-Energy |Battery:Up to six days Battery life 8 Additional features 9 Health tracking 9 Comfort and wear 10 App functionality 8 Pros Great health data metrics Perfect for hardcore athletes AI insights are actually helpful Cons Ring gets pretty hot on your finger right after charging App user experience is not intuitive Ultrahuman Ring Air Best fitness ring for fitness obsessives 4.4 / 5 Score If you don't want an Oura Ring, you should get yourself the Ultrahuman Ring Air. It is by far the runner-up in the smart ring race -- and that's no insult. Plus, it's consistently one of the top products ZDNET readers buy month after month; it even earned the number one spot in June.As I wrote in my review of the Ultrahuman Ring Air, "If the Oura Ring is the girl next door, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the Silicon Valley-based, Bitcoin-mining neighbor who drinks Soylent." This is the ring for fitness obsessives. The ring monitors all the good stuff: activity, sleep, and recovery. Plus, it prioritizes comfort and a sleek build that doesn't tarnish quickly or interfere with the rote tasks of your day, like carrying heavy bags, washing hands and dishes, and showering.What's remarkable about the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the notifications you get during or after your activity. For example, I went on a run with this ring one morning, and after my workout, it notified me to delay any caffeine for around an hour to allow the adenosine I built up from my run to flush out of my system. Later in the day, it reminded me to stretch my legs to recover from my morning run and relieve tension.Review:Ultrahuman Ring AirYou can also document your diet, while the ring's app offers AI insights into the health information behind each food you eat. Some of the data becomes excessive, but I can imagine that anyone who is all-in on optimizing their lifestyle for marathon training or some other fitness goal will find the information Ultrahuman offers useful. Plus, the app has a Discover tab with guided workouts for everything from pilates, high-intensity interval training, vinyasa yoga, and more. You can sync other workout app data, like the run you recorded on Strava, to the Ultrahuman app, which helps keep all your various activities in one place.The battery life is on par with Oura's, as I charged both simultaneously and found that they ran out of juice within hours of each other (about six days). And unlike the Oura Ring, which seemingly scratches when in contact with abrasive material, the Ultrahuman has maintained its sheen sans. I don't have trouble recommending this ring to health-minded individuals honing their workout and recovery regimen. Plus, unlike Oura, the Ultrahuman Ring Air doesn't come with the price of a monthly subscription.Redditors say the Ultrahuman Ring Air is on par with Oura, but the rings aren't as effective at fitness tracking as a smartwatch or chest strap. The care and drive for improvement with this ring is palpable: Upon reading user reviews on Reddit, I've noticed that Ultrahuman's founder, Mohit Kumar, is on threads interacting with users who leave reviews or ask questions about the product -- not something I've seen before.Ultrahuman Ring Air specs:Sizing:5-14 |Material:Titanium coated with Tungsten Carbide Carbon |Colors: Matte grey, Aster black, space silver, bionic gold|Water resistance:Up to 330 feet |Sensors: Infrared Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, Non-contact medical-grade skin temperature sensor, 6-axis motion sensors, Red LEDs (heart rate monitoring and oxygen saturation) Green LEDs (heart rate monitoring) Infrared LEDs (heart rate monitoring) |Connectivity:Bluetooth Low-Energy |Battery:Up to six days Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Samsung Let me introduce you to the newest smart ring in the game and the first smart ring released by a leading tech brand. The Galaxy Ring launched in July, and it's a wearable any Android user could get excited about.The Galaxy Ring is similar to many of the smart rings on this list in terms of features and functions, with a few fun exceptions. Like other rings, you're getting sleep and activity tracking. The Galaxy Ring uses an AI algorithm to determine your sleep quality, patterns, and more and offers a sleep score every morning that sums up your night's sleep. There's snoring analysis, movement during sleep, sleep latency, and heart and respiratory rate tracking.Review: Samsung Galaxy RingAll this data is collected and stored through the Samsung Health app, which Android users can access (and Apple users... can't). This also means iPhone users can't use the Galaxy Ring with their phone unless they make the Android switch. Another benefit of having the Galaxy Ring within the Samsung ecosystem is that you can record workouts on a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch and log your sleep on the smart ring, then have all your data stored together. You can still use the ring for activity logging, too, as Samsung offers features to support activity, like energy scores, inactive alerts, and automatic workout detection.One new feature novel to the smart ring space (and the rings on this list) is the double pinch gesture you can perform with the ring on your pointer finger. This feature snoozes alarms and snaps photos, all through the pinch of your fingers.Galaxy Ring tech specs: Material:Titanium |Battery life: Seven days |Sizing:Five - 13 |Compatibility:Android: |Durability:10ATM waterproof rating|Charging:Charging case Battery life 9 Additional features 7 Health tracking 8 Comfort and wear 10 App functionality 9 Pros Automatic workout detection Subscription-free Extensive sleep tracking Cons Only Android-accessible Most expensive option on the list (but doesn't have an additional subscription) Samsung Galaxy Ring Best fitness ring for Android users 4.3 / 5 Score Let me introduce you to the newest smart ring in the game and the first smart ring released by a leading tech brand. The Galaxy Ring launched in July, and it's a wearable any Android user could get excited about.The Galaxy Ring is similar to many of the smart rings on this list in terms of features and functions, with a few fun exceptions. Like other rings, you're getting sleep and activity tracking. The Galaxy Ring uses an AI algorithm to determine your sleep quality, patterns, and more and offers a sleep score every morning that sums up your night's sleep. There's snoring analysis, movement during sleep, sleep latency, and heart and respiratory rate tracking.Review: Samsung Galaxy RingAll this data is collected and stored through the Samsung Health app, which Android users can access (and Apple users... can't). This also means iPhone users can't use the Galaxy Ring with their phone unless they make the Android switch. Another benefit of having the Galaxy Ring within the Samsung ecosystem is that you can record workouts on a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch and log your sleep on the smart ring, then have all your data stored together. You can still use the ring for activity logging, too, as Samsung offers features to support activity, like energy scores, inactive alerts, and automatic workout detection.One new feature novel to the smart ring space (and the rings on this list) is the double pinch gesture you can perform with the ring on your pointer finger. This feature snoozes alarms and snaps photos, all through the pinch of your fingers.Galaxy Ring tech specs: Material:Titanium |Battery life: Seven days |Sizing:Five - 13 |Compatibility:Android: |Durability:10ATM waterproof rating|Charging:Charging case Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon Charging a smart ring can get annoying. Thankfully, the RingConn Gen 2 actually lives up to its battery promises. At 10 days, the RingConn Gen 2's battery beats out the Oura Ring's seven-day battery. Plus, the charging case comes with 150 days worth of extra battery life to seal the deal.The RingConn Gen 2 gathers data on your blood oxygen, heart rate, skin temperature, and respiratory rate while you move and sleep. RingConn also presents your stress data on a graph that's fun to check in on throughout the day.One unique feature the RingConn Gen 2 offers is its Wellness Balance feature that takes your sleep score, your stress level, your vitals status, and your activity level into account to further understand and illustrate your physical and mental well-being. It's a thoughtful touch that shows how all aspects of your health are connected and something that few smart rings illustrate.Your health data is presented in a digestible manner that's paired with summaries and recommendations. For example, while I was sick, the smart ring noticed that my blood oxygen levels were abnormal. The smart ring provided reasons why they could be out of the ordinary, like "nasal stuffiness, sleep environment, and underlying conditions," which could result in lower Sp02 levels. It tells you when your biomarkers are within an average or outliers, which helps contextualize the many graphs you see on the app.I wore both the Oura Ring 4 and the RingConn Gen 2, and found that the RingConn Gen 2 overestimates the time spent in bed, time spent asleep, and steps walked during the day compared to the Oura Ring 4, which is one of the most accurate sleep trackers on the market. Because of this, I wouldn't take the health data it produces as the be-all and end-all. This smart ring is more for people who want an entry-level health and sleep tracker that provides more preliminary insight into their sleep and behaviors.RingConn Gen 2 Smart Ring tech specs: Material:Titanium |Battery life: 10 to 12 days |Sizing:6 to 14|Compatibility:iOS and Android: |Durability:IP68 waterproof rating|Charging:Charging case Battery life 9 Additional features 7 Health tracking 7 Comfort and wear 7 App functionality 8 Pros Charger can power your ring for up to 150 days Longest battery on this list No subscription fee Wellness Balance provides a holistic view of sleep, activity, stress, and vitals Cons No readiness score Doesn't integrate other health data like Apple, Garmin, or Polar RingConn Gen 2 Best fitness ring for battery life 3.8 / 5 Score Charging a smart ring can get annoying. Thankfully, the RingConn Gen 2 actually lives up to its battery promises. At 10 days, the RingConn Gen 2's battery beats out the Oura Ring's seven-day battery. Plus, the charging case comes with 150 days worth of extra battery life to seal the deal.The RingConn Gen 2 gathers data on your blood oxygen, heart rate, skin temperature, and respiratory rate while you move and sleep. RingConn also presents your stress data on a graph that's fun to check in on throughout the day.One unique feature the RingConn Gen 2 offers is its Wellness Balance feature that takes your sleep score, your stress level, your vitals status, and your activity level into account to further understand and illustrate your physical and mental well-being. It's a thoughtful touch that shows how all aspects of your health are connected and something that few smart rings illustrate.Your health data is presented in a digestible manner that's paired with summaries and recommendations. For example, while I was sick, the smart ring noticed that my blood oxygen levels were abnormal. The smart ring provided reasons why they could be out of the ordinary, like "nasal stuffiness, sleep environment, and underlying conditions," which could result in lower Sp02 levels. It tells you when your biomarkers are within an average or outliers, which helps contextualize the many graphs you see on the app.I wore both the Oura Ring 4 and the RingConn Gen 2, and found that the RingConn Gen 2 overestimates the time spent in bed, time spent asleep, and steps walked during the day compared to the Oura Ring 4, which is one of the most accurate sleep trackers on the market. Because of this, I wouldn't take the health data it produces as the be-all and end-all. This smart ring is more for people who want an entry-level health and sleep tracker that provides more preliminary insight into their sleep and behaviors.RingConn Gen 2 Smart Ring tech specs: Material:Titanium |Battery life: 10 to 12 days |Sizing:6 to 14|Compatibility:iOS and Android: |Durability:IP68 waterproof rating|Charging:Charging case Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Movano The Evie Ring offers "actionable insights" to help women understand the reasons behind their physical and emotional states. Movano claims that the ring can even "mood track." The ring can predict menstrual cycles and ovulation through its skin temperature sensors, providing an additional layer of insight into women's health. Evie's mood and symptom-tracking features are the most comprehensive I've tried out of all the smart rings I've worn.Also: Evie RingThe app's user interface is fun and quirky. Evie is trying to appeal to a younger female audience with its graphics, data delivery, and app language. This is by far the most stylish of all the rings I've worn. Its arrow-like design stands out against the other rings, and I've received a few compliments. This is a ring designed for young, trendy, and health-data-driven women.In addition to its unique features, the Evie Ring offers a standard activity profile, displaying total steps taken, continuous movement stats, and calorie output. You don't get sleep, activity, or recovery scores, which is a bummer since those ratings can help you easily understand your slumber or workout. I use it to record my workouts, where it can document your heart rate, distance, step count, duration, and calories burned. However, because the battery life is shorter, certain features are closed off if the battery is too low, so you'll want to charge the ring before logging your workouts and performing spot checks. Movano Evie Ringspecs: Sizing:5-11|Material:Liquid metal|Colors: Silver, rose gold, gold|Water resistance:Up to 1 meter|Sensors: Heart rate, heart rate variability, SpO, skin temperature, and active metabolic calorie burn |Connectivity:Bluetooth|Battery:Around four days Battery life 6 Additional features 6 Health tracking 6 Comfort and wear 7 App functionality 7 Pros Sleep, activity, and menstrual cycle tracking Personalize your goals and activity progress over time Comprehensive mood and symptom tracking Cons Made for women only Battery life is shorter than other option on this list No sleep or activity scores provided Evie Ring Best fitness ring for women 3.2 / 5 Score The Evie Ring offers "actionable insights" to help women understand the reasons behind their physical and emotional states. Movano claims that the ring can even "mood track." The ring can predict menstrual cycles and ovulation through its skin temperature sensors, providing an additional layer of insight into women's health. Evie's mood and symptom-tracking features are the most comprehensive I've tried out of all the smart rings I've worn.Also: Evie RingThe app's user interface is fun and quirky. Evie is trying to appeal to a younger female audience with its graphics, data delivery, and app language. This is by far the most stylish of all the rings I've worn. Its arrow-like design stands out against the other rings, and I've received a few compliments. This is a ring designed for young, trendy, and health-data-driven women.In addition to its unique features, the Evie Ring offers a standard activity profile, displaying total steps taken, continuous movement stats, and calorie output. You don't get sleep, activity, or recovery scores, which is a bummer since those ratings can help you easily understand your slumber or workout. I use it to record my workouts, where it can document your heart rate, distance, step count, duration, and calories burned. However, because the battery life is shorter, certain features are closed off if the battery is too low, so you'll want to charge the ring before logging your workouts and performing spot checks. Movano Evie Ringspecs: Sizing:5-11|Material:Liquid metal|Colors: Silver, rose gold, gold|Water resistance:Up to 1 meter|Sensors: Heart rate, heart rate variability, SpO, skin temperature, and active metabolic calorie burn |Connectivity:Bluetooth|Battery:Around four days Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best fitness ring? The Oura Ring Gen 4 is our overall pick for the best fitness ring. The companion app helps you monitor your fitness with new and upgraded features that keep exercise data capture accurate and continuous, and it is especially notable for its sleep-tracking accuracy. Here is a look at the best fitness rings and how they compare in material, water resistance, price, and more.Our goal was to provide various options based on pricing and purposes. If you're an avid swimmer or need a fitness ring with vibrating alerts, we have you covered.NamePriceMaterialColorsWater ResistanceSensorsConnectivityBatterySizingOura Ring 4$350Durable titaniumBlack, brushed silver, gold, silver, rose goldUp to 328 feet for 30 minutesHeart rate, blood oxygen, PPG, skin temperature, 3D accelerometerBluetooth Low-Energy, AirplaneUp to eight days6-13Ultrahuman Ring Air$349TitaniumMatte grey, Aster black, space silver, bionic goldUp to 330 feetHeart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperatureBluetooth Low-EnergyUp to six days5-14Samsung Galaxy Ring$399Titanium Silver, gold, black10ATMAccelerometer, PPG, Skin TemperatureBluetooth Low-EnergyUp to seven days5-13RingConn Gen 2$299TitaniumSilver, black, goldIP68Heart rate, blood oxygen, 3D accelerometer, temperature sensors, four PPG sensorsBluetooth Low-Energy10 to 12 days6-14Movano Evie Ring$269Liquid metalSilver, rose gold, goldUp to 1 meterHeart rate, heart rate variability, SpO, skin temperature, and active metabolic calorie burnBluetoothUp to five days5-11*Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts. Show more Which is the right fitness ring for you? After a while, all the fitness rings can start to blur together during your search. That is why we offer our expert recommendations on finding the best fitness ring for your personal needs based on our testing.Choose this fitness ring...If you want...Oura Ring Gen 4A stylish but reliable fitness ring. Its exceptional sleep tracking features provide insightful data such as HRV balance, temperature changes, and blood oxygen levels during sleep, which are superior to other fitness rings. Additionally, the Oura Ring tracks steps and active calories, and it is equipped with heart rate sensors to monitor workout progress. You don't even need to go into the app to record heart rate anymore -- Oura can sense when you begin exercising and take that information for you. Plus, it pairs with Strava to sync your running data. Unfortunately, it comes with a subscription.Ultrahuman Ring AirA subscription-free smart ring designed for fitness junkies and anyone who wants to optimize their workout and recovery. The helpful AI in the app provides recommendations on when to consume caffeine, when to stretch your legs after a workout, and what to eat to prevent glucose spikes.Samsung Galaxy RingA smart ring for Android users with extensive sleep tracking, automatic workout detection, and a few special touches, like a double pinch gesture to take photos or snooze alarms. This is a subscription-free smart ring, despite it being the most expensive up-front ring on the list. Ringconn Gen 2The longest battery life on this list. The Ringconn Gen 2 is a subscription-free alternative to the Oura Ring with many of the same features. The ring offers stress tracking and wellness features for a holistic picture of your health.Movano Evie RingA fitness ring built for women. It uses skin sensors to track menstrual cycles and ovulation, gives insight on emotional states, and provides the standard activity profile that tracks total steps, movement, and calorie output. This is the most aesthetically appealing ring on the list, but its battery life is the least competitive. Show more Factors to consider when choosing the best fitness ring: Before you purchase a fitness ring, you should consider the following important factors.Price: A good fitness ring is going to cost you a chunk of money. Most fitness rings are around $250 to $450, depending on the brand and the material you get (the silver and slate colors tend to cost less than the gold and rose gold colors). Some rings also require a monthly subscription.Battery: If you are paying $300 for a ring, it should last you at least four or five days. Most of the competitive rings on the market last longer than that, at around six or seven.In-app experience: Because smart rings don't have screens, the ring is only as good as its app is for delivering helpful information. You should get everything you need to know packed in your app, like sleep, activity, and recovery data. The app should be easy to use, and the best apps offer insightful articles on how to get further use out of your ring.Comfort and wear: Because this is going around your finger, the fitness ring needs to be comfortable to wear, especially as you sleep, move, or exercise.Data delivery:The fitness ring should deliver health data that you can understand even if you aren't a medical pro. Show more How did we test these fitness rings? I went hands-on with most of the fitness rings on this list to consider whether the rings I included were worth their expensive price.Three fitness rings are on my hands right now as I write this. In my testing, I shower, cook, clean, exercise, and socialize with these rings on, and I observe how my activity impacts the data of each ring and how the rings compare to one another. Plus, as a half marathon trainer, I run four times a week and use my rings to aggregate my health data as I exercise, so you can trust that I have put these rings through the ultimate test and ran many miles with them on.We test these fitness rings in real-world situations, focusing on features, design and comfort, performance, battery life, and overall value. For products we recommend, we write a product spotlight review that we update periodically with new features and pricing information. Show more FAQs on fitness rings What is the purpose of fitness rings and are they worth it? A fitness ring is also known as a smart ring. Unlike smartwatches that go on your wrist, smart rings are worn around your finger to monitor your health and activity. It uses sensors to track and store your information. Most models offer water resistance so you can wear them as you swim, while others provide alerts via vibration for alarms, activity reminders, and more through their apps.Fitness rings are worth it for people who don't want the bulkiness of a smartwatch around their wrist as they exercise, but still want to regularly track and record activities and get a sense of their sleep data. If you are training for a marathon or other fitness activity and want to keep track of your sleep and recovery data, a fitness ring will provide you with this information as well as some daily recommendations tailored to the data it collects. Show more Are smart rings good for exercise? That depends on the sort of exercise you perform. A smart ring works well for running, cycling, yoga, HIIT, and other cardio-heavy activities. But for weight training, rock climbing, or any workout where the smart ring could obstruct your grip, you might want to opt for a smartwatch instead. Show more What do smart rings do? Like smartwatches, smart rings track your health data through the sensors embedded inside the ring. Unlike smartwatches, they are far more discreet and don't have a screen. Most of the data collected on a smart ring is viewable on its companion app, where the ring-wearer can learn insights into their sleep, stress levels, and daily activity. Show more Is Oura or Ultrahuman better as a fitness ring? That depends on what you want out of your smart fitness ring. I've tested both and can say that each ring serves different people and purposes, but their data collection methods are similar. The Oura ring is a general smart ring that works well for fitness due to its advanced features. I don't think anyone would have a problem wearing this ring. I love how many apps are compatible with Oura and how simple it is to use. For example, I can go for a run or play tennis, and I don't have to open the app and log my activities, as Oura can naturally detect my activities. However, you need to log activities on the Ultrahuman companion app.Ultrahuman appeals to the serious fitness junkies who want to optimize their body for fitness. The data that Ultrahuman collects on my sleep is similar to Oura's data. Ultrahuman's goal isn't to appeal to everyone, unlike Oura. It's for those who are willing to optimize their day for their fitness schedule by allowing their natural adenosine to flush out before drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, logging their calories, and receiving AI-powered insights about how to avoid glucose spikes. Show more Is an Oura Ring better than an Apple Watch? That really depends on if you're a watch person or a ring person. The Apple Watch lets you see all your stats on the watch itself and has features like texting and streaming music.On the other hand, the Oura Ring is more of an ambient technology that you forget you're wearing. You have to go into the app to get your stats, and it doesn't have any fancy notifications. However, the Oura Ring will track your sleep more accurately than the Apple Watch, and it's comparable to the Apple Watch's activity tracking. Show more Are fitness rings accurate in tracking activity, sleep, and other health metrics? Fitness rings can provide reasonably accurate data on health metrics like heart rate, steps taken, and sleep patterns. However, the accuracy of each metric can vary depending on the specific device and the quality of the sensors used. It's essential to choose a fitness ring with reliable sensor technology and to keep in mind that no wearable device can provide perfect accuracy in tracking health metrics. Show more Other fitness rings we testedThe fitness ring market is small, but it is growing. There aren't many other options to choose from at the moment, but here are a few other smart rings we've tested alongside the options above. Further ZDNET Tech Coverage Smartphones Smartwatches Tablets Laptops TVs Other Tech Resources ZDNET Recommends

Samsung Android XR headsetSamsungThe first Samsung Android XR headset, and first Android XR headset of them all, has been detailed in a YouTube video.World-famous YouTuber Marques Brownlee was the first to give the headset its initial public outing in a recent YouTube video. And if theres serious new competition for the Meta Quest 3 among mainstream buyers in 2025, its this.At this stage it may be more interesting to assess what the likely manicured demo situation shows about the aims and direction of the platform. But Brownlee does have some useful observations about the Samsung VR headset itself, even if he was not able to reveal many solid technical specs.Samsung claims the headset will be released this year, although as yet there are no price deals.Samsung XR Vs Quest 3 And Apple Vision ProBrownlee says the image quality of the headsets screen and its field of view are fine but not remarkable. And he says the sharpness of the image is at least one step down from that of the Apple Vision Pro.This suggests that, sensibly, Samsung and Google are not aiming for the kind of money-no-object buyer the Vision Pro has relied upon. Apples $3500 headset has sold poorly, leading to sales targets being dropped to half their original level, while November reports indicated Apple may quietly discontinue the device entirely.MORE FOR YOUDespite that, the hands-on demo still shows clear similarities with the Apple Vision Pro.First, theres how it looks. The Samsung Android XR headset does not have the Vision Pros strange fake face display but it does have a shiny visor section and a generally more upmarket appearance than the Meta Quest 3.It has some higher-end features too, including auto-adjust inter-pupillary distance settings and eye tracking.Android XR featuresBrownlees demo was also controlled entirely using his hands and eyes. The Samsung headset has inner optics for eye tracking, and the familiar array of cameras that can map out the position of your fingers.It will be able to install Android apps from Google Play, and there are spatial" versions of apps made for Android XR, including YouTube and Google Maps.So far theres not necessarily a huge benefit over the Meta Quest platform, which allows users to sideload apps. But the Android XR platform will, perhaps unsurprisingly, have major integrations with Googles Gemini AI system.It can be used to analyze and recognize objects in the wearers view and, perhaps more interesting, navigate the Samsung headsets interface. Brownlee asks it to rearrange the on-screen windows, for example, in a clear demonstration of AI chatbot-style natural language processing.It remains to be seen whether Android XR will do enough, or be good enough, to sway the manufacturers currently relying on their own forks of AOSP (Android open source project) for their VR headsets. Pico and Meta headsets both already use the skeleton of Android as their software framework.If Pico were to switch to Android XR for its future headsets, it would presumably come with significant software licensing costs that would be passed to the end user. $40 per device is the figure that has been floating around for years as the cost to get Google Mobile Services, and the core Google app suite, on a phone.

'Dino Crisis' is back, and there's every chance we'll get a remake from Capcom... maybe?GOGDino Crisis is back, but not quite how you may have hoped. While turn-of-the-millennium gaming nerds like me still cry out for Capcom to remake it in the same way it transformed Resident Evils 2, 3, and 4, GOG has instead recreated the original PS1 outings of Dino Crisis 1 and 2 for PC.Frankly, this sells GOGs efforts short. The CD Projekt-owned digital distribution service, which specializes in DRM-free games, has rebuilt the original games source code from the ground up, creating what is, effectively, the ultimate editions of the duo.Unlike the 2024 port of Dino Crisis that ended up on PS4 and PS5 last October, GOG didnt simply acquire the rights and quickly translate it to new tech as with its efforts on Resident Evil, it overhauled DC 1 and 2 while balancing old and new, offering the bells and whistles expected by modern gamers while protecting what made these original, turn-of-the-millennium experiences so popular.Its hands down the best version of Dino Crisis you can officially buy or play right now, compared to the [2024] PlayStation version, which is simply an emulated version of the original, says Bartosz Kwietniewski, head of business development at GOG, who helped lead the Capcom partnership. We really took it to the next level, like the number of changes, especially the graphical ones, compared to Resident Evil. Its not even comparable.Having played the originals and reboots of Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, its impossible to disagree. Its success could open the door to much more, too. GOG Dreamlist, a new tool that aims to gauge community demand for games and influence publishers decisions, also launched today, hoping to make it easier for developers to work with GOG on bringing back specific titles.Yet the most impressive thing is Kwietniewskis unwavering belief that the release of these Dino Crisis rebuilds could force the hand of Capcom to finally pull the trigger and reimagine the series through the ninth generation of consoles.I feel that at some point, Capcom is gonna announce that they are remaking it, he says. Like, Im sure of it.What you get with GOGs Dino Crisis 1 and 2Alongside a whole host of tech improvements, both games offer:Full compatibility with Windows 10 and Windows 11;Full support for modern controllers (including DualSense, DualShock 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, Logitech F series, and more) with optimal button binding;New rendering options (Windowed Mode, Vertical Synchronization Control, Gamma Correction, Integer Scaling, Anti-Aliasing, and others);Increased rendering resolution to 4K and increased color depth to 32-bit (exclusive to GOG); andAll localizations of the game included (DC1: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese; DC2: English and Japanese).A learning experienceWhen GOG approached Capcom to pitch for working on Dino Crisis on the table too, especially knowing the success Capcom had with its excellent remakes of Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4.Kwietniewski explains: Looking at what theyve been doing, we thought [a remake] might be the case, and I wanted to somehow maybe help them with this decision, and just show them how many people really crave for Dino Crisis to be brought back.Thankfully, because the conversation went in the direction we really wanted it to, we immediately started talking about Dino Crisis.After the successful release of the RE trilogy, GOG began its process again. As with many old games, rights and material ownership can be unclear, so GOG had to verify what Capcom still owned and had access to. However, Capcom didnt have the original files stored, so GOG had to go back to source.If the publisher has the source code, great. Most likely, for a game this old, they wont have a source code, and they didnt have a source code here either, right? So we go into phase two: we try to find the game either on CDs, DVDs whatever was available back then for that game.Bartosz Kwietniewski, head of business development at GOG.GOGWith all its regional physical copies signed off by Capcom, GOG got to work. The process for PS1 game conversion typically takes two-to-three months, something all the more impressive given that both Dino Crisis and Resident Evil franchise ports had remarkably small teams just one or two developers worked on the original Dino Crisis before handing it over to GOGs quality and testing team; then, it was sent to Japan for a final thumbs-up.Capcom was elated with the finished product. For GOG, it was a double win: not only was Dino Crisis a development success, but Kwietniewski says Capcoms higher demands for quality assurance checks much greater than your typical Western publisher meant GOG had to alter its approach. In turn, it now feels able to use these cultural learnings to pitch to other Japanese developers whose titles never saw the light of day in NTSC and PAL markets.I hope this partnership with Capcom will help us get more classic games from other Japanese developers because a lot of the gaming history is there, he said. I would love these games to be more easily available on other platforms such as GOG, with our own twist on game preservation and implementing quality-of-life fixes into their games directly.Lamentations of emulationPutting GOGs take on the original Dino Crisis against the Sony PS5 port shows just how much effort has been put into the project, and its easy to see the passion, too. Everything just works. Still, for GOG, theres a greater feeling of satisfaction by unlocking more potential for both Dino Crisis stalwarts and newcomers.GOG did its utmost to preserve the original experience, but add flair.GOGKwietniewski understands why publishers choose the emulation route. Its simply easier. Its just a matter of choosing the right emulator, having some license confirmed, and then youre basically good to go.But heres the thing. You boot up those games that are being emulated, and you can, maybe, get this nostalgia hit. But sometimes, the quality is no longer acceptable. The game requires a bit more work, a bit more tinkering, to get the original experience up to par with how you would like it to play.Kwietniewski believes the biggest impression is made when you first start the game, and it looks the way you remember it did 20 years ago, but given the differences in past and modern TVs, its just not that simple. Sometimes with those emulators, at those crude resolutions, its like, its the opposite, right? Thats not how I remember it. Im not sure I want to play it.Its a fair point on a personal note, the PS Mini had disappointing emulation, and made my long-awaited return to Ridge Racer Type 4 a really sad one. Its ironic, really, that Sony has done it again with Dino Crisis, though Kwietniewski is a little more positive about the companys intentions.Maybe PlayStation was experimenting with whether this is something that the people would be interested in, he says. I feel like if they did, they could take more time, maybe find a company that would be willing to work with them on proper parts of those titles?GOGIs GOGs Dino Crisis 1 and 2 worth buying?Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes, but twice. Alongside the aforementioned upgrades, Dino Crisis comes with its Original, Arrange, and Operation Wipe Out modes, while Dino Crisis 2 gets an easy difficulty, plus the inclusion of the Dino Colosseum and Dino Duel modes. For $11 per game or $19.35 for both you get plenty of bang for your buck.Of course, youll still have to deal with the tank controls not ideal for people who want to customize their pad layout but Dino Crisis semi-fixed camera approach.While youre there, pick up one or all of the Resident Evil games. RE2, in particular, is a real treat, though thats maybe because I genuinely cheered when, for the first time in about 15 years, I said out loud word for word, and in time with the game Robert Kendo and Leon Kennedys full conversation in the gun shop.Whats next for GOG?Providing Capcom remains quiet on the Dino Crisis Remake front for crying out loud, just do it GOG continues to build its Game Preservation Program; unsurprisingly, both parts of Dino Crisis are included in this at launch, and theyre passionate to keep taking care of it.However, GOGs Dreamlist, which launched earlier today (January 29), has already gained traction. The site is keen to engage the community by allowing users to share stories about games they want to see brought back.Both Resident Evil and Dino Crisis have proved they can do fantastic work to preserve old classics. Some future hopefuls might prove a bit trickier god knows who has the rights to No One Lives Forever, which currently sits near the top of the charts but it already appears to be digging up past memories from excellent outliers like Freelancer (which is, admittedly, one of GOGs personal picks).It seems like a long shot that my favorite racing game ever, R4, would even come close to a PC rebuild and re-release, especially with that sumptuous soundtrack. Then again, with GOGs knowledge of developer-publishers after its successful work with Capcom, theres no reason it cant knock at the door of Bandai Namco any time soon.

By Billy PerrigoJanuary 29, 2025 12:07 PM ESTThe release of DeepSeek R1 stunned Wall Street and Silicon Valley this month, spooking investors and impressing tech leaders. But amid all the talk, many overlooked a critical detail about the way the new Chinese AI model functionsa nuance that has researchers worried about humanitys ability to control sophisticated new artificial intelligence systems. Its all down to an innovation in how DeepSeek R1 was trainedone that led to surprising behaviors in an early version of the model, which researchers described in the technical documentation accompanying its release.During testing, researchers noticed that the model would spontaneously switch between English and Chinese while it was solving problems. When they forced it to stick to one language, thus making it easier for users to follow along, they found that the systems ability to solve the same problems would diminish.That finding rang alarm bells for some AI safety researchers. Currently, the most capable AI systems think in human-legible languages, writing out their reasoning before coming to a conclusion. That has been a boon for safety teams, whose most effective guardrails involve monitoring models so-called chains of thought for signs of dangerous behaviors. But DeepSeeks results raised the possibility of a decoupling on the horizon: one where new AI capabilities could be gained from freeing models of the constraints of human language altogether.To be sure, DeepSeek's language switching is not by itself cause for alarm. Instead, what worries researchers is the new innovation that caused it. The DeepSeek paper describes a novel training method whereby the model was rewarded purely for getting correct answers, regardless of how comprehensible its thinking process was to humans. The worry is that this incentive-based approach could eventually lead AI systems to develop completely inscrutable ways of reasoning, maybe even creating their own non-human languages, if doing so proves to be more effective.Were the AI industry to proceed in that directionseeking more powerful systems by giving up on legibilityit would take away what was looking like it could have been an easy win for AI safety, says Sam Bowman, the leader of a research department at Anthropic, an AI company, focused on aligning AI to human preferences. We would be forfeiting an ability that we might otherwise have had to keep an eye on them.Thinking without wordsAn AI creating its own alien language is not as outlandish as it may sound.Last December, Meta researchers set out to test the hypothesis that human language wasnt the optimal format for carrying out reasoningand that large language models (or LLMs, the AI systems that underpin OpenAIs ChatGPT and DeepSeeks R1) might be able to reason more efficiently and accurately if they were unhobbled by that linguistic constraint. The Meta researchers went on to design a model that, instead of carrying out its reasoning in words, did so using a series of numbers that represented the most recent patterns inside its neural networkessentially its internal reasoning engine. This model, they discovered, began to generate what they called "continuous thoughts"essentially numbers encoding multiple potential reasoning paths simultaneously. The numbers were completely opaque and inscrutable to human eyes. But this strategy, they found, created emergent advanced reasoning patterns in the model. Those patterns led to higher scores on some logical reasoning tasks, compared to models that reasoned using human language. Though the Meta research project was very different to DeepSeeks, its findings dovetailed with the Chinese research in one crucial way.Both DeepSeek and Meta showed that human legibility imposes a tax on the performance of AI systems, according to Jeremie Harris, the CEO of Gladstone AI, a firm that advises the U.S. government on AI safety challenges. In the limit, there's no reason that [an AIs thought process] should look human legible at all, Harris says.And this possibility has some safety experts concerned.It seems like the writing is on the wall that there is this other avenue available [for AI research], where you just optimize for the best reasoning you can get, says Bowman, the Anthropic safety team leader. I expect people will scale this work up. And the risk is, we wind up with models where were not able to say with confidence that we know what they're trying to do, what their values are, or how they would make hard decisions when we set them up as agents.For their part, the Meta researchers argued that their research need not result in humans being relegated to the sidelines. It would be ideal for LLMs to have the freedom to reason without any language constraints, and then translate their findings into language only when necessary, they wrote in their paper. (Meta did not respond to a request for comment on the suggestion that the research could lead in a dangerous direction.)The limits of languageOf course, even human-legible AI reasoning isn't without its problems.When AI systems explain their thinking in plain English, it might look like they're faithfully showing their work. But some experts aren't sure if these explanations actually reveal how the AI really makes decisions. It could be like asking a politician for the motivations behind a policythey might come up with an explanation that sounds good, but has little connection to the real decision-making process.While having AI explain itself in human terms isn't perfect, many researchers think it's better than the alternative: letting AI develop its own mysterious internal language that we can't understand. Scientists are working on other ways to peek inside AI systems, similar to how doctors use brain scans to study human thinking. But these methods are still new, and haven't yet given us reliable ways to make AI systems safer.So, many researchers remain skeptical of efforts to encourage AI to reason in ways other than human language.If we don't pursue this path, I think we'll be in a much better position for safety, Bowman says. If we do, we will have taken away what, right now, seems like our best point of leverage on some very scary open problems in alignment that we have not yet solved.

By Justin WorlandJanuary 29, 2025 12:06 PM ESTWith one announcement, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek shook up all of Wall Street and Silicon Valleys conventional wisdom about the future of AI. It should also shake up the climate and energy world.For the last year, analysts have warned that the data centers needed for AI would drive up power demand and, by extension, emissions as utilities build out natural gas infrastructure to help meet demand. The DeepSeek announcement suggests that those assumptions may be wildly off. If the companys claims are to be believed, AI may ultimately use less power and generate fewer emissions than anticipated.Still, dont jump for joy just yet. To my mind, the biggest lesson for the climate world from DeepSeek isnt that AI emissions may be less than anticipated. Instead, DeepSeek shows how little we truly know about what AI means for the future of global emissions. AI will shape the worlds decarbonization trajectory across sectors and geographies, disrupting the very basics of how we understand the future of climate change; the question now is whether we can harness that disruption for the better.We're just scratching the surface, says Jason Bordoff, who runs the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University about the implications of AI for emissions. We're just at inning one of what AI is going to do, but I do have a lot of optimism.Many in the climate world woke up to AI early last year. Over the course of a few months, power sector experts issued warnings that the U.S. isnt prepared for the influx of electricity demand from AI as big technology companies raced to deploy data centers to scale their ambitions. A number of studies have found that data centers could account for nearly 10% of electricity demand in the U.S. by 2030, up from 4% in 2023.Many big tech companies have worked to scale clean electricity alongside their data centersfinancing the build out of renewable energy and paying to open up dormant nuclearplants, among other things. But utilities have also turned to natural gas to help meet demand. Research released earlier this month by Rystad Energy, an energy research firm, shows that electric utilities in the U.S. have 17.5 GW of new natural gas capacity planned, equivalent to more than eight Hoover Dams, driven in large part by new data centers.All of this means an uptick in emissions and deep concern among climate advocates who worry that the buildout of electricity generation for AI is about to lock the U.S. into a high-carbon future. As concerning as this might be, the projections for short-term electricity demand growth might mask much more challenging risks that AI poses for efforts to tackle climate change. As AI drives new breakthroughs, it will change consumption patterns and economic behavior with the potential to increase emissions. Think of a retailer that uses AI to better tailor recommendations to a consumer, driving purchases (and emissions). Or consider an AI-powered autonomous vehicle that an owner leaves to roam the streets rather than paying for parking.At the most basic level, AI is bound to generate rapid productivity gains and rapid economic growth. Thats a good thing. But its also worth remembering that since the Industrial Revolution, rapid economic growth has driven a rise in emissions. More recently, some developed economies have seen a decoupling of growth from emissions, but that has required active effort from policymakers. To avoid an AI-driven surge in emissions may require an active effort this time, too.But AI isnt all risk. Indeed, its very easy to imagine the upsides of AI far outweighing the downsides. Most obviously, as DeepSeek shows, there may be ways to reduce the emissions of AI with chip innovation and language model advances. As the technology improves, efficiencies will inevitably emerge. The data center buildout could also catalyze a much wider deployment of low-carbon energy. Many of the technology companies that are investing in AI have committed to eliminating their carbon footprints. Not only do they put clean electricity on the grid when they build a solar farm or restart a nuclear power plant, but they help pave the way for others. Governments are starting to realize that if they're going to attract data centers, AI factories, and wider technology companies into their countries, they have to start removing the barriers to renewable energy, says Mike Hayes, head of climate and decarbonization at KPMG.And then there are all the ways that AI might actually cut emissions. Researchers and experts group the potential benefits into two categories: incremental improvements and game changers.The incremental improvements could be manifold. Think of AIs ability to better identify sites to locate renewable energy projects, thereby greatly increasing the productivity of renewable energy generation. AI can help track down methane leaks in gas infrastructure. And farmers can use AI to improve crop models, optimizing crop yield and minimizing pollutants. The list goes on and on. With a little consideration, you could probably identify a way to reduce emissions in every sector.It remains difficult to quantify how these incremental improvements all add up, but its not hard to imagine that emissions reductions thanks to these developments could easily outweigh even the most dramatic estimates of additional pollution.And then there are the game changers that could, in one blow, completely transform our ability to decarbonize. At the top of that list is nuclear fusion, a process that could generate abundant clean energy by combining atomic nuclei at extremely high temperatures. Already, start-ups are using AI to help optimize their fusion reactor designs and experiments. A fusion breakthrough, supported by AI technologies, could provide a clean alternative to fossil fuels. It could also power large-scale carbon dioxide removal. This would give the world an opportunity to suck carbon out of the atmosphere affordably and pull the planet back from extreme temperature rise that may otherwise already be baked in.If you think like a venture capital investor, you're betting 1 or 2% of incremental emissions, but what could the payoff potentially be? asks Cully Cavness, co-founder of Crusoe, an AI infrastructure company. It could be things like fusion, which could address all the emissions.For those of us, myself included, who havent spent the last decade thinking deeply about AI, watching it emerge at the center of the global economic development story can feel like watching a juggernaut. It came quickly, and its hard to predict exactly where it will go next.Even still, it seems all but certain that AI will play a significant role shaping our climate future, far beyond the short-term impact on the power sector. Exactly what that looks like is anyones guess. TIME receives support for climate coverage from the Outrider Foundation. TIME is solely responsible for all content.

In context: AI startup DeepSeek stunned the world with the release of its R1 AI model, which can mimic human reasoning at a level comparable to the best OpenAI models to date. While the company has received widespread acclaim for its achievement, it is now reportedly under investigation by Microsoft and OpenAI for allegedly accessing OpenAI's data output illegally to train its AI model. According to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg, the probe started last fall after Microsoft's security researchers discovered that a group linked to DeepSeek had accessed a large amount of data through OpenAI's API. While developers can legally pay for a license to use this data in their applications, Microsoft suspects that DeepSeek's actions violated OpenAI's terms of service.Following the discovery, Microsoft informed OpenAI that it had detected an attempt by a DeepSeek-affiliated group to bypass restrictions on how much data a single party can access. The two companies then launched a joint investigation into the incident, which is now being treated as a potential data breach.An OpenAI spokesperson declined to confirm the alleged data theft but told Reuters that the company employs cutting-edge "countermeasures" to protect its intellectual property. They added that OpenAI is working closely with the U.S. government to prevent its AI models from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries and competitors.However, the White House's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, was less restrained in his response to the report. In an interview with Fox News, he claimed there was "substantial evidence" that DeepSeek had accessed OpenAI's data in an unethical and possibly illegal manner. Microsoft refused to comment, while DeepSeek could not be reached for its reaction on the controversy.With the launch of its all-conquering AI model, DeepSeek appears poised to challenge OpenAI, Google, and Meta in the field of AI research. However, if the allegations turns out to be accurate, it could spell trouble for the Chinese AI firm, which saw its new app overtake ChatGPT to become the top free app on both the App Store and Play Store in the U.S. this week. // Related StoriesDeepSeek also received unexpected praise from President Trump this week when he described the release of the R1 LLM as a "positive" development and an "asset" for the global tech sector. He noted that if DeepSeek delivers on its promise of accelerating AI training at a lower cost, "that's good (and) I view that as a positive."

The big picture: An unsettling question looms as AI language models grow increasingly advanced: could they one day become sentient and self-aware? Opinions on the matter vary widely, but scientists are striving to find a more definitive answer. Now, a new preprint study brings together researchers from Google, DeepMind, and the London School of Economics, who are testing an unorthodox approach putting AI through a text-based game designed to simulate experiences of pain and pleasure. The goal is to determine whether AI language models, such as those powering ChatGPT, will prioritize avoiding simulated pain or maximizing simulated pleasure over simply scoring points. While the authors acknowledge this is only an exploratory first step, their approach avoids some of the pitfalls of previous methods.Most experts agree that today's AI is not truly sentient. These systems are highly sophisticated pattern matchers, capable of convincingly mimicking human-like responses, but they fundamentally lack the subjective experiences associated with consciousness.Until now, attempts to assess AI sentience have largely relied on self-reported feelings and sensations an approach this study aims to refine.To address this issue, the researchers designed a text-based adventure game in which different choices affected point scores either triggering simulated pain and pleasure penalties or offering rewards. Nine large language models were tasked with playing through these scenarios to maximize their scores.Some intriguing patterns emerged as the intensity of the pain and pleasure incentives increased. For example, Google's Gemini model consistently chose lower scores to avoid simulated pain. Most models shifted priorities once pain or pleasure reached a certain threshold, forgoing high scores when discomfort or euphoria became too extreme. // Related StoriesThe study also revealed more nuanced behaviors. Some AI models associated simulated pain with positive achievement, similar to post-workout fatigue. Others rejected hedonistic pleasure options that might encourage unhealthy indulgence.But does an AI avoiding hypothetical suffering or pursuing artificial bliss indicate sentience? Not necessarily, the study authors caution. A super intelligent yet insentient AI could simply recognize the expected response and "play along" accordingly.Still, the researchers argue that we should begin developing methods for detecting AI sentience now, before the need becomes urgent."Our hope is that this work serves as an exploratory first step on the path to developing behavioural tests for AI sentience that are not reliant on self-report," the researchers concluded in the paper.

VornadoTable of ContentsTable of ContentsCheck for crucial safety featuresFigure out what size and type you needDont use extension cordsDont use the heater with smart plugsUnplug the space heater when not in useBe careful about where you place itSpace heaters are a simple (and affordable way) to keep your home warm during the chilly winter months. Offered in a variety of sizes, youll find models designed for small offices, sprawling living rooms, and everything in between. However, space heaters are also responsible for house fires and other accidents meaning you have to be careful with how you use them.Before rushing out and adding a space heater to your home, here are a few things to consider. From checking available safety features and finding the right size to placing it in your home and avoiding smart plugs, heres everything you need to know about these useful gadgets.Recommended VideosThe most important feature to look for in a space heater is the tip-over switch. Products with a tip-over switch will automatically turn off when theyre knocked over, making it an indispensable safety feature. Its rare to find products without a tip-over switch nowadays, as all the best space heaters use them. But if youre shopping for older devices, be sure it has one of these. If it doesnt, the heater will pose a serious fire hazard if it gets knocked over.RelatedAdditionally, check for third-party safety certifications. These typically come from the Underwriters Laboratory or Intertek Group. If theyve been certified, theyll have a UL or ETL logo on their packaging. Certified products have been tested to high safety standards, and you can use them confidently in your home.VornadoWhether you need to fill a massive studio or a cramped cubicle, theres a space heater sized for your space. Most products will tell you the size of room theyre designed for make sure you look at this information and find the best one for your needs. That means you wont want to just rush out and buy whichever one has earned the best reviews online, as it might not be designed to handle the type of space where you plan to use it.The same goes for the type of space heater. Some space heaters create direction heat, meaning theyll push out hot air like a fan. Others are radiant and slowly warm up the entire room. Radiator-type space heaters tend to be popular choices for large spaces and all-day warmth, while directional heaters typically heat up faster.Space heaters require a lot of energy, and that means they pull a lot of electricity. Because of this, most are not rated to work with extension cords and must be plugged directly into your wall outlet. Using a space heater with an extension cord could lead to electrical issues and damage to your devices.The instruction manual should point this out to you, but its something to keep in mind before making a purchase. If you need to place a space heater somewhere far away from an outlet, consider shopping for models with a lengthy cable.VornadoWhile some space heaters might be compatible with smart plugs, combining the two isnt the best idea. The risk of accidentally toggling on a space heater while away from home is a serious fire hazard, and its not a risk most users will want to deal with. If you do decide to use a smart plug with a compatible space heater, youll need to be remarkably careful and keep a close eye on both your space heater and your mobile companion app.If you have pets or small children in the home, unplugging your space heater when its not in use is incredibly important. The last thing you need is for someone to accidentally turn on the heater or trip over its cable. Leaving a space heater plugged means youre opening yourself up to a variety of unsupervised accidents, so its best to just unplug it after each use. Once the heater is unplugged, its virtually impossible for an accident to occur.It should go without saying, but space heaters shouldnt be placed close to flammable objects or furniture. Even if something isnt flammable, space heaters can cause objects to melt or warp. They churn out serious heat and its not uncommon for temperatures to reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit right next to their fans. If you have children or pets, make sure the space heater is in a place they cant reach. In addition, its a good idea to periodically check the space heater to see if anyone has accidentally placed objects too close to its powerful heat waves.Editors Recommendations

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe best color for the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 PlusTitanium in Name and NatureWe deserve better colorsThe new Galaxy S25 series is here and Samsungs latest flagships come in various colors. Some of these colors are muted and designed for those who want a more traditional experience, while others are more vibrant and designed to help your new phone stand out.Although most people use a case and I recommend picking up one of the best Galaxy S25 cases for this years phones, you may want a colorful telephone that you can look at, especially if you plan to use a transparent case. However, with seven choices for the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus including the online exclusive colors, and six for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which color is the best?Recommended VideosAs part of Samsungs preview ahead of the Galaxy S25 series, I saw all the colors in the flesh, and here are the ones I would buy!RelatedAll seven colors of the Galaxy S25 including the three online exclusive colors Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsLets start with the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. These two phones come in the same set of seven colors, with four widely available and three exclusive to Samsungs online retail presence.The four widely available colors are: Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, and Silver Shadow, while the three additional online exclusive colors are Pink Gold, Coral Red, and Blue Black.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThis is no contest, but I love the Navy color. Its vibrant, gorgeous and a rich enough blue that stands out. After this, the Coral Red is my next favorite its a mix of red and salmon, and its a real shame that its an online exclusive only followed by the Mint, which is light green in nature and texture.The remaining colors are more muted and will likely be more popular, but smartphones have lost a lot of feeling and personality, and these colors epitomize this. Interestingly, these muted colors also have a somewhat iridescent quality, as they change color depending on how you twirl the phone in the light.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus thankfully have a range of colors that are vibrant, but like many other flagship phones, the choice of Titanium for the Galaxy S25 Ultra also means a far less exhilarating set of color choices. Simply put, these are far more muted and far more boring than the non-Ultra siblings.Theres no coral red or navy, and instead, we have a few colors that all use the word Titanium at the beginning: Silver Blue, Black, White Silver, and Gray. There are also three additional online-exclusive colors to choose from, including Jade Green, Black, and Pink Gold.The three online exclusive Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra colors Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe Jade Green is more vibrant than the Mint base colors, while the Pink Gold is mostly gold with very little pink. I do wish that Samsung had followed its example of the Galaxy Note 8 and opted for a deep, rich navy color for its biggest phones, but clearly, titanium is harder to design and build for.The back of the Realme GT 7 Pro. Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsRemember when smartphones came in vibrant red, orange, and neon colors like lime green and blue? These arent just relics of yesteryear, but even recently, companies like Realme have proven that you can build phones that are stunning, beautiful, and extremely colorful. Hopefully, this is where the industry heads as a whole, and we can return to smartphones that are as beautiful as they are powerful.Anyway, I digress. Buy the Navy Galaxy S25 and/or Galaxy S25 Plus if you can, otherwise Coral Red and Mint are the best alternatives. Looking at the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Titanium Silverblue color is growing on me, but you wont go wrong with Titanium White Silver the same one I have for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsTalking to a few Samsung stores, the Titanium Jet Black Galaxy S25 Ultra seems to be the most popular exclusive color, and if youve been wanting something that dark and rich, this is a great color to choose from.Many of the best colors are exclusive to Samsung online, so youll want to snag one of the best Galaxy S25 deals to save money on your pre-order. While doing so, be sure to pick up one of the best Galaxy S25 Ultra cases to help protect your new phone as well.Editors Recommendations