Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Mobile Apple Vision Pro Owners Are Expressing Immense Buyer’s Remorse Over Spending A Massive Sum On A Headset And Still Experiencing Comfort Issues, Along With Other Problems Omar Sohail • May 17, 2025 at 02:02am EDT The $3,499 starting price of the Apple Vision Pro could have been worth it for a handful of customers if it did not ship with a plethora of problems, other than the ludicrous sum of money that needed to be paid to become the owner of one. With the passage of time, the company has introduced more features under the visionOS umbrella, but that does not change the fact that the poor impressions will retain an everlasting image and will probably play a paramount role whenever the next headset launches. As for those who currently own an Apple Vision Pro, a new report states that they are regretting their purchase, and it is not just because they had to fork over massive amounts of money. Those already owning the Apple Vision Pro also had trouble reselling it due to the lack of demand Based on a previous estimate, the Apple Vision Pro garnered less than 500,000 shipments, with a paywalled report from The Wall Street Journal spotted by MacRumors talking about how they are experiencing buyer’s remorse. Even if owners could get around the fact that they paid a minimum of $3,499 for the head-mounted wearable, there are other areas where the Apple Vision Pro fell way below expectations. For instance, it was not comfortable to wear for extended periods due to its sheer weight. At 600 to 650 grams, the Apple Vision Pro is much heavier than competing headsets, and can introduce fatigue after wearing the headset for an hour, which does not translate into a positive user experience. Tovia Goldstein, a 24-year-old based in New York City, says that viewing content became limited due to the lack of expanded app ecosystem coupled with the discomfort that the Apple Vision Pro brought to the table. Other complaints include the lengthy startup time to access the visionOS App Store and waiting for a few minutes to use the device after the external battery puck has been connected. Last year, TF International Securities Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the starting price was not going to be the only deterrent that prevented the Apple Vision Pro’s success, and this element would also prevent the low-cost version from picking up steam. He mentions that limited use cases paired with the lack of apps will increase the return rate of the Cupertino giant’s headsets. The latest report also dives into the resale value of the Apple Vision Pro, which is considerably worse than the company’s other products. Anthony Racaniello, a media studio operator from Philadelphia, had sold his headset for $1,900, absorbing a 46 percent loss, but he says that he did not miss the product. You can check out the detailed report by clicking on the source link below to find out more about why Apple Vision Pro owners are regretting their purchase. News Source: The Wall Street Journal Deal of the Day Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Released on June 7, 2024, Manamey is a comedy and romantic Telugu movie on celluloid. It is a soft family movie that features the transformation of a carefree guy into a responsible one. The film has been directed by Sriram Adittya, who got mixed reviews after its release, though the viewers appreciated the performance of the lead actors. Now, its Tamil version is getting released on the OTT. Viewers can enjoy the movie in its digital version on their screens now.When and where to watch ManameyManamey's Tamil original version is streaming on Aha from May 16, 2025. In an announcement post on the OTT Namma Aha Tamil's official account on X, read as An entertainer you wouldn't want to miss.Trailer and PlotManamey is a movie that includes Vikram, living a carefree lifestyle in London. He is enrolled in college and spends his time flirting and partying. The routine of his life changes when he faces a tragic event in his friend's life, and he has to switch to a responsible man for a two-year-old child. The changes are difficult for him, so he struggles with them. However, the child changes him in unexpected ways, and he starts to take care. Subhadra comes as a fellow guardian with him. They raise the child by confronting their differences. Later, they get connected by emotions, and love ignites with a lot of other turns in the story.Cast and CrewThe movie stars Sharawanand, Vikram Adittya and Kirthi Shetty in the lead roles. The film has been written and directed by Sriram Adittya T., produced under the banner of People Media Factory. Hesham Abdul Wahab is the music composer.Reception and BuzzThe film has got mixed reviews from critics and the audience and received a rating of 5.3 score under IMDb. However, many of the viewers said it is a great emotional story showing the worth of emotions through love and respect.

AI apps are coming Google to give app devs access to Gemini Nano for on-device AI New APIs for Google's ML Kit will let developers plug into the on-device AI model. Ryan Whitwam – May 16, 2025 2:15 pm | 16 Credit: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Credit: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more The rapid expansion of generative AI has changed the way Google and other tech giants design products, but most of the AI features you've used are running on remote servers with a ton of processing power. Your phone has a lot less power, but Google appears poised to give developers some important new mobile AI tools. At I/O next week, Google will likely announce a new set of APIs to let developers leverage the capabilities of Gemini Nano for on-device AI. Google has quietly published documentation on big new AI features for developers. According to Android Authority, an update to the ML Kit SDK will add API support for on-device generative AI features via Gemini Nano. It's built on AI Core, similar to the experimental Edge AI SDK, but it plugs into an existing model with a set of predefined features that should be easy for developers to implement. Google says ML Kit’s GenAI APIs will enable apps to do summarization, proofreading, rewriting, and image description without sending data to the cloud. However, Gemini Nano doesn't have as much power as the cloud-based version, so expect some limitations. For example, Google notes that summaries can only have a maximum of three bullet points, and image descriptions will only be available in English. The quality of outputs could also vary based on the version of Gemini Nano on a phone. The standard version (Gemini Nano XS) is about 100MB in size, but Gemini Nano XXS as seen on the Pixel 9a is a quarter of the size. It's text-only and has a much smaller context window. Not all versions of Gemini Nano are created equal. Credit: Ryan Whitwam Not all versions of Gemini Nano are created equal. Credit: Ryan Whitwam This move is good for Android in general because ML Kit works on devices outside Google's Pixel line. While Pixel devices use Gemini Nano extensively, several other phones are already designed to run this model, including the OnePlus 13, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Xiaomi 15. As more phones add support for Google's AI model, developers will be able to target those devices with generative AI features. The documentation is available for developers to peruse now, but we expect Google to fling the API doors open at I/O. The company has already confirmed an I/O session called "Gemini Nano on Android: Building with on-device gen AI." The description promises new APIs to "summarize, proofread, and rewrite text, as well as to generate image descriptions," which sounds exactly like what the new ML Kit APIs can do. An important piece of the AI puzzle App developers interested in adding on-device generative AI features on Android are currently in a tough spot. Google offers the AI Edge SDK that can provide access to the NPU hardware for running models, but these tools are experimental and only work on the Pixel 9 series currently. It's also limited to text. Both Qualcomm and MediaTek offer APIs for running AI workloads, but features and functionality vary by device, which makes it risky to rely on them for a long-term project. And running your own model requires intimate knowledge of generative AI systems. The new APIs should make implementing local AI comparatively quick and easy. Despite the limited functionality of an on-device model, this is an important part of how AI could become more helpful. Most people would probably prefer not to send all their personal data to a remote server for AI processing, but an on-device model can parse that information in a more secure way. For example, Google's Pixel Screenshots sees all your screenshots, but all the processing happens on your phone. Similarly, Motorola summarizes notifications locally on the new Razr Ultra foldable. On the other hand, its less capable base model Razr sends notifications to a server for processing. The release of APIs that plug into Gemini Nano could provide some much-needed consistency to mobile AI. However, it does rely on Google and OEMs to collaborate on support for Gemini Nano. Some companies might decide to go their own way, and there will be plenty of phones that don't have enough power to run AI locally. Ryan Whitwam Senior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam Senior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 16 Comments

Experts are urging people to not treat sharks as props as a new study shows social media-fueled behavior is increasing shark-related injuries.

ZDNET's key takeaways The RingConn Gen 2 Air is a $200 smart ring, one of the first subscription-free and affordable smart rings I've tested. The battery life can survive up to eight or nine days of use, and the sleep data collection rivals Oura. The AI health partner feature is lackluster, and it's essential to view the brand's privacy policy, given the affordable nature of a health wearable. more buying choices Smart rings are rising in popularity, but the big names -- the Ouras, Samsungs, and Ultrahumans -- can run $300 to $400. That's not counting the subscription fee, which some customers pay for full access to all the data that the smart ring aggregates. With all these murmurs of an impending recession causing pennies to be pinched and wallets to be watched, who has the money for a $400 smart ring right now? Also: How we test smart rings at ZDNET in 2025I hadn't yet tested a high-quality and affordable smart ring from a notable brand, but the newest smart ring from RingConn, the RingConn Gen 2 Air, could change that. It's the first ring I've tested that retails for a price as low as $200, without any sale or special deal. I've worn RingConn's newest smart ring over the past few weeks to see how the brand's budget ring fares as a sleep and activity tracker. Keep reading to learn how it compares to the RingConn Gen 2, which costs $100 more, and the Oura Ring 4, which costs double.  details View at RingConn The smart ring looks and feels almost exactly the same as the RingConn Gen 2, with the main difference being the charging case and battery size. The Gen 2's charging case has enough power to boost the smart ring for over 150 days, and the ring has a battery life of up to 12 days. The Gen 2 Air, on the other hand, does not come with a charging case equipped with extra juice, and it advertises a 10-day battery life (though, in my testing, I got around eight days). Even though the Gen 2 Air's battery is lower than the Gen 2, both RingConn rings match or outcompete the battery life of the Oura Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air, and the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The Gen 2 Air is made of stainless steel, a more affordable material compared to the Gen 2's aerospace-grade titanium. Regardless of the material, the Gen 2 Air is comfortable to wear and feels unnoticeable around my finger. It comes in a silver and gold finish, and available sizes range from six to 14.Both rings are connected to the same app experience, so whether you're using the $300 ring or the $200 ring, you'll get your data and insights presented to you in exactly the same manner. Much like the Gen 2, the Gen 2 Air tracks sleep, stress, vitals, and activity. It takes all those factors and daily scores to deliver a Wellness Balance score. The Wellness Balance is displayed like a petal on a four-petal flower, and each biometric is ranked out of 100. At the start of the day, the activity petal is nonexistent, but the activity score increases as I exercise or walk. At the end of the day, I can view my aggregate Wellness Balance, and this score provides a holistic picture of my health. As I said in my spotlight of the RingConn Gen 2, the downside to this Wellness Balance is the absence of a readiness or recovery score that other wearables have calculated and provided to users at the start of their day to understand how their body bounced back from activity and how much activity or rest they should take on for the day. This recovery score provides insights into a user's overall health and resilience, and it's helpful for those who are following a training regime to know how to treat their bodies each day.I tested the RingConn Gen 2 Air hand in hand with my Oura Ring 4, and both devices gathered fairly similar health metrics. One night, Oura gave me an 87 Sleep Score, and RingConn gave me an 86. Oura said my resting heart rate overnight was 48 beats per minute, while RingConn said 49 beats per minute. Oura said my average heart rate was 55 beats per minute, and RingConn said it was 52. While not identical, these numbers are close. Activity data is a different story. One day, Oura said I walked 7,454 steps, while RingConn said I walked 5,706. This was on a moderately active day when I took a 25-minute walk. On an intensely active day, when I went to the gym for two hours and was out and about, Oura calculated that I walked 16,291 steps, and RingConn calculated that I walked 15,454 steps. Nina Raemont/ZDNETRingConn advertises an "AI health partner" as a function of its app experience. Every day, the AI partner tells you information, like how you slept or whether you hit your step count, and then asks questions based on your behaviors. These summaries aren't available on the main page where sleep, activity, and stress data are displayed -- they're only available on the AI tab. But unlike other AI assistants, you can't type out a personalized answer to these questions.Instead, you pick from the choices of responses. It didn't feel like AI to me because it wasn't as personalized, and the responses you could choose were simple; rather, it felt like a multiple-choice health summary. This is a classic case of a brand slapping AI onto a feature that isn't actually AI. What I like about RingConn smart rings is they will tell you exactly when the ring will die and notify the user to charge it ahead of time. This is a helpful feature I hope other smart ring brands adopt. Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Opt for the older, discounted smart ring or the newest?One concern about a smart ring this affordable is whether the brand is keeping the user's data safe and protected. Health data is valuable, and in the wrong hands, it can be sent to advertisers or health insurance agencies. Smart ring brands pay a lot of money to keep such data safe, which is why they cost as much as they do. A RingConn representative did not immediately answer my questions about why the smart ring can be so cheap, if user data is secure and protected, or if it is being compromised for the sake of a lower-cost smart ring. I did, however, review RingConn's privacy policy which relays what user data is collected, used, and stored. I recommend looking over a health wearables privacy policy before purchasing a ring, so you understand how a company keeps your information safe and secure. ZDNET's buying advice So, should you buy this $200 smart ring? If you're looking for an alternative to some of the big names that won't cost you as much but will collect nearly the same level of health data, I'd suggest the RingConn Gen 2 Air.Also: The best smart rings: Expert tested and reviewedWith competitive battery life, data display that matches its $300 sibling, and data collection that gets close to the Oura Ring 4, the RingConn Gen 2 Air is one of the first $200 smart rings I've tested that I can confidently recommend for the budget-friendly and smart ring-curious shopper. Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.Featured reviews

About Us:Revenue Vessel is a growing, venture backed software company on a mission to revolutionize how logistics companies sell. In 13 months, we’ve built a product that our customers love, hundreds of thousands in ARR (doubled in the last 3 months), and a path to grow to over a $1.8M in revenue in the next 12 months. Most notably, we’ve only spent as much cash as our current revenue, meaning that we’re already an efficient business.Revenue Vessel is operating in the highly-specialized vertical of logistics, but we’re doing something totally different than other logistics software companies. While other companies sell to operations teams that have entirely unique, mission critical processes, we’re taking advantage of a key secret: every logistics team sells roughly the same, and all of them are poorly served right now.The three co-founders have strong backgrounds in the space: former Head of Demand Gen at Flexport, former top performing SDR manager at Flexport, former Head of Eng at Rutter API, respectively.This could be a billion dollar business, and we don’t need to compete with other Silicon Valley founders in order to get there. We just need your help to pull it off.Role Overview:You will be joining an engineering team of 4, all former startup veterans, as a senior technical IC. You will be given a large chunk of responsibility over the product, and as an early member of the team, you will be a key part of shaping our culture, growing the company, and building an amazing product. You will be expected to tackle projects across front end, backend, or data engineering.For one role, we’re looking for an engineer who can help us the underlying data infrastructure that can support the definitive customer record for this industry. We still need our engineers to be generalists, so we want some full-stack experience, but if you love backend and data, we have a spot for you building something exciting.For our other open role, we’re looking for an engineer who dreams about talking to customers, mapping out requirements, and then spitting out code faster than Cursor’s terrible memory management can handle.You will LOVE this job if:You want to work closely with smart, high integrity, personal growth-oriented co-workers.You enjoy working independently and quickly on things.You are a product-oriented or data-oriented engineer who cares first and foremost about solving customer problems.You are excited to take radical ownership of features and systems.You love being in the thick of it all, understanding the whole workings of a startup, and building a plane as we fall from the sky.This job is NOT for you if:You want the immediate cushy and chill life that a large, stable tech company provides.You find yourself excelling in highly-structured, hoop-jumping cultures.You are worried about taking on personal risk.You want to move into engineering management in the next two years (we probably won’t hire a big team for a while) or build a big team around you.In order to excel here, you will need to:be the type of person who never shies away from a problem just because you haven’t done it before.Learn quickly and teach yourself new concepts as neededBe familiar with our tech stack (TypeScript, Next.JS, TypeORM, React, Postgres, Heroku)Be familiar with full-stack web development as well as backend/data work, and excel at one of them.Write solid code quickly and understand when speed trumps quality and vice versa.Communicate incredibly well and proactively communicate status and priorities.A typical week might involve building a new feature, polishing the product for a 10/10 customer experience, and scaling our systems as our user count grows.Company Values:The company values these things. If you’re excited about this, we’re excited about you. If these aren’t you, then we’re probably not the right place.Brutal focus: We do one thing at a time, and we do it extremely well. Right now, we’re building sales tools for logistics companies. We say no to everything else, even if someone was waving a $1M check in front of our eyes.Too high integrity: We believe that integrity in business is incredibly important. We’d happily lose some money if it meant doing right by a customer or prospect.Improve and Get Better Every Day: We believe in making the business and ourselves 1% better every day. As we make more money, we plan to re-invest most of it in improving our existing team as well as our processes. We give and take kind, candid feedback, and we’re always looking for ways to become better.You want to build a money printing machine: We believe that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is cash in vs cash out.What We Offer:Fully remote work environment with flexible hoursExtremely Generous equity (we want you to feel so invested in the company's success that you make away like a bandit)Competitive cash compFor US employees, top-tier health insurance, dental, (optional) life insurance, (optional) therapy through talkspaceApplication Process:Our interview process includes a round of interviews focused on your technical skills and problem-solving approach. Once we’re sure you can code, we have another interview focused on culture fit.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Full-Stack Programming JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot

And nobody knows what to do about it, either.Oodles of ExperienceThe advent of generative AI has fundamentally altered the job application process. Both recruiters and applicants are making heavy use of the tech, making an already soul-sucking and tedious process even worse.And as TechRadar reports, applicants are going to extreme lengths to nail down a job — and stand out in an extremely competitive and crowded job market. According to a recent campaign by insurer Hiscox, more than half of recent job applicants said they had used AI tools to write their resumes.A whopping 37 percent admitted they didn't bother correcting embellishments the AI chatbot made, like exaggerated experience and fabricated interests. 38 percent admitted to outright lying on their CVs.The news highlights a worrying new normal, with applicants using AI to facilitate fabricating a "perfect candidate" to score a job interview."AI can help many candidates put their best foot forward... but it needs to be used carefully," Hiscox chief underwriting officer Pete Treloar told TechRadar.Perfect CandidateMeanwhile, it's not just job applicants using generative AI to automate the process. Recruiters have been outsourcing the role of interviewing for jobs to often flawed AI avatars.Earlier this week, Fortune reported how a former software engineer went from earning $150,000 in upstate New York to living out of a trailer after being replaced by AI. Out of the ten interviews he scored after sending out 800 job applications, a handful of them were with AI bots.In short, it's a frustrating process that's unlikely to make applying for jobs any less grueling. Hiscox found that 41 percent of applicants said AI gives some candidates an unfair advantage. 42 percent of respondents said the tech is misleading employers.But now that the cat is out of the bag, it remains to be seen how the future of job applications will adapt to a world teeming with accessible generative AI tools.It's never been easier to lie on your resume — but anybody willing to do so will have to live with the consequences as well. Being caught could not only lead to immediate disqualification, it can damage one's professional reputation, and in a worst-case scenario, result in a lawsuit. Remember: Just because everyone's doing it doesn't mean you won't get busted for it — or worse.More on lying AIs: Law Firms Caught and Punished for Passing Around "Bogus" AI Slop in CourtShare This Article

Remember the pure joy of homemade ice cream? That creamy, fresh-from-the-kitchen delight that store-bought versions can never quite match? For many of us, those memories are tinged with the reality of tedious hand-cranking, messy rock salt, or the frustration of pre-freezing bowls overnight only to end up with icy, inconsistent results. Traditional ice cream makers have long required either exhausting manual effort or extensive planning, turning what should be a simple pleasure into a complicated project that hardly seems worth the trouble. The iCreamlab smart compressor ice cream maker changes everything about homemade frozen treats, making professional-quality ice cream accessible to everyone regardless of culinary skill. This revolutionary appliance combines industrial-grade cooling technology with user-friendly design to deliver smooth, perfectly churned ice cream in just 30 minutes without any pre-freezing or complex preparation. Finally, homemade ice cream can be spontaneous again, ready whenever your cravings strike, rather than requiring hours of advance planning and preparation that traditional machines demand. Designer: iCreamlab Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $372 ($173 off). Hurry, 140/1800 left! Raised over $371,000. The secret behind iCreamlab’s exceptional performance lies in its powerful built-in compressor that rapidly cools your ingredients while the precision churning system constantly aerates the mixture. This dual-action approach prevents large ice crystals from forming while incorporating just the right amount of air, resulting in that smooth, creamy texture that distinguishes premium ice cream. The difference is immediately noticeable in both taste and mouthfeel, with none of the grainy texture or inconsistent freezing that plagues ice cream made in pre-freeze bowl machines. Health-conscious dessert lovers will particularly appreciate the complete control iCreamlab offers over every ingredient that goes into their frozen treats. Want to reduce sugar for dietary reasons? Substitute alternative sweeteners? Create dairy-free options for lactose intolerance or vegan lifestyles? With iCreamlab, you can customize every aspect of your ice cream, from sugar and fat content to flavors and mix-ins, without compromising on texture or taste. This level of customization makes it possible to enjoy delicious frozen desserts that align perfectly with specific dietary needs or fitness goals. The generous capacity allows you to make 6-10 servings in a single batch, making iCreamlab perfect for family gatherings or entertaining friends. Even more impressive is the ability to make multiple batches consecutively without waiting, thanks to the continuous cooling capability of the compressor system. This feature proves invaluable during parties or when experimenting with different flavors, allowing you to create several varieties in quick succession without the long recovery time required by freezer-bowl machines that need to be refrozen between uses. Convenience extends to every aspect of the iCreamlab experience, from operation to cleanup. The fully automated settings mean you simply add your ingredients, press a button, select your preferred consistency, and walk away; no monitoring or manual intervention required. When you’re finished, the removable inner bowl lifts out for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe, eliminating the tedious scrubbing often associated with ice cream makers. The double-layer stainless steel vacuum insulation keeps your freshly made ice cream at the perfect serving temperature for hours, maintaining that ideal creamy consistency without melting or over-hardening. Make your dessert well ahead of serving time without sacrificing quality, adding another layer of convenience for entertaining or simply preparing treats in advance for your family to enjoy whenever they’re ready. And with over 100 free recipes included, iCreamlab opens up a world of frozen possibilities that will not only delight your taste buds but also give you a healthy treat when you need a sweet pick-me-up. Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $372 ($173 off). Hurry, 140/1800 left! Raised over $371,000.The post The Most Affordable Ice Cream Maker That Puts Health in Your Hands first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Ford Pinto. New Coke. Google Glass. History is littered with products whose fatal flaw— whether failures of safety, privacy, performance, or plain old desirability—repelled consumers and inflicted reputational damage to the companies bringing them to market.  It’s easy to imagine the difference if these problems had been detected early on. And too often, businesses neglect the chance to work with nonprofits, social enterprises, and other public interest groups to make product improvements after they enter the marketplace or, more ideally, “upstream,” before their products have entered the crucible of the customer.  For companies and consumer groups alike, this is a major missed opportunity. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, partnering with public interest groups to bake an authentic pro-consumer perspective into elements like design, safety, sustainability, and functionality can provide a coveted advantage. It gives a product the chance to stand out from the crowd, already destined for glowing reviews because problems were nipped in the bud thanks to guidance and data from those focused on consumers’ interests. And for the nonprofits, working proactively with businesses to help ensure that products reflect consumers’ values from the outset means a better, safer marketplace for everyone.  Zoom, in a nutshell  We’ve already seen the difference working together can make, especially if it’s early in a product’s introduction to consumers. Just look at Zoom. The videoconferencing platform, while launched as a tool for businesses, had not been introduced to a wide consumer audience before the COVID-19 pandemic made its services a global necessity. In early 2020—as Zoom was poised to explode from 10 million monthly users to more than 300 million by April—Consumer Reports’ (CR) testing experts went under the hood in our digital lab to assess it from a consumer well-being perspective.  CR uncovered serious flaws. These included a protocol allowing the company to collect users’ videos, call transcripts, and chats and use them for targeted advertising, as well as features that allowed hosts to record meetings in secret and alert them when a participant clicked away from the screen. At the precipice of a moment when elementary school classrooms to therapy sessions would be conducted over Zoom, there’s no telling what the fallout might have been—for the company or its customers—had these problems persisted.  But CR reached out to the business—and the business reached back. Within days, Zoom had worked with CR to solve a wide array of problems, helping strengthen its case as a lifeline for users all over the world.  Partnerships require new ways of thinking   Now imagine what could be possible if such a partnership began even earlier in the process. This is the relationship CR has worked to build with businesses, providing companies our testing expertise and data about consumers’ needs and desires. Our advisory services have led to us providing feedback on prototypes, and with feedback implemented earlier in the product development lifecycle, we’ve seen immediate impact for consumers: improved comfort of leg support in vehicles; privacy policy changes for electronics; reduced fees for a basic checking account; an improved washing machine drying algorithm for one brand; improved safety of active driver assistance systems; and strengthened digital payments app scam warnings before users finalize transactions. These partnerships have proven productive, but they remain the exception to the rule.  Building more of those cooperative, upstream relationships will require new thinking on both sides. Advocacy organizations must adopt an entrepreneurial spirit, leveraging their insights and expertise as a collaborator to companies they’re more accustomed to critiquing. Businesses must embrace these relationships as a central part of their research and development process, understanding that embedding pro-consumer values gives them a real edge in today’s hyper-social marketplace.  This cooperation is especially important in the modern digital era, when many consumers are making choices that reflect their principles and where products and services are growing increasingly complex. As the rise of AI-fueled products brings a new wave of threats and vulnerabilities in its wake, it is critical that businesses and public interest groups make an effort to forge strong relationships.  By coming together early and often around their common interest—the consumer—they can improve products, craft strong industry standards, burnish the reputation of companies that act responsibly, and help maintain the health and integrity of the marketplace.  Phil Radford is president and CEO of Consumer Reports.