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Supporting Breakthrough Health Advancements in Eswatini Under the America First Global Health Strategy - United States Department of State
Today, the United States and the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on global health cooperation that includes strategic investments to strengthen national health efforts, leverage American technology, and facilitate the long-term sustainability of Eswatini’s health system. The Department of State, working with Congress, intends to provide up […]
These Unique Tech Accessories Make Easy Last-Minute Gifts
Some of my favorite tech accessories can refresh your routine.
The 4 most innovative tech products we tested this year (includes a surprise tri-fold phone)
From AI glasses with digital overlays to robot vacuums that can pick up your leftover laundry, here are ZDNET's Breakthrough Award winners for 2025.
RIT integrates print and graphic media into packaging science
University integrates print and graphic media into packaging science program to reflect evolution of print technologies.
Owls Receive HERO Sports Group of Five All-America Honors - Kennesaw State University Athletics
KENNESAW, Ga. – Highlighted head coach Jerry Mack being named HERO Sports Group of Five Coach of the Year, Kennesaw State football received two All-America honors on Friday.
‘This place will win’: Business leaders say West Palm Beach is becoming America’s next big boomtown
West Palm Beach has evolved from its retirement haven days, as tech firms, financial giants and entrepreneurs flock to one of the country's most sought-after business destinations.
The year the Big Tech job market cracked
"It feels like recruiters are looking for Superman," said one job seeker who's struggled during the tech job market's brutal year.
Jason Buechel, the man who's tasked with energizing Amazon's grocery business
Jason Buechel, a longtime Whole Foods leader with roots in food and tech, is now tasked with unifying Amazon’s sprawling grocery business.
Science and Innovation | Medical Technologies Designed for All
Abbott’s strong culture of science and innovation in the service of human health makes us one of the most innovative healthcare companies in the world.
Jonathan Blow has spent the past decade designing 1,400 puzzles for you
Preview: Order of the Sinking Star started small but became a “combinatoric explosion.”…
Google asks UK experts to find uses for its powerful quantum tech
UK researchers will get a chance to develop applications for the tech giant's quantum processor.
Google launched its deepest AI research agent yet — on the same day OpenAI dropped GPT-5.2
For the first time, developers can embed Google's Deep Research tool, based on Gemini 3 Pro, into their own apps.
Instead of fixing WoW’s new floating house exploit, Blizzard makes it official
“We all kinda immediately agreed this was way too cool to change.”…
Evommune Reports Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
PALO ALTO, Calif., December 11, 2025--Evommune, Inc. (NYSE: EVMN) (the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapies that target key drivers of chronic inflammatory diseases, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025, and provided a business update.
Inside the 2025 UVA Conference on Ethical AI in Business
The University of Virginia convened faculty, technologists, economists and even fiction writers at The Forum Hotel on the Darden School of Business Grounds to explore “minding the gap” between AI’s promise and shortcomings.
Nail tech shares negative impact salon chemicals had on her son’s health
Multiple studies have identified correlations between harsh chemicals used in nail salons and health issues including skin, respiratory, cancer and birth defects. NBC News’ Zinhle Essamuah spoke to a nail salon tech about the health repercussions she faces as a result of her job.
West Palm Beach is at the 'epicenter’ of Florida’s business growth, leaders say
Related Ross Executive Vice President Jordan Rathlev and health-tech firm Visium CEO John Rajchert speak to Fox News Digital about the influx of businesses and employees moving to West Palm Beach and how their companies are leading the charge.
Ars Live: 3 former CDC leaders detail impacts of RFK Jr.’s anti-science agenda
Join us Tuesday, December 16, at 2 pm ET to hear from leaders who resigned in protest.
Google debuts 'Disco,' a Gemini-powered tool for making web apps from browser tabs
Google Labs is testing a product that will work with your browser tabs to make web apps for you.
Palantir says its 'Neurodivergent Fellowship' has received 2,000 applications and counting
Palantir's new fellowship for neurodivergent talent draws 2,000 applications, showing demand for merit-based, unconventional hiring in tech and AI.
Runway releases its first world model, adds native audio to latest video model
Runway debuts a physics-aware world model that simulates reality to train agents and power video, robotics and avatar applications.
I'm a millennial tech nerd. Here are 15 geeky gifts and gadgets I'd buy for myself!
'Tis the season to get the perfect gift. It could be for your nerdy self or even your geeky friends. I have ideas.
'Over 100 Performance Improvements' Are Coming To Monster Hunter Wilds Next Week
Over 100 performance improvements are coming to Monster Hunter Wilds with the next title update launching on December 16
I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold at Dubai Mall — Samsung's tri-fold has a distinct advantage over the Huawei Mate XT, and the design is much better than I expected
It costs an absurd amount of money, but the Galaxy Z TriFold isn't just a tech demo — this is a tablet-sized foldable you can actually use.
Superbet Group becomes Super Technologies, shaping the future of digital entertainment ecosystems
BUCHAREST, Romania, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Superbet Group, a leading company in the global technology and entertainment space, announces its rebrand as Super Technologies. The new identity, which will be simply known as Super, reflects the company’s evolution, its expanded vision for the future, and its commitment to building innovative solutions for a rapidly changing world. At the same time, the company will continue to operate its commercial brands across existing territories, with
This startup is launching an AI personal health assistant that'll face off with Big Tech from Verily to OpenAI
The startup's new tech could compete with Big Tech's health AI projects from heavyweights like Alphabet and OpenAI.
Moderna Founder Warns US Doubts on Science Threaten Biotech Edge
The US risks falling behind in biotechnology as the government cuts funding and skepticism over vaccines grows, according to Moderna Inc.’s co-founder and Chairman Noubar Afeyan.
I made $560,000 in revenue last year reselling products on Amazon. Here's exactly how I do it.
Damilola Olaleye bought $200 worth of sunscreen during her maternity leave and sold it on Amazon. She took this gig full-time after a tech layoff.
Disappointing Oracle results knock $70bn off value amid AI bubble fears
Weaker-than-forecast quarterly data for Larry Ellison’s tech company shows slowdown in revenue growth but big rise in spending
Tiny tracker following monarch butterflies during California migration
When this monarch butterfly hits the sky it won't be traveling alone. In fact, an energetic team of researchers will be following along with a revolutionary technology that's already unlocking secrets that could help the entire species survive.
Legal tech is too big for one winner, says Harvey's CEO
Even with an $8 billion valuation, Harvey's CEO says no company will dominate the $1 trillion legal market.
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Google DeepMind to build materials science lab after signing deal with UK
Big Tech group will work with Sir Keir Starmer’s government to enhance AI use across public sector
AI to accelerate national renewal and growth as Google DeepMind backs UK tech and science sectors
A new partnership with Google DeepMind will help to turn cutting-edge AI into real benefits for working people.
UT Southwestern biochemist to receive O’Donnell Award from TAMEST
Yunsun Nam, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, will receive the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science & Technology (TAMEST) for her research into how RNAs and proteins interact at the molecular level. Her work has shed light on gene regulation, cancer biology, and RNA-based therapeutics.
15 Of My Favorite Tech Gadgets Available On Amazon
See 15 essential pieces of technology that belong in any modern home or office. Find reliable, affordable gadgets reviewed by an experienced tech enthusiast.
You can now share live video with emergency services on Android
This feature could help give emergency dispatchers context in circumstances like car accidents, fires, or medical crises.
Sports Illustrated’s 2025 College Football All-Americans: Full First and Second Teams
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza leads the way on offense, while Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez tops the defensive selections.
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft brings color e-ink to Amazon’s 11-inch e-reader
Amazon has added color e-ink to its devices more slowly than its competitors.
Getting Personal With AI: Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Slips as Users Turn to AI in Strange Ways
Tech giant Microsoft ($MSFT) has clearly focused on artificial intelligence (AI) of late, even when the system does not work as well as you would hope. But as it tu...
Reddit is testing verification badges
Verified users will actually be notable figures, not just people who paid for the checkmark.
Unfinished business (part 2): fixing the “biggest problem” in physics
Our podcast on science and technology. This week, physicist Vlatko Vedral on how to bridge the quantum and classical worlds
'We Can Get There': Scientists Make the Case for Mars in 200-Page Report
Primarily they want to search for life, but geological and resource exploration are also discussed.
Genre Bundles Coming to YouTube TV Next Year as Tech Giant Sets Cheaper and More Flexible Plans
Christian Oestilen, YouTube's subscription chief, says that more than 10 genre-specific packages are planned, including for sports and news.
Scientists discover oldest evidence of human-made fire in a 400,000-year-old hearth
A new archaeological find pushes back the timeline on when humans mastered the ability to make fires, a transformative technology.
ChatGPT is Apple's most downloaded app of 2025 in the US
This is ChatGPT's first year as the No. 1 app on the U.S. App Store by downloads.
RedFESP advances its 2026 regional agenda to strengthen the Essential Public Health Functions
Washington, D.C., December 3, 2025 — The Network on Essential Public Health Functions for strengthening stewardship and governance (RedFESP), established in September 2025 with the technical support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), held its second virtual meeting to advance the development of the 2026 work plan. Institutions from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay participated.
Gunther Takes Top Prize in Business Pitch Competition
Arkansas Tech University student Rose Gunther captured first place in a business pitch competition that concluded with presentations before a panel of judges at Co-Create Innovation Hub in Russellville on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Gunther’s idea for an agricultural drone service that would help crop row farmers maximize yields on the…
AMD FSR 4 Redstone Review
AMD's FSR Redstone is finally here—and it's more than just another FSR update. With ML-powered frame generation that can match (and sometimes beat) DLSS, smarter ray tracing cleanup, and excellent driver-level support, Redstone turns FSR into a competitive performance solution.
AMD’s “FSR Redstone” upscaling claims to close the gap with Nvidia’s DLSS
A mix of new and returning tech to improve speed, image quality on new AMD GPUs.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool gives you more control over the Reels you see
You can select which topics you want to see more or less of, and your recommendations will adapt accordingly.
Adobe brings Photoshop, Express and Acrobat features to ChatGPT
ChatGPT's 800 million plus userbase can now use Adobe's apps to modify images and PDFs
Win hardware, collectibles, and more in the 2025 Ars Technica Charity Drive
Help yourself to prizes by helping us raise money for good causes.
Tech billionaires eye AI moonshots as Trump slashes science funding
Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are trying to recreate what capitalism destroyed. The key difference is artificial intelligence
'All PS5 Consoles Will Eventually Require Maintenance': PlayStation 5 Liquid Metal Degradation Can Reportedly Impact All Systems
The widely reported PlayStation 5 liquid metal issues can affect systems regardless of their position, according to a new report
7 Quick Wins To Put AI To Work In Your Small Business
Small business leaders are put off AI by perceptions they need to master a sophisticated technology. But simple AI tools are easy to use and will deliver quick results
What Warner Bros. Discovery sale means for Hollywood jobs, streaming prices, and movies
The real story of the fight for Warner Bros. Discovery is viewers shifting from studios to tech platforms, impacting how and what you watch.
What Warner Bros. Discovery sale means for Hollywood jobs, streaming prices, and movies
The real story of the fight for Warner Bros. Discovery is viewers shifting from studios to tech platforms, impacting how and what you watch.
MediaTek Currently Undecided About A Dual-Chipset Launch Strategy Like Qualcomm, But Rumor Says That The Company Might Be Convinced Due To Pricey 2nm Wafer Costs
High 2nm wafer costs has not yet compelled MediaTek to pursue a dual-chipset launch like Qualcomm, but it might not have a choice
How Broadcom's IT Leverages Tanzu Platform to Achieve Enterprise-Scale Agentic Business Transformation - Broadcom News and Stories
Broadcom’s Global Technology Organization is rolling out agentic AI engineering tools to boost productivity and ROI for thousands of developers. By adopting the VMware Tanzu Platform, Broadcom can deliver safer and compliant coding assistants powered by MCP servers, while centralizing governance, performance tuning, cost control, and AI safety across the enterprise.
7 Media Trends That Will Redefine Entertainment In 2026
Learn how AI-driven video, synthetic talent, immersive experiences, and new IP protection technologies will transform the industry and influence global audiences.
Viture Reveals High-Tech Cyberpunk 2077 Limited-Edition XR Glasses
Viture Luma Cyber XR Glasses create a 152-inch virtual display for gaming on Switch 1/2, Steam Deck, Windows handhelds, and more devices.
Big 12 commissioner says Notre Dame AD's behavior toward ACC is 'egregious'
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark slammed Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, saying his comments criticizing the ACC are 'egregious'
Marvell Technology CEO addresses reports the company lost business from Amazon and Microsoft
Marvell Technology CEO Matt Murphy addressed speculation about his company's customers in a Tuesday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer.
Vanderbilt University and EPB launch innovation institute to accelerate quantum science and technology breakthroughs
Vanderbilt University and EPB of Chattanooga, home of America’s most comprehensive quantum commercialization infrastructure, announced plans to establish the Institute for Quantum Innovation, further positioning Chattanooga—and Tennessee—as a national hub for advancing quantum science and technology.
MIT’s Science Policy Initiative holds 15th annual Executive Visit Days
MIT’s Science Policy Initiative held its 15th annual Executive Visit Days. Students traveled to Washington, D.C. to learn about federal science and technology policymaking.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition Out Now on Nintendo Switch 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available now on Nintendo Switch 2, bringing the epic adventure to the next generation of portable systems with new technical enhancements!
Google Photos launches new video editing tools
Google Photos' new update helps make editing video reels in the app quicker, such as new templates that already add music and text to clips.
Google is reviving wearable gesture controls, but only for the Pixel Watch 4
Google will let you select and dismiss with a gesture, but only on the newest watch.
Facebook redesign focuses on friends, photos, Marketplace and more
Meta's Facebook redesign elevates Marketplace, refreshes profiles, and aims to win back Gen Z users.
Amazon adds delivery tracking, last-minute adds, gift ideas to Alexa+
Amazon upgrades Alexa+ with new shopping tools, turning Echo screens into hubs for orders, deals, and gift buying.
The Politics Of Superintelligence
Today’s tech “prophets” push a narrative that God-like artificial superintelligence is inevitable, and only they can ensure humanity’s safety from their creations.
Google unveils plans to try again with smart glasses in 2026
It is a significant turnaround for the tech giant after its first attempt - Google Glass - was pulled in 2015.
Google's first AI glasses expected next year
Google will compete with Meta with its own line of AI-powered smart glasses.
VSCO lays off 24 staff as its consumer business suffers
In an internal memo seen by TechCrunch, VSCO's CEO Eric Wittman said the company's consumer business had declined more than expected, and some of its new growth initiatives didn't yield the expected results.
Resurrected Pebble maker announces a kind-of-smart ring for capturing audio notes
The Pebble Index 01 isn’t quite a smart ring, but it can do some smart things.
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
Tech's biggest losers of 2025
The companies, products and trends that had an absolutely awful year.
S.F. business tax revenue could jump 11% with tech boom — but city deficit may still hit $1 billion
S.F.'s business tax revenue is projected to jump in the next fiscal year, but the city’s budget deficit could still top $1B due to cuts by the Trump administration, according to Mayor Lurie’s...
iFixit’s FixBot helps with repairs ‘the way a master technician would’
Trained on iFixit’s own repair guides.
Miami’s mayoral runoff gives Democrats hope of breaking a nearly 30-year streak of GOP control
The race to become Miami’s next mayor may technically be nonpartisan, but the politics surrounding the contest aren’t.
A Chinese app that started with lipstick reviews is now where Silicon Valley's Chinese tech workers swap AI intel
Chinese app Rednote started off as a shopping app. Now, it's one of the hottest hubs for Chinese tech workers in Silicon Valley to talk shop about AI.
Rural Health Providers Could Be Collateral Damage From $100K Trump Visa Fee
Dozens of health care organizations have asked the Trump administration to shield the doctors, nurses, and techs they need to fill shortages from the president’s new $100,000 visa fee for skilled foreign workers. So far, there’s no sign of a reprieve.
Penn Entertainment seeks technology-related licensing for M Resort
Penn Entertainment is seeking a Nevada license to provide it with greater flexibility to research, develop, and deploy in-house technology at the M Resort in Henderson.The M Resort has launched a new cashless wagering system, but its current licensing doesn’t allow the customization of reports
Nexxen is latest programmatic player to widen TV's live sports window
The ad tech company wants to make it easier for buyers to funnel budgets from smaller brands into live sports TV ad avails.
Google's AI try-on app Doppl adds a shoppable discovery feed
The tech giant says the idea behind the new feed is to display recommendations so users can discover and virtually try on items. Nearly everything in the feed is shoppable, with direct links to merchants.
Health Care Workforce: A System Under Pressure, Poised for Reinvention
AHA's 2026 Workforce Scan highlights six pressures that will define workforce strategy in the coming years: financial stress that limits flexibility; demographic shifts that increase demand; rapid technological transformation; changing worker expectations; the urgent need for new pipelines; and geographic disparities that threaten access.
Kelsie Moak: Quick ways to strengthen your digital defenses
Identifying how much time and money you should invest in cybersecurity can be difficult, especially for smaller businesses without in-house IT staff. But Gulf South Technology Solutions COO Kelsie Moak insists improving your company’s cyber defenses doesn’t have to mean spending big. Here are her top five steps for getting started. Shift your mindset Many […]
New Tomb Raider Game Announcement Confirmed for The Game Awards 2025
Geoff Keighley and Crystal Dynamics confirmed that an announcement dedicated to the new Tomb Raider game will air during The Game Awards 2025.
Claude Code is coming to Slack, and that's a bigger deal than it sounds
Anthropic launches Claude Code in Slack, letting developers delegate coding tasks from chat threads. It's part of a shift toward AI-embedded collaboration that could reshape software workflows.
Scientists Unveil the Most Realistic Black Hole Accretion Model Ever Created
Using cutting-edge algorithms and exascale supercomputers, researchers have created the most realistic simulations yet of matter flowing into black holes. Building on decades of research, a group of computational astrophysicists has reached an important breakthrough: they have created the most de
Tech's biggest winners of 2025
The companies, products and trends that fared the best over the last 12 months.
Valve Trying to Unblock Open-Source HDMI 2.1 Support on Steam Machine
Valve is reportedly attempting to persuade the HDMI Forum—the consortium responsible for HDMI development—to allow open-source support for HDMI 2.1 on Linux, enabling the standard to function without restrictions on SteamOS. When Valve launched its Steam Machine, it was listed with HDMI 2.0 support,...
Exynos 2600 Launch Tipped To Happen Much Sooner, With Rumor Claiming That The World’s First 2nm GAA Chipset Will Have A Performance Advantage
Samsung could be prepping to launch the Exynos 2600 much earlier, with a tipster stating that the 2nm GAA node will give the SoC a distinct advantage
The Art of Science Communication with Ira Flatow
Learn how Science Friday host Ira Flatow spent his career making science and technology accessible.
MediaKind and Harmonic’s Video Business to Combine, Creating a Leading Streaming-Infrastructure Platform
Denver, COLORADO – 8 December, 2025 – MediaKind, a global leader in cloud-based video streaming technology, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Video Business of Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) for approximately $145 million. Following a French employee works council consultation process, the parties would immediately execute a purchase agreement, and… Continue reading MediaKind and Harmonic’s Video Business to Combine, Creating a Leading Streaming-Infrastructure Platform
Penn State Health introduces advanced MRI technology that reduces anesthesia time
Penn State Health is now using a cutting-edge imaging technology that significantly reduces the time patients spend under anesthesia during MRI scans – with especially meaningful benefits for children.
Please send help. I can’t stop playing these roguelikes.
2025 was a very good year for my favorite genre.
NYK Donates to Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology for Faculty of Marine Engineering’s 150th Anniversary Project
"NYK Donates to Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology for Faculty of Marine Engineering’s 150th Anniversary Project" - The NYK Group goes beyond the framework of a comprehensive logistics company to co-create the necessary value for the future through the deepening of core businesses and the growth of new businesses.