Why you should NEVER trust a fitness watch to count how many calories you're burning; HARRY WALLOP puts the leading brands to the test, with very surprising results....
Then they have almost certainly become part of a growing army of consumers who have embraced 'wearables' – anything from a smartwatch that can measure your step count to increasingly sophisticated, and expensive, rings and arm straps that analyse your sleep patterns, cardio-respiratory fitness and stress levels.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
NextEra Energy beats quarterly profit estimates on renewables growth, AI-driven power demand
July 23 (Reuters) - NextEra Energy (NEE.N), opens new tab beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter adjusted profit on Wednesday, driven by strong performance in its renewables unit amid rising power demand from AI data centers and hyperscalers. Power consumption in the U.S. is expected to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This surge is fueled by growing electricity needs from AI and cryptocurrency data centers, as well as increasing electrification of homes and businesses. Florida Power & Light, the company's regulated utility, reported net income of $1.28 billion, up 4% from a year earlier. NextEra Energy Resources, NextEra's renewables arm, added about 3.2 gigawatts of new renewables and storage to its backlog during the quarter, including more than 1 gigawatt serving hyperscalers. The Florida-based company earned $1.05 per share on an adjusted basis, compared with analysts' average estimate of $1.01 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
Wellington-led funding boosts Vanta's valuation by 69% in a year
July 23 (Reuters) - Online security and compliance management platform Vanta was valued at $4.15 billion in its latest fundraising round, up from $2.45 billion just a year ago, as investor appeal of risk-mitigating software rises in tandem with cyber attacks. The $150 million Series-D round, led by new investor Wellington Management, brings Vanta's total external funding to $504 million, Vanta said on Wednesday. Businesses' increasing reliance on cloud and artificial intelligence technologies has also amplified their exposure to cyber attacks. As they expand across borders, they also have to deal with compliance requirements that vary greatly by nations. In recent months, hacker targets have included retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS.L), opens new tab, tech behemoth Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab and insurer Aflac (AFL.N), opens new tab. "Vanta's AI-driven platform is moving beyond the standard for security and compliance — with real-time, continuous verification that's essential for every industry in today's business environment," said Matt Witheiler of Wellington Management. Venture financing arms of major corporations also participated in the round, indicating industry validation. These included Goldman Sachs Alternatives, J.P. Morgan, CrowdStrike Ventures and Atlassian Ventures - whose parent Atlassian (TEAM.O), opens new tab is a Vanta customer as well. The AI boom has helped U.S. startups attract investment in the first half of 2025, even as venture capital firms struggled to raise money, according to a Pitchbook report. Vanta's previous funding round in July 2024, led by Sequoia Capital, had valued it at $2.45 billion, implying a 69% rise in valuation in a year. Founded in 2018 by Christina Cacioppo, Vanta helps over 12,000 clients across 58 countries in automating compliance and security procedures. Its newly launched AI agent can help teams finish security reviews 81% faster, the company said. Vanta employs more than 1,000 people across its offices in Dublin, London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney.
Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
Boston Scientific lifts annual profit view on steady heart devices demand
July 23 (Reuters) - Boston Scientific (BSX.N), opens new tab raised its annual profit forecast on Wednesday, after strong demand for its heart devices helped the U.S. medical device maker beat second-quarter profit estimates. Shares of the Massachusetts-based company rose 2.3% in premarket trading following the results. A rise in surgical procedures has benefited medical device manufacturers such as Boston Scientific, as it boosted sales and helped offset broader concerns about healthcare spending pressures. Analysts said hospital utilization trends were robust during the second quarter, with hospital checks pointing to high single-digit volume growth - well above the historical average. Boston Scientific's main growth drivers, Farapulse and Watchman, which use short high-voltage pulses to treat certain abnormal heart rhythm conditions, saw strong demand during the quarter. Farapulse, approved in the U.S. to treat certain patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation, competes with Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N), opens new tab Varipulse and Medtronic's (MDT.N), opens new tab PulseSelect in the market for pulsed field ablation (PFA) systems. "Cardiovascular end-markets remain robust," Truist analyst Richard Newitter said ahead of the earnings, adding that Boston, followed by Medtronic, are in the best position at the moment to benefit from the growing and accelerating PFA market. Rival Johnson & Johnson last week posted strong medtech sales, aided by its heart devices, Varipulse and Trupulse. Boston Scientific expects 2025 adjusted profit of $2.95 to $2.99 per share, up from the prior view of $2.87 to $2.94 earlier. It posted adjusted profit of 75 cents per share for the second quarter, topping analysts' average estimate of 72 cents, according to data compiled by LSEG. The company's cardiovascular unit reported quarterly sales of $3.34 billion, surpassing estimates of $3.20 billion. Revenue came in at $5.06 billion for the quarter, topping estimates of $4.9 billion.
