Those Star Trek-Style Humane AI Pins Will Stop Working by End of the Month
If you're among the smallish group of people who own a Humane AI pin, start saying your goodbyes. The wearable device, which CNET writer Scott Stein compared to "an AI-powered Star Trek communicator pinned to your shirt," is on its way out.
On Tuesday, Humane announced that it would stop selling the pins, after the company was acquired by HP Inc. And don't think you'll have a lot of time to wind down, either -- this is a pretty accelerated timeline.
Read more: Humane AI Hands-On: My Life So Far With a Wearable AI Pin
"Your Ai Pin will continue to function normally until 12 pm PST on February 28, 2025," Humane said in the statement. "After this date, it will no longer connect to Humane's servers, and .Center access will be fully retired."
The AI Pin features will no longer include calling, messaging, AI queries and responses and cloud access, and on Feb. 28, all remaining consumer data will be deleted, the company said.
"We strongly encourage you to sync your Ai Pin over Wi-Fi and download any stored pictures, videos, and notes from .Center before February 28, 2025," the statement warns. "If you do not do this, your data will be lost upon deletion on February 28, 2025 at 12pm PST."
A representative for Humane did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
CNET's Scott Stein reviewed the device back in April 2024, noting that the $699 pin seemed like science fiction, but was a chore to use.
"The ideas inside Humane's vision were interesting, but the execution -- and its total lack of connection with any phone -- made it feel absurd," Stein said on Tuesday. "Also it was hard to control, didn't work well and overheated extremely quickly."
Stein enjoyed the language translation feature and said its camera quality was "fine but not great." The device did not respond to voice activation, and instead must be constantly tapped to be put into service.
The pin could read things out loud, try to identify cars, plants and locations or describe a room, Stein said in his review. But not without issues. When he asked it to identify a can of Spindrift flavored sparkling water, it told him instead about a 2022 Apple TV Plus movie, possibly mishearing his asking the device to "look" for the movie's title, "Luck."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Can You Even Afford to Buy a Home With a $100K Salary?
Tharon Green/CNET In today's expensive housing market, it's not a mystery why someone making $100,000 a year would see homeownership as out of reach. With more than two decades as a real estate professional, I tell my clients to be honest about what fits their financial reality, not just the bank's formulas. Unless you're buying a home with cash (unlikely), it's valid to ask if you can afford to take out a mortgage on an above-average salary. Let's start by making a key distinction. The amount you borrow for your home loan and the amount you qualify for are different. Although a lender may approve you for a large loan, that doesn't mean it's a smart financial move for your life or budget. The key is understanding how much you can borrow, your monthly budget and home prices in your local market, not just nationally. You'll also need to understand debt-to-income ratios and what goes into your mortgage payment beyond your interest rate alone. What is gross salary vs. disposable income? If you earn $100,000 per year, that breaks down to $8,333 per month in gross income. Lenders will use your monthly gross income when calculating how much house you qualify for. This figure doesn't reflect what you actually take home. Your net pay is closer to $6,561 per month, depending on your specific tax deductions and benefits. When budgeting for homeownership, look at your disposable income, i.e., the amount of money you have available for spending, saving or investing after all mandatory deductions and taxes have been subtracted. Mortgage lenders don't factor in what you spend on groceries, child care or your car lease, either. Their math is entirely based on your gross pay, which can make your budget look stronger than it actually feels. What kind of mortgage makes sense, conventional or FHA? Most first-time buyers use either a conventional loan or a Federal Housing Administration loan. The right option depends on your credit score, savings and long-term goals. Conventional loans are best if you have good credit (typically 680 or higher) and can put down at least 5 to 20% upfront toward the home's purchase price. With a 20% down payment, you skip mortgage insurance and may qualify for a lower interest rate. FHA loans let you qualify for a mortgage and buy a home with as little as 3.5% down and with a credit score as low as 580. These government-backed loans often have more favorable average interest rates than conventional loans but you'll have more fees to pay. FHA mortgages allow higher debt-to-income ratios, which makes them more flexible if you're pushing your budget. The trade-off with an FHA loan is being stuck with mortgage insurance premiums unless you refinance later. Both loan types are common if you're starting your homeownership journey. It just depends on your personal situation and how much you can realistically afford to pay off in monthly mortgage debt. With a smaller down payment, you'll be taking out a larger loan with more debt to pay off over the long term. Do you want to play it safe? Understand your risk tolerance The safest approach when purchasing a home is to borrow less than you qualify for. Many realtors recommend the 28/36 rule, a solid target for long-term financial stability. That means keeping your housing costs under 28% of your gross income and your total monthly debt under 36% of your gross income. With $8,333 per month in gross income, that would cap your total monthly payment at $2,333. More cautious buyers often follow the rule recommended by the personal finance author Dave Ramsey. Ramsey recommends keeping your mortgage at less than 25% of your take-home pay (not your gross income). Looking at your net salary of $6,561 per month, that would cap your total monthly payment at $1,640 -- a tough number to hit unless mortgage rates are low, you have a large down payment or are buying in a low-cost market. How much down payment can you make? Your down payment percentage has a direct impact on your loan, monthly payment and whether you'll need mortgage insurance. Let's take a more detailed look at what this would mean for a $400,000 home, which is less than the average home sales price in the US. Down payment on a $400,000 home: FHA loan: 3.5% = $14,000 down payment Conventional loan minimum: 5% = $20,000 down payment Conventional without mortgage insurance: 20% = $80,000 down payment A 20% down payment means lower monthly payments, no mortgage insurance and less debt and interest paid over time. It also increases your odds of getting your offer accepted in a competitive market. But if putting 20% down drains your savings, that's not the best move either. You still need reserves for closing costs, maintenance and emergencies. What else goes into a monthly mortgage payment? A mortgage payment is more than just the loan. Lenders often refer to PITI, which stands for principal, interest, taxes and insurance. Many homes also include HOA fees. Here's what makes up your full monthly payment: ☑️ Principal: The amount you're paying off each month toward your mortgage loan balance. ☑️ Interest: The cost of borrowing, based on your mortgage interest rate. Average rates are currently in the 6.5% to 7% range and they're expected to be there for a while. ☑️ Property Taxes: Depending on your location, a good estimate is between 1% and 1.5% of your home's value annually, divided into monthly payments. ☑️ Homeowners insurance: Usually $100 to $150 per month, although this will vary a lot by region. ☑️ Mortgage insurance: If you put down less than 20%, this can add up to a few hundred dollars per month based on your down payment, credit score and the number of borrowers on the loan. ☑️ HOA Fees: Common in condos or planned communities, ranging from $100 to $500 or more. Real example: An initial calculation for a $2,000 monthly mortgage payment might actually be closer to $2,700 to $3,000 when everything else is factored in. Always run the full numbers, not just the loan payment. What is debt-to-income ratio? Debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, is how lenders measure your ability to repay a loan. It's a simple formula: monthly debt payments divided by gross monthly income. Two numbers matter. The front-end ratio is the percentage of your income that goes toward housing expenses only (mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, etc.). The back-end ratio is the percentage that includes all monthly debts (from housing, credit cards, student loans, car payments, etc.). Most conventional loans allow up to 49.99% on the back-end ratio, although many lenders aim lower. FHA loans are more flexible, with lenders often allowing DTIs above 50% if your credit and income support it. Keep in mind that these are maximum limits. Just because you can borrow that much doesn't mean you should. A lower DTI gives you more breathing room in your monthly budget and can make life feel a lot less stressful after you move in. Can I afford a $400,000 home with a $100,000 salary? Over the years as a realtor, I've worked with buyers of varying financial backgrounds who find ways to buy a home, even in an unaffordable market. My main advice is to remember that no home-buying budget is ever the same. Each household has different needs, expenses and financial padding. Always look at the full picture, including other expenses, before you take out a mortgage. If you're stretching with a low down payment or have debt already, consider a less expensive home or a more affordable location. In these instances below, your housing expenses will be about 40% or 50% of your take-home pay. It may look safe on paper but in real life, you will have little left over for anything else. At the same time, this might be manageable for some buyers who have minimal debt, a second stream of income or additional savings. Enlarge Image Enlarge Image Is it impossible to buy a home with a $65K salary? Purchasing a home with a lower salary is definitely riskier and harder for most people. Your options will be limited by loan size and monthly debt caps. In most cases, you'll need a large down payment, a second income or family support to make it work. In more affordable regions, you can still buy modest homes or condos with help from FHA loans or grant programs. But in places like California or New York, homeownership options will be very restricted without assistance. Will home prices go down anytime soon? While home prices may cool in some areas, a major drop is unlikely. Waiting for a price crash could mean missing out on the right home. Housing inventory is still below pre-pandemic levels, with current homeowners holding tight to their cheaper mortgage rates. Demand for homes remains strong, maintaining the supply/demand imbalance and keeping prices elevated. Do I really have to do the math? Yes, you should always do the calculations but you don't have to do it alone. Before you start home shopping, speak with a mortgage loan adviser. They'll help you understand exactly how much home you can afford based on your income, credit and debt. They'll also break down your full payment so there are no surprises. Taking out a mortgage is one of the biggest commitments you'll make. Getting the numbers right, especially in a high-priced market and an unpredictable economy, helps you prepare for the costs of homeownership and avoid regret.
CNET
3 hours ago
- CNET
Have Student Loan Debt? These 6 Expert-Approved Moves Can Get You Back on Track
Regardless of your situation, there are ways to take charge of your student loans. Getty Image/Zooey Liao/CNET After a five-year payment pause, it's understandable that your student loans may not have been top of mind for some time (if ever). And with a barrage of news about the end of the Saving on a Valuable Education plan and the ramp-up of wage garnishment efforts, it's also understandable that you might be confused. I get it. I'm a student loan policy expert who's worked in the industry for more than 15 years, so I know the past few years have been trying ones for borrowers. It's easy to feel like everything happening with student loans is out of your hands. But there's still time for you to take charge of your student loans, and you don't need to let it all overwhelm you. Instead, follow my six recommendations to get yourself back on track and in control. Read more: SAVE Student Loan Borrowers Likely Won't Make Payments This Year, but Should Do This One Thing Now Figure out your student loan balance Do you know how much you owe in total on your student loans? It's a question that many borrowers can't answer when I ask them. You might have an idea (or think you do). But it's important to check, especially if you think you may be behind on your payments. Many borrowers I've worked with are surprised to find they owe more than they initially borrowed when it's time to start repayment. This is because most loans, except subsidized ones, begin accruing interest from the moment they are disbursed. Outstanding interest, which has not been capitalized or added to your loan, is listed separately from the principal balance. To fully understand your loan balance, it's important to carefully review your statements. If you know who your student loan servicer is, you can log into your online account to check your balance. If you're not sure, you can find out by logging into your Federal Student Aid account and visiting the My Aid page. Read more: 5 Ways to Pay Off Your Student Loans Even Faster Prepare to restart payments If you are enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, your loans have been in an administrative forbearance since summer 2024 due to the plan's legal challenges. You haven't been able to make payments, and your interest rate has been set to zero. This payment hold is temporary and could end soon. It's a good idea to explore other income-driven repayment plans so you can plan for your new monthly payment. You can use the US Department of Education's Loan Simulator to estimate your payments and check eligibility for specific plans. Read more: My Student Loan Payment Will Jump From $0 to $488 After SAVE Ends. Yours Might Too Earning less? Recertify your income A lot has changed since the first administrative forbearance in 2020, and if you're facing financial hardship or making less money than you were five years ago, you may want to apply to have your income recertified to potentially lower your student loan payment if you're on an income-driven repayment plan. To recertify your income, visit IDR application page and select "Recertify or Change Your Income-Driven Repayment Plan." Apply for the PSLF buyback program, if you're eligible The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program offers debt cancellation for teachers, nurses and other public service employees who work in a qualifying job for 10 years and make 120 payments on their loans. If you're enrolled in SAVE and were close to reaching your 120 total payments, the recent payment pause may have delayed your forgiveness. In this case, you might benefit from the PSLF buyback program. The PSLF buyback program lets you "buy back" months where your loans sat on hold during a forbearance period -- but only if doing so brings you to 120 total payments. For example, let's say you had already made 115 qualifying payments before your loan entered the SAVE Plan forbearance. You could apply for the PSLF buyback program to buy back five of the months where your loans were in forbearance to reach the 120-payment requirement. You'll apply for the program online, and once approved, you'll have 90 days to pay off what you owe for the number of months you buy back. So, if your monthly payment was $100, you'd need to pay $500 to receive forgiveness. You'll also need to make sure you meet all other PSLF eligibility criteria, such as working for a qualifying employer and having the correct loan type. If you think you're eligible and want to confirm your payment count, you can find qualifying payment amounts in your account. Expert tip: Note: Many borrowers have been waiting to find out the status of their PSLF buyback request, but it's still worth applying if you meet the requirements. Read more: More Student Loan Forgiveness Is on the Way for PSLF Borrowers. What's Next for Debt Relief? Pay off your interest while you're in school If you're still in college, your student loans likely haven't entered repayment yet. While it's difficult to predict what repayment options will be available in the future, there are proactive steps you can take now. One recommendation is to pay off any interest that accrues while you're still in school. Even small contributions can help reduce the overall cost of your loans in the long run. If your federal student loan hasn't yet entered repayment, you won't be eligible to enroll in a repayment plan. Repayment starts six months after graduation or if your enrollment drops below half-time, unless you enroll in another program, like graduate school, before the grace period ends. Read more: What's the Future of Student Loans and FAFSA if the Department of Education Goes Under? Don't count on student loan forgiveness Many borrowers have turned to income-driven repayment plans to reduce their monthly payments and potentially qualify for student loan forgiveness. However, forgiveness is not guaranteed, especially as legal challenges continue to threaten SAVE and some of the other IDR repayment plans. Programs like PSLF and forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment Plan carry less risk, since they would require congressional action to be altered or eliminated. That said, it's always wise to plan for full repayment of your student loans, regardless of any current potential forgiveness opportunities.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Proposed NC bill regulates hemp-derived products while Governor announces new cannabis advisory council
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Lawmakers are considering a bill that aims to regulate hemp-derived products like delta-9. It's an issue the state has grappled with for years. Chris Karazin has opened three Carolindica locations since starting his business in 2020. 'The popularity has been tremendous for these products,' said Karazin. He specializes in manufacturing hemp-derived products. Those products are different from marijuana as they do not contain the same level of THC. 'So the lines are somewhat blurry, as you can imagine, but the base concept is that they're both the same plant,' Karazin explained. Part of the reason the lines are blurred is that the hemp industry is largely unregulated in North Carolina. Federal law only requires hemp products to contain less than 0.3% THC. 'We do our best to be an example of third-party lab tests and safety, security, all of those types of things,' said Karazin, 'and there is always going to be some bad players that, without some of these bills like we're here to talk about today going into effect, it's difficult for us to truly help the consumers and the regulatory decision makers.' Karazin only allows people 21 and over to purchase from his stores and sends products off for third-party testing. Neither of those practices are required by law. 'There isn't a designated body of regulatory oversight that would essentially be in charge of all of this. We follow all the standard laws. In fact, we're almost creating some of our own,' Karazin said. PREVIOUSLY: Two North Carolina bills filed to legalize marijuana Proposed Senate Bill 265 aims to wrangle in the cannabis industry. It calls for sellers to be licensed and for buyers to be age 21 and over. The bill would also require childproof packaging and clear labeling of THC content. Governor Josh Stein this week announced the creation of a State Advisory Council on Cannabis. 'I am charging this group with studying and recommending a comprehensive approach to regulate cannabis sales. They will study best practices and learn from other states to develop a system that protects youth, allows adult sales, ensures public safety, promotes public health, supports North Carolina agriculture, expunges past convictions of simple THC possession, and invests the revenues in resources for addiction, mental health, and drugged driving detection,' said Stein. With no current age minimum to purchase cannabis products, the governor says children are at risk. 'Our state's unregulated cannabis market is the wild west and is cying for order. Let's get this right and create a safe, legal market for adults that protects kids,' Stein said. 'When you have some bad apples out there, it can spoil the sack, right? So our goal is to try and get this bill into action and that should help us kind of clean up our industry a little bit,' Karazin said. The governor's council will submit its preliminary recommendations for a comprehensive cannabis policy, including any proposed legislation, to the governor by March 15, 2026, and its final recommendations by December 31, 2026. With some support from the Governor for regulations, Karazin is hopeful to finally have a solid framework to move his industry forward. Senate Bill 265 cleared the state Senate on first reading and is now referred to the Senate Rules Committee for review. There's no scheduled date yet for lawmakers will hear the bill again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
