Latest news with #Halo
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Amazon to buy startup focused on AI wearables
Amazon has reached a deal to buy San Francisco-based Bee, a startup making an artificial intelligence-enabled bracelet to listen in on and transcribe conversations. Bee's $50 wristband can analyze and distill what it records to make summaries, to-do lists or other tasks. Amazon confirmed the deal on Tuesday following a post on LinkedIn by Bee CEO and co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo. The deal has not yet closed and Amazon declined to provide terms. A spokesperson said Amazon will work with Bee to give users more control over the devices, which are set to automatically transcribe audio but can be muted. 'We imagined a world where AI is truly personal, where your life is understood and enhanced by technology that learns with you,' said Zollo in her post. She did not immediately respond to a query on Tuesday. It was not Amazon's first foray into wearables. The Seattle online retailer marketed a line of wrist health trackers called Halo but ultimately killed the project in 2023. It also has a line of smart glasses embedded with Amazon's virtual assistant, Alexa, under its Echo brand. ChatGPT parent OpenAI bought former Apple designer Jony Ive's AI device startup called io for about $6.5 billion. Other startups have made early attempts at AI wearables, with mixed results. In her post, Zollo thanked Amazon devices executive Panos Panay, suggesting Bee would join his group when the deal closes. Much of Amazon's AI development is being conducted in its Amazon Web Services unit. Bee was founded in 2022.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Amazon to buy startup focused on AI wearables
Amazon has reached a deal to buy San Francisco-based Bee, a startup making an artificial intelligence-enabled bracelet to listen in on and transcribe conversations. Bee's $50 wristband can analyse and distill what it records to make summaries, to-do lists or other tasks. Amazon confirmed the deal on Tuesday following a post on LinkedIn by Bee CEO and co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo. The deal has not yet closed and Amazon declined to provide terms. A spokesperson said Amazon will work with Bee to give users more control over the devices, which are set to automatically transcribe audio but can be muted. "We imagined a world where AI is truly personal, where your life is understood and enhanced by technology that learns with you,' said Zollo in her post. She did not immediately respond to a query on Tuesday. It was not Amazon's first foray into wearables. The Seattle online retailer marketed a line of wrist health trackers called Halo but ultimately killed the project in 2023. It also has a line of smart glasses embedded with Amazon's virtual assistant, Alexa, under its Echo brand. ChatGPT parent OpenAI bought former Apple designer Jony Ive's AI device startup called io for about $6.5 billion. Other startups have made early attempts at AI wearables, with mixed results. In her post, Zollo thanked Amazon devices executive Panos Panay, suggesting Bee would join his group when the deal closes. Much of Amazon's AI development is being conducted in its Amazon Web Services unit. Bee was founded in 2022.
The Star
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Amazon to buy startup focused on AI wearables
FILE PHOTO: Amazon logo is seen in this illustration created on February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Amazon has reached a deal to buy San Francisco-based Bee, a startup making an artificial intelligence-enabled bracelet to listen in on and transcribe conversations. Bee's $50 wristband can analyze and distill what it records to make summaries, to-do lists or other tasks. Amazon confirmed the deal on Tuesday following a post on LinkedIn by Bee CEO and co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo. The deal has not yet closed and Amazon declined to provide terms. A spokesperson said Amazon will work with Bee to give users more control over the devices, which are set to automatically transcribe audio but can be muted. "We imagined a world where AI is truly personal, where your life is understood and enhanced by technology that learns with you,' said Zollo in her post. She did not immediately respond to a query on Tuesday. It was not Amazon's first foray into wearables. The Seattle online retailer marketed a line of wrist health trackers called Halo but ultimately killed the project in 2023. It also has a line of smart glasses embedded with Amazon's virtual assistant, Alexa, under its Echo brand. ChatGPT parent OpenAI bought former Apple designer Jony Ive's AI device startup called io for about $6.5 billion. Other startups have made early attempts at AI wearables, with mixed results. In her post, Zollo thanked Amazon devices executive Panos Panay, suggesting Bee would join his group when the deal closes. Much of Amazon's AI development is being conducted in its Amazon Web Services unit. Bee was founded in 2022. (Reporting by Greg Bensinger in San Francisco; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
CNBC
13 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
Amazon to buy AI company Bee that makes wearable listening device
Amazon plans to acquire wearables startup Bee AI, the company confirmed, in the latest example of tech giants doubling down on generative artificial intelligence. Bee, based in San Francisco, makes a $49.99 wristband that appears similar to a Fitbit smartwatch. The device is equipped with AI and microphones that can listen to and analyze conversations to provide summaries, to-do lists and reminders for everyday tasks. Bee AI CEO Maria de Lourdes Zollo announced in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday that the company will join Amazon. "When we started Bee, we imagined a world where AI is truly personal, where your life is understood and enhanced by technology that learns with you," Zollo wrote. "What began as a dream with an incredible team and community now finds a new home at Amazon." Amazon spokesperson Alexandra Miller confirmed the company's plans to acquire Bee. The company declined to comment on the terms of the deal. Amazon has introduced a flurry of AI products, including its own set of Nova models, Trainium chips, a shopping chatbot, and a marketplace for third-party models called Bedrock. The company has also overhauled its Alexa voice assistant, released over a decade ago, with AI capabilities as Amazon looks to chip away at the success of rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini. Ring, the smart home security company owned by Amazon, has also looked to introduce generative AI in some of its products. Amazon previously experimented in the wearables space through a health and fitness-focused product called Halo. It sunset the Halo in 2023 as part of a broader cost-cutting review. Other tech companies have launched AI-infused consumer hardware with mixed success. There's the Rabbit R1, a small square gadget that costs $199 and uses an OpenAI model to answer questions, as well as the AI pin developed by Humane, which later sold to HP. Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have grown in popularity since the first version was released in 2021. OpenAI in May acquired Jony Ive's AI devices startup io for roughly $6.4 billion. The company reportedly plans to develop a screen-free device.
Mint
19 hours ago
- Health
- Mint
Pebble Halo smart ring review: Stylish, lightweight, and not quite there yet
I've never been a fan of bulky wearables. Smartwatches are useful, sure, but they're often overkill for people who just want the basics. So when I got my hands on the Pebble Halo, a compact, India-made smart ring promising core health features in a barely-there design, I was curious. Could this tiny thing really replace a band or watch for everyday tracking? After wearing it for a week, during work, sleep, a few workouts, and even a wedding, I have mixed feelings. Visually, the Pebble Halo doesn't look 'techy' at all, and that's a win. The golden version I wore passed off as a regular metal ring. It didn't clash with formals, gym wear, or PJs. More importantly, I forgot I was even wearing it after the first day. That's how light and unobtrusive it is. Pebble Halo smart ring review Just be careful with sizing. Once you pick a size, there's no going back. Pebble gives you a physical ring sizer in the box, but it's still a bit of a gamble if you're in between sizes. There's a tiny OLED display that shows your steps, heart rate, battery, and time. It has tap functionality and looks futuristic, but I barely used it. Most of the real info lives in the app, and the screen is hard to read outdoors. Pebble Halo smart ring review If you want a fuss-free tracker for steps, heart rate, and sleep, the Halo does the job. I wore it during a morning walk, a sweaty yoga session, and even while crashing on the couch for a power nap. The data was mostly in line with my smartwatch, though step counts were occasionally optimistic. Sleep tracking was more accurate than expected. It correctly logged my restless nights and early wakeups, impressive for something this small. Pebble Halo smart ring review But fitness folks, this isn't for you yet. No workout modes, no GPS, no HR zones. Think of it as a wellness tracker, not a fitness assistant. The Pebble app is easy to navigate, and syncing was fast. You get your daily stats and trends, but that's where it ends. No deep dive. It's fine for casual users, but data nerds will feel short-changed. Pebble Halo smart ring review Pebble claims four days, and I got about three and a half with regular checking and one workout a day. Not bad, but I was hoping for more. The charging dock is compact, though, and gets it back to full in under an hour. If you hate wristbands or smartwatches but still want to keep an eye on your health. If you're just getting into health tracking and don't want to spend ₹ 20K on a smart ring. 20K on a smart ring. If you like your gadgets minimal and invisible. It's perfect for light, everyday tracking, steps, sleep, heart rate, without pulling focus from your lifestyle. The Pebble Halo is a likeable first-gen product. It looks good, wears well, and delivers on the basics. But it's not quite ready to replace your fitness tracker or smartwatch, especially if you're after deeper insights or training data. Still, for under ₹ 9,000, it's one of the most accessible smart rings in the market right now. If you're curious about smart rings and don't need bells and whistles, this is a solid way to start. Pebble is on the right track. I just hope version two focuses more on depth than display.
