wellness
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Samsung unveils the Galaxy Ring as a way to 'simplify everyday wellness'
After teasing it (again) yesterday, Samsung has finally shown off the Galaxy Ring in physical form.
Weight loss app Noom gets into mental health coaching
Since 2011, Noom has made a name for itself as a weight loss app. Now it's expanding into mental wellness.
Fitbit and Deepak Chopra launch 'Mindful Method' mental health series
The "Mindful Method" is basically a package of wellness content like meditations and guided sessions offered exclusively on Fitbit Premium.
Microsoft thinks remote workers need a 'virtual commute'
Microsoft Teams wants to recreate the daily commute for remote workers.
Diplo previews his new album in the meditation app Calm
This year has been a roller coaster of emotions for a variety of reasons, and as such apps for mental well-being have been in the spotlight quite a bit. Calm, one of the most popular meditation and sleep apps out there, scored a somewhat unexpected bit of exclusive content — massive electronic musician and producer Diplo is previewing his new album through the app right now. The album, titled MMXX, is the “only music” Diplo made and plans to release this year.
Instagram introduces 'Guides' for wellness tips
Instagram is introducing a new type of post that will be available to a small group of influencers, publishers and organizations: Guides, a new format the company says is meant to emphasize “wellness” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Core brings Fitbit-style tracking to your meditation sessions
Being a tech journalist is a stressful job. And CES is the most stressful time of year. So naturally, I'm looking for any opportunity I have to take a couple of minutes, breathe, relax and just focus on myself. Which meant the first thing I did when I rolled into Unveiled -- basically the officially kickoff party for CES -- was wander over the booth for Core, a device designed to help you meditate.
Endel's Apple Watch app generates soothing sounds on your wrist
If you primarily use your Apple Watch for all its health and wellness-related features, you'll want to check the new app from AI music startup Endel. Technically, Endel has been available as an Apple Watch app for a while now. Where this new version differs is that it's a standalone app, meaning you don't need your iPhone to transmit the sounds the app generates to the Apple Watch. Endel claims it's the first company to create a way to algorithmically generate stress-reducing sounds on a smartwatch.
A virtual reality massage center will open in Los Angeles this week
Los Angeles residents will soon be able to float off into distant worlds while their aches are soothed in a virtual reality massage center, which opening this Friday, July 5th. At the outset, the Esqapes Immersive Relaxation Center, supposedly the first of its kind, will offer 10 different VR environments for you to try and relax in, including a sauna, a koi pond at an ocean-side resort and a ski cabin with a crackling fireplace.
Withings restores its cardio health feature on scales in Europe
When Withings introduced pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements on its flagship scale, it offered customers an indicator of their cardiovascular health. In addition to more standard calculations, like weight and body mass index, the Body Cardio scale used the PWV measurement to estimate the "stiffness" of users' arteries and the correlated risk of hypertension or cardiovascular incident. But in January 2018, Nokia (which then owned the company) voluntarily pulled the feature, fearing that it might need additional regulatory approval. As of today, Withings has returned the PWV measurement to its scales in Europe.
Apple signs Prince Harry and Oprah for new mental health docu-series
Celebrity royalty is commonplace on streaming services, but Apple+ has just gone and snagged an actual royal. It's teaming Prince Harry (aka the Duke of Sussex) with Oprah Winfrey on a new mental health docu-series. The Prince, who's also exec-producing alongside Winfrey, announced the news on Instagram. It arrives on Apple+ in 2020, before which we should get more information, including a title.
Netflix gave Gwyneth Paltrow money to make a 'Goop' series
Whatever you think about the authenticity of Goop's health offerings, you're about to see a lot more of them online. Gwyneth Paltrow's outfit is launching a documentary series on Netflix that will examine "physical and spiritual wellness" issues. Goop wants to tell "bigger stories" that need a TV budget, content chief Elise Loehnen told Variety. Paltrow, Loehnen and Goop editors will host the string of 30-minute episodes when they premiere in the fall.
Mood-enhancing Auri light packs Alexa smart home control
Wellness-oriented smart lights and scent diffusers have been around for a while. They don't always play nicely with modern smart homes, though, and Ling Technology aims to address that. It's crowdfunding a smart light, Auri, that aims to improve your "mental wellbeing" while integrating with other connected devices. Like you'd expect, it combines colored lighting and sound (through a 36W speaker) in a bid to help you sleep, sharpen your focus or otherwise alter your mood. However, it also makes healthy use of Alexa -- you can play your own music and control the rest of your smart home. You won't need a separate smart speaker for those moments when you aren't looking to calm down.
Withings returns at a dark time for wearables
Withings, which briefly became Nokia Health, is now Withings again. Nokia bought the health-tracking business in 2016 and rebranded it, hoping to compete with Fitbit and even Apple. Amid a bad wearable-market slump, though, the division foundered. To make things worse for Nokia, it was also having other problems elsewhere, like with its costly Ozo camera. Withings co-founder Eric Carreel just bought the company back (for undisclosed terms) with plans to revive the original name and develop new products. But wearables have struggled to become the must-have gadgets they were once framed as, and without Nokia's resources, Withings will have a tough time.
L’Oréal's Skinceuticals system makes lab-grade serums just for your skin
The rise of beauty tech has brought about hyper-personalized care. From smart salons that cater to your hair type and color to makeup you can apply virtually before buying, the use of tech in the cosmetics industry is designed to better address individual needs. In theory, anyway. At SXSW 2018, L'Oréal launched a new system under its Skinceuticals dermatological brand that can create skin serums tailored to your exact preferences.
Pornhub just launched a sex ed portal for its users
Pornhub is now offering a new kind of education-based entertainment and no, it's not just more pigtails and plaid skirts. The porn hosting site announced on Wednesday that it has teamed with famed sex therapist, Dr. Laurie Betito, to create the Sexual Wellness Center (SFW).
Massive meta-study confirms the health benefits of cannabis
After digging through more than 10,000 separate clinical studies, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on Thursday issued a groundbreaking, 400-page report on the potential benefits and detriments posed by cannabis use. The biggest revelation: cannabis has verifiable medicinal uses, which are backed by large amounts of high-quality science. This could spell the end for weed's categorization as a Schedule I narcotic.
Book your next workout right from a Google search
Google's been transforming Search for a bit, making it easier to find TV listings, restaurant menus and plan a vacation. Next up the internet juggernaut is making it easier to book a sweat session -- and maybe more than that in the future. For now though, Reserve With Google handles yoga and fitness classes in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City. And, you guessed it, the feature will come to Maps and Search in short order.
The Caeden Sona stress-fighting tracker caused me anxiety instead
It sounds like a great, if somewhat abstract, idea. The Caeden Sona is a gorgeous wristband with a heart rate monitor that constantly measures your pulse, in an attempt to gauge how you respond to stress. It then teaches you to build resilience to stress through daily focus and breathing exercises. I tried out the Sona for about a week and was ultimately so overwhelmed by its design flaws that I was, ironically, overcome by stress.
A month without bacon because my genes said so
If you've ever stumbled across the more inspirational corner of Instagram, you'll find plenty of images pertaining to motivation. After all, few of us are physically incapable of at least trying to be athletic, but not everyone will haul enough ass to actually make it happen. I've made a career of using technology to lose weight, although never quite reaching my target. I put that down to a crippling lack of motivation, but for the first time in my adult life, I've spent the past three weeks eating salads as a component of every meal. Why? Because I'd rather not get Parkinson's, Alzheimer's or cancer if I can avoid it.
