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Verizon makes Fios free for low-income customers through federal program

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Verizon makes Fios free for low-income customers through federal program

Verizon is introducing a brand new low cost to its Fios Ahead plans, which ought to let low-income clients get fiber web at no cost when mixed with reductions by way of the federal Inexpensive Connectivity Program. The free tier, which is generally $40 a month, consists of 300Mbps speeds in addition to a $10 low cost on a Verizon Limitless Wi-fi plan. Prospects who want extra bandwidth (and are in a position to pay extra) can get a gigabit connection for $50 a month with the ACP low cost, which additionally consists of extra advantages and a bigger cell plan low cost.

Verizon says Fios Ahead is on the market to individuals who qualify for the federal government’s Lifeline program. The 200Mbps tier used to value $20 a month, in response to a Wayback Machine archive from November, so Verizon’s new reductions might be saving lower-income clients a considerable sum of money.

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Verizon’s present Fios Ahead Plans, with costs after the $30-a-month ACP low cost.

The 300Mbps speeds talked about on Verizon’s web site as we speak must be accessible to “most clients,” however they’ll fluctuate by location, in response to an e-mail to The Verge from Verizon spokesperson Alex Lawson. Verizon’s press launch says that speeds begin at 200Mbps, which remains to be comparatively excessive in comparison with different low-income web plans.

That is nice information for the tens of millions of people that stay at an handle that Verizon companies with Fios. Sadly, Fios is barely accessible in a handful of metropolitan areas. They’re large ones, to make sure — DC, NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, and Richmond are all on the listing — however for these on the West Coast or in rural areas, it received’t essentially be an choice. Verizon’s 5G and 4G dwelling web plans are additionally eligible for the ACP low cost.

Fortunately, Verizon isn’t the one supplier upgrading its service within the wake of ACP. AT&T lately upgraded the utmost speeds of its Entry plan, which households eligible for the federal low cost can get at no cost. Comcast additionally doubled the speeds of its low-income plan final yr, which can also be eligible for the ACP.

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Disclosure: Comcast is an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s mum or dad firm.

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The newest Ring Battery Doorbell is $40 off and matching its lowest price

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The newest Ring Battery Doorbell is  off and matching its lowest price

It’s a little too late to spook trick-or-treaters with ghastly remote greetings, but there are plenty of other reasons to consider installing a video doorbell. For starters, it’s incredibly affordable and easy to do so when you have devices like the new Ring Battery Doorbell sharply discounted. It’s down to $59.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target right now, matching its all-time low.

We haven’t tested the 2024 Ring Battery Doorbell yet, but it borrows a couple of nice features from the Battery Doorbell Plus, which is also on sale for a record low $99.99 ($50 off) at Amazon and our top pick for battery-powered doorbells. The not-so-plus model still features a 1080p camera, but now with a 1:1 aspect ratio and a 150-degree field-of-view that gives you more vertical visibility. That’s key for package detection — which will help in the coming holiday shopping season — but also nice for greater coverage to view small children or even spot the little critters who like gnawing on your doorstep florals.

It also has the same PIR motion detection sensor as the Plus, as well as color night vision. Unfortunately, you still can’t cold-swap its battery like you can on the more expensive model, but it’s said to last 23 percent longer than the last generation doorbell with an easier push-pin dismounting mechanism if you use the standard mount.

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Smart rings that can track your sleep, fitness, and could save your life

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Smart rings that can track your sleep, fitness, and could save your life

While smartwatches have reigned supreme as a wearable tech for the past few years, smart rings are all the rage now. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring was the first of the major smartphone manufacturers to add to the smart ring space, and while it’s the first major brand, it’s not the first smart ring to hit the market. A few smart rings, like the Oura Ring, have been out for a few years, which means they are largely free of bugs and tried and tested in 2024.

Smart rings track the same things smartwatches do, such as steps, sleep and a general overview of your overall health. They tend to have significantly more battery life than smartwatches, with no distracting screen. Like smartwatches, the best smart rings on the market can even help save your life with proper vitals tracking and notification systems to alert you when something is wrong. 

Here are my three favorite smart rings that can track your fitness and could even save your life.

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A man sleeping with a smart ring on his finger. (Oura)

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The smart ring landscape: Key features, pricing and compatibility

As the market for smart wearables continues to expand, several innovative options have emerged, each offering unique features tailored to different user needs. We will look into the standout characteristics of four notable smart rings: the Oura Ring 4, Samsung Galaxy Ring and RingConn Gen 1. From advanced sleep-tracking capabilities to budget-friendly options, each ring presents a distinct value proposition that caters to various lifestyles and preferences. Additionally, we will examine their pricing and compatibility to help you make an informed decision.

Oura Ring 4

  • Key Features: Exceptional sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and a subscription service for detailed analytics.
  • Price Point: $350
  • Compatibility: Compatible with both iOS and Android.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

  • Key Features: Advanced sleep tracking with AI algorithms and seamless integration with Android devices.
  • Price Point: $400 (most expensive)
  • Compatibility: Exclusively for Android users.

RingConn Gen 1

  • Key Features: Budget-friendly option with essential health tracking features but fewer advanced functionalities.
  • Price Point: $280 (most affordable)
  • Compatibility: Compatible with both iOS and Android.
smart ring 2

A woman wearing a smart ring. (Samsung)

OUR TOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR KIDS’ SMARTWATCHES AND TRACKING TOOLS

The best ring for most people

Oura Ring 4 

If you’re looking for one of the best smart rings on the market that will do everything you want with a simple setup, consider the Oura Ring 4. It’s a brand-new release that began shipping Oct. 15 and can be ordered for $350, which is $50 more expensive than the prior Oura Ring 3. It comes in four different colors and four different size options.

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smart ring 3

Image of a smart ring. (Oura)

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The Oura Ring 4 packs a suite of fitness-focused features such as a workout heart rate tracker, which can be synced with Oura’s desktop and mobile app to show detailed analysis of your burned calories, active and inactive time, and heart rate. One of the most celebrated features of the Oura Ring 4 is its outstanding sleep tracking, which can measure and log your nighttime temperature changes, blood oxygen levels, and sleep cycle stages.

It does come at an expensive price point, though, at $350. We’ve seen Oura Ring prices go up every revision, and I think Oura has done an excellent job justifying the new price point with new features. It’s worth considering it’s only a $50 price increase from the Oura Ring 3, and it’s the better ring. One downside, however, to the Oura Ring 4 is you will need to pay an additional $6 for the Oura Ring subscription service, which is how you store your ring’s analytics.

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The best smart ring for Android phone users

Samsung Galaxy Ring

If you own an Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy ring is the best option for a smart ring. Priced at $400, Samsung’s Galaxy Ring was released in the summer of 2024, and it has many of the same features as the Oura Ring 4. However, unlike the Oura Ring 4, the Galaxy Ring takes sleep tracking a step further. Samsung has developed its own AI algorithm to determine your sleep patterns, all while offering a daily sleep score.

smart ring 4

Image of a smart ring. (Samsung)

Your health data will be stored in the Galaxy Health App, which you can use directly from your Android smartphone. It’s important to note that the Galaxy Ring is only compatible with the Android operating system. IOS owners, unfortunately, don’t have access to the Galaxy Health app. The Galaxy Ring is compatible with other devices in the Samsung gadget ecosystem. This means that if you have a Samsung smartwatch, it will share data with your Galaxy Ring. However, this compatibility comes at a cost, and this is the most expensive smart ring on this list, at $400.

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SKYROCKET TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE WITH THIS GEAR IN 2024

The best smart ring on a budget 

RingConn Gen 1

The RingConn Gen 1 offers some of the high-end features of the Oura rings without the monthly subscription fee. It’s also the cheapest smart ring on this list, at $280, but it’s frequently on sale. It comes in three different colors and 10 different sizing options, allowing it to be worn on fingers of all sizes.

smart ring 5

Image of smart ring. (RingConn)

The RingConn Gen 1 features stress and general wellness tracking. It also has a sleep tracker, activity counter and vitals tracking, such as a heart rate tracker, a blood oxygen monitor and temperature sensors. Reviewers have noted that while the health information tracking with the RingConn Gen 1 is great, the activity tracker could be more exact. You also don’t get as many features as you would with the competing Oura brand of smart rings, but you also save a bit of money off the top and the subscription fee.

Overall, the RingConn Gen 1 is a great entry-level smart ring. It’s not as feature-packed as some of the competitors, but it’s priced well and is an excellent way to see if a smart ring is for you. You can always upgrade to a different smart ring if you like the RingConn Gen 1, but I think it’s a great starting point for most people in the world of smart rings.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Smart rings are the newest thing that’s here to stay in the wearable tech arena. These rings monitor your health like a smartwatch, and they also track your vitals in detail. A smart ring could save your life in a medical emergency, alerting you to an issue with your heart rate before you even notice. Since the release of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, more big brands have been looking for ways to get into the smart ring space, and it’s an exciting time to see what the future holds for smart rings. Maybe we will see the likes of Google or Apple release a smart ring in the near future.

Would you consider wearing a smart ring to help monitor your health? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

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Meta is pushing for the government to use its AI

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Meta is pushing for the government to use its AI

Meta is “working with the public sector to adopt Llama across the US government,” according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The comment, made during his opening remarks for Meta’s Q3 earnings call on Wednesday, raises a lot of important questions: Exactly which parts of the government will use Meta’s AI models? What will the AI be used for? Will there be any kind of military-specific applications of Llama? Is Meta getting paid for any of this?

When I asked Meta to elaborate, spokesperson Faith Eischen told me via email that “we’ve partnered with the US State Department to see how Llama could help address different challenges — from expanding access to safe water and reliable electricity, to helping support small businesses.” She also said the company has “been in touch with the Department of Education to learn how Llama could help make the financial aid process more user friendly for students and are in discussions with others about how Llama could be utilized to benefit the government.”

She added that there was “no payment involved” in these partnerships.

There’s also the cozying up to the government that Meta’s AI rivals are doing. OpenAI and Anthropic recently said they would share their models with the US AI Safety Institute ahead of time for safety screening. Google’s on-and-off-again relationship as an AI vendor for the Pentagon is well documented. In a recent blog post, OpenAI said its models were being used by DARPA⁠, the U.S. Agency for International Development⁠, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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While we wait to learn about Meta’s AI work with the government, Zuckerberg teased a bit more about the next Llama model on the Q3 earnings call. He said version four is training on “a cluster bigger than I’ve seen reported for anything else others are doing” and that he expects “new modalities,” “stronger reasoning,” and “much faster” performance when it debuts next year.

He acknowledged that Meta plans to continue spending more on AI in 2025, which is “maybe not want investors want to hear in the near term.” But he sees the upside as being worth it.

“I’m pretty amped about all the work we’re doing right now,” he said. “This may be the most dynamic moment I’ve seen in our industry, and I’m focused on making sure that we build some awesome things and make the most of the opportunities ahead.”

As a business, Meta is still continuing to grow. The company reported revenue of $40.5 billion for Q3, a 19-percent increase from a year ago, and $17.3 billion in profit. And it claims that 3.29 billion people use at least one of its apps each day, an increase of 5 percent from a year ago.

Update, October 30th: Added more details from Meta spokesperson.

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