Summary
This week’s gadget news highlights several innovative products and services. Amazon is set to launch its first color Kindle model, the Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, on December 10. The new devices feature an 11-inch glare-free display, improved performance for writing, and AI tools like ‘Story so Far’ and ‘Ask this Book’. In a related development, Walmart-backed PhonePe is discontinuing its Pincode e-commerce app, shifting focus towards B2B services for offline merchants.
In the world of wearables, Antonio Forenza’s startup has developed Awear, an ear-worn device that tracks brain activity and provides real-time mood insights using EEG technology. This innovation addresses chronic stress by offering continuous monitoring through a clinical-grade EEG system.
However, not all news is positive. Kohler’s smart toilet camera, the Dekoda, has been found to use TLS encryption for data in transit, rather than true end-to-end encryption. The device analyzes toilet images for health insights, raising concerns about data misuse and privacy.
In other developments, Nothing is launching a community investment round to raise $5 million, allowing users to purchase shares at its $1.3 billion Series C valuation. This marks a novel approach to funding by involving the user base directly in the financial growth of the brand.
Finally, India has abandoned its plan to mandate preinstallation of the Sanchar Saathi government app on smartphones due to public backlash and privacy concerns. The telecom ministry clarified the app will remain optional for manufacturers, reversing a previous directive that required it to be baked into all devices.
Conclusion
This week’s gadget news showcases innovative products and services, as well as concerns about data misuse and user privacy. As technology continues to evolve, it is essential to prioritize transparency and security in the development of new gadgets and services.
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