Author Archives: Daniel Cooper

NAOX’s wireless earbuds have a built-in EEG to monitor your brain health

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French startup NAOX is at CES with a groundbreaking wearable EEG for clinics and research, but that’s not what we’re interested in today. Because it’s also here showing off a prototype of the consumer version, which incorporates its brain-scanning technology in wireless earbuds. As early as the end of this year, your earbuds could pull double-duty, pumping out tunes and keeping an eye on your brain’s health.

The product being released today is the NAOX Link NX01, an in-ear EEG designed to replace the wire-covered caps you’ve seen at a sleep clinic. It’s designed to be much more convenient for use in long-term studies, enabling people to keep an eye on their health while on the go. Don’t think you’ll be able to mess with one of these yourself as it is targeted toward clinical environments.

Of more interest is the NAOX Wave, which uses the same in-ear EEG technology from Link, but in a pair of wireless earbuds. As with the clinical model, Wave is designed to quietly keep an eye on your brain’s biomarkers as you go about your day. The company says it’ll be able to monitor your mental activity while working, relaxing and sleeping. In the companion app, you’ll get insights about your mental health, sleep analytics and cognitive performance, as well as details on your brain’s age. 

NAOX has said its version of the buds will launch towards the end of 2026, but it may not be the only name selling this tech. The company says it is interested in licensing its technology to audio companies, so we could see these EEGs popping up in earbuds from other, more established brands.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/naoxs-wireless-earbuds-have-a-built-in-eeg-to-monitor-your-brain-health-030000605.html?src=rss

CES 2026: Intel hopes its Core Ultra Series 3 chips are the start of a comeback

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Intel turned up to CES 2026 to herald the birth of the Core Ultra Series 3, a new range of chips offering “exceptional performance.” It says the mobile processors, formerly known as Panther Lake, deliver great graphics and battery life alongside the aforementioned grunt. And that, for the first time, the silicon has been certified for embedded and industrial use cases, including robotics and smart cities. But, like so many stories about Intel these days, the launch is loaded with so much subtext you’ll need a copy of Cliffs Notes to understand it.

On the face of it, these are just some snappy flagship chips, available in Core Ultra 7 and 9 ranges as well as Core X7 and X9, which ship with 12 Xe graphics cores over the usual four. Almost all of them offer 16 total cores and threads, and all bar two have total NPU performance of 50 PTOPS.

Image of the Core Ultra Series 3
Image of the Core Ultra Series 3
Intel

These chips are going to be famous for two key reasons: First, Intel claims they’re the most advanced chips ever manufactured in the US. Second, they’re the first to be made using Intel’s long awaited 18A process, which has dogged the company for several years. 18A was a key plank of former CEO Pat Gelsinger’s rescue plan to restore Intel to the top of the chip world. But sadly that comeback didn’t come fast enough to prevent the CEO from being (unfairly, in my mind) deposed at the end of 2024. It didn’t help that, for all of the money spent on 18A, as recently as August 2025, the company was reportedly still suffering from low yields and high defect rates.

18A is short for 18 Angstrom, a measurement that’s far smaller than the nanometers we currently use to denote transistor size in chips. 18 Angstrom is roughly equivalent to 1.8 nanometers, putting it on the same rough level as the most advanced manufacturing process — N2 — available at TSMC in Taiwan. At CES, Intel’s new CEO Lip Bu-Tan said the company was now ahead of schedule for ramping production on 18A, which could mark an important shift in the global chip market. 

You should expect to see these chips show up in laptops from all the usual suspects, including HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung and the rest across this year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/ces-2026-intel-hopes-its-core-ultra-series-3-chips-are-the-start-of-a-comeback-000155611.html?src=rss

Vocci’s AI note-taking ring aims to do much more

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One trend emerging from CES 2026 is wearable microphones you can use to dictate your thoughts. Vocci is one such gadget, a titanium ring with a single button capable of recording audio for up to eight hours on a charge. Unlike some of its competitors, Vocci isn’t just for catching your own thoughts as they spring forth from your scalp. Instead, you’ll be able to record whole conversations and meetings from the comfort of your proximal phalanx. 

Users can start and end recordings by double clicking the ring’s single button, while single clicks are used to mark important moments within the recording. Tagged moments will instruct the AI app to add more context, highlights or reminders, where appropriate. Once the file has been processed, you’ll receive a transcript, complete with a summary and commentary.

I’m told the ring has a range of five meters, but I was unable to hear an example recording or see a working demo of the technology. I did ask why a ring would be more effective at capturing a room’s worth of chat over, say, using a recording app on one’s phone laid on a table. But the response was to point out a user may forget to start the recording, and you can’t disagree with that.

Vocci will ship with a charging case, and will be able to recharge to full in half an hour, but it’s not clear yet how much (if at all) power will be stored in the case’s batteries. We also don’t know how much the ring will cost, but it’s likely to be available for pre-order at some point in February. As for the ring’s pedigree, it comes from Gyges Labs, the company which leant its name, manufacturing and engineering expertise to last year’s Halliday Smart Glasses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/voccis-ai-note-taking-ring-aims-to-do-much-more-170536442.html?src=rss

XGIMI, best known for projectors, launches its own smart glasses

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Projector maker XGIMI has turned up at CES to launch its own range of AR glasses, but don’t get the champagne out too soon. MemoMind is a new brand under which its AI-infused eyewear will be sold, with two distinct units arriving at some point in the near future. The company says it has leveraged its know-how in optics and engineering to produce glasses which are unobtrusively light, all the better for blending into your daily life. Fashionistas will even be overjoyed to learn the glasses’ ship in eight different frame styles, five different temple designs and can be worn with prescription lenses. 

Memo One is the company’s flagship option, with dual-eye displays and integrated speakers so you can see and hear your AI assistant. The Memo Air, meanwhile, is a more stripped down model  weighing just 28.9 grams which just has a single eye display. Unfortunately, the company is using microLED displays rather than waveguides, making them a far harder sell for a lot of would-be users. After all, putting something that small so close to your eye but behind your prescription means it’s a painful experience for short sighted folks to focus on text. As I explained in my Halliday review, this technology is no friend to the glasses wearers who would otherwise be the ideal early adopters.

Update Jan 5, 2026: I have never been so happy to post an update, as I have now seen these in person and learned that they do not use microLED displays. In fact, they do use waveguides, making them a lot more attractive than I had initially thought. In fact, the glasses they remind me the most of is Even Realities’ G1, which I reviewed and absolutely loved.

MemoMind Lineup
MemoMind Lineup
XGIMI

In fact there are plenty of similarities, including the fact you need to tilt your head up to activate them. The waveguide prisms are a lot taller here, giving you plenty more real estate for your important data. To the point where the homescreen was set to include a full stock tracker (with graphs) and still had room for the time and notification pane.

They’re also surprisingly light, despite the fact the model I tested was the feature-packed flagship as opposed to the display free version.

The glasses are just a vehicle for the company’s AI assistant, promising translation, summarization, note-taking, reminders and contextual guidance. Unlike some of its would-be rivals, XGIMI says its platform will switch between OpenAI, Azure and (Alibaba’s) Qwen depending on what it thinks will offer you the best result for each task. Naturally, we’ll need to get them in to test before passing final judgment on their qualities but, you can color us naturally hostile to those damn microLEDs until we’re convinced otherwise.

XGIMI says the flagship Memo One will be available to pre-order “soon,” most likely after MWC in March. It’ll cost $599, with prescription lenses available for an additional, as yet unspecified charge, and the other models coming further down the line.

This story was updated to rectify incorrect information from the company’s press release.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/xgimi-best-known-for-projectors-launches-its-own-smart-glasses-170000968.html?src=rss

SwitchBot turned up to CES with an AI wearable that records everything you say

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We’ve all fantasied about sprawling on an embroidered chaise lounge while our amanuensis faithfully typed out everything we said. SwitchBot turned up to CES with something that does a similar job, but without the romance of the amanuensis, the typewriter or the chaise lounge. Instead, it’s launching the AI MindClip, a wearable microphone which records and transcribes every noise to come from your mouth. 

The company isn’t alone, with many others turning up to CES this year offering devices to log your thoughts through the day. But SwitchBot does hope to distinguish itself from the crowd with an AI which can both summarize and extract useful data from your chats. The company’s representatives said it will use its initiative and create its own reminders based on what it thinks you’ll need to remember. Sadly, we couldn’t get to see it working in person, and we don’t know when it’ll be available or how much it’ll cost. 

But it’ll probably be a little bit cheaper than a chaise lounge. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/switchbot-turned-up-to-ces-with-an-ai-wearable-that-records-everything-you-say-014959824.html?src=rss

Withings’ updated Body Scan scale tracks 60 different biomarkers

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Back in 2023, Withings launched Body Scan, a super-premium scale with the sort of tech found in a high-end gym or low-end clinic. It had a six-lead ECG, offered segmented body composition and could monitor your nerve health, among other things. Now the company has rocked up at CES 2026 in Las Vegas with a second-generation model that adds in tests for hypertension and cellular health. Withings hopes the new model will give you even more data you can use to fight against chronic illnesses brought on by our decadent modern lifestyle.

The first generation Body Scan checked 40 biomarkers, while the new model has 60, and even the press materials need a bulleted list to talk about the new features. Topping the bill is the new Impedance Cardiography (ICG) which monitors your heart’s capacity to pump blood to the organs. Second, Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) uses a low level electrical current to check your body’s total water, letting the scale keep an eye on your cellular age, active cell mass and metabolic efficiency.

Naturally, all of this data will then be extruded through the company’s “clinically validated” AI model to offer more insights, such as your risk of hypertension and glycemic regulation. You’ll also be told, based on your vital statistics, your health trajectory, and given tips on how to improve your “healthspan.” In short, the company wants to further position this as a clinic in a box, steering you toward healthier choices as and when it can.

There’s one major hardware tweak from the first generation, as the retractable handle used for the ECG now contains the scale’s display. That, I’m sure, makes it easier to read if you’re squinting naked onto the scale after your morning shower. But I’m also concerned that it’s a single point of failure for the thin cable attaching the handle to the rest of the scale. 

Withings hopes to get the Body Scan 2 cleared by the FDA in time for its planned launch in the second quarter of 2026. As for the price, expect to pay a pretty penny for the flagship gear, as it will set you back $599.95, €499.95 or £449.95, depending on your territory.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/withings-updated-body-scan-scale-tracks-60-different-biomarkers-010000703.html?src=rss

Xreal updates its entry-level personal cinema glasses at CES

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If you’ve been on the fence about trying the sort of “AR glasses” that, until recently, were called “personal cinemas,” then check this out. Xreal has turned up to CES 2026 with an updated version of its entry level Xreal One glasses, first launched at the end of 2024. The new model, dubbed the 1S (yes, with a numeral rather than the word) gets marginally better specs and $50 knocked from the asking price.

If you’re unfamiliar, One is a wearable spatial display that connects over USB-C to any compatible device including smartphones, tablets, laptops and consoles. It has two teeny-tiny displays in the eyecups that, when worn close to the eyes, trick your brain into thinking you’re looking at a big screen. The average would measure in at around 171 inches, but it’s possible to push the view to a screen closer to 500 inches if your eyes are capable of focusing that far.

As for the changes, they’re all firmly in the welcome nip-and-tuck department, boosting many of the original’s key specs. For instance, the 1080p screens have been swapped out for 1200p full HD, while the field of view has gone from 50 degrees to 52. Brightness has been boosted from 600 nits on the old model to 700 nits here, while the aspect ratio has grown from 16x9 to 16x10. But the change Xreal is arguably most proud of is the drop in price, from $499 down to $449.

Certainly, the bustling trade show floor is not the best place to sample the delights of Xreal’s 1S, but it was able to make a fairly persuasive argument as to its value. I was able to view Avatar: One Of The Avatar Movies and my eyes were almost tricked into thinking it was viewing it in a small multiplex cinema room. The usual Xreal strengths — that they don’t cause me eyestrain and offer a compelling degree of immersion — are fully evident here.

At the same time, the company is launching the Xreal Neo, an external battery-cum-DisplayPort hub for your glasses. Inside you’ll find a 10,000mAh power bank to keep your glasses going for longer and, more importantly, offers better connection for your Switch consoles. After all, before now, if you wanted to play with your Switch or Switch 2, you’d need to hook it up to its own dock. With the Neo, however, you can eliminate that from your bag when you’re playing out and about. That’s available as a standalone purchase for $99 which, like the new 1S, are ready to buy right now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/xreal-updates-its-entry-level-personal-cinema-glasses-at-ces-140000544.html?src=rss

Xreal updates its entry-level personal cinema glasses at CES

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If you’ve been on the fence about trying the sort of “AR glasses” that, until recently, were called “personal cinemas,” then check this out. Xreal has turned up to CES 2026 with an updated version of its entry level Xreal One glasses, first launched at the end of 2024. The new model, dubbed the 1S (yes, with a numeral rather than the word) gets marginally better specs and $50 knocked from the asking price.

If you’re unfamiliar, One is a wearable spatial display that connects over USB-C to any compatible device including smartphones, tablets, laptops and consoles. It has two teeny-tiny displays in the eyecups that, when worn close to the eyes, trick your brain into thinking you’re looking at a big screen. The average would measure in at around 171 inches, but it’s possible to push the view to a screen closer to 500 inches if your eyes are capable of focusing that far.

As for the changes, they’re all firmly in the welcome nip-and-tuck department, boosting many of the original’s key specs. For instance, the 1080p screens have been swapped out for 1200p full HD, while the field of view has gone from 50 degrees to 52. Brightness has been boosted from 600 nits on the old model to 700 nits here, while the aspect ratio has grown from 16x9 to 16x10. But the change Xreal is arguably most proud of is the drop in price, from $499 down to $449.

At the same time, the company is launching the Xreal Neo, an external battery-cum-DisplayPort hub for your glasses. Inside you’ll find a 10,000mAh power bank to keep your glasses going for longer and, more importantly, offers better connection for your Switch consoles. After all, before now, if you wanted to play with your Switch or Switch 2, you’d need to hook it up to its own dock. With the Neo, however, you can eliminate that from your bag when you’re playing out and about. That’s available as a standalone purchase for $99 which, like the new 1S, are ready to buy right now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/xreal-updates-its-entry-level-personal-cinema-glasses-at-ces-140000544.html?src=rss

Pebble brings its round-faced smartwatch back from the dead

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You’ve probably heard people say it’s impossible to go back and correct some error from the past. To those people, you should raise a middle finger in defiance (they are miserable, after all), and then point them to the tale of Pebble’s unlikely revival. The smartwatch pioneer’s return was a surprise of 2025, and now the company has resurrected one of its last great triumphs. It’s announcing the Pebble Round 2, and company founder Eric Migicovsky is looking to put right what once went wrong.

The Pebble Round 2 is the successor to the Pebble Time Round, which debuted in 2015 to what can only be described as frustrated reviews. It was a truly thin smartwatch, with a glorious round display, but that came at the cost of battery life and durability. The fancier components also added to the cost which pushed it to an unreasonable-for-the-time $249. It’s these flaws which the company has sought to address with the Round 2, as well as some of the issues that weren’t deal breakers at the time, but certainly weren’t ideal. 

For instance, the massive bezel around the display is now a thing of the past, with the Round 2’s 1.3-inch color e-paper touchscreen now stretching to the edge of its case. The viewing angles have also been dramatically improved, enabling you to check the time without having to move your wrist. The display has also been bonded to the glass crystal, reducing reflectivity and glare which was another downside for the original model. 

Better still, the battery life is now more than two weeks on a single charge, giving it the sort of Pebble-esque longevity its users demand. And it’s retained that thinness — measuring in at just 8.1mm — which is far more elegant than the chunkier smartwatches from other manufacturers. Plus, there’s dual microphones for interacting with AI agents and dictating messages, as well as step and sleep tracking.

Migicovsky explained that the focus here isn’t just to correct some of the more glaring issues from the first model. As he wrote back in 2022, Pebble’s failure was down to its attempt to broaden its appeal beyond the users who had so warmly adopted it in the first place. Consequently, rather than include bulky features like a a built-in optical heart-rate sensor, the focus is on utility. Not to mention a desire to reintroduce some much-needed whimsy into hardware, and empowering users to tinker with their devices, enabling them to craft their own watch faces.

Hopefully, we’ll get some time in person with the Pebble Round 2 in the next few days, but in the meantime, it’s up for pre-order from today. It’ll set you back $199, and will begin shipping in May. And if you’ve already put down cash for a Pebble Time 2, and want to change your mind, you can switch your order over, no questions asked.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pebble-brings-its-round-faced-smartwatch-back-from-the-dead-150000172.html?src=rss

The best smart scales for 2026

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If you are trying to stay on top of your health this year, a smart scale can make the process feel more manageable. These devices log details like body fat, muscle mass and water levels, then sync everything to your phone so you can see patterns instead of guessing. It is an easy way to track changes and stay motivated between workouts or check-ins with your doctor.

Some smart scales keep things simple and focus on just your data, while others tie into big fitness platforms or support multiple users under one roof. With so many choices, we pulled together the best smart scales to help you find one that fits your goals and your budget.

There are valid reasons to weigh yourself but your self-worth shouldn’t be defined by what number shows up between your feet. If you’re looking to alter your body shape, that figure could go up as your waistline goes down since muscle weighs more than fat.

Some scales go further by providing additional metrics like visceral fat levels, giving you a more comprehensive picture of your health. Dr. Anne Swift, Director of Public Health teaching at the University of Cambridge, said “weighing yourself too often can result in [you] becoming fixated on small fluctuations day-to-day rather than the overall trend over time.” Swift added “it’s sometimes better to focus on how clothes fit, or how you feel, rather than your weight.”

A meta-analysis from 2016 found there may be some negative psychological impact from self weighing. A 2018 study, however, said there may be a positive correlation between regular weigh-ins and accelerated weight loss. It can be a minefield and I’d urge you to take real care of yourself and remember success won’t happen overnight.

A scale that measures weight is probably the top requirement, right? Whether you're after a basic weight scale or a full-featured body fat scale, bear in mind, with all these measurements, the readings won’t be as accurate as a calibrated clinical scale. It’s better to focus on the overall trend, up or down over time, rather than a single measurement in isolation. Scales offering high-precision measurements can help, especially if you’re looking at the data to inform a specific health or fitness goal.

Before you buy your scale, work out how you’re planning on weighing yourself and when, as it is an issue. Some lower-end smart bathroom scales connect via Bluetooth and have no internal storage, so if you don’t have your phone to hand, it won’t record your weight. If your scale has Wi-Fi, then your scale can post the data to a server, letting you access them from any compatible device. Also, you should be mindful that some smart scales aren’t built with security in mind, so there’s a small risk to your privacy should your scale be compromised.

The stronger your bones are, the less risk you have of breaks and osteoporosis — common concerns as you get older. Clinical bone density tests use low-power x-rays and some scales can offer you an at-home approximation. These bone mass tests pass a small electrical current through your feet, measuring the resistance as it completes its journey. The resistance offered by bones, fat and muscle are all different, letting your scale identify the difference. A body composition monitor often includes this feature, too, providing a detailed breakdown of bone density, fat and muscle mass.

Body fat percentage and muscle mass

Fat and muscle are necessary parts of our makeup, but too much of either can be problematic. Much like bone density, a body composition measurement feature can monitor your body fat and muscle mass percentages using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). This measurement tests how well your body resists an electrical signal passing through your body. (It’s a rough rule of thumb you should have a 30/70 percent split between fat and muscle, but please consult a medical professional for figures specific to your own body and medical needs.) For those with specific athletic goals, smart scales offer an athlete mode to better tailor readings for accuracy. If body fat monitoring is a priority, look for a model marketed as a body fat scale.

A lot of scales offer a BMI calculation, and it’s easy to do since you just plot height and weight on a set graph line. Body Mass Index is, however, a problematic measurement that its critics say is both overly simplistic and often greatly misleading. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most common clinical body metrics and medical professionals will use it to make judgements about your care.

French health-tech company Withings has offered Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) on its flagship scale for some time, although regulatory concerns meant it was withdrawn for a period. It’s a measurement of arterial stiffness, which acts as a marker both of cardiovascular risk and other health conditions. For those looking for an even deeper understanding of their health, some scales now offer a body scan, which provides more advanced metrics such as segmental body composition and vascular health insights.

Pairing your smart scale with wearables like fitness trackers or smartwatches can further enhance your health-tracking ecosystem. Many smart scales sync directly with platforms like Fitbit or Apple Health, making it easier to track trends and analyze your data in one place.

Less a specification and more a note: Smart bathroom scales have displays ranging from pre-printed LCDs or digital dot matrix layouts through to color display screens. On the high end, your scale display can show you trending charts for your weight and other vital statistics, and can even tell you the day’s weather. If you are short-sighted, and plan on weighing yourself first thing in the morning, before you’ve found your glasses or contacts, opt for a big, clear, high-contrast display.

You’ll spend most of your time looking at your health data through its companion scales app, and it’s vital you get a good one. This includes a clear, clean layout with powerful tools to visualize your progress and analyze your data to look for places you can improve. Given that you often don’t need to buy anything before trying the app, it’s worth testing one or two to see if you vibe with it. It’s also important you check app compatibility before making your purchase. Some health apps will only work with iOS or Android — not both. Apple Watch connectivity can also be a bonus for tracking workouts and health metrics seamlessly. Several companies also offer premium subscriptions, unlocking other features – including insights and coaching – to go along with your hardware.

Using the same scale or app platform for years at a time means you’ll build up a massive trove of personal data. And it is (or should be), your right to take that data to another provider if you choose to move platforms in the future. Data portability is, however, a minefield, with different platforms offering wildly different options, making it easy (or hard) to go elsewhere.

All of the devices in this round-up will allow you to export your data to a .CSV file, which you can then do with as you wish. Importing this information is trickier, with Withings and Garmin allowing it, and Omron, Xiaomi, Eufy and Fitbit not making it that easy. (Apps that engage with Apple Health, meanwhile, can output all of your health data in a .XML file.)

It’s not a huge issue but one worth bearing in mind that each scale will either run disposable batteries (most commonly 4xAAA) or with its own, built-in battery pack. Either choice adds an environmental and financial cost to your scale’s life — either with regular purchases of fresh cells or the potential for the whole unit to become waste when the battery pack fails.

For this guide, I tested six scales from major manufacturers:

Mi (Xiaomi) Body Composition Scale 2

Our cheapest model, Xiaomi / Mi’s Body Composition Scale 2 is as bare-bones as you can get, and it shows. It often takes a long while to lock on to get your body weight, and when it does you’ll have to delve into the Zepp Life-branded scales app in order to look at your extra data. But you can’t fault it for the basics, offering limited (but accurate) weight measurements and body composition for less than the price of a McDonald’s for four.

Fitbit, now part of Google, is the household name for fitness trackers and smartwatches in the US, right? If not, then it must be at least halfway synonymous with it. The Aria Air is the company’s stripped-to-the-bare bones scale, offering your weight and a few other health metrics, but you can trust that Fitbit got the basics right. Not to mention that most of the reason for buying a Fitbit product is to leverage its fitness app anyway.

Eufy’s Smart Scale P2 Pro has plenty of things to commend it – the price, the overall look and feel (it’s a snazzy piece of kit) and what it offers. It offers a whole host of in-depth functionality, including Body Fat, Muscle Mass, Water Weight, Body Fat Mass and Bone Mass measurements, as well as calculating things like your Heart Rate and Basal Metabolic Rate (the amount of calories you need to eat a day to not change weight at all) all from inside its app. In fact, buried beneath the friendly graphic, the scale offers a big pile of stats and data that should, I think, give you more than a little coaching on how to improve your overall health.

It’s worth noting that Anker – Eufy’s parent company – was identified as having misled users, and the media, about the security of its products a few years back. Its Eufy-branded security cameras, which the company says does not broadcast video outside of your local network, was found to be allowing third parties to access streams online. Consequently, while we have praised the Eufy Smart Scale for its own features, we cannot recommend it without a big caveat.

Omron BCM-500 Body Composition and Scale with Bluetooth

Given its role in making actual medical devices, you know what you’re getting with an Omron product. A solid, reliable, sturdy, strong (checks the dictionary for more synonyms) dependable piece of kit. There’s no romance or excitement on show, but you can trust that however joyless it may be, it’ll do the job in question and will be user-friendly. The hardware is limited, the app is limited, but it certainly (checks synonyms again) is steady.

Joking aside, Omron’s Connect app is as bare-bones as you can get, since it acts as an interface for so many of its products. Scroll over to the Weight page, and you’ll get your weight and BMI reading, and if you’ve set a fitness goal, you can see how far you’ve got to go to reach it. You can also switch to seeing a trend graph which, again, offers the most basic visualization of your workouts and progress.

Garmin’s got a pretty massive fitness ecosystem of its own, so if you’re already part of that world, its smart scale is a no-brainer. On one hand, the scale is one of the easiest to use, and most luxurious of the bunch, with its color screen and sleek design. I’m also a big fan of the wealth of data and different metrics the scale throws at you – you can see a full color graph charting your weight measurements and goal progress, and the various metrics it tracks in good detail. If there’s a downside, it’s that Garmin’s setup won’t hold your hand, since it’s for serious fitness people, not newbies.

Withings Body Comp

At the highest end, Withings’ flagship Body Comp is luxurious, and luxuriously priced, a figure I’d consider to be “too much” to spend on a bathroom scale. For your money, however, you’ll get a fairly comprehensive rundown of body composition metrics including your weight, body fat percentage, vascular age, pulse wave velocity and electrodermal activity. Its monochrome dot matrix display may not be as swish as the Garmin’s, but it refreshes pretty quickly and feels very in-keeping with the hardware’s overall sleek look.

Withings Body Scan

If you want to flaunt your cash, you don’t buy a car, you buy a supercar, or a hypercar if you’re flush enough. What then, do we call Withings’ $400 Body Scan if not a super-smart scale, or a hyper-smart scale? As well as doing everything the Body Comp does, plus running a six-lead ECG, segmented body composition, and will even check for neuropathy in your feet. It is the best scale I’ve ever used, it is also the most expensive, and I suspect it’s too much device for almost everyone who’d consider buying one.

A regular scale is pretty straightforward — it tells you how much you weigh, and that’s usually it. A smart scale, on the other hand, does much more. Not only does it give you your weight measurements, but it can also track things like your body fat percentage, muscle mass, and even your BMI. Some smart scales even monitor more advanced metrics like bone density, depending on the model.

What’s even better is that smart scales sync with scales apps on your phone using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so you can see all your health data in one place. This lets you monitor trends over time, like if your muscle mass is increasing or your body fat percentage decreasing.

When more than one person in a household uses the smart scale, it usually recognizes each person by their weight range and other body measurements (like body fat percentage). Most smart scales allow you to set up individual profiles in the companion app, and once your profile is linked, the scale can automatically figure out who’s standing on it.

Let’s say you and a family member have fairly different weights — the scale will easily know who’s who based on that. But if you and someone else have similar weights, it might ask you to confirm the profile on your phone after the weigh-in. Some scales even let you assign a profile manually in the scales app if it’s not sure.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-smart-scale-160033523.html?src=rss