STACK #246 April 2025

TECH FEATURE

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Samsung Galaxy Ring Colours: Titanium Black, Titanium Gold, Titanium Silver Ring sizes: 5-15 Bluetooth: 5.4 IP rating: IP68 water-resistant rating: 10 ATM Battery life: Up to 7 days Charging case: Yes Compatibility: Android Features: Health tracking, heart rate and stress monitoring, skin temperature, personalised wellness and workout tips, menstrual cycle tracking, and gesture controls. Looking for some options? CHECK THESE OUT

THE (SMART) RINGS OF POWER

Oura Ring 4 Colours: Black, Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Stealth Ring sizes: 4-15 water-resistant rating: 100 ATM Battery life: Up to 8 hours Charging case: No Compatibility: iOS and Android Features: Excellent sleep tracking, fitness, health and well-being monitoring, and women’s health tracking. COMING SOON

Smart rings are gaining popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. Here’s what you need to know about them. Words Paul Jones

D oes it get more sci-fi than a ring you can buy dinner with? A ring that tracks your heartbeat and monitors your sleep patterns? No, you’re not on board the USS Enterprise , but it certainly feels like the future!

enthusiasts, stats like heart rate, temperature, SpO2 (blood oxygen) and stress levels can be monitored. Smart rings can also track steps, calories burned, and menstrual cycles. They also provide a great alternative to bulky smartwatches for monitoring sleep cycles and habits.

While smartwatches have ruled the wearables landscape for well over a decade, the humble, smart ring is growing in popularity. They take up less real estate on the body,

Can you use them to pay for stuff, too? Yep. If the smart ring has NFC functionality, you can literally pay for your morning coffee with a simple tap of the ring. So, how do I get all this information if the ring doesn’t have a screen? It’s all in the app. All the vital

Ryze Element Smart Ring Colours: Black Ring sizes: 8-13 Bluetooth: 5.0

feature a better battery life, and provide a subtle – and stylish - way to track health and fitness stats. But where do you start? What can they do? Why should you buy one? Fear

water-resistant rating: 5 ATM Battery life: 4-6 days Charging case: Yes Compatibility: iOS 9 and Android 6.0 versions and above.

not, potential ring wearers, our short and sweet buying guide will lead you to your one ring to rule them all!

Features: Fitness, health and wellbeing tracking, sleep management, touch sensor, and an SOS emergency function.

information is tracked on an

accompanying app. From here, you can set up push notifications and analyse all the data collected while wearing the ring. Ensure that the ring you choose is compatible with your platform and the health and fitness apps you regularly use. How long does the battery last? Unlike a smartwatch, generally, you won’t have to charge them every night, with most smart rings holding between three and seven days of charge, depending on the brand. OK, I’m in! What’s my next step? Set your budget and determine the required features to monitor your daily life. Choose a design, size up, and away you go!

Is there a choice of designs? Yes, smart rings come in varied designs, materials and, importantly, colours. There’s something for everyone. How do I know it will fit? A smart ring requires a tight fit, so most manufacturers will provide a ring sizing kit – sometimes at a low cost - to ensure a snug fit. Can I swim with one on? Good question. Make sure you check the IP rating – you’ll need the ring to be rated IP67 and above to keep it safe in the pool.

What do they track? For health and fitness

36 APRIL 2025

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