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Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

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Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#311

Post by wing-_-nuts »

kstrauser wrote: post #304
lemming wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this law pushes back against the idea that it's ok to make endless tech products which are essentially future rubbish as soon as you buy them, then I think that's a good thing. Perhaps products like this just shouldn't exist until we have better ways of dealing with the remains.

The problem is that it makes it impossible to have a version 0 to iterate on until a whole lot of other industries have advanced. Imagine the situation of in-ear hearing aids: they shouldn't be allowed to exist until they're perfect, unless we're happy telling deaf people they have to wear much larger than necessary devices and advertise their disability. I'm glad we're reducing e-waste. I'm not thrilled about the id…

That's hyperbole and I think you know it. I'm pretty sure they explicitly exclude medical devices.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#312

Post by lopis »

CGMthrowaway wrote: post #115
lopis wrote: post #96

Instead of a stand-alone piece of e-waste, how about this: a device with the same format (a ring and an button) but the only thing it does is trigger the pebble watch to start recording a message. This way the microphone isn't needed, just the radio (and much weaker radio at that), and the battery will last exponentially longer. Then just expose the charging terminals so that we can at least hack the device with cust…

UX probably not as good in that case. I am thinking about how buggy my voice-remote is for the TV. 1/3 of the time it works, 1/3 of the time there is some lag before it starts working (and requires waiting for feedback i.e. the listening tone before I can speak) and 1/3 of the time it doesn't work at all (never hears me due to lag or booting up or whatever else).

It can't be worse than a tiny ring that records notes...

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#313

Post by lopis »

kwanbix wrote: post #107
lopis wrote: post #96

Instead of a stand-alone piece of e-waste, how about this: a device with the same format (a ring and an button) but the only thing it does is trigger the pebble watch to start recording a message. This way the microphone isn't needed, just the radio (and much weaker radio at that), and the battery will last exponentially longer. Then just expose the charging terminals so that we can at least hack the device with cust…

Or better yet. Use your cellphone wich most of us carry 90% of the time?

Why stop there? Why use your phone at all? Just go visit your mum instead of calling...

Sorry the sarcasm, but not everything should need you to take your phone, unlock, get distracted, open social media on a reflex and forget what you were doing in the first place.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#314

Post by svl7 »

lopis wrote: post #96

Instead of a stand-alone piece of e-waste, how about this: a device with the same format (a ring and an button) but the only thing it does is trigger the pebble watch to start recording a message. This way the microphone isn't needed, just the radio (and much weaker radio at that), and the battery will last exponentially longer. Then just expose the charging terminals so that we can at least hack the device with cust…

That could be achievable without a battery, using a Piezo button like some Hue remotes... Though not sure with the small form factor.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#315

Post by wing-_-nuts »

mikestew wrote: post #132
kwanbix wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or better yet. Use your cellphone wich most of us carry 90% of the time?

The cellphone that’s buried in my handbag? I think you missed the expressed use case (admittedly, a few paragraphs into TFA): ”Before, I would take my phone out of my pocket to jot these down, but I couldn’t always do that (eg, while bicycling). I also wanted to start using my phone less, especially in front of my kids. ”

"Hey google, make a note: ..."

I just tried it, and it worked flawlessly. Now, obviously it's not great for privacy per se, but I'm not jotting down my plans for world domination or anything

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#316

Post by kstrauser »

wing-_-nuts wrote: post #311
kstrauser wrote: post #304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that it makes it impossible to have a version 0 to iterate on until a whole lot of other industries have advanced. Imagine the situation of in-ear hearing aids: they shouldn't be allowed to exist until they're perfect, unless we're happy telling deaf people they have to wear much larger than necessary devices and advertise their disability. I'm glad we're reducing e-waste. I'm not thrilled about the id…

That's hyperbole and I think you know it. I'm pretty sure they explicitly exclude medical devices.

It's not hyperbole at all.

Fortunately, your link basically says it doesn't apply to something you wear on your hands or arms:

> By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the following products incorporating portable batteries may be designed in such a way as to make the battery removable and replaceable only by independent professionals:

> (a) appliances specifically designed to operate primarily in an environment that is regularly subject to splashing water, water streams or water immersion, and that are intended to be washable or rinseable;

But the only mention of "medical" comes right after it, and doesn't include hearing aids, future smart glasses, etc.:

> (b) professional medical imaging and radiotherapy devices, as defined in Article 2, point (1), of Regulation (EU) 2017/745, and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, as defined in Article 2, point (2), of Regulation (EU) 2017/746.

So ironically, the law allows disposable "junk devices" people are complaining about here, but doesn't allow factory-only serviceable hearing aids. How 'bout that? We can buy our smart rings and throw them away, but hearing aids will have to remain giant hunks of heavy plastic, or at least the models purchasable by average people who can't fly out of the EU to buy the good ones.

Edit: It's easy to downvote. I cited the relevant law. If I'm wrong, cite other law that explains why.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#317

Post by i_cannot_hack »

kstrauser wrote: post #304
lemming wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this law pushes back against the idea that it's ok to make endless tech products which are essentially future rubbish as soon as you buy them, then I think that's a good thing. Perhaps products like this just shouldn't exist until we have better ways of dealing with the remains.

The problem is that it makes it impossible to have a version 0 to iterate on until a whole lot of other industries have advanced. Imagine the situation of in-ear hearing aids: they shouldn't be allowed to exist until they're perfect, unless we're happy telling deaf people they have to wear much larger than necessary devices and advertise their disability. I'm glad we're reducing e-waste. I'm not thrilled about the id…

If you want more freedom to design medical devices for people where there is an actual need, it would easily be done by expanding the exception for medical devices that already exists in the law.

If you think people to be able to sell unsustainable and mostly superfluous electronics because any improvements there might eventually trickle down to hearing aids, your argument is basically "we should accept the millions of tonnes of unnecessary e-waste in order to get slighly smaller hearing aids", which think many reasonable people would disagree with.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#318

Post by supern0va »

_79px wrote: post #283
supern0va wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...and face the seductive allure of all those delicious notifications trying to get me to task switch to a bunch of other things? No, sir. I'm pretty much on board with anything that reduces the number of times I need to light up that phone screen.

Well, you could just turn off unnecessary notifications like I do, same with emails. I get like 3 notifications a day on average now, and most of those are just dms from friends.

I do, aggressively. Honestly, the messages from friends are the hardest to ignore/defer. That's why I also have a highly tedious DND schedule.

That aside, there's also far more friction to pull out a device, turn it on, unlock it, then open an app.

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#319

Post by dmitrygr »

rendx wrote: post #269

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries Article 11 Removability and replaceability of portable batteries and LMT batteries 1. Any natural or legal person that places on the market products incorporating portable batteries shall ensure that those batteries are readily removable and replaceable by the end-user at any time during th…

Good thing that there are plenty of markets outside of EU

Re: Pebble Index 01 – External memory for your brain

#320

Post by realo »

Ninjaneered wrote: post #305

I'd love to have a ring that incorporates Yubikey like NFC functionality, I was worried it could allow login when I didn't intend it, but the idea of a switch might work. Having a USD dongle for hardware that doesn't support NFC but can negotiate the handshake between my ring and the device could work. I'd buy a ring with just authentication, if it was rechargeable and did a few other things (pulse, sleep monitoring,…

Any Oura people reading this? That would warrant a 50$ to 75$ up sale , at least.

I would buy that oura-security ring in a heartbeat.

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