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    5 things I always consider before buying an air purifier – after testing many

    I don’t mind the hum of an air purifier by my bed — it serves as a source of white noise to lull me to sleep with clean, fresh air. But I don’t always want to hear the fan when I’m working and need to focus while my dog is in the office, triggering my allergies, so I know I need a quiet one in that room.There are a lot of whisper-quiet air purifiers on the market, ranging from 24 to 30 decibels. For reference, the hum of a refrigerator is around 40 dB, and a vacuum cleaner ranges from about 60 to 70 dB.Also: Don’t ignore this troubling metric that your smart air purifier tracks – here’s whyThe noise level is typically listed on the air purifier’s specifications chart, so look at it if you’re sensitive to noise or looking for a quiet device. More

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    You shouldn’t trust AI for therapy – here’s why

    Oscar Wong/Getty Images Therapy can feel like a finite resource, especially lately. Many therapists are burnt out and overscheduled, and patchy insurance coverage often makes them inaccessible to anyone on a budget.  Naturally, the tech industry has attempted to fill those gaps with messaging platforms like BetterHelp, which links human therapists with people in need. […] More

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    How healthy is your home? Ultrahuman’s newest device will tell you

    Ultrahuman/ZDNETSmart ring maker Ultrahuman is diving into the world of smart home health. The brand announced today that it’s launching Ultrahuman Home, its home health monitoring system, which assesses the environmental health of living spaces to optimize air quality, sleep, UV, and more. Also: I found a subscription-free smart ring that rivals OuraUltrahuman said indoor air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, and light have long been underestimated as contributors to overall health, and its device, which retails for $550, aims to quantify these factors for “comprehensive data and intervention,” according to the press release. Ultrahuman Home is equipped with a sensing system that continuously monitors and detects particulate matter flow, chemical pollutants, and air quality concentrations. It tracks volatile organic compounds typically released by paints, cleaning supplies, building materials, or formaldehyde, a cancer-causing substance found in a wide variety of household materials and cleaners. This information is monitored in real-time on the Ultrahuman app. Also: Two popular smart rings just got caught copying OuraIn addition to air quality, Ultrahuman Home also tracks room temperature, humidity, and noise to provide additional insights into factors that impact sleep. When a user wears the Ultrahuman Ring Air to bed and is woken by a loud siren outside, the Ultrahuman Home detects the disturbance and notes that the user has woken up on the smart ring. This integration, known as UltraSync, connects the internal aspects of health, such as resting heart rate and sleep quality, with the external environment. “Ultrahuman Home is our step towards integrating environmental awareness into personal health. By continuously monitoring factors like air quality, light, and noise, we’re enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their living spaces, leading to improved well-being and recovery,” said Ultrahuman founder and CEO Mohit Kumar in the press release. More

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    I tested Hisense’s flagship Mini LED TV, and it left me with no OLED envy (especially at $700 off)

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Hisense U8QG is available from 55-inch to 100-inch, with most models currently on sale. It offers arresting HDR picture quality and brightness. However, this set lacks some premium features like four HDMI ports and an ultra-thin frame. more buying choices –> jun / 2025 The Hisense U8QG<!–> is one step […] More