To hear the audio for today’s 5-minute audio message, click on the play button below:
I’m using my Morning Journal flash briefing for Alexa devices as a rough draft for weekday essays. To wit:
Humane AI Pin Update
When Humane released the AI Pin in April, the device received the worst reviews of any tech gadget I've ever seen, including Marques Brownlee’s YouTube fulmination, which so far has received 7.8 million views. Ouch!
When I began using my AI Pin, I ran into difficulties with charging and just figuring out how to use it. But I admired the boldness of the product and kept using it out of a mix of curiosity and stubbornness.
The AI Pin shows information on your hand in a strange but wonderful way. To unlock it, you tap it once with your finger and hold your hand away from it. A turquoise light shines on the palm of your hand with information. To enter my code, I move my hand away and toward the pen to show the numbers. When I get to a number, I put my forefinger and thumb together to choose that number.
The pin attaches to my shirt magnetically. Let’s try it.
My neighbor flies a flag on his house that says “Maine for Trump.” This morning as I recorded my Morning Journal on our porch, I tapped AI Pen and asked if Maine's electoral votes went to Trump in the 2020 election. It answered, in a female voice I’ve come to enjoy:
Maine splits its electoral votes, and Joe Biden won three of Maine's four electoral votes while Donald Trump won one.
Question answered.
The advantage of AI Pen is its location. It's easier to tap on it and ask a question than to get out my iPhone. AI Pen is based on ChatGPT 4o and other resources, making it more powerful than the current version of Siri. Humane recently updated the AI Pin software, so it's much better now. I've received excellent support whenever I send questions by email.
I hope Humane is in this for the long game, because the pin is a creative device based on AI. I use it a lot.
After recording the first portion of Morning Journal, I moved to my bedroom and tried another demo. I decided to ask the pin for help, because I didn't sleep well last night. My doctor has prescribed Gabapentin and Celecoxib for discomfort in my arms and legs that keeps me awake.
I have been taking all four pills of the medications, two of each, at once at night. It seemed reasonable, given that night is when I most need the medications’ relief. I asked if that’s a good idea. AI Pin answered as follows:
It’s best to take Gabapentin and Celelecoxib twice daily, usually after meals for better tolerance. Taking all four pills just before bedtime is not recommended. Always consult with your health care provider before making any changes to your medication regimen.
So AI Pen is turning out to be more useful than Apple’s Vision Pro, which I haven't picked up in weeks. I'm using the AI Pen quite a lot, which surprises me.
One more response from AI Pin. I asked her to say something that will encourage her creators to not give up, despite the early reviews. This aroused her to say this:
To the brilliant creators of Ai Pin, remember that every stroke of innovation you add carves a brighter future. You are the architects of new possibilities, transforming dreams into dynamic realities. Keep pushing boundaries and forging paths; your vision is creating wonders that will inspire and shape the world. Keep believing in your magic.
I couldn’t have said it better.