Technologies

Fitbit’s Personal Health Coach Will Soon Understand Your Medical Records

Google says Fitbit’s AI Coach will offer improved sleep insights and use your medical records for more personalized advice.

Monitoring your health has never been easier thanks to wrist- and finger-worn fitness trackers. But analyzing the collected data has largely been left to the user. Until recent years, that is, when some of the tech companies that make these wearables launched their own AI health coaches.

In October 2025, Google debuted its version called Coach, powered by Gemini AI, for US Fitbit Premium subscribers on Android. However, the October launch was just a preview, with the company requesting feedback from early adopters. This February, Google expanded the public Coach preview to include iOS users and Fitbit Premium members in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Google announced Tuesday at its annual The Check Up health event that it’s adding additional features to its all-in-one fitness trainer, sleep coach and health advisor.

Improved sleep insights and scoring

For sleep tracking, the company’s most significant update yet delivers a 15% increase in sleep stage accuracy, based on comparisons between its latest and previous algorithms across compatible Pixel and Fitbit devices.

The current model will now also be better able to differentiate between when you’re trying to sleep and when you’re actually asleep. It can detect when you’re napping, when your sleep has been interrupted or when you’re transitioning between sleep stages.

In a few weeks, these enhancements will all contribute to a revamped Sleep Score that won’t just focus on how much sleep you got, but on how much time it took you to get that sleep. Because it has more sleep data to work with, Coach will be able to provide more informed insights and recommendations for better sleep.

Medical record availability

In April, US subscribers will be able to link their medical records, such as medications, lab results and doctor visit history, in the Fitbit app.

This feature was created in collaboration with B. Well Connected Health, an AI-powered digital health platform that aggregates health data from different providers, and Clear, the identity verification platform known from airport security.

In the Fitbit app, you can search for your doctor and then link to their member portal. Or if you use Clear to verify your identity with a selfie and a valid ID, it will search for medical records on your behalf. Availability will depend on your provider.

Fitbit’s Coach can then use your medical history to create more personalized guidance that combines your lab results, data collected by your Fitbit and any other relevant information it collects from your records. In several months, users will be able to share these records and summaries with their provider or family members using a QR code or Smart Health Link URL.

Privacy is always a concern

Privacy experts caution people to think twice before uploading medical information into an AI tool.

Fitbit says it securely stores your medical records and that you control how your data is used, whether it’s shared and whether it’s deleted. The company also says your medical records won’t be used for ads.

AI health coaches are not a replacement for a doctor, as they can’t diagnose or treat medical conditions. You shouldn’t make any changes to your lifestyle or health routine without consulting your own doctor.

The future of Fitbit’s personal health coach

Google also announced that it’s investing in health research on topics such as predicting insulin resistance using data collected by wearables, hypertension and learning more about how AI performs in virtual care settings. These study topics help us get a sense of what Google may have in store for future Fitbit updates.

In April, Fitbit members in the public preview will also be able to connect a continuous glucose monitor to the Fitbit app via Health Connect. This feature lets you see all your health data from compatible apps in one place. According to a Google representative, any CGM that supports a Health Connect integration will be included, including Dexcom and Abbott Lingo. With this connection, Fitbit members can ask their Coach for more information about how their workouts or meal choices affect their glucose levels.

Technologies

Ring Finally Goes Wire-Free for Its Latest 4K Video Doorbells

The launch of battery-powered versions of the company’s powerful AI doorbells has been highly anticipated.

Security company Ring on Wednesday announced a significant expansion of its video doorbell line, notably battery-powered versions of both its 4K and 2K models, priced from $80.

Both Amazon’s Ring and Google Nest debuted high-resolution video doorbells with new AI features in the fall of 2025. But they were wired only, and in my tests, I kept thinking, «I sure wish there were battery models available.»

Wireless video doorbells are far better for most front doors than models that require connecting to your existing doorbell wiring, which is often poorly positioned for a security camera. Mine, for example, is located on a wall beside my door that’s useless for any kind of video views, no matter how you angle a lens.

«Enhancing image quality in battery-powered doorbells means customers can enjoy reliable performance with the flexibility to install devices in a way that suits their space, whether renting or living in homes without existing wiring,» a Ring spokesperson said.

At first, I wondered whether the higher 4K resolutions and more advanced AI features would use too much power to support batteries. If so, Ring is the first to fix that issue with this suite of doorbells, including these models available for preorder right now:

Ring Battery Doorbell Pro — $250: This model offers up to 4K resolution and 10x zoom, and Ring says it features a redesigned internal architecture to support battery power.
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus (2nd-gen) — $180: This model includes a quick-release battery pack along with 2K video.
Ring Battery Doorbell (2nd-gen) — $100: This video doorbell includes 2K video, a 6x zoom and what Ring calls a «streamlined, rechargeable design,» which means you take the entire video doorbell to charge it, not just the battery — a design I greatly prefer, since Ring’s battery packs can get fiddly.

There’s also a new version of a Ring wired doorbell with 2K resolution, starting at $80. It wouldn’t be Ring without a plethora of doorbell devices to confuse newcomers, which is why I have a guide specifically for Ring video doorbells that will need some updating once I finish testing these new models.

Resolution plus an intelligence upgrade

Ring’s ordinary subscriptions of the Ring Protect plan give you cloud video storage and intelligent alerts for people, packages and vehicles, which are important but not really advanced AI. But spring for the $20-per-month Ring AI Pro cam, and this new generation of cameras opens up other capabilities.

Ring’s AI features include AI video descriptions, so if you get an alert, you can also get a summary of what the doorbell saw, including people and activities. A similar feature lets you search your video history with specific terms, such as «bike,» «truck» and so on. You also get the beta version of Ring’s Familiar Faces feature, which can ID logged faces of people who approach.

If these AI features make you uneasy and you’d rather protect your privacy, the best option is to avoid a subscription altogether or choose a lower-tier plan that gives you cloud storage without AI.

I also have a guide on how to turn off Ring’s detection and data-sharing features that might make you nervous, so you can keep what you like while ditching what you don’t.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, March 26

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 26.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Baseball is back! You’ll see baseball images patterned throughout today’s Mini Crossword grid, and when you solve the puzzle, they’ll spell out a certain word. Play ball! Er, read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Degrees for boardroom execs
Answer: MBAS

5A clue: «___ want for Christmas …»
Answer: ALLI

6A clue: What Hamlet holds while giving his «Alas, poor Yorick!» speech
Answer: SKULL

7A clue: Wild, as an animal
Answer: FERAL

8A clue: Sphere
Answer: ORB

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Word after «match» or «mischief»
Answer: MAKER

2D clue: Bit of writing on a book jacket
Answer: BLURB

3D clue: Penne ___ vodka
Answer: ALLA

4D clue: Window ledge
Answer: SILL

6D clue: Bay Area airport, for short
Answer: SFO

Technologies

McDonald’s KPop Demon Hunter Meals Include Bright Purple Nugget Sauce

The Derpy McFlurry mixes popping boba pearls and berry sauce into a soft-serve dessert.

McDonald’s has seen success with themed combo meals, including its holiday Grinch Meal. Now, the fast-food chain is capitalizing on Netflix’s Oscar-winning animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, with new upcoming menu items and both a breakfast meal and a lunch/dinner offering. Let’s hope you like the color purple.

The HUNTR/X Meal, named for the K-pop girl group in the movie, is a 10-piece chicken McNuggets meal that includes a medium drink and three special menu items.

Ramyeon McShaker fries come with a small bag of soy, garlic, sesame and spice seasoning, along with regular McDonald’s french fries. You sprinkle the seasoning into the provided bag, dump in the fries, shake it all up and eat.

The meal includes two new sauces for the fries and nuggets. Hunter sauce is a sweet chili sauce mixing notes of chili, garlic and pepper. But my favorite item on this new menu is Demon sauce, a bold mustard sauce with some heat and a bold purple color. There’s just not enough dark purple food out there.

There’s also a new dessert, the Derpy McFlurry, which blends creamy vanilla soft serve with berry-flavored popping boba pearls, served with a swirl of wild berry sauce. McDonald’s named it for the supernatural feline, Derpy Tiger, from the movie.

If breakfast is your bag, the new morning meal is the Saja Boys Breakfast Meal, named for the movie’s boy band.

It includes a Spicy Saja McMuffin sandwich, which is a sausage McMuffin with egg and a spicy Saja sauce, hash browns and a small drink.

Both meals come with a photocard for one of the bands and a Derpy card. The Derpy card includes a QR code you can scan to unlock online content about the film.

The full KPop Demon Hunters menu should be available at participating McDonald’s beginning March 31.

The McDonald’s Grinch meal (and its accompanying patterned socks) sold out quickly, so KPop Demon Hunters fans may want to mark their calendars and nab a meal when they are released.