Comparison
Looking for a Humane AI Pin alternative?
The AI Pin promised a computer you wear instead of a phone. Its service ended in February 2025. We are building something in the same family, so we read what went wrong closely.
In short. The AI Pin cost $699 plus $24 a month and tried to replace the phone in one go. Its service ended on 28 February 2025, after HP bought the company’s assets. If you want an AI device today, look for one that does a few things well, tells you its real numbers, and keeps working if its maker changes course.
What happened
Humane launched the AI Pin in 2024: a small square device clipped to your clothes, with a camera, its own mobile line, a voice assistant and a laser that projected text onto your palm. Reviews found it slow, warm and short on battery, and the projection hard to read in daylight. In February 2025, HP bought Humane’s assets for $116 million, and the AI Pin’s service ended on 28 February. Source: TechCrunch.
What we took from it
- Do a few things very well. Lychnos Ring starts with the small, frequent things: the next meeting, the mail that matters, a reminder, a quick answer, a yes or a no.
- Say what is tested and what is not. Our build log tells what we test, including what failed, and we will publish measured battery life before we ask you for the rest of the price.
- Make it survive its maker. The ring’s firmware, the app and the protocol will be open source under Apache-2.0, and you can plug in your own AI provider.
- Price it honestly. The ring is expected at €299 with a plan of €9.99 a month for the first buyers.
What to look for in an AI wearable now
- Does it need your phone nearby, and if not, how does it connect?
- Where does the answer come back: a screen, a speaker, your earbuds, an app?
- What does the plan cost, and what still works without it?
- Is the microphone on all the time, or only when you choose?
- Can it keep working, or be repaired, if the company changes course?
We compare the voice rings you can read about today in AI rings, compared.