Latest news with #Bluetooth-connected
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Indian Express
I replaced my Logitech MX Master 3 with the Otek BM09 AI mouse: Here's how it went
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives – from the way we work to how we use devices like smartphones and computers. Unsurprisingly, the forthcoming products that are expected to get smarter are PC accessories like keyboards and mice. A few weeks ago, I came across a new mouse that had an integrated AI button, which piqued my curiosity about how an AI-enabled mouse could transform my everyday workflow, which involves writing a lot of text and scouring the web. I replaced my Logitech MX Master 3, one of the best mice ever made for productivity, with Otek's BM09, a smarter mouse with a built-in AI button, and here's how it went. The Otek BM09 is a sleek and lean mouse that is very comfortable for long browsing sessions. To give you a quick reference, I have medium-sized hands, which means using a large mouse requires either a lot of effort or practice. And while the Logitech MX Master 3 is pretty large, the ergonomics of that mouse are almost unbeatable. It has subtle curves that feel easy to hold, and even if you have medium-sized hands like me, reaching and pressing the left and right buttons is easy. The buttons themselves are very clicky but make very little noise, meaning you or anyone around you won't be bothered by constant clicking sounds. I received the white variant of the Otek BM09, which is good to look at, but like all white-coloured gadgets, prone to dust and stains. It is made from plastic that doesn't feel cheap and is easy to clean, thanks to its glossy finish. On top, you get a matte finish scroll wheel that is smooth to use. Below it, you get a button that lets you take screenshots of what's on the screen and another button labelled 'AI', which gives you quick access to Otek's AI feature suite. (more on that later) The right side of the mouse features the usual forward and back buttons, which also double up as text-to-speech and translation buttons. Both the text-to-speech and translation features work as expected most of the time and are really handy if you are someone who uses their PC with voice control or want a quick way to translate text. On the bottom, you get the power on/off switch and the option to switch between two Bluetooth-connected devices. If you don't like or have Bluetooth on your PC, simply plug in the USB-A dongle, which can be taken out from the bottom of the mouse's body, and you are good to go. For productivity purposes, the sensor is pretty good and you will have no problem using it for doing things like giving presentations, jumping between text or scrolling and other work or casual use, but if you are going to use it for gaming, which I did once, keep in mind that the tracking isn't on par with most gaming mice that cost a quarter or even half of this mouse. Even after hours of use, I felt no wrist pain, which is surprising since I am accustomed to one of the most ergonomic non-vertical mice on the market. If you don't play games or care about sensor or cursor tracking, this is an easy recommendation. The USP of this mouse is the AI button, which gives you quick access to Otek's AI feature suite. These AI features can help with anything you think of, be it rewriting text, summarising an article, translating text, or even asking the AI chatbot random questions. The software might look pretty dated by modern standards but it is quite fast and easy to use. On the left panel, you get the option to use OtekAI, a custom GPT-powered chatbot that is quite useful for general queries, but its knowledge is limited to 2023, with no option to access the internet. Other options include AI Writing, AI PPT, AI Excel, AI Image and AI Assistants. The first two are pretty much straightforward to use, and I can't comment on the quality of the generated PPTs and Excel sheets. Aptly named AI Image, the option lets you generate images from scratch in different styles and resolutions with a simple text prompt. Under AI Assistants, you get features like Summarisation, Proofreading and OCR, which work as expected. The Otek BM09 is quite lightweight, weighing under 100 grams and has a bunch of features that include one-click access to some AI-powered ones, which, depending on your work, may or may not be useful for you. If you are someone who wants a sleek and premium-feeling mouse that isn't large like Logitech's MX Master 3, the Otek BM09 might be a good choice. But I feel more tech-savvy users might find the AI button gimmicky at best, as mouse buttons can be remapped to launch custom shortcuts and apps like ChatGPT. However, those looking to use the AI button for features like image generation, rewriting text, drafting emails, and applications and generating Excel sheets and PPTs might find it really useful. For Rs 4,999, I feel like the Otek BM09 is worth it if the AI features and buttons on it are useful on a daily basis, but if you are looking for a more accurate sensor or mouse with even more buttons or features like a horizontal scroll bar, there are better alternatives out there. Anurag Chawake is a Senior Sub-Editor at His fascination with technology and computers goes back to the days of Windows 98. Since then, he has been tinkering with various operating systems, mobile phones, and other things. Anurag usually writes on a wide range of topics including Android, gaming, and PC hardware among other things related to consumer tech. His Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn user name is antechx. ... Read More
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Top Northwest Benefits Firm Catches Health Issues Early with Reperio Health's At-Home Screening and On-Demand Virtual Care Solution
PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Reperio Health and The Partners Group (TPG) announced successful clinical and employee satisfaction outcomes from the implementation of ReperioCare™, the first at-home preventive health screening solution with instant results and real-time clinical consultations. TPG's rollout of ReperioCare™ led to increased employee health engagement, early disease detection, and better preventive care accessibility. These findings show that an innovative care model can close a critical gap in American health care that employers and health plans struggle with due to shrinking provider networks and the startling rise of chronic disease across our nation. By making annual wellness exams with instant results from Reperio's kit as simple as a one-hour experience at home, we've eliminated traditional barriers while providing our team with immediate, actionable insights about their health status. Share ReperioCare™ combines Reperio Health's clinical-grade at-home health screening kit with an immediate virtual clinical consultation at the point of care. In total, the process takes less than an hour and proves highly effective for hybrid and hard-to-reach workforces. Reperio Health's kits contain FDA-cleared, Bluetooth-connected medical devices that pair with a user-friendly mobile app, delivering instant results for blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index, relative fat mass, blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. According to survey data from participating TPG employees: Condition discovery: 23% of participants discovered underlying health conditions they weren't previously aware of, with immediate intervention by ReperioCare™ clinicians Preference for at-home preventive care: 81% of participants would choose the at-home screening and virtual visit experience over traditional in-person appointments Customer experience score: The experience was rated 9.1 out of 10, signaling exceptional customer satisfaction Empowerment and proactivity: 81% reported feeling more empowered to take control of their health following the ReperioCare™ experience Virtual care experience: 94% rated their virtual care provider as "excellent", demonstrating high clinical satisfaction "TPG is proud to have partnered with Reperio Health to build a culture of health through ReperioCare™," said Karla Thommen, Managing Director of People Operations at The Partners Group. "The results speak for themselves—our employees not only embraced this innovative approach to preventive care, but they're now more engaged with their health than ever before. By making annual wellness exams with instant results from Reperio's kit as simple as a one-hour experience at home, we've eliminated traditional barriers while providing our team with immediate, actionable insights about their health status." Today, three out of every five Americans have a chronic condition, and a significant portion of them do not know it. For employers, this gap creates substantial costs. A representative 1,000-employee organization faces more than $482,000 annually in avoidable expenses from undiagnosed conditions, and the main obstacle to identifying and treating these conditions is often a logistical barrier rather than employee disinterest. The 2024 State of Wellness Matters Aflac study found that 77 percent of employees have postponed screenings due to scheduling conflicts and access challenges. With the average wait time to see a primary care doctor at 38 days, traditional preventive care delivery models create insurmountable obstacles for busy employees who mistakenly assume they are healthy. "We're seeing a fundamental shift in how preventive care can be delivered at scale," said Naomi Levinthal, Chief Growth Officer at Reperio Health. "Consumers have raised the bar for convenience and speed. If you can meet that high standard, you can unlock incredible cost savings for employers and payers and better health for patients and their families.' Reperio Health contracts directly with employers and health plans, and offers kits for anyone to order through their website. These kits are already in use today nationwide, with the virtual visit component, ReperioCare™, available in select markets. The company recently closed a $14 million funding round that will expand this virtual component nationwide. About Reperio Health Reperio Health is the only provider of at-home and on-site comprehensive health screenings with instant results. An innovation in preventive care, Reperio's patented technology pairs a mobile app with FDA-cleared devices, bringing a consumer-grade experience to biometric screenings. Clients are empowered by metrics-driven insights and HIPAA-compliant data integration to bolster their wellness, benefits and population health management offerings. Clients working with Reperio have increased screening participation rates by more than 200 percent and achieved a 95 percent satisfaction rate, driving four to eight times the cost savings and return-on-investment. Reperio is headquartered in Portland, OR, with partners and clients worldwide. For more information, visit Founded in 1981, The Partners Group has been serving the financial and insurance needs of employers, medical professionals, and successful individuals for over 30 years. We are an independent consulting firm with services including employee benefits, business consulting, retirement planning and investment services, commercial and individual insurance. The Partners Group has offices in Bellevue, WA; Portland, OR; Lake Oswego, OR; Bend, OR; and Bozeman, MT. For more information, please visit
Buzz Feed
05-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
15 "Normal" Things That Secretly Annoy People
Everyone has that one thing (or multiple things) that may seem completely normal and non-irritable to anyone else, but to you, it's enough to drive you up a wall. So, when Reddit user u/Advanced-Tell-9958 asked the question, "What's something 'normal' you just can't stand?" In r/CasualConversation, I knew it would bring out some pretty passionately irritated people: "Other people brushing their teeth, even on TV. Not sure why, but it makes me feel like gagging." "Anything spinning or rocking that makes a noise and won't fucking stop. A pot lid rocking back and forth on the counter or spinning on the ground after you drop it is absolutely infuriating." "Barking dogs. Not just a bark, but nonstop, incessant yapping and barking. If you're an asshole owner, I will let you know. Secondly, people who say dogs are supposed to bark whenever they want. I have three dogs. They behave. Dogs are like kids. If you let them make their own rules, they will. Sure, a bark at UPS, okay, thanks for protecting me. Now NO!" "I absolutely hate it when someone stands in my peripheral vision or in the doorway of a room I'm in, it makes me feel weirdly cornered. Probably has to do with my anxiety." "When people are loud/sloppy eaters. I used to try blocking it out. I still do, but it genuinely makes me so uncomfortable that I start to get mad. It's just gross. No way you can't hear yourself smacking and feel that your mouth is wide open. Also, the scraping of a fork on their teeth… Why?" "People who walk dragging their feet. Like, pick up your feet and don't scrape those shoes, flip-flops, or slides." "Tapping fingernails on the counter. Working retail, it feels like a quiet, impatient, unspoken 'hurry up!' to me. Feels rude." "Smelling other people's house smell on them in public. When someone walks by me and I catch a waft of their house smell, I feel violated lol. It's completely unreasonable, but I don't like it." "The sound of keys jingling. I carry my keys on my belt loop usually and have to stuff them in my pocket when I'm at work because the noise makes me want to scream otherwise. I had one job where we had to carry our keys on our belt and weren't allowed to just have them in our pocket or hand, so I would put them on my belt and then use the attached cord to stuff them in my pocket and just pull them out if the boss came by." "There are ads on TV or online for apps or channels that will play a certain type of tone or sound (white or 'brown' noise) that they claim will relax your brain or help silence it or whatever. Nope. Fuck right off with your staticky snake oil nonsense. Those sounds are nails on a chalkboard to me and poke right at my rage centre... an admittedly extreme and out-of-character reaction." "New car smell. Especially when it's very leathery and plasticky. It triggers my carsickness." "When someone has a phone call that's Bluetooth-connected through their car, so you can hear the caller's side coming in through their radio speakers. I don't want to hear it, AND phone calls sound universally terrible through car speakers because a phone microphone isn't calibrated for that kind of transmission and playback." "I don't know why, but 'kissing sounds' on TV. I don't mind kissing; I love kissing! But the smacking sounds of it on TV gross me out. It's probably related to the way I hate food-smacking sounds." "For me, it's kids. I actually love kids and have three nephews and a niece who make up each of the four sections of my heart. But other people's kids, especially in places that I consider 'adult/not kid-friendly.' Public transportation, beaches, supermarkets without the kiddy play area, movie theaters after sunset, restaurants that aren't like Chuck E. Cheese's, and even streets outside of a residential area/school zone. I don't mind mild-mannered kids minding their own business or even older kids, say, two-digit aged. But most kids aren't that way, and that completely ruins the experience for me." And finally, as a person who lives in a big or "touristy" city, here's one that also grinds my gears: "People ramming through the city totally clueless and without any perception of their surroundings. They knock into each other and into things standing around, and they don't seem to care at all. Some of them even stop, turn around 180°, and start walking again while you're right behind them." Are there perfectly "normal" things that you really can't stand and want to share? Let out all those frustrations down in the comments!
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reperio Health Closes $14M Funding Round to Bring Their At-Home Preventive Care Solution to All 50 States
Company has tripled preventive care participation rates and is now expanding its AI-assisted, real-time virtual care feature nationwide. PORTLAND, Ore., May 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reperio Health, the only provider of at-home and onsite comprehensive health screenings with instant results, announced today that it has successfully closed a $14 million funding round, led by Nashville-based Caduceus Capital Partners. Caduceus Capital Partners' leadership of this round will help Reperio bring its proven model of convenient at-home preventive screenings with instant results and seamless on-demand virtual care nationwide. By launching innovative new partnerships with employers and health plans, Reperio will help more Americans get vital preventive health care at a crucial time, as provider access has plummeted and existing virtual health and at-home testing solutions have failed to bridge the gap. While many incumbents in the industry have attempted to retrofit older business models through methods like mergers and acquisitions to meet current consumer demands, Reperio offers consumers an unparalleled experience built from the ground up with convenience and advances in AI at the core. This fundraise will enable Reperio to build on their successes as they scale ReperioCareTM, which now allows an end-user to engage with a clinician immediately at the conclusion of their screening, eliminating the gaps in care that result from asking people to wait for days or weeks for lab results and to then re-engage. The clinician can then review the findings and establish personalized health insights. This real-time virtual consultation following a screening is globally unique to Reperio: the at-home preventive care experience is on-demand, data-driven, and hyper-personalized to the end-user. "Three out of every five Americans are walking around today with an undiagnosed and untreated chronic condition," said Travis Rush, CEO and co-founder of Reperio. "That's unsustainable for our health care system's finances, and unacceptable for those patients and their families. At Reperio, we're not tinkering around the edges - we've created an entirely new model of virtual and preventive care that helps more people get the care they need, and we're going to make sure it reaches as many Americans as possible." Reperio provides each patient or member with a comprehensive at-home screening kit containing FDA-cleared, Bluetooth-connected medical devices that pair with a user-friendly mobile app. This app guides the end-user through a complete preventive care screening in the comfort of their own home. They get results instantly for blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index, relative fat mass, blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Their solution also simultaneously reduces strain on providers and the health care system at large by enabling a built-in AI-assistant to quickly analyze data, provide insights and follow-up recommendations, ultimately saving them time without sacrificing quality of care. "When we first invested in Reperio, we were intrigued by the team's deep commitment to consumer convenience and experience," said Dave Vreeland, Senior Managing Partner, of Caduceus Capital Partners. "Existing at-home tests all too often rely on outdated lab-based services that come with high costs and long wait times. But with Reperio, we have seen a new dawn in the testing experience. Reperio Health's clients have seen their participation rates in preventive screenings jump by more than 200 percent - drawing anywhere from four to eight times the return-on-investment. Reperio has delivered on their promise, proven product-market fit, and now it's time to pour gasoline on this game-changing model as they expand their on-demand virtual visits nationwide." Reperio kits are sponsored by health plans and employers, usually at no cost to their members and/or employees. Reperio has perfected their client experience over more than 40 launches and thousands of screenings in just 18 months of commercialization and achieved a near-perfect renewal rate. The less-than-30-minute test has earned a 95 percent customer satisfaction rate. To learn more about Reperio, visit ABOUT REPERIO HEALTH Reperio Health is the only provider of at-home and onsite comprehensive health screenings with instant results. An innovation in preventive care, Reperio's patented technology pairs a mobile app with FDA-cleared devices, bringing a consumer-grade experience to biometric screenings. Clients are empowered by metrics-driven insights and HIPAA-compliant data integration to bolster their wellness, benefits and population health management offerings. Clients working with Reperio have increased screening participation rates by more than 200 percent and achieved a 95 percent satisfaction rate, driving four to eight times the cost-savings and return-on-investment. Reperio is headquartered in Portland, OR, with partners and clients worldwide. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts For more information: Kala Weekskala.w@ 440-417-2316 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Reperio Health Closes $14M Funding Round to Bring Their At-Home Preventive Care Solution to All 50 States
PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reperio Health, the only provider of at-home and onsite comprehensive health screenings with instant results, announced today that it has successfully closed a $14 million funding round, led by Nashville-based Caduceus Capital Partners. At Reperio, we're not tinkering around the edges - we've created an entirely new model of virtual and preventive care that helps more people get the care they need, and we're going to make sure it reaches as many Americans as possible. Caduceus Capital Partners' leadership of this round will help Reperio bring its proven model of convenient at-home preventive screenings with instant results and seamless on-demand virtual care nationwide. By launching innovative new partnerships with employers and health plans, Reperio will help more Americans get vital preventive health care at a crucial time, as provider access has plummeted and existing virtual health and at-home testing solutions have failed to bridge the gap. While many incumbents in the industry have attempted to retrofit older business models through methods like mergers and acquisitions to meet current consumer demands, Reperio offers consumers an unparalleled experience built from the ground up with convenience and advances in AI at the core. This fundraise will enable Reperio to build on their successes as they scale ReperioCare TM, which now allows an end-user to engage with a clinician immediately at the conclusion of their screening, eliminating the gaps in care that result from asking people to wait for days or weeks for lab results and to then re-engage. The clinician can then review the findings and establish personalized health insights. This real-time virtual consultation following a screening is globally unique to Reperio: the at-home preventive care experience is on-demand, data-driven, and hyper-personalized to the end-user. 'Three out of every five Americans are walking around today with an undiagnosed and untreated chronic condition,' said Travis Rush, CEO and co-founder of Reperio. 'That's unsustainable for our health care system's finances, and unacceptable for those patients and their families. At Reperio, we're not tinkering around the edges - we've created an entirely new model of virtual and preventive care that helps more people get the care they need, and we're going to make sure it reaches as many Americans as possible.' Reperio provides each patient or member with a comprehensive at-home screening kit containing FDA-cleared, Bluetooth-connected medical devices that pair with a user-friendly mobile app. This app guides the end-user through a complete preventive care screening in the comfort of their own home. They get results instantly for blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index, relative fat mass, blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Their solution also simultaneously reduces strain on providers and the health care system at large by enabling a built-in AI-assistant to quickly analyze data, provide insights and follow-up recommendations, ultimately saving them time without sacrificing quality of care. 'When we first invested in Reperio, we were intrigued by the team's deep commitment to consumer convenience and experience,' said Dave Vreeland, Senior Managing Partner, of Caduceus Capital Partners. 'Existing at-home tests all too often rely on outdated lab-based services that come with high costs and long wait times. But with Reperio, we have seen a new dawn in the testing experience. Reperio Health's clients have seen their participation rates in preventive screenings jump by more than 200 percent - drawing anywhere from four to eight times the return-on-investment. Reperio has delivered on their promise, proven product-market fit, and now it's time to pour gasoline on this game-changing model as they expand their on-demand virtual visits nationwide.' Reperio kits are sponsored by health plans and employers, usually at no cost to their members and/or employees. Reperio has perfected their client experience over more than 40 launches and thousands of screenings in just 18 months of commercialization and achieved a near-perfect renewal rate. The less-than-30-minute test has earned a 95 percent customer satisfaction rate. To learn more about Reperio, visit Reperio Health is the only provider of at-home and onsite comprehensive health screenings with instant results. An innovation in preventive care, Reperio's patented technology pairs a mobile app with FDA-cleared devices, bringing a consumer-grade experience to biometric screenings. Clients are empowered by metrics-driven insights and HIPAA-compliant data integration to bolster their wellness, benefits and population health management offerings. Clients working with Reperio have increased screening participation rates by more than 200 percent and achieved a 95 percent satisfaction rate, driving four to eight times the cost-savings and return-on-investment. Reperio is headquartered in Portland, OR, with partners and clients worldwide. For more information, visit
