TechGADGET REVIEW

AlterMe's DNA ring: habits improved, genetic insights thin

The reviewer says six months with the smart ring and app improved his habits, though its genetic insights told him less than he expected; the ring keeps nagging.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Newsroom
Published 11:56 AM ET, Monday, October 12, 2026

Photo: Maurizio Pesce from Milan, Italia · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Newsroom at 11:56 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Wired's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Smart ring — Photo: Maurizio Pesce from Milan, Italia · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by Wired: “AlterMe Review: Fitness Built Around My DNA”.
Covered on BBN on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 11:56 AM ET on BBN Newsroom, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield; aired 2 times.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WiredAlterMe Review: Fitness Built Around My DNA

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWired's reviewer wore AlterMe's smart ring for six months, and says it helped him build better habits, but the genetic insights were less revealing than he'd hoped.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it read his DNA and basically said, sleep more? I'd pay for that.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentPros: it nagged him on schedule. Cons: the genetics told him little, and it's a ring, so it's on your finger while it judges you.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentTwo and a half stars.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentHalf a star for the nagging, then.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAnd I suspect it's listening. A ring that knows your genes and your bedtime knows exactly when you lie to it.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentHonestly, a ring that calls me out sounds like a friend. Put it in my cart.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentChip's next, and I hear he has a strip mall that needs a ring.

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