Review of the "smart" ring Jakcom R3. Jakcom Smart Ring R3

The editors would like to thank the Gearbest.com online store for kindly providing the ring for review.

The wondrous world of Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms sometimes shows such strange devices (take, for example, the Fidget Cube or heated insoles) that you can’t immediately appreciate how viable they are. When they are copied by Chinese factories, it seems that this is a direct application for success. For example, this was the case with the Fidget Cube trinket. And so it happened with the NFC Ring project, which in the Chinese version turned into the Jakcom Smart Ring R3F NFC ring and came to our review straight from China. In his review, we figure out whether the idea of ​​​​a “smart” NFC ring and its Chinese incarnation are so good.

This is a Chinese allusion to the NFC Ring, which raised £240,000 on Kickstarter to bring it to life. The original was launched in 2013, and it was possible to get it by contributing £22 or more to the project (only a ring was supposed to be a minimum amount, a version for people with thumbs required a donation of £25). Jakcom Smart Ring R3F, the Chinese younger brother, will cost half as much, that is, $ 12 (800 rubles or 310 hryvnias).

For those who want to know more

This is a presentation of the original NFC Ring that talks about the possibilities of the ring (in English, subtitles and with a lot of chatter).

And here is the Jakcom promo video (also in English and it has a lot of text), apparently, the differences from the prototype are cosmetic.

R3F has two brothers: R3, the difference with which we will talk later, and MJ02, a model that is mentioned only when loading the application and it is difficult to find additional information.

And what does it look like?

The designers who worked on the Jakcom Smart Ring R3F were definitely inspired by the NFC Ring, the rings are very similar in appearance. NFC Ring renders hint that it looks more expensive and more interesting, although we did not have the opportunity to see it live, so we cannot say 100%.

Jakcom Smart Ring R3F looks budget. Like the once popular (in my adolescence so for sure) rings for teenagers, which supposedly changed color depending on the mood of the wearer.

The manufacturer claims that it uses only environmentally friendly and extremely useful materials in its rings. Among them are germanium, volcanic magma, a certain FIR Energy Stone from Korea (available only in the older R3 model), as well as ginseng root, black cat ear and rainbow trout offal caught at midnight at the crossroads of seven roads.

We had a black ring on the review. Outside, it is glossy, there are silvery rims around the edges. The upper part is subject to scratches, but they are almost invisible. The interior is made as if from polished steel. It has two blotches of black and red. Jakcom Smart Ring R3F is also available in white. It differs from the R3 model, in addition to the color and the absence of the Korean miracle stone, in smaller sizes (or the presence of versions with a smaller diameter, it is not clear from the description on the site), a large number of settings for the NFC chip, “more fashionable” and “more fun” ( This is a quote from the manufacturer's website.

Sizes - from 7 to 12, diameter depending on the size - 54-70 millimeters. Size 7 came to us for review. Suitable for a man's little finger. On the average female pen, it will be just right on the nameless one. Since we haven’t seen the entire line, we don’t know what the dimensional accuracy is in reality: everything is human or like with XXXXL down jackets on Aliexpress, which are just right except for our M-ku. Intuition tells you that everything should be fine - Jackom has a large line of devices and a site with descriptions in good English, but the "more fashionable" design and the "energy stone" in the characteristics of the device are alarming.

By the way, red and black blotches are not only a universal remedy for all diseases and to increase immunity, but also the location of the chips. They are voluminous, but in practice the finger gets used to them so much that you still have to twist the ring blindly to find the right point. But the position of the red and black dots can be determined by the stripes on the rim of the ring: one for the red and two for the black.

Can you take a shower with him?

The case is protected from dust and moisture according to the IP68 standard. During testing, the device was in contact with water, there were no unpleasant consequences. According to the description, the ring should easily endure falls (height not specified).

And what can it do?

Jakcom Smart Ring R3F can transmit information or trigger a specific action. Open programs, lock / unlock the device, share business cards or messages, replace a pass, travel card and other IC cards. The NXP Smart CDX chip is responsible for performing functions related to opening smart locks, passing public transport, and similar operations. The manufacturer's website states that the chip can simulate and completely copy all kinds of IC/ID cards. Interaction with smartphones takes place via NFC using the NXP Ntag 21x chip. The manufacturer claims that it stores information for 10 years, survives 100,000 rewriting cycles and transmits information at a speed of 106 kb/s. Paired with a smartphone, the device is ready to perform only two actions.

Even if you do not understand English, but watched the video at the beginning of this review, you probably learned from it that the Jakcom Smart Ring R3F is practically a ring of omnipotence. Something like this is true, but for the magic to work, several conditions are necessary.

First, install the application on your smartphone (there is a QR code for downloading on the package, you can find it on Google Play, but the name is written in hieroglyphs), figure out the settings and select the functions that you want to use.

Secondly, find him companions with whom the ring will work. Ideally, you should have an Android smartphone with NFC support - this is the only way the capabilities of the gadget are fully revealed. In general, the device is compatible with both iOS and Windows Phone. But NFC on the iPhone is closed to third-party apps, so the ring can't be used to unlock the device and protect apps, and other NFC features. But in the ring management application, you can only edit the data that the Jakcom Smart Ring R3F will send to other devices. There is no such problem with Windows Phone, although the possibilities for this platform are limited compared to Android (presumably the platform itself). If your Android or Windows smartphone does not have NFC, the ring can still be connected. And, as with the iPhone, use with other devices. Here is a general list of features for all platforms.

The application menu is in English. No surprises in the form of untranslated hieroglyphs. All types of tags are divided into two groups: those that are designed to perform an action on the owner's smartphone, and those that are designed to perform an action on another device.

In fact, there are a lot of them, to put it mildly. From launching a gallery, a specific track or video, to sending a business card and replacing cards. All of them are in the screenshots below. Of the shortcomings, we managed to find that the launch of music implies one melody, and not a playlist. And few characters are placed in the “name” field (the screenshot below shows how Captain Obvious suffered for the truth).

Since I don’t have “smart” locks at home, it was not possible to test how convenient it is to open the door with such a miracle gadget. But it feels like Jakcom Smart Ring R3F is the best fit for this task (although, perhaps, its healing properties were undeservedly overlooked during testing).

The description of the device states that it can serve as a replacement for a bank card, a discount card in a supermarket, a metro pass, and many other things. But an attempt to link a bank card was unsuccessful, just like a loyalty program card - either the settings are not so obvious to do this, or this feature simply does not work. To be honest, the idea of ​​taking such a risk with a bank card seems dubious - the manufacturer is not so well known to trust him with such data.

The ability to transfer business cards and files from the ring is good on paper - in practice, it's hard for me to imagine this situation in action, if only because NFC is not such a common thing. In the business environment, there are many iPhone users among those who can afford it, while pragmatists and low-level clerks use cheap "Chinese" who have not heard anything about NFC. And, to be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine a person in an expensive suit with such a thing on his arm - it looks too cheap.

In use with your own smartphone, everything is also not so smooth. It is inconvenient when the ring is constantly in contact with NFC, and the phone makes sounds or performs programmed actions. You can, of course, carry the Jakcom Smart Ring R3F in your pocket and take it out only when it is required to “decrypt” the application. But to put the ring on the finger with the right side, you need to spend time.

How long does it work?

Jakcom Smart Ring R3F does not need to be charged. It will work, presumably, until force majeure circumstances separate you.

In the dry matter

After getting acquainted with the device, I left with the feeling that the NFC ring is a pampering that is not worth the money (even if it was $ 5), regardless of where its manufacturer comes from. First, it looks like it. Unless you're a minor who wants to dress up to be allowed into bars, or an 80th level hereditary magician and seer with the right paraphernalia, this thing will look ridiculous on you. Secondly, using a smartphone with NFC enabled when there is a ring on your finger is inconvenient. Thirdly, exchanging data with other people's devices does not look so elegant - most likely you will persuade them to turn on NFC for a long time and explain why, look for this option in the menu and in the end you will understand that it will not work with their "iPhone". I see only one condition under which the ring will be useful - this is the use as a key to a "smart" lock or a pass card. Since the ring on the finger reduces unnecessary movements, eliminating the need to get personal items in public places, and even when your hands are busy.

2 reasons to buy Jakcom Smart Ring R3F:

• you are interested in trying a new “toy”, and you are ready to spend money on it;
• you would like to find a convenient replacement for the “key” to your office or home.

3 reasons not to buy Jakcom Smart Ring R3F:

• the ring looks budget;
• most likely, you will quickly play enough and put off the purchase in a distant box;
• the ring constantly interferes with the use of a smartphone if it has NFC and it is turned on.

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Sergei Buneev,

Smart watches, not having time to really appear on the market, are already gradually fading into the shadows. And the point is not at all that regressive humanity prefers the good old smartphone to new gadgets: the recently appeared smart rings are too strong (and stylish) competitor. In this article, we have collected for you five of the most technologically advanced and fashionable smart rings.

Smarty Ring

The small, LED display of the ring shows information about any alerts coming to the smartphone. So far, manufacturers provide support only for Android OS, however, most likely Iphone owners will not be deprived. Along the perimeter of the Smarty Ring there are three function buttons that the owner can program at will.

You can pre-order this gadget on the website.

Fin

The creators of Fin took the design very carefully: a laconic, matte white ring does not look massive and looks great on the hand. With Fin, virtually the entire palm of the user turns into an interface: now you can control almost all the necessary equipment with just gestures.

You can order.

ring

Technicians of a small company Logbar did not think very long about the name of their offspring. However, this gadget can do a lot. Unlike its counterparts, Ring is able to recognize the movements of the owner, which will allow the latter to almost literally control reality. All data received by the main gadget (phone, laptop or tablet) is read by the ring via bluetooth, and the Ring keeps charging for about two days.

Ring will be on sale this July.

Geak Ring

The developers of Geak Ring made a bet, first of all, on safety. The ring will store all the necessary information about the owner, which will allow the latter to easily unlock his own phone, car door or make a payment from a bank card. The creators of the ring promise that the ring is able to store information for 99 years - another reason to take health seriously.

Geak Ring is expected to go on sale by the end of this summer.

Ring Clock

Unlike the above rings, Ring Clock is not overly functional. Engineers have used cutting-edge technologies (wireless charging, ultra-thin batteries, energy-saving LEDs) to create the perfect watch/ring hybrid. Admittedly, they succeeded to the fullest: a light, stylish ring powered by a lithium-ion battery will be an excellent addition to the image of a business person.

You can order the Ring Clock on the official website of the developers, the ring will go on sale towards the end of this year.

Another, more elegant device confidently won the hearts of users. A smart NFC ring is a fashionable alternative to bulky gadgets that allows you to simply and tastefully solve a lot of everyday issues.

Smart ring for Android is designed to control other gadgets. With it, you can block and manage mobile devices, make payments, store important information, and much more. If you are one of the people with an active lifestyle, we advise you to buy a smart ring. You will appreciate its functionality, ease of use and elegant design.

How NFC ring works

To get started with the ring, you will need a smartphone that supports NFC technology. In the public domain there are programs designed to synchronize NFC devices. A module responsible for storing information is built into the ring. It has the ability to overwrite data an infinite number of times.

Smart NFC ring for Android is a kind of magic button. By setting it up, you get the possibility of contactless control over your smartphone. Lock or unlock your phone? There is nothing easier! Just hold the ring close to your phone and it will perform its intended function.

The ring can be used to store passwords and access codes. To view the data, just bring it to the phone. Agree, this is much more convenient than remembering an infinite number of passwords and much safer than writing them down on a piece of paper. You can buy an NFC ring to communicate with friends and transfer the necessary data. You can share links and photos with your friends. With the ring, you can launch applications with custom settings.

Smart Ring Benefits

The ring is made from an amorphous carbide alloy. This material has exceptional strength and excellent performance. The ring does not deform or break, it is also resistant to mechanical damage. Therefore, even with active use, your ring will retain its appearance.

The constant use of the ring is not only safe, but also beneficial for health. The ring contains a rare element called germanium. This material has health-promoting properties as well as combating the symptoms of modern living conditions: lack of exercise, overwork and polluted air.

Another component of the ring is volcanic. Its daily wearing on the body helps to improve the functioning of human organs, as well as the general condition of the body. Energy stone gives energy, endurance and strength to the owner of the ring.

To buy a ring for Android, fill out the order form on our website. After some time, our manager will contact you to clarify the details.

Characteristics

• Material: amorphous carbide alloy;
• Frequency: 13.56 MHz;
• Range: 1.5 cm;
• Working temperature: -50 +80 С°.

How to choose ring size

• To determine the required ring size, prepare a thread that does not stretch;
• Wind the thread around the polish, take 1 mm into account as an error;
• Now you need to measure the length of the resulting thread;
• Check the resulting size with the table and mark the desired size in the field above the price.

Ring size

Ring size	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Size in mm	-	54	57,1	60	62,8	66	70	-

With the ring app you will be able to:

• Write a note on the ring;
• Set up a quick launch of one of the applications on your phone;
• Set up a shortcut. Those. when you pick up the phone, it will immediately call the number that is recorded;
• Fast sending of SMS messages;
• Set up a personal profile. For example, when you get home from work, you put your phone on silent, turn off Wi-Fi, dim the backlight. Thanks to this ring, you can do all this only by touching the smartphone with the ring;
• Screen lock and unlock;
• Application lock;
• Setting a "smart" alarm clock.

The American startup Tokenize has released its first product, the Token smart ring. Its task is to make it easier for people to use various devices whose actions are activated via Bluetooth or NFC modules.

Computer unlock and payments

At the moment, Token is capable of making contactless payments with Visa and MasterCard cards. The ring is not integrated into the Apple Pay and Android Pay payment systems, so card details must be manually entered into a special application for Android and iOS. Another application of the ring, which is already available now, is unlocking computers on Windows 10.

Opening cars and door locks

In fact, the entire range of functionality of the Token ring will depend on how soon and with whom the company agrees on cooperation. If we talk about opening cars with a ring, then this feature is available only to owners of cars with a push-button engine start system. To activate the ring to open the car, you will need to send one of your chip keys to the company, in return for which they will send you a special interface that connects to the car's computer. Only if it is present, the ring will be able to create a pair of keys, the activation of which will open the car. If Tokenize can negotiate with more concerns to install the interface at the time of production, then the relevance of buying a ring will become higher.

As for door locks, this also requires a special lock from Tokenize. So far, the ring can only work with this lock.

Payment for transport services

Another area of ​​application of the Token ring is paying for public transport. The implementation of this feature will also depend on how soon transport systems around the world switch to contactless methods of accepting fare payments. For example, now such a system is already working in London and Singapore. In the near future, such a system will appear in New York.

The ring is made of polished titanium with tungsten carbide-coated edges, which makes it wear-resistant, durable and hypoallergenic. Weighing only 23 grams, its gorgeous modern design will suit both men and women.

The inserts near the marks are also made of unique materials:

• ID label - composite FIR stone made using nanotechnology
• Label M1 - rare earth element germanium
• NFC tag - natural volcanic magnet

The ring has protection according to the IP68 standard, is not afraid of moisture and can withstand temperatures from -50 to +80

The dual-core NXP MCU provides amazing functionality - you can use the ring instead of an ID card to activate various functions - open the front door, enter the parking lot, pay on the subway or on the bus.

The built-in NFC module (million rewrite cycles, information storage for 10 years!) allows you to save personal data about payment cards, information about accounts, accounts and much more to use as hot cues. You can view and write data to the ring using a smartphone on which a special application is installed - just bring the ring to it.

Also, the ring allows you to unlock the phone, set up an automatic transition to the selected site or application, and even send SMS when you bring the gadget to your smartphone.

Smart Ring R3 does not require recharging! This smart ring can turn the electromagnetic waves around us all into electricity, which it uses to work.

Jakcom Smart Ring R3 is an undeniably worthy, interesting, and most importantly, necessary gadget, which, moreover, does not require power. Once you put it on your finger, you will be surprised how comfortable it is and soon you will start to wonder how you managed without it before!

Available ring sizes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

The sizes of the rings are indicated according to the US standard, the correspondence of the sizes of different countries can be seen in the table: