Okay, quick check-in — are we living in the golden age of AI gadgets or just the golden age of AI gadget demos?
Because every other month, there’s a new device promising to “reimagine how humans talk to machines.”
We’ve had AI pins, AI pendants, AI cards, AI bracelets — and now, we’ve got AI rings.
And not just any ring — this one’s called Stream, made by two former Meta engineers who think the future of AI might literally fit on your finger.
Let’s zoom out for a sec.
A whole raft of voice-first devices has hit the scene — we’ve seen gadgets from Plaud, Pocket, Friend, Limitless, Taya, and even Bee (now part of Amazon) — all trying to make “talking to AI” feel as natural as thinking out loud.
But the founders of Sandbar, Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, are taking it one step further. Their new ring, Stream, isn’t just another wearable mic. They’re calling it “a mouse for voice.” You press, whisper, think out loud — and it quietly turns your thoughts into notes, tasks, or even full-on conversations with an AI assistant.
And these aren’t random founders — these are interface people.
Fahmi worked at Kernel and Magic Leap, designing how humans and machines talk.
Hong worked at Google and CTRL-Labs, the neuro-interface startup Meta bought back in 2019.
So yeah — these two basically helped build the early DNA of Meta’s wearable tech.
Their whole career arc screams: “We’ve been thinking about this moment for years.”
When large language models like GPT started taking off, Fahmi realized typing ideas into an app felt clunky. So instead of building another journaling app, he decided to build the hardware that would make journaling invisible.
Here’s the cool part — Stream’s mic only turns on when you press and hold the touchpad.
You can literally whisper into it, and it transcribes your thoughts in real time through its companion iOS app.
It even comes with an AI that chats back and helps organize your notes. Think of it like having a pocket-sized collaborator who’s always listening — but only when you say so.
Oh, and it also doubles as a media controller — play, pause, skip, adjust volume — all from your finger. Handy when you’re cooking, commuting, or just too lazy to dig your phone out.
And yes, the data is encrypted, exportable, and user-controlled. Sandbar’s pitching this as the opposite of a walled garden — they even let you export notes to Notion.
And get this: they’ve raised $13 million from True Ventures, Upfront, and Betaworks.
Even Toni Schneider from True Ventures — who admits was skeptical about AI gadgets — said the demo finally “made sense.”
And honestly? That might be the best endorsement an AI startup can get right now.
Because the truth is: this market is ruthless.
Humane got snapped up by HP. Rabbit’s still trying to patch its way to a comeback. And everyone else? They’re fighting for a reason to exist.
Sandbar’s bet is simple but bold — you don’t need another companion; you need an interface. Something that lets ideas flow, not just another device to talk to.
The company opened up preorders for Stream this Wednesday at $249 for the silver version and $299 for gold.
Shipping starts next summer.
They’re also rolling out a Pro subscription tier — free for three months for early birds, then $10/month — unlocking unlimited chats, notes, and early access to new features
Will Stream nail it? Hard to say.
But if they do pull this off, we might be watching the birth of a new category — not just AI assistants, but AI instruments.
And that’s a future I can get behind.
Learn more here.
