In J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy saga "The Lord of the Rings," the dark lord Sauron forged One Ring to rule the lesser Rings of Power and bind them together. Similarly, Nod is a new Bluetooth ring that's capable of imbuing just about any Bluetooth device you already own with motion controls.
Nod is not the first Bluetooth ring to offer motion controls, but it is the first one launching directly to market without a crowd-funding campaign. What it does is fairly simple, at least in concept: Wear the ring, and use the motions of your hand and fingers to control Bluetooth-enabled devices. This includes phones, tablets, certain computers and smart home tech.
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According to the manufacturer, Nod also presents a very small learning curve. After placing the ring on their pointer fingers (the device comes in 12 different sizes), users move their hands to place a cursor and twist their hand to manipulate dial controls, such as volume in a media player or temperature on a thermostat.
Beyond that, the Nod sounds fairly similar to other Bluetooth devices. It produces a minimal drain on a paired device's battery life, charges with a micro-USB cable and lasts for about one day on a standard charge (the manufacturer is not clear about whether "one day" of use refers to 8 hours or 24 hours).
Since the device can pair with almost any Bluetooth-enabled product, it has a number of potential applications. In addition to navigating streaming online content, scrolling through pictures or navigating slideshows, users can also use Nod for games. A promotional video shows users playing games as diverse as "Fruit Ninja" and "Halo," although it may work better with the former than the latter.
The Nod is available for pre-order today for $149 via the manufacturer's website, and should begin shipping this fall. If you acquire one, just take care that you don't accidentally use it to dominate Middle-Earth.
— Marshall Honorof, Tom's Guide
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