
Michael L Hicks
Michael is Android Central's resident expert on wearables and fitness. He's reviewed or tested dozens of smartwatches, fitness bands, VR headsets, smart rings, earbuds, and other wearable tech from brands like Amazfit, Apple, COROS, Fitbit, Garmin, Google, Meta, Polar, Shokz, Suunto, Ultrahuman, Withings, and more. After earning a degree in English and an MA in Publishing & Writing, he started as a tech freelancer in 2015, covering emerging tech news for Techradar and VR films and games for Wareable in off-hours while working full-time at an educational publisher, coding e-books. Eventually he discovered he had more passion for tech writing than publishing and became a full-time freelancer in 2020, writing for Android Central, Windows Central, Digital Trends, and other sites. AC hired him as Senior Editor by the end of 2020 in a "jack-of-all-trades" tech role, but he channeled his passion for running into a set role covering Wearables and VR in 2022. his trademark is to thoroughly test every fitness smartwatch he reviews, checking its steps, heart rate, GPS, and elevation accuracy against other brands so that athletes know whether they can trust that data. In his free time, Michael has run marathons in NYC, SF, DC, Sacramento, and Big Sur.
Latest articles by Michael L Hicks

Don't wait for Prime Day — Garmin's best starter watch has NEVER been this cheap!
By Michael L Hicks published
Birthday savings The Garmin Vivoactive 6 gives you the essential Garmin experience for hundreds less than most watches, and now it's cheaper than ever.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Galaxy Watch 6: Mostly unchanged, with nine key differences
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Annual upgrade Key Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. 6 upgrades make it clear who should upgrade and who should stick with their 2023 watch.

Walmart's Pixel Watch 3 deal drops this impressive Android watch at an all-time low
By Michael L Hicks published
Last-gen bargain Should you spend $350 on a new Pixel Watch 4 when the Watch 3 only costs $199? We'll help you decide!

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) impressions: Fantastic battery life, old complaints, and future potential
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday I've spent over a week with the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses, which have solved my biggest complaint with my 2023 pair — but didn't fix everything.

COROS is teasing an 'all-new Apex' mountain watch; here's what we expect
By Michael L Hicks published
Mountain power Coros is teasing an "all-new APEX" that will be the "ultimate mountain sports watch" coming October 15. Here's what we know and expect from it.

Samsung is offering up to $250 off the Galaxy Watch 8 or Ultra — with a discount you could easily miss
By Michael L Hicks published
Trade-in optional Samsung has all-time-low deals on the Watch 8 series, but we can't guarantee that everyone will see these "exclusive offers."

Top fitness smartwatches and trackers in 2025: Track health, activity, and more
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Time to get fit There are fitness bands — and then there are fitness trackers and smartwatches. Some smartwatches pull double duty in the fitness space. Here are the best ones.

Garmin Venu 4 vs. Venu 3: Did Garmin's best all-around watch get even better?
By Michael L Hicks published
Worth the upgrade? We ran through every major hardware upgrade and new software perk to help you decide if the Venu 4 is good enough to replace your Venu 3.

Will wireless Bluetooth headphones work on Quest 3 or 3S?
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Can or should? While Bluetooth headphones are technically compatible with Quest 3 and 3S, there are several reasons (such as latency) to look at alternatives.

Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus add richer sound and better charging to its open-ear workout earbuds
By Michael L Hicks published
Dolby + Qi Shokz's air conduction headphones haven't changed much from the OpenFit 2 formula, but you will get better charging and Dolby-ified audio.

Best Garmin watch 2025
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Best for fitness training These are the best Garmin watches across the Venu, Forerunner, Instinct, Fenix, and other Garmin lineups, for every type of athlete.

The MediaTek Dimensity 9500 is the Android powerhouse you'd expect
By Michael L Hicks published
Flagship power The Dimensity 9500 emphasizes raytracing performance, efficiency while multitasking, and significantly faster on-device AI tasks.

Not sold on Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses? These two XR glasses will cost you $300 less!
By Michael L Hicks published
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are technically impressive, but these XR glasses may be a better (and cheaper) fit for some people.

These new Meta Quest games reminded me that VR magic hasn't faded yet
By Michael L Hicks published
AC thVRsday Mark Zuckerberg and James Cameron are excited to pivot Quests to focus on 3D films, but Quest game devs haven't stopped making incredible games.

Meta Connect 2025 live: the big Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses news, how to watch, what to expect, and everything from the big show
By Michael L Hicks, Nicholas Sutrich last updated
Connecting the dots From how to watch to what Zuckerberg will show off on stage, our Meta Connect 2025 guide will get you ready for a smart glasses party.

Inside the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses: A firsthand look at these impressive AI glasses
By Michael L Hicks published
Meta Connect 2025 From Meta AI demos to beta Neural Band controls, I got a clear idea of what you can expect from these premium Ray-Ban Display glasses.

The Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses are exactly what I've been waiting for
By Michael L Hicks published
Meta Connect 2025 Meta made a sportier, longer-lasting pair of smart glasses with better AI shortcuts designed with athletes in mind — and I ran with them.

We tested the best LTE smartwatches and these are the picks you need to check out in 2025
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Always connected If you depend on your wearable for just about everything, you may benefit from an LTE smartwatch. So, we've rounded up some of the best options.

The Venu 4 makes major changes to Garmin's health and fitness coaching, and we're intrigued
By Michael L Hicks published
Mainline competitor The Garmin Venu 4 is Garmin's attempt to keep up with brands going all-in on medical advice, while also sticking to its coaching strengths.

Garmin's Instinct Crossover AMOLED: A premium hybrid watch for outdoor enthusiasts
By Michael L Hicks published
Analog AMOLED Fans of the original Garmin Instinct Crossover or Instinct 3 have a new rugged hybrid option.

Best smartwatches for battery life 2025
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Leading the charge With some smartwatches, you need to recharge every day or two. But these smartwatches last for a week, sometimes several weeks (or more!) per charge.

There's only one way Amazon's rumored AR glasses will compete with Ray-Ban Meta
By Michael L Hicks published
Needs reFraming Amazon needs to convince its deal-loving customers to spend hundreds more than usual. It'll have to follow Meta's Ray-Ban template to pull that off.

Virtual Reality: A complete guide to VR headsets, AR glasses, and more
By Nicholas Sutrich, Michael L Hicks last updated
Ultimate Guide This is the Ultimate Guide to learn everything you need to know about VR headsets, VR glasses, and everything else!
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