Michael L Hicks
Michael is Android Central's resident expert on fitness tech and wearables, with an enthusiast's love of VR tech on the side. After years freelancing for Techradar, Wareable, Windows Central, Digital Trends, and other sites on a variety of tech topics, AC has given him the chance to really dive into the topics he's passionate about. He's also a semi-reformed Apple-to-Android user who loves D&D, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.
For wearables, Michael has tested dozens of smartwatches from Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, Apple, COROS, Polar, Amazfit, and other brands, and will always focus on recommending the best product over the best brand. He's also completed marathons like NYC, SF, Marine Corps, Big Sur, and California International — though he's still trying to break that 4-hour barrier.
Latest articles by Michael L Hicks
This VR dev veteran has thoughts on the four 'killer apps' that the Quest 3 and Vision Pro need
By Michael L Hicks published
GDC 2024 Jesse Schell, the VR veteran behind Among Us VR and I Expect You to Die, explained his vision for how MR will have its breakout moment.
GDC 2024: Google's vision for AI 'living games' sounds awful, but inevitable
By Michael L Hicks published
GDC 2024 Google engineers described how Gemini 1.5 and Vertex AI will help make games "much more human" with hundreds of thousands of NPC chatbots with memories.
Best smartwatches for students 2024
By Michael L Hicks, Namerah Saud Fatmi published
Student-friendly Need a portable calendar, workout tracker for your club, or a way to stay atop messages without disrupting class? These smartwatches may help you.
Wear OS 4: New features, One UI 5 Watch, and more
By Michael L Hicks, Namerah Saud Fatmi published
Latest wearable software Two years after Wear OS 3, Wear OS 4 is here to make Android smartwatches better than ever.
Best Oculus Quest 2 headphones 2024
By Michael L Hicks, Nicholas Sutrich last updated
Immersed in sound While the Oculus Quest 2 has its own audio solution built-in, many people prefer headphones a little more tailored to their preferences. Here are the best headphones for the Oculus Quest 2.
Dream team: Modders behind Half-Life 2 VR, Doom VR join forces for licensed Quest ports
By Michael L Hicks published
GDC 2024 Flat2VR and Team Beef have formed a studio and are developing a licensed VR game port for "official platforms."
I'd swap my Garmin Forerunner 965 for this much cheaper smartwatch in a heartbeat — if it weren't for one thing
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Garmin strategically withholds software from its cheaper watches. Only one missing Garmin Forerunner 165 tool is hard to lose.
I tested the Garmin Forerunner 165 against the two best cheap fitness trackers
By Michael L Hicks published
Put to the test How the Forerunner 165 compared for steps, GPS, and heart rate against the Fitbit Charge 6 and COROS PACE 3.
Best smartwatches that can measure blood oxygen saturation levels 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
SPO2 monitor If you want a watch that measures your blood oxygen saturation levels with plenty of other great perks, these are the best ones you can buy right now.
Best VR headsets 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Extend your reality Whether you have a gaming PC, a PC, or nothing at all, we show you which headset is best, and what you should be putting your money towards for VR.
Future Galaxy Watches may borrow the Apple Watch squircle look — and I'm on board
By Michael L Hicks published
A square surprise A report claims Samsung is "enthusiastically" considering squircle Galaxy Watches after the Watch 7 and that "the switch is going to happen."
This wearable for pro athletes has me rethinking my whole approach to fitness training
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday I tested out the CORE Body Temperature Sensor and learned why VO2 Max and my fitness watch aren't enough to ensure I'm race-ready.
Meta Quest Pro 2: Everything we want from the 2025 Apple Vision Pro rival
By Michael L Hicks published
Try, try again The Meta Quest Pro 2 will need a revamped display, lighter design, and a clearer purpose to avoid another flop and justify the $2,000 cost.
Best Garmin watch 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Best for fitness training These are the best Garmin watches across the Venu, Forerunner, Instinct, Epix, and other Garmin lineups, for every type of athlete.
Which Wear OS watches work with iPhone?
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Not worth the effort Samsung and Google don't bother with iOS anymore, and most of the other Wear OS brands who try to make iPhone compatibility work probably regret it, given how lackluster the experience is.
Latest Garmin Forerunner update sounds great on paper but may be causing tracking issues
By Michael L Hicks published
Heart rate issues Aside from cool tricks like Lap Undo and a track database, Garmin Forerunner update 18.22 has apparently introduced heart rate tracking issues.
How many updates will the OnePlus Watch 2 get?
By Michael L Hicks published
How long? The OnePlus Watch 2 is tempting due to its gorgeous design and 100-hour battery, but you should know upfront how long it will last from a software perspective.
Best smartwatch with LTE 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Cellular on your wrist 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.
Samsung and Motorola want us to wear our smartphones. We REALLY shouldn't.
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday MWC 2024 was full of sci-fi-esque tech like transparent laptops, but a wearable, bendable smartphone doesn't even make sense on Star Trek.
Best Wear OS watch 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Wear this If you want a feature-packed and stylish Wear OS watch, you have plenty of options from manufacturers such as Samsung, Google, Fossil, Mobvoi, and more.
OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 6: Both built to last, but in different ways
By Michael L Hicks published
Wear OS showdown We break down where the OnePlus Watch 2 wins (style, battery life, GPS data, and more) and where the Galaxy Watch 6 wins (comfort, displays, navigation, health sensors, and more).
Pixel 8 vs. Pixel 6: Major fixes and unresolved issues
By Michael L Hicks published
The Pixel 6 was a promising phone hampered by software issues. Does the Pixel 8 do enough two years later to justify an early switch?
Garmin SOS report details all the times its InReach satellites saved people's lives last year
By Michael L Hicks published
SOS Garmin reports that its InReach SOS program is used almost as often for auto and motorcycle accidents as for hiking emergencies.
Meta Quest Plus' new 'catalog' of games comes with a $25 store credit incentive
By Michael L Hicks published
Expand your Quest library Meta is making its monthly subscription a combination of Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus, with both a set games catalog and two new monthly games.