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 Sir.
Latest articles by Michael L Hicks
![Sony PS VR2 (left) and Oculus Quest 2 (right) sitting on a table.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aTBYwCnDXkDbJDfbqCThed-320-80.jpeg)
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.
![Galaxy AI energy score mock-up for One UI 6 Watch](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9LHF46EhLFdXuLW2sh2vj4-320-80.jpg)
Samsung could leapfrog Apple and Google with new Galaxy AI fitness tools for Galaxy Watch 7
By Michael L Hicks published
Game changer Galaxy Watch 7 owners will get a personalized fitness coach via Galaxy AI, helping Samsung catch up to (or surpass) the competition.
![OnePlus 12 vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bXrYPGW8SdFb53LKmEVk9f-320-80.jpg)
How to move passwords from iOS to Android
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Moving to Android Leaving your iPhone behind without losing all your old data can be a challenge. Here's how to export your iPhone passwords to Android.
![ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/p5ScWJMEYf49ujT6y8v5N6-320-80.jpg)
Best smart thermostats that don't require a C wire 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Time to upgrade These smart thermostats don't need a C wire, making them easier to install in any home.
![A Meta Quest 3 headset alongside physical game cases](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/neG2bQuoKVBLLFnFNvW5oD-320-80.jpg)
Meta Quest 3 128GB vs. 512GB: Which storage size do you need?
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Savings or space? Meta charges an extra $150 for quadruple the storage, but do you need it? We've checked game sizes for the most popular Quest titles to help you decide if it's worth the extra cost.
![S Pen Creator Edition on Tab S9 Ultra](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3hqFm2FoKe7UkQHNkJ3dc-320-80.jpg)
These Samsung Galaxy Tab models support the S Pen
By Michael L Hicks, Andrew Myrick last updated
Styluses galore Which Galaxy Tab S, A, FE, and Active tablets work with Samsung's best stylus?
![Google Pixel Watch 2 hands-on](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8A2EkfHkPRouMaNEEbTjE6-320-80.jpg)
I used to think I wanted an LTE smartwatch. Now I know better
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Plenty of athletes love LTE smartwatches. But they're fated to stay a niche product, the same way satellite phones are.
![The Samsung Galaxy Watch Pro (left) and Apple Watch Ultra (right) side-by-side.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9QSzDsikrSZhbkh6KrFgbg-320-80.jpg)
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.
![Pulse Ox (blood oxygen) reading on the Garmin Forerunner 265](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pyaxGy9yq9eCUQzw6vBdMH-320-80.jpeg)
Best smartwatches that can measure blood oxygen saturation levels 2024
By Michael L Hicks published
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.
![Spotify on Garmin Venu Sq 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VutD8f832XAp2FeqVyDtwZ-320-80.jpg)
Month-long Garmin Venu bug represents a worrying trend across fitness watches
By Michael L Hicks published
More updates, more problems It's hard to catch every bug from a software update if you're testing a feature across dozens of different products.
![Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ announcement image](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wg6aUWvtSDZ5QLvygxvA7j-320-80.jpg)
Qualcomm is spitting out XR2 chips faster than VR headsets can use them
By Michael L Hicks published
Even though we've yet to see XR2+ Gen 2 headsets, Qualcomm is hard at work at the next generation of chipsets.
![YouTube Premium homepage on Android](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6pvjASLAuGSMQzSoFxqBqG-320-80.jpg)
Google made a mistake with YouTube Premium
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Bundles suck Google canned its Premium Lite option, tying YouTube Music to an ad-free streaming experience. It's still disappointing.
![A leaked presentation of a potential Meta Quest 3s headset](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/byTiiTwevGNHwL6ndazpSY-320-80.jpg)
Leaked Meta Quest 3s looks like a Quest 2 with a new brain and eyeballs
By Michael L Hicks published
Quest 2.5 A new Quest 3 Lite leak gives us a better idea of what to expect from Meta's 2024 headset, including performance, comfort, software, and passthrough.
![Someone making a payment using the wristband form a Polar smartwatch](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QDTmU8pMj8ZbCUyG2N7AyB-320-80.jpg)
Smartwatch 'smart straps' died for a reason. I still want them to come back.
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Samsung and Pebble tried and failed to fill watch bands with modular tech. I still love the idea, no matter how impractical it is.
![Turning the crown on the Google Pixel Watch 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PnHSbKEWSgsYou9iZNzpai-320-80.jpg)
Wear OS 5: New features, eligible watches, One UI 6 Watch, and more
By Michael L Hicks published
All about battery life Wear OS 5 arrives "later this year," and we know it'll improve battery life, watch faces, and fitness tools.
![Promo image showing new Wear OS 5 features](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uBekpNzFgvVRtJ7nZcuYkf-320-80.jpg)
Wear OS 5 will bring major upgrades to battery life, fitness, and watch faces
By Michael L Hicks published
Google I/O 2024 We run through the key Wear OS 5 upgrades revealed during Day Two of Google I/O 2024.
![Google Gemini's Project Astra says "Schrodinger's Cat" while looking at two drawn cats and a box with a question mark on it](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PcHydwgxU4C6AoMQJFsrqg-320-80.jpg)
My only Google I/O excitement was a two-second glimpse of secret Google hardware
By Michael L Hicks published
Google I/O 2024 Google either showed off its internal AR successor to Google Glass or an actual future product in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment at Google I/O 2024.
![Meta Quest 2 with an Oculus Link cable attached to a PC](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X5JBX88ZTgmJeqMNE55Fc7-320-80.jpg)
Best Link Cable alternatives for Meta Quest in 2024
By Michael L Hicks, Nicholas Sutrich last updated
No weak link Meta's official Link Cable is pricey, but these alternatives won't break the bank.
![Google IO 2023 stage](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZsYKPGLnJqNa5nuMSE4po4-320-80.jpg)
One Google I/O announcement would fix the gaping hole in Wear OS
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Google Fit is headed out the door, so now Wear OS needs a new unified fitness app experience, whether it's Fitbit or something else.
![The Polar Vantage V3 and Polar H10 sitting on a track, with the watch showing heart rate zones.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2oJDVnPtNHLrCvh3L7QVw8-320-80.jpg)
Polar Vantage V3 review: The tip of the iceberg
By Michael L Hicks published
Advantage Polar The Polar Vantage V3 is one of the top fitness watches, alongside the Garmin Forerunner 965 and COROS APEX 2 Pro. Here's what you need to know about it.
![USI Stylus pens on Pixel Tablet in Google Canvas](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RXanYi5x26R6DLFRudWFHK-320-80.jpg)
Google Pixel Tablet: Everything you need to know
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Pixel Tablet Google designed the Pixel Tablet as both a tablet and Google Home hub; here's what you need to know before you decide whether or not to buy one.
![Renders of the Google Pixel 8a and Pixel 8](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XqB69iVTHGU5aMR7PxjE2b-320-80.jpg)
Google Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 8: Every key difference
By Michael L Hicks published
The Pixel 8a is barely a compromise compared to last year's Pixel 8, but there are a few downgrades in exchange for the $200 off the price tag.
![The ECG test on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pyz2HzkMcwTP4FHrRhHoLK-320-80.jpeg)
Samsung wants to convert your Galaxy Watch heart data into ECGs using GenAI
By Michael L Hicks published
Galaxy AI Samsung already has passive AFib detection of irregular heart rhythm. This new patent will use generative AI to convert PPG data into ECG graphs — and we're intrigued.