
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

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!

These Samsung Galaxy Tab models support the S Pen in 2025
By Michael L Hicks, Andrew Myrick last updated
Putting pen to screen Which Galaxy Tab S, A, FE, and Active tablets work with Samsung's best stylus?

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro key upgrades over the Fenix 8: Is it worth it?
By Michael L Hicks published
Versus Before you buy the Fenix 8 Pro for cellular, satellite, and a display upgrade, make sure you know what else has changed from the Fenix 8.

Meta Quest 4 and Quest 4S: Everything we expect from the Quest 3 successor
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Thinking ahead The Quest 4 most likely won't arrive until 2026, but we already have some hints of what to expect courtesy of Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, and leakers.

The Suunto Race 2 is a tough Garmin Forerunner 570 rival for focused runners
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday For anyone who thought the new Garmin Forerunner 970 and 570 were too expensive and focused on the wrong things, the Suunto Race 2 is what you're looking for.

Hypertension alerts on Apple Watch just put every smartwatch rival on notice
By Michael L Hicks published
Wear OS Weekly Every smartwatch brand wants to "save lives" and get people healthier. By detecting hypertension, Apple is making a major statement.

Meta Quest 3: Specs, 3 vs. 3S, games, accessories, and more
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Versus From Meta Quest 3 specs to the best accessories, game enhancements and differences from the Quest 2 and 3S, our guide covers all the essentials.

Wear OS 6: One UI 8 Watch, Material 3 Expressive, Gemini, & more
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Future of Wear OS Wear OS 6 may be Google and Samsung's most significant upgrade to Android watches since OS 3. Here are the highlights and the watches due to receive it.

Garmin watches' exploding prices and popularity go hand-in-hand, for better or worse
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday I break down why Garmin raising prices has somehow led to greater sales, and whether people are overpaying for their Garmin watches.

This battery 'beast' smartwatch is a ridiculous 69% off during Amazon's leftover Labor Day sale
By Michael L Hicks published
Absurdly cheap Spending only $109 on a Wear OS watch? That's a darn rare deal to find, let alone one that lasts at least three days per charge.

Best Wear OS watch 2025
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, Mobvoi, and more.

Best cheap smartwatch for Android 2025
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Affordable wearables Looking for a solid cheap Android smartwatch? Check out these options, including Wear OS wearables, low-priced fitness watches, and stylish hybrids.

Best VR headsets 2025
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Extend your reality Whether you have a gaming PC, a PS5, or prefer a standalone VR headset, we have recommendations for every type of VR headset buyer.

Why the Fenix 8 Pro could set a new standard for Garmin watches, despite hurdles
By Michael L Hicks published
LTE for you and me The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro introduced LTE calling and satellite emergency SOS. These features should come to other Garmin watches, but there's a problem.

Custom watch faces for the Galaxy Watch 8 and Pixel Watch 4 are fantastic — Here's where to find them
By Michael L Hicks published
Wear OS Weekly Wear OS 6 added custom watch faces, and apps like Facer, WatchMaker, and Pujie have hundreds of thousands available.

Breaking down every key Garmin Fenix 8 Pro feature, from LTE and SOS to MicroLED
By Michael L Hicks published
Blinding brightness Ranging from $1,200 to $2,000, plus a subscription, the Fenix 8 Pro is a significant change for Garmin. Here's everything you need to know.

The 8-day Polar Loop tracker challenges Whoop and Garmin with subscription-free workout data
By Michael L Hicks published
Screenless fitness Polar, the brand behind the popular H10 chest strap and Vantage running watches, is challenging Whoop with its own screenless wristband.

The Garmin Venu X1 gives the Forerunner 970 a flashy run for your money
By Michael L Hicks published
Gaunt Garmin Garmin made some odd choices with the Venu X1, but if you can stomach the short battery life (for Garmin), it mostly lives up to its painful price tag.

This Galaxy Watch clearance deal could be your LAST CHANCE at this classic model — score $287 off!
By Michael L Hicks published
Labor Day deals The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic still has years of support and a stylish design, and it's 60% off on Amazon and Best Buy (until it's gone for good).

How to use Google Maps on a Garmin watch
By Michael L Hicks published
Find your way We'll explain how to set up Google Maps so it works automatically, as well as how it compares to Maps on a Pixel Watch and which Garmin watches support it.
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