
Michael L Hicks
Michael spent years freelancing on every tech topic under the sun before settling down on the real exciting stuff: virtual reality, fitness wearables, gaming, and how tech intersects with our world. He's a semi-reformed Apple-to-Android user who loves running, D&D, and Star Wars. Find him on Twitter at @Michael_L_Hicks.
Latest articles by Michael L Hicks

Should you buy a fitness tracker or smartwatch?
By Michael L Hicks published
Decisions, decisions More and more people are choosing smartwatches (or regular watches) over fitness trackers, but you may or may not want to consider a more petite fitness option.

First 12 things to do with your Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
By Michael L Hicks published
Tips and tricks Out of the box, the Galaxy Watch 6 has plenty of useful tools left disabled by default. We're here to make sure you get the most out of your new smartwatch.

Google's AR glasses plans are just as messy as we feared
By Michael L Hicks published
A foggy future Turns out Meta isn't the only company having serious problems coming up with a workable augmented reality prototype. Behind the scenes, Google's AR division is in trouble.

Google's next Fitbit tracker could arrive soon
By Michael L Hicks published
The next Fitbit? Fitbit is long-overdue to release a new Charge 6 tracker. Unfortunately, the latest FCC filing suggests a more low-end tracker instead.

Only a select few runners can try this new COROS mapping update
By Michael L Hicks published
Sign up now COROS, one of our favorite running smartwatch brands, is implementing a major update this August, adding turn-by-turn navigation, custom watch faces, new trail running workouts, and more.

Garmin could finally add the napping update we've been waiting for
By Michael L Hicks published
ZZZZZZ Garmin watches can't track daytime napping, and don't let you trigger manual sleep tracking. That could finally change when the Garmin Venu 3 launches next month.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Rumors, upgrades, and what we want to see
By Michael L Hicks published
Aside from rumors about Samsung adding microLED to the Galaxy Watch 7, we mostly just have a wishlist of how we'd like Samsung to improve over the Galaxy Watch 6.

Amazfit Cheetah Pro review: A Garmin Forerunner Lite with more bells and whistles
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Amazfit's new watch "engineered for runners" is better than I expected, with key areas where it over- or underperforms compared to other running watches from Garmin, COROS, and others.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9: Specs, Tab S8 upgrades, and which to buy
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Tab S9 The Galaxy Tab S9 looks very much like the Tab S8, but under the hood, you'll find plenty of differences for this new version. Enough to upgrade from your current tablet? We'll help you decide.

Samsung's Freestyle Gen 2 projector adds gaming, but still lacks 4K
By Michael L Hicks published
Game on your ceiling Samsung's portable projector has a 1080p resolution with HDR, 100,000:1 contrast, 60Hz refresh rate, 360º 5W speaker, and 230 ANSI Lumen — very similar to the Gen 1 model.

These Samsung Galaxy Tab models support the S Pen
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Styluses galore Which Tab S, A, FE, and Active tablets work with Samsung's best stylus?

While killing Google Assistant for some watches, Wear OS may add a Tile for others
By Michael L Hicks published
Google Assistant 9to5Google found convincing evidence that the Galaxy Watch 6 and Pixel Watch could soon get a dedicated Assistant tile with suggested commands and the option to add your own shortcuts.

Yet another music streaming service is getting a price bump
By Michael L Hicks published
Cough up more $ For the second year in a row, Amazon is nickel-and-diming its Prime Music Unlimited customers with another $10 annual increase.

Best drawing tablets 2023
By Jaclyn Kilani, Michael L Hicks, Namerah Saud Fatmi last updated
Ready, set, draw! Aching to incorporate freehand lines into your digital creations? It sounds like you need a drawing tablet! We've put together the best models for your perusing pleasure.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 & Watch 6 Classic review: If it ain't broke...
By Michael L Hicks published
Boring is good The Galaxy Watch 6 is a familiar, reliable smartwatch for fans of Wear OS, while the return of the rotating bezel is a welcome one. But battery life continues to be a concern.

I'm not surprised Samsung scrapped this XR headset after seeing the Apple Vision Pro
By Michael L Hicks published
Make good decisions Samsung has some of the right pieces in place, but the headset itself doesn't have the sleek design or the horsepower necessary to compete with Apple's 2024 headset.

Which smartwatches can you trust in an emergency?
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Apple markets its watches as life-saving technology. Other companies don't have the same marketing strategy but do have wearable tech that is meant to kick in during a crisis.

Samsung Care Plus vs. AppleCare Plus: Which gives you the best accident protection?
By Michael L Hicks published
Care Plus Want to know whether Apple or Samsung does a better job at insuring your phones, tablets, watches, and other tech? Let's run through the differences.

One of the best fitness tracker/smartwatch hybrids gets a new model next week
By Michael L Hicks published
Smartwatch or tracker? The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro is one of our favorite fitness trackers of 2022. Now, the Smart Band 8 Pro is arriving in August with a few upgrades.

Garmin Forerunner 965 review: Better than the best
By Michael L Hicks published
Amazing AMOLED Earlier this year, I called the Forerunner 955 the "best runner's watch, period." Now Garmin is making me eat my words.

Best 4K TVs for Chromecast 2023
By Ted Kritsonis, Michael L Hicks last updated
Getting your 4K content on a TV is easy, but which TV you plug it into is also extremely important when seeking the best 4K TV for Chromecast.

Best smartwatches for students 2023
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Whether you need a watch for a young kid, a high schooler, or a college student, we have the best picks for any scenario.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Bezel or battery?
By Michael L Hicks published
Classic vs. Pro Should you upgrade from the long-lasting Watch 5 Pro to get the 6 Classic's faster performance and physically rotating bezel?