
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

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?

Garmin's JL Audio acquisition sounds promising, but what's the gameplan?
By Michael L Hicks published
Garmin + JL Audio Garmin's new company specializes in car speakers, marine speakers, and subwoofers. How does that relate to Garmin's smartwatches?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch Series 8
By Michael L Hicks published
How do the two heavyweights of the wearable world compare? Samsung made some key changes over the Galaxy Watch 5 that makes the Watch 6 even more competitive against Apple's 2022 watch.

The Pixel Watch August 2023 security update finally tells us what's getting fixed
By Michael L Hicks published
Pixel Watch update These latest vulnerabilities let bad actors "escalate" their access to your watch data and permissions without you doing anything wrong. Time to install it!

The Galaxy Watch 6 still lags behind Garmin and Apple despite new fitness tricks
By Michael L Hicks published
Personalized heart rate zones aside, Samsung still isn't doing enough to make its fitness-loving fans happy.

Could the Quest 3 support 5G gaming? FCC filings suggest yes.
By Michael L Hicks last updated
5G? While we can't be certain the Meta Quest 3 will have 5G support, we've heard previous rumors that the headset would be able to stream PC-quality VR games over cellular networks.

Samsung accidentally confirms new Fan Edition Galaxy Tab S9s are coming
By Michael L Hicks published
Oops Samsung wants people focused on the Tab S9 series, so it probably shouldn't have accidentally reminded us that a cheaper Fan Edition version is a few months out.

Wear OS 4: New features, One UI 5 Watch, and more
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Wear OS 3 has been available for about two years, and while it offers a massive improvement over its predecessor, Wear OS 4 will make Android smartwatches better than ever.

Garmin Venu 3 leaks have us optimistic for an imminent release
By Michael L Hicks published
Fingers crossed The Venu 2 Plus is our favorite fitness smartwatch; here's hoping the Venu 3 takes that template and adds even more upgrades.

Apple Vision Pro vs. Meta Quest 3: Next-gen XR headsets with very different focuses
By Michael L Hicks published
Apple and Meta are the two major players in mixed reality, and both are selling "competing" products within the next year — though at completely opposite price points.

YouTube Shorts will get longer thanks to live streaming, Collab videos
By Michael L Hicks published
Collabs are here YouTube Shorts is getting a much-needed glow-up with Remixes, pulled effects from other Shorts, and easier editing tools for turning old landscape videos into portrait Shorts.

New Reality Labs prototypes show off a possible future for Quest hardware
By Michael L Hicks published
Meta Quest Meta's new tech demos make you look like a robot or insect, and they're not ready for consumers, but they're the future of VR or mixed reality.

The Galaxy Tab S9's greatest trick should become the new normal for tablets
By Michael L Hicks published
Catch up, Apple Samsung's new IP68 rating for its flagship tablets doesn't make them fully waterproof, but they're a heck of a lot more durable than ever.

Best Ring camera alternatives 2023
By Jeramy Johnson, Michael L Hicks last updated
Don't settle! If you are looking to add a smart video camera to your home security setup but are put off by Ring's business practices, there are plenty of great alternatives.

Best tablet for students 2023
By Andrew Myrick, Michael L Hicks last updated
Getting the school year started can be a little intimidating, but we found the best tablets to help middle school, high school, or college students navigate the semester with success.

COROS' heart rate monitor will take the fight to Polar
By Michael L Hicks published
This arm HRM strap will give you 38 hours of tracking per charge, weighs just 19g total, and has 3ATM water resistance.

Meta's pivot to AI and Threads is paying off, but Quest 2 profits are sagging
By Michael L Hicks published
AI and Threads Until the Meta Quest 3 arrives, Reality Labs is only going to continue to hemmorage money. But the company's ad revenue is growing so strongly that it may not matter.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs. 5: Should you upgrade?
By Michael L Hicks published
Aside from the return of the Classic, how much has actually changed? You might be surprised!

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 hands-on: The best of both worlds
By Michael L Hicks published
The bezel is back We can't gush enough about the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic's rotating bezel, but the base Watch 6 may still be better for most.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Specs, redesigned hinge, deals, and more
By Michael L Hicks published
The latest Samsung Galaxy foldable was revealed at Galaxy Unpacked. Here's what you need to know!

Sony's PS5 handheld sure looks like an Android tablet with DualSense attachments
By Michael L Hicks published
Rumored to cost somewhere in the $200–$300 range, Project Q will allow you to play your PS5 games remotely, and it'll apparently use Android software behind the scenes to organize your games.

I’m sick of fitness watches guilting me into poor life choices
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday When watches gamify fitness, there will come a time when you have no choice but to lose the game. And your fitness app is designed to make you feel bad about it.

Best running watches 2023
By Michael L Hicks last updated
If you're a runner, you want to find a wearable that can keep up. We've rounded up some of the best running smartwatches out there!