Latest articles by Michael L Hicks
YouTube Premium: Everything you need to know
Watch it all YouTube Premium is essentially ad-free YouTube, right? Yes, but there are other benefits to using it.
Best VR headsets 2025
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.
Wear OS 5.1 represents a new class of slow, substantial Pixel Watch updates
Wear OS Weekly Google used to release Pixel Watch updates without fail, but now it wants to slow the releases down. Here's why that could be a good thing.
Facer hired Fossil's old Wear OS exec, and it sounds like a perfect match
Unfinished business Former Fossil VP of Product Brook Eaton is joining Facer as CPO to 'expand OEM partnerships,' and I hope Google is the first.
I grilled Strava's execs about the app's future and how Athlete Intelligence will improve
Sunday Runday Athlete Intelligence just left its beta testing, but Strava's CTO and CPO told me that they're "not done" making it better.
Meta is letting its engineers brag openly about its AR glasses, and I love it
Refreshing transparency Meta's offices keep leaking about future projects; now it seems they're leaning into it and just telling us what they're working on.
Samsung could use Sony's 4K Micro-OLEDs in Moohan, surpassing Apple Vision Pro
Spoil your eyes Samsung has reportedly surpassed its rival's headset with better display resolution and color quality — which could make it quite expensive.
Here's how Google's medical team envisions the future of wearable health
Wear OS Weekly I interviewed Dr. Jacqueline Shreibati about her team's work on Loss of Pulse and the transition from 'wellness' guidance to machine-learning diagnoses.
OnePlus will deliver three years of Watch 3 updates, after all
Better value We were concerned when OnePlus told us that the Watch 3 would only get two years of support. Now it seems to have been a misunderstanding.
The Android Central team picks the best fitness apps and watches they can't do without
Sunday Runday We spend most of our time reviewing new products; these are the fitness gadgets and apps we fall back on once our reviews are finished.
These niche, expensive VR headsets will fill the gap Meta Quest has left behind in 2025
Boutique niche We've seen both leaks and official reveals of upcoming ASUS, Samsung, and Valve headsets that'll shake up the VR industry — and the Quest monopoly.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. Watch 5 Pro: Should you upgrade?
Two battery behemoths Samsung gave the Watch Ultra and 5 Pro the same battery capacity, but they're very different in many other respects, such as performance, display, and sensors.
Meta Aria Gen 2 smart glasses look like a serious upgrade on Ray-Ban Meta
Wearable AI While we wait for Meta's Orion AR glasses, Meta is testing advanced AI tools in its Aria Gen 2 smart glasses.
Android smartwatches have a flicker problem. The OnePlus Watch 3 fixed it
Wear OS Weekly More and more AMOLED phones are letting you switch from eye-straining PWM to DC dimming, but only a couple of smartwatches spare your eyes.
Pixel Watch 3 gets FDA approval for Loss of Pulse Detection in US
Peace of mind Coming in March 2025, Loss of Pulse Detection joins Fall Detection and Car Crash Detection as a potential life-saving Pixel Watch 3 tool.
I'm almost embarrassed how much I dig this gimmicky smart ring
Sunday Runday I thought the Casio ring watch was too goofy to be real; now I'm hooked on wearing it and wondering if I want more smart ring "gimmicks"
OnePlus is 'working on' fixing two key Watch 3 downsides this year
Smaller goals A OnePlus Health Labs head of R&D admitted that they need to make a smaller OnePlus Watch and add a key missing feature.
Strava upgraded its AI out of beta and added better anti-cheating tools
Major fixes Strava's Athlete Intelligence has left beta, while the app continues to fix prominent issues with fake leaderboard times and makes sharing your workouts easier.
Google will finally uncouple YouTube Premium and YouTube Music with 'Premium Lite'
About time! Google is preparing a tier of YouTube Premium that no longer includes YouTube Music, for a lower price.
Among Us 3D proves the best future for Quest games is non-VR crossplay
Not a sus idea Among Us 3D will no longer require a VR headset to play, and aside from making it more popular, it'll show a new roadmap for other VR multiplayer games.
OnePlus set an interesting standard with Watch 3 and Wear OS 5
Wear OS Weekly We couldn't be sure how OnePlus would handle Wear OS updates, given the platform's history. Now we have good and bad news about what to expect.
Meta announces its next Connect — and a Llama AI surprise
Mark your calendars Meta Connect 2025 begins this September. Here's what we know (and hope to see) at the next Meta developer event.
Garmin added the rucking tool I'd craved, but I already want more
Rucking cool Garmin gave the new Tactix 8 first dibs on a new pack weight feature that all Garmin watches need. And I have ideas for where this feature goes next.
