Latest articles by Michael L Hicks
How to find eco-friendly routes and EV charging stops in Google Maps
Earth Day Every Earth Day, Google adds new sustainability features for eco-friendly travelers. These are the tools you need to know about.
Google's bullying is predictable, self-defeating, and barely justifiable
C'mon Google Google will put California news orgs out of business and lobotomize its AI rather than lose a small fraction of its billions in Search ad revenue.
Google Wallet explained: Licenses, banks, new features, and the Google Pay shutdown
Get Paying Google Wallet replaced Google Pay, which will shut down soon. Here's all the latest news and added features you need to know.
How to transfer a Wear OS smartwatch from one phone to another
Fresh start We show the steps and screenshots for transferring your Galaxy Watch 6, Pixel Watch 2, or OnePlus Watch 2 to your new Android phone.
Smartwatches would be the perfect place to revive this '90s gaming fad
Sunday Runday Did you own a Tamagotchi or Pikachu pedometer as a kid? Raising a virtual pet on your smartwatch would motivate you to hit your steps and stay fit.
The latest Garmin Forerunner beta update is built for power users and clumsy runners
Bug fixes & features Beta update 19.09, the Garmin Forerunner 165's first, adds new widgets for Messenger and Jet Lag Adviser, along with a long-overdue bug fix.
Wi-Fi 7 explained: Key upgrades and how 802.11be works
Officially known as 802.11be, Wi-Fi 7 brings significant upgrades over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. But what are those improvements and which devices can take advantage of them?
We tested Meta Quest 3's improved passthrough with the Quest v64 update
Meta wants to make it easier to read your phone notifications without removing your Quest 3 headset. We tested the feature to see how it compares to the Apple Vision Pro.
Smartwatches got bigger to avoid solving their biggest problem
Sunday Runday There are three main ways to make a smartwatch battery last longer than a day. Each of them has their problems.
Garmin Forerunner 165 review: Barely a compromise
Affordable high-end data Our Garmin Forerunner 165 review shows why it's the best budget running watch, with (almost) all of the core features and accuracy that serious runners need.
Google Photos: Everything you need to know
AI-powered memories Google Photos can do more than just store your photos and videos. Here's everything you need to know about this powerful app!
These are my favorite running and step-counting apps to keep me motivated
Sunday Runday Whether you're looking for motivation to run your first 5K, hit a marathon PR pace, or just to walk enough steps every day to stay healthy, these are the apps I'd recommend.
Ultrahuman Ring Air review: Forgettable, in a good way
Smart rings The Ultrahuman Ring Air is an excellent sleep-tracking companion and among the best smart rings out there, despite some flaws.
These are my favorite upcoming Quest 3 and Vision Pro games from GDC 2024
GDC 2024 From dodging lasers to racing motorcycles, GDC had some impressive VR and MR game demos due out later this year.
I'm never wearing a smartwatch to sleep again
Sunday Runday The lightest fitness band or watch you'll find can't beat a smart ring for seamless comfort. Seriously, NEVER again.
Google had its LLM murder itself in Werewolf to test its AI smarts
GDC 2024 At GDC 2024, Google engineers explained how its Large Language Model played the popular party game. It has a long way to go.
This VR dev veteran has thoughts on the four 'killer apps' that the Quest 3 and Vision Pro need
GDC 2024 Jesse Schell, the VR veteran behind Among Us VR and I Expect You to Die, explained his vision for how MR will have its breakout moment.
GDC 2024: Google's vision for AI 'living games' sounds awful, but inevitable
GDC 2024 Google engineers described how Gemini 1.5 and Vertex AI will help make games "much more human" with hundreds of thousands of NPC chatbots with memories.
Wear OS 4: New features, One UI 5 Watch, and more
Latest wearable software Two years after Wear OS 3, Wear OS 4 is here to make Android smartwatches better than ever.
Dream team: Modders behind Half-Life 2 VR, Doom VR join forces for licensed Quest ports
GDC 2024 Flat2VR and Team Beef have formed a studio and are developing a licensed VR game port for "official platforms."
I'd swap my Garmin Forerunner 965 for this much cheaper smartwatch in a heartbeat — if it weren't for one thing
Sunday Runday Garmin strategically withholds software from its cheaper watches. Only one missing Garmin Forerunner 165 tool is hard to lose.
I tested the Garmin Forerunner 165 against the two best cheap fitness trackers
Put to the test How the Forerunner 165 compared for steps, GPS, and heart rate against the Fitbit Charge 6 and COROS PACE 3.
Future Galaxy Watches may borrow the Apple Watch squircle look — and I'm on board
A square surprise A report claims Samsung is "enthusiastically" considering squircle Galaxy Watches after the Watch 7 and that "the switch is going to happen."
