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 Sir.
Latest articles by Michael L Hicks

Best Samsung tablet 2024
By Michael L Hicks, Samuel Contreras last updated
Options galore Samsung makes the best Android tablets, and these models are the best of the best.

Best smartwatches for students 2024
By Michael L Hicks, Namerah Saud Fatmi last updated
Student-friendly Need a portable calendar, workout tracker for your club, or a way to stay atop messages without disrupting class? These smartwatches may help you.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Early rumors, patents, and everything we want improved over the Pixel Watch 3
By Michael L Hicks published
Necessary upgrades The Pixel Watch 3 has only just arrived, but we're already seeing specific areas where Google didn't make the specific upgrades we wanted. Here is what the Pixel Watch 4 could do better.

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: Subtle fixes, a new size, and a ton of similarities
By Michael L Hicks published
What's new? Aside from the new display size, the Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2 comparison has more in common than it has differences.

Made by Google event 2024 live blog: Every major announcement, from Pixel 9 Pro Fold to Pixel Watch 3
By Michael L Hicks last updated
LIVE NEWS Follow along with the Android Central staff as we cover the biggest Google product launch of the year! Here’s everything you need to know from the Pixel fall event 2024.

Google Pixel Watch 3: Upgrades, new Fitbit perks, and differences from the Pixel Watch 2
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Third time's the charm? The Pixel Watch 3 offers a revamped display with two sizes, better Pixel integration, faster charging, and other upgrades.

Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Charge 5: Should you upgrade?
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Fitbit standoff The Charge 6 offers a few key upgrades over the Charge 5, but if they're enough for you will depend on whether or not you liked the last-gen fitness tracker — because they're basically twins.

Smart rings are shockingly good at step counting, with one critical flaw
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday Our favorite smart rings are near-perfect at step counts when you're walking. When you're sitting still, they're much iffier.

Best Fitbit 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Fit for your wrist Want a Fitbit but aren't sure which one is for you? Here's a guide to help make your decision a little easier.

These Samsung Galaxy Tab models support the S Pen
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?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Galaxy Watch 6: Mostly unchanged, with nine key differences
By Michael L Hicks published
Annual upgrade Key Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. 6 upgrades make it clear who should upgrade and who should stick with their 2023 watch.

Best tablet for students 2024
By Andrew Myrick, Michael L Hicks last updated
Education tools Getting the school year started can be a little intimidating, but the best tablets for students can help ease this process more successfully.

Best smartwatch with LTE 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Cellular on your wrist If you depend on your wearable for just about everything, you may benefit from an LTE smartwatch. So, we've rounded up some of the best options.

Best Android smartwatch 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
The best There's no shortage of outstanding Android smartwatches nowadays. Here are our top picks!

Garmin watch faces and apps are about to get more fun — and more expensive
By Michael L Hicks published
Goin' mainstream Garmin announced new watch faces from Disney, GoPro, Porsche, NASA, and others in the Connect IQ app, with a recommended $4.99 price tag.

How to find your lost Samsung Galaxy Ring
By Michael L Hicks published
Track it down You need to set up the Galaxy Ring's "find my ring" features before you lose it, and most won't work on non-Samsung phones.

Racing Olympians at home is hilariously impossible. Everyone should try it at least once
By Michael L Hicks published
Sunday Runday You know objectively how fast the Olympic track and field athletes are, but you won't *really* understand until you hit the track yourself.

The SF Half Marathon controversy is exactly why a good running watch matters
By Michael L Hicks published
SF City Half marathoners only ran 12.6 miles, but two dual-band GPS watches warned me that my SF Bridge Half Marathon was short, too.

Best smartwatches that can measure blood oxygen saturation levels 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
SPO2 monitor If you want a watch that measures your blood oxygen saturation levels with plenty of other great perks, these are the best ones you can buy right now.

Meta Q2 2024 earnings call highlights AI successes and a $50 billion problem
By Michael L Hicks published
AI + VR investments Here's everything we learned about Meta's AI plans, its Reality Labs losses, and more.

Best cheap smartwatch for Android 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
Affordable wearables If you want a smartwatch to pair with your Android phone without breaking the bank, be sure to check out these affordable options!

Best Apple Watch alternatives 2024
By Michael L Hicks last updated
A new start Whether you're switching from iPhone to Android but want a comparable experience to Apple Watch, or if you own an iPhone but want something new, we're here to help you choose!

Best Wear OS watch 2024
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.