Google Play services update enables seamless Wear OS 4 watch transfers
You no longer have to reset your wearable to migrate it to a different device
.jpg?fit=crop&w=90&h=90)
If you’re a dedicated smartwatch user, you already know the hassle that can come with connecting one of these devices to your phone. In order for the wearable to sync and function properly, however, this connection is critical. Yet even the best Android smartwatches require you to fully reset the device if you want to transfer it between phones. Now, Google is making this process easier for owners of Wear OS 4 devices — a new system update bypasses the need to reset and start from scratch.
Best fitness trackers for sleep in 2023
Who says you have to be awake to track what you're doing? These devices give you the lowdown while you sleep
Sleep tracking isn't what it used to be, and that's a good thing. Most can agree that restful slumber does a mind and body good, but apart from how you feel, how do you know how good your time knocked out actually was?
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is one of two fully fledged smartwatches to feature Fitbit integration. With a name like Fitbit behind its health tracking, you'd be right to expect the Pixel Watch 2 to be a capable fitness tracker in its own right — and generally speaking, it is. Serious athletes might want something a little more purpose-built, but the Pixel Watch 2 does track exercise, sleep, stress, and more. With considerably improved battery life compared to the original Pixel Watch, the second-gen model is a good fitness tracker for most people.
How to pair your Google Pixel Watch with your phone
Pairing up your shiny new Google Pixel Watch with your Android takes seconds
It took years of waiting, but Google finally released its own smartwatch in the fall of 2022. Google's first Pixel Watch quickly rose among the ranks of other wearables to become one of the best smartwatches you can buy. The first one was sleek. Its compact design and innovative band mechanism impressed us, even though there was plenty of room for improvement, which was fixed in the Pixel Watch 2.
Best Galaxy Watch 6 deals: price drops, trade-in offers, and bundle discounts
Get ready for Black Friday savings on Samsung's latest wearable
With the holiday shopping season underway, we'll start seeing the best Galaxy Watch 6 deals arrive to help shoppers snag Samsung's latest wearable at a good price. Offering some of the best smartwatches available, both the Galaxy Watch 6 and its premium counterpart, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, are top choices for Samsung fans and Android users alike, and finding the Galaxy Watch 6 on sale can make the purchase all the more worthwhile.
The original Google Pixel Watch’s big Wear OS 4 update is here
The watch is gaining new safety features and other improvements as a part of the update
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series launched running Wear OS 4. A month later, in September 2023, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 lineup were updated to the latest Wear OS release. Then, in early October, the Pixel Watch 2 debuted with Wear OS 4. Surprisingly, the company did not mention anything about the original Pixel Watch's update at the event, with support documents revealing it would arrive later this year. Thankfully, Google is not making Pixel Watch owners wait too long and has commenced its Wear OS 4 rollout.
This is the best deal we’ve seen on our favorite smartwatch of the year
Get $40 off the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
With the recently launched Pixel Watch 2, the Wear OS smartwatch competition is hotter than ever, but for our money, Samsung's Galaxy Watch line is still leading the pack. The Watch 6 Classic is the current 'best overall' pick in our roundup of the best Android smartwatches, and the base model Watch 6 is our pick for 'best value.' Today, that value gets even better with a $40 discount from Amazon.
Google Pixel Watch 2 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: All about the battery
Two second-gen Google wearables, head to head
Both the Google Pixel Watch 2 and its predecessor come with built-in Fitbit health tracking, but Google-owned Fitbit still makes and sells its own dedicated fitness trackers. The Fitbit Sense 2 is Fitbit's latest premium tracker, coming in at a spendy $300 MSRP. The Pixel Watch 2 and the Fitbit Sense 2 share similar health-tracking hardware and use the same Fitbit app, and with similar pricing between the two, it might not be easy to tell at a glance which is right for you. We're here to help.
Best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 bands in 2023
If you're looking for your next Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 band, here are the best options to spruce up your wrist
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is showing its age, but it's still arguably one of the best Android smartwatches currently on the market. It's a powerful connectivity tool and remains a solid choice, even in the face of newer Galaxy Watch models.
All the safety features on the Google Pixel Watch 2
Emergency SOS, Safety Check, Safety Signal, and much more!
The best Android smartwatches can do more than just track your steps and the calories you burn. They also pack several safety features that can be extremely helpful in an emergency or life-threatening situation. The Google Pixel Watch 2 is no exception to this, with features like Emergency SOS, fall detection, and more. If you plan on buying Google's latest smartwatch and are wondering about all the safety features it packs, read on.
The Pixel Watch 2 supports ADB and fastboot over its pin-based charger
Wireless debugging was the standard for bootloader access on its predecessor
If you own a Pixel Watch and use custom ROMs, you likely already know how much of a hassle it is to unlock the device’s bootloader. ADB commands can be executed via Wi-Fi, but a hardwired connection is necessary if you want to access the bootloader for more tasks. The first-gen Pixel Watch charges wirelessly, but it has data pins hidden under the watch band connecter, and you can splice a USB cable into them if you want to hardwire the device. However, this often takes more time and skill than most people have. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google has made things a bit easier, which may give you an incentive to upgrade.
Best Fitbit Inspire 3 bands in 2023
Silicone, leather, steel, nylon, or beads, choose an Inspire 3 band that fits you
Fitbit is among the popular brands in the fitness tracker category, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 is one of the top choices for those looking to purchase an affordable fitness tracker. However, it isn't a particularly head-turning device, with its small display and stock silicone band. Thankfully, like several other Fitbit wearables, the bands are replaceable, allowing users to swap them for more comfortable, stylish, or activity-appropriate styles.
It's time to standardize smartwatch charging
Smartphones have finally fallen in line, and it's time for wearables to do the same
The wearable market has been growing fast over the past decade, to the point where smartwatches and fitness trackers seem to be everywhere these days. Nearly every major and minor tech brand is offering a wearable accessory to pair with your favorite smartphone. The most ubiquitous, at least in the US, would be the Apple Watch. But for Android users, there are good options from a number of manufacturers. Though all the smartwatches for fans of the green text bubble run Wear OS, charging methods are anything but consistent.
The Wear OS landscape has shifted considerably in the past few years. Since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 in 2021, Samsung's become a force in the Wear OS space as legacy players like Fossil have largely struggled to keep up. Google's now two generations into its Pixel Watch, too, and depending on your needs, both generations might be good options. The smartwatch market might not offer the same diversity it once did — outfits like Motorola, LG, and Asus don't make smartwatches anymore — but there's still a lot of choice to navigate when it comes to getting a good Wear OS watch.
Google has silently lowered the first Pixel Watch's charging speed
Google silently rolled out a firmware update to increase the Pixel Watch’s charging time
With the Pixel Watch 2, Google ditched the wireless charging solution found on the original model in favor of a pin-based mechanism, as seen on the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4. Google says the new solution allows the Pixel Watch 2 to charge faster and more efficiently. But if you compare the 0-100% top-up time for both Google watches, the newer model is only about 5 minutes faster. But that was before Google silently rolled out a firmware update for the original Pixel Watch to slow down its charging speeds.
Google Pixel Watch 2 review: The watch we wanted last year
Reliable battery life and improved fitness tracking, wrapped up in a near-identical package
The original Google Pixel Watch was my favorite smartwatch last year, but I've always felt that opinion was against my better judgment. Google's first smartwatch looked fantastic and performed very well, but at a premium price of $350, its weak battery life just took too much babysitting to make it a solid recommendation for most people.
Prime Day 2023: Smartwatch and fitness tracker deals to save big on your next wearable
Amazon's second big deals event is here so you can save big on smartwatches and fitness trackers
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days is in full swing, and the second day brings with it a few fresh deals and plenty that continue from day one. It's time to get your hands on some fantastic deals on smartwatches and fitness trackers.
Google's Pixel Watch 2 is already running low on stock
Many models aren't shipping until mid-November
Judging by early reports, Google's Pixel Watch 2 is a worthy successor to our favorite Android smartwatch of 2022. The new device, as you would expect, brings back all the best features from its predecessor while addressing its biggest weaknesses, helping Google's nascent smartwatch line start to reach maturity. We're still a couple days away from its official launch date of October 12, but if preorders are any indication, Google may have quite the hit on its hands.
Amazfit's cheap GTS smartwatches are up to $50 cheaper for Prime Day
The Amazfit GTS 4 and GTS 3 are robust smartwatches that go for days on a single charge
There are a lot of great smartwatch deals during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days. But with so many companies with options to pick from, both good and bad, sifting through all the options can be a bit overwhelming. One of those companies that sometimes gets overlooked for some of the bigger names in the industry is Amazfit.
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is a boring update, but I don’t mind
It's not a flashy upgrade, but that's not what the Pixel Watch needed
In preparation for the Google Pixel Watch 2’s arrival, I spent a week with the original back on my wrist. I wanted to see what I liked about the watch in the first place and what areas needed improvement, even after a year of software updates. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the original Pixel Watch wasn’t all that bad — it was just frustrating. It had almost every feature you could want in a modern smartwatch with a premium build quality, but the battery life couldn’t keep up. What good is all that functionality on your wrist if it’s a paperweight by evening?