All posts tagged: Smartwatches

Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: What We Know About Samsung’s Next Smartwatches

Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: What We Know About Samsung’s Next Smartwatches

Published by skeptic

Summer is approaching, and so is a new batch of Samsung Galaxy products. Leaks point to a double smartwatch debut: the Galaxy Watch 9 and what looks like a true successor to the Ultra. But if you were hoping for a Galaxy Ring 2, don’t hold your breath. Last year, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 debuted a slightly controversial redesign, making the return of the Galaxy Watch Classic and its physical rotating bezel all the more satisfying. This year, a new Classic model doesn’t seem likely (though another redesign isn’t completely off the table). But there may be another headliner ready to steal attention from the flagship once again. A report from GalaxyClub cited by Android Authority suggests Samsung may launch a new Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside the Galaxy Watch 9, likely in the summer of 2026. And based on recent leaks, that timeline is looking increasingly credible. Firmware for the Galaxy Watch 9 has reportedly been spotted on a US test server by Mohammed Khatri (as mentioned in Phone Arena), suggesting Samsung has moved from development into active …

8 Best Apple Watch Accessories (2026): Bands, Chargers, and More

8 Best Apple Watch Accessories (2026): Bands, Chargers, and More

Published by skeptic

Not only are the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 the best workout earbuds if you have an Apple Watch, but they are also the best workout earbuds, period. They even have a heart rate monitor that’s built off the one used in the Apple Watch. If you already own an Apple Watch, this feature is superfluous, as iOS will prioritize the Apple Watch’s more sophisticated readings over the earbuds. But if you run with third-party fitness apps like Nike Run Club or Peloton, you will find the extra data useful. On top of that, the buds are crazy comfortable, sound great, have excellent noise canceling, and have most of the aforementioned Apple-exclusive features, like hands-free Siri (no Adaptive Audio, however, sad). The case also sports wireless charging and, unlike many of Apple’s other products, it comes in bright, fun colors. Our test unit is Electric Orange, but I find the Hyper Purple to be just as good. —Adrienne So Source link

The Bargain-Basement MacBook Neo Exposes the Insane Price of Another Key Apple Product

The Bargain-Basement MacBook Neo Exposes the Insane Price of Another Key Apple Product

Published by skeptic

Let’s bring in some experts. They’re going to tell us we’re comparing apples with oranges here when looking at the Neo and Ultra. “They serve very different purposes, very different audiences,” says Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC. “You’re essentially talking about a health device versus a general-purpose computer, right? And so the prices shouldn’t be comparable, because they do very different things.” Told you. Thing is, I don’t think the average consumer cares about that. They do care about money, though. And they now see a bewildering price discrepancy between Apple products. Terry White, principal worldwide design and photography evangelist at Adobe, certainly does. He has posted that the Neo now proves Apple’s iPad accessories are massively overpriced. “To get that same 256 GB storage on a base iPad, you’re at $449 (and a slower chip),” he posted. “Add the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio to match the Mac’s form factor, and you’re paying $698. We used to ask if an iPad could replace a laptop. Now the real question is: Why does replacing a …

Motorola Moto Watch Review: Polar-Powered

Motorola Moto Watch Review: Polar-Powered

Published by skeptic

However, rendered here in Motorola’s Watch app, everything looks fun and easy! Motorola (and Polar, I guess) uses Apple’s “close your rings” approach, with active minutes, steps, and calories. I particularly like that you can now use Polar’s sleep tracking with a cheaper Android watch. Polar takes into account sleep time, solidity (whether or not your sleep was interrupted), and regeneration to give you a Nightly Recharge Status. You can still click through and see your ANS, but there’s a lot more context surrounding it. Also, the graphs are prettier. I compared the sleep, heart rate, and stress measurements to my Oura Ring 4, and I found no big discrepancies. The Moto Watch tended to be a little bit more generous in my sleep and activity measurements (7 hours and 21 minutes of sleep instead of 7 hours and 13 minutes, or 3,807 steps as compared to 3,209), but that’s usual for lower-end fitness trackers that have fewer and less-sensitive sensors. On that note, I do have one major hardware gripe. Onboard GPS is meant …

I tested the new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic and it’s fixed one small but key issue

I tested the new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic and it’s fixed one small but key issue

Published by Sam Flores

Score: 9/10 We like: Ceramic finish is more scratch resistant Excellent health and wellness tracking Great sleep tracking Comfortable to wear 24/7 We don’t like: Monthly subscription cost Activity tracking could be better Charging case costs £99 extra What is the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic? The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is the latest smart ring from Finnish company Oura and one of the most expensive finishes available, costing £499. It was announced in October 2025 and offers all the same features as the company’s standard Ring 4, which starts at £349. But rather than a metal finish, it is coated in zirconia ceramic to make it more scratch resistant. There are four colour options, including Petal (a pinky purple,) Cloud (a creamy white,) Midnight (a blue black) and Tide (a light green.) Like the Ring 4, it has a multitude of sensors packed inside that offer continuous data tracking of everything from sleep and stress, to heart health and activity. I’ve worn both the Ring 4 and Ring 4 Ceramic – the former for a …

I’ve run 63 marathons – these are the 10 best Garmin watches for running, hiking and everyday wear

I’ve run 63 marathons – these are the 10 best Garmin watches for running, hiking and everyday wear

Published by Sam Flores

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 strikes a winning balance between fitness-tracking firepower, simple style, 24/7 wearability and smartwatch smarts. At just 36g, it’s light, compact and comfortable. The vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED display is on the smaller side but still does a good job of bringing a huge range of daily insights to life. Activity tracking is excellent with your core health and activity insights including sleep tracking and coaching, steps, stress, body battery (a kind of energy level metre) and breathing rate. Beyond that, the Vivoactive 6 is a pretty serious training tool, too. It has more than 80 sport modes, run-tracking tools, fitness benchmarks like VO2 Max estimates, fitness age along with daily suggested workouts and recovery time recommendations. The battery life impressed for a smaller, AMOLED watch. I got six days of general usage and 8.5 hours GPS training on a single charge, which is significantly better than many smartwatches. There’s no accuracy-boosting dual frequency GPS tech but in my tests, it tracked well against much pricier watches. Heart performance was solid, too, though …

Smartwatches Help Detect Hidden Dangerous Heart Rhythm Problems, Clinical Trial Finds

Smartwatches Help Detect Hidden Dangerous Heart Rhythm Problems, Clinical Trial Finds

Published by Sam Flores

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Smartwatches can greatly improve doctors’ ability to detect hidden-but-dangerous heart rhythm problems, a new clinical trial has found. More than half the time, these smartwatch wearers with heart rhythm problems hadn’t shown any symptoms prior to diagnosis, researchers found. Later editions of Apple Watches are equipped with two functions that can help monitor heart health — photoplethysmography (PPG), which tracks heart rate, and a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) that monitors heart rhythm. “Using smartwatches with PPG and ECG functions aids doctors in diagnosing individuals unaware of their arrhythmia, thereby expediting the diagnostic process,” said senior researcher Dr. Michiel Winter, a cardiologist at Amsterdam University Medical Center in The Netherlands. “Our findings suggest a potential reduction in the risk of stroke, benefiting both patients and the health care system by reducing costs,” Winter said in a news release. The most common heart rhythm problem is atrial fibrillation, which causes an unnatural quivering beat in the upper chambers of the heart, researchers said in background notes. A-Fib …

I stopped buying smartwatches for these simple reasons

I stopped buying smartwatches for these simple reasons

Published by skeptic

Being a technology geek, I am a person who loves getting the latest piece of tech or gadget as soon as it launches. I remember the time when smartwatches broke into the scene and how everyone, including me, was quite fascinated with them. Samsung Gear, launched in 2013, and the Apple Watch, launched in 2015, were (and are now as well) the crème de la crème of smartwatches. I appreciate the data, the aesthetic, and the luxury of keeping my phone inside my pocket. Yet, those perks seemed superficial rather than necessities, and once I took the watch off some months ago, I simply never found a compelling reason to put it back on. Smartwatches are not smart anymore For most tasks, you have to take out your smartphone anyway Credit: Zarif Ali / MakeUseOf Smartwatches were introduced with a selling proposition that they are here to take things into their own hands. And by that I mean they are meant to handle the barrage of notifications we receive on our smartphones. A quick glance at …

11 Best Smartwatches (2026): Apple, Wear OS, Hybrid & Kids’ Watches

11 Best Smartwatches (2026): Apple, Wear OS, Hybrid & Kids’ Watches

Published by skeptic

Other Smartwatches to Consider The number of smartwatches on the market is staggering. Here are a few other options I like. Tag Heuer Calibre E5 Photograph: Julian Chokkattu TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 for $1,950: I’ve spent close to a month with TAG Heuer’s new luxury smartwatch. It’s a nice alternative for anyone tired of Google’s Wear OS or the Apple Watch, but design and brand are the top reasons to buy this smartwatch. You’re not getting the rich smartwatch experience with third-party apps and the ability to reply to messages; heck, it still doesn’t even have sleep tracking. (That’s supposedly coming in a software update.) But you can track heart rate, steps, calories, and a handful of workouts. My data was generally aligned with the Pixel Watch 4, though the Calibre E5’s heart rate data during intensive workouts is slightly off. I do appreciate that Tag offers a battery replacement service for the smartwatch, but again, this is for someone with multiple Tag watches in their collection. Most people will be better served by …