wearables Archives

AppWizard

November 22, 2025

Five Android apps to challenge Google Fit

Google Fit is a foundational tool for Android users, but many are looking for more comprehensive fitness insights and community engagement. Alternative applications provide enhanced features and deeper analytics tailored to various training styles. Strava is a social platform for endurance athletes with over 100 million users, offering features like segment leaderboards and route planning, making it ideal for GPS-centric sports. Samsung Health integrates sleep coaching, stress metrics, and body composition estimates, providing a holistic dashboard for daily monitoring, especially effective with Galaxy devices. MyFitnessPal focuses on nutrition and weight goals, featuring a database of over 14 million foods for easy meal logging and customizable macro goals. Hevy is designed for strength training, offering a streamlined logging system for workouts and progress tracking, with a lightweight social component. AllTrails caters to hikers and trail runners, providing access to over 400,000 curated routes and safety features, including offline maps and GPS tracking. Users can choose an app based on their primary fitness goals, with options for GPS and community engagement, overall wellness, nutrition tracking, strength training, or outdoor adventures, all benefiting from data interoperability through Health Connect by Android.

AppWizard

November 21, 2025

Visible mobile For Android

Visible Services, LLC has developed the Visible app, which has a rating of 4.6 stars from over a million users. The app allows users to manage mobile services, including shopping for phones, trading in old devices, activating services, managing accounts, ensuring privacy and security, and accessing 24/7 support. Key features include the ability to join Visible, trade-in offers, activation and porting support, account management, privacy controls, and direct chat with customer support.

AppWizard

November 11, 2025

Google is cracking down on apps that secretly drain your battery

Google is introducing new app quality guidelines for Android devices to reduce excessive battery drain, effective March 1, 2026. Developers will be held accountable for apps that unnecessarily deplete battery life, particularly through mismanaged "wake locks." Apps that excessively hold wake locks will face penalties in the Play Store, including reduced visibility and warning labels for users. An app will be flagged if it keeps a device awake for over two cumulative hours in 24 hours without justification, or if it consumes more than 4.44% of battery per hour on wearables. This initiative was developed in collaboration with Samsung to improve app performance and user satisfaction.

Tech Optimizer

November 4, 2025

The TechBeat: Introducing Agentic Postgres, the Database for AI Agents (10/25/2025)

Recent advancements in technology include the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for data analysis and decision-making, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) leading to interconnected smart devices, a growing emphasis on cybersecurity with advanced encryption and real-time threat detection, and a focus on sustainability through green technologies and eco-friendly practices.

AppWizard

October 23, 2025

GenAI is emerging, and it could make the phone’s form factor feel irrelevant

The consumer technology landscape is shifting towards prioritizing artificial intelligence (AI) experiences over traditional hardware specifications, redefining consumer engagement with devices. Companies are focusing on user experiences enabled by AI, such as Samsung's collaboration with Perplexity for information access through televisions. Tech giants like Google and Motorola are highlighting AI functionalities in their marketing, while Nothing is investing in AI-native devices. The introduction of GenAI into premium smartphones has brought features like real-time image editing and personalized content generation. IDC predicts that users will soon interact with personalized AI across various devices, facilitating seamless transitions between them. AI-powered devices, such as the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, offer hands-free assistance, enhancing user convenience. Consumers are looking for features that save time and improve convenience, and companies that successfully leverage AI for tangible benefits are likely to lead the market.

AppWizard

September 8, 2025

Can AI help you become a better runner? I tried the latest tech at IFA to find out

In 2025, wearable technology, including smartwatches, bands, and rings, has become integral for fitness and health monitoring, with companies like Apple, Samsung, and Strava incorporating AI coaching features. At IFA 2025 in Berlin, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8's Running Coach software was tested, revealing limitations in personalization and fixed training goals that may not align with individual user objectives. The author also explored the Hypershell X Ultra exoskeleton, an AI-powered device designed to assist leg movement during physical activities, which adapts to individual stride patterns using data from over 12 sensors. While the exoskeleton enhances mobility for walking and hiking, it may restrict running performance due to its design. The Hypershell X Ultra includes a fitness mode that allows users to increase resistance, potentially benefiting advanced runners. The contrast between AI software limitations and the dynamic capabilities of AI hardware is noted, with the latter offering promising training enhancements.

AppWizard

September 6, 2025

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: LTE, MicroLED & Satellite Messaging Hands-On: Everything You Need to Know!

Garmin has launched the Fenix 8 Pro and Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED models, featuring LTE and two-way satellite messaging capabilities, increased display brightness (around 2,000 nits for the Pro model and 4,500 nits for the MicroLED), enhanced speaker loudness, and live two-way voice calls. The Fenix 8 Pro comes in 47mm and 51mm sizes, with the entry-level model priced at 9, while the MicroLED variant is priced at ,999 and only available in the 51mm size. The 43mm model has been removed due to engineering challenges with LTE integration. The new models offer various safety and communication features, including weather updates, incident detection, and emergency SOS. The LTE setup requires a subscription to Garmin’s inReach platform. The MicroLED version has a battery life of up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and 44 hours in GPS-only mode.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Take a trip down memory lane with Android Rewind

A new website, AndroidRewind.com, is being developed to chronicle the evolution of Android, starting from Google's acquisition of Android Inc. in July 2005. The site will feature key landing pages including a timeline of Android releases, information on devices that defined Android, details about OEMs, and profiles of notable figures in the Android ecosystem. The initial design was revised for better aesthetics, and images were sourced from Android Central. The website is built using Google Gemini, allowing for flexibility in content editing. Challenges encountered during development included issues with deployment and code editing post-deployment. Future plans for the site include enhancing details for Android releases and devices, and incorporating additional device categories like tablets and wearables.

AppWizard

June 30, 2025

Ask Jerry: Who are the 3 billion Android users?

Apple claims to have two billion devices, and these figures are credible. The numbers refer to devices rather than users, and a device is classified as active if it communicates with the Play Store at least once every 30 days. Android devices include smartphones, wearables, tablets, media streamers, and Chromebooks, contributing to over three billion devices in total. A single user can own multiple devices, which can inflate the overall count. Estimates suggest that three billion devices may be used by only 375 million distinct individuals, but there is no verifiable data on the actual number of users versus devices.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Pixel Phones Get a Taste of Material 3 Expressive in Android 16 Beta

Google I/O 2025 has concluded, and the Android 16 QPR1 Beta has been launched, introducing the Material 3 Expressive design language. This update is the first Quarterly Platform Release following the stable Android 16 Beta program and is primarily aimed at developers and testers. It enhances user experience with a fresh visual design, which will also extend to Wear OS 6. Key features of the update include a redesigned user interface with increased space for widgets and apps, new system icons in the status bar, a colorful quick settings panel, expanded customization options, and enhanced controls for home and lock screens. The beta is available for various Pixel devices, including Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9 series, as well as Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet.