I am suspicious of fitness trackers. I'm not saying we can't trust companies to safeguard the data they generate, but it would be nice to not have to trust them in the first place. That is why I've been happy to wear a Pebble Time 2, which is the first Android-compatible product I've worn that generates health metrics without also uploading that information to the web.

For better or worse, Wear OS smartwatches have followed the same path as Android phones: Samsung and Google dominate mind share. This year, they released the Galaxy Watch 9 and Pixel Watch 5 — but which to choose? I decided to wear both.

I nearly gave up on wearing my Galaxy Watch altogether after a stretch of missed texts and silent calendar alerts. The culprit turned out to be a setting I'd flipped on to squeeze out more battery life.

A smartwatch can do far more than show notifications or count your steps, especially if it's connected to the rest of your smart home. Google's ecosystem has quietly turned the wrist-worn device into a surprisingly capable remote control, letting you interact with devices around your home without reaching for your phone.

The Pebble Time 2 is the most fun I’ve ever had with a smartwatch. It’s not the prettiest. It’s not the most durable. It’s not even packed with the most features. But this smartwatch sparks so much joy and is so genuinely useful that I haven’t wanted to part with it from the moment I put it on.