Technologies

Google Pixel Watch: After 5 Months, Still the Best-Looking Android Watch

The Pixel Watch’s sleek, curved design and variety of Fitbit metrics make it a top choice. But it’s not perfect.

Android fans looking for a smartwatch that’s more stylish than a fitness watch but more functional than a hybrid watch don’t have many options to choose from. But the Pixel Watch manages to check that box, even if it doesn’t get everything else right.

I’ve been revisiting the Pixel Watch roughly five months after its launch, and my first impressions largely remain the same. Aside from its sharp looks, Google’s first smartwatch excels for its easy-to-use software and wide selection of Fitbit health metrics. The same downsides also hold true: The battery life isn’t as long as I would like it to be, and the bezels framing the screen are sometimes too noticeable.

Google Pixel Watch

$300 at Google

It’s still the best-looking Android Watch, with some caveats

The Pixel Watch’s attractive design continues to be its best attribute. That’s important, because a device that sits on the wrist all day (and night) needs to look and feel like something you actually want to wear. The rounded glass edges, stainless steel materials and soft pebble-like shape give it a more polished look compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or Fitbit Sense 2. As a person with small wrists, the Pixel Watch looks more natural than most smartwatches I’ve worn.

The Pixel Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch — Google’s Pixel Watch (left) has a more refined design than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

But those benefits do come with some compromises. The Pixel Watch is only available in one size, which might not be suitable for those with large wrists or people who prefer bigger screens. Even though I like the Pixel Watch’s petite look, I do wish the screen was slightly larger so that it could fit more complications — what watchmakers call the little secondary dials, but on smartwatches are typically things like temperature and activity tracking. I typically wear a 45-millimeter Apple Watch Series 6 when I’m using an iPhone, and that screen can show six complications at once. On my favorite Pixel Watch face, I can only fit three.

The more pressing issue, however, is that the Pixel Watch’s bezels can sometimes distract from the design, as I wrote in my initial review. Most of the time, the software’s dark background blends in well with the watch’s bezels. But you can really see the bezels when using a colorful app or the Photos watch face.

Its battery life is about the same as rivals

Before Google announced the Pixel Watch, I hoped it would inherit Fitbit’s stellar battery life. Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case. The Pixel Watch can last for a little more than a day on a single charge in my experience, which roughly matches the battery life on the Apple Watch Series 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. After about 27 hours of use, for example, my watch had 12% of its battery left.

I had the always-on display turned off and mostly tracked indoor workouts that didn’t require a GPS connection while using the watch, save for logging a few outdoor walks. Both of those features typically drain the battery faster, meaning you’ll get less mileage out of the watch if you use them.

This isn’t a major problem if you intend to charge your watch overnight. But since I’ve been trying to get more sleep lately, I’ve been putting Fitbit’s in-depth sleep tracking to use. This has made it hard to know when I should carve out time to put my Pixel Watch on its charger. I even had to workout without my Pixel Watch while it charged on one occasion, making me feel like I wasn’t getting credit for my indoor cycling session.

Google Pixel Watch with photo watch face — Google’s Pixel Watch has noticeable bezels when a photo is on the display.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The Pixel Watch works great with non-Pixel Android phones

Google has been positioning the Pixel Watch as a Pixel phone companion, but it works the same with other Android devices. I used the Pixel Watch with a Pixel 7 during my initial October review, but this time around I paired it with a Galaxy S23 Plus and then a Galaxy Z Fold 4. No matter which phone you’re using, you set up and manage the watch through Google’s Watch app, while I relied on the Fitbit app for keeping track of my health statistics.

Getting started with the watch was just as easy on a Samsung phone as it was on the Pixel 7. Since it supports Google’s Fast Pair feature, my Samsung devices were able to detect the Pixel Watch as soon as I brought the watch close to my phone, prompting me to install the Watch app immediately.

Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch — The Pixel Watch has been positioned as a Pixel phone companion, but it works great with other Android devices too.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

That makes the Pixel Watch appealing to a broader audience of Android users, but also means there isn’t necessarily anything about it that hooks users into Google’s specific Pixel ecosystem. Samsung, on the other hand, restricts the Galaxy Watch’s ECG feature to Galaxy phone users only.

Unsurprisingly, the Pixel Watch is not compatible with iPhones. But other Wear OS watchmakers like Fossil offer iOS support.

Google Pixel Watch being worn — Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The same downsides still exist, possibly with some new ones

Aside from the battery life and the bezel, there are two shortcomings that might be important to those who regularly use their watch for health and fitness tracking.

First, the Pixel Watch can’t automatically detect and launch a workout while on your wrist or provide notifications for high and low heart rates. That may be important to consider for those who want to keep a closer eye on their cardiac health.

These are drawbacks that existed at launch, but some users have reported new issues since then. A few Pixel Watch owners have said that alarms set on the Pixel Watch have gone off minutes after they were supposed to, as 9to5Google has reported. For what it’s worth, I use the alarm function on the Pixel Watch often and have not experienced this problem. A Google spokesperson said the company will be updating the Pixel Watch’s Clock app through the Play Store in the coming weeks to address these alarm issues.

The Pixel Watch will evolve over time

But perhaps the biggest revelation that’s become clear over the last few months is that the Pixel Watch will continue to evolve over time, much like Google’s Pixel phones. Google has launched a couple of new features, like fall detection and Fitbit’s Sleep Profiles, the latter of which is available only for Fitbit Premium members and provides deeper analysis of your sleeping patterns. However, both features really just bring the Pixel Watch up to speed with other watches from Apple and Fitbit rather than introducing something wholly new.

The bigger takeaway is that companies like Google, Apple and Samsung are all finding new ways to bring compelling features to their respective smartwatches via software updates rather than just hardware. Apple’s WatchOS 9 update last fall, for example, brought better sleep tracking and more metrics for runners. Samsung, meanwhile, brought improved camera remote controls to the Galaxy Watch 5 and will soon launch cycle tracking.

The Pixel Watch’s classy design and Fitbit health tracking still make it a standout choice for Android device owners. It’s far from perfect, but I’m looking forward to seeing where Google takes it next.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword is a delight. I was thrilled to spot a cute salamander with a funny name in the clue for 9-Across. Good thing I remembered how to spell it! Keep reading for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: See-through
Answer: CLEAR

6A clue: «Anybody home?»
Answer: HELLO

7A clue: Winged horse of Greek myth
Answer: PEGASUS

9A clue: Salamander known for its regenerative abilities (and adorable appearance)
Answer: AXOLOTL

10A clue: Texting format, for short
Answer: SMS

11A clue: Birthplace of bossa nova
Answer: RIO

12A clue: Even score
Answer: TIE

13A clue: Insect seen in Dalí’s «The Persistence of Memory»
Answer: ANT

14A clue: Directory abbr.
Answer: EXT

15A clue: Metroid console, for short
Answer: NES

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Party snack made with cereal and pretzels
Answer: CHEXMIX

2D clue: Gift with many interlocking pieces
Answer: LEGOSET

3D clue: Airline whose name comes from the Book of Hosea
Answer: ELAL

4D clue: Election loser
Answer: ALSORAN

5D clue: Stand-up comic’s act
Answer: ROUTINE

7D clue: Command that uses the «V» key
Answer: PASTE

8D clue: Pulling their arms might win you money
Answer: SLOTS

Technologies

It’s the End of the Road for Microsoft Store Movies and TV Shows. What It Means for You

Microsoft has abruptly stopped offering rentals and sales of TV shows and movies on its media platforms.

Microsoft is exiting the market for selling and renting TV and movies across its platforms. There was no reason given for the abrupt change, with Microsoft simply posting the news on a support page on its Xbox website.

«Microsoft has stopped selling new movie and TV content. Existing customers can continue to access their previously purchased content on Windows and Xbox devices,» Microsoft said in the post.

The company said playback and download options will continue to be available for shows and movies people bought previously, but it’s the end of the road for new sales.

On the same page, Microsoft directed users to sign up for Movies Anywhere if they aren’t already members, which makes purchased content available across platforms, and to shop at other media stores including Amazon’s Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

A representative for Microsoft didn’t offer additional comment, but pointed CNET to a similar support blog post on Microsoft’s website.

Microsoft has partnered with many companies over the years to distribute video content since the early 2000s. The move comes as the company has been experiencing mass layoffs and cost cutting across many divisions, including its gaming studios, resulting in the cancellation of multiple upcoming Xbox games.

What happens to content I’ve bought from Microsoft?

Although Microsoft says previously purchased content isn’t going to be unavailable, there are some things to be aware of. According to the support page, you can’t transfer your purchases to another service (although they can be accessed on other services if Movies Anywhere makes them available, but that doesn’t apply to TV shows).

Microsoft isn’t offering refunds for any purchased content, either.

Microsoft says that downloads of movies and TV shows will still work and will be available, «on Windows and in HD max resolution.» Movies and TV shows will still be playable on the Microsoft Movies & TV app.

The company says anyone who is having trouble accessing their purchases can reach out to Microsoft Support.

Technologies

Microsoft Will Erase Your Passwords in 2 Weeks: What to Do Now

If the Authenticator app is your go-to password manager, you’ll need to pick a new one soon.

Microsoft is axing passwords starting in August — and if you use its Authenticator app, you’ll want to be prepared.

For years, Microsoft Authenticator has been a go-to for managing multifactor authentication and saved passwords. However, starting next month, it will no longer support passwords and will move to passkeys instead. That means your logins will soon rely more on things like PINs, fingerprint scans or facial recognition.

Using a passkey can make your account safer, and it’s a move I’m excited about. I recently uncovered that 49% of US adults have risky password habits that can open the door to scammers getting access to your sensitive data.

If you’re a fan of Authenticator and not sure where to start before the switch, here are other password managers CNET recommends and steps you should take before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator.

Starting this month, you won’t be able to use the autofill password function. And next month, you’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. «Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,» Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

So what exactly is a passkey? It’s a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That’s generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack.

«Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,» said Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert.

Passkeys aren’t stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they’re stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager.

How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. «If you have a password and ‘one-time code’ set up on your account, we’ll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you’re signed in, you’ll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to sign in with your passkey,» according to the blog post.

To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select «Set up a passkey.» You’ll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you’re logged in, you can set up the passkey.

Other password manager alternatives

Since Microsoft will get rid of all of your passwords in two weeks, you’ll need a new place to store your passwords safely. Tomaschek has a few of the best password manager recommendations after testing and reviewing several.

The top recommendation is Bitwarden for its transparency. It’s open-source and audited annually. From a price perspective, the free plan lets you store infinite passwords across unlimited devices. The free plan also includes features most password managers would charge for, including password sharing and a username and password generator.

Bitwarden’s upgraded plans have other upgraded features that could be worth the cost, too.

Personally, Tomaschek has been using 1Password for a while, and he likes the interface and family plan. Even though it’s second on the list, Tomaschek says it’s just as good as Bitwarden.