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Scientists name ancient shark species after arcade classic 'Galaga'
Paleontologists took a cue from retro games when naming a prehistoric shark -- they dubbed it Galagadon nordquistae after '80s arcade shooter Galaga. They bestowed the unusual name upon the newly discovered species because its teeth look a bit like the classic game's spaceships.
After Math: Watch out now!
You'd think that the week after CES would bring at least a brief lull in the firehose that is tech news, but you'd be wrong. Google's paying $40 million for Fossil's smartwatch tech; LG's holding a huge sale for last year's most expensive sets ahead of the Super Bowl; and for some reason, Aaron Sorkin doesn't think we've had enough onscreen Zuckerberg (he too is wrong).
What does Google get out of buying Fossil’s smartwatch tech?
Yesterday, Google announced that it would be paying $40 million for intellectual property related to smartwatches from one of its closest partners: Fossil Group. As part of the deal, a portion of Fossil's own R&D workers who were supporting that IP will join Google. To be clear, this isn't a merger, nor is Google buying all of Fossil's smartwatch business. It's just a specific piece or pieces of tech that Fossil had been working on. But it begs the question, what exactly did Fossil have that Google didn't and wanted to pay that much money for?
Google will buy Fossil smartwatch tech for $40 million
Google's commitment to improving its smartwatch platform is about to extend beyond overhauling its software. The internet giant has agreed to buy some of the intellectual property behind Fossil's smartwatch technology in a $40 million deal. While the two aren't specific about the technology trading hands, the arrangement will see a "portion" of Fossil's research and development team sign on with Google. The purchase is expected to complete before the end of January.
Michael Kors' Sofie 2.0 smartwatch is about more than just fashion
When Fossil's Michael Kors label unveiled the first Sofie smartwatch, it had eye-catching looks... and not much else. You can't say the same for the just-unveiled Sofie 2.0, at least. Michael Kors has updated the wristwear with the same posh-looking exterior, but much more functionality under the hood. It now has heart rate monitoring, NFC payments, GPS tracking and the latest version of Wear OS. Much like a few other Fossil upgrades in recent months, the Sofie 2.0 is now far more functional.
Ask Engadget: Which hybrid smartwatch should I buy?
The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fact, our community's knowledge and insights are a reason why many of you participate in the comments. We truly value the time and detail you all spend in responding to questions from your fellow tech-obsessed commenters, which is why we've decided to bring back the much-missed "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question comes to us from a reader who wants advice on which wearable to buy as a gift. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! I love the look of hybrid smartwatches. What's the best one you guys have seen?
Fossil Sport review: Just another Wear OS watch
Smartwatches seem to be enjoying a minor revival this year, with major brands like Apple and Samsung continuing to push out intriguing new wearables like the Galaxy Watch and the Apple Watch Series 4. Google launched a redesign of Wear OS, and Qualcomm created a new processor specifically for watches. The Snapdragon Wear 3100 is built around a new architecture featuring low-power cores that claim to deliver dramatically better battery life. The Fossil Sport is one of the first watches to ship with the new chipset and is also the fashion company's first fitness-focused smartwatch. Since this is the first Wear 3100 watch we've got our hands on, though, I'm eager to see if the new CPU lives up to its promises.
Fossil gets active with Sport smartwatch
American watchmaker Fossil has a new smartwatch that it's adding to its extensive lineup of wearables: the Fossil Sport. The watch, which is targeted at folks with an active lifestyle, is powered by the brand new Snapdragon 3100 platform and runs the recently overhauled Wear OS by Google.
Spotify releases official, and much-needed, app for Google's Wear OS
You'll now be able to bring your music volume down to one percent (when ads start) without having to take out your phone, as Spotify has announced a new app for Google Wear OS. That's not to say there was never a Spotify app for Android wearables. A Spotify app did launch for Android wear, but wasn't regularly updated. It got to the point that third-party apps were being released to give Android wear fans a more usable Spotify experience.
Wear OS review: Google puts usability first
It may be time to give smartwatches another chance. Companies like Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung and Fitbit have kept trying to make these devices actually useful, and the industry seems to be gaining momentum. Google is rolling out the latest iteration of Wear OS, and its continued efforts seem like they're starting to pay off. This third major release of the OS offers a more proactive Assistant and puts more emphasis on health-tracking, making it a platform that you'll actually want to keep on your wrist.
Skagen's new smartwatch might be The One
It felt like I had found my match on smartwatch Tinder. I hadn't even seen the Skagen Falster 2 in person before today, but I was already enthralled by the pictures. The stunning watch teases with its clean, minimalist design, and then grabs you by your eyeballs with its metallic accents and magnetic mesh band. After meeting it at last here at IFA 2018, I think I'm in lust. Just look at this thing.
Skagen revamps its slick-looking Falster smartwatch
Skagen's Falster has been one of the darlings among Wear OS smartwatches thanks to its posh yet minimalist look, but it was hard to recommend to everyone when there were no standout features besides the design. The Fossil-owned brand is fixing that today with the Falster 2. It still maintains the Danish brand's aesthetic but introduces a heart-rate sensor, GPS and NFC payments. You can use this to track an outdoor run and pay for a snack after your workout. Skagen is promising some tangible improvements on the outside, too.
Michael Kors' latest Wear OS watch features a popular design
Michael Kors is going back to its roots for the next model in its ever-expanding Access smartwatch line. It's reviving its long-serving Runway watch as a Wear OS smartwatch, giving it the familiar case and steel bracelet options while throwing in new silicone strap options and, of course, some digital underpinnings. The new Runway models still use the old Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor (a bit ill-timed with Qualcomm's next chip on the way), but they won't be hurting for features. The resurrected Runway includes heart rate monitoring, NFC for Google Pay purchases, GPS tracking and a "swimproof" (3 ATM) design.
Fossil's new smartwatches get NFC payments and heart rate tracking
Fossil's newest smartwatches come with features many of their predecessors were sorely lacking. In an attempt to catch up to its rivals, the company has added heart rate trackers, NFC payment and built-in GPS to its latest Wear OS models. The Fossil Q Venture HR and Fossil Q Explorist HR can track your heart rate across multiple types of workouts using Google Fit and even have watchfaces that can display beats-per-minute for easy access.
Fossil will sell BMW-branded smartwatches next year
BMW is moving into the smartwatch game, but it's not actually making the devices itself. Instead, Fossil has struck a five-year deal to create BMW-branded watches and smartwatches, as part of its seemingly never-ending quest to offer a smartwatch for everyone's taste.
Fitbit, Fossil and Samsung on the challenges for wearables in 2018
The first official day of CES 2018 is all wrapped up, and things were quite busy at the Engadget CES stage. Along with people like GoPro CEO Nick Woodman joining us at the show, we had other companies from the tech industry there as well. In one of our chats, we talked to executives from Fitbit, Fossil and Samsung about where they see wearables going in 2018, and what will be the biggest challenges ahead for the category. A main point of emphasis was that moving battery life from days to months is key to the success of wearables in the long term, which may seem obvious but will continue to be a main topic of discussion until there's a major breakthrough.
Kate Spade designed an Android Wear smartwatch
Kate Spade, known for its colorful, bubble-gum aesthetic that draws girls from all over the world to its purses and accessories, has made its first touchscreen smartwatch. The Android Wear device was unveiled at CES 2018, and it doesn't have a name other than "Kate Spade scallop touchscreen." It was designed to fit in with the rest of the brand's "unapologetically feminine" look, according to CEO Mary Beech, and it's one of the few smartwatches ever to specifically target women's wrists, and do so in an attractive way.
Misfit's latest hybrid smartwatch focuses on classic style
If it wasn't already evident that Misfit is on a fashion kick with its smartwatches, it is now. The Fossil-owned badge has unveiled a new hybrid smartwatch, the Command, that promises to track your fitness while looking appropriate for formal wear. It delivers notifications and tracks activity (including step count, calories, distance and sleep) much like the Phase did, just without screaming "I am tech." The steel bracelet model in particular wouldn't be out of place at a formal event, even if people won't mistake it for a Montblanc.
The smartwatch market is actually performing pretty well
While the wearables field is proving a tough space for many companies, smartwatches are apparently doing quite well. In a report from International Data Corporation on this year's second quarter earnings, sales numbers show that wearables are up 10.3 percent year over year. That number includes a small -- nearly one percent -- but notable first time drop in annual growth for basic wearables, like most Fitbit trackers, that don't run third party apps. On the other side of that, though, smartwatch growth topped 60 percent this quarter compared to the same time last year.
Misfit delays its Android Wear smartwatch to October
Misfit said that its Vapor smartwatch would arrive this summer, but the season's nearly over and it has yet to put the device on your wrist. What gives? Well, there's been a delay... although you won't have to wait too much longer. The company tells us that the Android Wear device is now slated to ship in October, 9 months after its CES debut. Misfit tells us that it moved the release because it has "high expectations" for the Vapor and wants to "refine every detail" until the device is "truly outstanding." In other words, the Vapor still had some rough spots as the end-of-summer deadline approached.
