This is no longer a case of trying to piece together Garmin’s next flagship from retailer listings. The information is coming directly from the company, and it gives us the clearest picture yet of how the Fenix 9 Pro improves on the Fenix 8 Pro.

The Taiwan page covers the 47 mm Fenix 9 Pro inReach, product number 010-04336-60. Garmin has since taken the page down, but it was indexed long enough to expose the product description, specifications and official images.

Fenix 9 Pro gets a full titanium case

The most obvious change is the construction. Garmin describes the Fenix 9 Pro as having a titanium case, moving away from the Fenix 8 Pro design that combines a titanium bezel and rear cover with a fibre-reinforced polymer middle section.

The official images make that change quite easy to spot from the side. More of the case and lug structure is metal, while the familiar five-button layout, sapphire lens, LED flashlight, speaker, microphone and 40 metre diving capability remain.

The rear image also removes any lingering doubt about the identity of the watch. FENIX 9 PRO and INREACH are clearly engraved around the caseback, alongside the titanium and sapphire markings.

The AMOLED display also gets an upgrade. Garmin’s Taiwan specifications put maximum brightness at up to 3,000 nits, while the leaked 47 mm model retains a 1.4-inch screen.

Things get more interesting with the 51 mm version. Garmin says in its unlisted video that the larger Fenix 9 Pro has its biggest-ever AMOLED display at 1.5 inches, compared with the 1.4-inch panel used on the 51 mm Fenix 8 Pro. Previous leaks also point to a resolution increase from 454 x 454 to 466 x 466 pixels.

Battery life is improving as well. Garmin’s Taiwan page rates the 47 mm Fenix 9 Pro inReach for up to 18 days in smartwatch mode, compared with 15 days for the equivalent 47 mm Fenix 8 Pro.

The improvement is notable because the watch still carries the extra LTE and satellite hardware required for inReach. Garmin appears to have found some of the battery efficiency that was lost when those communication features arrived with the Fenix 8 Pro.

Storage is another straightforward upgrade. The Fenix 9 Pro moves from 32 GB to 64 GB, giving it twice the internal capacity of the Fenix 8 Pro.

Garmin says the watch can hold around 7,000 songs, but the additional space should be more useful for mapping. The Taiwan material says users can store roughly twice as much Outdoor Maps+ content, which makes sense for a device built around offline navigation.

Garmin Epic joins new endurance features

The unlisted Fenix 9 Pro video reveals more about the software changes. Garmin specifically highlights enhanced stamina and endurance tracking.

Rucking and rowing are also getting more attention. Garmin says both can be tracked with greater accuracy on the Fenix 9 Pro, with new performance data available for each activity.

Garmin Epic is the more obviously new addition. It allows users to combine multiple activities and their associated metrics into a single record, effectively turning a multi-stage or multi-day adventure into one continuous story.

That could work well for something such as a week-long hiking trip where individual activities currently appear separately. Instead of looking through each recorded day on its own, Garmin Epic appears designed to bring the complete trip and its data together.

Mapping gets another overhaul

Garmin is also promising smoother and more intuitive routable maps. The navigation capabilities themselves are familiar, but the company appears to have worked on how quickly and easily users can interact with them.

That makes the jump to 64 GB more relevant. More storage combined with improved map performance could make the Fenix 9 Pro noticeably better for people who keep large regions available offline and use the watch heavily for navigation.

inReach connectivity remains central to the model shown on the Taiwan website. The Fenix 9 Pro inReach uses LTE-M and satellite connectivity for messaging, location sharing and interactive SOS, with Garmin Response available around the clock.

Those communication features are not new, as the Fenix 8 Pro already offers them. The interesting change this time appears to be Garmin separating the range into Fenix 9 Pro and Fenix 9 Pro inReach versions, rather than making inReach synonymous with the Pro name.

There is also nothing in Garmin’s leaked material so far that points to a new generation of health sensors. ECG, Pulse Ox, HRV, skin temperature and the existing depth sensor remain, suggesting Garmin has concentrated this update elsewhere.

The post Garmin accidentally reveals the Fenix 9 Pro and its biggest upgrades appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The Galaxy Aero first surfaced earlier this month, when SamMobile reported finding references to an unreleased Samsung wearable inside the Galaxy Wearable app. Two strings stood out: Galaxy Aero and galaxy_rtos_watch.

That second reference is the more interesting one. Samsung’s mainstream Galaxy Watches run Wear OS, while its simpler Galaxy Fit devices use a much lighter real-time operating system. Calling something galaxy_rtos_watch suggests Aero isn’t simply another fitness band with a new name.

SamMobile suggested the device could eventually sit somewhere between the upcoming Galaxy Fit 4 and the Galaxy Watch FE. Nothing about the final name, price, shape or launch date has been confirmed, so Aero could still change considerably before release.

But after digging through two of Samsung’s current wearable apps, the idea of an RTOS Galaxy watch doesn’t look particularly far-fetched.

Samsung Health is already built to handle RTOS wearables

We started with Samsung Health 7.00.6.004. There is no direct mention of Galaxy Aero in the APK, and there is no hidden galaxy_rtos_watch string either.

What Samsung Health does contain is existing infrastructure for RTOS devices.

One package referenced by the app is:

com.samsung.rtosfit.app.shealth.sport

Tracing that package through the code leads to Samsung’s older Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Fit e and Galaxy Fit2 devices. So this isn’t secret Aero support that Samsung accidentally left exposed. It is existing RTOS plumbing.

More interestingly, Samsung Health doesn’t need every wearable to be completely hardcoded. Its capability system reads information supplied by connected devices, including fields such as os, modelName, tracker_feature and sleep-related capabilities.

The operating-system handling specifically recognises rtos.

That could become important for Aero. Samsung Health already knows how to receive capability information from an RTOS wearable, meaning Samsung wouldn’t necessarily need a separate health platform just because the device doesn’t run Wear OS.

Galaxy Wearable reveals another piece of the puzzle

We also pulled apart Galaxy Wearable 2.2.70.26060861.

This particular version doesn’t contain either Galaxy Aero or galaxy_rtos_watch. That might sound like evidence against the original finding, but the APK itself provides a good reason why that conclusion would be premature.

Buried inside the app are references to:

galaxy_wearable_configuration.json

and:

device_lists

There are also code paths containing messages such as added new device from the server and will use data from the server.

In other words, the list of Samsung wearables doesn’t have to be frozen inside the APK that someone downloads from the Play Store or Galaxy Store. Samsung can supply newer device definitions through its servers.

So the absence of Aero from our APK isn’t especially surprising. The information SamMobile found appears to be newer than at least some of the product data contained in this public build, whether that came from a newer app version, Samsung’s server configuration or another part of the Galaxy Wearable codebase.

Aero could fill a gap Samsung hasn’t really tackled

The bigger question is why Samsung would make this device at all.

Aero could give Samsung something that Galaxy Watch has always struggled to deliver: smartwatch-style hardware with genuinely long battery life. Dropping Wear OS would reduce processor, memory and power requirements considerably, potentially allowing Samsung to target a week or more between charges rather than the much shorter endurance expected from a full Wear OS watch.

There would be compromises. An RTOS device wouldn’t necessarily offer the Play Store, the same third-party app support or all the software flexibility of the current Galaxy Watch9. Samsung would effectively be choosing battery life and simplicity over running a miniature Android computer on the wrist.

That trade-off isn’t necessarily a bad one.

There is plenty of space between a basic fitness band and a full smartwatch. Huawei, Amazfit and others have shown that watches can offer AMOLED displays, notifications, GPS, health tracking, calls and lengthy battery life without needing Wear OS. Aero could be Samsung’s attempt at the same formula.

APK teardown note

This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.

The post Samsung’s apps show how Galaxy Aero could work without Wear OS appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

A post that appeared on Reddit on Friday shows what looks like a new Google fitness tracker. The poster claims the device is called Pixel Watch AURA, will last for 12 days between charges and is due to launch later this year. The Reddit post has already attracted plenty of attention.

There is a grain of truth behind all of this. Google really has shown an unidentified fitness tracker in its own advertising. But the new AURA image and the specifications attached to it are a different story.

Google’s mystery tracker is real

Earlier this month, an unusual wearable appeared in a couple of Google Pixel 11 ads. It has a small colour display and a shape that sits somewhere between a Fitbit Charge and Pixel Watch.

This wasn’t just one dodgy screenshot circulating on social media. A few users reported seeing the advertisement.

No-one has established what the device actually is. A Fitbit Charge 7 would be the obvious guess, particularly given the long gap since Charge 6. Google could also be planning a new product category alongside the recently launched screenless Fitbit Air.

Now we have this Reddit post which takes the mystery device considerably further. Suddenly there’s a name, Pixel Watch AURA, a claimed 12-day battery life and a launch window later this year. None of those details comes with a source.

And the accompanying image raises even more questions.

We ran the image through three separate AI-image detection tools. They returned probabilities between 97% and 99% that the image was AI generated.

AI detectors aren’t infallible, so that isn’t proof on its own. Compression, image editing and unusual product renders can fool them. But three very high scores become more interesting when the supposed leak has no identified source.

We looked for Pixel Watch AURA in Google’s apps

There is another way to test the claim.

We pulled apart the latest Google Pixel Watch app, version 5.0.0.958206140, looking for references to AURA and unknown wearable hardware. There is no indication of a device called Pixel Watch AURA.

We then checked the latest Google Health app, version 5.06.1, which is the successor to the Fitbit app. Again, no Pixel Watch AURA.

There is actually a standalone AURA entry buried in Google Health. Initially that looked more interesting. Following it through the app shows that it sits alongside symptoms including blurred vision, sensitivity to light, numbness and vertigo. In other words, it refers to migraine aura.

That doesn’t completely rule out the name. Google could keep an unreleased device out of public app builds, use a different internal codename or deliver some configuration from its servers. APK searches are much better at finding evidence than proving something doesn’t exist.

But there is currently nothing in either app backing up the Reddit claim.

The 12-day figure has a similar problem. No source has surfaced for that number either. For comparison, Google officially rates the screenless Fitbit Air for up to a week of battery life. Getting to 12 days from a tracker with an active display certainly isn’t impossible, but right now it is just another unsupported specification attached to the post.

Now make no mistake, Google’s mystery screen-equipped tracker remains genuinely interesting. And there is good reason to think Google has at least experimented with such a device.

Pixel Watch AURA is another matter. Until something more convincing appears, the name, 12-day battery claim and new image look much more like someone building a fictional product around a real Google mystery.

The post The supposed Pixel Watch AURA leak doesn’t add up appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

8.0

Massage 7.5/10

Heat 8.0/10

Ease of use 9.0/10

Value for money 8.0/10

Pros

• – Six vibration motors cover the back and thighs
• – Four intensity levels and five massage patterns
• – Individual massage areas can be switched on or off
• – Heat works independently of the vibration massage
• – Simple controller and long timer options

Cons

• – Vibration only, with no Shiatsu rollers or physical kneading
• – Corded rather than battery powered
• – The “Kneading” mode is simply continuous vibration

Design and setup

There is almost nothing to set up here, which is exactly how it should be. You put the Snailax Massage Cushion on a chair, plug it into the wall and start using it. The controller is permanently attached, so there is no pairing, charging or messing around with batteries. Two straps can be adjusted to hold the Snailax in place – and it takes all of about 30 seconds to set it up.

I have mostly used it on my computer chair, and it sits there surprisingly well. The elastic strap holds the back section securely, while the perforated anti-slip material on the rear helps keep everything from sliding around. It feels like Snailax has designed it to work with most normal chairs rather than expecting you to find the perfect fit.

The cushion itself is comfortable enough to leave in place for long periods. It adds a couple of centimetres to your sitting height, but I did not find that it pushed me forward or changed my normal position. The padding is soft, but not so soft that you sink into it, and overall it looks perfectly decent for something that is basically a massage mat with motors built into it.

I also ended up using it away from the desk quite a bit. When I wanted something a bit more relaxing, I would stretch it out on the sofa or bed and use it there instead. Lying against it lets you put more body weight into the cushion, which makes the vibration feel noticeably stronger than when you are sitting upright.

The wired controller is the one part of the design I am still a little undecided about. On the plus side, you cannot lose it, it never needs charging and it is always ready to go. On the other hand, you do have a cable permanently running from the controller to the cushion, and that can get annoying depending on how you are sitting. A wireless remote would look tidier, but then you would probably end up searching for it between the sofa cushions.

Overall, the physical design gets most of the basics right. It is light, easy to move around, comfortable to sit on and stays where you put it. More importantly, there is basically zero friction between deciding you want to use it and actually starting a massage, and that is probably one of the better things about the SL-262P.

Controls and massage options

The controller looks a bit busy when you first pick it up, but it is actually pretty straightforward. You can choose which part of the cushion you want running, change the vibration pattern, adjust the strength and switch the heat on or off. After a couple of minutes, you pretty much know where everything is.

There are six vibration motors spread across the cushion, and you can target different parts of the body rather than having the whole thing buzzing away every time. You can focus on the upper, middle or lower back, as well as the thigh area, or just switch everything on at once. That last option is what I usually go for, although being able to isolate one area is handy if that is where you are feeling particularly tight.

You also get five vibration patterns and four intensity levels. The patterns mostly change the rhythm of the vibration, so some pulse, some alternate and others feel more constant. But in all honesty, there is not a huge amount of difference between them.

There is even a mode called Kneading, although that name is a bit generous. There are no rollers moving around inside the cushion, so it is still vibration rather than anything that genuinely feels like someone kneading your muscles.

Snailax SL-262P

Vibration massage seat cushion with heat.

View at Amazon

I usually leave the intensity on the strongest setting. The lower levels are fine if you just want a gentle buzz in the background while you are working, but personally I want to actually feel that something is happening. Even at full strength, though, this is not going to fool you into thinking a pair of hands is working on your back. It is much more of a steady vibration massage.

The timer can be set to 15, 30 or 60 minutes, which I like. A lot of massage products cut you off after 10 or 15 minutes, whereas here you can leave it running while working, watching TV or just lying down. There is enough adjustment to play around with, but not so much that using it turns into a project.

What the massage feels like

The main thing to know is that this does not feel anything like a pair of hands working on your back. There are no rollers or moving massage heads inside. It is vibration, pure and simple, just spread across different parts of the cushion.

As mentioned, I usually keep it on the strongest setting. At that level it has enough kick to feel worthwhile. Sitting on it at my desk gives you a fairly steady background massage, while lying on it on the sofa or bed feels noticeably stronger because your body weight presses you harder into the motors. I actually prefer using it that way when I want to properly relax.

The different patterns mostly change the rhythm of the vibration rather than the feel of the massage itself. I played around with all of them at first, but pretty quickly found myself sticking with the stronger and more continuous options.

What I like is that you can just leave it running and forget about it. After 20 or 30 minutes, your back does feel more relaxed, especially after spending a long time sitting at a desk. The thigh motors are a nice extra too, although for me the back section is still where most of the benefit comes from.

Just do not buy it expecting some deep tissue experience. It is not going to dig into a knot or work a particular muscle the way an actual massage would. But as a strong vibration cushion that you can use while working, watching TV or lying down, it does a decent job and is pretty easy to get used to.

Heat performance

Testing the heat function in the middle of an unusually hot UK summer has not exactly been ideal timing. Most of the time I actually found myself using the Massage Cushion with the heat switched off. When the room is already warm, deliberately heating your back and backside is not particularly appealing.

Still, I did give it a proper try, and the heating works well enough. There are heating areas across both the back and seat, so the warmth is spread over a decent portion of your body rather than concentrated in one small spot. It takes a few minutes to get going, then gradually builds into a fairly noticeable warmth.

I would not describe it as scorching hot, which is probably a good thing considering you could be sitting on it for half an hour or more. It feels more like the steady warmth of a heated seat than a hot water bottle pressed against your back. You can also use the heat without having the vibration motors running, which makes the SL-262P useful as a heated seat cushion in its own right.

For me, though, this is probably a feature that will get much more use once autumn and winter arrive. During testing I generally preferred the massage on its own, particularly when using it at my desk. Come January, I suspect that preference could flip pretty quickly.

Who its for

The Massage Cushion makes most sense for someone who spends a lot of time sitting and wants something they can use without stopping whatever else they are doing. I can see it working particularly well on a desk chair, where you can leave it running while you work rather than setting aside time for a dedicated massage session.

It is also a good fit if you prefer vibration to aggressive kneading. Some massage cushions really dig into your back with hard rollers, whereas this is much gentler and easier to live with for longer periods. You still get plenty of strength on the highest setting, but it never reaches the point where it feels like the cushion is trying to rearrange your spine.

Snailax SL-262P

Vibration massage seat cushion with heat.

View at Amazon

The flexibility helps too. You can keep it on a chair for everyday use, then move it onto the sofa or bed when you want something more relaxing. Add the heating function and I can see it being particularly appealing during the colder months, even if I barely wanted to touch that button during a hot UK summer.

Other products in the range

The SL-262P sits at the simpler end of Snailax’s massage cushion range because it relies entirely on vibration. If you want something that actually kneads your back with moving massage heads, Snailax has several Shiatsu models that take things quite a bit further.

The SL-256 is probably the obvious next step. It has four massage nodes that physically travel up and down your back, with full, upper and lower back zones plus a Spot mode for concentrating on one area. You still get vibration through the seat, but the back massage is a very different experience from the SL-262P because there is actual pressure and movement rather than just vibration.

Move further up and there is the SL-233, which adds dedicated neck and shoulder kneading as well as the travelling back rollers. You can adjust the neck position and roller width, choose between different back zones and use heat and seat vibration alongside the Shiatsu massage. Snailax also sells an app-controlled version, although I am not convinced controlling a massage cushion from a phone is something I particularly need.

The SL-234 follows a similar idea, with four Shiatsu nodes around the neck and shoulders and another four working on the back. Then there is the SL-236, which starts getting much closer to a compact massage-chair setup. Along with neck and back Shiatsu, it adds three-level compression around the seat plus adjustable vibration.

At the top end, models such as the SL-229 and SL-248 add even more elaborate kneading and compression systems. They are also considerably larger and more expensive, so you start losing some of the simplicity that makes the SL-262P appealing in the first place. If you mainly want something light that you can throw onto an office chair or stretch out on the sofa, the SL-262P makes sense. If you want something that feels closer to an actual pair of hands working on your back, one of the other Shiatsu models is the direction I would go.

See Snailax massage cushions on Amazon

The post Snailax Massage Cushion review: Can this replace a massage chair? appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.