Own a Fitbit? You'll soon be able to get daily step counts from your Google Nest

Right now, you can see a handful of sleep stats on your Google Nest's display, but if you own a Fitbit your workout and activity data will soon be there too.

A newly published support document spotted by 9to5Google describes how you'll soon be able to configure your Nest Hub to show metrics such as your daily step count or number of calories burned. This data could be collected from your Fitbit, or from the Google Fit app.

The Nest Hub already serves as a sleep tracker , monitoring motion and sound (including snoring) overnight to determine how well you're resting. It also analyzes light and temperature in your bedroom, and gives suggestions on how to improve your sleep hygiene.

It's not clear when the Fitbit firmware update will roll out, but once it does, your activity data will appear in the same place as your sleep stats, on the device's 'Wellness' tab.

More Fitbit integration

The addition of Fitbit data to Google's smart speakers comes as no surprise. Google purchased Fitbit in January last year, and promised that while the two brands would remain separate, they would be working together closely on various projects.

Perhaps the most exciting of these is set to be a new premium Fitbit smartwatch running the Wear OS operating system, which was mentioned at last year's Google IO event. We've not seen any sign of the watch so far, but Fitbit typically keeps its devices under wraps until they're ready to go on sale, so there's no telling when it might appear.

It seems very unlikely that the forthcoming Google Pixel Watch is going to be Fitbit-branded, but it's almost certainly going to come the company's fitness tracking tools preinstalled. Some possible watch face designs leaked last year, including one featuring the familiar Fitbit logo.

It'll be interesting to see how else Google can work Fitbit tech into its other devices. For example, it's not too hard to imagine health tech being integrated into Google's Pixel Buds in a similar way to the Amazfit Powerbuds Pro , with heart rate monitoring and workout tracking. We'll be keeping our ears to the ground for more news over the coming months.

Do not buy a laptop this weekend – because Apple's March Event could change everything

Thinking of buying a new laptop this weekend? That’s great! Laptops are brilliant, and we have plenty of buying guides such as the best laptops 2022 , best gaming laptops and best laptops for students , which can help you find the ideal model for you.

However, I’m going to go against my usual advice and say don’t buy a laptop this weekend.

That’s it. Put your wallets and purses away, or your rune-filled pouches if you’re thoroughly immersed in Elden Ring , and hold tight, as this weekend may be a bad time to buy a new laptop.

Why? Well, we know on Tuesday, March 8, Apple will be holding a March Event , and alongside rumors of new iPhones and iPads, there’s a growing number of people who expect to see some new Macs and MacBooks at the event, including possibly the MacBook Air 2022 .

If these rumors are true, then we could be days away from Apple revealing a follow-up to the best laptop you can buy right now.

The previous model, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) absolutely blew us away when it launched. Thanks to the (then) new M1 chip designed by Apple, this was a laptop that offered brilliant performance, excellent battery life and a fanless thin and light design that made it completely silent when in use.

Add in a stunning screen, solid build quality and a price tag that was quite a bit cheaper than rival Windows laptops that offer a similar level or performance, and it’s little surprise that this is still the laptop we recommend you buy above all others, even one and a half years after its release. The fact that it has dropped in price and is now even better value means ordinarily I’d have no qualms with recommending it, even for people who usually hate Apple.

But don’t buy it this weekend. On Tuesday, there’s a real possibility that we could see a new and improved MacBook Air, with rumors suggesting it’ll be powered by a new M2 chip . This could bring vast performance improvements over the previous MacBook Air, and in the past Apple has released new models of its MacBooks at the same price the previous model sold for.

That means by waiting a few days, you may get a substantial upgrade for the same price. Of course, if Apple does release a new MacBook Air, I expect the price of the older model to then drop further. The existence of a new MacBook Air doesn’t suddenly make the older model obsolete. But it will lead to retailers dropping the price to clear stock for the newer model.

So, even if you’re set on the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), it’s still worth waiting a few days, as it could mean you save a bit of money on the laptop you were thinking about buying.

What about Apple haters?

But what about people who are avidly anti-Apple? I suggest you still wait until Tuesday and see what Apple shows. You never know, you may be impressed, and if you aren’t, then you’ve not lost anything.

I’ve been using Windows since 3.1, but the MacBook Air won me over with just how good it is, and the new one, whenever it arrives, could do the same with you. These days, most apps have macOS versions, so the switch to macOS from Windows is a lot easier.

Also, unlike Apple’s other products, like the Apple Watch and HomePod that annoyingly only work with other Apple products, Mac and MacBooks are thankfully less tied to Apple’s ecosystem. While you get some nice additional benefits from owning an iPhone or iPad alongside a MacBook, you can use it if you don’t have any other Apple devices.

As a first Apple laptop, then, the MacBook Air is a great choice, and any new model will likely be the same.

However, if you’re thinking of buying a gaming laptop this weekend – go ahead. It’s unlikely Apple will show anything even remotely resembling a gaming laptop at the event, and while the powerful new MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch can be configured with the M1 Max chip , which can offer enough GPU power to play modern games, gaming on Mac is still rather neglected.

But, for anyone else considering a new laptop, I really recommend you hold tight until after Tuesday. We may be about to see a follow-up to the best laptop money can buy right now.

New Xbox Series X update will literally save you money – and the environment

Microsoft has announced that Energy Saver mode on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will now be able to download system and game updates – a feature that was previously reserved for the more power-hungry Standby mode.

Microsoft outlined the change in a blog post on Xbox Wire , which shared the company’s plans on Xbox’s sustainability efforts. Microsoft is aiming to be carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste by 2030, and also revealed that it began incorporating Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) resins into the manufacturing body and various internal components of the Xbox Series S in late 2021.

The company also used PCR resins in some of its recent Xbox Wireless Controllers like the Electric Volt and Daystrike Camo Special Edition. “Both controllers will contain a portion of resins made from recycled materials like automotive headlight covers, plastic water jugs and CDS,” said Microsoft’s director of product marketing Navin Kumar. Microsoft also includes 15 colors on Xbox Design Lab that use PCR resins.

However, it’s the change to Energy Saver mode that will arguably have the most immediate impact on consumers’ household bills and the environment. Energy Saver mode consumes about 20 times less power than Standby mode and is now the default option when players initially set up their console. And with this recent update, it’s a no-brainer to use it over Standby mode if you’re conscious about your electricity bills.

Knowing that your games and the Xbox’s system software will update automatically in this mode basically makes Standby mode unnecessary. Thanks to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S’s super-fast SSD, the time it takes to boot up from Energy Saver mode and Standby mode is negligible. Quick Resume , Microsoft’s clever feature that suspends multiple games at a time, also works in Energy Saver mode, so you can jump back in exactly where you left off.

We’d strongly advise sticking to Energy Saver mode, then, unless you really can’t spare a couple of extra seconds each time you turn on your console.

To enable Energy Save Mode, go to Settings > Sleep Mode & Startup > Sleep Mode > Energy saver.

Analysis: a timely, money-saving update

With the cost of living continuing to rise, it’s pleasing to see Microsoft continue its efforts to be more sustainable, especially when it will help save consumers money on their household bills.

The company is clearly taking its pledges seriously, as not only has it increased its use of PCR resins, but it also converted its Xbox gift cards from plastic to paperboard, reducing over 500,000 kg of plastic annually. All product packaging, Xbox products, and accessories will be 100% recyclable in OECD countries by 2030, too.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is also helping reduce the environmental impact since most power usage occurs during gameplay. Cloud gaming takes advantage of Microsoft’s Azure datacenters, which will shift to a 100% supply of renewable energy in 2025, and can power hundreds of consoles per server over its lifetime.

Interestingly, Microsoft has embedded an enhanced power monitoring system in a small selection of Xbox consoles for “expanded in-field, anonymous, telemetry collection”, which it will use to discover opportunities where power can be saved via future updates and improvements.

If you’re feeling the pinch of rising costs and own an Xbox console, then, switch to Energy Saving mode today to save money and reduce your personal impact on the environment. The only thing you’ve got to lose is a few seconds of your time.

Still waiting to enter the next generation of console gaming? Check out the best Xbox Series S prices below.