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As someone who spends most of my training time pounding pavement in preparation for marathons, I’ll admit that rowing has always felt like foreign territory. Sure, I’d hop on the occasional rowing machine at the gym for cross-training, but I never really got it. That all changed when I had the opportunity to test Hydrow’s newest release—the Hydrow Arc Rower—which launched today with some seriously impressive AI-powered features.

I’ve just begun testing it out, so stay tuned for my in-depth review of the Arc later this month. For now, here are my first impressions of Hydrow’s latest high-tech rowing machine.

Hydrow Arc Rower

$2,295.00
at Hydrow

Shop Now

Shop Now

$2,295.00
at Hydrow

First impressions

Right out of the gate, the Arc feels like what I imagine would happen if Peloton decided to make a rowing machine. The build quality is immediately apparent. In other words, it feels high-end compared to the typical rower at your local gym. The touchscreen is large and crystal clear, and the overall aesthetic screams premium home fitness equipment.

It’s hard to do justice with my phone’s camera, but the Arc’s screen is big and beautiful.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

Because here’s what struck me most as a runner: The motion is incredibly smooth and intuitive. I’ve used plenty of rowing machines at various gyms over the years, and there’s usually this clunky, disconnected feeling. The Arc eliminates that entirely. The difference is like comparing a cheap stationary bike at your local gym to a high-end indoor cycling setup.

The standout feature that sets the Arc apart is undoubtedly HydroMetrics, Hydrow’s “proprietary strength measurement system.” As someone obsessed with running metrics (pace, heart rate zones, cadence, you name it), I was immediately intrigued by the promise of intelligent scoring for rowing.

Here’s how it works:

• Complete at least three rowing workouts (longer than 5 minutes, excluding warm-ups and cool-downs).

• HydroMetrics analyzes your performance and provides scoring.

• Click “Tap for HydroMetrics” on your workout stats screen to dive deeper into your data.

• The AI-powered system helps you understand your performance and motivates continued progress toward strength goals.

Here’s where you can choose to see your AI-powered insights.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

Here’s what HydroMetrics look like after a beginner workout.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

What impressed me most is how the system doesn’t just throw numbers at you. As someone unfamiliar with rowing, I found it actually provides context and actionable insights. As a data-driven athlete, this resonated with me immediately.

Learning proper form (finally)

Another strong first impression: Hydrow’s how-to videos are exceptional. As someone who has probably been embarrassing myself on rowing machines for years, these quick tutorials were eye-opening. They address questions I didn’t even know I should be asking: Should my heels should lift during the motion? Am I properly driving power from my legs, or just yanking with my arms?

The instruction quality makes me think about all those times I mindlessly hopped on a rower for a “quick cardio session” without any real technique. Now I understand why rowing never felt particularly effective for me before.

Improving my form next to all my snacks.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

Personally, what excites me most about the Arc is its running-specific programming available in its catalogue. As marathon runners, we’re always looking for effective cross-training that complements our running without adding unnecessary impact stress. Rowing checks all those boxes: It’s low-impact, works different muscle groups, and provides excellent cardiovascular benefits.

The Arc takes this a step further with dedicated running programs that seem designed specifically for people like me. After completing my first session, I immediately followed up with a five-minute yoga cool-down, and the seamless transition between activities felt natural within the ecosystem (another moment that makes me think of Peloton’s ecosystem).

Technical specs that matter

If you’re already a fan of Hydrow or at-home rowing machines, here’s what you need to know. The Arc shares the same footprint as Hydrow’s flagship Origin Rower (formerly the Pro), but packs significantly more processing power under the hood. Allegedly the improved hardware supports the constant AI advances that power features like HydroMetrics, provides more memory for smoother operation, and delivers better audio through upgraded speakers. The 24″ touchscreen display is also an upgrade worth writing home about. It’s way easier to work out with so many video options delivered in such a quality viewing experience.

But let’s be honest about the drawbacks. This machine is substantial. It’s a whopping 147 pounds, measuring 86″L x 25″W x 48″H. We’re talking serious equipment here, not something you casually tuck in a corner. While there is a vertical storage option, the Arc is definitely best suited for people with dedicated home gym space. Living in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, I found myself wishing I had more room to make this a permanent fixture.

The other consideration is price and commitment. This is premium equipment with a premium price tag, and you’ll want to make sure you’re actually going to use it consistently to justify the $2,295 investment. More on that in my official review, coming soon.

Bottom line: This could be my cross-training obsession

After several sessions on the Arc, I’m genuinely excited about incorporating rowing into my training routine in a more meaningful way. The combination of proper instruction, intelligent metrics, and running-specific programming addresses every complaint I’ve had about traditional rowing machines.

Like with Peloton for cycling, it’s not just about having a machine at home; it’s about having access to a comprehensive training ecosystem that understands and supports your goals. The AI-powered features like HydroMetrics provide the kind of data-driven feedback that serious runners appreciate, while the instructional content ensures you’re actually getting the most out of each session. If you have the space and budget for premium home fitness equipment, the Arc deserves serious consideration as your next training investment.

I’m still in the early stages of testing the Arc, and I’ll be providing more detailed insights as I continue to explore its features and programs over the coming weeks.

Apple’s iOS 26 drops today, and with it comes a bunch of small tweaks and improvements to how your iPhone works. The catch? A lot of them are opt-in, so you need to turn them on before you can reap their benefits. Here are the settings you should turn on after updating your iPhone to Apple’s latest operating system, although note that some of them require an iPhone 15 Pro or later, as they rely on Apple Intelligence.

Adaptive battery mode

If you’re like me, you can never decide whether it’s worth it to swap your phone over to Battery Saver mode. Now, if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or above, your iPhone can make the decision for you.

Apple’s new Adaptive Power mode uses Apple Intelligence to intelligently determine when your battery usage is running higher than usual, and makes small tweaks to bring it back under control. These might include slightly dimming your display or slowing down less important tasks, like those that are running in the background or are particularly intensive. Then, once your phone’s been on an even keel for a while, it’ll start turning things back to normal. Think of it as a less aggressive “low power” mode that only affects certain processes, and can make adjustments based on more than your phone’s remaining charge. To try it out, simply navigate to Settings > Battery > Power Mode. Just don’t forget to turn it back off if you find its compromises aren’t worth the extra battery life.

Turn on call screening

Credit: Apple

I’ll be honest—I barely pick up phone calls anymore. Instead, I usually prefer to wait until after the call, and then call back if the caller was someone I knew or if it was important enough to leave a message. This usually works out for me, but I’ll admit, sometimes I do feel a bit bad for leaving people who call me in the lurch, especially if it turns out they had a good reason to dial me up. That’s where Apple’s new Call Screening feature comes in.

This one doesn’t require Apple Intelligence, so it’ll work on any iPhone running iOS 26. Simply open your Settings, then under Apps, tap Phone and look for the Screen Unknown Callers option.

You’ll have three choices. Never will work just like before, with calls ringing for a bit before they go to your Recents list. But now, you’ve got two additional options you can choose instead.

First is Silence, which will turn off your ringer for calls from unsaved numbers, then send them to Voicemail and display them in the Recents list. Essentially, it just cuts out the middle-man of having to wait for the caller to give up before you move on with figuring out what they wanted.

But the more exciting addition is Ask Reason for Calling. Choose this, and your iPhone will pick up calls from unsaved numbers for you, then ask the caller a few questions about their reason for calling. You’ll see a transcript of their answers on screen, and then you’ll be able to choose whether you want to pick up.

It’s a clever trick, and should make me feel a little less bad for anyone who tries to chat with me over the phone. I do wish it worked for Contacts as well, to be honest, but I can understand why my family might not be enthused to call me and get a robot secretary instead.

Try out the new ringtones

With iOS 26, Apple’s added a few new default ringtones to pick from. Six are variations of the classic “Reflection” ringtone, but there’s also a new one called “Little Bird.” You can find them all under Settings > Sound & Haptics > Ringtone, or check out the embeds below to hear them for yourself.

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This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Personally, “Bouyant” is probably my favorite, although my colleague Jake Peterson likes “Dreamer” the most. I’ll probably still stick with my custom ringtone, but if you’d rather not bother downloading a ringtone manually, you now have more choice than ever.

Fix Liquid Glass

This next one is technically about turning a feature off instead of turning it on, but I couldn’t ignore it. With iOS 26, Apple’s redesigned its design language to focus on transparency, and not everyone’s a fan. If you remember the transparent bezels Microsoft added to app windows in Windows Vista, it’s a lot like that, but more aggressive. Essentially, instead of showing a solid background, many buttons and overlays will now appear clear, allowing a blurred version of whatever is underneath them to bleed through.

Luckily, there’s a pre-existing accessibility control that essentially sets your iPhone back to how it was before. Simply navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, then toggle on Reduce Transparency. This will bring back solid background across your entire iPhone, which you can see in effect here. Notice how the play button no longer allows blurred album artwork to bleed into it? If you prefer that flatter, more contrast-y look, this could be for you.

Custom backgrounds in iMessage

This one’s just fun. Now, in iMessage, you set custom backgrounds for your conversations and group chats on a per-chat basis. These include presets, like Water and Sky, but you can also pick solid colors, choose a photo from your library, or if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or above, generate a background using Apple Intelligence.

To get started, open a chat, click its title towards the top of the page, then choose Backgrounds.

Note that your chosen background will appear for everyone in the chat, but if you don’t like a background someone else set, you don’t have to live with it. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages and disable Conversation Backgrounds to turn the feature off.

Notification summaries for news

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or above, Apple is actually bringing back a previously deleted feature with iOS 26: Notification summaries for news and entertainment apps.

These initially launched in the iOS 18.3 beta, but were quickly pulled after Apple’s AI had misrepresented some major BBC headlines, including one about United Healthcare shooting suspect Luigi Mangione. 

Now, Apple is confident enough to bring these notification summaries back, although with a new warning that says “Summarization may change the meaning of the original headlines. Verify information.”

If you’re comfortable with that, according to my colleagues over at CNET, you don’t have to do much to turn them on. Apple will actually greet you with a splash screen once you download the iOS 26 update, which will ask your preferences for which apps will get notification summaries. You’ll have three options, and you can select as many as you wish. All other apps will summarize notifications from non-social apps, like Maps, while Communication & Social will throw in notification summaries for apps like TikTok and Mail. These were available already. What’s new (again) is the News & Entertainment option, which will add notification summaries for apps including BBC or Netflix.

Simply make your choices, and you’re good to go. If you change your mind later, you can adjust your summaries under Settings > Notifications > Summarize Notifications. You can also adjust notification summaries on a per-app basis here, which isn’t available in the splash screen you get after installing iOS 26.

Get clear icons in iOS 26

Credit: Apple

Let’s say you actually like Liquid Glass, but think it doesn’t go far enough. In that case, you might want to turn your icons clear too, so you can see your background through them. I promise I won’t judge.

To turn your app icons clear in iOS 26, simply long press on your home screen’s background until your apps start jiggling. Then, tap Edit in the top-left corner, followed by Customize. Then, choose Clear. You can also choose between Clear Light or Clear Dark, with the dark mode opting for a more subdued tint.

This will make your app icons look like frosted glass, similar to iOS 26’s new lock screen clock. You do you.

(If you’re like me, you might prefer the new Tinted Light Mode option instead, which finally allows you to set a custom color for your app icons’ graphical elements alongside a bright background. You can find it in the Tinted option next to Clear while selecting your app icon appearance).

New ways to customize your lock screen

iOS 26 gives you more control over how your phone looks while locked than ever before. To get started, lock your phone, then press the power button, tap and hold on the lock screen, and tap Customize.

First off, you can now adjust the size of your clock by grabbing one of its corners and dragging it down, although this will only work with certain fonts. 

Second, you can now justify your widgets box to the bottom of the lock screen, as well as add an Apple Music search widget to it, if you like. If you actually start playing something, you’ll notice it’ll enable a large Now Playing interface that shows album art.

Finally, there’s support for Spatial Scenes. When selecting a Photo wallpaper, you can now tap on a small icon of a mountain and a sun to separate the photo’s subject from the background. Now, when moving your iPhone, the subject will move with it, to help them pop. Your clock might also move to fill up space in the photo, including slightly behind the subject, to help give an illusion of depth. Or, your widgets might automatically shift to the bottom of the screen if placed elsewhere, to better frame the photo subject.

Other settings you can enable

There’s plenty more you can do to make iOS 26 truly yours. If the above changes aren’t enough for you, here are 36 other tweaks you can make to get the most out of your iPhone’s new operating system.

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With the launch of iOS 26, Apple has added a bunch of new features to the Fitness app—features that it has been sorely missing. Finally, you can track a workout from your phone without an Apple Watch, and you can pair a bluetooth heart rate monitor to your phone to get heart rate data. And though it seems like a small change, Apple Watch users will love the fact that you can now create and edit custom workouts on your phone.

How to get the new Fitness updates

The new features in the Fitness app are part of iOS 26, which comes out today. (That’s the version with the controversial “liquid glass” look, but you can turn it off if you hate it.) To install it, go to Settings, General, and then tap Software Update. 

Once you’ve, you’ll find that the Fitness app has a new tab at the bottom, labeled Workout. This is where you’ll find the fun stuff. 

How to track a workout from the Apple Fitness app (with or without a watch)

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

In the Workout tab, you’ll see a variety of workout types that you can start just by tapping the play button. Outdoor Run, Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, and Hiking are available for everyone. To access the other workout types, like Indoor Run, Indoor Cycle, Yoga, High Intensity Interval Training, and Traditional Strength Training, you’ll need to pair a heart rate monitor. 

(The idea seems to be that the app needs some kind of data to track. If you run outdoors, GPS data tells the app how far and how fast you’re running. If you’re on a treadmill, it’s got nothing to go on—unless it has a device telling it your heart rate.) 

So what counts as a heart rate data source? I had success with: 

• An Apple Watch (of course)

• Powerbeats Pro 2 (with the heart rate feature enabled—check your Powerbeats settings if yours isn’t showing up)

• A third-party Bluetooth heart rate monitor (specifically my trusty Coospo)

I did four short runs today: three testing each of the above, plus one with just the phone by itself and no heart rate monitor. Each of the four tracked my speed and distance, made a map of where I’d been, and (if there was a heart rate monitor paired) recorded my heart rate data. I was able to view these workouts afterward from the Sessions card on the Summary tab, where Apple Watch-only workouts would normally be found.

To be clear, the three workouts I did without the Apple Watch did not require the watch at all. I left it behind in my car, and was able to track these workouts just fine. 

How to mirror your workouts from Apple Watch on your phone

Apple Watch screenshot on left, iPhone screenshot on right. (I did my best to take these at the same time…I was close, OK?)
Credit: Beth Skwarecki

The new mirrored workouts just work. You can start a workout from the Fitness app, or from your phone, and either way you get a Live Activity on your phone’s lock screen. Tap that, and you’ll see a screen in the Fitness app that shows the same data you see on your watch.

This can be handy for cardio machines especially—set your phone in front of you, and look at that instead of having to take your hand off the handlebars and turn your wrist to see how many seconds you have left in your interval.

If you don’t see the workout view on your phone, swipe right from the workout screen on your watch and select View to enable it. 

How to create custom Apple Watch workouts on your phone

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

The Apple Watch already had a feature where you could create custom workouts, or set yourself a goal for a workout (like running for a certain amount of time, or racing your past self on a favorite route). Now, that’s all available in the fitness app. 

To find it, go to the Workout tab of the Fitness app. instead of hitting the triangle play button on your phone to start a workout, tap the timer icon. This takes you to the screen with routes, goals, and custom workouts. 

I had never before bothered with the custom workouts since they were so annoying to access on the watch, but today I created a short interval workout and ran it as part of my testing. (One thing to know: You need to create a work interval and a rest interval before creating a repeat loop—some apps have you do this in the opposite order, which tripped me up.) 

In total, these new features make the Apple Fitness app a lot more useful. You no longer need a third-party app to use a Bluetooth heart rate monitor or to track a simple run around the neighborhood. It’s now a real workout app, rather than just something you open to check how many times you’ve closed your rings.

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The rumor mill is working overtime about news that might drop at next week’s Meta Connect 2025. Two new pieces of gossip: Meta may announce that its rumored AR smart glasses are powered by a smart watch, and the company may reveal Meta-powered Prada frames during the event.

Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Glasses With Meta AI (Clear Lenses, Shiny Black)

$299.00
at Amazon

Get Deal

Get Deal

$299.00
at Amazon

Both a potential Prada Meta release and a Meta watch-controller for its expected AR glasses require a little “internet rumor math” and conclusion-jumping, so take it with a grain a salt, but here’s the breakdown:

Meta’s rumored smart watch

The “Meta smart watch” speculation comes from a late July post on Digitimes suggesting Meta will roll out its own smart watch at Meta Connect 2025. Since Meta’s next-gen smart glasses are expected to need a wrist controller, it makes sense that Meta would make it a watch. Almost everyone would prefer wearing a smart watch to a dedicated tech bracelet, right?

If Meta’s wrist controller/watch actually exists, we have no idea what other “watch-like” features it might include (beyond telling time, of course) but if Meta is planning to release a functional smart watch and a linked pair of display-enabled smart glasses, while charging only $800 (the rumored price) for the bundle, I predict a lot of interest.

The rumor about a Prada-Meta collab

What if Meta’s new glasses look really cool too? Like, something Prada puts out? Prada’s boxy, thick frames seem tailor-made for tech, and Meta already partners with its parent company, EssilorLuxotica, which also owns Ray-Ban and Oakley. Plus, rumors of Prada Meta glasses date back to June, and EssilorLuxotica also makes watches, so all the dots seem to connect and suggest that Meta could either add Prada to its lines of glasses with AI and cameras, or launch new display glasses under the Prada name.

Or not. This is all speculation. It’s not baseless speculation, but it could all turn out to be wrong. Maybe Meta thinks the public wants a wrist device that controls our glasses but doesn’t tell time. Maybe Meta Prada frames will be announced at some later date. Maybe the gigantic corporations involved have decided the two brands don’t fit together well enough to elicit consumer interest. Only time, as they say, will tell.

If you’re keeping score at home, though, below are five things that could be announced at Meta Connect 2025, in order of my own, personal excitement:

Meta display smart glasses

There is so much smoke around the idea that Meta plans to announce smart glasses with a built in display in one of the lenses, there has to be fire, right? Actually, no. But the rumor says that Meta’s next smart glasses will feature a dedicated display on one lens for alerts and mini-apps, as well as all the AI, audio, and camera/video features of the current generation of Meta Ray-Bans and Meta Oakley smart glasses. All of this will theoretically be facilitated via a wireless wristband or a smart watch(!).

Next-generation Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses

Meta announcing a better version of its two already successful audio-and-AI focused smart glasses seems extremely likely. I’d put money on “third generation” Meta smart glasses having a better camera, longer-lasting battery, and vastly improved AI, but that’s not going very far out on a limb. I’m a huge fan of my Ray-Ban Metas, and I’d love an upgrade.

Prada Meta smart glasses

Just on vibes, Prada-Meta glasses make so much sense: there’s a kind of person who wears Ray-Bans, and a different kind of person who wears Oakleys, but neither of them are the kind of person who wears Prada. Personally, I expect the Prada glasses to be added to the audio and AI line of Meta smart glasses, as opposed to being rolled out as the flagship frames for Meta’s rumored AI style smart glasses.

Third-party apps for Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses

Meta opening its smart glasses infrastructure to third-party developers isn’t likely to drive many headlines, but it could low-key change the game for Meta users. Having a suite of apps for different uses would be amazing.

Improvements to Meta Horizon OS

Smart glasses may be hogging all the attention, but Meta is expected to announce some improvements to the Horizon operating system that powers its VR headgear too. Specifically, expect better graphics in Horizon Worlds and your virtual home, and easier connectivity too.

If you want check out the event as it happens, Meta Connect 2025 will begin with a keynote from CEO Mark Zuckerberg on September 17 at 8 p.m. ET and continue through September 18. You can stream the keynote and developers conferences on Facebook or the official Meta Connect site.