AllYouCanTech

Last fall, Meta revealed an exciting collaboration with Garmin, enabling Oakley Meta and Ray-Ban Meta users to connect their glasses with smartwatches. This innovation allows intricate Garmin fitness metrics gathered from your smartwatch to be seamlessly displayed over any videos captured from your glasses during workouts.

As someone who enjoys participating in Spartan races, I was thrilled by the prospect of visually showcasing my fitness information alongside the obstacles I faced in each race. However, my Garmin watch was outdated and lacked the Meta AI linking functionality. Given the high cost of Garmin watches, I hadn’t been eager to purchase a new one, but a recent collaboration between Meta and Strava proved to be the solution I was seeking.

Now, any Ray-Ban Meta or Oakley Meta user can receive a fantastic stats overlay on their videos by connecting the Strava app with the Meta AI app. The metrics provided through this integration are sufficient for me to defer the need for a newer Garmin watch for some time, which is delightful news.

How to connect Strava and Meta AI glasses

Initially, I assumed the Meta AI and Strava partnership would automatically tag any videos recorded concurrently with a workout sent to Strava. I visited the gym for my routine workout session and tracked the entire experience, even capturing several of the 400-meter sprints I was assigned, but I struggled to find a way to include the Strava stats in my videos.

It appears that you must start the workout tracking through the Strava app, which is perfectly fine if you’re using a Wear OS watch like the OnePlus Watch 3 43mm I have. You can also utilize the Strava mobile app, but you will miss out on heart rate metrics.

Regrettably, there is no method to connect Strava exercises to videos recorded with Meta AI glasses if the workout wasn’t captured using the Strava app. This means you won’t be able to add stats to past videos, but at least you’re aware of this moving forward.

To begin, open the Meta AI app, tap the devices tab at the bottom, then select the settings gear next to your glasses. From the list, choose App Connections, then pick Strava from the options available. Log in with your Strava account and grant the necessary permissions required to track your metrics.

Now, when you’re prepared to work out, initiate the activity from the Strava app on your smartphone or smartwatch. While Strava tracks your workout, record videos with your Meta AI glasses. Photos don’t appear to have the option for overlaying stats, only videos do.

After completing your workout, launch the Meta AI app on your phone, tap the devices tab at the bottom, and select gallery. Open one of the videos you recorded during your workout, then tap the stats button in the top left corner. Activate the stats slider, then choose up to five available stats to overlay on your video.

By default, the stats panel displays real-time data as you progress through the video, but you can switch it to a summary by selecting Stat Type in this section and changing it to summary. Each of these stat types presents different metrics, making it enjoyable to use both types for various videos. Utilizing a smartwatch to record your Strava workout will yield the most stats since it can capture heart rate and additional data points.

Once you’re satisfied with your stats, tap the Save button in the top right to store a new video in your phone’s gallery. Now you can share the video with overlaid stats through either the Meta AI app or your preferred gallery application on your phone, such as Google Photos.

If you haven’t tried Circle to Search for some time, now is the moment to explore this feature again. Circle to Search has reached its second anniversary, and reflecting on this AI capability, it’s evident that it was a groundbreaking development for Google. During a period when smartphone manufacturers were finding it hard to establish practical applications for artificial intelligence, Google hit the jackpot by integrating Circle to Search into Android. Since its launch, Android has introduced more eye-catching AI functionalities, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you have completely overlooked Circle to Search.

If that’s the case, it’s time to give Circle to Search another look. Not just for nostalgic reasons, but to take advantage of the additional features that Google has incorporated over the past few years. This is no longer the same Circle to Search that launched with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series — it now offers more than merely searching what appears on your display. Here are three Circle to Search tools that still make this feature valuable in 2026.

**Remix anything on your screen with Nano Banana**

By now, you’ve likely heard a lot about Nano Banana, the model that enables generative AI image creation and editing throughout the Google AI ecosystem. You might not be aware that you can access Nano Banana directly via Circle to Search, negating the need for other apps — like Gemini or Google Messages — to remix your images. Just activate Circle to Search and encircle a photo. Following that, a **Create** button featuring a Nano Banana emoji will be shown.

You can submit a Nano Banana request right from the Circle to Search user interface, which then opens a conversation in Google AI Mode upon submission. It operates similarly to Google’s generative editing tools present in other applications. You can adjust a photo, include elements in a photo, or request a blend of both.

For example, if you have a screenshot or image containing sensitive details, you can instruct Nano Banana to blur it. Alternatively, you could direct the generator to transform a mundane spreadsheet or list into an appealing graphic. Utilizing this feature in Circle to Search saves you the trouble of importing photos or files for context in a Gemini conversation. Circle to Search recognizes what’s on your screen, providing Nano Banana with all necessary context, and it’s easier to use across any application or website.

It complements Circle to Search’s crop and share feature exceptionally well. Rather than manually taking a screenshot and cropping it, you can Circle to Search and export your selection to save time.

**Translate text instantly without a separate app**

Another impressive tool within Circle to Search is its full screen translation capability. This feature is beneficial if you’re on an app or website that lacks native translation options. Circle to Search translates the text visible on your screen when activated, making it functional anywhere on Android. Moreover, the feature supports numerous languages and automatically identifies the language on your screen.

Last year, Google significantly upgraded Circle to Search’s translation tool. It added scrolling support, allowing Circle to Search to keep translating text as you navigate through an app or website. This removes the necessity to Circle to Search multiple times if the text doesn’t fit on one screen. Naturally, you could opt for the Google Translate app, but this feature prioritizes convenience.

**Scan QR codes and barcodes on your screen**

Scanning QR codes and barcodes with an Android device is straightforward when they’re on another device or printed on paper. However, it becomes more challenging when the code appears in an app or on a website on your own device. Circle to Search can assist, functioning similarly to the Camera app for detecting codes, but for content displayed on your screen. Once you activate Circle to Search with a barcode or QR code visible, it will showcase a chip allowing you to copy the code or access the link to a website.

This is just one of the many ways Circle to Search intelligently offers various functionalities according to the context. When identifying an image on screen, it suggests Nano Banana for creation and editing. If a QR code or barcode is present, the system will read it and display an action chip. This could prove useful when dealing with various QR codes that are utilized for completing eSIM activations, connecting to Wi-Fi networks, and sharing other data forms.

Circle to Search might be remembered as Android’s top AI feature in history. It performs all the right tasks, blending artificial intelligence capabilities with practical advantages. Selecting text, searching for images, utilizing generative AI, and scanning codes are all streamlined with Circle to Search. This doesn’t even consider additional advantages such as song recognition and on-screen translation.

Its versatility is what makes Circle to Search exceptional, and if you’re still solely using the feature to access Google Search or Google Lens more quickly, you’re missing out. It’s the single AI tool I use on every phone, and it continually improves. Somehow, Google has enhanced Circle to Search without cluttering the interface. It’s still user-friendly. Rather than merely replacing Google Lens, it can also take the place of Pixel Studio, Google Translate,