Technologies

This New App Wants to Help You Track Your Sun Exposure

The Sun Day app, just out in beta, will prompt you on how to prep for being out and about.

The founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, has a bright idea that he’s released as a beta app for iPhones: Sun Day, for tracking your exposure to the sun.

The app is free to testers and so far contains basic information such as sunrise, sunset and the UV index in order to assess a user’s potential burn-limit time and, as the app description says, «track your Vitamin D from the sun.» Dorsey is currently testing UI updates and a solar noon notification, according to the app notes. In the app, users can describe the type of clothing they’re wearing, such as shorts and T-shirts or swimwear, and their Fitzpatrick skin type, which classifies how quickly they’ll burn.

People tend to think about sun exposure and protections like sunscreen most during the summer, when the sun is strongest and the days are long, and when they’re heading to the beach or out gardening, golfing or otherwise getting in quality sun time.

The iOS app asks permission to connect to some Apple Health data when the app is installed.

Dorsey announced an iOS Test Flight app, Sun Day, on Sunday, with a post on X (former Twitter).

Dorsey also recently released Bitchat, a private messaging client that uses Bluetooth as its communication platform. Although it’s meant to be a secure, private app, some users have flagged Bitchat for potential security flaws that are still being tested.

Should you try Sun Day?

For iOS users, using Sun Day involves downloading the TestFlight app from the App Store and then following the link to the app for Sun Day to join the beta test.

The effectiveness of an app such as Sun Day depends on giving it accurate information about your skin type and clothing, and while vitamin D levels are one way to gauge UV exposure, it’s not foolproof given that some people also take vitamin D supplements.

«Jack Dorsey’s new app Sun Day is exciting, not to detect vitamin D levels but really to help us understand our UV index which is so important in sun safety,» said Tanya Kormeili, an LA-based dermatologist. The risks of too much sun exposure include sunburns, aging skin and skin cancer. Tracking UV levels is one way to help mitigate those risks.

«The app does have an interesting promise as far as I am concerned, in that using the UV index can show you the risk for the level of UV exposure,» Kormeili says. «Sometimes it is hard for patients to be convinced that there can be an excessive UV risk on a cloudy day. The app would provide an objective measure of that UV index and guide you in safer sun practices.»

The dermatologist suggests that Dorsey putting the app out for public consumption without medical experts endorsing it might be a missed opportunity. «I am surprised that they have not involved actual dermatologists in pointing out the true value and limitations of this app,» she said.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 7, #1753

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for April 7, No. 1,753.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle wasn’t too tricky, for a change. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel, but it’s the repeated letter, so you’ll see it twice.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with D.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with E.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can relate to something that is closely compacted.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is DENSE.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, April 6, No. 1752, was SWORN.

Recent Wordle answers

April 2, No. 1748: SOBER

April 3, No. 1749: SINGE

April 4, No. 1750: SANDY

April 5, No. 1751: ENVOY

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q.

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

STARE

NOISE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, April 7

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 7.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.