Technologies

Don’t Miss Your Second Chance to Grab the 30th Anniversary DualSense Controller

A new wave of preorders just went live at Sony, so PS Plus members can grab one of these sweet retro PS5 controllers for $80 right now.

Looking to relive the glory days of gaming? Then you won’t want to miss out on this surprise restock at Sony. The special edition 30th Anniversary DualSense controller was released last year to celebrate the release of the original PlayStation, and it’s been tough to get your hands on one since it originally sold out in December. But a second wave of preorders just went live at Sony, which means you’ve got another chance to pick one up for just $80 right now. Just note that preorders are only available to PlayStation Plus members, and it sold out in no time during the last round, so we’d act fast if you don’t want to miss this rare opportunity to snag one.

The 30th Anniversary DualSense controller features a throwback design that mimics the controllers of the original PlayStation that first hit shelves all the way back in 1994. That includes a grayscale color scheme along with the classic green, blue, red and pink buttons and PlayStation logo. It’s also relatively versatile, and is compatible with the PlayStation 5 console, PC, Mac and mobile devices. Preorders will start shipping on September 9, and are limited to one controller per order.

Sony also released a special 30th Anniversary console last year. There hasn’t been any news about a new wave of availability in the US yet, but there was a recent restock for UK shoppers, so we’re tentatively hopeful that you’ll have another chance to grab one of these retro consoles as well. The CNET team will be keeping a close eye on Sony’s shopping page for any updates.

Why this restock matters

There are plenty of cool color variants for the DualSense controller, but this 30th Anniversary edition certainly stands out from the crowd with a retro design that takes you back to the PS1 days. Plus, it sold out fast during the original release, and it’s unclear if or when we’ll see another round of restocks, so we’d take advantage of this rare opportunity to grab one while you can.

If you’re looking for more ways to expand your Sony gaming setup, you can check out our full roundup of all the best PlayStation 5 deals for bargains on games and accessories.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, July 22

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 22.

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.

I’m always pumped for a Star Wars reference in the Mini Crossword! You should figure out 4-Down pretty quickly if you’ve been following the more recent movie entries. Read on for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. 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.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Get ready for a vacation
Answer: PACK

5A clue: How you might feel after riding a roller coaster
Answer: DIZZY

6A clue: «All things being ___ …»
Answer: EQUAL

7A clue: Small donkey of the Southwest
Answer: BURRO

8A clue: Items shot from cannons at basketball games
Answer: TEES

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Spark, as curiosity
Answer: PIQUE

2D clue: Sky-blue hue
Answer: AZURE

3D clue: Government policy leaders
Answer: CZARS

4D clue: ___ Ren, villain in the «Star Wars» universe
Answer: KYLO

5D clue: What an i.o.u. represents
Answer: DEBT

Technologies

Yes, You Can Still Get Games for Less Than $50. These Are the Best I’ve Played

Video game prices are going up, but these titles cost less without sacrificing quality.

It’s no secret that video games are likely going to cost more in 2026. It’s already been confirmed that some AAA games, like The Outer Worlds 2, will be priced at $80 when they come out. It’s ironic that a game that satirizes corporate greed should be the first official title with a higher price, but here we are.

However, another trend has quietly emerged over the past few months: Many great AA games are being released for $50 or less. A lot of these titles are currently on sale, too, so you can pick them up even cheaper right now.

As an avid gamer, I’ve found a lot more affordable titles that are well worth your consideration. One is even the top contender for Game of the Year. And who knows, maybe one of them will end up being your new favorite game.

The best games for $50 or less right now

Claire Obscur: Expedition 33
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
FBC Firebreak
Elden Ring Nightreign
Helldivers 2
Alan Wake II

The best games for $50 or less

Technologies

Google Teases Pixel 10 Ahead of August Reveal

The Pixel 10 looks identical to the Pixel 9, from what we can see so far.

Google has lifted the curtains on the Pixel 10, its flagship phone for 2025, via a short clip posted on the Google Store homepage on Monday. The Pixel 10 will likely be fully revealed at a Made by Google event in New York on Aug. 20.

The teaser video simply shows the back of the device with the Pixel’s prominent oval-shaped camera bar, along with a flash and sensor of some sort. It follows a similar design to past Pixels, but whereas the Pixels 6, 7 and 8 all had camera bars that ran edge-to-edge, the Pixel 9 and 10’s camera bar is an island. The more affordable Pixel 9A from earlier this year doesn’t sport any sort of camera bump, and instead sits flush with the device.

It comes after a series of leaks about the device have hit the internet over the last few months, including the phone being spotted during a commercial shoot on the streets of Vancouver back in May.

Current Pixel 10 rumors point to a very similar design to last year’s handset, with some strong internal upgrades. Notably, the Tensor 5 chip will be made by TSMC on a 3nm process, according to an Android Authority report from March. Previous Tensor chips were made by Samsung.

The screen on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will see a boost from 2,700 nits to 3,000 nits, according to another Android Authority report. It’ll also get a battery bump to 5,015 mAh, a 7% increase from last year’s foldable.

As for cameras, the Pixel 10 will reportedly get the 50-megapixel Samsung GN8 wide-angle lens, an 11MP 3J1 telephoto lens (the 3J1 will also be used for the selfie camera) and Sony’s 13-megapixel IMX712 ultrawide lens. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold likely won’t have the same high-end camera array, as foldable phones have less room to work with.

The Pixel 10 will almost certainly be powered by Android 16 and will have a slew of AI features.

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for further comment.

While Google’s hardware business is a small part of the company’s overall revenue, the Pixel line does serve an important role in signaling to other hardware partners where the company sees the future of its Android mobile operating system. Pixel phones, which seldom focus on raw power, deliver clean user interfaces with strong computational photography.

The well-reviewed Pixel portfolio does put Google in a somewhat awkward position with hardware partners that decided to make Android devices rather than go off and make their own operating systems. With Google’s own phones, the tech giant is directly competing with Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola and others.

While Samsung is the second largest handset maker worldwide (behind Apple), according to Statcounter, Google has been eating away at market share in certain markets. With the release of the Pixel 9 last year, Google made strong inroads in North American markets.