Technologies

This Cooling Neck Fan Is Like Having My Own Personal Air Conditioner Everywhere I Go

The Torras Coolify Cyber portable cooler is the ultimate gadget for hot weather and it’s $77 off right now.

At CES 2024, I went hands-on with the then-yet-to-launch Torras Coolify Cyber and I could only imagine how useful it could be in the Delhi summers. Fast-forward to more than a year later and I’ve used the wearable air conditioner more times than I can count. It has become one of my favorite gadgets to beat the heat.

This wearable neck fan normally goes for $300 but right now it’s available for $222 on Amazon — a 26% discount.

The Torras Coolify Cyber is a portable air conditioner worn on the neck. When I first used it, I was impressed by the comfort and air pressure but had doubts about how it would do in the long run and if it would overheat from prolonged use. I’m happy to report that I’ve been positively surprised and would carry it when traveling to hot, humid places.

It features an ergonomic design with a ceramic cooling plate on the part that touches your neck. It’s immensely useful alongside the fan vents on hot days. The device didn’t feel uncomfortable to wear. I could have it on for at least an hour at a stretch. You can also press and hold a button on the collar to switch to warm air for cold-weather conditions. You can choose from three fan settings for airflow and three temperature modes — heat, fan and cool — for the kind of air you need. It’s an all-year gadget.

Portable, comfortable and easy to use

I live in Delhi, where the temperature can cross 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). In that heat, when you’re indoors, your only relief is an air conditioner but when I’m outside, the Torras Coolify Cyber is my go-to gadget. I could forget my phone but not this portable air conditioner. It can get sweaty and uncomfortable when you’re active under the sun but the constant cold airflow makes it manageable.

The Torras wearable AC is a must-have for anyone who gets uncomfortable with the weather outside and needs some relief from the ambient air. And with this limited-time deal bringing the price down to $222, now’s a good time to give it a try.

Technologies

The Most Exciting Video Game Rumors and Leaks Ahead of 2026

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.

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. 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.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Nod (off)
Answer: DOZE

5A clue: Naval submarine in W.W. II
Answer: UBOAT

7A clue: Tricky thing to do on a busy highway
Answer: MERGE

8A clue: Heat-resistant glassware for cooking
Answer: PYREX

9A clue: Put into groups
Answer: SORT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Break up with
Answer: DUMP

2D clue: Falls in line, so to speak
Answer: OBEYS

3D clue: Legendary vigilante who cuts a «Z» with his sword
Answer: ZORRO

4D clue: Rarin’ to go
Answer: EAGER

6D clue: Common reminder for an upcoming appointment
Answer: TEXT

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

You Can Watch an Exclusive Avatar: Fire and Ash Scene on TikTok Right Now

Disney and TikTok partner on an immersive content hub for James Cameron’s latest movie about the alien Na’vi.

If you’re not quite ready to head to the theater to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, an exclusive scene preview might sell you on the visual spectacle. As part of a new collaboration with the social media giant, Disney is posting snippets of its new movie to its TikTok account.

This scene isn’t part of any trailer and won’t be posted to other social media accounts, making TikTok the only place you can view it — unless you buy a movie ticket. A first look at the new movie’s scenes isn’t the only Avatar-related bonus on the social media platform right now, either. TikTok has partnered with the house of mouse to bring an entire «immersive content hub» to the app.

A special section of TikTok includes quizzes and educational videos that explore the alien world of Pandora shown off in the movies. On TikTok, you can take a personality quiz to find out what Na’vi clan you most closely align with and unlock a special profile picture border to use on your account.

Science and fiction blend together with a series of videos from real doctors who explain the basis for some of Avatar’s world-building. If you want to learn about exoplanets or how realistic the anatomy of the movie’s alien animals is, these videos will feed your brain while still providing entertainment value.

Perhaps the most enticing part of Disney’s latest social media collaboration is the opportunity for fans to win prizes and trips. TikTok creators who make edits with the #TikTokAvatarContest hashtag are entered into a competition to win Avatar merchandise. The biggest winners will be able to take a trip to visual effects studio Wētā Workshop in New Zealand or visit Avatar director James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment Studio in Los Angeles.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in director Cameron’s cinematic passion project. While the first Avatar movie was released in 2009, Cameron didn’t release another entry in the franchise until 2022. In total, there is a five-movie arc planned for the indigo alien Na’vi on the moon of Pandora.

The Avatar movies are known for pushing the boundaries of CGI visual effects in cinema. They are also historically big winners at the box office: the original Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion across its theatrical releases. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time, trailing Avengers: Endgame. You can stream those movies on Disney Plus.

It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will financially live up to its predecessors. The film currently has mixed reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.