Technologies

OnePlus Launching 15R Phone, Tablet and Watch Just Ahead of the Holidays

The OnePlus 15R is a budget-friendly version of the OnePlus 15, offering the same durability.

Just ahead of the holidays, Chinese electronics company OnePlus is releasing three new products: a phone, a tablet and a watch. The company announced Monday that it will launch the OnePlus 15R, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 and the OnePlus Watch Lite next month on Dec. 17 in North America, Europe and India.

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OnePlus, founded in China in 2013, prides itself on producing «flagship killers,» phones and other devices with similar features and capabilities as more popular brands but at cheaper prices. Despite the boast, the company’s market share in the US is less than 1%, far behind leaders Apple, Samsung and Lenovo.

OnePlus 15R

The OnePlus 15R will be available in two colors: charcoal black and mint breeze. Presumably, the phone will be a budget-friendly version of the OnePlus 15, whose battery life we loved and which is a great choice for mainstream gamers.

As far as durability, OnePlus says the 15R has IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K dust- and water-resistance ratings. Reputable tipster Debayan Roy said the phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Android operating system.

Overstock Media’s Austin Evans, whose tech review YouTube channel has 5 million-plus subscribers, has followed OnePlus and its products.

«I think OnePlus has gone on a bit of a journey the last few years,» Evans told CNET. «In the early days, they delivered such a laser-focused phone for enthusiasts, and at an excellent price point, that (buying from them) was a bit of a no-brainer. The last few years, however, have seen them lose their focus a bit: competing on the higher end of flagships, sometimes without the full feature set to match.»

But Evans says the 15 phone generation has been solid.

«There are some minor … omissions like the alert slider, but by and large, the 15 and it seems the 15R are pretty compelling devices that cut very few corners and deliver a very flagship-level experience at a reasonable price,» Evans told CNET. «I wouldn’t say OnePlus is back to the glory days, but they’re delivering a clearer value than they have in quite some time.»

OnePlus Pad Go 2

The company says the Pad Go 2 tablet, its new midrange 5G tablet, will have an anti-glare glass finish and come in two colors: shadow black and lavender drift. OnePlus says the tablet will feature two firsts for the company: 5G connectivity built-in (in the black version) and its own stylus.

CNET reviewer David Carnoy praised OnePlus’ most recent tablet offering, the Pad 3.

OnePlus Watch Lite

The other product launching Dec. 17 will be the OnePlus Watch Lite, «designed to bring flagship-level health and fitness features to an even more accessible price point», the company said. The only color available will be silver steel.

When we reviewed the OnePlus Watch 3, we noted that it had the best battery life of all Android smartwatches.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 24 #692

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Jan. 24, No. 692.

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

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is one of those where the answers only make sense in pairs. There are six answers to find, and each of them matches up with one of the other answers. Some of them are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: A work of art.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: On museum walls.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

FINS, FINE, FINES, GARB, BOAT, GATES, GATES, FIST, RATE, RATS, STAR, PAINT, SILL, SPAT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

STARRY, NIGHT, WATER, LILIES, BOATING, PARTY

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is FAMOUSPAINTING. To find it, start with the F that’s four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind up, across, and then down.

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Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

San Diego Comic-Con Draws a Line: No AI Art Allowed at 2026 Event

The long-running fan convention is banning AI-created works from its popular art show.

Like Sarah Connor in The Terminator, San Diego Comic-Con is fighting back against AI. The prestigious, long-running pop culture convention has banned all artwork created by artificial intelligence from the 2026 Comic-Con art show. Rules posted on the Comic-Con website now state that AI-generated art won’t be shown in any form.

«Material created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability,» the website reads.

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A representative for San Diego Comic-Con did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the past, the convention allowed participants to display AI artwork, provided it was clearly marked as such and wasn’t sold. But now, those artists can’t even bring it through the door. The rule change is a response to artist-led pushback, according to a 404 Media report. San Diego Comic-Con is one of the world’s most famous pop culture conventions, uniting comics, movies, television, gaming, cosplay and collectibles.

Jim Zub, writer for the Conan the Barbarian and Dungeons and Dragons comic book series, told CNET he supports Comic-Con’s decision and hopes other conventions will follow their lead.

«Hundreds of thousands of people attend San Diego Comic-Con each year, and the excitement that generates isn’t because they’re eager to meet a computer spitting out homogenized slop,» Zub said.

Zub, who’s also an artist, is scheduled to appear at Comic-Con in 2026.

Entertaining AI

The use of generative AI in comic book and pop culture art has generated controversy in recent years as AI programs have become more skilled at imitating creators.

A central focus of the 2023 actor’s strike involved backlash against the use of AI in movies and television. The issue has continued to roil Hollywood, as actors, special effects designers, and other film workers see the technology as a threat, while some movie studios view AI as a way to reduce production costs.

Netflix has already begun using AI-generated imagery in at least one series, Argentine sci-fi show El Eternauta. CEO Ted Sarandos praised the technology during a 2025 earnings call.

«We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,» Sarandos said at the time.

AI is also an issue in the video game industry, with publishers facing swift backlash whenever fans discover AI was used in a game. The Indie Game Awards rescinded two awards for the hit RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, after they found out that AI-made placeholder assets were included when the game launched. The game developer quickly patched the assets out.

While the movie and video game industries appear to have mixed views on using AI, Comic-Con has taken a firm stance, at least for now.

«Artists, writers, actors and other creatives gather and celebrate the popular arts in person because the people part of the equation is what matters most,» Zub said.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Jan. 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 24.

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? It’s a long one, as per usual on Saturday. 1-Down made me awfully hungry! 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.