Technologies
You Can Now Get a LinkedIn Check Mark
Forget about Twitter. You can get a LinkedIn check mark, thanks to new partnerships with Microsoft and Clear.

LinkedIn has unveiled several new features designed to let millions of members verify their identities and thwart hackers and online scams.
The platform was already testing an email-verification system with select employers. On Wednesday, LinkedIn said that the feature, which allows members to confirm their place of employment with a security code sent to their work email, is now available to 50 million LinkedIn members globally.


Members can now indicate that their workplace email has been verified by LinkedIn.
LinkedInIn addition, LinkedIn has partnered with biometric verification company Clear, best known for its airport security service. Starting this month, existing Clear members will be able to verify their LinkedIn profile with a phone number, a government-issued photo ID and a selfie.
Another new offering lets LinkedIn members confirm their employer with Verified ID credentials from Microsoft Entra. The feature actually launched in 2022 but will greatly expand at the end of April, when it’ll be made available to more than 2 million LinkedIn members at companies already enrolled with Entra.
«When you meet professional contacts for the first time online, you need additional trust signals to increase your confidence that they are who they say they are,» Joy Chik, Microsoft’s president of identity and network access, wrote in a blog post.


LinkedIn users who use Clear to authenticate their profiles will see their verification on their profile.
LinkedInChik suggested Verified ID could be used during background checks and help-desk calls, and in other scenarios.
«By simply looking for a verification, members and organizations can be more confident that the people they collaborate with are authentic and that work affiliations on their profiles are accurate,» she wrote.
All three features are available for free to all LinkedIn members. If you enable any of them, verification details will be visible on your LinkedIn profile.
«We’re helping give you the confidence that who you’re connecting with and the content you come across is trusted and authentic,» Oscar Rodriguez, LinkedIn vice president for product management, said in a statement.
Though not every user will have access to all the features immediately, Rodriguez added, «we will expand availability and ways for you to participate over time.»
Technologies
We May Know What the Next Nintendo Switch 2 Pokemon Game Will Be Called
A massive leak reveals potential details about the 10th generation of Pokemon games coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, including big changes.

A new Pokemon game, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, will be released for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on Thursday, but a recent leak might have revealed info about what’s coming next from the creators of the franchise. The names of the next games headed to the Switch 2, as well as some of the big changes to the Pokemon formula, may have been part of the leak.
The leak showed up on X Monday from the account Centro Leaks, as first spotted by Insider Gaming. Data about the upcoming games reportedly stems from a hack of the servers of the franchise developer Game Freak that happened in August 2024, referred to online as the Teraleak, that included the source code for the upcoming Pokemon Legenda: Z-A.
Among the information shared by the account was the possible name for what would be the 10th generation of Pokemon games that would come to the Switch 2 next year: Pokemon Wind and Pokemon Wave.
The Pokemon Company didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation about this leak.
Pokémon Gen 10:
Pokémon Wind and Pokémon Waves
Theme: Infinity
Directed by Shigeru Ohmori— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) October 13, 2025
According to the leak, Pokemon Wind/Wave is inspired by the Southeast Asia region and will feature a jungle-themed environment. It could also feature a new mechanic referred to as a Seed Pokemon, which is reportedly a special Pokemon that is heavily involved in the story and must be raised by the player. As it evolves, it will have a unique look that is procedurally generated, and once it’s fully evolved, it will allow the player to gain access to an island where they can find the main legendary Pokemon of the game.
The main theme of Pokemon Wind/Wave is the concept of infinity, according to the leak. This would match with the reported focus of procedurally generated content, not only with the special Seed Pokemon, but also with the islands of the game being procedurally generated, so each game is unique and could continue to grow with no end.
Also included in the leak were other details, including Pokemon on the overworld being interactable, weather affecting gameplay in some way, 18 new challenges for players instead of traditional gyms, and a few screenshots of the game in development that are still available to see at the PokeLeaks subreddit. There was also info that the 11th-generation Pokemon game could be released in 2030.
It is unlikely that Nintendo, The Pokemon Company or Game Freak will confirm the details of the leak. Expect to see the official announcement early next year, with the fall being the most likely release window for Pokemon Wind/Wave.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Oct. 15
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 15.

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 includes both the first and last name of one of my favorite chefs of all time — maybe yours, too. Read on for 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.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Chromebooks, but not MacBooks
Answer: PCS
4A clue: «Yippee!»
Answer: WAHOO
6A clue: Reveal, as juicy gossip
Answer: SPILL
7A clue: With 2-Down, chef who helped popularize chicken cordon bleu in the U.S.
Answer: JULIA
8A clue: Toss in
Answer: ADD
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Toss in
Answer: PAPUA
2D clue: See 7-Across
Answer: CHILD
3D clue: State of matter for most elements at room temperature
Answer: SOLID
4D clue: Business-focused newspaper, for short
Answer: WSJ
5D clue: Hello, in Portuguese
Answer: OLA
Technologies
Want to Watch a Podcast? Netflix and Spotify Partner to Bring Video Podcasts to Streaming
Starting in early 2026, Netflix subscribers in the US will be able to watch select Spotify Studios and Ringer podcasts directly on the streaming platform.

Netflix and Spotify are teaming up to blur the line between streaming and podcasting. The two companies announced a new partnership that will bring a curated slate of Spotify’s top video podcasts, including shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer, to Netflix starting in early 2026. The goal is to make popular podcasts as watchable as TV, expanding both services’ reach into sports, culture, lifestyle and true crime.
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The deal marks Spotify’s most significant distribution push beyond its own platform, and for Netflix, it’s a new way to keep audiences engaged with talk-driven, low-cost programming. Early titles include The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, Dissect, Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers, among others. You can find the complete list here.
More shows and genres are expected to be added over time.
Netflix says the partnership complements its library of documentaries and talk shows, offering «fresh voices and new perspectives.» Spotify, meanwhile, described it as «a new chapter for podcasting,» giving creators access to Netflix’s global audience while expanding discovery for listeners who prefer watching podcasts.
The rollout will begin in the US early next year, with additional markets to follow in 2026.
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