Technologies

Woot Sale Saves You up to $450 on Previous-Gen Samsung Phones and Smartwatches

Shop serious savings on Galaxy S22 series phones and the Galaxy Watch 4, along with discounts on cases and screen protectors.

Samsung makes some of the very best Android devices you’ll find on the market right now, earning spots on our list of the overall best phones and best smartwatches available for 2023. We’ve been impressed by its latest models — the Galaxy S23 series and the Galaxy Watch 5 — but its previous-gen models still have a lot to offer, and right now, you can pick some up at a bargain. Woot is offering up to 58% off Galaxy S22 phones and the Galaxy Watch 4, saving you hundreds compared with the usual list price, along with deals on compatible cases and screen protectors. This sale runs through April 21, but Woot usually has a limited stock, so some items may sell out before then.

See at Woot

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the largest and most advanced phone you’ll find at this sale. It features a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 6.8-inch display and an upgraded 5,000-mAh battery and comes with an embedded S Pen stylus. The entry-level Ultra with 128GB of storage has just 8GB of RAM, but models with 256GB or 512GB of storage bump that up to 12GB for speedy performance. Prices start at $748, which saves you a whopping $452 compared to the usual price.

If you don’t need the most advanced model, the Galaxy S22 and the step-up Galaxy S22 Plus are both on sale for $600, saving you $160 and $400, respectively. They feature similar specs, including an AMOLED display, 8GB of RAM and a 50MP rear camera. The main difference is that the S22 Plus has a slightly larger display — 6.6 inches compared the base model’s 6.1 inches — as well as a larger, 4,500 mAh battery. But note that the Galaxy S22 is only available with 256GB of storage.

And phones aren’t the only thing you can pick up on sale right now. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is also a generation old, but still boasts some impressive hardware and features, including fitness and workout tracking, support for apps like YouTube and Spotify, real-time notifications from your phone and more. There are two models on sale right now, and both are equipped with LTE support so you can activate it with a cellular service provider. You can grab the 40 mm model for $145, saving you $155, or upgrade a larger 46 mm display for $180, saving you $250.

Woot also has tons of S22 series cases on sale so you can protect your new phone, with prices starting at just $6. And you can check out our full roundup of all the best phone deals for even more bargains.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Turns Five and Launches Offline Messaging on iPhone

Verum Messenger has marked its fifth anniversary with the release of a new feature that enables users to exchange messages without an internet connection.

The update, now available on iPhone, allows devices to communicate directly through a decentralized peer-to-peer architecture, bypassing servers, mobile networks and Wi-Fi. According to the company, messages are transmitted securely without relying on traditional internet infrastructure.

Unlike most offline communication tools that depend on Bluetooth, Verum’s approach uses encrypted device-to-device technology designed to operate independently of centralized systems.

Founded five years ago, Verum Messenger is positioned as a privacy-first platform. The app does not require a phone number or email address for registration and generates encryption keys locally on the user’s device. The company states that user data and message content are not stored on centralized servers.

Over time, Verum has expanded beyond messaging to include features such as encrypted calls, screenshot and screen-recording protection, self-destructing messages, anonymous email, a built-in VPN, eSIM connectivity and on-device AI tools.

The offline messaging update reflects a broader push toward more resilient communication tools, particularly as concerns over network reliability, censorship and digital surveillance continue to grow.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, Feb. 2

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 2

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? There are some tough clues today. 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: Rock band with albums like «High Voltage» and «Flick of the Switch»
Answer: ACDC

5A clue: Stuck doing the same old, same old
Answer: INARUT

7A clue: Burning up
Answer: ONFIRE

8A clue: -tion, for one
Answer: SUFFIX

9A clue: Jared of 2025’s «Tron: Ares»
Answer: LETO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Declare void, as a marriage
Answer: ANNUL

2D clue: ___ macchiato (espresso drink)
Answer: CAFFE

3D clue: Begin to veer off the road, say
Answer: DRIFT

4D clue: Odd little trinket
Answer: CURIO

5D clue: What Apple smartphones run on
Answer: IOS

6D clue: ___-Mex cuisine
Answer: TEX

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

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 2, #497

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Feb. 2, No. 497.

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

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. It helps to know a lot about two distinct locations and their sports teams. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Lone Star State.

Green group hint: Think of the Arch.

Blue group hint: You put cereal in this.

Purple group hint: Not four or six.