Technologies

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Hands-On: It’s All About That Bright Screen

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a new screen. And it’s really, really bright.

At a glance, the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2 might pass for the first-generation Ultra if you see it on someone’s wrist. It’s the same 49mm size, and the case is also made from titanium. But its screen maxes out at an eye-watering 3,000 nits which makes it the brightest screen of any Apple Watch. Announced alongside the Apple Watch Series 9, the Ultra 2 is Apple’s second high-end outdoor watch and it arrives Sept. 22.

It’s an evolution of last year’s Apple Watch Ultra, which I called the most exciting watch in years. After some brief hands-on time with the Ultra 2 at Apple Park, I’m most impressed by the screen and new features like Double Tap that let you control the watch with a simple pinch gesture. There are a few more tools on the Ultra 2 for sports enthusiasts too, but doesn’t necessarily warrant upgrading from the first-generation Ultra.

The original Apple Watch Ultra, also $799, was Apple’s take on an adventure watch to compete with the likes of Garmin. It’s aimed at a wide range of sports enthusiasts, with special features for scuba divers and hikers, to name a couple. But the Ultra also appeals to anyone who wants an Apple Watch with the biggest screen and longest-lasting battery — that still holds true for the Ultra 2.

A brighter screen and new Modular Ultra watch face

The Ultra 2 pushes the maximum screen brightness to 3,000 nits, a significant increase from the original Ultra that featured a 2,000-nit display. This should make it even easier to see in bright, outdoor situations like in the snow or in sunlight. I found the easiest way to see the brightness boost was activating the flashlight from the Control Center to see the difference from the first-gen Ultra.

The Ultra 2 also has an exclusive new watch face called Modular Ultra, which uses the edge of the display to show more details like altitude, depth or seconds. I found slots for at least seven complications in my brief hands-on time with the Ultra 2 so you can really tune this watch face to your needs.

Night mode activates automatically when the light is low enough by using the ambient light sensor, which is a feature that also comes to the Wayfinder watch face on the first-gen Ultra if you are running WatchOS 10. Apple has added the second-generation ultrawideband chip that supports precision finding for the iPhone 15.

More from the Apple event

Double Tap and Siri improvements

Shared with the Series 9 is Double Tap, a pinch gesture that you can use to control the watch. For instance, you can tap your thumb and forefinger together to answer a call. It accomplishes this via the accelerometer, gyroscope and heart-rate sensor. Sound familiar? It builds on the work Apple has done with AssistiveTouch, which allows for greater accessibility through gestures, but it is separate.

Double Tap is active by default and how it works changes depending on context. I was able to raise my wrist to see the time, then double tap to bring up the smart stack, or widgets, found in WatchOS 10. Double tap again and I was scrolling through the widgets. Open the timer app and I could start or stop the countdown with a double tap. You’ll be able to answer calls with the same gesture.

This is one of the features supported by the new S9 chip, the same as the Series 9 uses. It also powers the on-device Siri, which promises more accurate dictation. You’ll also be able to ask Siri to give you an update on your health metrics, like asking how much sleep you got the previous night.

More Cycling tools and extended altitude range

Shipping with the new WatchOS 10 software, the Ultra 2 will also offer more tools for cyclists, including pairing with Bluetooth devices like power meter pedals. You’ll also be able to see your cycling metrics on the iPhone screen thanks to Live Activities. I’ve been testing out these features over the past couple months in the public beta of WatchOS 10 with the original Ultra and as a cyclist, find them really helpful.

The Ultra 2 also has a wider altitude range, from 500 meters underwater to 9,000 meters above ground. Updates to the Depth app now log your sessions so you can review them on the watch or iPhone, plus the Oceanic Plus app from Huish Outdoors now supports freediving.

Apple also upped the amount of recycled materials in the case, from all-virgin titanium on the first-generation Ultra to 95% recycled titanium on the Ultra 2. Battery life stays the same as the original Ultra, rated for 36 hours with regular use and up to 72 hours in low-power mode.

Apple now has three watches in its lineup:

The $249 (£219, AU$399) second-generation Apple Watch SE, released in 2022
The $399 (£399, AU$649) Apple Watch Series 9
The $799 (£799, AU$1,399) second-generation Apple Watch Ultra

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 5, #500

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Feb. 5, No. 500.

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. As an old-school Minnesota Twins fan, I was excited to see the last name of our most legendary player on the grid. 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: QB is another one.

Green group hint: Hit it out of the park.

Blue group hint: Great gridiron signal-callers.

Purple group hint: Half of a thousand.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Football positions, abbreviated.

Green group: Members of the 500-HR club.

Blue group: First names of QBs to throw 500 career TDs.

Purple group: ____500.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is football positions, abbreviated. The four answers are CB, OT, S and TE.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of the 500-HR club. The four answers are Banks, Bonds, Foxx and Killebrew.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is first names of QBs to throw 500 career TDs. The four answers are Aaron, Drew, Peyton and Tom.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____500. The four answers are ATP, Daytona, Indy and WTA.

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

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Feb. 5

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 5

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? The Across clues were kind of tricky today, but the Down clues helped me fill in the grid. Read on for all 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: Battery warning from a smoke detector
Answer: CHIRP

6A clue: Word that can precede «book» or «tour»
Answer: AUDIO

7A clue: Extreme edge
Answer: BRINK

8A clue: Like a wobbly screw
Answer: LOOSE

9A clue: Type in
Answer: ENTER

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Alternative to streaming
Answer: CABLE

2D clue: One of the Great Lakes
Answer: HURON

3D clue: Dummy
Answer: IDIOT

4D clue: Wash under a tap
Answer: RINSE

5D clue: Game in which Paul Newman successfully cons a crime boss in «The Sting»
Answer: POKER

Technologies

Fitbit Launches Luffu, AI-Powered Health Tracking for the Whole Family

Soon, you may be able to access every family member’s health data in one place.

If you’ve ever wanted a way to keep all of your family’s health records in place, Fitbit may have come up with a solution. Fitbit, well-known for its fitness wearables, announced the launch of its own health care system on Wednesday.

Luffu, which translates to the Old English word for «love,» uses AI to create what it calls an «intelligent family care system.» The platform allows family members to share all their health information through an app.

It’s unclear when Luffu will be officially available, but you can sign up for the waitlist to get access to the limited public beta. Pricing or other details have not been announced.

Luffu will allow families to keep track of everyone’s doctor’s appointments, test results, vaccine records, medications, symptoms, diet and more. The platform uses AI to learn your family’s health history and patterns, and to alert you to any changes that should be addressed, such as missed medications or abnormal vitals. The AI function organizes the data submitted into the system. The app will also connect to third-party apps and wearables, such as the Fitbit.

Luffu is meant to lighten the mental load of family care by organizing all this health data in one place, its co-founder said.

«I was caring for my parents from across the country, trying to piece together my mom’s health care across various portals and providers, with a language barrier that made it hard to get a complete, timely context from her about doctor visits,» said Luffu co-founder James Park.

Luffu will include alerts and a space to log health and medication information via voice, text, photos, and other health portals and devices. The key medical information can be shared across the platform with spouses, caregivers and parents.

A representative for Fitbit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.