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ChatGPT Search Improves Its Shopping Experience

It’s a direct shot at Google’s Search-powered shopping tools.

ChatGPT Search, OpenAI’s AI-powered competitor to Google Search, is getting enhanced shopping features, including the ability to search for products, compare options and buy directly within ChatGPT, the company said in a press release Monday.

Users will see personalized recommendations, visual product details, pricing and product reviews. As with other ChatGPT queries, ChatGPT Search will, in the coming weeks, retain memory of users’ past shopping experiences and consider context from past conversations to help tailor a personalized experience. 

Read more: Best AI Chatbots of 2025

ChatGPT Search will also provide direct links for products. This shopping experiment will include products in fashion, beauty, home goods and electronics, expanding the shopping categories as it learns more. OpenAI says it doesn’t make any affiliate revenue. 

This feature is available to all ChatGPT users, including ones not logged in, via the GPT-4o model. OpenAI said the changes are now available in 4o, and beginning to roll out as of Monday to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Free and logged-out users.

A representative for OpenAI didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Status of search

Online search is big business, and Google is currently the king of search, with 89.74% market share, according to Statcounter. With the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, more people have been turning to AI chatbots to satiate their online search demand. 

Where traditional online searches rely on keywords and users filtering through sites to find the information they want, AI chatbots allow users to directly ask questions and get complete answers in the process. 

Last year, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search, a version of its AI chatbot that also searches the internet for up-to-date information. There are other players in the AI-powered online search game, including Perplexity and You.com. Google has also added AI into its core search product with AI Overviews, an experience that’s still producing incorrect information. 

Google remains highly popular, seeing about 14 billion searches per day. While ChatGPT is seeing 500 million active weekly users, its popularity still pales in comparison to Google’s. Currently, Google is pulling in 373 times more searches than ChatGPT, according to SparkToro

Search brought in $198 billion in revenue last year, thanks to ads and shopping recommendations placed against user queries. If OpenAI does aggressively monetize shopping recommendations in the future, it could eat away at Google revenues, as well as revenues from sites that make money from reviewing and recommending products.

ChatGPT Search is getting some other improvements as well. WhatsApp users can now send messages directly to ChatGPT within the app. It’s a peculiar integration considering WhatsApp owner Meta already has MetaAI baked into its apps. ChatGPT Search will also allow users to see trending search topics.

The regular version of ChatGPT is seeing improved citations as well, with the ability to cite multiple sources. 

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, April 29

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 29.

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.


Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is an easy one. Usually, I’m thrown off when the puzzle pulls a meta-question, and wants you to fill in circled letters to solve an extra clue, but this one, 2-Down, was super-simple. But a couple other clues required some more thinking — unless you’re super familiar with the population ranking of Caribbean nations (8-Across). 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.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. 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 at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: The «A» of MoMA
Answer: ART

4A clue: Like steak tartare and carpaccio
Answer: RAW

5A clue: Attire for wizards and judges
Answer: ROBES

7A clue: Warm shade of yellowish-orange
Answer: AMBER

8A clue: Most populous country in the Caribbean
Answer: HAITI

9A clue: Messy room, so to speak
Answer: STY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Noted features of bakeries and candle shops
Answer: AROMAS

2D clue: What a magician might pull out of the [circled letters]
Answer: RABBIT

3D clue: «I tawt I taw a puddy tat!» speaker
Answer: TWEETY

5D clue: «Go team!»
Answer: RAH

6D clue: ___ Lanka
Answer: SRI

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

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Technologies

Tariffs Are Raising Prices. Here’s How You Can Still Save On Tech

Higher prices don’t mean fewer options. Here’s how you can save on high-end electronics, despite the tariffs.

Over the past month, the global electronics market has experienced significant upheaval, and it’s probably only going to get worse. The Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs — up to 145% on Chinese imports — have disrupted supply chains and driven up prices on a wide array of consumer electronics.

Even with exemptions for smartphones and laptops, the threat of additional levies has led to price hikes across the board, from power banks and e-readers to toasters, microwaves and gaming consoles. 

While the new Switch 2 won’t be affected by the tariffs (for now), several of the new Nintendo console’s accessories, like the Pro and Joy-Con controllers, have already increased in price because of the tariffs. Anker has raised prices for many of its power banks. The tariffs will likely also increase the price of iPhones.

Read more: Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Now

Amid this economic turbulence, consumers are increasingly turning to refurbished tech as a cost-effective alternative to buying brand new. This sector is not only growing rapidly, it’s also becoming a mainstream choice for savvy shoppers looking to save. The global refurbished electronics market is expected to grow from $47 billion in 2023 to over $123 billion by 2033, according to one report.

If you’re in the market for a new phone, new laptop or any other tech product, you’re better off buying used than new right now. For folks looking to navigate this burgeoning market, there are several reputable platforms that offer high-quality refurbished electronics.

Where you can shop for refurbished tech

Not everyone wants to buy used products, especially when there are risks. A used electronic item might look fine from the outside, but there’s always the chance of hidden hardware issues, like a degraded battery or water damage. Plus, there are rarely ever warranties or return policies on used items. Not to mention, the products could be stolen.

So that’s why you want to buy refurbished, not just used. The difference is that a refurbished item is usually sold by a manufacturer, retailer or certified refurbisher and is inspected, tested, repaired and restored to full working condition. This isn’t like buying a used computer from someone on Facebook Marketplace. Instead, you get a cleaned and repackaged product with a warranty, just like a new product. If you want the assurances of a refurbished item, there are many options.

Apple Certified Refurbished
Apple’s in-house refurbishment program is widely considered the gold standard. Every device — whether it’s a MacBook, an iPhone, an iPad or even an Apple Vision Pro — comes with a new battery and outer shell, so cosmetically it’s indistinguishable from new. All products are rigorously tested, cleaned and repackaged in an official Apple box, along with cables and other accessories. You’ll also get a one-year limited warranty and the option to add AppleCare Plus, making this one of the safest ways to buy refurbished Apple gear.

Amazon Renewed Store
Amazon’s refurbished technology storefront offers a pretty sizable catalog with everything from smartphones and laptops to home appliances, headphones and even electric toothbrushes. All these devices are inspected and tested by qualified suppliers to meet certain performance benchmarks. Most products come with a minimum 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee, which allows you to return or replace the product if it doesn’t work as promised.

Best Buy Outlet
Best Buy’s certified refurbished store includes TVs, tablets, laptops, smartphones, kitchen gadgets, gaming gear and more. Many items are Geek Squad Certified, meaning they’ve been restored and tested by its in-house technicians. And if you’re more about an in-person experience, Best Buy offers local pickup for many of these refurbished items, along with standard warranties that vary by product.

eBay Refurbished
eBay may seem like the Wild West at times, but the company partners with certified refurbishers and brands like Samsung, Lenovo and Dell to offer items with up to 50% off retail pricing. You can also check out product grading, which varies from good to excellent, and you’ll receive a one- or two-year warranty, as well as 30-day returns.

Swappa
Swappa is a peer-to-peer marketplace, but with guardrails. Sellers can only list fully functional devices, and every item is manually reviewed before it goes live on the website. All you need to do is find your product and then check out the price, condition and age, and you can buy directly from the seller. All transactions are protected via PayPal, which can help you in case a purchase never shows up or you’re unhappy with a product and need a refund.

As tariffs continue to influence the tech industry, the refurbished market stands out as a great alternative for you to get the tech products you want at an affordable price and without compromising on quality. If you use any of these trusted platforms, you can mitigate the financial impact of tariffs and rising electronics prices, and also participate in more-sustainable consumption practices.

You can try secondhand but there are risks

A refurbished tech product might still be expensive. Enter the raw, unfiltered secondhand market: Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist and Nextdoor, to name just a few. These platforms are less about guarantees and more about opportunity. You can be smart and patient and scoop up a MacBook from a college student upgrading midsemester, or grab a highly discounted PS5 from someone cleaning house before a cross-country move. But there are trade-offs. No warranty. No refurbishment. No assurance it wasn’t dropped in a pool or «borrowed» indefinitely. You can still get some unbeatable prices with the right negotiation tactics.

These platforms are seeing increased tech activity, with anecdotal spikes in metro-area listings for iPads, AirPods and OLED TVs since tariff announcements started to dominate headlines. Some sellers are flipping open-box returns or reselling their own gear to upgrade in anticipation of price surges, which effectively creates a grassroots resale economy shaped by the current trade policy. Before you venture into the secondhand market, there are a few tips you should follow.

  • Meet in a public place and always test the item before handing over payment. You may want to handle the transaction quickly, but it’s best to ensure the item is in good condition. And doing it in public protects you (a bit) from getting ripped off.
  • Check battery health on phones and laptops. You can do this in the settings of the devices.
  • Verify serial numbers when possible to check warranty or theft status. There are websites that quickly allow you to use the IMEI of a phone to check whether it’s stolen. (IMEI stands for international mobile equipment identity, a 15-digit unique ID number.)
  • Use payment apps like Venmo or PayPal Goods & Services for added protection. Cash is great, because you can typically get a better discount, but you have to ensure that the product you’re buying is in good condition.

We don’t have the full picture of how tariffs will affect all the tech products in our lives, but as new devices become less affordable amid general economic uncertainty, buying used can be a smart choice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a refurbished iPad from Amazon or a gently used Nintendo Switch from OfferUp, sometimes pricing matters so much more than packaging. With the trade war showing no signs of cooling, the secondhand and refurbished tech ecosystem isn’t just a reaction. It’s a quiet rebellion we can all have a hand in.

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Amazon’s Project Kuiper Internet Satellites Take Flight on ULA Rocket

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