Technologies

Trump Mobile Math Doesn’t Add Up: We Found Better Phone Plan Deals

The $47.45 price is clever, but not a great deal. Here are three cheaper options you can use now.

When the Trump Organization announced its upcoming gold-hued T1 phone, it threw up a number of red flags for us. There was the poorly Photoshopped image along with technical claims that didn’t add up — including the boast that the phone would be “designed and built in the United States.” (That claim has since been walked back, without explanation.) The phone was originally expected to launch in September 2025, but there’s currently no confirmed release date.

To run the T1 phone, the organization also announced the Trump Mobile 47 Plan, a prepaid phone plan with unlimited text, calls and data, which appears to be active now. After looking at the specifics, we’ve concluded there are better options elsewhere. Let’s break it down.

Clever pricing, but better deals abound

The Trump T1 phone gives us flashbacks to the Freedom Phone, which launched in 2021 and was more of a political statement than a groundbreaking smartphone. But it’s the Trump Mobile phone service that seems like an odd fit in 2025. At a time when there are hundreds of mobile virtual network operators — think Mint Mobile or Google Fi — Trump Mobile is trying to break into a crowded market with a curious value proposition: pay $47.45 a month (a nod to Trump being the 45th and 47th president) for unlimited text, calls and data.

However, that’s just the base price. In a video titled I Signed Up for Trump Mobile So You Don’t Have To, internet personality Stetson Doggett discovered an additional hefty «plan telecom tax» of $14.52, bringing the monthly price up to $61.97 (and recurring autopay is automatically enabled).

You can find what’s included in the Trump Mobile 47 Plan for much cheaper with other wireless providers.

In fact, Liberty Wireless Mobile — the MVNO that powers Trump Mobile — offers the same service for just $40 a month. That includes 10GB of high-speed data, compared to 20GB with the 47 Plan, before speeds are likely throttled. But I haven’t used Liberty Wireless, and if the numerous instances of «Lorem ipsum» text on its FAQS page are any indication, it’s likely best to look elsewhere.

Of course, Trump Mobile’s 47 Plan includes other perks that could help justify the higher price — such as telehealth sessions provided by Doctegrity (normally $29 a month) and roadside assistance through Drive America. That said, it’s unclear what services are covered or whether spending limits apply. The 47 Plan even includes «device protection» — which would be great, if not for the fine print clarifying that «device protection is not insurance.»

So could Trump Mobile be a good deal? If we ignore all the vagueness surrounding the 47 Plan, then maybe. But there are too many unknowns for us to recommend it. How much is an additional line? Does the 47 Plan include hotspot data? Is there an autopay discount? Do we get streaming service perks like with other carriers? Are there discounts for seniors? We reached out to Trump Mobile for clarification.

Luckily, between the three major US carriers and hundreds of US-based MVNOs, you have plenty of options. Here are a few wireless plans that are available now and offer a better price — or value — than Trump Mobile, from providers with strong track records for service. Be sure to also check out our list of best phone plans that cover other features and pricing.

Trump Mobile vs. T-Mobile, Mint Mobile and US Mobile

	Plan	Cost 1 line (autopay)	High-speed data	Hotspot data limit	Price guarantee	Max number of lines	Streaming resolution
Trump Mobile	The 47 Plan	$47.45 (no autopay discount)	20GB	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
US Mobile	Unlimited Flex	$17.50	10GB	5GB	n/a	Unlimited	480p (SD)
T-Mobile	Essentials Choice 55	$45	50GB	Unlimited 3G	n/a	2	480p (SD)
Mint Mobile	15GB	$20	15GB	10GB	n/a	n/a	480p (SD)

Alternatives to Trump Mobile

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Dec. 25, #1650

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Dec. 25, No. 1,650.

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle has some tough-to-guess letters. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with M.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a geometric figure.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is PRISM.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Dec. 24, No. 1649, was SPOOL.

Recent Wordle answers

Dec. 20, No. 1645: WHITE

Dec. 21, No. 1646: QUILT

Dec. 22, No. 1647: CONCH

Dec. 23, No. 1648: GLINT

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What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q.

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

STARE

NOISE

Technologies

This Two-Faced Watch Band Lets You Hide an Apple Watch Under Your Rolex

The $418 Smartlet literally bridges the gap between your elegant analogy and your nerdy smartwatch.

The Consumer Electronics Show is never short on ambitious ideas, but Smartlet may be one of the more unusual ones this year: a modular watch strap that lets you wear a traditional mechanical watch and a smartwatch on the same wrist, simultaneously. One on top of the other.

The Paris-based startup announced Smartlet at the 2026 CES in Las Vegas, pitching it as a solution for people who love the look of an analog watch but also want the practicality of a smartwatch for notifications, fitness tracking and mobile payments. Instead of choosing between the two, Smartlet’s system lets you mount an old-school timepiece on the front of your wrist while hiding a smartwatch or fitness tracker on the underside.

The stainless steel strap starts at $418 and doesn’t include a smartwatch or a mechanical watch. What you’re really buying is the strap system, which is compatible with most major smartwatches and fitness trackers, including Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Google Pixel Watch, Garmin models, Fitbit Charge devices and Whoop. On the analog side, it supports watches with lug widths from 18 to 24 mm, which includes high-end models from brands such as Omega, Tudor, TAG Heuer and Rolex.

The idea comes from founder David Ohayon, who says he was tired of having to play favorites every morning, choosing between his analog and Apple Watch. Smartlet, in theory, offers the best of both worlds, letting you toggle from fitness nerd to polished executive with the flick of a wrist.

In practice, it raises some serious questions, the biggest one being bulk. Smartlet says the system adds between 9 and 12 mm of height to the underside of the wrist once a connected device is attached. As someone who already manages to scratch watches without trying, the idea of strapping a second device to the underside of my wrist, where it regularly comes in contact with desks, armrests and tabletops, sounds like a walking nightmare.

There’s also the aesthetic. Smartlet is clearly aimed at what it calls the «modern gentleman,» with marketing language that leans heavily into luxury watch culture and phrases like «from the boardroom to the weekend.» Translation: This is a watch for wealthy men who want to show off their investment piece without sacrificing their gym gain tracking.

And while it may not be the most practical, or budget-friendly solution for most people, Smartlet is one of those highly niche, standout products that had us doing a double take at this year’s CES.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 25 #662

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Dec. 25, No. 662.

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 has a holiday theme, and if you know a certain Christmas carol, you’ll quickly determine which words to hunt down. Some of the answers 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: Carolers count.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Five golden rings.

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:

RIMS, HIMS, MARS, CHIME, CHIMES, MADS, DATE, DIAL, WAIL

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:

LORDS, MAIDS, SWANS, LADIES, PIPERS, DRUMMERS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is CHRISTMASDAYS. To find it, look for the C that’s three letters down on the far-left row, and wind across.

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Toughest Strands puzzles

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

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.