Technologies

These two newest Google Maps features help you explore. Here’s where to find them

Plus, we’ll tell you how to use five other Google Maps tips to help you navigate.

This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.

If holiday shopping has you stressed out — maybe you haven’t started yet or you’re trying to avoid going to stores when it’s busy — Google Maps can help. The app can help you figure out where to go shopping when you’re trying to steer clear of crowds of people doing the same. For instance, you can use the app to check out how busy a store or restaurant is before deciding to go.

You can also use Google Maps to let your family know your whereabouts when you’re running late. Plus, you can book reservations in advance through the app instead of calling a restaurant. We’ll tell you all the ways Google Maps can help make your holidays go smoothly and how to use all seven features.

Navigate through airports, malls and transit stations

If you need to quickly find a store in a large mall, Google Maps is expanding its Directory tab for all airports, malls and transit stations, it announced in November. This can help prevent running around the airport, trying to find a place to eat or grabbing a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight. The tab will tell you the business hours and which floors it’s on. You can look through restaurants, stores, lounges and parking lots.

Browse Google Maps to see how busy a place is

Google added a new feature to its Google Maps’ busyness tool. Before, you needed to search a location, like a business, to see a chart that showed how crowded it is in real time. But now, a new feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire map areas as clogged with people.

Using the new feature, you open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer’s browser) and move around the map to find a general area, say downtown, a riverwalk or a quaint nearby town. The busyness information will now automatically appear on the map, so you don’t need to specifically search a place to see how crowded it is. Google Maps may say something like «Busy Area,» and when you click for more details, it could say, «As busy as it gets.»

Track your trip itinerary in Google Maps

Google Maps can chart your travels, but it can also quickly show you your holiday flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the hassle of searching through your email for check-in times and confirmation numbers.

To see your upcoming reservations:

1. In Google Maps, tap Saved in the bottom menu row.

2. Tap Reservations. Here, you’ll see a list of upcoming reservations you’ve made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail.

3. Select an item to see more about the reservation, including date and location.

4. You can also search for «my reservations» in the Google Maps search box to see a list of what you’ve booked.

Make a restaurant reservation right in Google Maps

Planning and preparing a holiday dinner can be a multiday chore. If you’d rather spend time with family and friends instead of sharp knives and hot stoves, Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation.

1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.

2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that pops up, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it gives you that option (not all do).

Remember to use the «busyness» feature mentioned above to pick the least packed place. Also, note that some restaurants are still closed to dine-in, but will often allow delivery, curbside pickup or outdoor seating.

Use Google Maps offline

Heading someplace remote where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you’re offline.

1. Before you head out, in Maps search for the location where you’ll want directions.

2. In the location’s window, pull up the menu at the bottom.

3. Scroll right through the tabs and tap Download and then, in the next window, tap Download again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.

Now, as you use Google Maps for directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection, Maps will switch to the offline map to guide you. Because you’re offline, Maps won’t be able to offer real-time traffic info, of course.

Find EV charging spots and gas stations wherever you are

If you’re taking your electric vehicle out for shopping, dinner or a holiday drive, Google Maps can help you find EV charging stations on your route, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type — such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2) and Tesla — to see just the stations that are compatible with your EV. Note you can also search for gas stations by following these same directions.

1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs on the top of the screen and tap More.

2. Scroll down to the Services section and select Electric vehicle charging.

3. Maps will display nearby charging stations and how many are available.

4. Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a stop on your trip.

You can also use this trick to search for other places along your route, like a coffee shop.

Share your location through Google Maps

Is anything more crazy-making during a group activity than when the group gets split up and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help bring you all back together.

1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner and tap Location sharing.

2. Tap Share location and select who you want to share your location with and for how long you want to share it.

3. Tap Share, and Google Maps will send your location to everyone you’ve selected.

4. If you want to see someone else’s location, tap that person’s icon at the top of the window and then tap Request.

If, after all this, you’d rather stay inside during the holidays, here’s how to use your Prime benefits to your advantage while shopping. And if you don’t intend to leave your couch at all, here are the best new TV shows to watch.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 2, #875

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 875 for Sunday, Nov. 2.

Looking for the most recent 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, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has a neat purple category today. It’s fun, but it’s not easy to solve, so if you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

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

Yellow group hint: Move the stuff.

Green group hint: Check your crayon box.

Blue group hint: Whew, I’m wiped out.

Purple group hint: Check your horoscope.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Goods to be transported.

Green group: Light brown shades.

Blue group: Show signs of physical exertion.

Purple group: Starts of zodiac signs.

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

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is goods to be transported. The four answers are cargo, freight, haul and load.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is light brown shades. The four answers are camel, fawn, khaki and tan.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is show signs of physical exertion. The four answers are cramp, pant, redden and sweat.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starts of zodiac signs. The four answers are aqua, capri, gem and sag. (Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini and Sagittarius.)

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 2 #609

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 609 for Sunday, Nov. 2.

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 is a real puzzler. You runners might have a better shot at solving it than the rest of us. Some of the answers are a bit tough 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: Go the distance.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: 26.2 miles.

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:

RUNT, TURN, TURNER, STAT, STAR, HATS, RATS, CAPE, MOTE, STRAT, TART, TARTS, ROAN, DRAT, DRAM, HOME, TOME, TIME, TIMER, PERK

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:

PACE, START, FINISH, RUNNER, HYDRATION, TIMEKEEPER

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is MARATHON. To find it, start with the M that’s three letters to the right on the bottom row, and wind up.

Technologies

Galaxy S26 Rumor Roundup: Samsung Could Be Shaking Up Its Flagship

Rumors about Samsung’s next Galaxy S26 series have been all over the place.

The year isn’t over yet, and there are already plenty of wild rumors about the upcoming Galaxy S26 line of phones.

Months ago, there was speculation that Samsung would replace its base phone with the Pro. It was rumored that the Plus would be discontinued in favor of the S26 Edge (much like how Apple dropped its Plus phone for the thin iPhone Air), and the Ultra would remain without any name change.

But just a few weeks ago, new reports emerged. Word is that the S26 Pro will simply be the S26, and the S26 Edge might be on its way out.

Here’s a quick rundown of the latest Galaxy S26 talk to make sense of it all.

Galaxy S26 line release date

Samsung typically hosts a few Unpacked events each year, with the first event usually taking place in either January or February. Most of this year’s S25 handsets were announced at a Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22, 2025, and released on Feb. 7, so we can expect a similar timeline for the Galaxy S26 series.

However, it’s possible that additional S26 releases may occur throughout the year. In 2025, for example, Samsung released two more S25 handsets — the S25 Edge and the S25 FE — at two separate events in May and September, respectively.

Galaxy S26 Pro

For months, one of the biggest rumors surrounding the Galaxy S26 was that it might not exist at all. Internal build code uncovered by Android Authority suggested Samsung could be scrapping the base model entirely and replacing it with the S26 Pro. That might sound strange at first, but it could have signaled Samsung’s plan to position the S26 lineup as a more premium offering than its predecessors.

According to a new report from SamMobile, the Galaxy S26 Pro might actually just be the standard Galaxy S26. Given that most other rumors suggest the phone will be pretty entry-level, that could very well be the case.

Leaked renders of the S26 (whether the base or Pro model) show a design very similar to the S25, with one key difference: the rear camera. The S26 appears to have a vertical bump on the back housing three camera lenses, while the S25 has no bump at all, with its lenses fitted directly into the body.

According to Android Headlines, the S26 will feature a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, representing a significant upgrade from the S25’s 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. There have been conflicting rumors about this, though. Others have speculated that the S26’s camera specs will remain unchanged from the S25.

Other speculations about the S26 include a slightly bigger 6.3-inch screen, along with an overall slightly larger and slimmer build. Android Headlines also reports that the S26 Pro could have a 4,300-mAh battery, up to 12 GB of RAM and as much as 512 GB of storage.

As for the processor, Samsung’s VP of its Mobile Experiences Division, Daniel Araujo, said in a recent earnings call that the S26 lineup will «revolutionize the user experience with user-centric, next-gen AI, a second-generation custom AP, and stronger performance, including new camera sensors.»

This is a strong indicator that the Galaxy S26 series will be powered by the Exynos 2600 processor at least in some regions, according to Android Headlines.

That said, rumors suggest that the S26 will use Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset in the US and China. According to Qualcomm, the new Snapdragon chip is about 20 percent faster and 35 percent more power-efficient than its predecessor.

Galaxy S26 Edge and Plus

The Galaxy S25 Edge debuted with a lot of fanfare this year, thanks to its ultra-slim form factor, so it’s not a stretch to imagine Samsung will come out with a successor next year. However, there have been conflicting rumors about whether this will happen at all.

For months, there were leaks suggesting Samsung would replace the Galaxy S26 Plus with the Galaxy S26 Edge. The S26 Edge was expected to have a super slim profile of around 5.5 mm, making it 0.3 mm skinnier than the S25 Edge. That’s also 0.1 mm thinner than the iPhone Air. There was further speculation that it would have the same 6.7-inch screen, a larger 4,200-mAh battery and the newer Snapdragon processor.

Now, however, this rumor looks to be on shaky ground. According to SamMobile and 9to5Google, the company could be dropping the Galaxy S26 Edge from its 2026 lineup due to poor sales of the Galaxy S25 Edge, especially in comparison to the rest of the Galaxy S25 series. Instead, Samsung could be replacing the S26 Edge with the Galaxy S26 Plus. We currently don’t know too much about the S26 Plus, but it’ll likely have the same 6.7-inch screen as its predecessor.

Galaxy S26 Ultra

With all the uncertainty surrounding the Galaxy S26 (or Pro) and the Galaxy S26 Edge (or Plus), the only handset seemingly free of confusion is the Galaxy S26 Ultra. According to renders uncovered by Android Headlines, the S26 Ultra looks to have a slightly different design than its predecessor.

The images appear to show that the Galaxy S26 Ultra has curvier corners compared to its predecessor and a slightly different camera layout on the rear. The four cameras are positioned in the same locations, but three of them are housed in a raised vertical bump. There’s also speculation that the Ultra could be slightly slimmer, at 7.9 mm thick, which is 0.3 mm thinner than the current S25 Ultra. Android Headlines also says that the phone’s 6.9-inch display could use new M14 OLED panels, which would be brighter and more power efficient.

Unfortunately, current rumors suggest that the S26 Ultra will feature very similar camera specs. ETNews claims it will still have a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto. The front-facing 12-megapixel camera also appears unchanged.

Like with the Galaxy S26, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to ship with the aforementioned Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the US and China, and with the Exynos 2600 chip in other markets. Other rumored specs include 16 GB of RAM, up to 1 TB of UFS 4.0 storage, a 5,000-mAh battery and faster 60-watt wired charging.