Technologies

Microsoft Will Provide Surface Pro 9 Parts for Repairs in 2023

Surface Pro part availability is a big win for the right-to-repair movement.

Microsoft will begin providing Surface Pro 9 parts for repairs in 2023, the company told DIY site iFixit on Thursday. Microsoft confirmed the statement in an email to CNET.

The Surface maker said it recognizes the importance of device repairability and decided to integrate that philosophy into the design of the Surface Pro 9. The replaceable components will include the display, battery, motherboard, thermal module with fan, SSD, SSD door, kickstand, Surface Connect port, speakers, Wi-Fi deck with microphones, front camera, rear camera, power and volume buttons and the back cover.

Repair guides will be available for download by the end of this year, according to iFixit. Microsoft is also working with a «major US retailer» to build an authorized repair network in early 2023. Spare parts for independent repair shops and consumers should land in the first half of 2023.

iFixit’s assessment of the Surface Pro 9 called it the most repairable Surface yet. Past models were difficult to repair, with the Surface Pro 7 getting a one out of 10 repair score. iFixit gave the Surface Pro 9 a seven out of 10, a major improvement.

iFixit said it’s been consulting with Microsoft’s hardware team directly, giving advice on what’s best for making a repairable device. A big sticking point has been glued-down batteries, which makes battery replacements incredibly difficult. With the Surface Pro 9, the battery is screwed into place, meaning it can more easily be swapped out.

The Surface Pro 9 follows a trend in tech spurred on by the right-to-repair movement. Earlier this year, New York passed the Digital Fair Repair Act to require companies that sell tech products in the state to provide documentation, components and software to consumers and independent repair shops. Tech influencers and lawmakers have long demanded that major tech companies make products more repairable to dismantle their control of devices and repairs.

In 2021, President Joe Biden asked the Federal Trade Commission to make it harder for companies to restrict how people can repair their devices. The FTC sent a proposal last month demanding companies produce repair documentation for some household appliances. An iPhone 14 teardownearlier this year showed that Apple made changes to the phone’s design toallow repair shops to more easily service the device. Not only that, Apple now offers do-it-yourself repair kits for some of its products.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 24, #427

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 24, No. 427.

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.

Music lovers, today’s Connections: Sports Edition has a fun green category for you. You’ll recognize some familiar phrases in the grid, I think. 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: Not long pants.

Green group hint: Sing out.

Blue group hint: Gridiron guys who share a name.

Purple group hint: Like a law.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Types of shorts.

Green group: Popular arena/stadium songs.

Blue group: Football Drews.

Purple group: ____ rule.

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 types of shorts. The four answers are basketball, bike, compression and gym.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is popular arena/stadium songs. The four answers are Eye of the Tiger, Jump Around, Sandstorm and Thunderstruck.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is football Drews. The four answers are Bledsoe, Brees, Lock and Pearson.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ rule. The four answers are infield fly, mercy, tuck and unwritten.

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 Monday, Nov. 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 24.

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? Two down might be my favorite clue, and answer, this puzzle has ever offered. Read on for all of 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: Prefix for some music genres
Answer: ALT

4A clue: Fab ___ (nickname for the Beatles)
Answer: FOUR

6A clue: Eagle’s claw
Answer: TALON

8A clue: Fab ___ (nickname for a noted University of Michigan basketball team)
Answer: FIVE

9A clue: Congregant’s seat
Answer: PEW

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Boat’s rear
Answer: AFT

2D clue: Shape of a cat with its legs tucked under itself
Answer: LOAF

3D clue: Flower that’s the subject of Dutch festivals
Answer: TULIP

5D clue: Wander aimlessly
Answer: ROVE

7D clue: Like many shows at the top of the Netflix queue
Answer: NEW

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

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Nov. 24, #1619

Today’s Wordle is tricky. Here are hints, answers and help for Nov. 24, #1619.

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 is a little tricky. 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.