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I Am Kind of Addicted to My Samsung Z Fold 3

Commentary: The large screen on the Galaxy Z Fold series is so transformative, it’s hard to switch to a traditional phone, even the new Pixel 7.

The Google Pixel 7 line saw strong reviews when it launched in October. Not only do the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro push photography to near DSLR levels, both do so for about $600 and $900, respectively.

Though I’ve popped my SIM card into the Pixel 7 that Google provided for review, I just can’t completely turn off my personal Galaxy Z Fold 3 — Samsung’s $1,800 foldable from last year — with its large fold-out inner screen and skinny, candy bar-like outer display.

While a foldable and a traditional slab phone are already very different, both Google and Samsung have taken distinct approaches to both hardware and software — and I believe that Samsung is doing it better. I also feel that my experience with two wildly different flagship phones is worth analyzing.

The power of a big phone screen

Most things you can do on a 7.6-inch screen also work on a 6.4-inch screen. But the aspect ratio — the measure of how square or skinny a screen is — makes a powerful difference. The much wider Z Fold 3, when unfolded, offers a spacious, nearly square screen that makes the Pixel 7 feel cramped and compromised.

Instead of comics being squished on a traditional phone display, where you have to zoom in and out to see individual panels, the Z Fold 3 feels like reading an actual page.

Both the front and inner displays on Samsung’s Z Fold 3 are high-resolution 120Hz Super AMOLED screens with deep blacks, rich colors and silky animations. The Pixel 7, at one-third the price, has a respectable 2,400×1,080-pixel resolution display that’s 90Hz, and AMOLED that’s competitive if not up to Samsung’s level. Kudos for the Pixel 7’s value, but playing Genshin Impact on a large, 7.6-inch display means a much richer game world.

Multitasking fun

On my Galaxy Z Fold 3, I can use four apps at once. It’s cluttered, but it’s also cool. I often use two or three apps simultaneously, with YouTube and Twitter in two corners and Reddit on the rest of the screen.

I’ve also written articles on my Z Fold 3 using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, treating it like a small Galaxy Tab. On one side I’ll have Google Docs open and on the other, Slack or a website I’m checking. It’s not ideal, but in a pinch it gets the job done.

Multitasking on the Pixel 7 feels awkward by comparison. The Pixel’s user interface has larger gaps between two apps, using up precious dots of resolution that could instead be used to display information.

Samsung’s software pulls ahead

Conventional wisdom says Google’s Pixel line offers the definitive Android experience. After all, Google makes Android, therefore a Google-made Android phone would have the best software design with minimal gimmicks. But after using the Z Fold 3 for a year and the Pixel 7 since October, I find that Samsung’s One UI is more intuitive and gets things done faster.

The fewer taps it takes to accomplish a task, the better. When opening Samsung’s phone app to make calls, swiping right on a name places a call, and swiping left starts a text message. On Pixel, tapping a name opens a more cumbersome drop-down menu with options to either video call or text. To call, there’s a separate telephone icon on the right.

And when in a call, the Pixel lacks a dedicated speakerphone button, requiring me to use another drop-down menu. These are just two small examples and are far from deal breakers. But they do show that Samsung has been paying attention to minute pain points to make an overall better experience.

Foldables are the future

Foldables offer tremendous functionality in a relatively small size. Heck, it’s possible to even use the Galaxy Z Fold 4 as a personal computer, albeit with some compromises.

The foldable market is still an expensive niche. But I do hope that as prices go down, mass appeal goes up. And who knows, maybe Google will create its own foldable. Rumors are already pointing to a 2023 Pixel Fold release. Until then, though, the Z Fold 3 has my attention.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for July 5, #1477

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for July 5, No. 1,477.

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 pretty tough one. I grew up on a farm, so I know the word, but I didn’t put it together right away, even though the letters are common ones. 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

There is are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter B.

Wordle hint No. 4: Down on the farm

Today’s Wordle answer describes a piece of farm equipment.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer refers to a machine for making paper, hay, or cotton into bales.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is BALER.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, July 4,  No. 1476 was CURVE.

Recent Wordle answers

June 30, No. 1472: BLINK

July 1, No. 1473: MOLDY

July 2, No. 1474: INCUR

July 3, No. 1475: POPPY

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for July 5, #489

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 5, No. 489.

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.


The theme of today’s NYT Strands puzzle isn’t terribly tough, but at least one of the words is unusual and really, really long to unscramble. 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: Every second counts.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Does anybody really know what time it is?

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:

  • DIAL, SOLE, MOLE, MOLES, SHAKE, CHEEP, ROLE, HOME, LOCK, MEAT, TAME, TAMES, ROLES, ROON, TRON

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:

  • CLOCK, WATCH, SUNDIAL, HOURGLASS, CHRONOMETER

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is TIMEKEEPERS. To find it, look for the T that’s four letters down on the far left, and wind across.

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Technologies

Microsoft Is Eliminating Passwords in August: Here’s What You Need to Do to Prepare

Microsoft Authenticator has already stopped autofilling passwords, but the biggest change comes next month.

In June, Microsoft Authenticator stopped letting users create new passwords. In July, it turned off the autofill password function. And in August, the login app will stop supporting passwords entirely, moving to more secure passkeys, such as a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition.

Attila Tomaschek, CNET’s software senior writer and digital security expert, says that passkeys are a safer alternative to the risky password habits practiced by 49% of US adults, according to a recent survey by CNET.

«Passwords can be cracked, whereas passkeys need both the public and the locally stored private key to authenticate users, which can help mitigate risks like falling victim to phishing and brute-force or credential-stuffing attacks,» Tomaschek said.

Using the same password for several accounts or adding personal hints can be a convenient way to remember your login. But that puts you at a big risk for scammers, identity theft and fraud. Here’s more on Microsoft’s plan for eliminating passwords and how to make the switch to passkeys before August.

When will Microsoft Authenticator stop supporting passwords?

Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition like Windows Hello, or other biometric data like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you’re logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your accounts. In June, the company stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator, but here’s a timeline of other changes you can expect from Microsoft.

  • July 2025: You won’t be able to use the autofill password function.
  • August 2025: You’ll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

If you still want to use passwords instead of passkeys, you can store them in Microsoft Edge. However, CNET experts recommend adopting passkeys during this transition. «Passkeys use public key cryptography to authenticate users, rather than relying on users themselves creating their own (often weak or reused) passwords to access their online accounts,» Tomaschek said.

Why are passkeys a better alternative to passwords?

So what exactly is a passkey? It’s a credential created by the Fast Identity Online Alliance that uses biometric data or a PIN to verify your identity and access your account. Think about using your fingerprint or Face ID to log into your account. That’s generally safer than using a password that is easy to guess or susceptible to a phishing attack.

Passkeys aren’t stored on servers like passwords. Instead, they’re stored only on your personal device. More conveniently, this takes the guesswork out of remembering your passwords and the need for a password manager.

How to set up a passkey in Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft said in a May 1 blog post that it will automatically detect the best passkey to set up and make that your default sign-in option. «If you have a password and ‘one-time code’ set up on your account, we’ll prompt you to sign in with your one-time code instead of your password. After you’re signed in, you’ll be prompted to enroll a passkey. Then the next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to sign in with your passkey,» according to the blog post.

To set up a new passkey, open your Authenticator app on your phone. Tap on your account and select «Set up a passkey.» You’ll be prompted to log in with your existing credentials. After you’re logged in, you can set up the passkey.

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