Technologies

Why You Should Be Using the New iPhone Safety Check Feature

Safety Check for iOS is designed to help prevent abusive partners from accessing your accounts, but it can beef up your security in general.

In 2022, Apple announced Safety Check, a new iOS security feature designed to allow you to quickly see all the information (location, credentials and so on) you’re sharing with someone else, like an ex-partner, and instantly revoke those permissions in the case of domestic abuse.

Safety Check, however, can also play an important role for anyone with an iPhone who’s interested in their own privacy and security. The feature not only protects you from abusers but also helps you keep an eye on all your downloaded applications, and revoke those permissions, like to your phone’s camera or speaker, as well.

You may not want some apps to have permission to certain information, and Safety Check is the quickest way to not only check this information but also stop the access completely. Here’s how.

If you want to learn more about Apple’s privacy and security features, check out our stories on the new Lockdown Mode, Sign in With Apple, and AirTag stalking.

Use Safety Check to view and revoke app permissions on your iPhone

On your iPhone, launch the Settings app and go to Privacy & Security > Safety Check. Here you’ll be greeted with a few options: Emergency Reset, which is used for exactly that, emergencies, and Manage Sharing & Access, which is what we’ll be using to manage app permissions.

After tapping Manage Sharing & Access, use Face or Touch ID to access the security feature. Next, you’ll get a detailed summary of what you can review, including people, apps and account security. Again, we’re focused on app permissions, so we’ll be reviewing all your applications and what information they have access to.

Go through the Sharing with People section by hitting the blue Skip button until you reach App Access, which is the second step in the Safety Check feature. You should see a list of your third-party apps, along with a short description of what information (Bluetooth, camera, location and so on) is being shared.

To revoke an app’s permissions, check the circle next to the app and then tap the Stop App Access button at the bottom of the page. You can revoke permissions for multiple apps at once by selecting more than one. If you want to view everything a specific app has access to, tap on the information button (ⓘ). You can revoke specific permissions, such as local network or location, instead of every single permission.

The most extreme thing you can do is hit Select All & Stop Access. But applications need certain permissions to work, so I wouldn’t suggest this option.

You can also revoke permissions by information. If you tap on the Information tab at the top, you’ll see all the information that’s being accessed listed, instead of the apps. For example, you can remove media library or calendar permissions for every app that has it, at once.

Once you’re finished revoking app permissions, you can either skip through the rest of Safety Check or use the Quick Exit option at the top right.

Technologies

We May Know What the Next Nintendo Switch 2 Pokemon Game Will Be Called

A massive leak reveals potential details about the 10th generation of Pokemon games coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, including big changes.

A new Pokemon game, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, will be released for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on Thursday, but a recent leak might have revealed info about what’s coming next from the creators of the franchise. The names of the next games headed to the Switch 2, as well as some of the big changes to the Pokemon formula, may have been part of the leak.

The leak showed up on X Monday from the account Centro Leaks, as first spotted by Insider Gaming. Data about the upcoming games reportedly stems from a hack of the servers of the franchise developer Game Freak that happened in August 2024, referred to online as the Teraleak, that included the source code for the upcoming Pokemon Legenda: Z-A.

Among the information shared by the account was the possible name for what would be the 10th generation of Pokemon games that would come to the Switch 2 next year: Pokemon Wind and Pokemon Wave.

The Pokemon Company didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation about this leak.

Pokémon Gen 10:
Pokémon Wind and Pokémon Waves
Theme: Infinity
Directed by Shigeru Ohmori

— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) October 13, 2025

According to the leak, Pokemon Wind/Wave is inspired by the Southeast Asia region and will feature a jungle-themed environment. It could also feature a new mechanic referred to as a Seed Pokemon, which is reportedly a special Pokemon that is heavily involved in the story and must be raised by the player. As it evolves, it will have a unique look that is procedurally generated, and once it’s fully evolved, it will allow the player to gain access to an island where they can find the main legendary Pokemon of the game.

The main theme of Pokemon Wind/Wave is the concept of infinity, according to the leak. This would match with the reported focus of procedurally generated content, not only with the special Seed Pokemon, but also with the islands of the game being procedurally generated, so each game is unique and could continue to grow with no end.

Also included in the leak were other details, including Pokemon on the overworld being interactable, weather affecting gameplay in some way, 18 new challenges for players instead of traditional gyms, and a few screenshots of the game in development that are still available to see at the PokeLeaks subreddit. There was also info that the 11th-generation Pokemon game could be released in 2030.

It is unlikely that Nintendo, The Pokemon Company or Game Freak will confirm the details of the leak. Expect to see the official announcement early next year, with the fall being the most likely release window for Pokemon Wind/Wave.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Oct. 15

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 15.

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? It includes both the first and last name of one of my favorite chefs of all time — maybe yours, too. Read on for 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: Chromebooks, but not MacBooks
Answer: PCS

4A clue: «Yippee!»
Answer: WAHOO

6A clue: Reveal, as juicy gossip
Answer: SPILL

7A clue: With 2-Down, chef who helped popularize chicken cordon bleu in the U.S.
Answer: JULIA

8A clue: Toss in
Answer: ADD

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Toss in
Answer: PAPUA

2D clue: See 7-Across
Answer: CHILD

3D clue: State of matter for most elements at room temperature
Answer: SOLID

4D clue: Business-focused newspaper, for short
Answer: WSJ

5D clue: Hello, in Portuguese
Answer: OLA

Technologies

Want to Watch a Podcast? Netflix and Spotify Partner to Bring Video Podcasts to Streaming

Starting in early 2026, Netflix subscribers in the US will be able to watch select Spotify Studios and Ringer podcasts directly on the streaming platform.

Netflix and Spotify are teaming up to blur the line between streaming and podcasting. The two companies announced a new partnership that will bring a curated slate of Spotify’s top video podcasts, including shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer, to Netflix starting in early 2026. The goal is to make popular podcasts as watchable as TV, expanding both services’ reach into sports, culture, lifestyle and true crime.

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The deal marks Spotify’s most significant distribution push beyond its own platform, and for Netflix, it’s a new way to keep audiences engaged with talk-driven, low-cost programming. Early titles include The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, Dissect, Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers, among others. You can find the complete list here.

More shows and genres are expected to be added over time.

Netflix says the partnership complements its library of documentaries and talk shows, offering «fresh voices and new perspectives.» Spotify, meanwhile, described it as «a new chapter for podcasting,» giving creators access to Netflix’s global audience while expanding discovery for listeners who prefer watching podcasts.

The rollout will begin in the US early next year, with additional markets to follow in 2026.