Technologies

Your Next Android Phone Will Be Better Because of Apple and Magnets

Commentary: Qi2 wireless charging aims to make topping off your phone’s battery more efficient. There could be other advantages, too.

Among the numerous robots, TVs, EVs and this hair printer at CES was a quiet announcement about the next-generation of wireless charging for phones and other rechargeable battery devices. Qi2 (pronounced «chee two») is the follow-up to Qi wireless charging that’s found on phones like the iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 7.

The next version of Qi promises to be more efficient in part due to magnets that help position devices in an ideal alignment on charging pads. If that sounds familiar that’s because Apple’s MagSafe charging, which rolled out with the iPhone 12 in 2020, is essentially that. In fact Apple, which is one of the over 350 companies that make up the Wireless Power Consortium, helped design the Magnetic Power Profile that’s a part of Qi2.

While the Magnetic Power Profile isn’t exactly the same as MagSafe, it could lead to Qi2 being adopted on more devices, including AR or VR headsets. It could also lead to faster charging speeds. Currently, Qi wireless charging caps out at 15W, which also happens to be the max speed for Apple’s MagSafe charging on iPhones.

«Qi2’s perfect alignment improves energy efficiency by reducing the energy loss that can happen when the phone or the charger is not aligned,» Wireless Power Consortium executive director Paul Struhsaker said in a press release. «Just as important, Qi2 will greatly reduce the landfill waste associated with wired charger replacement due to plugs breaking and the stress placed on cords from daily connecting and disconnecting.»

Another advantage of Qi2 is the potential for accessories. Take a look at the number of MagSafe and magnetic accessories currently made for the iPhone. There’s everything from cases and charging stands to tripod mounts and wallets. Android phones that support Qi2 could benefit from a similar range of accessories.

Considering that Android phones come in all shapes and sizes, Qi2 and its Magnetic Power Profile could be an equalizer that makes some accessories interchangeable between different phones and even different devices. Qi2 offers a level of ubiquity similar to what USB-C connectors provide, without the confusion caused by different USB-C cable types that all look the same. It’s hard to tell the difference between a USB-C cable that supports Thunderbolt 3 and one that supports USB 4.

Qi2’s Magnetic Power Profile is not the same as MagSafe, which uses also magnets but arranged in a different position. So you couldn’t attach a MagSafe charger to a phone with Qi2. I should acknowledge that some companies make magnetic cases for Android phones that allow them to work with MagSafe.

MagSafe also contains a microprocessor, which Qi2’s Magnetic Power Profile lacks, that allows an iPhone to know what it’s connected to. For example, if you remove Apple’s MagSafe wallet from your iPhone, it will mark the location where it was last attached and can even send you a notification that it is separated from the phone. I imagine Android phone makers could add their own microprocessor to Qi2 for similar functionality.

With the EU forcing Apple to change future iPhone models from Lightning wired charging to USB-C, Qi2 could also provide Apple a roadmap toward a port-less iPhone which has been rumored for several years. And as Qi2 is a standard, it could help Apple avoid any potential action from the EU around wireless charging.

On the whole, Qi2 holds a lot of promise. And while it’s not clear if Apple will replace MagSafe with Qi2’s Magnetic Power Profile, it does prove that even rival companies can agree on a standard that benefits us all. Now do this for text messaging.

Technologies

Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply

One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.

On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.

You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.

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Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.

«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»

How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook

According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:

Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
Use filters for job type, category and distance.
Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.

Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.

The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.

Technologies

Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost

The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

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 fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. 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: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

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:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

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:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.