Technologies

Now Is a Very Bad Time to Buy Samsung’s Galaxy S22

The Galaxy S23 is likely just days away, meaning the previous model could get a price reduction.

You might want to hold off until next week before buying a Galaxy S22.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 lineup is expected to launch on Feb. 1, meaning the Galaxy S22 you’re thinking about purchasing could feel outdated in just a matter of days. Even if you just want to score a discount and don’t necessarily care about having the latest phone, there are good reasons to wait.

The biggest one, of course, is that the Galaxy S23 family will likely have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which should bring perks like better graphics and power efficiency. Purportedly leaked images published by the blog WinFuture also indicate that a slightly different design might be in store.

The most significant update, however, is expected to arrive on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is rumored to get a 200-megapixel camera, according to often-correct leaker Ice Universe. Samsung’s new 200-megapixel image sensor should provide both high resolution and solid performance in challenging conditions, as my colleague Stephen Shankland reported. However, we won’t know whether that chip will be in the Galaxy S23 Ultra until Samsung announces the phone.

Those changes might not sound like much, especially when it comes to the regular Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus. But it’s still a good idea to wait if you can.

You’ll get more longevity out of the Galaxy S23 compared with an older phone like the Galaxy S22 for two simple reasons. One is that the processor is newer, so performance will remain speedy for a longer period of time. But the more important point is that it will likely get an extra year of software and security updates.

Samsung committed to offering four generations of Android updates and five years of security updates for the Galaxy S22 last year, and it will probably do the same for the Galaxy S23. The Galaxy S22 is already one year into that upgrade cycle.

You might be tempted to buy the Galaxy S22 anyway, since there are plenty of deals available through Samsung and other retailers. I’d encourage you to consider that similar discounts on the Galaxy S23 lineup may surface once the devices launch. Last year, for example, AT&T shaved $800 off the Galaxy S22 even when trading in an older, broken phone. Samsung also offered some bargains last year to promote the Galaxy S22 family at launch. Those who preordered the device before Feb. 24 were eligible to upgrade to the next storage tier and gain Samsung credit that could be applied toward the Galaxy Watch 4 or Samsung Freestyle projector.

There’s also a chance that we may see some Galaxy S22 discounts after the Galaxy S23 launches. Samsung released the Galaxy S21 FE in 2022 as a slightly cheaper alternative to the Galaxy S22, targeting the audience that would typically opt to save a few bucks by going for the prior year’s model. Since Samsung didn’t release a Galaxy S22 FE, perhaps it’ll keep a version of the Galaxy S22 around at a lower price.

Regardless, it’s a good idea to wait if you’re in a position to do so. Learning about what the Galaxy S23 has to offer and seeing which discounts are available will help you make a more informed decision. And of course, CNET will have plenty of advice on whether the Galaxy S23 is worth the upgrade once it launches.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

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 might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them 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: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

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:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

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:

AZALEA, HEMLOCK, FOXGLOVE, OLEANDER, BELLADONNA

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is POISONOUS. To find it, look for the P that is the first letter on the far left of the top row, and wind down and across.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 23, #395

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 395.

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.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has one of those crazy purple categories, where you wonder if anyone saw the connection, or if people just put that grouping together because only those four words were left. If you’re struggling 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 show up in the NYT Games app but appears 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: Fan noise.

Green group hint: Strategies for hoops.

Blue group hint: Minor league.

Purple group hint: Look for a connection to hoops.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Sounds from the crowd.

Green group: Basketball offenses.

Blue group: Triple-A baseball teams.

Purple group: Ends with a basketball stat.

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 sounds from the crowd. The four answers are boo, cheer, clap and whistle.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is basketball offenses. The four answers are motion, pick and roll, Princeton and triangle.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is triple-A baseball teams. The four answers are Aces, Jumbo Shrimp, Sounds and Storm Chasers.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends with a basketball stat. The four answers are afoul, bassist, counterpoint and sunblock.

Technologies

Amazon’s Delivery Drivers Will Soon Wear AI Smart Glasses to Work

The goal is to streamline the delivery process while keeping drivers safe.

Amazon announced on Wednesday that it is developing new AI-powered smart glasses to simplify the delivery experience for its drivers. CNET smart glasses expert Scott Stein mentioned this wearable rollout last month, and now the plan is in its final testing stages.

The goal is to simplify package delivery by reducing the need for drivers to look at their phones, the label on the package they’re delivering and their surroundings to find the correct address.

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A heads-up display will activate as soon as the driver parks, pointing out potential hazards and tasks that must be completed. From there, drivers can locate and scan packages, follow turn-by-turn directions and snap a photograph to prove delivery completion without needing to take out their phone.

The company is testing the glasses in select North American markets.

Watch: See our Instagram post with a video showing the glasses

A representative for Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

To fight battery drain, the glasses pair with a controller attached to the employee’s delivery vest, allowing them to replace depleted batteries and access operational controls. The glasses will support an employee’s eyeglass prescription. An emergency button will be within reach to ensure the driver’s safety.

Amazon is already planning future versions of the glasses, which will feature «real-time defect detection,» notifying the driver if a package was delivered to the incorrect address. They plan to add features to the glasses to detect if pets are in the yard and adjust to low light.