Technologies

Google Pixel Watch Gets Fall Detection

The Google Pixel Watch is one step closer to matching the Apple Watch’s features.

The Google Pixel Watch now has fall detection, a feature that uses motion sensors and on-device machine learning to detect when a person has taken a hard fall, the company said Tuesday. Google said the feature has been tested to ensure the Pixel Watch knows the difference between a hard fall and an exercise movement like a burpee.

When a person takes a hard fall and doesn’t move for 30 seconds, their Pixel Watch will vibrate, sound an alarm and give an on-screen notification asking if they need help, Google said. If a person is conscious, they can tap «I’m OK» or «I fell and need help.» The latter option will contact emergency services. If a person doesn’t respond after a minute, the watch will attempt to call emergency services.

Pixel Watch owners will soon see information on the «Updates» page on their Watch Companion or Personal Safety apps, where they can toggle on fall detection.

The Pixel Watch isn’t the first smartwatch to have fall detection. The Apple Watch got the feature in 2018 with the Series 4 along with fall detection for bike riding in 2021. Other smartwatches with fall or incident detection include the Garmin Forerunner, the Garmin Epix and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

The Apple Watch remains the most popular smartwatch on the market, accounting for 36.1% of global shipments in Q1 of 2022, according to a report from Counterpoint Research. (The Pixel Watch entered the market last October and wasn’t on sale by the time of that report.) Last year, iPhone’s iOS surpassed Google’s Android as the top mobile operating system in the US. The Apple Watch plays a crucial role in keeping consumers locked into the Apple ecosystem, according to Techsponential analyst Avi Greengar.

As Google aims to bring stronger competition to Apple, having fully featured products will be critical.

Correction, 7:08 a.m. PT: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect date for the introduction of the Apple Watch’s fall detection feature. The feature was initially introduced in 2018 with the Series 4 and was later expanded to include bike fall detection in 2021.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, July 3

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 3.

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.

Today’s Mini Crossword stumped me in a few spots. 8-Across had me thinking of a couple different words, but I landed on it eventually. Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. 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: Glaswegian or Edinburgher
Answer: SCOT

5A clue: 2025 Pixar film about a boy who gets abducted by aliens
Answer: ELIO

6A clue: Strong string
Answer: TWINE

7A clue: Religious devotee with a shaved head, maybe
Answer: MONK

8A clue: Calligrapher’s assortment
Answer: INKS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Attach, as a button
Answer: SEWON

2D clue: Sound of two glasses being «cheers-ed»
Answer: CLINK

3D clue: Noises from a pig
Answer: OINKS

4D clue: «Little piggy»
Answer: TOE

6D clue: «Did I overshare?»
Answer: TMI

Technologies

Starlink Plans to Send 42K Satellites Into Space. That Could Be Bad News for the Ozone

Technologies

Scary Survey Results: Teen Drivers Are Often Looking at Their Phones

New troubling research found that entertainment is the most common reason teens use their phones behind the wheel, followed by texting and navigation.

A new study reveals that teen drivers in the US are spending more than one-fifth of their driving time distracted by their phones, with many glances lasting long enough to significantly raise the risk of a crash. Published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention and released on Thursday, the research found that, on average, teens reported looking at their phones during 21.1% of every driving trip. More than a quarter of those distractions lasted two seconds or longer, which is an amount of time widely recognized as dangerous at highway speeds.

Most distractions tied to entertainment, not emergencies

The top reason teens said they reached for their phones behind the wheel was for entertainment, cited by 65% of respondents. Texting (40%) and navigation (30%) were also common. Researchers emphasized that these distractions weren’t typically urgent, but rather habitual or social.

Teens know the risks

The study includes survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four US regions, along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. Most participants recognized that distracted driving is unsafe and believed their parents and peers disapproved of the behavior.

But many teens also assumed that their friends were doing it anyway, pointing to a disconnect between personal values and perceived social norms.

Teens think they can resist distractions

Interestingly, most teens expressed confidence in their ability to resist distractions. That belief, researchers suggest, could make it harder to change behavior unless future safety campaigns specifically target these attitudes.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said interventions should aim to shift social norms while also emphasizing practical steps, such as enabling «Do Not Disturb» mode and physically separating drivers from their devices.

«Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers,» Robbins said. «Driving distracted doesn’t just put the driver at risk of injury or death, it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident.»

What this means for parents and educators

The researchers say their findings can help guide educators and parents in developing more persuasive messaging about the dangers of distracted driving. One of the recommendations is that adults need to counter teens’ beliefs that phone use while driving is productive or harmless.

While the study’s qualitative component was limited by a small and non-urban sample, the authors believe the 38-question survey they developed can be used more broadly to assess beliefs, behaviors and the effectiveness of future safety efforts.