Technologies

This Acer Chromebook Doubles as a Laptop and Tablet, and It’s $250 Off Today

The Acer Spin 514 is a two-in-one Chromebook with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and today only you can pick it up on sale for $299.

If your primarily want a laptop for browsing the web, checking your email, streaming movies and other web-based work, you don’t need to drop thousands on a pricey, high-end model. Chromebooks are an affordable alternative, and there are plenty of more advanced models out there that can handle most people’s day-to-day needs. And right now, you can snag one at a discount. The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is versatile option that doubles as a 14-inch touchscreen tablet, and today only, you can pick it up for just $299, saving you $250 compared to the usual price. This deal is only available until 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your order in before then.

See at Best Buy

Two-in-one laptops can be a game-changer. Also known as convertible laptops, these devices have become popular over the years due to their versatility and functionality. For a lot of folks, they offer the best of both worlds by combining the familiarity and productivity features of a traditional laptop with an easy-to-use touchscreen tablet.

The model on sale at Best Buy is the CP514-3H which is similar in design to the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 CP514-1H that we reviewed in early 2022 but it’s had some important internal upgrades. Released in late 2022, this latest version of the Chromebook Spin 514 is the first to use AMD’s eight-core Ryzen 5000 C-series processor for Chromebooks for improved multitasking performance. It’s the base-spec variant of this Chromebook on sale at Best Buy today, so it features the AMD Ryzen 3 5125C processor and offers up to 10 hours of battery life. It’s also equipped with 8GB of RAM, AMD Radeon graphics and 128GB of internal storage.

Other features include a 1080p HD display, Wi-Fi 6 support, two USB-C ports and Chrome OS updates through June 2030 making it a solid choice for around $300.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, March 5

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 5.

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 was a bit tricky. I was thrown off by 1-Down, as it turns out there are multiple slow-moving creatures whose names would fit in a five-letter space. Read on for all 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: Poli ___ (college major)
Answer: SCI

4A clue: Person with a superior attitude
Answer: SNOB

5A clue: Word whose letters are appropriately found from left to right in … CHARISMA
Answer: CHARM

6A clue: … PRECIPITATION
Answer: RAIN

7A clue: … UNSIGHTLY
Answer: UGLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Slow-moving creature
Answer: SNAIL

2D clue: Like a groan-inducing joke
Answer: CORNY

3D clue: Co. that created the first floppy disk
Answer: IBM

4D clue: Furry variety of carpet
Answer: SHAG

5D clue: World Class Wreckin’ ___, music group in which Dr. Dre got his start
Answer: CRU

Technologies

Gemini Expands to Live Camera Feeds: What It Means for Your Privacy

Gemini for Home’s AI is getting a significant upgrade — if you don’t mind it peering through your security cam.

Google’s Gemini for Home AI originally could only access stored video clips from compatible security cameras. It could answer questions about object locations, notify you when a UPS van arrived and provide daily summaries of motion-detected activity captured by the cameras. Now, that AI analysis is getting a significant live viewing boost.

According to Anish Kattukaran, chief product officer for Google Home, and his latest X posts on the changes, Google Home is introducing the ability to ask Gemini for Home Live Search questions, letting the AI look at what the camera currently sees, analyze that footage and explain it.

«You can now ask Gemini to understand the current state of your home,» Kattukaran wrote. «(For example), Hey Google, is there a car in the driveway?'»

These options will be available only to Google Home Premium Advanced subscribers, with plans starting at $20.

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

Other upgrades to Google Home include the full rollout of Yale Smart Lock integration and improved casual conversation with Gemini for Home.

How invasive are these Gemini live viewing features?

Concerns about Gemini AI accessing security cameras on demand are understandable. Similar privacy questions have arisen with features like Ring’s pet-finding Search Party and the extent of law enforcement access to Flock Safety surveillance.

Unlike Ring’s cut-short partnership, Google Nest has never had any contracts with surveillance companies like Flock. However, the company has shared footage with police in the past, most notably when Nest recovered cloud footage, first assumed deleted, from a Nest camera, to help in the case of Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of Today Show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

It is unclear whether the new Live Search feature will allow Gemini for Home to access cameras on demand in cases involving law enforcement requests. According to Google’s description, Gemini for Home can use Live Search whenever questions pertain to a home’s current state, giving the AI broad access. Google has not yet clarified whether Live Search can be disabled or how live camera feeds might be handled in relation to police or other privacy concerns.

Whenever Gemini for Home accesses a Nest camera, the footage may be used for AI training purposes. Details about how Live Search is activated and managed have not been fully disclosed. By default, the latest Nest cameras provide 6 hours of free cloud video storage, but Gemini for Home can only access stored or live footage if people have the appropriate subscription plan and have enabled the feature.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 5, #528

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for March 5, No. 528.

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 offers some tricky red herrings. Arsenal is a famous soccer/football team, of course, but that’s not how it is used here. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle 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 appear in the NYT Games app, but it does 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: Useful things.

Green group hint: Baseballers hang out here.

Blue group hint: March Madness.

Purple group hint: George R.R. of Game of Thrones fame.