Technologies

Newest Android Feature Alerts Users About Unwanted AirTag Tracking

Android has rolled out a new «unknown tracker alerts» setting so that you can detect any rogue AirTags following you around.

You may have seen something like this headline in the last year: «Criminals Are Using AirTags to Stalk People and Steal Their Cars.» The premise is simple enough: A thief or stalker places a location tracker, like an Apple AirTag, in someone’s car and then follows them around, whether it’s to commit a robbery or simply keep track of where they go.

As a result of these threats, Apple has made changes to how AirTags work, making it harder for criminals to use these tiny tracking devices in this way. The iPhone now has a built-in setting that sends you alerts any time it thinks you’re being tracked by an AirTag — and Apple even released an app that alerts Android users of any rogue AirTags as well.

Now, however, Android has its own built-in feature so that you’re alerted of any unwanted AirTag tracking — no app required. Here’s how to find the new «unknown tracker alerts» setting on your Android phone.

Want to learn more about Android? Check out the best Android phone you can get in 2023 and our review of the new Galaxy Z Fold 5.

How to check if your Android can send ‘unknown tracker alerts’

As long as you’re running Android 6 or later, here’s how you can check if this setting is available on your phone.

In the Settings application, go to Safety & emergency > Unknown tracker alerts. The Allow alerts setting should be turned on by default, but if for some reason it’s not, go ahead and toggle it on.

Note: The setting may also be in Personal Safety if you’re running an older version of Android. You can always just type «unknown tracker alert» in your settings to find it.

If you receive a notification about an unknown tracker, it should tell you where the tracker is, how to find it and what to do next. If you tap the notification tracker, a map will appear. You can hit Play sound to force the tracker to play a sound. The notification will also inform you of your options, like contacting law enforcement, getting information from the tracker and disabling the tracker if possible.

If you want to check for any possible rogue location trackers without waiting for an alert, hit the Scan now button at the bottom of the setting’s page. It will scan your area for any unknown trackers for about 10 seconds.

The unknown tracker setting should be available on most Android devices, including Pixel and Samsung phones.

For more about location trackers, check out which Bluetooth tracker is the best for you and unexpected (but legal!) uses for AirTags.

Technologies

Tinder Users Must Start Logging In With Their Faces, Starting Nationwide

The social app now has new US requirements including face identification to help quell longstanding problems with catfishing and more.

US Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app starting Wednesday: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles.

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We already know how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and California before the full US rollout.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems.

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification.

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices.

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Oct. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 23.

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? Read on. 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: Like some weather, memories and I.P.A.s
Answer: HAZY

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Civic automaker
Answer: HONDA

8A clue: What fear leads to, as Yoda told a young Anakin
Answer: ANGER

9A clue: Foxlike
Answer: SLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Verbal «lol»
Answer: HAHA

2D clue: Brain signal transmitter
Answer: AXON

3D clue: Hits with a witty comeback
Answer: ZINGS

4D clue: Sing at the top of a mountain, maybe
Answer: YODEL

6D clue: Name of the famous «Queen of Scots»
Answer: MARY

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: