Technologies
Emergency Alert System Will Be Tested on Your Phone and TV in October
Heads up: You’ll be getting emergency messages on Oct. 4.
Don’t panic when you get an emergency message on your phones, TVs and radios next month. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Communications Commission are partnering to test their nationwide alert systems together on Oct. 4.
The two agencies are testing Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA, on phones, as well as the the Emergency Alert System, or EAS, for TVs and radios. It’s the seventh nationwide EAS test and the second test to all cellular devices in the US.
What to know about the emergency alert test
At approximately 2:20 p.m. ET/11:20 a.m. PT on Wednesday, Oct. 4, cell towers will begin broadcasting the emergency alert for 30 minutes. If your phone is in range of a cell tower, you’ll get a message that says: «THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.»
The emergency alerts will be in English or Spanish, depending on your phone’s set language. The phone alerts will be «accompanied by a unique tone and vibration» to make them as accessible as possible.
The alert sent on TVs and radios will last for 1 minute and will state: «This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.»
If a severe weather or other event occurs on Oct. 4, the test will be postponed until Oct. 11.
Technologies
Get This Next-Level Alienware Gaming Desktop for a Door-Busting $400 Off
This powerful Dell desktop will totally overhaul your PC gaming, and it’s now available for just $1,750.
Right now, Dell is offering the Alienware Aurora gaming desktop for just $1,750. It usually costs $2,150, so this deal saves you $400. That’s more than the $1,250 low we saw briefly, but it’s still a solid price. Dell’s Alienware line is one of our favorites. Though there are multiple models to choose from, the Aurora is full of features gamers are sure to appreciate.
Dell doesn’t have a strict deadline for this discount, but we suggest acting fast.
This Alienware Aurora desktop is black, has a transparent cover and has chic lights. It also has air cooling, a mouse and a matching keyboard.
Dell offers the option to add a few extras to your purchase, but its base configuration includes 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD and Windows 11 Home. The desktop is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 card for speedy performance and multitasking. An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti graphics card powers all your visuals for a clear view of the action.
The Aurora features AI-boosted gameplay for smooth frame rates and lessened lag. This desktop also supports Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5Gbps Ethernet for fewer signal interruptions.
Why this deal matters
Gaming can quickly get expensive. However, this $400 discount on the Alienware Aurora desktop offers the chance to upgrade for just $1,750. Dell doesn’t exactly mention a deadline for this deal, so we suggest acting fast.
Technologies
These Bass-Boosting Skullcandy Headphones Are Over $100 Off Today at Best Buy
That drops the price down to just $130, making this a one-day deal you won’t want to miss.
Right now, you can pick up these Skullcandy Crusher ANC headphones for just $130 at Best Buy. That saves you $110 compared to the usual price, and is just $15 more than the all-time lowest price we’ve seen for this over-ear pair. However, this one-day deal expires at 9:59 p.m. PT (12:49 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your order in soon.
If you’re someone who cranks the volume up during workouts, movie marathons or late-night gaming sessions, these headphones lean right into that energy. The Crusher ANC 2 is built for bass lovers who want their playlists and action scenes to hit hard without maxing out the volume.
The standout feature is Skullcandy’s patented Crusher Bass technology which combines dual bass drivers with 40mm audio drivers. You also get adjustable four-mic active noise canceling, letting you adjust how much of the outside world you want blocked out.
Battery life is another win here, with up to 60 hours of listening with ANC off, plus Rapid Charge that gives you up to four hours from a 10-minute charge. Multi-point pairing makes switching devices easy, and the Skull-IQ app lets you fine-tune EQ and sound profiles.
If this isn’t the right fit, take a look at our full roundup on the best headphones we’ve tested in 2026.
HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK
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$248 (save $152)
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$170 (save $181)
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$398 (save $62)
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$200 (save $250)
Why this deal matters
Between the physical bass sliders, long battery life, smart noise canceling and multipoint support, you’re getting a feature-packed pair of headphones for well under their usual price. Add clear AI-powered mic quality and this limited-time deal offers a lot of tech for the money.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for March 11 #738
Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for March 11, No. 738.
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 could be tough. If you watch a lot of Game of Thrones-type shows, or play D&D, the answers might come easily for you. Some of the answers are difficult 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: Survival mode
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Needed skills.
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:
- GIFT, LIFT, LITE, LITER, LIFTER, MITE, MITER, RIDE, RIDES, SIDE, SIDES
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:
- ARMOR, AGILITY, MIMICRY, CAMOUFLAGE, DISTRACTION
Today’s Strands spangram
Today’s Strands spangram is DEFENSES. To find it, start with the D that’s the farthest left letter on the top row, and wind down.
Toughest Strands puzzles
Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.
#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.
#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.
#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.
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