Technologies

‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse Will Be Visible From 8 States in October

Cue up the hit Johnny Cash song, because from Oregon to Texas, you’ll be able to see the rare and fiery sight.

Start humming that Johnny Cash hit Ring of Fire and mark your calendars, sky-gazers. In just over a month, on Oct. 14, an annular solar eclipse dubbed the «ring of fire» eclipse will be visible in eight US states, parts of Mexico, and many parts of South and Central America.

The eclipse will be viewable by millions of people, and those who can’t see it where they live can watch NASA’s online broadcast.

Annular solar eclipse? Don’t be confused: The word «annular» may look like «annual,» but it refers instead to an eclipse where the moon passes between the sun and Earth but is just far away enough in its orbit that the sun is not completely covered. The result is a large, bright ring in the sky, leading to the «ring of fire» nickname.

More eclipse news

The path of the Oct. 14 eclipse cuts a narrow swath through eight states from Oregon — even passing over scenic Crater Lake — to Texas. Oregon watchers can see it beginning at 9:13 a.m. PT and Texas viewers get the last American look, ending at 12:03 p.m. CT. The eclipse then moves on to Mexico and Central and South America.

The eclipse also overlaps with the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, which runs from Oct. 7-15.

Those who wish to see the ring of fire itself will need to be within the 125-mile path of annularity, and those closest to the center of the path will be rewarded with a longer viewing time.

If you’re not in the path of the eclipse, you can watch online with NASA’s live YouTube broadcast, scheduled for Oct. 14 from 10:30 a.m. CT to 12:15 p.m. CT.

Noting that it’s not safe to look directly at an annular eclipse without specialized eye protection, NASA offers safety guidelines to prepare for Oct. 14, 2023.

If you miss the October eclipse, start planning for April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the US and Canada. That event will begin over the South Pacific Ocean, pass over Mexico’s Pacific coast, entering the US in Texas. It will travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before entering Canada.

Before the October event, the last annular solar eclipse was in June 2021, but it wasn’t visible from the US. It was visible in northern Canada.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

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 has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need 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.