Technologies
Don’t Miss Your Second Chance to Grab the 30th Anniversary DualSense Controller
A new wave of preorders just went live at Sony, so PS Plus members can grab one of these sweet retro PS5 controllers for $80 right now.
Looking to relive the glory days of gaming? Then you won’t want to miss out on this surprise restock at Sony. The special edition 30th Anniversary DualSense controller was released last year to celebrate the release of the original PlayStation, and it’s been tough to get your hands on one since it originally sold out in December. But a second wave of preorders just went live at Sony, which means you’ve got another chance to pick one up for just $80 right now. Just note that preorders are only available to PlayStation Plus members, and it sold out in no time during the last round, so we’d act fast if you don’t want to miss this rare opportunity to snag one.
The 30th Anniversary DualSense controller features a throwback design that mimics the controllers of the original PlayStation that first hit shelves all the way back in 1994. That includes a grayscale color scheme along with the classic green, blue, red and pink buttons and PlayStation logo. It’s also relatively versatile, and is compatible with the PlayStation 5 console, PC, Mac and mobile devices. Preorders will start shipping on September 9, and are limited to one controller per order.
Sony also released a special 30th Anniversary console last year. There hasn’t been any news about a new wave of availability in the US yet, but there was a recent restock for UK shoppers, so we’re tentatively hopeful that you’ll have another chance to grab one of these retro consoles as well. The CNET team will be keeping a close eye on Sony’s shopping page for any updates.
Why this restock matters
There are plenty of cool color variants for the DualSense controller, but this 30th Anniversary edition certainly stands out from the crowd with a retro design that takes you back to the PS1 days. Plus, it sold out fast during the original release, and it’s unclear if or when we’ll see another round of restocks, so we’d take advantage of this rare opportunity to grab one while you can.
If you’re looking for more ways to expand your Sony gaming setup, you can check out our full roundup of all the best PlayStation 5 deals for bargains on games and accessories.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Jan. 28
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 28.
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 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: Remove from a position of power
Answer: OUST
5A clue: Not cool
Answer: UNHIP
7A clue: «Fine, see if ___!»
Answer: ICARE
8A clue: Kind of bored
Answer: JADED
9A clue: Primatologist’s subjects
Answer: APES
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Kind of board
Answer: OUIJA
2D clue: Prepare to use, as a pen
Answer: UNCAP
3D clue: Desirable place to sit on a hot day
Answer: SHADE
4D clue: Pair on a bicycle
Answer: TIRES
6D clue: ___ Xing (street sign)
Answer: PED
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Jan. 28, #492
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 28, No. 492.
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 is a tough one. 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: Stats about an athlete.
Green group hint: Where to watch games.
Blue group hint: There used to be a ballpark.
Purple group hint: Names are hidden in these words.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Player bio information.
Green group: Sports streamers.
Blue group: Former MLB ballparks.
Purple group: Ends in a Hall of Fame QB.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is player bio information. The four answers are alma mater, height, number and position.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is sports streamers. The four answers are Netflix, Paramount, Peacock and Prime.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is former MLB ballparks. The four answers are Ebbets, Kingdome, Three Rivers and Tiger.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ends in a Hall of Fame QB. The four answers are forewarner, Harbaugh, honeymoon and outmanning.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Technologies
Google Rolls Out Expanded Theft Protection Features for Android Devices
The latest Android security update makes it harder for thieves to break into stolen phones, with stronger biometric requirements and smarter lockouts.
Google on Tuesday announced a significant update to its Android theft-protection arsenal, introducing new tools and settings aimed at making stolen smartphones harder for criminals to access and exploit. The updates, detailed on Google’s official security blog, build on Android’s existing protections and add both stronger defenses and more flexible user controls.
Smartphones carry your most sensitive data, from banking apps to personal photos, and losing your device to theft can quickly escalate into identity and financial fraud. To counter that threat, Google is layering multiple protective features that work before, during and after a theft.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
At the center of the update is a revamped Failed Authentication Lock. Previously introduced in Android 15, this feature now gets its own toggle in Android 16 settings, letting you decide whether your phone should automatically lock itself after repeated incorrect PIN or biometric attempts. This gives you more control over how aggressively your phone defends against brute-force guessing without weakening security.
Google is also beefing up biometric security across the platform. A feature called Identity Check, originally rolled out in earlier Android versions, has been broadened to apply to all apps and services that use Android’s Biometric Prompt — the pop-up that asks for your fingerprint or face to confirm it’s really you — including third-party banking apps and password managers. This means that even if a thief somehow bypasses your lock screen, they’ll face an additional biometric barrier before accessing sensitive apps.
On the recovery side, Google improved Remote Lock, a tool that allows you to lock a lost or stolen device from a web browser by entering a verified phone number. The company added an optional security challenge to ensure only the legitimate owner can initiate a remote lock, an important safeguard against misuse.
And finally, in a notable regional rollout, Google said it is now enabling both Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock by default on new Android device activations in Brazil, a market where phone theft rates are comparatively high. Theft Detection Lock uses on-device AI to detect sudden movements consistent with a snatch-and-run theft, automatically locking the screen to block immediate access to data.
With stolen phones often used to access bank accounts and personal data, Google says these updates are meant to keep a single theft from turning into a much bigger problem.
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