Technologies
Your Old Android Phone Isn’t Dead Yet. These Hacks Can Breathe New Life Into It
Get your sluggish phone moving with these simple fixes and fast results.
You don’t need the newest Android flagship to get good performance out of your phone. Thanks to longer software support from brands like Google and Samsung, older models can still run smoothly if you give them a little attention. Clearing out unused apps, updating your software, and tweaking a few settings can breathe new life into a device that feels sluggish. These quick fixes can help your phone last longer and save you from spending on an early upgrade.
Before you start shopping for a replacement, try a few simple adjustments. You might be surprised by how much faster your phone feels once you free up space, optimize battery use, and turn off background drains.
Whether you use a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola or OnePlus phone, chances are you can still improve battery life and overall speed without buying something new. Just remember that Android settings vary slightly from brand to brand, so the menus may look a little different depending on your phone.
Settings to improve your battery life
Living with a phone that has poor battery life can be infuriating, but there are some steps you can take to maximize each charge right from the very beginning:
1. Turn off auto screen brightness or adaptive brightness and set the brightness level slider to under 50%
The brighter your screen, the more battery power it uses.
To get to the setting, pull down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen and adjust the slider, if it’s there. Some phones may have a toggle for auto brightness in the shortcut panel; otherwise, you need to open the settings app and search for «brightness» to find the setting and turn it off.
2. Use Adaptive Battery and Battery Optimization
These features focus on learning how you use your phone, including which apps you use and when, and then optimizing the apps and the amount of battery they use.
Some Android phones will have a dedicated Battery section in the Settings app, while other phones (looking at you, Samsung) bury these settings. It’s a little different for each phone. I recommend opening your settings and searching for «battery» to find the right screen. Your phone may also have an adaptive charging setting that can monitor how quickly your phone battery charges overnight to preserve its health.
Why you should use dark mode more often
Another way to improve battery life while also helping save your eyes is to use Android’s dedicated dark mode. Any Android phone running Android 10 or newer will have a dedicated dark mode option.
According to Google, dark mode not only reduces the strain that smartphone displays cause on our eyes but also improves battery life because it takes less power to display dark backgrounds on OLED displays (used in most flagship phones) than a white background.
Depending on which version of Android your phone is running, and what company made your phone, you may have to dig around the settings app to find a dark mode. If your phone runs Android 10 or newer, you’ll be able to turn on system-wide dark mode. If it runs Android 9, don’t despair. Plenty of apps have their own dark mode option in the settings that you can use, whether or not you have Android 10.
To turn it on dark mode, open the Settings app and search for Dark Mode, Dark Theme or even Night Mode (as Samsung likes to call it). I suggest using dark mode all the time, but if you’re not sure, you can always set dark mode to automatically turn on based on a schedule, say from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day, or allow it to automatically switch based on your location at sunset and sunrise.
Keep your home screen free of clutter
Planning to hit up the Google Play Store for a bunch of new Android apps? Be prepared for a lot of icon clutter on your home screen, which is where shortcuts land every time you install something.
If you don’t want that, there’s a simple way out of this: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen and tap Settings. Find the option labeled something along the lines of Add icon to Home Screen or Add new apps to Home Screen and turn it off.
Presto — No more icons on the home screen when you install new apps. You can still add shortcuts by dragging an app’s icon out of the app drawer, but they won’t appear on your home screen unless you want them to.
Read more: Best Android Phones You Can Buy in 2024
Set up Do Not Disturb so that you can better focus
If your phone routinely spends the night on your nightstand, you probably don’t want it beeping or buzzing every time there’s a call, message or Facebook alert — especially when you’re trying to sleep. Android offers a Do Not Disturb mode that will keep the phone more or less silent during designated hours. On some phones, this is referred to as the Downtime setting or even Quiet Time.
Head to Settings > Sounds (or Notifications), then look for Do Not Disturb or a similar name. If you can’t find it, search for it using the built-in search feature in your settings.
Using the feature, you can set up a range of hours when you want to turn off the digital noise. Don’t worry, any notifications you get while Do Not Disturb is turned on will still be waiting for you when you wake up. Also, you can typically make an exception that allows repeat callers and favorite contacts’ calls to go through. Turn that on. If someone is calling you in an emergency, odds are they are going to keep trying.
Always be prepared in case you lose your phone or it’s stolen
Is there anything worse than a lost or stolen phone? Only the knowledge that you could have tracked it down if you had turned on Google’s Find My Device feature.
To prepare for a successful recovery, here’s what you need to do: Open the Settings app and then search for Find My Device. It’s usually in the Security section of the Settings app.
If you have a Samsung device, you can use Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which is found in Settings > Biometrics and security > Find My Mobile.
Once that’s enabled, you can head to android.com/find from any PC or mobile device and sign in to your account. Samsung users can visit findmymobile.samsung.com to find a lost phone.
If you run into any trouble setting any of this up, be sure to read through our complete guide to finding a lost Android phone.
Assuming your phone is on and online, you should be able to see its location on a map. From there, you can make it ring, lock it, set a lock screen note to tell whoever has it how to get it back to you, or, worst-case scenario, remotely wipe the whole thing.
And always keep your phone up to date
As obvious as it may seem, a simple software update could fix bugs and other issues slowing down your Android device.
Before you download and install the latest software update, make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi, or else this won’t work.
Now, open the Settings application and type in Update. You’ll then either see Software update or System update — choose either one. Then just download the software, wait for a few minutes and install it when it’s ready. Your Android device will reboot and install the latest software update available.
There’s a lot more to learn about a new phone, of course. Here are the best ways to boost your cell signal, and here’s a flagship phone head-to-head comparison. Plus, check out CNET’s list of the best cases for your Samsung phone. More of an Apple fan? We have tips for boosting your iPhone’s performance, too.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Nov. 15
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 15.
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? The Saturday puzzle is always the longest of the week, so it’s not quite as easy as the other days. Today’s wasn’t too terrible. Read on for 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: Theatrical role
Answer: PART
5A clue: Capital of Vietnam
Answer: HANOI
6A clue: Father of a «fur baby»
Answer: CATDAD
7A clue: Words often accompanied by a ring
Answer: MARRYME
8A clue: Whirling currents
Answer: EDDIES
9A clue: Put up, as a statue
Answer: ERECT
10A clue: Race that’s about half the length of a half-marathon
Answer: TENK
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: SpongeBob’s starfish friend
Answer: PATRICK
2D clue: Despite it all …»
Answer: ANDYET
3D clue: Wanders here and there
Answer: ROAMS
4D clue: Company with a «To Go» stain remover
Answer: TIDE
5D clue: Become firm
Answer: HARDEN
6D clue: Small group of soldiers
Answer: CADRE
7D clue: What parallel lines never do
Answer: MEET
Technologies
Touchdown! Disney, ESPN and Other Channels Are Back on YouTube TV
YouTube TV subscribers no longer need another streaming service — or to visit a sports bar — to watch the NFL or college football.
YouTube TV subscribers, your channels — and your football — are back. Disney and YouTube said Friday night that the two companies had reached an agreement. YouTube TV subscribers lost all of Disney’s channels, including ESPN and ESPN2, on Oct. 30. Those who wanted to watch NFL or college football on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 or Disney family-friendly hits such as Bluey, had to find other alternatives.
«We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers,» a YouTube spokesperson said. «Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as well as any recordings that were previously in their Library. We apologize for the disruption and appreciate our subscribers’ patience as we negotiated on their behalf. «
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
The companies said in a statement that they reached a multi-year deal and were already restoring the channels to YouTube TV.
According to YouTube, subscribers should see content and saved recordings restored over the next 24 hours. So if you don’t have them back yet, they should show up soon.
I’m a YouTube TV subscriber myself, and as of 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Disney, ESPN and other channels have been restored for me. As a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan (yes, I know), I added Fubo TV temporarily, but I won’t be keeping that subscription.
According to the statement, the deal will include the restoration of the channels, plus other items. The unlimited version of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service will now be made available at no additional cost to YouTube TV subscribers. Subscribers will also have access to a selection of live and on-demand programming from ESPN Unlimited inside YouTube TV. Also, select networks will be included in various genre-specific packages, and there will be the ability to include the Disney Plus Hulu Bundle as part of select YouTube offerings.
«This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,» Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in the statement. «It recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming and provides YouTube TV subscribers with more flexibility and choice. We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football.»
Disney-owned channels were pulled on Oct. 30 when the agreement between the two companies expired.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the resulting 25-day blackout was the longest in recent memory for Disney.
Here’s a full list of the channels that were removed due to the dispute:
- ABC
- ABC News Live
- ACC Network
- Baby TV Español (Spanish Plan)
- Disney Channel
- Disney Junior
- Disney XD
- ESPN
- ESPN Deportes (Spanish Plan)
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- ESPN2
- Freeform
- FX
- FXM
- FXX
- Localish
- Nat Geo
- Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish Plan)
- Nat Geo Wild
- SEC Network
Technologies
How to Get the Most Out of Apple AirTags: A Comprehensive User Guide
Apple’s tiny trackers have become invaluable additions for travel as well as keeping tabs on everyday items. Here’s how to make them work best for you.
The last thing you want to deal with when traveling is lost luggage. In the past, you were at the mercy of the overburdened airlines to find a missing bag, but that’s all changed now. I consider Apple AirTags essential everyday items — small enough to stash in a bag or purse, battery life you can forget about for months and able to give you peace of mind when something goes missing, even if that’s just your keys inside the house.
Apple’s portable Bluetooth trackers are quickly becoming nearly ubiquitous. They’re so popular that major airports and airlines are now plugged in to Apple’s Find My service and can help you pinpoint a bag that could be wending its way through an airport’s luggage system or was left behind where you started your trip.
I already use Apple’s Find My service to keep tabs on devices, such as the iPad I frequently leave in my living room, as well as where family members are via their iPhones. For other items like my keys and everyday bag, I’ve come to rely on several Apple AirTags that fit into or onto almost anything I want to track. Apple’s tracker depends on the crowdsourced Find My network to help you pinpoint your items, from keys you’ve misplaced at home to a bag you may have left in the office.
Here’s all you want to know about AirTags. For more, learn about why you shouldn’t put an AirTag on a pet and discover five unexpected places to stash an AirTag.
What’s an Apple AirTag?
An AirTag is an individual tracking device that securely broadcasts its location using Bluetooth wireless networking. It’s a small glossy white puck not much larger than a US quarter and about the height of three stacked coins. A CR2032 coin cell battery keeps the AirTag powered for roughly a year.
Once the AirTag is paired with an iPhone or iPad, you can essentially forget about it. Hang it on a keychain or drop it into a bag —anything you want to be able to track or find later.
How much do AirTags cost and where can I buy them?
A single AirTag retails for $29 direct from Apple, and can be bought for around $24 from most outlets that sell electronics.
However, it’s always more economical to buy AirTags in packs of four — once you find a use for a solitary AirTag you’ll soon think of other things you want to track. Apple sells the set for $99 and some retailers, such as Amazon
, Best Buy and Walmart, have them for around $75, bringing the per-item cost down below $20. AirTags are also frequently reduced for big sales such as Black Friday and Prime Day.
If you do order from Apple, you can engrave initials, numbers and emoji for free, which can help you tell the AirTags apart (or just add a personal spin).
Is it difficult to set up a new AirTag?
In typical Apple fashion, activating a new AirTag is easy. Initially, a plastic tab slipped in between the electronics and battery keeps the AirTag inert. Once you pull that tab and the pieces make contact, the AirTag starts broadcasting its presence. When you bring it close to an iPhone or iPad, a dialog box appears, giving you the option to connect the AirTag.
When you tap Connect, choose a description of what the tag will be associated with, such as «Handbag» or «Luggage»; you can also enter a custom name. Choose an emoji to represent the AirTag in the Find My app and tap Continue. The AirTag is linked to your Apple ID.
How do I locate an AirTag?
In the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, tap the Items button to view the AirTags you’ve activated. On an Apple Watch, open the Find Items app.
Tap the item you want to locate. If you think it’s close by, the easy option is to tap the Play Sound button, which makes the AirTag emit a high-pitched trill. However, if you have an iPhone 11 or later (not counting the iPhone SE), tapping Find uses the iPhone’s Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to locate the AirTag with more precision —not just estimating the distance, such as «1.5 ft nearby,» but also point you in the right direction as you move around.
If the item is not in your general vicinity, the Find button becomes a Directions button that will hand off the location to the Maps app for driving, walking, transit or cycling routes.
What if I forget items while I’m heading out?
Being able to find something I’ve lost is invaluable, but it would be better if I didn’t forget it in the first place. For every AirTag, you can enable Notify When Left Behind, an option that sends a notification if you and an AirTag that was with you are no longer together.
That could be as simple as forgetting a bag at a restaurant or — more alarming —if someone swiped the item and is making a getaway.
What’s the secret to how AirTags work?
You know how in many thrillers and spy movies someone plants a tracker on a person and is then able to pinpoint the target’s location no matter where they are? That always seemed far-fetched to me — what sort of range would a tiny piece of electronics have, really? — but an AirTag is essentially that.
The AirTag itself does not have that sort of range, but it has something better: millions of devices carried by Apple customers surrounding it. On a regular interval, the AirTag sends out a low-power Bluetooth signal containing an encrypted ID. Any nearby iPhone, iPad or Mac picks up the signal, adds its location coordinates (if it knows them) and sends that to Apple servers in a secure background transmission.
That’s how, when my luggage chose to spend an extra day in Europe without me, I knew it was still in the airport in France. Likely an iPhone owned by a traveler or employee picked up the ID of the AirTag in my bag and relayed that to Apple. When I opened the Find My app on my iPhone in Seattle, it queried the servers and presented the AirTag’s last known location.
All of this happens in the background — no personal information is sent, and the impact to the relaying device’s performance and battery is negligible.
What about privacy? Can a hidden AirTag track me?
Just as you can use an AirTag to track your personal objects, it is possible that someone could drop an AirTag into your bag or coat pocket to try to track your movements. Apple has put a few safeguards in place to try to prevent that type of situation.
If your iPhone or iPad detects an unknown AirTag in your vicinity that is persistently near you, a notification appears that says «AirTag Found Moving With You.» When you ransack your belongings and find it, open the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad, tap Items and then tap Identify Found Item. Place the AirTag against the back of the device at the top until you see a notification. When you tap that, you’re taken to a web page with the tag’s serial number and, optionally, contact information.
If it turns out a family member’s AirTag fell out of a bag, no worries. If it’s one that’s unfamiliar, you can follow instructions for how to disable the tag.
For more, see how to protect yourself from being tracked.
What if I suspect that my AirTag is stolen?
You’ve looked everywhere, used the Find feature to scan for it, but your item containing an AirTag is nowhere to be found. Now what?
In the AirTag’s details in the Find My app, scroll down to Lost AirTag and tap Show Contact Info. If someone finds the tag and checks it as described just above, you can have a phone number or email displayed, plus an optional message, when they look up its information.
The other option is to choose Share Item Location, which creates a link you can send to someone identifying where the tag is. The link is active for just one week, which is hopefully more than enough time to let someone track it down. For example, suppose your bag is swiped: You could give the shared link to the police so they can track it down. (For safety reasons, don’t confront someone who’s stolen your property.)
When the item and its AirTag are returned, a notification appears that you’ve been reunited. Or, you can make the tag’s whereabouts hidden at any point by tapping Stop Sharing Item Location in the same screen, which invalidates the shared link.
How can I share an AirTag with someone I trust?
An AirTag is linked to your Apple Account, but for years that presented a problem: AirTags assigned to other people in my household would trigger the «AirTag Found Moving With You» warning — not great on family trips when we’d take my wife’s car.
Now, fortunately, it’s possible to share an AirTag’s location with up to five people. Tap a tag in the Find My app and under Share AirTag tap Add Person. Tap Continue on the screen explaining what will happen, then select a contact and tap Share.
In that person’s Find My app, they can accept the shared item. Note that all people you add can track the location.
How long does the battery last and how do I replace it?
In my experience, the CR2032 coin battery in each AirTag lasts about a year. When the level dips below about 10% remaining, you’re alerted that the battery is low and a red indicator appears in the Find My app.
To replace the battery, turn the silver back counter-clockwise to release its latches. Lift the existing battery out and replace it with a new one, making sure the battery’s identifying markings are facing you. Then align the tabs of the metal portion with the slots in the plastic piece, press lightly and turn clockwise. The AirTag will chirp when the electronics and battery are securely in contact.
Can I use AirTags with an Android phone?
AirTags are not directly compatible with Android phones — there’s no app that ties into Apple’s Find My network. To get the same tracking functionality, look into the Chipolo One Point tracker that uses Google’s Find My Device network.
Apple once offered an Android app called Tracker Detect that would let you identify a found AirTag, but that’s not available for newer Android devices — an app with that name in the Google Play store is from a separate developer. However, for phones with NFC chips installed, you can place a found AirTag against the back of the device to view information about it.
For more, learn about this year’s best AirTag accessories and everything about Apple Intelligence.
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