Technologies

Better Than Ray-Bans? Meta’s ‘Hypernova’ Glasses Could Be Cheaper Than Expected

The new AR glasses could arrive as soon as next month.

September is gearing up to be one of the most exciting months of the year for new technology launches — and we’re not just talking about the iPhone 17. Meta is reportedly set to unveil its next-generation smart glasses codenamed Hypernova. According to Bloomberg, the smart glasses are set to start around $800 for the basic model, at least $200 less than previously thought.

This pair of glasses will reportedly differ from the current Meta Ray-Bans due to the addition of a small augmented-reality display in the right lens of the glasses, which will only be visible to the wearer. On this display you’ll be able to see mini apps and alerts, and you’ll have control over the content with assistance from the same neural input wristband used to operate Meta Orion AR glasses.

When CNET editor-at-large Scott Stein tried out the concept wristband with Orion earlier this year, he noted that the gestures «weren’t perfect yet,» but that he could see their potential.

Meta has clearly been «buoyed» by the success of its Ray-Ban specs, said Leo Gebbie, analyst and Americas director at CCS Insight. The major question for Hypernova will be to what extent does it deviate from the current Ray-Ban smart glasses model, which have proved very successful, he said «Demand for these glasses has been driven by the fact that they look like normal eyewear from a well-known brand and offer an impressive feature set at a relatively affordable price point.»

In contrast, the Hypernova glasses will cost around $500 more than the Meta Ray-Bans, a significant price difference. Further, Gebbie added, it remains unknown whether the Hypernova glasses will look as sleek as the Ray-Bans.

Knowing this might be a tough self, Meta has apparently managed to slash that price from $1,000 by accepting lower margins, per Bloomberg. The company likely hopes that by keeping the cost as low as possible, it will convince a broader range of future to buy into its theory that glasses are the future of tech. But it’s important to note that even at a lower price, you’ll likely still pay more for prescription lenses or style variations.

Smart glasses: The phone killer?

The question hanging over any smart glasses, including from Meta, is whether they will one day be capable enough to free us from our smartphones. «These new premium spec Hypernova smart glasses are taking over more tasks that can be done by a phone by including things like a small screen in the bottom right of the right lens creating Meta’s first augmented reality glasses available to consumers,» Frederick Stanbrell, head of wearables at IDC, said.

They are also rumored to have a smartphone-quality camera and a competent voice-activated AI query tool present. When you all add it all, Stanbrell said, «these glasses are beginning to look like a mobile phone competitor.»

But based on what we know so far, the Hypernova glasses won’t be a standalone device, Stanbrell added. Instead it’s clear that these glasses are designed to be a companion to your mobile phone, while offering a glimpse of what’s to come. «We are likely seeing the first generation of a device that Mark Zuckerberg intends to one day replace phones,» he said.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.

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 is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers 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: Catch all.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.

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:

BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK

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:

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.

Quick tips for Strands

#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.

#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.

#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Oct. 22, #1586

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Oct. 22, No. 1,586.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle features some letters I don’t often guess, but it’s not terribly difficult. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with S.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with T.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to an action displaying spectacular skill and daring.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is STUNT.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Oct. 21, No. 1,585 was DETOX.

Recent Wordle answers

Oct. 17, No. 1,581: GROSS
Oct. 18, No. 1,582: HAVEN
Oct. 19, No. 1,583: IDEAL
Oct. 20, No. 1,584: LIMBO

Quick tips for Wordle

#1: Check our list ranking the popularity of all the letters in the alphabet and choose your starter words accordingly. (TRAIN, STERN and AUDIO are good.)

#2: Don’t forget that letters can be used more than once.

#3: Many words are similar. You don’t want to use up multiple guesses that don’t advance your cause. So if the puzzle is STA_E, don’t guess STARE, STATE and STALE. Guess something that uses that R, T and L, like TWIRL.

Technologies

Verum Mail: Temporary Email for Those Who Value Privacy in the Digital Age

In a world where every click can leave a digital trace, more and more users are looking for ways to protect their personal information. Online registrations, file downloads, trial services — all of these typically require providing an email address. And then the familiar scenario begins: endless newsletters, spam, ads, and data leaks.

The new app Verum Mail offers a simple and elegant solution to this problem — anonymous, temporary email without registration or digital footprints.

What is Verum Mail

Verum Mail is a mobile app that allows users to create temporary email addresses with a single tap. Messages arrive instantly, appear in a clean, user-friendly interface, and are automatically deleted after 60 minutes.

No registration, no logins, no account linking — everything is anonymous and secure.

It’s particularly useful when you need to:

sign up for a new service without revealing your real email,
receive a one-time code or confirmation link,
test a product or service without leaving a trace.

Key Features of Verum Mail

One-tap creation of a temporary email address
Instant delivery of incoming messages without refreshing
Automatic deletion after 60 minutes
Option to reply directly within the app
Support for both HTML and plain text
Push notifications for new messages
Responsive interface for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets

Integration with Verum Messenger

One of the major advantages of the Verum Messenger is its seamless integration with Verum Mail. Users can now create temporary email addresses and receive messages directly inside the messenger.

This is especially convenient for anyone frequently signing up for services or who prefers not to share their primary email.

Fewer app switches mean more control over privacy.

Why It Matters

The growing number of cyberattacks, data breaches, and targeted advertising has made digital security a necessity rather than a luxury. Temporary email addresses are a simple but powerful tool for reducing risk and maintaining control over personal information.

Verum Mail is not just about hiding your real email. It’s about adopting a more mindful and secure approach to your online life.