Technologies

Android’s Big UI Makeover Is Official for Older Pixels in September Update

Material 3 Expressive is available for Pixel 6 devices and newer models. Plus, new features for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are on the way.

Android’s big UI overhaul, Material 3 Expressive, was announced earlier this year and is preinstalled on the new Pixel 10 series of smartphones. Now it’s time for older Pixel devices to get the makeover treatment, thanks to the September Pixel Drop.

Material 3 Expressive is now coming to Pixel 6 devices and up, including the Pixel tablet. Google’s focus with the UI overhaul is to make Android more personalized, colorful and livelier overall. It’s easier to identify actions you want to take within apps, and the splash of color throughout gives the OS a somewhat youthful and fresh feel.

While some Android phones receive only major version releases and security updates, Pixel owners not only typically get these updates sooner but are also treated to Pixel Drop updates. These updates are quarterly and can take the form of a system update, Google app updates with new features or both. The update also includes the latest security updates for supported Pixel devices, which patch the latest identified vulnerabilities.

While the big news from this update is the addition of Material 3 Expressive, a handful of other features have also been added in the latest drop:

Google’s keyboard, Gboard, is getting new AI writing tools that will fix grammatical errors and change the tone of your messages faster with a new Writing Tools button that will appear in the keyboard’s suggestion bar.
Emoji Kitchen, Google’s emoji remixer, is now better than ever. You can now browse the entire library of stickers and favorite them for quicker access.
Now you can share audio with someone directly or create a private broadcast that others can join just by scanning a QR code.
The Android Quick Share menu has been revamped so you can toggle between sending files and files you’ve received, creating a more fluid experience.

New for Pixel Buds Pro 2

Coming later this month, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will also see an update that will give it a few new and welcomed features, too. Here’s what’s on the way:

Adaptive Audio will automatically adjust to your environment to stay aware of your surroundings.
Loud Noise Protection will give your ears some added protection from, well, loud noises.
Have an uninterrupted experience with Gemini when your environment is particularly noisy, like when your TV is on or people are talking around you.
You’ll soon be able to accept calls or dismiss replying to texts by nodding or shaking your head.

For more, don’t miss our hands-on with Samsung’s latest Galaxy Tab S11 tablets.

Technologies

I Tried the Lenovo Legion Go 2 Gaming Handheld. It’s a Big Upgrade With a Bigger Price

The ROG Xbox Ally has some huge competition coming in October.

It’s been two years since Lenovo released the Legion Go gaming handheld. It was big and heavy, sure, but it also had poor battery life, really loud fans and was saddled with Windows 11. To be fair, it was one of the first of the recent crop of Windows gaming handhelds, and the competition hasn’t exactly been exceedingly better. We may be turning a corner, though, with the Legion Go S earlier this year, the upcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally and now, the Legion Go 2.

Expected to arrive in October, with an eye-watering starting price of $1,049, the Legion Go 2 is bigger and better than the original — at least based on specs and the few minutes I spent playing with one. And when I say bigger, I mean it’s actually larger in all directions and tips the scales at 2 pounds.

The design might not look too different from the original, but Lenovo actually made quite a lot of changes. For example, the bottoms of the detachable controllers have been rounded, so they’re more comfortable. They now have Hall Effect sticks to help with drift. There are three user-programmable buttons, a larger D-pad and a better overall button layout. And there’s still an FPS mode that lets you use the right controller like a vertical mouse.

Lenovo Legion Go 2 specifications

Display	8.8-inch 1,920×1,200 OLED 144Hz
Processor	Up to AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
Graphics	Up to AMD Radeon 890M Graphics
Memory	Up to 32GB 8,000MHz LPDDR5X RAM
Storage	Up to 2TB M.2 2242 PCIe SSD (Gen 4)
Ports	USB 4.0 Type-C (x2), microSD card reader (supports up to 2TB), 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack
Audio	2-watt stereo speakers, dual-array near-field microphone
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	4-cell 74Whr
Dimensions	11.6×5.4×1.7 inches (295.6×136.7×42.3 millimeters)
Weight	2 pounds (920 grams)
OS	Windows 11

The handheld is still built around an 8.8-inch touchscreen, but this time it’s a great-looking OLED panel with a 30-144Hz variable refresh rate. Disappointingly, the resolution dropped from 2,560×1,600 pixels to 1,920×1,200. Perhaps that’s for the best, though: Even with its new AMD processor and graphics chip, you might not be able to take advantage of a 2.5K resolution, but 1080p should be just fine, especially if your tastes lean more toward less-demanding indie and retro titles.

Lenovo also bumped up the battery size to a 74-watt-hour capacity — more than 50% higher than the Legion Go’s battery. It also has rapid charging with Power Delivery 3.0 support through its top or bottom USB-C ports. A 65-watt power adapter is included.

Both USB-C ports support DisplayPort 2.0, so you can easily connect to an external display, with or without Lenovo’s optional dock, or to a nice pair of display glasses. (Lenovo updated its Legion Glasses, too, making them «slimmer, lighter and brighter.») Lenovo even made it easier to securely unlock the device by putting a fingerprint reader in the power button on top.

Will all the updates pay off? Maybe. But at $1,049 — and that’s just the starting price — the Legion Go 2 is in budget gaming laptop territory. Since it is running Windows 11, you can always use it like a desktop PC that also just happens to play games pretty well on the go, too.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Sept. 5

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Sept. 5.

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? It helps to brush up on your Shakespeare. Need answers? Read on. 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: Slumber party attire, casually
Answer: PJS

4A clue: Surplus
Answer: GLUT

5A clue: Bobby ___, co-founder of the Black Panthers
Answer: SEALE

6A clue: Soccer announcer’s cry after a goal
Answer: ITSIN

7A clue: Famous star-crossed lover
Answer: ROMEO

8A clue: D.C. baseball player
Answer: NAT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Substance inside early flat-screen TVs
Answer: PLASMA

2D clue: Famous star-crossed lover
Answer: JULIET

3D clue: Recorder in a courtroom
Answer: STENO

4D clue: «Hop aboard!»
Answer: GETON

5D clue: «___, yes, ___!»
Answer: SIR

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 5, #347

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Sept. 5, No. 347.

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 tough. Hope you are familiar with one particular former NBA player, and that you know your soccer team names! If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to 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: Head to the alley.

Green group hint: Football overseas.

Blue group hint: Longtime NBA player.

Purple group hint: Soccer monikers.