Technologies
Protect Your New iPhone 17 With ESR’s MagSafe Stash Stand Cases
Whether you’re opting for the iPhone 17, the iPhone Air, or the redesigned AirPods Pro 3, ESR has you covered with stylish, all-around protection that won’t break the bank.

It’s that time of year: the moment Apple unveils its long-awaited new slate of devices. This time, they’ve announced the iPhone 17, which comes with an upgraded A19 chip, a ProMotion display previously only available on its Pro models, an upgraded camera system on both the front and back, and more. Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3 are redesigned to fit most people’s ears, and feature live translation and built-in fitness monitors. And, of course, the one everyone was waiting for: the iPhone Air, which at 5.6mm thick is the thinnest iPhone ever.
If you’re thinking about pre-ordering your new Apple devices, you’ll also want to think about the best protection and accessories to keep them safe and working their best. Thanks to ESR, one of Amazon’s top MagSafe sellers, you can protect your phone with stylish, powerful cases and high-tech MagSafe charging technology without breaking the bank.
CNET’s reviewers have praised ESR’s cases for their «premium feel» and affordability. Here are some of ESR’s brand-new MagSafe products for your iPhone 17 and key Apple accessories:
Stylish, all-around protection designed to protect your iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 line is Apple’s best yet, which means you’ll want a case strong enough to protect it without adding bulk or hiding its stylish design. That’s where ESR’s flagship Cyber Tough Magnetic Case comes in. It pairs a reinforced backplate with a wraparound bumper, a raised edge for the screen and camera, and a protective zinc-alloy camera guard. Its Air Guard corners absorb shocks in the unfortunate-but-unavoidable event your phone hits the ground.
With protection that is certified at seven times military-grade strength, the Cyber Tough Magnetic Case can protect your iPhone from drops of up to 23 feet, with a 3-layer design featuring a robust PC backing, a flexible TPE soft shell and an inner PORON lining. The Cyber Tough also has a built-in Stash Stand that, when open, can be used horizontally or vertically, with a tilt range of 15 to 69 degrees for all your hands-free needs. When closed, the stand, which is designed for the iPhone 17’s camera bar, cushions your device from unforeseen impacts. The case is compatible with MagSafe, Apple’s magnet-powered wireless charging for most phones made after 2020. It uses 1,500 g pull force — twice the normal strength — to hold onto MagSafe accessories while keeping a slim profile.
If you’re not off-roading with your phone and lean a little more toward style than maximum-strength protection, the Classic Hybrid Magnetic Case might be your best option. It comes in an original clear design that lets your iPhone’s beauty show through — while still protecting it from drops of up to 11 feet, all in a 1.5mm slim profile. If you prefer a silicon case to plastic, the Cloud Soft Magnetic Case offers smooth grip and, perhaps more importantly for some, that semi-squishy phone-case feel we’ve come to love. It’s made of soft microfiber lining, hard polycarbonate, smooth silicone, and a (necessary) micro-coating that keeps dust off.
No scratches, no dust, no bubbles
iPhone’s delicate glass screens have gotten more durable over the years, but it’s still easy to scratch your phone in your pocket or, worse, shatter it with an accidental tumble on the floor. ESR’s UltraFit Armorite Pro Screen Protector takes screen protection to the next level by getting its material from the same source used in Apple’s phones: Accessory Glass by Corning™. The screen protector’s drop resistance is 10 times the impact absorption of generic models; they’ve even survived drop tests with a 64-gram steel ball. It also has twice the scratch resistance as iPhone’s screen glass, while reducing the visibility of scratches by 25%. The protector boasts an anti-reflective coating that gives 94% optical transmittance with reduced glare and haze, so sunlight won’t slow you down.
ESR’s UltraFit tray takes the annoyance out of the installation process. There’s no danger of bubbles or dust sneaking in between your screen and protector. The screen protector comes in two slightly less protective options: the UltraFit Armorite (with 7x drop resistance) and the UltraFit Classic (2x).
Fast, high-tech cool charging that folds into your life
The CryoBoost Foldable 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station collapses into a slim 15.8 mm, which makes it a space-efficient and portable-friendly hub for charging your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, even all at the same time. The station presents Qi2 with 25W wireless charging, which is basically equal to the speed of charging with a cord. (An iPhone 16 on iOS 26 can get to 50% in only 25 mins.) The efficiency is fueled (and, well, cooled) by CryoBoost technology, which is a built-in fan that actively cools your phone to avoid overheating — all at whisper-quiet fan volume.
The station comes in two other models, for the home office and car: the non-foldable 3-in-1 Charging Station would fit nicely on a clutter-free desk, while the OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger promises your phone won’t pop off when you hit a pothole in the road. For the car charger, the arm is designed specifically for air vents, so it won’t fall off or obstruct the flow of air. For those looking for a unique stand, the ESR Geo Magnetic Wallet Stand features Find My functions — so it’s like an AirTag — and holds five cards, has RFID blocking, and an impressive six months of use with only a 1.5-hour charge.
The ESR CryoBoost 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station and the ESR OmniLock magnetic car charger will be available to purchase in September, and the ESR CryoBoost Foldable 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Station will be available in October. You can purchase these chargers on ESR’s Amazon store or ESR’s official website.
Hear that? That’s the sound of safe AirPods
The ESR Cyber FlickLock Magnetic Case beefs up the protection for your AirPods with a magnetic lid and internal latch, while ensuring that the case can still be opened with only one hand, using a slide-lock mechanism. It’s MagSafe-ready and charging is 136% stronger than the original AirPods case, so you won’t run out of power on that crosstown bus ride. The case comes with a carabiner design to attach to your wrist or bag, but is tested for four-foot drops since, as all AirPod users know, that is definitely going to happen. More than once. ESR’s Orbit Hybrid Magnetic Case uses 1,100 g magnets to keep the lid shut tight and is available in fun colors.
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.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Smokes, informally
Answer: CIGS
5A clue: «Don’t have ___, man!» (Bart Simpson catchphrase)
Answer: ACOW
6A clue: What the vehicle in «lane one» of this crossword is winning?
Answer: RACE
7A clue: Pitt of Hollywood
Answer: BRAD
8A clue: «Yeah, whatever»
Answer: SURE
9A clue: Rd. crossers
Answer: STS
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Things to «load» before a marathon
Answer: CARBS
2D clue: Mythical figure who inspired the idiom «fly too close to the sun»
Answer: ICARUS
3D clue: Zoomer around a small track
Answer: GOCART
4D clue: Neighbors of Norwegians
Answer: SWEDES
Technologies
Watch SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 11
Technologies
New California Law Wants Companion Chatbots to Tell Kids to Take Breaks
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the new requirements on AI companions into law on Monday.

AI companion chatbots will have to remind users in California that they’re not human under a new law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The law, SB 243, also requires companion chatbot companies to maintain protocols for identifying and addressing cases in which users express suicidal ideation or self-harm. For users under 18, chatbots will have to provide a notification at least every three hours that reminds users to take a break and that the bot is not human.
It’s one of several bills Newsom has signed in recent weeks dealing with social media, artificial intelligence and other consumer technology issues. Another bill signed Monday, AB 56, requires warning labels on social media platforms, similar to those required for tobacco products. Last week, Newsom signed measures requiring internet browsers to make it easy for people to tell websites they don’t want them to sell their data and banning loud advertisements on streaming platforms.
AI companion chatbots have drawn particular scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in recent months. The Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several companies in response to complaints by consumer groups and parents that the bots were harming children’s mental health. OpenAI introduced new parental controls and other guardrails in its popular ChatGPT platform after the company was sued by parents who allege ChatGPT contributed to their teen son’s suicide.
«We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability,» Newsom said in a statement.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
One AI companion developer, Replika, told CNET that it already has protocols to detect self-harm as required by the new law, and that it is working with regulators and others to comply with requirements and protect consumers.
«As one of the pioneers in AI companionship, we recognize our profound responsibility to lead on safety,» Replika’s Minju Song said in an emailed statement. Song said Replika uses content-filtering systems, community guidelines and safety systems that refer users to crisis resources when needed.
Read more: Using AI as a Therapist? Why Professionals Say You Should Think Again
A Character.ai spokesperson said the company «welcomes working with regulators and lawmakers as they develop regulations and legislation for this emerging space, and will comply with laws, including SB 243.» OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice called the bill a «meaningful move forward» for AI safety. «By setting clear guardrails, California is helping shape a more responsible approach to AI development and deployment across the country,» Radice said in an email.
One bill Newsom has yet to sign, AB 1064, would go further by prohibiting developers from making companion chatbots available to children unless the AI companion is «not foreseeably capable of» encouraging harmful activities or engaging in sexually explicit interactions, among other things.
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