Technologies

The Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro Have One Feature That Samsung Phones Don’t

The phones pack a lot for the money but US shoppers will have to look elsewhere.

Xiaomi’s 15 Ultra impressed me earlier in the year with its stellar camera setup that provides superb quality for pro shooters. But the company’s not done for the year just yet; the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro pack Leica-branded camera systems and a host of high-end tech into a metal body. I’ve been hands-on, and there’s a lot to like.

Both the processor and the cameras put in solid performances during my hands-on time with them. Plus, I was intrigued to hear about a unique new feature found only on the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro: a walkie talkie mode for making device-to-device voice calls in areas where there is no cell service.

Read more: I Took Over 1,000 Photos With the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Check Out My Favorites

At the time of writing, Xiaomi wouldn’t confirm pricing details for the 15T or 15T Pro, but for reference, last year’s 14T Pro started at £650 (roughly $880) in the UK and was a high-performing mid-range handset. I’d expect the 15T Pro to come with a similar price tag. It’s safe to assume the base 15T will be at least £100 cheaper. As with all of Xiaomi’s products, an official US launch is not on the cards.

Xiaomi 15T Pro cameras

The back of the 15T Pro is home to a triple-camera array, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.

On a sunny late summer day in Edinburgh, I found the main camera capable of taking solid shots with even exposure, accurate colors and plenty of detail.

Switching to the ultrawide lens, I’m not quite as impressed. The exposure balance isn’t as good and the details are noticeably poorer, especially towards the edge of the frame. Still, it’s fine for snaps.

But the 5x optical zoom is impressive, delivering crisp details and consistent exposure handling, just like the main camera.

Like the 15 Ultra, it also offers a Pro mode that allows you to shoot in RAW, manually adjust settings and choose from various color profiles — including several of the same Leica-branded ones found on Leica’s regular cameras.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Design and display

The phone is made with an aluminum alloy frame and a glass fiber back, which feels sturdy in hand, while its IP68 waterproof rating means the occasional splash won’t be a problem. I think the phone looks a bit plain; even its «mocha gold» color leans more towards 1970s couch brown. But looks are subjective and hardly matter if you’re just going to throw a case on it anyway.

The 6.8-inch display is bright enough for use in direct sunlight, with rich colors and plenty of screen real estate to do justice to mobile games or YouTube videos — perfect for your commute.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Processor, battery and extras

The 15T Pro runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor, which clocked some decent scores on the Geekbench 6 benchmark test. It came in a bit shy of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but a fair way above the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. In everyday use, I found it nippy and it handled gaming in PUBG and Destiny: Rising without any issues.

Powering the phone is a 5,500-mAh battery, which should get you through a full day of mixed use. It supports up to 90W wired charging, which should get juice back in the tank very quickly, assuming you have a compatible charger.

The phone runs Android 15 at its core and I’m a bit peeved that it comes preinstalled with a bunch of third-party apps, including Amazon shopping, Amazon music, AliExpress, Facebook and more. It makes the phone feel cluttered right out of the box; I recommend uninstalling whatever you don’t want before you even begin installing your own apps.

An interesting new feature is offline communication, which lets two 15T series phones make direct device-to-device voice calls from up to 1.9 kilometers away. It essentially turns the phone into a walkie-talkie, offerings a way to communicate in areas where there’s no cell service — like when you’re hiking with friends in the wilderness. It’s a novel idea, and as far as I know, unique to Xiaomi. That said, it currently only works if both you and your friend have a Xiaomi 15T or 15T Pro, so hopefully the company rolls it out to more devices soon.

Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro: Are they any good?

The 15T Pro’s solid processor and camera performance make it a decent all-round phone for what I’m hoping will be a reasonable mid-range price tag. While it won’t be offering much competition to the likes of the Galaxy S25 Ultra or the new iPhone 17 Pro, it’s got everything you’d need from an everyday Android phone.

The base 15T packs most of the same camera setup but uses a slightly less powerful processor and misses out on the 90W fast charging found in its Pro sibling. I expect it to cost even less, making it a better option if you’re shopping on a budget.

Technologies

You’ll Soon Be Able to Buy Walmart Products Through ChatGPT

OpenAI’s chatbot already connects to Etsy and Shopify. Now you can buy bananas too.

OpenAI and Walmart will soon offer shopping via AI through ChatGPT, the retail giant said in a press release on Tuesday.

While using ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout feature, customers can buy groceries, electronics or other essentials within the chatbot interface.

Walmart has its own AI assistant in its app named Sparky. With Sparky, customers can ask questions about products and get summaries of reviews to find the best item.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

«For many years now, e-commerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change,» Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement. «There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual. We are running towards that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships including this important step with OpenAI.»

When asked for comment, Walmart referred to its press release. Walmart also said it wouldn’t discuss the financial terms of the agreement at this time.

«We’re excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It’s just one way AI will help people every day under our work together,» OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a press release.

OpenAI referred to Walmart’s press release when asked for comment.

The latest deal with Walmart comes as OpenAI tries to make ChatGPT an all-in-one shopping experience. AI chatbots are increasingly being used as vehicles for online shopping. They can synthesize reviews from across the internet and give people direct answers to shopping questions. Already, ChatGPT connects with Etsy and Shopify with its Instant Checkout feature, allowing people to buy directly. OpenAI also added more shopping features in ChatGPT Search earlier this year.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Technologies

OpenAI Will Loosen ChatGPT’s Mental Health Guardrails and Allow Erotica for Adult Users

Sam Altman said the company will ease limits for adults after rolling out age verification.

ChatGPT is treading cautiously right now, but the chatbot may become more risqué by the end of the year.

In recent weeks, the generative AI chatbot has been operating under somewhat stringent limitations, as OpenAI tried to address concerns that it was not handling sensitive mental health issues well. But CEO Sam Altman said in a post on X Tuesday that the company would ease some of those restrictions because it’s «been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues.»

Though Altman didn’t elaborate on what tools are being used to address the problem, OpenAI recently announced new parental controls in ChatGPT.

CNET reached out to OpenAI for details, but the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Other changes are also expected. Altman said the company could allow «erotica» for verified adult users as it implements an «age-gating» system, or age-restricted content, in December. The mature content is part of the company’s «treat adult users like adults» principle, Altman said.

Altman’s post also announced a new version of ChatGPT in the next few weeks, with a personality that behaves more like the company’s GPT-4o model. Chatbot users had complained after the company replaced 4o with the impersonal GPT-5 earlier this year, saying the new version lacked the engaging and fun personality of previous chatbot models.

«If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing),» Altman wrote.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

After OpenAI was sued by parents who alleged ChatGPT contributed to their teen son’s suicide, the company imposed an array of new restrictions and changes, including parental controls, alerts for risky behavior and a teen-friendly version of the chatbot. In the summer, OpenAI implemented break reminders that encourage people to occasionally stop chatting with the bot.

On Tuesday, the company also announced the creation of a council of experts on AI and well-being, including some with expertise in psychology and human behavior.

This comes as lawmakers and regulators are ringing the alarm on the risks AI tools pose to people, especially children. On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed new restrictions on AI companion chatbots into law. Last month, the Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several AI companies, including OpenAI.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 15 #591

Here are hints — and the answers — for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 15, No. 591.

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, once you understand the theme. 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: Going up?

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Not an escalator, but…

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:

ROTATE, LOBE, NOPE, RATS, STAR, SAME, LOSE, VOTE, BUTTE, SAMS, BAMS

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:

ALARM, OPEN, CLOSE, LOBBY, GROUND, BASEMENT

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is ELEVATORBUTTONS. To find it, look for the E that’s three letters to the right on the bottom row, and wind straight up, and then straight down.