Technologies

Trade In Your Old Phone and Get a Free iPhone 17 Pro With T-Mobile

Tired of squinting through a cracked screen? Get the new iPhone 17 Pro on T-Mobile for free, whether you’re a new customer or already with T-Mobile.

By now you’ve certainly heard about the new iPhone 17 Pro. Even more likely, you want one, maybe even in the new Cosmic Orange color that has everyone talking. But who can afford to spend $1,099 or more on a new phone these days?

Fret not, iPhone fans: T-Mobile is offering a new iPhone 17 Pro for free when you trade in any phone in any condition, as long as you’re on the Experience Beyond plan. If you’re currently with another carrier or on another T-Mobile plan, you can switch to the Experience Beyond plan and still score the free iPhone 17 Pro.

T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan is loaded with freebies. In addition to the unlimited talk, texts, data, hotspot and satellite services included with the plan, you get Netflix, Apple TV Plus and Hulu streaming for free. Globetrotters will like the unlimited texts and up to 30GB of data in over 200 countries, plus free in-flight Wi-Fi and texting. The monthly price ($105 for one line, $100 with autopay) is also guaranteed for five years, a relief in these times.

Check out the specs of the new iPhone 17 Pro and get with the plan.

A new aluminum chassis and bold design

The iPhone 17 Pro is built with an aluminum unibody chassis that’s lightweight, strong and handles heat better than its titanium predecessors. It might measure just 8.75mm thick and weigh 7.27 ounces, but it feels like a dense brick in your hand.

As for the new design, the iPhone 17 Pro is a looker. While previous iPhone versions have an all-glass back, the iPhone 17 Pro has a contrasting aluminum and glass back, which gives it a graphic, retro effect. The front is also covered by the latest version of Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is three times more scratch-resistant. If the iPhone or Android phone you’re trading in has scratches all over its screen, your new iPhone 17 Pro should remain scratch-free for longer.

Lastly, there’s the new color trio. The iPhone 17 Pro’s lineup doesn’t include black, only a dreamy Deep Blue, a Silver and a vibrant Cosmic Orange.

A breakthrough battery and a new selfie camera

You know that square camera bump on the back of the old iPhones? It’s now a rectangular bar that runs across the back of the iPhone 17 Pro. This reconfiguration frees up space for what’s perhaps the iPhone 17 Pro’s top flex, the largest battery ever on an iPhone. You’ll get 33 hours of video playback on the iPhone 17 Pro; that’s 10 more hours than the 15 Pro, Apple says. CNET has also touted the possibilities of the bigger battery.

That same bar also houses three 48MP rear cameras. The telephoto lens, in particular, features a new 8X optical zoom. That’s double the zoom of the 16 Pro and a score for parents trying to zero in on their kid’s soccer game from the bleachers.

All of the iPhone 17 Pro’s front-facing shooters have been upgraded from 12 to 18 megapixels and there’s even a new selfie camera that will seriously uplevel your socials. The «Center Stage» lens keeps the focus on whoever’s holding the phone, even while you’re moving around.

The iPhone 17 Pro runs cool, even with its new chip

The iPhone 17 Pro comes with the blazing A19 Pro chip, which Apple claims is 40% faster than the one used in the 16 series. You can go full-throttle shooting videos, gaming and streaming with this chipset and not overheat, thanks to a new vapor-cooling chamber and the thermally conductive aluminum unibody.

Topping it off, the iPhone 17 Pro comes loaded with iOS 26 and its cutting-edge features, including Liquid Glass and the taffy-like control panel pull-down.

If you’re coveting the slick new iPhone 17 Pro but don’t want to spend the money, sign up for T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan and you’ll get a new iPhone 17 Pro for free with any phone trade-in.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 8, #562

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 8 No. 562.

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 a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can 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: Working out.

Green group hint: Cover your face.

Blue group hint: NFL players.

Purple group hint: Leap.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Exercises in singular form.

Green group: Sporting jobs that require masks.

Blue group: Hall of Fame defensive ends.

Purple group: ____ jump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises in singular form. The four answers are crunch, plank, situp and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sporting jobs that require masks. The four answers are catcher, fencer, football player and goaltender.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Hall of Fame defensive ends. The four answers are Dent, Peppers, Strahan and Youngblood.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ jump. The four answers are broad, high, long and triple.

Technologies

The $135M Google Data Settlement Site Is Live — See If You’re Eligible

Use the settlement website to select your preferred payment method, and you may end up $100 richer.

You can now file a claim in the $135 million Google data settlement. The case centers on claims that Android devices transmitted user data without consent. Specifically, the class action lawsuit Taylor v. Google LLC contends that Google’s Android devices passively transferred cellular data to Google without user permission, even when the devices were idle. While not admitting fault, Google reached a preliminary settlement in January, agreeing to pay $135 million to about 100 million US Android phone users.

The official settlement website for the lawsuit is now live. The final approval hearing won’t occur until June 23, when the court will consider whether Google’s settlement is fair and listen to objections. After that, the court will decide whether to approve the $135 million settlement.

In the meantime, if you qualify and want to be paid as part of the settlement, you can select your preferred payment method on the official website. There, you can find information on speaking at the June 23 court hearing and on how to exclude yourself or write to the court to object by May 29.

As part of the settlement, Google will update its Google Play terms of service to clarify that certain data transfers do occur passively even when you’re not using your Android device, and that cellular data may be relied upon when not connected to Wi-Fi. This can’t always be disabled, but users will be asked to consent to it when setting up their device.

Google will also fully stop collecting data when its «allow background data usage» option is toggled off.

Who can be part of the settlement?

In order to join the Taylor v. Google LLC settlement, you must meet four qualifications:

Be a living, individual human being in the US.
Have used an Android mobile device with a cellular data plan.
Have used the aforementioned device at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, to the date when the settlement receives final approval.
You’re not a class member in the Csupo v. Google LLC lawsuit, which is similar but specifically for California residents.

The final approval hearing is on June 23, so you can add your payment method until then. The hearing’s date and time may change, and any updates will be posted on the settlement website.

If you choose to do nothing, you will still be issued a settlement payment, but you may not receive it if you don’t select a payment method.

How much will I get paid?

It’s not currently known exactly how much each settlement class member will receive, but the cap is $100. Payments will be distributed after final court approval and after any appeals are resolved.

After all administrative, tax and attorney costs are paid, the settlement administrator will attempt to pay each member an equal amount. If any funds remain after payments are sent, and it’s economically feasible, they will be redistributed to members who were previously and successfully paid. If it’s not economically feasible, the funds will go to an organization approved by the court.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.