Technologies

I Prefer These Bluetooth Trackers Over AirTags. Here’s Why I’m Grabbing Even More With This Early Prime Day Deal

Apple’s AirTags are pretty great, but only if you’re an iPhone user. For Android users, I recommend the Chipolo One Point, which is down to an all-time low price right now.

Apple’s AirTags Bluetooth trackers are a popular choice among our CNET staff for tracking everything from keys to wallets, and even bikes and cars. But if you’re an Android user (like me), there’s no point in wasting money on something that’s incompatible. Luckily, Apple isn’t the only company that makes Bluetooth trackers, and I’ve found some options for Android users that are just as good. I especially like the One Point, which Chipolo released in 2024.

Amazon’s October Prime Day sale (aka Prime Big Deals Day) officially kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 7, but our editors have already spotted some worthwhile discounts, including an early deal on Chipolo’s trackers. Right now, a four-pack of the One Point trackers is down to an all-time-low price of $62, or $15.50 per tracker. That’s 22% less than its usual list price of $79 for a four-pack. And it’s $13 less than the current sale price of Apple’s AirTags.

The One Point is a Bluetooth tracker that uses Google’s own crowdsourced Find My Device network of over 1 billion Android devices. It works in a similar way to Apple’s Find My network to help you easily locate your keys, wallet, luggage, backpack, car or other items that are easy to misplace.

Taking advantage of Google’s tracking network means besides using your own phone to locate the One Point tracker — with the Find My Device app — you can tap into all the other Android devices around you, from friends and strangers alike (completely privately), to better track your item, no matter where it is or how far from the item you are. (For more, here’s why you shouldn’t put an AirTag on a pet and five unexpected places to use a tracker.)

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How does the Chipolo One Point tracker work?

The tiny plastic tracker, which weighs relatively nothing, is about an inch and a half in diameter, roughly the size of those old Eisenhower dollar coins (I’m showing my age). Unlike the Apple AirTag, the One Point also has a built-in keyring hole, so you don’t need to buy an accessory to clip the tracker to your item. All you need is a key ring.

Once your One Point is connected to your phone, you can check the location of your tracked item with Google’s Find My Device app. You can easily see where the tracker is on a map, and your distance from it. If you can’t find the tracker with your eyes, you can always force it to make a pretty loud sound (120db), so that you can easily hear where it is, even if it’s under a pile of clothing.

The battery life is about a year, but you can easily open the tracker (there’s a tiny hole on the side) to replace the CR2032 battery. You can buy a 10-pack of CR2032 batteries for $6, and Chipolo says that should last you a decade. If you’re placing your tracker on something shared, like a large piece of check-in luggage for you and your family, you can share the information with a loved one so that you can both keep an eye on the tracker from separate Android devices.

Taking advantage of Google’s tracking network means that besides using your own phone to locate the One Point tracker — with the Find My Device app — you can tap into all the other Android devices around you, from friends and strangers alike (completely privately), to better track your item, no matter where it is or how far from the item you are. Doing all that while saving money is just an added bonus.

Why should you get the Chipolo One Point over the AirTag?

There’s really only one reason why you should get the Chipolo One Point tracker, and that’s if you own an Android device. The Chipolo One Point is made specifically for Android phones and tablets and works with Google’s Find My Device app. If you own an Android, you definitely don’t want an AirTag, mainly because there’s no way to connect an AirTag to an Android device.

If you’ve got a mix of Apple and Android devices, there are also a few other reasons to choose the Chipolo One over an AirTag:

The Chipolo One is cheaper than the AirTag. Only by a dollar, but still.
The Chipolo One has a built-in key ring hole. The AirTag doesn’t have a key ring hole, so you’ll need to buy an accessory, which ends up making the AirTag a more expensive purchase.
There is a card version of the Chipolo. The Card Point is a card tracker that’s specifically designed for your wallet. There is no AirTag card tracker at the moment.

How to set up your Chipolo One Point tracker

Right out of the box, all you need to do is press in your Chipolo One Point (you’ll hear a pretty loud sound coming from the tiny device) and then place the tracker next to your phone. Your Android device will automatically detect the tracker, as long as you have the Find My Device app downloaded.

The pop-up on your screen will walk you through all the instructions for setup, which includes linking the device to your email account, agreeing to be part of Google’s Find My Device network and enabling recent locations for offline devices.

All in all, the setup takes under a minute. And then you can keep track of your item from the comfort of your phone. Just don’t lose your phone.

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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.