Technologies

PlayStation Portal Can Stream Your PS5 Games Without a PS5 Now

A new cloud streaming update opens up games from your own library with a subscription, even without a PS5 being turned on. Is this a small step to a future PlayStation handheld?

Handheld game consoles are seeing a wild evolution lately, from the Nintendo Switch 2 to PC handhelds running Windows and Steam. Meanwhile, Sony’s almost-standalone two-year-old handheld, the PlayStation Portal, is getting an update that frees it up from the PlayStation 5 for cloud streaming PS5 games, provided you have the right subscription. It’s getting 3D audio support for streaming games, too.

It still won’t play downloaded games offline, though. The Portal is a streaming-only handheld, but this new update looks to make it feel a lot more like a second device than a PlayStation 5 accessory. And it raises a question: Will Sony eventually make a true handheld of its own?

«The Portal is part of the PS5 family, and it continues to be a complementary device for a console not really a standalone yet,» Takuro Fushimi, Sony’s PlayStation senior manager of product management, told me over video chat. But the streaming update could let someone with one account play PS5 games while someone else played on an another account on the PS5, so it’s definitely becoming more untethered. The Portal is also currently Sony’s top-used device for streaming PS5 games, even over phones and tablets, Fushimi said, although specific sales numbers weren’t shared.

Streaming with a subscription: Works like it does on the PS5

The new cloud streaming update is the first time Sony’s considering it out of beta since the feature emerged in 2024. Previously, the Portal could cloud-stream a selection of older games via a PlayStation Plus subscription in addition to streaming games from a synced PlayStation 5.

Now, a subset of owned PlayStation 5 games will also get full cloud-streaming support without needing the PS5 to be turned on at all. The game library support matches what’s already possible on PS5 already, and the new streamable games will be laid out in a new interface.

You need a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription to get access to these streamable games, though, which costs $18 a month or $160 a year.

How it’s different from other ways to play PlayStation games on the go

The Portal and the PS5 are the only two consoles that have PS5 cloud streaming support, but phones and tablets can remote-play locally streamed games on a PlayStation 5 using an app which works with game controllers. There are some PlayStation games that are on Steam and can be played on Steam Decks and Windows game handhelds, too.

The Portal has its own advantages, though. The adaptive force-feedback triggers and vibrating haptics mirror the DualSense controller’s feel, something you can’t get otherwise. The new software update also supports 3D audio with plugged-in headphones or wireless Pulse headsets paired with Portal. But it’s still a streaming-only device.

Could Sony have a true handheld next?

The Portal’s evolution keeps making me wonder whether we’ll see a true handheld standalone successor to the PSP and PS Vita. I asked Fushimi about Sony’s stance in handhelds now compared to the rest of the evolving landscape. «We have our own sort of way of thinking about handheld,» Fushimi said. «The streaming and remote play is the way we went to offer that immersion and quality of the PS5 family as a whole for this device.»

So yes, it’s still a PS5 accessory. But it’s closer than ever to being a handheld of its own.

Technologies

Google Could Revive Last Year’s Bright Pink Color for the Pixel 10a

Google’s upcoming Pixel 10a is expected to launch in February with some new colors, including one popular ask.

The Google Pixel 9a is one of Google’s most affordable Pixel phones, and it includes one of the most frequently requested colors — bright pink. With the Google Pixel 10a rumored to launch in February, we’re already getting a hint at the colors the new model will come in.

According to Roland Quandt, a regular mobile leaker on Bluesky, the Google Pixel is expected to be offered in obsidian (black), berry (pink), fog (light gray), and lavender colors. However, it’s the berry hue that is intriguing customers.

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

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

«I always love to see phones come in vibrant colors, and it’s especially welcome in more budget-friendly options,» said Abrar Al-Heeti, senior technology reporter at CNET. «Yes, we tend to slap a case on our phones anyway, but just knowing your phone touts a bold color can make it feel like more of a statement piece, rather than a bland piece of tech.»

Pink is one of the most requested color options for the Pixel phones. CNET sister site Mashable loved the color when it debuted on the Pixel 9. Phone rivals like Apple and Samsung are usually expected to offer a pink color option in their flagship and midrange phone lineups, so it’s not surprising to see the berry color on the Pixel 10a.

«I’ll say that Google loves having Pixel phones in pink,» said Patrick Holland, CNET managing editor. «The Pixel 9 and 9a come in peony (a bright, bold pink) and the 9 Pro in rose quartz (a more muted pink). The Pixel 10 series lacks any pinkish hues.»

Quandt also says that the Pixel 10a will have 128GB and 256GB storage models, and will launch in mid-February. That’s earlier than expected compared with the Pixel 9a, which was revealed in mid-March 2025 for a launch on April 10. In terms of specifications, we expect the Pixel 10a to be a modest upgrade compared with previous generations. According to leaks, the Pixel 10 is unlikely to feature a newer Tensor G5 chip, and it’s likely to retain the same overall design as the Pixel 9a.

One leaker, Mystic Leaks on Telegram, expressed disappointment and revealed additional specs, including the absence of a telephoto lens, UFS 3.1 storage, a Tensor G4 chip, a 2,000-nit display and no Magic Cue, which is Google’s AI feature for the Pixel 10.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 14, #948

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 14 #948.

Looking for the most recent 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, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The blue category, not the purple one today, expects you to find hidden words in four of the words given in the grid. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: That’s not going anywhere.

Green group hint: End user or customer.

Blue group hint: Ask a meteorologist.

Purple group hint: Not noisy.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Fixed.

Green group: Receiver of goods or services.

Blue group: Starting with weather conditions.

Purple group: Silent ____.

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

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is fixed. The four answers are fast, firm, secure and tight.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is receiver of goods or services. The four answers are account, client, consumer and user.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is starting with weather conditions. The four answers are frosty (frost), mistletoe (mist), rainmaker (rain) and snowman (snow).

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is silent ____. The four answers are auction, movie, partner and treatment.

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

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Jan. 14, #1670

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Jan. 14, No. 1,670.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a tough one, with a letter that is rarely used and which I just never guess. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.