Technologies

This Android Phone Puts the Emphasis on Easy Repairs and a Sustainability Vibe

The Fairphone 6 will be getting a new push in the US. But first, there are the headphones.

If you’re looking for a device with a difference, Fairphone may have just the thing for you. The Dutch company puts its emphasis on consumer electronics products that are designed to be easy to repair and that are produced with sustainability in mind.

It’ll be making a new push in the US with an Android version of its Fairphone 6, along with over-the-ear headphones called the Fairbuds XL. Both feature a modular construction, as well as the incorporation of recycled materials and components that are e-waste neutral.

First up will be the headphones, which feature 30 hours of listening, active noise canceling and joystick control. Fairphone says they’ll be available in stores by late November or early December, and are currently available online.

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The Android phone doesn’t have a formal launch date yet. That’s because of the «complicated process» of launching a new Android phone in the US, Fairphone’s chief commercial officer, Rutger Sneep, tells CNET. «We’re working hard towards being ready for that in the very near future,» Sneep said.

In a twist, an Android-less version of the Fairphone 6 is already available in the US through French startup Murena, under the branding Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6). That model uses an operating system called /e/OS and is «de-Googled,» meaning it doesn’t have Google apps and services preloaded as do most other Android-based smartphones.

When Fairphone itself begins selling the phone in the US, it will run on the Android system with Google apps and services preloaded.

But it is repairability and sustainability that Sneep points to as the core of its appeal to US consumers, «who are increasingly interested in their right to repair and having longer-lasting devices.»

There has been a notable push to empower DIY fixes for phones and other gear. Right-to-repair laws have been introduced in all 50 states, and some are already in force (check out this handy map from iFixit). Whether it’s for tech devices or farm machinery, such laws say that manufacturers must make available parts, tools, diagnostic software and repair documentation. It’s an effort to give consumers more control over their purchases and make them last instead of going the throw-it-away-and-buy-a-new-one route.

CNET senior editor Mike Sorrentino says Fairphone’s message of sustainability aligns well with a US consumer base that could be skittish about economic uncertainties over tariffs.

«Fairphone’s longstanding pitch has been about making a phone that lasts longer by being easy to repair, making this US push timed quite well for tariff-conscious phone buyers,» Sorrentino said. «It may even be novel to see a phone available at US stores whose battery can actually be replaced without needing to make an appointment at a repair store.»

Fairphone says its latest phone should last eight years or more. Need to replace the battery? The cameras? The speakers? Check, check and check. All the parts are listed here.

iFixit gives the Fairphone 6 a repairability score of 10 out of 10.

The business model appears to be succeeding in Europe. The company said revenue grew 61% year over year in the third quarter of 2025. Sales of spare parts went up 41% during the same period.

Technologies

You Probably Have a Better Password Than The Louvre Did: Learn From Its Mistake

Following the infamous jewel heist, reports show the museum’s security and password habits were atrocious.

Is your password easily guessable? Is it, oh, I don’t know, maybe the name of the world-famous Paris museum you’re trying to protect?

The brazen theft of more than $100 million in jewels from the world-famous Louvre on Oct. 19 captured the world’s attention, for obvious reasons. As of Wednesday, French police have arrested seven suspects, but the jewels have not yet been recovered. Now reports show the Louvre has had security issues in the past, including one that wouldn’t pass the most basic cybersecurity test: The museum’s name itself, Louvre, may have been one of its passwords.

The French newspaper Libération reports that the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI audited the Louvre’s security in 2014 and 2015. The museum failed badly.

One part of the audit described unguarded rooftop access. That’s somewhat relevant today, since thieves reportedly used a truck-mounted electric ladder to reach a balcony and cut through window glass. Not quite the roof, but apparently equally unguarded.

The audit also said the museum’s security software at the time was running on Windows Server 2003, which was set to lose support from Microsoft at that time, more than a decade ago.

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The Louvre’s password was once ‘Louvre’

One of the most significant flaws in the Louvre’s cybersecurity was lazy password use. «Louvre» appeared to be the password to access the museum’s video surveillance. One computer login password was «Thales,» the name of the software developer, which we’re guessing was visible on the login screen.

A representative for the Louvre didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

While Libération’s investigation indicated that many of the same problems remain, we don’t know which issues the Louvre staff corrected in the decade since the audit. Perhaps the Louvre’s current password is L0uvr31500$$ now or something even tougher to guess. M0n@ L1$@, maybe?

Now is an excellent time to update your own passwords

If the Louvre report wasn’t enough incentive, it’s essential to give your own passwords a check ahead of the holidays, when many people increase their online shopping time.

CNET’s latest survey shows that nearly half of Americans engage in risky password habits. US adults don’t shy away from using personal information as a part of their passwords. Fifteen percent include birthdays or anniversaries, 14% include a pet’s name and 11% use part of the user’s own name or a family member’s name.

You can improve passwords with a few simple steps, or use a password manager that can generate strong passwords and keep them organized. When creating passwords, keep a few essential points in mind.

Don’t use your name or any identifying information as part of your password.
Use passwords that include upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
Update your passwords if you become aware of a data breach affecting services you use.
Don’t leave any unencrypted notes revealing your password lying around.

Remember, today’s passwords aren’t just on your phone and computer, but also on potentially vulnerable devices like Wi-Fi routers, security systems and more.

Technologies

Got Poor Internet Access? Verizon’s New $25 Per Month Internet Plan May Help

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 6, #409

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 6, No. 409.

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 bit tricky. If you went to the University of Kentucky, you can celebrate the purple group, but it was a stumper for me. If you’re struggling 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 show up in the NYT Games app but appears 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: Toss it!

Green group hint: Take off with the pigskin.

Blue group hint: Are you in a league?

Purple group hint: Pro Wildcats.