Technologies

Call-Recording App Neon Disappeared Abruptly. Now It’s Back for Another Try

The app stirred privacy and security questions offering to pay people for recordings of their phone calls to train AI models. A security flaw didn’t help.

In September, the Neon app briefly became a sensation on app download charts by promising to pay users for recording and sharing their phone calls. Then it abruptly went offline amid controversy over its security practices, privacy protections and payment structure.

More than a month later, Neon has returned to the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store, and the New York-based companyfollowed up a few days later with a new payout formula. Its founder, Alex Kiam, says the security issues have been resolved, but without offering much detail.

How far the company has progressed remains unclear. An email from Kiam to users on Thursday was sprinkled with phrasing like «while we prepare this new version of the app» and «once the new version of the app launches.»

In our own tests, we were unable to get the new version of Neon to work on iOS. A screen that asks to verify a phone number for signup didn’t trigger a phone call as expected.

Neon sells the recordings of user calls to companies training AI models, which are hungry for real-world input, such as how people speak conversationally. The company says it anonymizes call information.

Privacy experts CNET spoke to warned against using the app in its previous incarnation due to concerns over call consent laws, and also noted that AI could infer user information or identities even if call data is anonymized.

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What’s changed with the Neon app?

Shortly after Neon soared on the app store charts, the news site TechCrunch discovered a security flaw that allowed people to access calls from other users, including transcripts and metadata about the calls. After the app went dark, Kiam said that the company would address the issue and that the app would return with a bonus for users.

At that time, users of the app could call anyone and get paid. According to the company, only the app user’s side of the call was sold, since in some states, it’s not legal to record a conversation without permission.

The new version is attempting to circumvent these state issues with a new app-to-app setup: Both parties to the call must have the Neon app installed, essentially making it an opt-in service. Only calls from one Neon user to another Neon user are paid, meaning both people on the call have signed up with the company.

In his email on Thursday, Kiam list details of the updated formula for payments. It starts out with pay to users of 20 cents per minute for the first 20 minutes of call time per day, to a maximum of $4 a day. The plan also describes payments for referrals to the app, up to $50 a day from referral earnings — as long as users «don’t try to game the system with fake calls» — with the potential for a higher daily maximum for users «who have referred a lot of people.»

That is, earning potential is based largely on users getting other people to sign up and use the app.

Users posting comments on the Google Play Store have given the company low ratings, complaining that referral rates have dropped to as low as $1 and that call payment rates may be as low as 5 cents per minute. The app currently has a rating of 2.2 stars out of 5 on the Google Play Store and 2.7 stars out of 5 on the App Store for iOS.

Security concerns with Neon

When Neon went offline, it was with the expectation that the company would fix the vulnerability that could have allowed someone to access calls from other users.

Kiam told CNET via email that the company «engaged with» three cybersecurity firms after the security hole was found and engaged a contractor to perform a code review to address security concerns. He said that Neon later hired that contractor as its chief technology officer. He didn’t name the contractor, but said the person is «the former CTO of a reasonably large tech company who has 20 years of experience building secure platforms.»

Neon addressed the underlying issue TechCrunch found, Kiam said, and didn’t discover any evidence of «malicious actors» accessing its database. He didn’t elaborate on how the company addressed that issue.

The delay in bringing Neon back to iOS was not intentional, he said. «I wanted to bring Neon back quickly, but it was important that we did this right.»

Neon’s updated terms of service

As part of its relaunch, Neon has waived the $30-per-day limit on pending payouts. Kiam said the company plans «a future pleasant surprise» for those who were already using the app.

According to the updated terms of service from Nov. 3, those who sign up for the app agree that Neon can «sell and offer for sale» call recordings «for the purpose of developing, training, testing, and improving machine learning models, artificial intelligence tools and systems, and related technologies.»

There is still concerning language regarding Neon’s rights and licenses that grant the company the authority to publicly display, reproduce and distribute call recordings «in any media formats and through any media channels.»

The appeal of earning a few extra bucks for very little effort is understandable, especially when many people are worried about money amid tech industry layoffs, the US government shutdown and the suspension of services like the SNAP food assistance program.

Still, security concerns, the ethics of turning over personal conversations to AI companies, the lack of clarity about payments and complaints in user reviews should give users pause.

In an interview with CNET in early October, Kiam said his company was overwhelmed by the sudden popularity of Neon, but not completely surprised.

«I expected things to grow pretty quickly because … we’re getting people money for something that they would do anyway,» Kiam said. «We felt confident that there was real demand for something like this.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 18, #513

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Feb. 18, No. 513.

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 has a fun yellow category that might just start you singing. 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: I don’t care if I never get back.

Green group hint: Get that gold medal.

Blue group hint: Hoops superstar.

Purple group hint: Not front, but…

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Heard in «Take Me Out to the Ball Game.»

Green group: Olympic snowboarding events.

Blue group: Vince Carter, informally.

Purple group: ____ back.

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 heard in «Take Me Out to the Ball Game.» The four answers are Cracker Jack, home team, old ball game and peanuts.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Olympic snowboarding events. The four answers are big air, giant slalom, halfpipe and slopestyle.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Vince Carter, informally. The four answers are Air Canada, Half-Man, Half-Amazing, VC and Vinsanity.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ back. The four answers are diamond, drop, quarter and razor.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Feb. 18

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 18.

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

Today’s Mini Crossword is a fun one, and it’s not terribly tough. It helps if you know a certain Olympian. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___ Glenn, Olympic figure skater who’s a three-time U.S. national champion
Answer: AMBER

6A clue: Popcorn size that might come in a bucket
Answer: LARGE

7A clue: Lies and the Lying ___ Who Tell Them» (Al Franken book)
Answer: LIARS

8A clue: Close-up map
Answer: INSET

9A clue: Prepares a home for a new baby
Answer: NESTS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Bold poker declaration
Answer: ALLIN

2D clue: Only U.S. state with a one-syllable name
Answer: MAINE

3D clue: Orchestra section with trumpets and horns
Answer: BRASS

4D clue: «Great» or «Snowy» wading bird
Answer: EGRET

5D clue: Some sheet music squiggles
Answer: RESTS

Technologies

The Witcher 3, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Bring the Heat to Xbox Game Pass

Two amazing games will be available soon for Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

The second half of February and early March could be considered one of the best stretches in recent memory for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, widely regarded as one of the best games of the past decade, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 headline a lineup that leans heavily into sprawling, choice-driven adventures but does throw in some football to mix things up a bit.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV, PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, meaning they hit Game Pass the day they go on sale.

Here are all the latest games subscribers can play on Game Pass. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in early February, including Madden NFL 26.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate and Premium Game Pass subscribers.

The Witcher 3 came out 10 years ago, and it’s still being praised as one of the best games ever made. To celebrate, developer CD Projekt Red is bringing over The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition to Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers will be able to play The Witcher 3 and its expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Players once more take on the role of monster-slayer Geralt, who goes on an epic search for his daughter, Ciri. As he pieces together what happened to her, he comes across vicious monsters, devious spirits, and the most evil of humans who seek to end his quest.

Death Howl

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Death Howl is a dark fantasy tactical roguelike that blends turn-based grid combat with deck-building mechanics. Players move across compact battlefield maps, weighing positioning and card synergies to survive increasingly difficult encounters. Progression comes through incremental upgrades that reshape each run. Battles reward careful planning, as overextending or mismanaging your hand can quickly end a run.

EA Sports College Football 26

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

EA Sports College Football 26 delivers a new take on college football gameplay with enhanced offensive and defensive mechanics, smarter AI and dynamic play-calling that reflects real strategic football systems. Featuring over 2,800 plays and more than 300 real-world coaches with distinct schemes, it offers expanded Dynasty and Road to Glory modes where team building and personnel decisions matter. On the field, dynamic substitutions, improved blocking and coverage logic make matches feel more fluid and tactical.

Dice A Million

Available on Feb. 25 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Dice A Million centers on rolling and managing dice to build toward increasingly higher scores. Each round asks players to weigh risk against reward, deciding when to bank points and when to push for bigger combinations. Progression introduces modifiers and new rules that subtly shift probabilities, making runs feel distinct while keeping the core loop focused on calculated gambling.

Towerborne

Available on Feb. 26 for Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Premium Game Pass subscribers.

After months in preview, Towerborne will get its full release on Xbox Game Pass. The fast-paced action game blends procedural dungeons and light RPG progression, with players fighting through waves of enemies. You’ll unlock permanent upgrades between runs and equip weapons, spells and talents that change how combat feels each time. The core loop pushes risk versus reward as you dive deeper into tougher floors, adapting builds on the fly, and mastering movement and timing to survive increasingly chaotic battles.

Final Fantasy 3

Available on March 3 for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Another Final Fantasy game is coming to Xbox Game Pass. This time, it’s Final Fantasy 3, originally released on the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) back in 1990. Since then, Final Fantasy 3 has been ported to a slew of devices and operating systems, including the Nintendo Wii, iOS and Android. Now, you’ll be able to play on your Xbox or PC with a Game Pass subscription. A new group of heroes is once again tasked with saving the world before it’s covered in darkness. Four orphans from the village of Ur find a Crystal of Light in a secret cave, which tasks them as the new Warriors of Light. They’ll have to stop Xande, an evil wizard looking to use the power of darkness to become immortal.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Available on March 3 for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Last year was stacked with amazing games, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was one of the best. Developer Warhorse Studios’ RPG series takes place in the real medieval kingdom of Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic, and tasks players with a somewhat realistic gaming experience where you have to use the weapons, armor and items from those times. The sequel picks up right after the first game (also on Xbox Game Pass) as Henry of Skalitz is attacked by bandits, which starts a series of events that disrupts the entire country.

Games leaving Game Pass in February

For February, Microsoft is removing four games. If you’re still playing them, now’s a good time to finish up what you can before they’re gone for good on Feb. 28.

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to Game Pass.