Technologies

Belkin’s CES 2026 Lineup Can Keep Your Phone Charged for Days (and Protect Its Screen, Too)

The accessory maker has a mix of fast-charging power banks, liquid screen protectors and even a case that charges your Nintendo Switch 2.

While CES 2026 won’t be too focused on phones, Belkin has a suite of new products to keep them charged and their displays protected. There are even a few products specifically designed for laptops and gamers.

Belkin’s main offering is a trio of power banks to recharge your devices on the go. The UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K, unsurprisingly, boasts a 10,000-mAh capacity. This power bank can charge two devices simultaneously, either via USB-C at 30W or wirelessly at 25W. It’ll be available in February. It’s priced at $100, which roughly converts to $75 or AU$150.

The BoostCharge Slim Magnetic Power Bank with Stand is available in two capacities: 5,000-mAh ($60) and 10,000-mAh ($85), with wired charging speeds of 20W and 30W, respectively. Both also offer 15W wireless charging and will be available in the second quarter of 2026.

Lastly among the power banks, the $150 UltraCharge Pro Laptop 27K has a 27,000-mAh capacity and can charge with up to 240W total output among its multiple ports, which can charge up to three devices at once. It also has a small display to show the remaining battery percentage. This power bank will be available in March.

The company is also adding to its lineup of Nintendo Switch 2 charging cases with a new $100 Pro model. This one has a removable 10,000-mAh power bank, which charges at 30W, and an LCD screen to show how much battery is left.

Belkin also has a pair of wireless chargers that support the Qi2 standard at 25W charging speeds. The UltraCharge Pro 2-in-1 ($100) can charge an iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously and will be available in March. The UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock ($65) can charge up to three devices at once, via two wireless pads and one watch puck (charging at 10W). It’ll be available in the first quarter of 2026.

Belkin’s trio of screen protectors at CES

Belkin has a new line of screen protectors to safeguard the window to your digital world — and one of them is partially made of liquid.

While the Gorilla Glass used in the screens of most phones is durable, it’s still breakable, and one bad drop could turn a clear display into a spiderweb of regret. Screen protectors are cheap protective layers to reinforce surfaces and reassure phone owners. Belkin’s trio of products, debuting in Las Vegas at CES, defend against display cracks in different ways.

The first of these, the Titan LiquidGuard, uses a combination of water-based silicon oxide, graphene and what Belkin calls Nano-Titan Technology to reinforce phone displays at «the molecular level.» Retailing for $60, this protector has a $300 screen repair guarantee.

The Titan SmartShield is a conventional rigid screen protector with a surface hardness that’s rated for up to 2 meters of drop protection. The glass making up the SmartShield is made with up to 60% recycled materials, and retails for $50.

The $50 Titan EcoGuard protects phone screens with an anti-reflective coating. It’s made of 97% preconsumer recycled materials. For $60, two more premium versions of the EcoGuard offer a privacy screen to obscure your phone from onlookers and a red light protector that diminishes blue light, which can keep you up late at night. All three EcoGuard protectors use 100% recycled material in their packaging.

In addition to a standard warranty, Belkin is offering a new Wear and Tear program to replace screen protectors worn down by everyday use and accidents for free — all you’ll need to pay for is shipping ($10 in the US).

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.