Technologies
Best Eco-Friendly iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Cases
Protect your phone while protecting the Earth with these environmentally friendly phone cases.
This story is part of Tech for a Better World, stories about the diverse teams creating products, apps and services to improve our lives and society.
Within the past few years, many companies have began making great strides in producing more sustainable, eco-friendly products. Though the tech industry still has a lot of catching up to do, eco-friendly iPhone cases are on the rise. These iPhone cases, made from recycled and/or biodegradable materials, are more than capable of protecting your phone while helping the environment.
Biodegradable cases also won’t harm the environment for years and years after you’re done using them. Some of the cases listed below are made out of both recycled plastic and plant-based materials that are biodegradable.
Eco cases can look and feel slightly different from standard thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, cases — particularly the wooden ones — but most people wouldn’t even realize you were using an eco-friendly case unless you told them. Many offer good drop protection, and all the cases on this list are compatible with wireless chargers.
It’s also worth noting that many of these cases are available for earlier iPhone models, including the iPhone 11 and iPhone XS, and many of those cases are discounted.
Read more: Best iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Cases
Moment’s iPhone 12 case is thin and comes with a soft-to-the-touch texture. It is made out of biodegradable materials so the body is compostable after the polycarbonate parts are removed. It can be tossed in your compost bin when you are done with the product.
David Carnoy/CNET
You know all those compact discs you no longer listen to? Nimble makes translucent iPhone cases out of them. They’re a little pricey at $50, but some of us like the idea of protecting the latest technology with recycled technology and don’t mind paying a little extra for that. They have antimicrobial protection, are scratch-resistant and aren’t supposed to turn yellow over time. While the Disc Case is slim, it’s rated for 6-foot drop protection.
David Carnoy/CNET
Incipio’s Organicore cases are made with 100% compostable and biodegradable materials and also have eco-friendly packaging. Organicore cases offer 8-foot drop protection and are available in three color options: black, natural and eucalyptus (pictured here). They look and feel similar to the Torro Eco Cover cases and it’s really a toss-up between the two brands. The Torro’s main advantage is that it comes in more eye-catching colors — the red and blue do pop — and currently costs less.
Note that Amazon is discounting certain colors of the Organicore case (the natural version is $10), but the green version shown is $15. Also, the Organicore is available in a iPhone 12 Pro Max version, but it costs more.
David Carnoy/CNET
Casetify recently launched its new Ultra Compostable Cases. Compared to its earlier Conscious cases, this new eco model increases the drop-protection to 6.6 feet and is made with the 100% compostable, plant-based material Ecotify, the company’s proprietary blend of biopolymers, starch and bamboo grain.
Casetify also says the packaging is made of 100% sustainable, recycled and compostable materials including eco-friendly, nontoxic ink made from soybeans. The case has a raised edge design to protect the screens and is available in seven color options. The price is high at $66, but the case is customizable with personalization and prints.
Amazon
This is the only case on the list I haven’t yet tried, but the Amazon user reviews for it are positive and it costsonly $9. Eplantita says its case is built from 100% biodegradable wheat straw and recyclable TPU. It fully covers your phone and has raised edges, so that should help with any face-down drops. It’s available in several color options.
David Carnoy/CNET
Lifeproof’s Wake case is made out of recycled ocean plastic (85% of it anyway). It’s attractively designed but I wouldn’t call it super tough — it isn’t enclosed at the bottom and has 6-foot drop protection. It comes in four colors, including this teal variant, which I happen to like best. (If you’re going to get a «green» case, it might as well be green.)
David Carnoy/CNET
Tech 21 offers a few different eco-friendly case options for the iPhone 12 series. The cases are made of biodegradable materials and have a grippy texture that helps you avoid having your phone slip out of your hand. The Eco Slim model is available in a few different color options and offers good drop protection (it’s rated for up to 10-foot drops) while also being relatively slim. Prices vary a bit by the type of iPhone 12 you have but most versions cost $15 or less.
David Carnoy/CNET
KerfCase has been making handmade wooden cases for a while, and its new Plywood case is not only more durable but less expensive than some, starting at $50, with 6-foot drop protection and a limited lifetime repair warranty. I like it better than other cases made of wood that I’ve tried. It’s also worth noting that Apple’s MagSafe charger will stick to the back of it, and KerfCase sells matching charging docks for the Apple MagSafe charger (yes, it’s an accessory for an accessory).
Read more
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- iPhone 12’s Four Models Compared
- iPhone 12 Specs You Should Care About
- Best Headphones and Wireless Earbuds for iPhone 12
- MagSafe Accessories for iPhone 12 are Here
- Best iPhone 12 Chargers Starting at $10
- Best Cheap True-Wireless Earbuds in 2023
- Best Wireless Car Charger and Mount in 2023
- Best iPhone 2022: Apple Currently Sells 7 Different Models. Here’s How to Pick One
- Best iPhone 13 Case
Technologies
Imminent Limits on AI Chip Exports Rescinded by Trump Administration
The so-called AI Diffusion Rule was set to go into effect this week. It’s now history.
A limitation on exports of AI processors made in the US that was set to go into effect on May 15 has now been rescinded after an order from the Department of Commerce (PDF).
The AI Diffusion Rule was set in motion at the end of the Biden administration and would have limited the number of AI processors that could be sold to foreign countries. It was meant to give the US an edge in the race for global AI technology, but critics, including tech companies, said it would hurt the companies making the processors by capping their sales.
The Trump administration’s move now lifts restrictions on companies such as Nvidia from selling processors meant for AI applications to other countries, including Mexico, China and Russia.
«These new requirements would have stifled American innovation and saddled companies with burdensome new regulatory requirements,» the Department of Commerce said in a statement. «The AI Diffusion Rule also would have undermined US diplomatic relations with dozens of countries by downgrading them to second-tier status.»
The Department of Commerce said it is still warning companies and the public about allowing US-made AI chips to be used for Chinese AI models and is discouraging the use of Huawei Ascend chips specifically for exported products.
‘Cautious relief’ among chipmakers
Some in the industry worried that the rule could have hurt startups or mid-tier players, but now, the mood is «cautious relief,» said one tech-industry executive.
«While most companies support the need for guardrails around advanced AI capabilities, the AI Diffusion Rule as originally framed created a lot of ambiguity — especially around how ‘diffusion’ would be interpreted in deployment, licensing or technical architecture,» said Dmitry Zakharchenko, chief software officer for Blaize, a California-based AI chip company.
Zakharchenko says the concern among companies like his wasn’t just sales but also cross-country research collaboration, AI model deployment and cloud-infrastructure partners.
«The risk was that overbroad policy could inadvertently restrict benign use cases, including public safety, industrial inspection, and transportation,» he said.
As for what comes next, Zakharchenko said that some of the companies that would have been affected are taking their own steps to mitigate risks from overseas. That, he said, is happening «both at the hardware level and through partner ecosystems.»
«That includes secure boot, encrypted pipelines, regional deployment controls and tighter collaboration with integrators who understand where and how inference workloads are run,» Zakharchenko said.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, May 15
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 15.
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 NYT Mini Crossword is one of those where the same letter gets circled over and over. So if you see a pattern where a certain letter keeps showing up, fill them in, it might help you solve the puzzle. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. 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 at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Direction opposite of WSW
Answer: ENE
4A clue: Shoot out, as lava from a volcano
Answer: SPEW
5A clue: «In what place?»
Answer: WHERE
6A clue: Plants you didn’t plant, perhaps
Answer: WEEDS
7A clue: Like Mini crosswords … and a phonetic description of this puzzle?
Answer: EASY
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Fencing swords
Answer: EPEES
2D clue: Prone to geeking out
Answer: NERDY
3D clue: Farm animals that sound like vowels not seen in this puzzle?
Answer: EWES
4D clue: Stadium at which the Beatles performed an iconic 1965 concert
Answer: SHEA
5D clue: Org. for Hulk Hogan and John Cena
Answer: WWE
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for May 15, #234
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 234, for May 15.
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.
Connections: Sports Edition has a tough blue category, but you might get it easily if you’re a fan of a certain international sport. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it 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: Get to that ball.
Green group hint: Think Jack Nicklaus.
Blue group hint: Ted Lasso.
Purple group hint: J.R. Ewing.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Handle a baseball.
Green group: Found in a golf bag.
Blue group: Premier League team nicknames.
Purple group: Dallas ____.
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 handle a baseball. The four answers are catch, field, glove and scoop.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is found in a golf bag. The four answers are balls, clubs, tees and towel.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Premier League team nicknames. The four answers are Bees, Cherries, Saints and Tractor Boys.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is Dallas ____. The four answers are Cowboys, Goedert, Mavericks and Stars.
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