Technologies

Android 14 Beta 3 Is Available for Download on Your Phone Right Now

You can install the latest Android beta release on your compatible Pixel device.

Google dropped Android 14 Beta 3 in a blog post today. The prerelease software, which mostly fixes bugs, is available to download and install on the Pixel 4A 5G and later. There is only one more Android 14 beta release, slated for July, before the public Android 14 update comes out in the fall.

Android 14 in general will bring tweaks and revamps, including updates to the Android system UI and improvements to privacy and security.

Android 14 Beta 3 is the latest preview of Google’s mobile system, which first went to developers with the Android 14 developer preview, to test before the general release.

Prior to the beta releases of Android 14, the process of installing Android developer previews wasn’t super easy. It involved unlocking developer options, downloading a sizable file, factory resetting your device and more. Now, it’s much more simple to download and install the latest Android 14 beta.

The final version of Android 14 will eventually be the most accessible way to get it, but that’s not expected until later this year. If you really want an early look at what’s coming, and you have a supported Android device, such as the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, you can begin testing Android 14 beta 3 right now. Here’s how.

While you’re here, check out the best Android phones you can buy in 2023 and how the Galaxy S22 and S23 stack up against each other.

Android pro tip: The only mobile game controller you’ll need

A console-level control for your Android that’s compatible with popular cloud gaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Steam Link and GeForce Now, as well as hundreds of mobile games like Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox.

Read our Razer Kishi review.

$50 at Walmart

Is the Android 14 beta safe to download?

Although the Android 14 beta is more refined and solid than the Android 14 developer preview, you should still expect bugs with this release that may make your phone more difficult to use. Only download the Android 14 beta if you’re willing to deal with these issues or if your device is a backup from your daily phone. Also, make sure to back up your device before downloading the Android 14 beta, in case something goes wrong or you decide to leave the program later.

Note: Some of the new features that are in development might not end up in the final version of Android 14, so anything you do use should be considered an early preview and not necessarily final.

Which Android devices are compatible with the Android 14 beta?

For now, only a select number of Pixel smartphones support Android 14:

You can check out if your device is compatible with Android 14 Beta here. We’ll add more devices to this list as they become supported. While not listed, the just-released Pixel 7A may also be able to run the beta.

A Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro next to each other — The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are two of the currently supported devices that can currently run Android 14 beta.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

How to download Android 14 Beta 3 on your supported device

The easiest way to download Android 14 Beta 3 on your phone is to go to the Android Beta for Pixel page on your computer, check if your device is supported and then enroll in the Android 14 program.

Under the Your eligible devices option, you should see your phone if it is supported (make sure your phone is charged over 10% or else it may not appear).

As long as you haven’t signed up for the Android 13 beta or Android 14 developer preview, you will see the option to opt in. If you’ve already signed up for the aforementioned prereleases, you don’t need to do anything to get Android 14 Beta 3. You should automatically receive an over-the-air update on your phone.

Eligible device for Android 13 beta program. — If your device supports Android 14 beta, it will appear under «Your eligible devices.»

Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

To enroll in the Android 14 beta, click Opt in and then click Confirm and enroll after reading the terms and conditions. You should see a notification that says your device is now part of the Android 14 beta program.

You will then receive an over-the-air update on your phone. If you don’t get a notification on your phone, go to Settings > System > System update to view your Android 14 update. It may take up to 24 hours to receive the OTA update.

How long will the Android 14 beta last for?

You should expect updates up until the public release of Android 14, which will likely launch sometime in the fall of this year. According to Google, you should receive an update a month in May and June, with two in July.

Also, the Android 14 beta program as a whole will continue until next year, which means that you’ll continuously receive beta updates up until the next beta release, unless you opt out.

How do I opt out of the Android 14 beta?

To opt out of the Android 14 beta program, go back to the Android Beta for Pixel page, but this time click Opt out. Within 24 hours, you should receive an OTA update on your phone that will wipe out all your locally saved data and provide you with whatever the latest public version of Android is at the time. As mentioned before, this is why you need to back up your device before enrolling in the Android 14 beta program.

Technologies

This Massive AT&T Data Breach Settlement Could Pay $5K to Some: Find Out if You’re Eligible

Claims will open later in the summer for the settlement AT&T is paying to resolve two major data breaches.

It’s a tough time for AT&T — especially with the recent conference call troubles for Donald Trump — but their struggles could be your gain thanks to the $177 million settlement it’s agreed to pay to customers that fell victim to data breaches in 2019 and 2024.

On Friday, June 20, US District Judge Ada Brown granted preliminary approval to the terms of a proposed settlement from AT&T that would resolve two lawsuits related to the data breaches. The current settlement would see AT&T pay $177 million to customers adversely affected by at least one of the two data breaches.

The settlement will prioritize larger payments to customers who suffered damages that are «fairly traceable» to the data leaks. It will also provide bigger payments to those affected by the larger of the two leaks, which began in 2019. While the company is working toward a settlement, it has continued to deny that it was «responsible for these criminal acts.»

For all the details we have about the settlement right now, keep reading, and for more info about other recent settlements, find out how to claim Apple’s Siri privacy settlement and see if you’re eligible for 23andMe’s privacy breach settlement.

What happened with these AT&T data breaches?

AT&T confirmed the two data breaches last year, announcing an investigation into the first in March before confirming it in May and confirming the second in July.

The first of the confirmed breaches began in 2019. The company revealed that about 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders had their data exposed to hackers, including names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. The company began investigating the situation last year after it reported that customer data had appeared on the dark web.

The second breach began in April of 2024, when a hacker broke into AT&T cloud storage provider Snowflake and accessed 2022 call and text records for almost all of the company’s US customers, about 109 million in all. The company stressed that no names were attached to the stolen data. Two individuals were arrested in connection with the breach.

Both of these incidents sparked a wave of class action lawsuits alleging corporate neglect on the part of AT&T in failing to sufficiently protect its customers.

Who is eligible to file a claim for the AT&T data breach settlement?

As of now, we know that the settlement will pay out to any current or former AT&T customer whose data was accessed in one of these data breaches, with higher payments reserved for those who can provide documented proof that they suffered damages directly resulting from their data being stolen.

If you’re eligible, you should receive a notice about it, either by email or a physical letter in the mail, sometime in the coming months. The company expects that the claims process will begin on Aug. 4, 2025.

How much will the AT&T data breach payments be?

You’ll have to «reasonably» prove damages caused by these data breaches to be eligible for the highest and most prioritized payouts. For the 2019 breach, those claimants can receive up to $5,000. For the Snowflake breach in 2024, the max payout will be $2,500. It’s not clear at this time how the company might be handling customers who’ve been affected by both breaches.

AT&T will focus on making those payments first, and whatever’s left of the $177 million settlement total will be disbursed to anyone whose data was accessed, even without proof of damages. Because these payouts depend on how many people get the higher amounts first, we can’t say definitively how much they will be.

When could I get paid from the AT&T data breach settlement?

AT&T expects that payments will start to go out sometime in early 2026. Exact dates aren’t available but the recent court order approving the settlement lists a notification schedule of Aug. 4, to Oct. 17, 2025.

The deadline for submitting a claim is currently set at Nov. 18, 2025. The final approval of the settlement needs to be given at a Dec. 3, 2025, court hearing for payments to begin.

Stay tuned to this piece in the coming months to get all the new details as they emerge.

For more money help, check out CNET’s daily tariff price impact tracker.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 12

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 12.

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.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s one of those long Saturday puzzles, and a few clues are tricky. Read on for the answers. 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 to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Havana’s home
Answer: CUBA

5A clue: Last word in many bowling alley names
Answer: LANES

6A clue: Lots and lots
Answer: SOMUCH

7A clue: Left-leaning social media site
Answer: BLUESKY

8A clue: Hepburn of «Breakfast at Tiffany’s»
Answer: AUDREY

9A clue: Word after «break» or «banana»
Answer: BREAD

10A clue: Car loan figs.
Answer: APRS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: They always shoot their shot
Answer: CAMERAS

2D clue: Brand-new
Answer: UNUSED

3D clue: Woman with «the good hair,» in a famous Beyoncé lyric
Answer: BECKY

4D clue: In need of moisturizer
Answer: ASHY

5D clue: «We can’t hear you back here!»
Answer: LOUDER

6D clue: Drink noisily
Answer: SLURP

7D clue: ___ ghanouj
Answer: BABA

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 12, #292

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 12, No. 292

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 one of those classic purple categories, where you probably won’t figure it out before you’ve answered all the others. Need help? 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: Show Me State.

Green group hint: Old Line State.

Blue group hint: Gridiron greats.

Purple group hint: Names begins with a certain creature.