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Monster Hunter Outlanders Brings Big Beast Hunting to Mobile Gaming

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 22:00
A mobile game based on the Monster Hunter franchise is coming from the maker of Call of Duty Mobile and Pokemon Unite.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 13, #51

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 51 for Nov. 13.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 13, #521

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 521 for Nov. 13.
Categories: Technology

Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Nov. 13, #1243

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Wordle No. 1,243 for Nov. 13.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 13, #255

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Nov. 13 Strands puzzle, No. 255.
Categories: Technology

Google rolls out 4 useful upgrades for Google Chrome on iOS

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 21:30
  • Improvements are rolling out now for Chrome for iOS
  • Google Lens gets improved searches
  • Tighter integrations with other Google apps

If you're using Google Chrome on your iPhone, you'll be interested in the four upgrades that have just been announced. They're improving Google Lens search, online shopping, and integrations with Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Maps.

First, as outlined in the official Google blog post, we've got an upgrade for Google Lens. You can already run Google Lens searches inside Chrome for iOS using a photo from the camera or your gallery – just tap the search box, then the Google Lens icon – and the new update lets you refine those searches with extra text.

So you could, for example, type out a color to narrow down the search results if you're looking at a photo of a sweatshirt. Or maybe you have a photo of a place on the screen and want to add some text asking where in the world it is.

Second, there's a new feature called Shopping Insights, which is only for US users now. If you're looking at a product in Chrome that Google knows is available online at a discount, you'll see a "good deal now" notification in the address bar – a little blue and white icon. Tap the icon to see the product's price history over time.

Keeping it Google

Your Google Lens searches can have text added (Image credit: Google)

The other changes here improve the integration between Chrome for iOS and other Google services. You can now save files and photos to Google Drive or Google Photos, so they don't have to take up space on your iPhone – just tap the Google Drive option when saving a file, or long-press an image and pick Google Photos on the pop-up.

Then there's Google Maps: Chrome for iOS could already bring up a map pop-up without actually opening Google Maps, but the process has now been streamlined and only needs a single tap. Chrome will automatically spot and underline addresses on the web.

Like Shopping Insights, the Google Maps update will not be available everywhere right away. Google says both of these features will expand to more regions over time, so keep an eye out for them. Make sure you update Chrome for iOS to the latest version to get everything as soon as possible.

It's worth bearing in mind that all these features, or very similar features, are already available in Chrome for Android – so if you're on a phone running Google's mobile operating system, you're not missing out.

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Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Nov. 13

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 21:08
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 13.
Categories: Technology

Best AirPods Max Accessories for 2024

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 19:29
From stands to ear pads, these are the best gadgets to make the most of your high-end headphones.
Categories: Technology

Donald Trump Taps Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to Lead Nonexistent Department of Government Efficiency

WIRED Top Stories - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 19:21
“These two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” said Donald Trump in a statement.
Categories: Technology

Best Coffee Makers for 2024

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 19:00
These drip coffee makers will brew a cup that rivals your favorite cafe’s.
Categories: Technology

Best Places to Buy Organic Groceries Online

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 19:00
Want organic groceries delivered to your home? From meats to vegetables, we’ve found the best places to buy them online.
Categories: Technology

NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Wednesday, November 13 (game #521)

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 18:02

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #521) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • MUSTARD
  • WING
  • WEDNESDAY
  • WORCESTERSHIRE
  • COLONEL
  • TARTAR
  • LEMON
  • MINION
  • CALCULUS
  • CANARY
  • ADDITION
  • PLAQUE
  • EXTENSION
  • PHARAOH
  • CAVITY
  • ANNEX
NYT Connections today (game #521) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • Yellow: Coward!
  • Green: Extra bit of a house/office etc
  • Blue: Infection could be another
  • Purple: Missing syllables?

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #521) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: THINGS THAT ARE YELLOW
  • GREEN: BUILDING ADD-ONS
  • BLUE: CONCERNS FOR A DENTIST
  • PURPLE: WORDS THAT SEEM LONGER WRITTEN THAN SPOKEN

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #521) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #521, are…

  • YELLOW: THINGS THAT ARE YELLOW CANARY, LEMON, MINION, MUSTARD
  • GREEN: BUILDING ADD-ONS ADDITION, ANNEX, EXTENSION, WING
  • BLUE: CONCERNS FOR A DENTIST CALCULUS, CAVITY, PLAQUE, TARTAR
  • PURPLE: WORDS THAT SEEM LONGER WRITTEN THAN SPOKEN COLONEL, PHARAOH, WEDNESDAY, WORCESTERSHIRE
  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: Perfect

Well done if you solved today's purple group through anything other than luck, because it's a bit of an odd one. I definitely needed some good fortune with it, because the connection – WORDS THAT SEEM LONGER WRITTEN THAN SPOKEN – is really quite an odd one. For a start, isn't some of this dependent on understanding how language works? Sure, if you didn't know that PHARAOH had a silent second A, you might think it was pronounced PHAR-A-OH. But that's also true of KNOW (K-NO) or TRUE (T-RUE). It's just English! I'm not sure that PHARAOH actually seems longer written than spoken at all. You could maybe put WORCESTERSHIRE in that bracket, but only if you've never been to the UK. It all just seems a bit arbitrary.

The way I stumbled upon it was related, admittedly. I instead focused on missing syllables, although I guessed more with hope than expectation, and by that stage in the game had very little idea what else it could be. I wasn't helped by my other problem group, blue, including a word I'd never heard used in the context of CONCERNS FOR A DENTIST, namely CALCULUS. Apparently that's another term for TARTAR, so I don't see why both words are in there. All in all, a little unsatisfying.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 12 November, game #520)
  • YELLOW: COMPLAIN BELLYACHE, CARP, CRAB, GRUMBLE
  • GREEN: VEGETABLE UNITS CLOVE, FLORET, SPEAR, STALK
  • BLUE: LAPTOP SPECS RAM, RESOLUTION, SPEED, STORAGE
  • PURPLE: FEATURES OF JUSTICE PERSONIFIED BLINDFOLD, ROBE, SCALES, SWORD
What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Categories: Technology

Quordle today – hints and answers for Wednesday, November 13 (game #1024)

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 18:02

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1024) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1024) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1024) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1024) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1024) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Y

• E

• S

• P

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1024) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1024, are…

  • YEARN
  • ELBOW
  • SURGE
  • PINEY

With all five vowels included and no repeated letters, you might think this would be on the easier side of Quordle. But don't discount letter placement as a complication. YEARN features its Y at the start, where it isn't common, and ELBOW is one of those annoying answers where nothing seems to be in the right place. Well, the L is admittedly most common in position #2, something I show in my analysis of every Wordle answer, but it's usually preceded by a P or B or S or G or C, not by a vowel.

Still, I don't think it's hard either; it probably nestles comfortably in the middle of the range, offering a challenge for sure, but not an impossible one. And that's fine by me.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1024) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1024, are…

  • ABLED
  • SCOUR
  • CAUSE
  • GRASP
Quordle answers: The past 20
  • Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
  • Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
  • Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE
  • Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER
  • Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM
  • Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY
  • Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH
  • Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY
  • Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA
  • Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN
  • Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
  • Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
  • Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
  • Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
  • Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
  • Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO
  • Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS
  • Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART
  • Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY
  • Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL
Categories: Technology

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Wednesday, November 13 (game #255)

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 18:02

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #255) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… We're walking

NYT Strands today (game #255) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • LAST
  • STORK
  • KING
  • PANG
  • BONG
  • TEAR
NYT Strands today (game #255) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

Upright, alright

NYT Strands today (game #255) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: right, 4th row

Last: left, 2nd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #255) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #255, are…

  • HUMAN
  • GIBBON
  • KANGAROO
  • PANGOLIN
  • MEERKAT
  • OSTRICH
  • SPANGRAM: BIPEDAL
  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: Perfect

Top marks to the NYT puzzle setters for this edition of Strands, which offers just the right amount of challenge. No real specialist knowledge is required – a factor which always makes a Strands game more inclusive, and therefore better for more people – but it requires a bit of thought and probably a bit of luck to solve it without hints.

The theme clue of 'We're walking' was a little cryptic, but when I spotted HUMAN – placed prominently at the top of the grid – I had an inkling of what was needed. I couldn't find a second word, though, until I focused on the two Bs near the bottom right of the board and got GIBBON. That led me to KANGAROO and then – surprisingly – PANGOLIN, which I didn't know was a BIPEDAL animal. The other answers were easier to get simply because there were not many possibilities left, although it still took me an annoyingly long time to realize that the last word was OSTRICH!

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 12 November, game #254)
  • ECHO
  • VICTOR
  • DELTA
  • FOXTROT
  • GOLF
  • TANGO
  • BRAVO
  • SPANGRAM: NATOALPHABET
What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Categories: Technology

H&R Block Agrees to $7M FTC Settlement and Will Make Downgrading Tax Tiers Easier

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 18:00
H&R Block's online software makes it difficult for customers to downgrade from a paid tier to its free service. But that will soon be a thing of the past.
Categories: Technology

Trump's China tariff plan would be 'devastating' says CTA CEO Gary Shapiro

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 18:00
  • TechRadar caught up with Gary Shapiro, CEO of the CTA
  • "We don't like tariffs" is the message from the CTA to the incoming administration
  • The proposed tariffs would be "devastating" for consumer goods, including tech

CES 2025, the massive consumer technology trade show in Las Vegas, is less than two months away. It falls in the liminal space between a historic US Presidential Election and a new administration's very significant plans for US trade, which could impact many of the thousands of technology companies expected at the tradeshow and the majority of US customers they serve.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the non-profit organization behind the event that often represents the industry's interests before the US government, has a message for the incoming administration: "We don't like tariffs."

Speaking at a CES 2025 preview kick-off dinner in Manhattan this week, CTA CEO, lobbyist, and best-selling author Gary Shapiro held nothing back when I asked him about President-elect Donald Trump's plans to apply a blanket 20% tariff to all imported goods and, potentially, a special 60% tariff on Chinese imports.

I will to my deathbed indicate that tariffs are not paid for by the countries involved, they're paid for by the consumers

–CTA CEO Gary Shapiro

"I will to my deathbed indicate that tariffs are not paid for by the countries involved, they're paid for by the consumers that are paying for a tax, and tariffs are a tax. It's basic economics. The fact that President Trump found that one economist who will say that out of thousands of economists doesn't mean anything to me."

Shapiro added that the 20% tariff likely to include Mexico and Canadian imports will be "very inflationary and not help the economy."

Trump's more draconian Chinese tariff measure, which appears designed to force companies to bring manufacturing back to the United States, could be, as Shapiro and the CTA see it, even worse, calling the proposed 60% tariff potentially "devastating."

It gets worse

The impact of these tariffs could be twofold because in addition to whatever pass-along costs consumers get from the tariffed companies, the countries being tariffed will, Shapiro told me, "hit back on us, and our exports will be affected, as well, and we have a huge amount of exports. This is not good for the country."

Shapiro, however, is not just pointing the finger at the incoming administration. He made it clear to me that some tariffs imposed by the last Trump administration remained in place during the Biden administration. He called them "bipartisan tariffs." In his first term, Trump applied $80 billion worth of tariffs. Biden kept the majority of them in place.

Despite the dire outlook, Shapiro told me the CTA would welcome the new administration and added that there's been "no fallout" among CES 2025 exhibitors and that some business people are optimistic about the change at the White House because the regulatory environment under Biden has been so strict. Shapiro pointed to the scuttling of Amazon's iRobot acquisition. "In a way, there's some optimism that we'll finally be able to get to some things we should."

That, though, does not alter the CTA's position on tariffs. "We will oppose them." said Shapiro, adding, "Will we succeed? I don't know."

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Categories: Technology

Call of Duty Warzone Season 1 Release Date, File Size for Black Ops 6

CNET News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 17:50
Find out what time you can start playing Season 1 in Warzone and Black Ops 6, as well as how much storage space you'll need for the update.
Categories: Technology

Apple's rumored smart home display might arrive early next year with Apple Intelligence onboard

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 17:36
  • Apple's long-rumored smart home display might arrive as soon as March 2025
  • It could have a six-inch screen and run a new operating system
  • Apple Intelligence could be front and center

There is seldom a shortage of Apple rumors, but one that has been constant – and heating up in recent months – is that the technology giant is planning to release a smart home display. And it makes a lot of sense as Apple continues to push into the smart home – there are already two smart speakers, the HomePod and HomePod mini, major updates to the Home app, and we can’t forget that Apple is part of the smart home standard Matter.

Now, though, it seems Apple is working at a record pace to ready a smart home display. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that “a wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing, and use AI to navigate apps” could launch as early as March 2025. That’s just five months away, and it sounds like a direct competitor to Amazon’s Echo Show 15. It might also be my dream Apple smart home display and a bit better than just a HomePod with a screen.

Gurman shares a bit more about the smart display, which is codenamed J490. As expected, it’ll be a showcase for Apple Intelligence and likely the smarter features of the forthcoming Siri. From a design and hardware standpoint, it’ll come in silver or black and stand as a 6-inch square screen that resembles an iPad with thicker bezels. The report states it’s “about the size of two iPhones side by side” with a built-in camera seemingly for FaceTime calls or home monitoring, speakers, and a rechargeable battery.

(Image credit: Apple)

There is no mention of the processor, but we’d expect it to be Apple Silicon as it will need to power some other sensors, including one that can detect how many people are near the display. This is likely similar to Google’s Soli technology that is used on the Nest Thermostat to adjust what’s on screen based on whether you’re closer to it or farther away.

Bloomberg’s report notes that the operating system is a cross between watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode. This means you’ll likely get dedicated apps and peek into them like widgets. It’s reported that it will run FaceTime, Safari, Music, and Calendar, among others. Of course, it will also be an ideal way to control the smart home, and it is being pegged as a “Command Center.”

As far as interactions go, it will either be touch or hands-free voice through Siri, much like a HomePod or HomePod Mini. The report notes that the smart display was “designed around App Intents, a system that lets AI precisely control applications and tasks” – a feature originally shown off at WWDC 2024 when Apple Intelligence was launched.

Just as Amazon offers several designs for Echos or how Google’s Pixel Tablet can be affixed to a stand, Apple has reportedly made different attachments or bases for the smart display. The report notes that beyond hanging on a wall, there will be bases for placing it on a desk, nightstand, or even counter, and these will offer better sound through additional speakers. It remains to be seen if the wall attachment will be done magnetically to a mount, allowing you to move it around quickly.

Like other smart displays, Apple’s will likely be a standalone device that you set up with an iPhone and sign in to with your Apple Account (formerly an Apple ID) to enable easy data syncing and the ability to hand off things like music or a call.

While this is a stationary, non-moving smart display from Apple, there are also many rumors of an intelligent display attached to a robotic arm that the company is said to be working on. Bloomberg’s latest report notes that it is in the pipeline but farther out and will be much more costly at $1,000. That makes sense, considering it’s a robot. This smart display, which could launch next year, is said to be “far-less” expensive and closer in line with competitors like Amazon’s Echo Show.

(Image credit: Future)

All in all, it feels like it’s about time for Apple to really enter the smart home, and it seems like the company really wants to take a piece of the smart display market from the mainstays. If it’s anything like the HomePod, iPad, or iPhone, we can expect it to offer a premium build with strong audio and a good interface. It would also likely check off the box for a lot of folks who have been waiting for a proper smart home control panel.

Further, it would reinforce Apple’s commitment to the smart home and show that it’s a category that the company sees on its roadmap for the long haul and one that it’ll likely continue to invest in. We also saw rumors this week that Apple is considering developing smart home accessories like cameras, and this report does mention that the development of those could be sped up if the smart display succeeds.

Of course, until Apple announces it’s all but a rumor, so take this with a grain of salt, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the rumored smart display from the Cupertino-based technology giant eventually sees the light of day.

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Categories: Technology

Apple will soon let you share an AirTags location with an airline, and it might make lost luggage a thing of the past

TechRadar News - Tue, 11/12/2024 - 16:58
  • Apple will soon let you share an AirTags location securely with an airline
  • With several airlines onboard, the hope is to help sooner reunite lost baggage with an AirTag inside
  • "Share Item Location" will launch with iOS 18.2 later in 2024

If you’ve ever had an airline lose your luggage, Apple might have announced the best news possible. And this is one that I really wish had arrived months earlier.

As part of iOS 18.2, which is expected to launch in December 2024, Apple is giving AirTags and FindMy a significant upgrade that will likely be music to many ears. You’ll now be able to securely share your AirTags location with a specific person, but more importantly, a business.

With “Share Item Location,” you can easily and quickly generate a shared URL showing the AirTag's location, a map, and the timestamp. Why is this so handy? Well, if you’re already in the habit of having an AirTag in your luggage, and if it goes missing, you’ll be able to share this URL with, say, an airline – like United or Delta, among others – in the hopes of getting it back sooner. The map viewable by the URL will be similar to seeing the AirTag’s location within the FindMy app, and it can be accessed from a browser.

(Image credit: Apple)

In fact, “Share Item Location” is designed for a trusted person or an airline from the ground up, in that Apple is working with many airlines to let a user share this link if a piece of luggage goes missing. Those airlines include United and Delta Airlines as well as Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling as of the time of writing.

As someone whose luggage has been lost, having an airline better equipped to handle and understand an AirTag and the location it pings will be leagues better. The goal here is that the AirTag’s location, as well as technology that airlines already have in place, can help to end lost luggage … or at least make it a faster return.

David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, said in a statement, “We know many of our customers are already traveling with AirTag in their checked bags, and this feature will soon make it easier for them to share location information with us safely and securely, helping our customer service agents work more efficiently and giving our customers added peace of mind. We plan to accept Find My item locations in select airports initially, with the goal of introducing the service systemwide in early 2025.”

It’s great that United is taking the time to integrate “Share Item Location” and the data it will bring into its systems. When this launches in early 2025 for the carrier, they’ll likely be inundated with questions. Delta is similarly excited about the new solution and hopes that it can close the gap.

Beyond individual airlines prepping for this launch of “Share Item Location,” SITA, which runs the global baggage tracing system WorldTracer, is working to build out support for the feature. Considering it’s used at over 2,800 airports around the world, this is good news in the quest to reunite baggage.

Analysis: This is a win for customers

(Image credit: United Airlines/Apple)

One of the biggest frustrations I had when my luggage went missing was that I could see where it was thanks to the AirTag inside, but that also meant I could tell when it was going somewhere that was the complete opposite of what a customer service representative would tell me. I could not share my AirTag’s location outside of screenshots; I just spoke to them or wrote it up in an email. It was frustrating as I had the information and could see my baggage moving the wrong way while I was told something completely different from the airline.

I truly don’t think this feature can roll out soon enough, and while I’d give the same hope as I do when recommending an AirTag is that you’ll never have to use it to track down your lost luggage, at least the airlines will be better equipped to reunite you even sooner. So yes, if AirTags go on sale again for Black Friday 2024, you should get one for every piece of luggage you own.

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