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Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1307 for Jan. 16.

A few simple tricks can help you reduce at least one cost that's re-triggering inflation.

Consumer prices rose 2.9% in December from a year earlier, marking the third consecutive monthly uptick in annual inflation.

(Image credit: Robyn Beck)

• If you have Care Plus Theft and Loss, it's now $0 for a same-day screen repair on a Galaxy phone.
• Samsung is making this change right before its January 20 Galaxy Unpacked event.
• With the warranty, you'll get unlimited $0 screen repairs at same-day locations.

Whether you already own a Galaxy smartphone or are keenly curious about what may arrive at Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22, 2025, the tech giant has some good news when it comes to its Care Plus warranty program.

For both existing and new Samsung Care Plus Theft and Loss customers with a Galaxy smartphone, it will now cost just $0 to fix a cracked screen instead of $29. That’s a considerable saving for a same-day repair for a cracked screen on a smartphone, and not to mention it’s an unlimited amount. This means that if you happen to crack the screen several times, it will be $0 for the same-day repair to get your device back online.

Considering all of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones feature glass touchscreens, a crack is not only more likely – even with improvements to the structure – but can really take away from the functionality that a phone is supposed to provide. And if it’s an especially tough crack, it can cause trouble for your fingers.

(Image credit: Image Credit: Pixabay)

Depending on your Galaxy smartphone, Samsung Care Plus Theft and Loss can cost between $8 and $18 monthly. However, all tiers now feature unlimited, same-day screen repairs for $0. You’re also covered for backglass repairs, liquid damage, and even theft. Many of the plans also include set-up help and general support.

Furthermore, Samsung also offers Care Plus Theft and Loss for smartwatches and tablets, both of which benefit from this new $0 same-day screen repair. The good news is that while other repair partnerships have stopped, more than 700 Samsung-authorized locations still can perform the repair. This means you can bring in a cracked device with Care Plus Theft and Loss, get it repaired, and be on your way.

It’s likely no coincidence that Samsung is rolling out this new price adjustment for Care Plus Theft and Loss ahead of Galaxy Unpacked, where we expect to see the next Galaxy S family of smartphones – the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra – unveiled.

In fact, in the lead-up to the event on January 20, you can already ‘pre-reserve’ the next Galaxy. We wouldn’t be shocked either to see some type of Care Plus discount be included alongside preorders of the forthcoming smartphone and considering the benefits the extended warranty provides, it’s likely worth the investment.

You can sign up to pre-reserve the next Galaxy here, find the nearest Care Plus authorized location here, and read all about what TechRadar is expecting at the January 20, 2025, Galaxy Unpacked here.

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We found the best elliptical machines for a great cardio workout at home.

The Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 29 this year. NPR wants to know what traditions you uphold to ensure good luck in the year to come.

(Image credit: Nhac Nguyen)

• Unidrive is going for something bigger than the UT2, a TechRadar favorite
• The UP6 has a 10GbE Ethernet Interface and two TB4 ports to deliver up to 8GBps speeds
• It is thought to be the first portable AI tablet NAS (because it has a touchscreen)

In September 2024, we reported how the UnifyDrive UT2 portable NAS device's RAID-configurable storage made it a strong, unique option for creatives against stationary alternatives.

Now, the company has announced the product's latest iteration, the UP6, at CES 2025 (via GlobeNewsWire), offering storage while also leveraging AI to act as a smart assistant for managing it on the go.

The UP6 offers up to 48TB of storage and supports instant file transfer and backup with one-click support for SD, TF, and CFe cards.

Intel Core Ultra processor's AI capabilities

At the heart of the UP6 is an Intel Core Ultra processor, enabling the use of AI features such as natural language search and facial recognition, in addition to handling large, encoded files.

It comes with a 10 GbE Ethernet interface and two 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports, supporting rates of up to 8000 MB/s; that's a transfer of 1TB of data in about two minutes.

The device features a touchscreen HDR display and supports wireless access points for seamless collaboration in locations without internet access.

UnifyDrive claims the device’s AI models that power the NAS drive's search function run locally on the machine.

Bin Yuan, founder of UnifyDrive, noted, “the era of bulky, unattractive, slow, plastic NASes hidden in networking closets is over. The UP6 lets you bring your data with you, offering unmatched portability and power for the most demanding workflows — today and tomorrow.”

“The UT2 has exceeded our expectations as a portable NAS solution that transforms data management for modern lifestyles,” he added.

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Fox is using the Big Game to raise awareness of its free streaming service.

Subscribers can play the award-winning game on Jan. 21.

Ancient DNA reveals that during the Iron Age, women in ancient Celtic societies were at the center of their social networks — unlike previous eras of prehistory.

(Image credit: Miles Russell)

I don't trust you. I like you and I want to share my tech knowledge with you but when it comes to something like flying a drone, I simply won't trust that every random drone owner will follow basic flight safety rules.

But I'm not DJI, the world's number-one drone maker. Arguably the maker of the best drones in the world (its fliers top our best drones list and warrant their own best list), DJI made it clear this week that it fully trusts its drone customers to steer their drones clear of sensitive areas like prisons, airports, and national landmarks.

These so-called no-fly zones are currently GEO-coded into DJI drones, which means the flying cameras would automatically steer clear. They did in the US, at least. Last year, DJI switched those controls off in the European Union, and now it's followed suit in the U.S.

Flying blind

In a blog update posted this week, the company officially switched its "Restricted Zones (or No Fly Zones) to Enhanced Warning Zones. Instead of stopping the drones automatically from flying into an airport, you'll get a warning that you're flying into restricted airspace and, as DJI puts it, the company is, "placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility."

DJI offers many reasons like the rise of a strong drone regulatory structure that didn't exist when DJI first started selling its quadrocopters in the US more than a decade ago. That's true, there are lots of rules, but they're somewhat inconsistent.

For a time, the FAA required everyone flying a drone of nearly any size (250 grams to 55lbs) to get a drone registration (somewhat less stringent than a license). The FAA rule was eventually struck down so that the majority of small prosumer drones no longer need any registration.

I was sorry about this change, because the light-touch registration process taught new fliers about the rules of the road (air). For instance, they could not fly above 400ft, so as not to interfere with aircraft, and they were not supposed to fly in certain zones that included airports.

I took these lessons seriously but also appreciated that DJI technology had my back and would stop me from flying where I shouldn't. The registration also provided a level of accountability. Your registration number was supposed to be affixed somewhere inside your drone so it if was found flying where it shouldn't be, the errant device could be traced back to the careless pilot.

With popularity comes responsibility

(Image credit: DJI)

The allure of a DJI drone is strong: who doesn't want to fly a drone? Few companies have their kind of track record across a single category. I've flown numerous DJI drones over the years and can't name a single dud.

In recent years, the drone maker has been on quite a tear. We got the new Avata 2, a fantastic FPV drone that puts you in the drone flight driver's seat to create incredible fly-through videos. There's the new 3-camera Mavic Pro 3, which might be the ultimate prosumer drone, and now the recently released entry-level DJI Flip that, when folded, looks unlike anything DJI has ever produced.

My point is that DJI has a drone for every taste and flying style. It appeals to an incredibly broad set of consumers. But not every buyer has flown a drone before or understands how to keep them from becoming unintentional weapons of minor destruction.

You think I'm exaggerating? Droves have been reported flying across the flight path of landing and departing commercial aircraft. Even more worrisome is what happened when a drone got in the way of one of the planes carrying life-saving water from a lake to the Los Angeles fires. LA had to ground those planes until they figured out what was going on.

I doubt that the drone pilot was trying to harm the plane or interfere with fire control efforts. They likely wanted the amazing video the drone could capture. But drones in amateurs hands do not belong in those situations, and yet I think DJI's decision will only make such situations that much more likely.

A looming no fly rule of its own

(Image credit: DJI)

When I think about DJI's decision, I have to consider its somewhat tenuous place in the US market. Despite its success, DJI has been the target of a potential US ban for more than a year. It was briefly included in a bill to limit some technology and goods, the Countering CCP Drones Act, because, as a Chinese company, there's concern that the Chinese government could use DJI tech to spy on US interests. While DJI managed to avoid a ban, the company still has to prove to the US government that its technology is not a national security risk.

DJI has fought these allegations from the start, but I almost feel like this new decision is a bit of passive aggression. Yes, DJI made the same change in the EU, but doing so now in the US, especially as we face a change of Executive administration, seems like an especially bad idea.

Unless the purpose was for DJI to say, "We had your back on basic drone safety. Now, see what it's like when we don't."

It's hard to imagine that the decision will curry favor here with US lawmakers. In the meantime, the software update went into effect on January 13, 2025, which means our skies are already a Wild West and less safe than they were last year. It's quite possible that we could soon have all manner of DJI drones buzzing airports, the Statue of Liberty, the US Capitol, and other precious locations.

I have no issue with licensed pros flying in these locales because they've cleared flights with officials. It's those other amateurs flying drones, with a 5-to-8-mile flight range, who will send them buzzing into your territories. We don't need to be swatting away DJI drones like so many flies.

I love DJI drones and I love you, dear drone enthusiast readers, but right now I'm struggling with trust on two fronts.

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As the push toward Windows 11 continues, Microsoft confirms that Windows 10 users will lose support for apps including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Parallels Desktop 20.2 introduce x86 Emulation on Apple Silicon
• It's still an early technology preview, but it could have huge ramifications
• Capable of running with Linux and Windows 10, it could help Apple make further inroads in enterprise markets

In 2020, Apple switched from Intel to its ARM-based Silicon and since then, running x86-based software on its hardware has been challenging.

To help this, Parallels, the virtual machine (VM) software for Mac users, has now released its latest version, Parallels Desktop 20.2, into public preview finally bringing x86 emulation to Apple Silicon.

The launch means developers can run, develop, and test 32-bit Windows apps in a native environment; especially useful for those working with legacy software yet to see ports to ARM-based systems.

A game changer?

By the company's own admission, however, the new version is very much a preview; boot times for Windows VMs range from two to seven minutes, depending on the hardware.

Even after booting, the responsiveness of the system lags, and creating a new virtual machine can take considerable time, up to 30 minutes for Windows and two hours for Linux.

Another major drawback is the lack of support for USB devices. This can be a problem for users who rely on external devices in their workflows, such as printers or scanners.

All virtual machines must run through Apple’s hypervisor and Parallels’ own can't be used, ruling out nested virtualization.

Furthermore, there's currently no sound in Intel-based VMs, and some Windows updates aren't working correctly. The emulator also only supports 64-bit VMs, though 32-bit applications remain compatible with them.

The current limitations makes it clear that this feature is not yet ready for mainstream use, but the potential is there, and I'm rooting for Parallels to iron out these issues so that it can once again become a powerful tool for enterprise users and developers using Macs in the Apple Silicon era.

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It was another day of fierce winds gusting to 65 mph in mountainous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, but weather more conducive to firefighting operations is expected soon.

(Image credit: Valerie Macon)

Lenovo's ThinkPad lineup has always been a significant grouping of offerings for business professionals. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 is no different. It targets professionals who need workstation-grade performance on the go.

The ThinkPad P16 is one of the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops around - ideal for heavy computational and graphical work. Compared to the P16, I view the P16v Gen 2 as a ThinkPad P16 lite. But that's not any official branding; it's just my viewpoint. It's a slightly less powerful P16, but still very much enterprise-focused and workstation-esque.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 starts at $1,791.92 (pre-tax) and quickly scales up to well over $3,500 before any pre-installed software options if you want to max out the hardware offerings.

These and custom builds are available on Lenovo's website, and pre-built models are available in places like Amazon or other computer retailers.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Unboxing and First Impressions

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 laptop comes in the Lenovo packaging, a beefy yellow-tipped Lenovo charger (though you can also charge via USB-C, albeit slower), and other essential documentation. I was immediately reminded of the P16, though the P16v is a bit slimmer and lighter (4.89 lb vs. 6.5 lb).

Another thing that I noticed right away was the port offering and location. I'll discuss this more later, but right off the bat, I was surprised to see a full ethernet port and ports on the back; then again, though thin, this is a workstation. Lastly, I genuinely like the matte black finish on this laptop. It feels professional, and I like it for the same reasons. Though I love some sweet backpack colors, I will always choose black. I love some splashes of color from Apple these days, but I always prefer simple colors. It's clean, goes with everything, and it looks professional.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Design and Build Quality Specs

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 165H to Ultra 9 185H options
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Gen or RTX 3000 Ada Gen
Display: 16” WUXGA (1920 x 1200), IPS, 100% sRGB to 16" WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), IPS, 100%DCI-P3, 60Hz
Storage: 2x 2TB SSD M.2 drives
RAM: 8GB DDR5, upgradable to 96GB .

Unsurprisingly, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 is very similar to the ThinkPad P16 in design, much like the name. The P16v Gen 2 is slimmer and more portable than a ThinkPad P16. However, it still feels relatively robust and like any of the best mobile workstations I've tried, with actual portability in mind. Thanks to the real estate left behind due to the 16" screen, Lenovo could add a full numpad to the right of the entire keyboard, and better yet, it's comfortable to type on.

The port offering on this computer is excellent for the modern employee needing workstation-grade power. There is an SD Card Reader, an optional Smart Card reader, a full-size HDMI port, a USB-A Port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a full RJ45 Ethernet port. What's fascinating and pretty brilliant is that one of the Thunderbolt ports and the Ethernet port are on the back of the ThinkPad P16v Gen 2. This makes it super easy to plug into a Thunderbolt Docking station and/or that ethernet port, both of which you'd want running away from your desk or workspace exactly how they will when plugged into the back of your laptop.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: In use

I've had this laptop in my rotation for the last couple of weeks, and it has been a pretty good computer. It can easily handle my productivity suite of tasks, content creation and video editing, and photo editing. It can handle the 3D modeling software for my 3D printer and all of it at once. I really appreciate the ethernet port and Thunderbolt 4 port on the back, as I could have the not-so-flexible ethernet port run away from my computer when I needed to hardline into the internet at one of my job sites. Whenever I am at my desk, I can easily plug into the docking station I have set up running to my monitors and peripherals.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Another thing worth mentioning is the reliability and usability of the ThinkPad keyboards. While I never want to use the famous TouchPoint embedded within the keyboard, it's handy when I think about using it. On top of that, the typing experience is quite comfortable, even for all-day typing, as I do.

Lenovo has also chosen to utilize the space granted by the 16-inch screen to fit in a numpad. Some laptops, even with 16-inch screens, will just fit the exact size keyboard in the center of the allotted space. Lenovo chose to utilize that space fitting in a full-numberpad. For those who work with spreadsheets, phone numbers, or numbers in general, having a dedicated numpad makes data entry exponentially faster, and that's easy to do with the ThinkPad P16v Gen 2, adding to the allure for the business professional.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Final verdict

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 delivers an exceptional balance of power, portability, and professional features. While it doesn’t quite match the raw performance of the P16, its lighter build and price point make it an excellent choice for professionals on the move who need a reliable machine.

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More than 2,000 cases of Great Value chicken broth have been recalled in nine states.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 585 for Jan. 16.

The Federal Trade Commission and two states accuse Deere of costing farmers time and money by unfairly limiting software access and forcing the use of only authorized dealers.

(Image credit: Seth Perlman)

As invasive green crabs wreak havoc on California's estuaries, a new study has found that a restored sea otter population might be the solution.

(Image credit: Lilian Carswell)

Get a handle on your spending with this popular budgeting app.