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FCC Rescinds Rules Requiring Telecoms to Secure Their Networks to Prevent Hacks

Michael Kan — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:42:26 +0000

The commission voted 2-1 to roll back an effort to protect US networks from Chinese hackers. Republican Chair Brendan Carr called the previous rules illegal and ineffective.

The Federal Communications Commission is rescinding an effort meant to protect US telecom networks from Chinese hackers at a time when the breaches have been described as perhaps the worst in US history.

In a Thursday meeting, the FCC voted 2-1 to withdraw a January ruling …

How PCMag Tests TVs

PCMag UK — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 23:07:39 +0000

Our television reviews are extensive, combining technical laboratory tests with real-world viewing experience. Come inside PC Labs with lead analyst Will Greenwald to see how we measure light and color output, black level, input lag, and more.

X Lost Record Number of Users After Election Day

Michael Kan — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:25:09 +0000

X saw record traffic after Election Day, but 115,000 people still hit the delete button. X's loss is Bluesky's gain; the site just topped the 15 million user mark, up from 9 million in September.

A record number of X/Twitter users shut down their accounts on Nov. 6, likely to oppose Elon Musk and his vocal support of Donald Trump, who won re-election the day before.

The data comes from internet traffic analyzer Similarweb, which says 115,000 US-based web visitors deactivated their …

Done With Elon? How to Get Started on Bluesky Social

Lance Whitney — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 20:01:42 +0000

Bluesky has seen a surge of sign-ups as people look for a Twitter-like experience minus the toxicity of Elon Musk's X. Here’s how to set up and use an account on this X alternative.

Several social networks have cropped up in recent years, pitching themselves as alternatives to an Elon Musk-owned Twitter. One such network is Bluesky Social, which was backed by former Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey …

Amazon's Temu Killer Arrives, Offering Products for $20 or Less

Michael Kan — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:27:43 +0000

Amazon Haul looks to draw consumers away from Temu, Shein, and AliExpress with 'crazy low prices,' if you're willing to wait a week or two to receive your packages.

Amazon is taking on Temu and Shein by launching a new shopping experience for US consumers that exclusively offers products that cost $20 or less.

The new shopping experience, dubbed Amazon Haul, promises "crazy low prices" on a wide range of goods, …

Amazon Kills Freevee, Migrates Content to Prime Video

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 11:50:08 +0000

Amazon is consolidating its video content in one place to keep things simple. 'A vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members,' the company says.

Amazon is shutting down Freevee, the free ad-supported streaming service that operates under the IMDb brand it owns. The service's content has already been moved to Prime Video, and new episodes of Freevee originals …

Is Netflix Getting More Like Typical TV? 'Over 50%' of New Users Opt for Ads

Emily Forlini — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:02:10 +0000

Monthly active users on the ad-supported plan top 70 million, up from just 5 million in May 2023.

Is Netflix getting closer to traditional cable? More users than ever are choosing to endure ad breaks for a lower subscription price.

Over 50% of new sign-ups for the video-streaming service are for the ad-supported plan in countries where Netflix offers it, President of …

Signal Makes It Easier to Join Group Calls, Adds Support for Up to 50 People

Jibin Joseph — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 11:56:23 +0000

Previously, Signal users had to create a group chat to start a group call. Now, you only have to create a link and share it with invitees.

Signal's end-to-end encrypted platform is introducing new features to improve its group calls.

Previously, Signal users had to create a group chat to start a group call. Now, you only have to create a link and share it with invitees to …

5 Reasons to Shop Before Black Friday (and 3 Reasons to Wait)

Jill Duffy — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000

You're in a better position to shop when you aren't under the pressure of a time-sensitive sale. But if you care most about getting the lowest price, wait for Black Friday. We explain why.

Whether you chase great deals for the adrenaline rush or loathe the capitalistic society that created the "holiday shopping season," there's a good chance that you'll spend money on gifts in the next two months, specifically starting November 29—Black Friday. You might even shop for …

Boost Mobile Touts 5G Network Progress, Adds Sub-$100 5G Phone to Lineup

Rob Pegoraro — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:57:50 +0000

Boost also commits to investing more than $10 billion into its 5G network buildout.

Boost Mobile is continuing its bid for your business with a new round of announcements about its network, its performance, and its phone lineup.

The first point this service—once known as one of Sprint’s prepaid brands—makes: its 5G network "now covers more than 70% of the US population, with coverage …

Man Behind AOL's 'You've Got Mail' Voice Dies at 74

Will Mccurdy — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 18:23:05 +0000

Elwood Edwards reportedly only got $200 for the gig, which eventually led to a small voice cameo on The Simpsons and an appearance on The Tonight Show.

The man behind AOL’s iconic “You’ve Got Mail” message died earlier this week.

Elwood Edwards, 74, is thought to have passed away due to complications related to a stroke he suffered last year, the Associated Press reports. He lived much of his life in …

Did Your Apple Notes Disappear? Here’s How to Fix It

Will Mccurdy — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 15:02:00 +0000

Impacted users may need to resync their phone's connection to iCloud to recover the lost files.

Apple Notes users are reporting a new bug that makes it look like their files have been deleted.

First spotted by MacRumors, the problem appears to be affecting iPhone users who recently accepted iCloud’s revised terms and conditions, though Apple has not confirmed. Those

Australia Moves to Ban Social Media for Kids Under 16

Jibin Joseph — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 17:48:41 +0000

Experts question its effectiveness, citing tools that can circumvent age verification.

The Australian government plans to introduce legislation to ban social media for children under 16, BBC News reports.

According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the new laws will be aimed at mitigating the harm caused by social media platforms, and no exemptions will be made for …

Password-Sharing Crackdown on Max Streaming Service Still Expected This Year

Kate Irwin — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:26:27 +0000

Execs say Max will start the shift in the coming months and ramp up throughout 2025 and 2026.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streaming service Max now has over 110 million subscribers and will start its expected password-sharing crackdown this year, executives confirmed during a Thursday earnings call.

CEO David Zaslav said the company is trying to squeeze extra revenue from existing …

TikTok Forced to Shut Canada Offices Over National Security Concerns

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:10:35 +0000

Canadians won't lose access to the app, but TikTok's offices in Toronto and Vancouver will have to shut down.

Following a national security review, the Canadian government has ordered ByteDance-owned TikTok to shut down its operations in the country.

The decision won't prevent Canadian TikTok users from accessing the app or publishing content, but the firm's offices in Toronto and Vancouver will have to wind down, …

yWriter

Jill Duffy, Gabriela Vatu — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:59:28 +0000

A writing app for data lovers

Rich with stats and heavy on structure, yWriter encourages you to compose scenes rather than chapters because the former are more manageable. It also gives you dozens of places to store details about your work and compiles all this metadata into useful charts and tables. If that level of information …

Look at Me: How to Control Your iPhone or iPad With Apple's Eye Tracking Feature

Lance Whitney — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

The Eye Tracking accessibility feature follows the movement of your eyes as you gaze at the screen, select items, and activate controls.

Most people navigate their iPhone or iPad with their fingers, but Apple recently added eye tracking to its suite of accessibility features, which also support head- and voice-based gestures.

Known as Eye Tracking, this new accessibility option is available in Prime Video.

X-Ray Recaps,

Last Chance: Netflix to Axe Most of Its Interactive Movies, TV Episodes

Jibin Joseph — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:02:48 +0000

The technology, which offers a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' take on popular franchises, 'is now limiting as we focus on technological efforts in other areas,' a Netflix spokesperson says.

If you enjoy watching interactive content on Netflix, you better hurry up. Netflix is pulling the plug on most of its interactive shows and movies on Dec. 1, The Verge reports.

Out of the 24 titles listed on the platform …

Do the Math: 8 Hidden Features in Apple's Calculator App (Now on iPad, Finally)

Lance Whitney — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Apple's Calculator app does more than help you calculate tips. With the latest OSes, it launches on iPad and lets you create a Math Note for more complex problems, among other things.

The Calculator app on your iPhone can be used for more than simple calculations or figuring out the tip. It also has a scientific version, stores a history of past calculations, and can convert currency. Plus, with iPadOS 18, you can finally use the app …

Elon Musk's X Now Lets Blocked Users See All Public Posts

Jibin Joseph — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:15:22 +0000

You now have to make your account private to hide your posts from accounts you've blocked.

X, formerly Twitter, has begun rolling out an update to the Block function that lets blocked accounts view public posts. The update also lets the accounts you've blocked see your "followed" and "following" lists.

"If your posts are set to public, accounts you have blocked …

Looking for Something to Watch? Disney+ Adds Top Ten Feature

Will Mccurdy — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 21:06:04 +0000

The lists will take into account factors like momentum, or which series are seeing the fastest viewership growth.

Disney+ has launched a new Top Ten feature that showcases the most popular shows in your country or territory on a given day.

The recommendations will reflect your account’s settings; it won’t, for example, show more mature content in the Top Ten list of a family account. …

Instagram Launches New Feature To Help Creators Sort DMs

Will Mccurdy — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 19:11:45 +0000

The new feature could help creators sort the spam messages from their next big brand deal.

Instagram has launched a new feature that will help content creators and influencers organize the “message requests” flowing into their inboxes.

The new update will allow users to sort and filter their message requests—messages coming from people they don't follow—according to different metrics. These include the sender's follow count, whether …

DxO ViewPoint

Michael Muchmore — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:10:20 +0000

An indispensable tool for getting photo geometry right

DxO ViewPoint tackles among the more intractable problems in photography—the perspective and geometric distortions that result from using certain lenses (especially wide-angle ones) and capturing subjects at indirect angles. The latest version adds tools for manually correcting specific areas of an image, and we like how ViewPoint works both by …

Turn on the Subtitles: The 37 Best Foreign-Language Shows on Netflix

Chandra Steele — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:33:11 +0000

Friends don't let friends watch English dubs. Settle in for these terrific foreign-language series.

If you've traveled beyond the US offerings on Netflix, you know that the streaming service offers many foreign-language shows that surpass their American counterparts. Plus, they tend to have shorter seasons, so you can go through a series in just a few days.

They're …

The Best Tech for Kids: Our Top Tested Picks for Younger Users

Eric Griffith — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:07:01 +0000

We've tested tons of tech gear for kids, so no matter if you're buying for a toddler or a teen, we've got you covered.

Buying technology for kids can be tricky. For example, my own Star Wars-obsessed 6-year-old wants not only a working lightsaber, but also an upgraded tablet to maximize his abilities in important pursuits, like playing SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit. It's a tall order because, aside from figuring out how to build a …

21 Netflix Tips to Boost Your Binge-Watching

Chandra Steele — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:17:05 +0000

You probably already know how to use Netflix's core features, but we're willing to bet you don't know all these clever tricks and techniques for power users.

When the so-called streaming wars first broke out, Netflix seemed like it was in real trouble for a while. The service garnered criticism for price hikes and, more recently, a password-sharing crackdown. It's also earned a reputation for canceling beloved original …

Russian Court Slaps Google With a $20 Decillion Fine: Here's Why

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:46:26 +0000

If you're hearing that word for the first time, it's because that kind of money doesn't exist on planet Earth and exceeds Google's $2 trillion market value.

A Russian court has slapped a $20 decillion fine on Google for blocking 17 YouTube channels belonging to local TV networks, RBC reports.

The imposed fine is more than Google's $2 trillion market value and the World Bank's estimated global GDP …

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Emit Your Lifetime Carbon Footprint in 90 Minutes

Kate Irwin — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:57:57 +0000

The tech billionaires' private jets and massive yachts produce shocking amounts of carbon emissions, worsening climate change and global pollution.

If just a few billionaires cut back on their carbon emissions, climate change devastation could be stopped in its tracks, a new report from the British nonprofit Oxfam reveals.

"What little carbon dioxide we can still safely emit is being burned indiscriminately by the super-rich," the …

Netflix 'Moments' Lets You Save, Share Your Favorite Movie, TV Scenes

Jibin Joseph — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:27:24 +0000

If you see a clip you'd like to revisit or share, tap the screen and pick the new 'Moments' button.

Want to share a scene from Nobody Wants This with friends? Or bookmark a Bridgerton moment to rewatch later? Netflix's new "Moments" feature lets you do just that.

If you come across a clip you'd like to revisit or share, tap the screen and pick the new …

No Direct Satellite View Needed: Cellular Starlink Phone Gets Signal in Your Pocket

Michael Kan — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:44:06 +0000

'I thought the human body would attenuate more signal,' according to a SpaceX exec who also teased 'light data' for the cellular Starlink service next year.

SpaceX's upcoming cellular Starlink service won’t always need a clear view of the sky to receive a signal. The satellites can communicate with a phone even while it’s in your pocket, according to Ben Longmier, a SpaceX senior director for satellite engineering.

Longmier has been …

Bluesky Readies Subscription Option, Says It Won't Be Like X Premium

Rob Pegoraro — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:22:41 +0000

A subscription will unlock features such as higher-quality video uploads and profile customizations but won't give content extra visibility or reach.

Bluesky, the decentralized alternative to X, will build out an optional subscription model for its more avid users—one that it pledges will not look or work like X’s premium plans that bestow blue checkmarks on paying users.

The …

School Districts Notch a Win in Tech Addiction Case Against Top Platforms

Jibin Joseph — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:11:30 +0000

Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap must face lawsuits filed by school districts that accuse them of creating apps that encourage excessive use, leading to mental health problems.

The top tech companies are poised to spend a lot of time in court in the coming months.

As Bloomberg reports, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers this week ruled that Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap must face lawsuits filed by school districts that accuse them of …

Amazon's Latest Prime Perk Will Help You Save Money on Gas

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 14:33:07 +0000

Prime members can get a $0.10 per gallon discount at select BP, Amoco, and AM/PM gas stations.

Amazon is adding a new perk to its Prime membership: fuel savings.

Prime members can now save $0.10 per gallon at approximately 7,000 BP, Amoco, and AM/PM gas stations across the US, Amazon announced on Wednesday.

There's no minimum purchase requirement (or …

AT&T, T-Mobile Are Not Fans of the FCC's Phone-Unlocking Proposal

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 19:43:40 +0000

Both carriers claim that requiring them to unlock customers’ mobile phones within 60 days of activation will mean fewer deals on subsidized phones.

T-Mobile and AT&T are pushing back on an FCC plan to require cellular providers to unlock customers’ mobile phones within 60 days of activation.

As Ars Technica reports, both carriers submitted comments to the agency this month and said the rules will lead to fewer …

AT&T Plays Catch-Up With Mobile Rivals, Offers Free Trial of Its Network

Michael Kan — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:29:21 +0000

Like similar offers from T-Mobile and Verizon, AT&T's free trial taps the eSIM function on Apple iPhones, allowing people to switch between carriers over a 30-day period.

AT&T is following T-Mobile and Verizon in offering consumers a free trial to test out its network— no credit card or contract required.

The "Try AT&T" program, announced today, allows consumers to test drive the company’s 5G network without ditching their current provider. Importantly, the free …

Chick-Fil-A's Streaming Service to Serve Up Family-Friendly Content on Nov. 18

Jibin Joseph — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:05:49 +0000

The free app promises family-friendly animated originals, podcasts, games, and more.

UPDATE 10/22: Chick-fil-A has officially announced the launch of its new entertainment app, Chick-fil-A Play, which will be available for download starting Nov. 18.

The family-friendly app features original animated shows and scripted kid-friendly podcasts alongside games, jokes, video-based recipes, craft guides, and e-books. It's free and …

See a Fake Online Review? You Can Now Report It to the FTC

Michael Kan — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:26:20 +0000

The FTC's new rules targeting bogus reviews are now in effect, and they're designed to address six different kinds of sketchy activities.

Annoyed by fake online reviews? You can now officially report them to the FTC.

On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission began enforcing rules that ban companies from buying or selling reviews or having employees write fake reviews, among other things. …

Meta Bans Accounts That Track Jets of Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk

Kate Irwin — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:17:26 +0000

Meta claims that sharing existing jet-tracking data poses a risk of 'physical harm' to the billionaires who own the planes.

Two years after plane-tracking enthusiast Jack Sweeney saw his Elon Musk jet-tracking account banned on Twitter/X, Meta has taken similar action against the creator and banned a dozen different accounts across Instagram and Threads.

"Jet tracking on Instagram and Threads got Zucked," Sweeney wrote early Tuesday morning …

Hulu, Disney+ Ditch iOS App Store Sign-Ups

Jibin Joseph — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:43:08 +0000

Disney joins Netflix and Spotify in bypassing the 'Apple tax.' Hulu and Disney+ users are now redirected from the iOS app to their respective websites to buy or renew a subscription.

You can no longer sign up for Disney+ and Hulu via Apple's App Store. The streaming platforms now require customers to purchase subscriptions directly from their respective websites.

Existing Apple-billed subscribers don't have to cancel and resubscribe online, though. According to Disney+ and Hulu's