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Articles by Michael Simon
VyprVPN review
I’ve thoroughly tested VyprVPN’s apps and features on both desktop and mobile, and while it’s an intuitive and easy to use product, there are plenty of competitors that offer far better guarantees regarding security and privacy protection – which is crucial for a reliable VPN.
NymVPN Review
The downside of this is that NymVPN is relatively slow and Anonymous mode isn’t fast enough even for standard internet browsing. The service is also relatively expensive at $3.79 per month with a long-term subscription, costing more than most of the top providers, while having a middling network of server locations and currently no support for Smart TVs or routers.
"Military-grade encryption" is meaningless: decoding VPN buzzwords
A stock illustration of a world map with a VPN on it. VPNs are on the rise today, but it can often be hard for consumers to separate what matters from meaningless marketing terms. This guide will provide you with an introduction to some of the most common terms that you can safely ignore, and the details that you should look for instead that mark out the best VPN providers on the market.
The ultimate guide to VPNs: everything you need to know
The best VPNs are valuable for protecting your privacy and can help you get around censorship, protect your data on unsecured, public Wi-Fi connections, and access geo-locked content that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about VPNs and what they can do for you. (Image credit: Pixabay) Section 1: Finding the best VPN What is the #1 best VPN?
If you're in Wisconsin, you should seriously consider using one of these 5 VPNs
A birds-eye view of Minocqua, Wisconsin. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are becoming increasingly popular in Wisconsin, and there are plenty of good reasons to use one to protect yourself online. They encrypt your data and stop anyone from tracking your activity, including advertisers, hackers, and the authorities. This means you can use the internet securely and anonymously.
TunnelBear review
The easy-to-use interface makes it a fair option for beginners, but based on my thorough testing of its apps and features on desktop and mobile, it’s likely to disappoint more demanding users, and there are numerous competitors available that offer more for less.
Working hard or hardly working? Here’s how a VPN can help you this semester in and out of college
A student on a laptop . As a college student, you may be wondering if you really need to cover the cost of one of the best VPNs to protect your device. Our advice is that VPNs are a smart investment for ensuring your privacy and security, but they can also do a whole lot more. A VPN service allows you to encrypt your data and anonymize your internet connection, stopping your network provider (and other third parties) from monitoring your activity.
Can you trust age verification agencies with your data?
Many sites and platforms have partnered with specialist third-party agencies that handle the processing of personal information provided by users to confirm their ages. Many users are worried about the possibility of their information being stored, shared, or used for purposes such as AI training. Given the sensitivity of this information, which can include ID scans, email addresses, phone numbers, and identifying photographs, it’s a reasonable concern.
Proton passes its first SOC 2 Type II audit, verifying its business security credentials
The AICPA logo in a purple ring. Proton, which provides VPN and secure mail services, has passed its first SOC 2 Type II audit. Completed in July 2025, this comes in addition to annual third-party security audits of Proton VPN’s processes. SOC 2 Type II is a widely recognized standard for business security. It confirms that robust systems are in place, and that security processes are consistently followed in practice across the organization.
Windscribe VPN Free review
If there’s one drawback, it’s that you’re limited to 10GB of bandwidth per month (2GB without email verification), which won’t be enough for regular streaming or gaming – though providers like Proton VPN that offer unlimited data for free are few and far between. I’ve thoroughly tested Windscribe Free, looking at Windscribe Free on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS and testing the apps’ connection speeds and unblocking capabilities.
Patreon warns creators: Get ready to pay Apple’s 30% tax
By signing up for our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies.
If you want a new iPad, these Prime Day sales will save you a bundle
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Apple’s iPad ad isn’t heartbreaking destruction, it’s just harmless fun
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
If you need more AirTags, there’s never been a better time to buy
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Another day, another iPad delay–here’s when you can expect to buy one - NewsBreak
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Why Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ Mac event could be a big bore
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Keeper Password Manager Review 2023: Is Keeper Legit?
Our Keeper password manager review aims to dive deep into what’s one of the most popular security solutions on the market. Keeper is a secure and sturdy answer to all your password management needs and you’ll see in our review why you can trust it with all your sensitive documents, media files, and login credentials. With that said, the fact remains that there are a plethora of PW managers claiming to be the best.
The Best Password Manager for iPhone: Top 10 Ranked + Compared for 2023
Password Manager Guides The Best Password Manager for iPhone: Top 10 Ranked + Compared for 2023 The best password manager for iPhone stores your passwords in encrypted vaults away from the reach of hackers and prying individuals. You’ll only have to remember one master password, as logins to everything else, from your online accounts to your bank accounts, and even your media files will be managed by the PW manager.
The Best Password Managers: Top 10 in India Compared for 2023
The best password managers in India offer top-notch encryption and safety measures to keep your passwords safe online from any potential hackers. Using one should be essential, as it also allows you to create unique and hard-to-crack passwords for all of your accounts. As password managers become more and more popular, the market is slightly awash with a ton of different providers, each promising the most cutting-edge features — but who do you trust?
Apple’s first app subscription is here and now we’ll be paying for our devices forever
At long last, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro have arrived for the iPad Pro (and a few other models with M1 and A12 chips, but they’re clearly meant to be Pro apps). The timing is curious–less than a month before WWDC and some eight years after the iPad went Pro–but it’s a welcome announcement that finally puts the iPad Pro on par with the Mac when it comes to professional audio/video work. But they won’t come cheap.
Adobe Lightroom on the Mac can now make your noisy photos much cleaner
I built my dream tiny home on my own property for my daughter – then I was threatened with costs of $1,500 a day
After the latest leaks, we really need to see the iPhone 15 Pro in person
Nobody showed up to a best-selling author's book launch. She called it a 'career low point' but found out she's far from alone.
Take $220 off an unlocked iPhone 14 Pro with AppleCare+ in 1-day sale
Florida Man Gets Drunk at Disney Springs, Warns Police That They ‘Better Hope He Is Never Their Nurse,’ Then His Family Abandons Him
The Apple Watch SE with an S8 chip and Crash Detection is cheaper than ever
A Texas man bragged about stealing $50,000 from a Mexican drug cartel. He was kidnapped less than 2 hours later and is still missing.
Famed Android leaker: iPhone 15 Pro Max will ‘break the record’ for thin bezels
When Apple released the iPhone X in 2017, it described it as having a “stunning all-screen display.” That wasn’t quite true, however. Not only was there a notch at the top for the camera and sensors, but it also had a fairly sizable bezel encircling the entire display. Over the years, Apple has worked to decrease the size of that bezel and according to a new report, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest border ever—for any phone.
Yes, Apple will ‘fake’ zoomed photos on the iPhone 15 too-but how far will it go?
You might have seen headlines this week about the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra taking so-called “fake” moon pictures. Ever since the S20 Ultra, Samsung has had a feature called Space Zoom that marries its 10X optical zoom with massive digital zoom to reach a combined 100X zoom. In marketing shots, Samsung has shown its phone taking near-crystal clear pictures of the moon, and users have done the same on a clear night.
Apple may have just outed its own big spring MacBook surprise
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‘Large new class of bugs’ leaves Messages and Photos vulnerable in iOS and macOS
When you updated your iPhone to iOS 16.3 last month, you got a few new features, including support for the new HomePod, and a dozen security updates. As it turns out, there were actually 15 security updates—Apple just didn’t tell us about three of them until this week.
iOS 16.3 appears to be forcing some users to protect their accounts with 2FA
For most users, iOS 16.3 was an incidental upgrade, bringing important security updates and fixes along with a few new features, including support for security keys for Apple IDs. But some users are reporting a problem connecting to their iCloud Drive and Backup—and the problem appears to be related to two-factor authentication. Apple hasn’t officially responded to the issue, but a few Apple Support Community posts and other online forums outline the problem.
Here’s why everyone is going to want an iPhone 15 Ultra this fall
We’re still about seven months away from the unveiling of the iPhone 15, and if the rumors are to be believed, everyone will be talking about one thing: the iPhone 15 Ultra. Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumored to have the best of everything Apple has to offer in an iPhone. As Apple’s largest iPhone, it’ll have a similar feel to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but everything will be upgraded inside and out.
iOS 16.3 appears to be forcing some users to protect their accounts with 2FA
A Chinese iPhone factory worker says he saw a colleague have his pay reduced for spending too much time drinking water, report says Nicknamed Hunter, he told Rest of World that working at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China felt like he was stripped of his "rights and dignity."
The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro are under $200 for the first time in 2022
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Apple says interest in the ‘richer, larger’ HomePod is at an all-time high
Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy
An original sealed iPhone is expected to sell for as much as 50 iPhone 14 Pros
Retailers are constantly changing their strategies to keep up with the changing shopping habits of customers. Over the last few years, many retailers have decided to close their brick-and-mortar stores and pull out of malls, which were once the heart of American shopping experiences. In this article, we'll be discussing the upcoming closures of several clothing retailers, including Marshalls and H&M, which will begin this week.
The Galaxy S23 is so boring there’s nothing for Apple to improve
For the better part of the past two decades, Apple and Samsung have been fighting to one-up each other with their smartphone releases. Every winter, a Galaxy phone arrives and six months later a new iPhone lands, often with similar features and upgrades to keep pace. In particular, Apple has a habit of taking years-old Samsung features and making them better, as we saw with the always-on display, gesture navigation, face unlock, and even the App Library.
Ex-employee claims Facebook apps can purposefully drain your iPhone battery
If you’ve ever noticed your battery draining abnormally fast while using the Facebook or Messenger app on your iPhone, it might not be a coincidence. According to a former Meta data scientist, the company has the ability to secretly drain users’ Android and iPhone batteries as part of its internal app testing. In an interview with The New York PostGeorge Hayward claims he was fired last November for refusing to participate in “negative testing” while working on the Messanger app.
Brighten your desktop with a whopping $300 off the Apple Studio Display
Apple’s Studio Display is a gorgeous monitor that brings features you can’t find anywhere else, including spatial audio and Center Stage, but it comes at a steep price. Today it’s a lot less as Amazon is selling the Apple Studio Display for $1,300a savings of $299 and the best price we’ve ever seen. The Studio Display is an excellent monitor with a 27-inch 5K Retina display with 600 nits of brightness, True Tone, and P3 wide color.
The next Mac Pro might be more locked down than ever
The Mac Pro is the final Intel Mac in the lineup, but it doesn’t look like Apple saved the best for last. Following reports that the chip wouldn’t be as fast as anticipated and the RAM won’t be upgradeable, the latest rumor from Mark Gurman dumps a bucket of cold water on another anticipated feature: graphics card support.
Siri may soon be able to fill your room with animals and birds
As Apple’s AR headset inches closer to release, the leaks are becoming a full-on stream. After a sprawling report describing the device itself, a new rumor describes a unique system for creating apps—even if you can’t write a single line of code. According to The InformationApple is developing software that will simplify app creation so users will be able to quickly build their own augmented reality apps. So quickly, in fact, that all they need to do is ask.
Siri may soon be able to fill your room with animals and birds
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Brighten your desktop with a whopping $300 off the Apple Studio Display
The main new feature that arrived with iOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 is support for physical security keys. For those that want to take security up a notch, you’ll need to pick up at least two hardware keys, but which ones to choose? Here are the security keys Apple recommends for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. 54 MINUTES AGO
Apple has reportedly given up on another iPhone chip project
A Google employee of 11 years says he and his wife stared at each other in 'disbelief' when they realized they'd both been laid off by the company Ashish Kalsi wrote on LinkedIn he has a two-year-old daughter and was working at Google on an immigrant visa: "The dreaded H-1B countdown has begun."
Apple just updated iOS 12 to patch a critical security flaw
Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy
The 12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro is up to $200 off in all-time low sale
Apple M2 Mac Mini 2023 Review: M2 and M2 Pro Chips Boost This Tiny Desktop Editor's note: Our testing of the new Mac Mini is ongoing and this review will be updated with additional test results and a final rating. Now available in a new, more powerful version, the Mac Mini desktop is one of Apple's longest-standing product lines, dating back to 2005 (in a pre-Intel version), a year before the first MacBook.
Apple confirms the M2 Max still has two ProRes accelerators
A burned-out former CEO takes an $18-an-hour Amazon warehouse job and claims it cured him of depression An article in Business Insider describes the experience of a former CEO and a Facebook and Microsoft exec, Philip Su who was paralyzed by burnout. Su claimed that he was so depressed that he quit his CEO job and decided to take an $18-an-hour Amazon warehouse job. However, he did not need the money.
Rumors: macOS 14 è in arrivo su iPad Pro M2
Questa notizia è di quelle “troppo folli per essere ignorate”. Secondo un’indiscrezione diffusa su Twitter, Apple starebbe lavorando a una “versione ridotta di macOS” che girerà “esclusivamente” sul nuovo iPad Pro con processore M2 in uscita il prossimo anno. Ci sono molte ragioni per essere scettici. Per prima cosa, l’autore della fuga di notizie, Majin Bu, non ha molti precedenti al di là di alcuni leak sulle custodie protettive e sull’iPad da 14 pollici, questo ancora da confermare.
Facebook: più di 400 app hanno rubato dati a un milione di utenti
Il Team di sicurezza di Meta ha individuato un cospicuo numero di applicazioni fasulle che tramite un malware si introducono nei dispositivi Android e iOS rubando le credenziali degli utenti del Social Network Meta sta avvertendo gli utenti di Facebook che decine di “applicazioni mobili dannose” si sono infiltrate nei dispositivi iPhone degli utenti attraverso l’App Store.
9 app pericolose da eliminare subito dal vostro iPhone
Le app per iOS individuate dai ricercatori del team di Human Security generano clic fantasma su annunci pubblicitari truffando gli inserzionisti, e consumano risorse, batteria e traffico dati sugli smartphone degli utenti Mentre si sente spesso parlare di applicazioni Android che si presentano come malware e adware, è raro che app iOS fraudolente riescano a passare attraverso i controlli di sicurezza di Apple.
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