Internet Newslinks - Page: 3
| PC World - 16 May (PC World)What’s the first thing you think of when you read the words “web search”? According to market share data, nine out of ten of you would say “Google,” or at least that’s the web search of choice worldwide by a startling 90 percent. Google just rolled out a “Web” search option along with its usual Images, News, Shopping, Maps, etc. tabs. It might just be a big deal.
But wait, isn’t “web search” what you’re supposed to get with a standard Google query, without any need to click on a secondary tab? Yes and no. Google’s official SearchLiason Twitter account explains that the Web tab filters results so that only text-based results will be returned, stripping out images, videos, shopping products, maps, and all the other allegedly helpful modern additions to Google. It’s practically a time machine to when searching the web really did focus on text, without a huge amount of additional context and add-ons.
Crucially, this is also going to strip out a lot of the extras that Google has been building into search in the “All” tab, for reasons both customer-facing and profit-driven. In addition to standard advertising, Google has been sticking more and more modules into search, crowding out conventional text-driven web results. This is only going to get more visible with the new Gemini-driven AI additions Google showed off yesterday at Google I/O.
And standard users aren’t the only ones who are complaining. The adulteration of “pure” text search with auto-generated results keeps Google users on its own search page, and means less traffic going to the pages where the actual information comes from — like the one you’re reading right now, for example. Google’s follow-up Tweet doesn’t directly address this, but it does hint at it.
Website owners and publishers have been sounding the alarm about this for years. In addition to the manipulation of search engine results via SEO algorithm targeting, which has allowed low-quality sites to crowd the top search results, Google and other search engines are now facing a huge uptick in AI-generated text results and fake retailers trying to scam people out of their information. It’s caused an unsustainable drop in traffic to some smaller sites, noted earlier this year in a widely-shared post by HouseFresh.
Some of these woes are caused by people gaming Google results. Some of them are intentional, with Google keeping users on its search page and engaged with its own content instead of going elsewhere on the web. Adding a dedicated “Web” option, to get back to “ten blue links,” as The Verge puts it, testing out the initial results.
Google says that the new “Web” tab is rolling out worldwide over the next two days, and unfortunately I’m not in the initial batch on any of my machines. But The Verge’s testing shows the Web option does indeed scrape out a lot of the distracting extras that have become so integrated with Google that I sometimes repeat my search on Bing or DuckDuckGo just to filter them out.
And I’m in agreement with Sean Hollister that this tool needs to be far more visible in Google’s interface, especially since it’s often tucked away under the “More” button on desktop. It feels more like an afterthought than a solution to some of the problems mentioned above. The fact that we’re getting this info from a couple of Twitter posts, and not a larger feature at Google I/O or even on Google’s search blog, says a lot by omission.
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| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)Microsoft has been trying to get Windows users to adopt machines based on the Arm architecture (the same type of chips that power smartphones and other small devices) for years, with limited success. But the upcoming push in conjunction with Qualcomm might just do it, if a new Dell documentation leak is accurate. The new chips reportedly deliver jaw-dropping battery life.
A leaked internal slideshow and spec list shows Dell’s own testing for laptops based on Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon X architecture. These laptops are coming later this year from a variety of vendors. Crucially, this info includes Dell’s battery life estimates meant to be shared among its own employees — not the usual battery life estimates shared with promotional material, which is often generous as best.
According to the leaked info posted to VideoCardz.com, which has a strong track record for PC industry leaks, a laptop designed with Qualcomm’s SC8380XP system-on-a-chip and a typical HD screen and a 55-watt hour battery managed 20.4 hours of Netflix video streaming. An identical design with Intel parts (the only major difference being the CPU and wireless radio) managed 12.63 hours on the same test.
Two other tests with different parts installed, notably screens from various vendors, showed the Qualcomm laptops handily beating Intel-based hardware every time. Dell’s tests showed between 68 percent and 98 percent battery improvement for the Snapdragon-based laptops. That’s dramatic, but not impossible based on the battery life we’ve seen for some other Arm-based laptop designs, including Apple’s M processors for MacBooks and Chromebooks based on MediaTek and Qualcomm chips.
It’s also not surprising that Arm chips, which have been honed for over a decade to deliver better and better battery life for phones and tablets, would show similar gains for laptop designs. And at this point we should highlight that this information is leaked, not official, though the slides posted to VideoCardz are pretty consistent with leaks we’ve seen before.
Battery life isn’t everything — Arm architecture can create compatibility headaches for some software, and Qualcomm is hoping to finally meet or beat the latest Intel and AMD chips in terms of raw number-crunching performance with the Snapdragon X Elite. Video playback is also a rather subjective metric, and might not translate well to more usual tasks like web browsing. But for users who demand laptops with longevity, it could be a very exciting time to be in the market.
We’re expecting the first Snapdragon X Elite laptops to hit the market sometime in the coming months.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)The difference between the real world and the AI world is a flight of a dozen stairs.
In my basement office, I listened to what Google presented at Google I/O. I heard executives talk about search, Android, and Project Astra: a future multimodal “universal agent” that can understand audio and video, built around versions of Gemini both large and small. One million tokens is a big deal, right?
I guess. But to whom?
What I heard at Google I/O was a future that…is still in the future, for a price that most people can’t afford, and with features that were developed by Google employees for Google employees. It’s a Google that, more and more, seems to have lost the plot.
Everything’s not here yet
For the most part, what Google presented at Google I/O was science fiction. Instead of showing us what the future is, now, Google showed us what it might bring, tomorrow. It’s a future hidden behind jargon, inside developer previews and experiments within Google.Labs — and even then, those experiments aren’t scheduled to actually begin until sometime in the future. Remember, this is a company with a well-established penchant for development ADD, where products go to die when their developers lose interest. Do I think that Google doesn’t believe in AI? Of course not. But I’m not convinced that anything Google showed Tuesday will make its way into the real world, either.
(Remember Google’s ultra-realistic videoconferencing tool, Project Starline? It debuted at Google I/O 2021. Google and HP said this week that it will be commercialized next year.)
Downstairs in my office, everything is amazing. Take Project Astra, Google’s new vision for AI assistants. Someone wanders around the office using AI to ask questions about what the AI is seeing. What bandname would the AI give for a golden retriever and his stuffed chew toy? Explain this code to me, and how this database diagram could be improved.
That’s cool, no doubt. But to whom? Google employees, that’s who. Does Google expect that I’m going to point my smartphone camera at a head of broccoli and ask what to do with it? I hope not.
I might see myself wandering about a woodshop, asking Google what a miter saw is good for, for example. But I certainly wouldn’t trust YouTube to teach me how to use it responsibly. My colleague Michael Crider found some middle ground: using video as a search input, then asking Google for context. That’s a bit smarter.
I understand what Google is going for with Astra — improved visual search — and it is going to debut in the Gemini app for Android this fall, via a feature called Live. I’m just not sure how many people will want to use it. Or when it will actually arrive.
Why do the useful things cost so much?
But it doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel accessible. Is it useful? I’m not sure. That’s why the most meaningful announcement from Google I/O 2024 feels so refreshing: the integration of Gmail and Google’s Gemini AI, to allow you to question (for example) exactly what went on in an email thread. This is what Google was built upon: making search (and later email) accessible, easy, and simple to use. It makes sense!
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.Google
This actually felt useful! But it’s also a premium feature, instead of one that Google could use to lure more customers.Google
Google
Even then, though, there was very little that signaled to me that Google understood that people use its products — people that can’t sit down to a $200 sushi lunch at the drop of a hat.
The Gmail integration, as cool as it sounds, is locked behind a $20/month AI Premium subscription for Google Workspace. A chunk of the Gemini app presentation was devoted to a trip planner. Google Search showed how restaurants could be organized by patio seating and live music. For that matter, Search is now largely organized around “summaries” that tend to ignore the source of the actual information, i.e. writers like me. This all benefits techies with six-figure salaries and stock options.
Most of AI feels…similar. There are LLM chatbots, like Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT. There’s AI art, like Veo, Google’s most advanced video generation model, and Imagen 3, which the company calls its “highest quality text-to-image model yet.” (Those are coming in the future, too, after Google completes its collaborations with people like Donald Glover.)
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.Google
Google’s slowly assimilating more and more of the web in the name of convenience.Google
Google
But you know what the best thing I saw this week was? Something that felt fresh? Even welcoming? The synthesized AI voices that OpenAI showed off in ChatGPT. I know they’re fake. I know they’re designed to play upon your emotions, to make you think that you’re talking to a person. But it works! It feels human. And it’s a return to the early days of AI, when chatbots from Microsoft and others at least seemed real.
At lunch, I walked upstairs to say hello to my wife, who was working. I asked if she would mind paying $20 per month just to make sense of her email. She just snorted. Last night, I showed my 11-year-old son the OpenAI demos, and he wanted to watch every one.
I remember when Google made my life easier. Now I think it’s forgotten how.
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| | | CNet News - 16 May (CNet News)Cable, fiber and fixed wireless broadband providers cover Kentucky’s capital city. Let CNET help you find the best home internet in Frankfort. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | - 15 May ()Thousands of customers have had their credit scores and other personal information posted online as the flood of national data breaches grows. Read...Newslink ©2024 to | |
| | | ITBrief - 15 May (ITBrief)Cloudbrink unveils the world`s first personal SASE solution, merging top-tier Internet security and ZTNA for optimal hybrid workforce performance. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)A virtual private network service, aka a VPN, is one of the best tools you can use to boost your online privacy and security. It tunnels your traffic through a private encrypted server allowing you to keep your online activities anonymous and obscured from prying eyes.
There are a few things you’ll want to consider when looking for a VPN: First, it should be able to keep your internet usage private and secure without leaks. Speed is another factor — privacy and security are crucial, but you don’t want the service to cripple your internet speed either. And if you’re concerned with anonymity, you should seek out a VPN with data collection policies that are clear and transparent. Finally, the number of available servers and country locations a VPN offers is worth bearing in mind if you’re trying to get around region locks in specific countries.
Why you should trust us: Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software, and services since the 1980s. We’re continually testing all of the major VPNs on the market and many lesser-known services in order to curate a list of the very best VPNs across a variety of categories. For a more in-depth guide, you can check out our article on how we test VPN services at PCWorld. Below you’ll find our favorite VPNs and additional information about how we test these services as well as helpful advice about what to look for when choosing a VPN on your own.
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Granted, not everyone wants or needs a premium VPN service—although if online privacy is important to you, we think it should be a priority. You might just want a VPN for occasional use such as when you’re using public Wi-Fi, for instance. If that’s the case, head over to our roundup of the best free VPNs for more recommendations, and caveats about the limitations of using a free VPN.
Updated May 14, 2024: Check out our latest review of ProtonVPN. This excellent VPN from makers of ProtonMail comes with all of the features you could ask for plus good speeds and solid privacy promises. Plus, I was so impressed with ProtonVPN’s free version that I’ve made it my new choice for best free VPN. Read more about why I like this top new pick in the summary below.
ExpressVPN – Best VPN overall
Pros
Excellent speeds
Easy-to-use interface
Unblocks all streaming services
Great security and privacy practices
Cons
More expensive than many competitors
Light on some features for a top VPN
Why we like ExpressVPN
It’s difficult to select the best overall VPN. Some services are weaker on privacy, but are significantly easier to use with tons of features, while others could use a serious interface redesign.
For many years we chose the best VPN based purely on privacy, but that is no longer the sole concern of most people when choosing a VPN. Privacy is important, to be sure, but so are performance, extra features, a wide country selection, and ease of use. ExpressVPN has it all, making it our top choice for VPN. Not only is it one of the fastest VPNs we’ve ever tested, but it also has a very easy-to-use Windows app.
Its servers are all diskless, running everything in RAM—a welcome practice that’s become fairly standard these days. ExpressVPN also has wide device support—recently adding AppleTV to it’s lineup of supported devices, as well as a smart DNS feature for set-top boxes, consoles, and more. It is even branching out from just being a VPN provider to taking a more holistic approach to security for users, adding ad- and tracker-blocking and, most recently, a password manager to the service, as well.
It’s not the cheapest VPN out there, but you do get excellent value for the price, and the service is regularly bringing in third-party auditors to bolster its privacy credentials.
Who should buy ExpressVPN
Since ExpressVPN is our pick for best VPN overall, we think it’s a great option for everyone. VPN novices will find that they can just download the software, choose their server location and connect—it’s as simple as that. But more advanced users will be able to choose from features such as split-tunneling, protocol optimization, and a kill switch.
Also, ExpressVPN in it’s attempt to provide an all-inclusive security suite now offers users ad- and tracker-blocking, parental controls, and most recently, a password manager. Plus, ExpressVPN has one of the most expansive device support networks I’ve ever seen. So users can user the VPN across practically any and all devices they own—up to eight simultaneous device connections.
Read our full
ExpressVPN review
NordVPN – Best VPN for features
Pros
Great feature set
Excellent speeds
No-logs policy
Attractive and intuitive interface
Cons
Expensive
Why we like NordVPN
Just like our top pick, NordVPN is also an excellent choice. Nord is arguably more feature-filled than ExpressVPN even, and the service is just one part of a larger suite of privacy- and security-focused products. The desktop app is very easy to use and offers a ton of different features including access to the TOR network over VPN, multi-hop options, Meshnet, and a security suite complete with ad and malware blocking.
NordVPN has also gone a long way to bolster user trust with a now thrice independently verified no-logs policy and increased company transparency in recent years. The service also carries out vendor assessments and uses diskless servers for increased security. Their speeds are also outstanding, reaching an average of 73 percent of the base internet speed in our test across all servers.
The only reason we placed Nord second is due to the price of the service, which is more expensive than ExpressVPN for a similar feature-set. Still, you can’t go wrong if you decide to go with NordVPN as your VPN of choice.
Who should buy NordVPN
Similar to ExpressVPN, we think NordVPN is truly a solid option for everyone. It comes with an excellent feature set that will appeal to power users as well as an easy-to-use app that is intuitive and straightforward. Also, just like ExpressVPN, there will be no problems accessing any geo-restricted streaming service while using NordVPN.
Additionally, for those who don’t want to bother subscribing to a lot of different security apps, NordVPN offers its own security features such as malware protection, ad- and tracker-blocking, and file-download protection.
Read our full
NordVPN review
Mullvad – Best VPN for privacy
Pros
Good speeds
Inexpensive monthly plan
Unrivaled anonymity
Open-source
Cons
Struggles with unblocking streaming services
Smaller server network
Lacks some extra features that other VPNs offer
Why we like Mullvad
As Hotspot Shield is to speeds, so Mullvad is to privacy and anonymity. We’ve never seen another VPN that actively resists knowing who you are the way Mullvad does. Mullvad doesn’t ask for your email address, name, or anything else. Instead it assigns a random account number that acts as your identifier and login.
Mullvad accepts payments using standard methods such as credit cards and PayPal, but you can also mail your payment in cash to remain as private as possible. Mullvad has a no-logging policy and doesn’t collect any identifying metadata from your usage.
Mullvad is also fast, ranking among our top five for speeds.
Who should buy Mullvad
Mullvad is all about privacy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a more than capable VPN for any user. But the ultra-privacy conscious will find the most to like in its anonymized payment system, commitment to not collecting metadata, and strong privacy promises. I did find some hiccups when trying to access streaming services, so users who want their VPN to bypass location-restricted content may want to look elsewhere.
Read our full
Mullvad review
IVPN – Best VPN for privacy runner-up
Pros
Excellent speeds for its U.S., UK and European servers
Interface is easy to understand
Default WireGuard protocol connects quickly
Cons
It’s on the expensive side at $100 per year
Server network is under 100 servers
Best Prices Today:
$6 at IVPN
Why we like IVPN
Coming in behind Mullvad is IVPN. This Gibraltar-based VPN recently moved to dumping email-based identifiers and going with randomly assigned account numbers instead. Similar to Mullvad, it accepts a variety of payment options for privacy including cash, as well as the standard credit cards, PayPal, and other options like Bitcoin and Monero. IVPN doesn’t rank as one of our fastest VPNs, but it does have acceptable speeds for most casual uses.
Another option is OVPN. This VPN doesn’t go to the levels that Mullvad and IVPN do, but it does only require a username and password to create an account. OVPN doesn’t require an email address, though you can add one as a backstop for account recovery should you forget your password. OVPN doesn’t rank in our top 10 for speeds, but it’s just outside the top performers at number 12.
Who should buy IVPN
IVPN will mainly appeal to those concerned with privacy. Similar to Mullvad, it has an anonymized payment system and further obfuscates user IDs via randomly assigned number instead of emails. Not to mention that it has a strong privacy policy as well.
Read our full
IVPN review
Hotspot Shield – Fastest VPN
Pros
Very fast
Large country selection and plenty of servers
Cons
Domain visits are recorded, though not tied to you
Expensive
Why we like Hotspot Shield
While our pick for best overall VPN, ExpressVPN, boasts above-average speeds, Hotspot Shield is on another level. No other service comes close to hitting the speeds we’ve seen with this service. This isn’t just a one-off occurrence either; Hotspot Shield has consistently been at the top with speeds that are 12 to 15 percentage points above the competition. In our tests, Hotspot Shield maintained around 67 percent of the base speed. That’s substantially faster than you’ll see with most VPN services—though your experience may vary.
On the downside, Hotspot Shield doesn’t allow for a way to pay anonymously and its privacy policy may not sit well with some. Still, Hotspot Shield has excellent speeds, it’s desktop application is very nice, and as a bonus it works with U.S. Netflix.
Who should buy Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is for those looking to maintain the fastest connection possible with the minimum loss of base speed. In the past it was far and away the fastest VPN we had ever tested, but in recent years other services seem to be catching up.
Regardless, it is still one of the best around if connection speed is your main concern. We also found that it can access location-restricted content on most major streaming services. This, combined with it’s excellent speeds makes it a good option if you mainly use a VPN to access streaming content.
Read our full
Hotspot Shield review
Private Internet Access – Best VPN for split-tunneling
Pros
Independently verified no-logs policy
Unlimited simultaneous device connections
Incredible number of servers
Great extra features such as multi-hop and split tunneling
Cons
App panel awkwardly located on the lower-right corner of screen by default
Speeds are just okay
Best Prices Today:
$11.95 at Private Internet Access
Why we like Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) has been around for awhile and has demonstrated that it can continue to innovate and improve with each passing year. The latest version of PIA is no different. By updating its service to include unlimited simultaneous device connections it has improved upon an already solid VPN.
But the real feature that stands out with PIA is its split-tunneling feature. While this is a common feature in most of the services on this list, PIA goes above and beyond. Not only does it allow users to pick and choose which apps they wish to run through the VPN, but it also allows them to designate IP addresses and DNS requests as well. It even comes with the option for an app-based kill switch, which will block traffic only on specific apps should the VPN connection break.
There are a few awkward interface issues and PIA isn’t the fastest service we’ve ever tested. But neither of these issues makes the service any less viable.
Who should buy Private Internet Access
PIA is continuing to establish itself, along with the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN, as one of the best VPNs around. I think it can be a great VPN for all users. However, where PIA really shines is in its extensive customizable feature set. Power users and those who like their apps to be customized to their individual needs will especially love all of the tweaking that this app allows you to do—even outside of just split-tunneling.
Read our full
Private Internet Access review
AirVPN – Best VPN for torrents
Pros
Excellent speeds
Detailed real-time information about the network
Good pricing with many subscription options
Cons
Team is largely anonymous
Why we like AirVPN
Torrents get a bad rap, and if we’re honest, that’s for good reason. Using torrents is the number one way to download pirated material including movies, TV shows, music, and games. But that’s not all there is to torrenting. It’s a very efficient way to download legitimate software such as Linux distributions and authorized content from sites such as BitTorrent Now.
Whatever your reasons, when it comes to torrenting, a VPN makes it easier—especially if the network you’re on blocks torrenting. There are many VPNs among our top picks that could be used for downloading torrents, but our preferred choice is AirVPN. This no-frills VPN has a reasonable number of servers and country locations, really good speeds, excellent network transparency, and a focus on user protection. The price is also right at about $58 a year.
Who should buy AirVPN
As AirVPN allows for P2P connections on all of its servers, it’s a great option for those who want to use their VPN to remain anonymous while surfing the web or torrenting. It also uses diskless RAM servers so data is only kept for as long as you’re actively using the VPN itself. Plus, AirVPN’s small team of dedicated hacktivists and privacy advocates are committed to putting user privacy and security at the forefront. This means that it’s ideal for privacy-conscious users.
Read our full
AirVPN review
CyberGhost VPN – Best VPN for server locations
Pros
Easy-to-use interface
Independently verified no-log policy
Seriously impressive server spread
Cons
Lacks some common features such as multi-hop and double VPN
Server speeds are hit-or-miss, especially in Asia
Why we like CyberGhost
If you want variety and options in the server locations from your VPN, then there are none better than CyberGhost VPN. It offers a staggering 9,000+ servers for users to connect to, which is more than twice as many as top-pick ExpressVPN. Unlike some competitors, these servers aren’t all concentrated in the U.S. or Europe, either.
The server spread totals 110 countries all across the world. The service even recommends optimized servers to users for various needs such as gaming, streaming, and torrenting. In our testing we found that some of the servers were faster than others, with servers located in Europe having excellent speeds and servers in Asia not fairing as well. But overall, the speeds are good enough to do most of what you want to do with a VPN—web browsing, streaming, etc.
CyberGhost also has a well-designed Windows app that is intuitive and easy to use, even when tweaking your settings. It lacks some of the power-user features that other VPNs on this list provide, but that shouldn’t be a deal breaker for the average user. Ultimately, CyberGhost is a straightforward and easy-to-use VPN service with an incredible number of server locations.
Who should buy CyberGhost
Due to it’s plethora of servers and locations, CyberGhost is one of the best options to find a server no matter where you need it in the world. For those who travel a lot or just need access to a diverse and vast server spread, CyberGhost is definitely worth consideration.
Read our full
CyberGhost review
Surfshark VPN – Best VPN for multi-hop
Pros
Unlimited simultaneous device connections
Works well with Netflix
Built-in extras such as ad tracker and malware blocking
Low price on long-term plans
Cons
Indicators for ping or server load are not readily available
Based in the Netherlands and subject to government data sharing requests
Why we like Surfshark
For those who might not be familiar with multi-hop, it allows you to route your traffic through more than one external server (i.e. connect to a server in Japan, but multi-hop through Singapore). This makes it more difficult to track your online activities and further obfuscates your actual location.
While many VPNs now offer multi-hop as a feature, Surfshark stands out by allowing users to either choose a predetermined route or create their own multi-hop route. Furthermore, Surfshark is working to implement its Nexus VPN network which will use a Dynamic Multi-Hop feature to automatically connect you to the fastest available entry and exit servers at any desired location. This should further optimize connection speeds across the board. So not only does Surfshark already have one of the best multi-hop features, but it is also set to improve by leaps and bounds in the near future.
Who should buy Surfshark
Surfshark is a great all-around VPN option, as well, for most people. That being said, power users and those concerned with optimizing anonymity will get the most from Surfshark VPN’s unique multi-hop functionality and rich, customizable feature set.
Read our full
Surfshark review
AVG Secure – Best VPN for novices
Pros
Good speeds
Allows an excellent 10 simultaneous connections
Cons
Does log some data
No real customizability for power users
Why we like AVG Secure
If you want something that’s all about ease of use then AVG Secure is a good choice. First, it comes from a known and trusted security company, so there are fewer worries about data security than with one of the independent services.
The key thing with AVG Secure is that the interface is easy to understand and use. It has a big “Change location” button to help you select the country you’d like to appear to be in. The app also tells you what your current IP address is and how long you’ve been connected to the VPN. That’s pretty much it. This VPN also works with streaming services and it has P2P servers. One thing it doesn’t have is a lot of extra features, which is actually perfect for anyone looking for a no-frills VPN.
Who should buy AVG Secure
Those new to the VPN game will find a lot to like with AVG Secure. It’s dead-simple to use and the interface is designed in a way that is intuitive even for novices.
Read our full
AVG Secure review
Windscribe Pro – Best budget VPN
Pros
Simple setup
Good performance
Great free plan
Cons
Tricky security track record with 2021 server incident
Slow loading of browser extension
Why we like Windscribe
Choosing the best VPN for you can often come down to price. Windscribe Pro is one of the cheapest premium services around at about $5 per month (when billed annually). It is also really easy to use and offers great security, with both a Windows client and browser extension that work in tandem to keep your browsing private and pop-up free.
Windscribe also allows you to pick and choose the features that you want via a build-a-plan system allowing for great versatility to meet each user’s needs. Windscribe’s free option is itself fine to use, and is a good test run before deciding on a paid tier.
Who should buy Windscribe
Windscribe is great for people who are new to VPNs or just need a VPN service for a short period of time. Those who have never used a VPN can use Windscribe’s free option to play around and start getting used to using a VPN service. Alternatively, if you only need a VPN for a little bit then Windscribe Pro’s low monthly price means you don’t have to pay much to use it in the short-term.
Read our full
Windscribe Pro review
ProtonVPN – Best free VPN
Pros
Excellent free plan
Great privacy tools
Reliable and transparent no-logs policy
Cons
Expensive
Best Prices Today:
$9.99 at ProtonVPN
Why we like ProtonVPN
If you’re looking for speed and top-notch privacy in a free VPN then ProtonVPN is an excellent choice. Many free VPNs come with either ridiculous limitations or annoying ads. Mercifully, ProtonVPN has no ads and the restrictions are fairly tame compared to other services. For the low low cost of nothing, you’ll get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located in Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the U.S. In my testing I also found that speeds were very good even with the free version, ranking in the top 10 of all VPNs, paid or free.
The VPN is from the same company behind ProtonMail, a privacy-focused email service, and those same values are carried over to the VPN as well. The company has undergone an independent audit confirming its no-logs policy — which extends to the free VPN as well. Overall, you get a lot for paying nothing and this easily makes it our favorite free VPN.
Who should use ProtonVPN
Whether you opt for the free or paid version, ProtonVPN is a good option for anyone. The free version specifically will appeal to those on a tight budget, or those who just need a VPN to do the occasional online task safely and securely online. Since there are no monthly data limits on Proton’s free VPN servers, it’s also an excellent option if you want to stream videos while using a VPN — just be aware, the free servers don’t promise to work with Netflix like some of Proton’s paid servers do.
Read our full
ProtonVPN review
PersonalVPN – Best U.S.-based VPN
Pros
Reasonably priced
Fast servers in many locations around the world
Good for power users and novices
Cons
Not a lot of extra or specialized features
Tiered pricing has odd choices for premium features
Best Prices Today:
$50 at WiTopia
Why we like PersonalVPN
If you want a VPN based in the good ol’ USA, we recommend WiTopia’s PersonalVPN. The speeds are good, the price is right, and the app is very easy to use. It’s true that a lot of VPN review sites stress the importance of having a VPN that’s outside of the so-called Five Eyes countries, which includes the U.S.—some will even say to avoid the Fourteen Eyes. The idea being that if you use a U.S.-based VPN your activities may end up being secretly monitored by Western authorities. Edward Snowden revealed such truths back in 2013.
But if you’re using a VPN to access your accounts for Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other U.S.-based service, then staying outside the Fourteen Eyes is more or less pointless. Sure, that VPN with an exotic locale may be able to easily ignore U.S. subpoenas for data, but the American online services you use are another story. Besides if an American VPN does you wrong, it’ll be a lot easier to hold it to account than one based in Singapore, or even Sweden.
Who should buy Personal VPN
Users concerned with entrusting their private online activity to a company in another country outside of the U.S. should consider PersonalVPN. You won’t be losing out on much by using this service rather than another VPN and you can rest assured that your data is being handled by a reliable company located domestically.
Read our full
PersonalVPN review
What to look for in a VPN
One of the first things you should look for when shopping around for a VPN is the number of servers and locations. It’s difficult to judge any VPN by just one feature, but a semi-reliable way to tell if a VPN is even worth your time is to look at the server network. Anything with 1,000 or more servers and 30 or more country locations will do.
The next thing to consider is a VPN’s speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons for a more accurate picture.
You’ll also want to read up on a VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these will give you an idea of whether or not a VPN is transparent with its data collection policies and if it’s subject to government data sharing requirements.
Other factors you’ll want to take into consideration are the overall ease-of-use, user experience, and any additional features. Some of these features, such as split-tunneling and kill switches, can be extremely useful for certain purposes and might sway your subscription decision one way or the other.
Finally, as with all subscription services, you’ll want to review the price of a VPN service. Do you want a monthly or yearly subscription? Some top VPNs might be pricey month-to-month, but actually become quite affordable with long-term plans.
How we tested
We judge VPNs on a variety of criteria including server network, connection speeds, privacy protections, ease-of-use, additional features, and cost. For a more detailed guide on how we test, check out our comprehensive guide on how we test VPN services.
Speed tests are kept as simple as possible. We average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to our baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds. We thoroughly research and analyze the privacy policies and histories of each VPN and note any outstanding discrepancies or data collection issues.
Experience and ease-of-use are subjective, but we try our best to give an accurate representation of how it feels to work with the VPN. And finally, we compare the value of the service based upon its price and additional features to the industry average to help you gain an accurate picture of what you’ll get for your money.
Other notable VPNs and security suites
There are many more worthwhile VPNs than just our favorites listed above, including AVG Internet Security, CyberGhost, ESET Security Premium, FastestVPN, Hide.me, HMA Pro 4, OVPN, Trend Micro Maximum Security, Windscribe Pro, Perfect Privacy, PrivateVPN by TrunkSpace Hosting, PureVPN, Speedify 10, VPNCity, ClearVPN, Malwarebytes Privacy, TorGuard, VeePN, AceVPN.com, and SurfEasy.
We’ll keep evaluating new ones and reevaluating services we’ve already tested on a regular basis, so be sure to come back to see what else we’ve put through their paces.
FAQ
1.
What is a VPN?
VPNs create a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. You connect to a VPN server, which can be located in the United States or a foreign country—say, France or Japan. Your web traffic then goes through that server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location, and not from your actual location.
When you’re using a VPN, it’s difficult for others to snoop on your web-browsing activity. Only you, the VPN service, and the website you’re visiting will know what you’re up to.
A VPN can be a great response to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations.
2.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
Yes! It is perfectly legal in most countries, including the United States, to use a VPN. While using a VPN, you might find some websites that try to block your connection, but this is an individual website’s use policy and has nothing to do with the legality of the VPN itself. One thing to note though, while it’s legal to use a VPN, some of the activities done while using a VPN might be illegal. Such things as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are illegal whether you use a VPN or not.
3.
Do VPNs protect against malware and computer viruses?
No, a VPN connection itself does not protect you from malware and computer viruses. It does however encrypt your internet traffic and keep prying eyes from accessing your browsing history.
Some VPN services, such as Nord VPN, do however provide additional security features such as ad and malware blockers. Additionally, many antivirus suites now offer VPN services along with their security features. Although VPNs and antivirus software are used for different purposes, there is still a degree of overlap that makes using both tools together beneficial.
4.
Will a VPN affect my internet speeds?
Most likely you will see a moderate speed decrease to your internet while using a VPN. This is mainly due to the process of your internet traffic being rerouted and encrypted through a VPN server before heading on to its destination. The amount of latency you will experience through this process is down to what country’s server you choose to proxy your traffic through. If you choose a server located on the other side of the world, then you will notice a much greater hit than if you were to connect to a server nearby in your same country.
Thankfully, most modern VPNs should have the infrastructure to maintain high-speed, secure data transfer rates. So it’s likely you can still browse and stream with no noticeable impact while using a reputable VPN like those listed above.
5.
Will a VPN make me anonymous online?
Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just turning on your VPN and disappearing off grid. While VPNs certainly offer better privacy and security, they don’t make you completely anonymous. There are a mindbogglingly number of ways that companies track you across the internet and a VPN isn’t capable of blocking all of them. For example, when you sign into a website, your identity is revealed to that website. Or when you log into your Gmail account while using a VPN, Google can now collect cookies based on your browsing.
6.
How many servers should my VPN have?
There is no set number of servers that make one VPN better than another. However, most major VPN providers offer between 3,000 to 5,000 servers. Also, we recommend avoiding any paid services whose providers have under 1,000 servers as this may be an indication that the company is not yet well established, meaning that there is a higher chance for reliability issues.
It is common for VPN providers to advertise the number of servers they have, but this is largely a marketing gimmick and doesn’t generally equate to the quality of the VPN provider itself. Things such as the spread of server locations and server quality are as important, if not more so, than the number of available servers.
Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new features and performance improvements over time, our reviews are subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the services.
Personal Software, Security Software and Services, VPN Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | BBCWorld - 15 May (BBCWorld)The internet outage in East Africa highlights the fragility of the continent`s online connections. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)USB-C is the one connection to rule them all—literally, in many cases, thanks to a recent law passed by the European Parliament. Its popularity has made USB-C a common sight on new monitors. A USB-C monitor can act as USB hub, giving you additional ports for connecting various USB devices, but the monitor’s USB-C port can also serve as a video-input alternative to HDMI or DisplayPort; and some USB-C monitors can even charge a connected device while in use.
The details of USB-C can be confusing, however, and pricing for USB-C monitors is often higher than that for monitors that lack the interface. See our buyers’ guide below our recommendations to better understand the nuances.
For even more monitor recommendations, check out our roundups of the best monitors and the best monitors for a home office. And while you’re at it, check out our list of best monitor arms so you can optimize the ergonomics and comfort of your desk setup while viewing that brand new monitor.
Updated May 14, 2024: Check out our review of the BenQ PD3225U, which offers the complete package: an impressive 4K IPS Black panel, great brightness, impressive color gamut and color accuracy, loads of image quality customizations, and USB-C support as well as a full complement of ports, mitigating the need for an expansion hub or dongle. Of course, with all this goodness, it’s no surprise that it also comes at a premium price.
Dell Ultrasharp U2724DE – Best USB-C monitor overall
Pros
Attractive and functional design
Class-leading Thunderbolt and USB connectivity
IPS Black improves contrast
120Hz refresh rate
Cons
Most competitors offer 4K resolution
No HDR support
Adaptive Sync has some caveats
The Dell U2724DE Ultrasharp has exceptional connectivity that caters to a mix of office productivity, gaming, and multimedia use. It supports Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, Ethernet, and video-out. It also provides up to 90 watts of Power Delivery over USB-C for charging a connected laptop or tablet.
Dell employs a new type of display panel called IPS Black, which achieves a better contrast than past IPS panels. It enhances the monitor’s depth and immersion which, though not able to conquer OLED or Mini-LED, is better than average for its category. The monitor scores high marks in color accuracy and offers a wide, vibrant color gamut.
The most surprising feature is the monitor’s 120Hz refresh rate. Boosting the refresh rate improves motion clarity and fluidity in 3D games. It also makes the Windows desktop feel more responsive. Very few competing USB-C monitors have a 120Hz (or better) refresh rate, and those that do lack the U2724DE’s range of connectivity.
Dell makes a couple sacrifices to achieve a refresh rate of 120Hz. It sticks to a modest display resolution of 2560×1440 instead of 4K (3840×2160). HDR is missing, too. Those willing to sacrifice the 120Hz refresh rate for 4K resolution and HDR should consider the U2724DE’s predecessor, the U2723QE.
Dell’s U2724DE carries a reasonable MSRP of $649.99 which, though not inexpensive, is good value for the monitor’s many features. It’s a great USB-C monitor for work and play.
Read our full
Dell U2724DE review
BenQ GW2790QT – Best budget USB-C monitor
Pros
Attractive and ergonomic design
Sharp, bright image
Includes USB-C and DisplayPort-out
Acceptable built-in speakers and microphone
Cons
Mediocre image quality
No HDR
No Adaptive Sync
Best Prices Today:
$279.99 at AmazonNot Available at Adorama
The BenQ GW2790QT is an inexpensive monitor that doesn’t skimp on USB-C. Though priced at just $300 (with occasional drops to $280 on Amazon), it features a USB-C port with 65 watts of Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which makes it possible to connect and charge a laptop or tablet.
It also has HDMI, DisplayPort, three USB-A 3.2 downstream ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It even includes DisplayPort-out, a rare feature that simplifies cable management by enabling daisy-chaining to a second monitor.
That’s not all. The GW2790T has built-in speakers and a microphone, which makes it an all-in-one video conferencing display. The microphone admittedly isn’t the best, but it’s fine for video conferencing.BenQ throws in an ergonomic stand with adjustments for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. The stand’s sturdy base ensures the monitor remains securely in place on your desk. It also has a unique cut-out that can be used as a smartphone or tablet stand.
The GW2790T’s many strengths are offset by a couple downsides. It lacks gaming-oriented features like AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync, and it doesn’t support HDR. These missing features make the GW2790T less useful for entertainment, but it’s a go-to pick if you want an affordable USB-C monitor for your office.
Read our full
BenQ GW2790QT review
Viewsonic ColorPro VP16 OLED – Best portable USB-C monitor
Pros
Versatile, useful stands
Good connectivity, cables included
Numerous image quality customization options
Top-tier image quality even at default settings
Cons
Speakers are included, but weak
Pricey for a portable monitor
No HDR
Best Prices Today:
$399.99 at Amazon
The Viewsonic VP16-OLED is a remarkable portable OLED monitor that brings together top-notch image quality, USB-C connectivity, and an innovative stand design.
The monitor’s 15.6-inch 1080p OLED panel delivers exceptional color accuracy, gamut, and contrast. It surpasses many full-sized OLED monitors and nearly all portable monitors. This makes it a great choice for productivity, though it also looks excellent when viewing movies or playing games.
The VP16-OLED’s stand can be used as a kickstand or expanded to hold the monitor upright, making it ideal for professionals who want to maximize their workspace or need improved ergonomics. The stand includes two USB-C ports, both of which can provide power and video input to the monitor, and a micro-HDMI port for compatibility with non-USB-C devices. The monitor includes all the necessary cables as well as a USB-C power brick.
There is a drawback: the cost. The Viewsonic VP16-OLED’s MSRP of $399.99 is expensive for a portable monitor. However, if you place a high value on image quality and want the best monitor for your portable office, the Viewsonic VP16-OLED is an excellent choice.
Read our full
Viewsonic ColorPro VP16-OLED review
Asus ProArt PA348CGV – Best ultrawide USB-C monitor
Pros
Excellent SDR image quality
Sturdy, hefty design
Wide range of customization
120Hz refresh rate
Cons
USB-C hub lacks video-out or ethernet
HDR is merely passable
Best Prices Today:
$899.99 at Amazon
The Asus ProArt PA348CGV is a spectacular ultrawide USB-C monitor. It manages to serve a huge range of people, from gamers to prosumers and professionals, without letting anyone down.
This monitor has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 90 watts of Power Delivery, so it can charge a connected laptop or table. The USB-C port can drive up to four additional USB-A ports, offering a wide range of physical connections. It doesn’t support ethernet or video-out, however, so some owners will still need an additional adapter.
Image quality is superb. Color accuracy is excellent, the color gamut is wide, and maximum brightness is high. The monitor’s 34-inch panel has a resolution of 3440×1440, which is roughly equivalent to a 27-inch 1440p monitor and looks sharp in everyday use. The monitor has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which is good news for gamers.
The ProArt PA348CGV is reasonably priced, as well, at $729.99—not a bargain, but lower than most ultrawide monitors with similar features. Its price, wide range of features, and excellent image quality make the ProArt PA348CGV a great USB-C monitor for gamers and content creators.
Read our full
Asus ProArt PA348CGV review
Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW – Best super-ultrawide USB-C monitor
Pros
Excellent build quality and stand
Lots of connectivity including USB-C
Easy-to-use menu with numerous options
IPS Black improves contrast ratio
Cons
Image quality is mediocre overall
No HDR or Adaptive Sync
Expensive for its feature set
Best Prices Today:
$1,296.91 at Amazon1359.99 at Dell$1359.99 at Dell Home
The Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW is the best super-ultrawide monitor with USB-C. It offers outstanding USB connectivity, functioning as a USB-C hub with a total of six downstream USB ports (four USB-A, two USB-C) plus Ethernet and audio-out. The USB-C port also supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode and provides 90 watts Power Delivery, letting users connect and charge a laptop or tablet over a single USB-C cable. This eliminates the need for a separate USB-C hub or dock which, in turn, reduces cord clutter behind your desk.
Dell’s U4924DW is a curved ultrawide but has a less aggressive curve than alternatives focused on gaming, which in turn makes it more suitable for work tasks. It also benefits from a sturdy, elegant design, a small yet effective stand, and VESA mount compatibility for both 200x100mm and 100x100mm mounts. The monitor also supports picture-by-picture and picture-in-picture modes that let users view two input devices at once. It’s perfect for use in either a home or corporate office.
Image quality is solid, but the monitor has a mediocre 60Hz refresh rate and lacks support for HDR. The lack of these features is surprising given its $1,999 price point. Still, the U4924DW is a wise investment if you care more about productivity than gaming and entertainment.
Read our full
Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW review
LG DualUp 28MQ780-B – Best USB-C monitor for productivity
Pros
Unique aspect ratio is useful for photo, video editing
Makes an awesome second monitor
Highly adjustable stand
Vivid, accurate color
Cons
Difficult to fit in a small home office
USB-C port offers limited downstream connectivity
Can lack immersion in some content
Best Prices Today:
$629 at Amazon$699.99 at LG
The LG DualUp 28MQ780-B is a USB-C monitor with a unique 16:18 aspect ratio that’s almost exactly square. It can rotate into a 18:16 aspect ratio if you’d prefer. The monitor is much taller than most monitors and, as a result, has an adjustable stand that clamps to the rear of your desk instead of a normal desktop stand.
The monitor’s odd form factor is ideal for viewing large, complex documents and can be useful for editing portrait or square photos. It’s also well suited for use as a second monitor alongside a large 32-inch display.
The DualUp 28MQ780-B has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts of Power Delivery, so it can charge a connected laptop or tablet. The USB-C port can extend connectivity to two additional USB-A ports. Unfortunately, the monitor lacks ethernet or video-out, so some owners may need an additional adapter.
What about image quality? It’s great. The monitor has great color accuracy, a wide color gamut, and respectable sharpness thanks to its resolution of 2560×2880. Just be warned: The odd aspect ratio makes it a strange fit for gaming and movies. This is a monitor built for work, not play.
Read our full
LG DualUp 28MQ780-B review
What to look for in a USB-C monitor
Many features desirable in a USB-C monitor are the same as on any other display. A sharp, vivid, bright, and contrast-rich screen is best. However, shoppers who want to buy a USB-C monitor should keep an eye on details only relevant to USB-C.
Remember, too, that a USB-C display can be used in two contexts. First, you can connect your USB-C monitor to a desktop PC or laptop via a USB-C cable, and use it like a traditional USB-C hub via the USB-C cable’s 20Gbps interface. That’s pretty straightforward.
Second, you can also use the USB-C cable as a replacement for a display cable like HDMI or DisplayPort, especially for newer laptops that might eliminate an HDMI or DisplayPort port.
It’s here that USB-C monitors can get tricky. The traditional rule of thumb is that a USB-C port can support a 4K display at 30Hz resolution. DisplayPort Alternate Mode (see below) increases that to 4K60, which is much easier on the eyes. Newer laptops use DisplayPort 1.4, which combines a high-bit-rate mode (HBR3) with a DSC compression mode that should allow for 4K60 video alongside the ability to use USB 3.1 storage devices.
Be aware, however, that the USB-C cable’s 20Gbps throughput may not allow for video to be passed to premium displays like the NZXT Canvas S27Q at its full 1440p, 165Hz refresh rate. Those specifications probably assume that you’re using a dedicated video port like DisplayPort, instead, as well as its separate video cable. You can certainly connect the display to your laptop using both a video cable and the USB-C cable simultaneously, however.
If your laptop uses either Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 — all of which use a 40Gbps data connection and a USB-C port on your laptop — you should probably have no issues connecting your laptop to the monitor at the full refresh rate using a Thunderbolt cable. Just consult your laptop’s specifications and/or manual to make sure.
Power Delivery
USB-C Power Delivery provides power over a USB-C cable. It’s not part of the core USB-C specification, so devices with USB-C (including monitors) don’t always support it. Power Delivery can pack up to 240 watts, but most USB-C monitors provide just 65 to 90 watts. It’s a perfect fit for those who own a thin-and-light laptop, 2-in-1, or tablet.
Power Delivery is inadequate for some devices, such as gaming laptops, which consume more power than current USB-C monitors can provide. These laptops may still charge when left at idle but will charge slowly (or even discharge the battery) when in use.
Ethernet
Wired ethernet is a desirable feature in a USB-C monitor. Many modern laptops lack a physical Ethernet port, so its inclusion on a monitor is convenient. It can improve the speed and reliability of a connected device’s internet connection.
While useful, this is an expensive feature available only on premium models. The Dell U3223QE is the only USB-C monitor on this list with ethernet support.
DisplayPort Alternate Mode
DisplayPort Alternate Mode is a feature available to USB-C that handles video as if the USB-C cable was a DisplayPort cable. It supports all the features you’d expect from DisplayPort including high refresh rates and adaptive sync.
A monitor without this feature won’t accept video over USB-C, meaning you’ll have to connect both USB-C and a separate video input. All the monitors on this list support DisplayPort Alternate Mode.
How we test monitors
PC World’s monitor guides are the result of independent tests by PC World staff members and freelance technology journalists.
We test each monitor with a Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra color calibration tool. This tool can measure a monitor’s brightness, contrast, color gamut, color accuracy, uniformity, gamma, color temperature, and other important aspects of display quality. Using a tool that measures objective quality helps us objectively compare dozens of monitors.
Our tests of USB-C monitors also consider the range of USB-C connectivity and features available. We prefer to see a USB-C monitor with a complete range of physical connectivity including ethernet and at least 90 watts of Power Delivery, but these desirable features are balanced against the monitor’s price.
FAQ
1.
Do I really need a USB-C monitor?
A USB-C monitor is a great way to expand your computer’s connectivity without the added clutter of a USB-C hub or dock. It reduces the wires present on your desk, freeing up space for other uses. PC World’s guide to USB-C hub monitors has the full story.
USB-C monitors are excellent when used with a USB-C laptop that consumes less than 90 watts of power at load. Docking a laptop at a desk can be annoying if you use a wired keyboard, wired mouse, and external monitor. A USB-C monitor can consolidate all your wired devices to a single USB-C cable.
If these benefits sound good, then a USB-C monitor could be for you. If not, you may get more value from a conventional monitor.
2.
Are USB-C monitors expensive?
Yes, USB-C monitors are more expensive. Basic monitors without USB-C retail for as little as $100, while similar monitors with USB-C start around $150.
That price premium persists through all price categories. You can expect to pay around $50 to $100 more for a USB-C monitor than you would for a similar monitor without it.
Premium productivity and professional monitors are an exception. Nearly all monitors in these categories offer some form of USB-C support. They remain expensive, though, and are often priced between $500 to $1,000 (and sometimes more).
3.
Are USB-C monitors good for gaming?
Technically speaking, USB-C monitors can be great for gaming. USB-C video is handled over DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which preserves all the usual benefits of DisplayPort. This includes great support for high refresh rates, high resolutions, and adaptive sync.
But there’s a catch: Many monitors that have a USB-C port don’t support important gaming features like an enhanced refresh rate, low pixel response times, or adaptive sync. The Asus ProArt PG348CGV, our pick for best ultrawide with USB-C, and the NZXT Canvas 27Q, our best budget pick, are two notable exceptions. Just make sure that you’re connecting to them with a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI video cable, and not using the USB-C cable as the video cable, too.
Monitors Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)The dreaded moment for lovers of #dancechallenges and #funnyvideos is one step closer to reality. In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that will effectively ban TikTok in the United States unless the Chinese-owned social media giant is sold within a year. TikTok responded last week by suing the U.S. government, arguing the law violates First Amendment rights.
As we wait for all the legal issues to resolve, now is a good time to stay two steps ahead, and ponder a fundamental question: If the ban does go into effect, could a VPN help you get around the new restrictions?
Much of the answer keys into the specific nature of the ban—namely, that app stores in the U.S. would ostensibly be forced to remove the TikTok app from their marketplaces. If that’s how the ban plays out, then theoretically a VPN should put you back in business, with the caveat that you’ll already need to have the TikTok app installed prior to the ban.
There’s a lot to unpack here, including what the law would require of TikTok, and how technically savvy users could respond. Read on for details. And if you’re looking for a VPN to make your digital life more more secure—or, who knows, preserve TikTok access—check out my rankings of the best VPNs.
How would a TikTok ban likely play out?
The short but frustrating answer is that no one knows exactly how a TikTok ban would be implemented. While the law was passed and signed by president Biden, the actual details are still being worked out.
our pick for best vpn
ExpressVPN
Read our review
“It’s too early to tell yet how this ban might play out,” ExpressVPN Privacy Advocate Lauren Hendry Parsons told me. “With TikTok seeking to fight this in the courts, and the timeline of the new law not requiring action for nine to 12 months, it’s possible that we won’t know the concrete outcome of this latest legislation until late 2025 or beyond.”
Still, there is some precedent that gives us an idea as to how it all could transpire. Over email, Surfshark’s VPN Product Manager Justas Pukys wrote, “It’s difficult to predict how exactly the ban could take place, but it might be implemented in a similar manner as it was in 2020 when the U.S. Department of Commerce ordered Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores.”
In that ban, which was ultimately blocked in court, the U.S. Dept of Commerce sought to remove the TikTok app from app stores and restrict updated versions of the app from being downloaded by users who already had the apps installed.
Another example we can turn to is a 2020 ban on TikTok in India, which saw both Apple and Google remove the app from their app stores. After the ban, Indian users who already had TikTok installed on their devices encountered an error message stating the app was “complying with the Government of India’s directive.”
The difference between the India ban and this new U.S. ban is that TikTok never really challenged the Indian government. In contrast, it appears as if TikTok will fight the U.S. ban to the bitter end.
How to get around the TikTok ban with a VPN
Motionstock
Motionstock
Motionstock
There are a few potential options to circumvent the TikTok ban, should it go into effect. The caveat here is that methods to get around the ban will depend on the exact implementation of the law—something we’re still waiting to see.
Mentioned in this article
NordVPN
Read our review
One of the best options will presumably be to use a VPN. Laura Tyrylyte, Head of Public Relations at NordVPN told me, “Usually, users circumvent bans of certain applications by changing locations with a VPN and reaching restricted websites.”
Indeed, NordVPN reports it saw a “demand uplift” of more than 15 percent in the U.S. beginning March 14, the day the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7521, the so-called TikTok ban. Tyrylyte cautioned that its impossible to say the surge of interest was directly connected to the legislation though.
If the U.S. government restricts web servers hosting TikTok, then the simple solution would be to connect to a VPN server located outside of the U.S. that does not have the same restrictions. For example, it could be as simple as connecting to a VPN server in Canada—closer servers usually mean faster speeds—and then loading up the TikTok app or website.
However, this would only work for users who already have the app installed on their devices prior to the ban. Indeed, it’s likely the ban would force app stores to remove the TikTok app entirely. “If U.S. users will no longer be able to find TikTok through app stores, then a VPN may not be of much help,” Surfshark’s Pukys pointed out.
So, what’s the solution if you don’t have the app already installed? We can look to some savvy user recommendations for possible solutions.
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
Sam Singleton
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
Sam Singleton
Sam Singleton
A post on Quora from a user claiming to be Surfshark Data Analyst Alice Matt has one idea: “First of all, you will probably need to change your app store or Play store location… Just don’t forget to turn on your VPN before doing the changes.” Changing your app store location should allow you to download apps that are not available in your own country.
The Quora users goes on to say, “Then you might need to use a GPS spoofer to change your device GPS location. VPNs change your IP address, so it is much easier to bypass such restrictions on PC than on mobile.” Since many mobile apps ask to allow for location data access, a GPS spoofer application could be required in addition to a VPN if you want to use TikTok on your mobile device.
Theoretically, this advice is sound. But I could not confirm the identity of the person who posted it, nor did Surfshark respond when I asked for comment. Therefore, it’s best to take it all with a grain of salt.
There is also the possibility of sideloading the TikTok app on your device. Sideloading is the process of using unapproved distribution channels to install apps on your phone or tablet. This entails downloading the app from a source far outside the safety zones of the Apple or Google app stores.
“Sadly, downloading applications from unauthorized websites increases the risk of infecting devices with malicious applications,” said NordVPN’s Tyrylyte. So, if you decide to sideload the TikTok app, make sure you’re doing it from a reputable third-party, and always use some form of malware protection such as a strong antivirus.
Why is TikTok being banned?
Ever since ByteDance bought the app in 2017, national security officials in the U.S. have been concerned about the Chinese government’s relationship with the company, and how the app the could be tapped to collect data on Americans, and even influence our social fabric.
Since that time, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. According to a Pew Research study, TikTok is now where 14 percent of U.S. adults and a staggering one-third of all people ages 18 to 29 regularly get their news.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously stated that ByteDance is “controlled by the Chinese government” and has warned that Chinese authorities could use the app to influence people by manipulating the algorithm and allowing the government to collect user data for “traditional espionage operations.”
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
Sam Singleton
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
Sam Singleton
Sam Singleton
The same concerns that Wray referenced have caught fire among U.S. lawmakers. In March, the House crafted bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7521) to ban TikTok, and then the Senate voted overwhelmingly to move it to the president’s desk, with 79 senators in favor, 18 against, and three not voting.
“For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America… that was dangerously shortsighted,” said senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla. On the other side of the aisle, senator Mark Warner, D-Va, told NPR, “The Communist Party of China has an authoritarian regime that doesn’t respect privacy, doesn’t respect individuals’ rights… I don’t think we should sit by and allow, in effect, a media presence that is five or 10 times the size of NPR to potentially be broadcasting Chinese propaganda in an election year.”
Whether these fears have a basis in reality is a matter for debate. Brendan Gilligan, a legal fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), told me, “At least so far the government’s talk about the harms have been very vague. They haven’t discussed why this specific step of banning the distribution, maintenance, or updating of TikTok is necessary, which the First Amendment requires.” That likely means ByteDance and other groups have a strong case for challenging the law in court.
In the meantime, ByteDance has until January 19, 2025 to sell TikTok. Under the legislation, Biden has the option to extend the deadline an additional 90 days if he determines that progress is being made toward a sale. For now, ByteDance seemingly has no intention of selling TikTok, and made its position crystal clear by suing the U.S. government a few weeks after the law passed. The ensuing legal fight is now in the hands of the U.S. Court of Appeals. It’s First Amendment rights in the red corner versus National Security in the blue corner, so get ready to rumble.
Could you get in trouble for using TikTok?
So, let’s say ByteDance never sells, and the TikTok ban is the new status quo. What’s the impact on U.S. users if they find a way to use the platform?
The EFF’s Brendan Gilligan explains: “Number one, the law is targeted at intermediaries, not targeted at users. Second, the law explicitly denies the Attorney General the authority to enforce it against individual users.” The upshot is the law itself could not be used to criminalize individuals who continue to use or access TikTok—so, Gen-Zers, you can now collectively breathe a sigh of relief.
That being said, it gets a little murky when it comes to the legality of using a VPN to access TikTok. Gilligan notes, “While the use itself is not [criminalized], how you get to the use potentially is.” Regarding VPNs, he says, “I haven’t seen VPNs being mentioned as a concern of the government.” He goes on to say, “It seems like they’re clearly focused on app stores.”
Even if the use of a VPN to access TikTok is criminalized under this law, there isn’t much that the U.S. government could do to monitor or enforce this. Most VPNs have strict no-log policies and do not keep records on user traffic.
As ExpressVPN’s Parsons told me, “Consumers are generally worried that VPN services may be compelled by government services to share user data. ExpressVPN does not do this and never shares data with third parties. We do not collect anything that would allow ExpressVPN or anyone else to match an individual to specific network activity or behavior. We have designed our systems to never have sensitive data about our customers. Even when compelled, we cannot provide data that we do not possess.”
While this may be specific to ExpressVPN, the same structures are in place for most of the other top VPN companies. This is why it’s especially important to choose a good VPN provider with a strict no-logs policy, preferably verified by regular independent audits.
TikTok users who want to access the app via a VPN shouldn’t be too worried, though. The main purpose of this ban is to restrict mass retention of user data by ByteDance and, by extension, the Chinese government. It’s not intended to keep U.S. citizens from sharing short-form videos.
Whether banning TikTok will truly make U.S. citizens more safe is up for debate though. Gilligan said, “Enacting this legislation has undermined the U.S.’s longstanding championing of the free flow of information as a fundamental democratic principle… The solution to protecting American data is not focusing on one specific app, but rather comprehensive consumer privacy data regulations.”
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