I’m a standing desk evangelist. Ask anyone in my life who’s a desk worker and they’ll tell you that I’ve badgered them about switching. Whether it’s expensive or affordable, it doesn’t matter—just get one! But I wasn’t always like this. When I first tried standing desks over a decade ago, I didn’t approve. My feet ached, my setup was suboptimal, I didn’t feel the benefits, and it was a hell of a lot more work than just putting my feet up while I tapped away at my PC. But now? I’d never go back. Here are the top reasons why I went from standing desk skeptic to standing desk convert. It helps my back pain and posture This is the original and still best reason I have for using a standing desk. In the past, I wrote about my favorite desk accessories for back pain and posture issues. After years of poor posture, too much smartphone use, and a sedentary combination of desk work and PC gaming, I found myself with recurring pinched nerves and distracting back pain. Switching to a standing desk was the first step to reversing that dangerous debilitating trend, and though it still isn’t perfect today, it’s much better than it was. I attribute that to my standing desk. Just searching for home office work posture images gives me PTSD. This woman’s back is going to be ruined inside six months.Standsome Worklifestyle / Unsplash Today, I spend most of my days standing, not sitting. I stand to work, I stand to game, and though I have a few seated sessions throughout the day to rest, it’s only for a short while—and then I’m back up again. Standing keeps me more upright. Plus, I can better control my desk environment so that my monitor is at the right height and my wrists are held at a neutral angle while typing. It keeps me moving, too. I don’t just sit still, slowly caving forward as I grow tired. I’m able to dance, to pace, to rock from foot to foot, or even do some flamingo legging. All of this helps prevent me from getting stuck in one bad position that slowly cements into my default. Back pain will always be something I have to contend with due to the nature of my work and choice of hobbies, but with a standing desk I have a much better chance of staving off the worst of it. It encourages me to move around more With a standing desk, I’m not just passively burning more calories than I would if I were sitting down—I’m free to move around as much as I want, whenever I want, not confined to a chair. I take full advantage of that. I’m a compulsive desk fidgeter, so when I’m standing I can more readily tap my feet, bounce from foot to foot, dance if the right tunes are playing, balance at funny angles on my foot rocker, and do full-blown exercises. When I’m proof reading, I’ll often do a small weighted exercise with some tiny dumbbells, or lower the standing desk so the monitor stays in my eyeline as I do some squats or lunges. TheStandingDesk / Unsplash Everything I’ve read suggests that regular movement is one of the best ways to thwart the circulation issues that can arise from sedentary office jobs, so I’m going to keep standing and keep moving as best as I can. Far more than I could do if seated all day. It keeps my PC at a distance When I built my first PC at 15, I wanted the biggest, baddest, fastest, and gaudiest system possible. I fitted a Thermaltake Armor with an early AMD Athlon 64+ CPU, a DFI LanParty motherboard, and the best GPU I could afford: an Nvidia GTX 6600. I also fitted it with a massive cooler with heaps of fans and some gaudy blue LEDs. I had that monster on my desk right by my face for years and somehow never noticed how loud it was. Today, that seems like the absolute worst idea possible. Thank goodness for aging gracefully. My ideas of what constitutes a great PC have, too. While I still have powerful hardware in my main office/gaming machine, I’m also more cognizant of its noise levels. I don’t want to hear from it unless there’s a problem. The PC is in a swanky Fractal Design North case, yet I don’t even really want to look at it. Just let me work and game and don’t cause any problems, thank you very much. PCs should neither be seen nor heard.Jon Martindale / Foundry And that’s something else the standing desk helps with. Short of putting my PC in another room, it’s about as far from me as I can manage in my humble home office. It’s under the desk, tucked in a corner, and I don’t see it (or even remember it exists) while I’m standing. This extra distance helps reduce PC noise levels. I’m a big fan of quiet and silent PCs, so I have all the fans and pump turned low… and when idling or writing, it’s basically inaudible. *Chef’s kiss* It let me game when I had a baby This win for standing desks is no longer relevant for me, but it’s a win I’ll always celebrate because it let me have some me time while navigating dadhood for the second time with a troubled sleeper. I won’t bore you with the details, but my daughter didn’t sleep well until she was 4 years old. Between the ages of 6 months to 18 months, I rocked her to sleep in the carrier every night so my poor wife could get a break from breastfeeding. Fortunately, it ended up letting me get some time for me, and even for us. Jon Martindale / Foundry Already a practiced standing gamer, it meant I could enjoy my new love at the time (Valheim, not my daughter) for hours while she happily slept against me. My wife even played on the laptop in the other room, so while we were passing ships in the wind otherwise, we were able to venture around a fantasy world and build the Viking homestead of our dreams, all while escaping the torment of a screaming toddler. I genuinely credit this niche benefit with saving my sanity and helping my marriage to no end, and it’s something for which I’ll always be grateful to my faithful standing desk. It makes celebrating wins more fun What do you do when you win an online match or defeat that epic boss? Punch the air? Shout “Let’s go!”? Do a little victory dance? I know I do! And that’s so much more fun when you’re standing up. It’s hard to celebrate when you’re plopped in a chair. But standing? Have at it! Ella Don / Unsplash I even enjoy more pre-emptive celebrations while standing. When playing board games via Tabletop Simulator, if I manage a particularly impressive turn of dice rolls and strategic decisions, or realize my friend is about to fall into a trap I’ve carefully planned, there’s nothing quite like some fist pumping to double down on my enjoyment of the win. It makes voice and video calls better I’m not a fan of video calls. (It’s an eye contact thing.) But if we’re going to do it, I’d rather be standing. It helps keep the air moving around me so my profuse social-sweating isn’t so obvious. And since I’m standing, I feel like my oracy skills are improved. I can speak that much more clearly, with less of my usual tendency to mumble or stutter. visuals / Unsplash I’d have to ask my editors whether they notice a difference, but I definitely feel more confident standing. It keeps my hands off-camera, too, so I can more readily fiddle with a fidget toy out of sight. I finally get the standing desk hype Standing is just a way of life for me at this point. Until I come up against some potentially severe negative health effects of standing desks—maybe circulatory issues, blood clots, varicose veins, etc.—I’m going to keep at it. It feels better, it mitigates my worst habits, and it helps me focus better. It even makes my small office feel a bit bigger, too. Sure, the upfront cost is a little high, so I don’t want to handwave the privilege on this one. But I started out with cardboard boxes under my keyboard, mouse, and monitor to ape the more expensive options. It’s doable on a budget, and I recommend it for anyone who spends more than a few hours sitting at a desk every day. Come dance like an idiot with me while we work. I think you’ll like it. Further reading: The best remote work accessories for your home office Read...

Beginning on June 30 of this year, residents in South Dakota are going to lose access to the adult site Pornhub. Earlier this year the South Dakota state legislature passed House Bill 1053, an over-18 age-verification law designed to prevent minors from viewing adult content. Unfortunately, it also stands to compromise the privacy of all legal visitors to the site, as well. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and Pornhub’s parent company Aylo will begin restricting access to its adult sites for residents in South Dakota in protest on June 30, 2025. Aylo and other privacy advocates claim that these laws not only violate free speech, but will infringe on personal privacy protections. By forcing individuals to hand over personally identifiable information to third parties, it creates the environment for potential government overreach and data misuse. This ban is just the latest following a trend that has seen more than 19 states lose access to the incredibly popular NSFW site. Similar bans occurred throughout last year for residents in Texas and Florida, among others. Both Wyoming and Georgia are also set to lose access beginning this July, with North Dakota following shortly thereafter. For legal-age South Dakotans looking to access the site, this is disruptive to say the least. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: using a VPN. Simply download and install your preferred VPN, connect to a server in a state that isn’t blocked, and enjoy the content. Below you’ll find my top picks for VPNs to access Pornhub (or other Aylo owned adult content) if you’re in South Dakota where access will be blocked. And for even more great options, check out my list of the best VPNs overall. NordVPN – Best overall NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) NordVPN is my overall top pick for VPNs. It comes with a ton of great features including wide device support, ad- and tracker-blocking, and plenty of domestic and international servers—with coverage in most U.S. states. It also boasts the fastest connection speeds, meaning you won’t need to lower your video quality to a resolution that makes it look like the important bits are blurred on purpose. NordVPN has one of the widest platform support networks as well, so you’ll be able to view content no matter the device. ExpressVPN – Runner-up ExpressVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $4.99 at ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is a close second to NordVPN, only losing out due to the fact that it isn’t quite as fast and comes with a few less extra features. Those are just minor issues, though, and shouldn’t take away from ExpressVPN still being one of the best VPN services on the market. It also consistently has great speeds, so you can stream in HD to your heart’s content. When you also consider that it works with nearly every device and has an excellent record for user-privacy, you can see why we like ExpressVPN. Mullvad – Best for privacy Mullvad Read our review Depending on what you’re looking for from a VPN, Mullvad could actually be your best option. It’s in my top five services for overall speed, but more importantly, it earns top marks for privacy. Mullvad takes every effort it can to know as little about its users as possible. The service won’t ask for an email address or name and it even accepts payments via mailed cash if you want. Plus, it costs a mere $5 per month regardless of the plan you choose. Proton VPN – Best free VPN ProtonVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $9.99 at Proton VPN Free VPNs can carry security and privacy risks, but Proton VPN is one of the exceptions. This service from the well-known Swiss-based Proton brand has to-date a spotless track record for user privacy. It’s also refreshingly free of ads. Sure, it has limitations, just like any free VPN, but thankfully Proton VPN keeps them relatively manageable. For no cost whatsoever you’ll get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located in different countries around the world (including the U.S.). It doesn’t impose any speed or data limitations on these free servers either—something that’s unheard of with other free VPNs. Read...

Beginning on June 30 of this year, residents in Georgia are going to lose access to the adult site Pornhub. Earlier this year the Georgia state legislature passed SB 351, which will require all public websites with “a substantial portion of material that is harmful to minors” to use an age-verification system—and porn sites fall under this category. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and Pornhub’s parent company Aylo will begin restricting access to its adult sites for residents in Georgia in protest on June 30, 2025. Aylo and other privacy advocates claim that these laws not only violate free speech, but will infringe on personal privacy protections. By forcing individuals to hand over personally identifiable information to third parties, it creates the potential for government overreach and data misuse. This is following a trend that has seen more than 19 states lose access to the incredibly popular NSFW site. Similar bans occurred throughout last year for residents in Texas and Florida, among others. Both Wyoming and South Dakota are also set to lose access beginning this July, with North Dakota following shortly thereafter. For legal-age Georgians looking to access the site, this is disruptive to say the least. Fortunately, there’s an easy workaround: using a VPN. Simply download and install your preferred VPN, connect to a server in a state that isn’t blocked, and enjoy the content. Below are my top picks for VPNs to access Pornhub (or other Aylo owned adult content) if you’re in Georgia where access will be blocked. And for even more great options, check out my list of the best VPNs overall. NordVPN – Best overall NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) NordVPN is my overall top pick for VPNs. It comes with a ton of great features including wide device support, ad- and tracker-blocking, and plenty of domestic and international servers—with coverage in most U.S. states. It also boasts the fastest connection speeds, meaning you won’t need to lower your video quality to a resolution that makes it look like the important bits are blurred on purpose. NordVPN has one of the widest platform support networks as well, so you’ll be able to view content no matter the device. ExpressVPN – Runner-up ExpressVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $4.99 at ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is a close second to NordVPN, only losing out due to the fact that it isn’t quite as fast and comes with a few less extra features. Those are just minor issues, though, and shouldn’t take away from ExpressVPN still being one of the best VPN services on the market. It also consistently has great speeds, so you can stream in HD to your heart’s content. Plus, it works with nearly every device and has one of the best user-privacy records around. Mullvad – Best for privacy Mullvad Read our review Depending on what you’re looking for from a VPN, Mullvad might actually be your best option. Not only is it in my top five services for overall speed, it’s among the best for privacy. Mullvad takes every effort to know as little about you as possible. The service won’t ask for an email address or name and you can even send cash payment if you prefer. Plus, it costs a mere $5 per month regardless of the plan you choose. Proton VPN – Best free VPN ProtonVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $9.99 at Proton VPN While I don’t usually recommend that anyone use a free VPN due to their proven security and privacy risks, Proton VPN is one of the exceptions. This service from the well-known Swiss-based Proton brand has a spotless track record for user privacy. It’s also ad-free. Just like all free VPNs, there are limitations, but thankfully Proton VPN keeps them relatively manageable. For no cost whatsoever you’ll get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located in different countries around the world (including the U.S.). There are no speed or data limitations on these free servers either—something that’s not typical of other free VPNs. Read...

Regions such as Hawke`s Bay, Wairarapa, and the lower North Island, along with parts of the upper and eastern South Island, can expect clearer skies. Read...

A lower speed limit is in force on a section of the main highway north of New Plymouth after a large mudslide. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Good build quality for the price Integrated kickstand minimizes thickness Bright display with respectable image quality 144Hz refresh rate provides good motion clarity Cons HDMI port is not full-sized HDR input is technically supported, but it’s not great Doesn’t support Adaptive Sync Our Verdict The Arzopa Z1FC is billed as a “portable gaming monitor,” but it’s actually a solid choice for anyone who needs an affordable portable display. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Arzopa Z1FC Retailer Price $169.99 View Deal $189.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Arzopa Z1FC is positioned as a budget portable gaming monitor, and it’s certainly decent in that role. But contrary to how it’s marketed, the monitor is arguably even better when tapped for general use and day-to-day productivity. Though not perfect, the Arzopa Z1FC is a versatile and competitively priced portable monitor with a bright, high-refresh display. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison. Arzopa Z1FC specs and features The Arzopa Z1FC is sold as a portable gaming monitor, but its specifications are a decent fit for a wide variety of tasks. It has an IPS LCD with 1080p resolution that includes multiple USB-C inputs, and supports HDR. One feature the monitor notably lacks is Adaptive Sync. Arguably, that means it’s best used as an office and productivity monitor, as Adaptive Sync is essential to smooth gameplay in many situations. Display size: 16.1-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 1920×1080 Panel type: IPS LCD Refresh rate: 144Hz Adaptive Sync: No HDR: Yes, HDR enabled Ports: 2x USB-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1x mini-HDMI 1.4 Audio: 2x 1-watt speakers Added features: Two-pocket carrying case Warranty: 1-year warranty Price: $199.99 MSRP, $169.99 on sale The Arzopa Z1FC’s price can range from mediocre (at $199.99 MSRP) to rather affordable (at its lowest sale price of $169.99). When on sale, the Z1FC’s pricing is competitive with the alternatives, though a few may be sold for less depending on the day. Shoppers should also know there are two versions of the Z1FC. I reviewed the version that has a carrying case (described below). It can also be purchased without the carrying case. The version without a carrying case seems like a better deal, as it can be purchased for as little as $96.99 and appears identical in images. I haven’t tested it, though, so the image quality results here only apply to the version with the case. Arzopa Z1FC design Given the price, you might expect design and build weaknesses from the Arzopa Z1FC, but that’s not true. The portable monitor has an aluminum rear panel attached to plastic bezels. Though it’s not remarkable, the overall aesthetic is attractive and similar to competitive portable monitors at higher price points. The monitor has a thin aluminum kickstand that does its job well, keeping the monitor stable on your desk. You can tip the monitor if you bump a corner, but it’s stable enough that it won’t fall over unless given a moderate push. Portrait orientation was similarly stable. The kickstand folds completely flush with the monitor’s back when not in use, which helps with portability. Matthew Smith / Foundry Speaking of which, the Z1FC’s portability is outstanding. The monitor weighs just 1.7 pounds and measures only three-tenths of an inch thick. It’s unlikely you’ll even notice the extra weight if you’re using a backpack meant for a 14- or 15-inch laptop and have the laptop stowed. As a bonus, Arzopa includes the best carrying case I’ve encountered with any portable monitor. It’s made from an attractive ribbed material and features two interior pockets, providing enough space for both the monitor and a laptop. The padding is too thin for long-distance travel, but fine if you need to carry the portable monitor to a meeting with a client or to your company’s office. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not going to challenge a high-quality bag from a recognized brand. But for a throw-in sold with a portable monitor, it’s great. Matthew Smith / Foundry Arzopa includes the best carrying case I’ve encountered with any portable monitor. Arzopa Z1FC connectivity A pair of USB-C ports with Power Delivery and DisplayPort serve as the primary video and power inputs for the Arzopa Z1FC. The monitor doesn’t ship with a USB-C power brick, so you’ll need to rely on power provided by the device that it’s connected to or bring your own. The Z1FC had no problem receiving adequate power and video from my Apple Mac Mini M4 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch, so the lack of brick shouldn’t be an issue unless you plan to use HDMI. HDMI can be a headache, though, as the Z1FC has a mini-HDMI port instead of a full-sized HDMI port. An HDMI to mini-HDMI cable is included, which is nice, but you might be in trouble if you lose or forget the cable while traveling. This type of HDMI input is much less common than a full-sized HDMI. All the Z1FC’s ports are found on the monitor’s left flank, which can be inconvenient if you plan to sit the monitor to the left of your display, as your cables will need to snake around the monitor. Arzopa Z1FC menus and features The Arzopa Z1FC’s menu system is basic but better than average for the category. It includes a dedicated button for opening the menu and selecting menu options. As basic as it sounds, it’s not found on some budget alternative monitors I’ve reviewed. When it’s omitted, users often need to long-press buttons to activate the on-screen menu. There’s more. The Z1FC includes settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness, color temperature, and RGB color adjustment. It also supports 4:3 video input. These, too, are basic features not always found on budget portable monitors. A pair of 1-watt speakers provide audio, but they’re as weak as their power output suggests. They’re okay for listening to a podcast in a pinch but otherwise serve no practical purpose. Arzopa Z1FC image quality The Arzopa Z1FC’s low price kept my expectations for its image quality in check. That turned out to be a good call, as the portable monitor’s SDR image quality is mediocre. However, the overall image quality is serviceable and remains competitive with more expensive portable monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is a highlight for the Arzopa Z1FC. While its brightness of 337 nits is technically mid-pack among the competitors referenced in the graph, I think that pushing past the 300 nits point is an important advantage. Monitors with less than 300 nits at maximum brightness can look dim in moderately lit to brightly lit rooms. That’s doubly important for a portable monitor, as you’re more likely to use it in areas where you don’t have control over the lighting. The monitor has an anti-glare finish, as well, which is effective at reducing glare from larger light sources, such as windows. Smaller light sources, such as lamps and overhead lights, can still be an issue.   Matthew Smith / Foundry Anti-glare finishes tend to reduce contrast, and the Arzopa is no exception. It produced a contrast ratio of 1170:1 at 50 percent of brightness (and similar figures at other brightness levels). That’s not awful but, as the graph shows, it’s a bit behind the pack. The lower contrast ratio isn’t obvious when using the Arzopa Z1FC in a bright room. In darker rooms, however, the dreaded “IPS glow” appears as a hazy gray sheen over dark scenes.  It’s caused by the backlight shining through the display even when it should appear black. All portable monitors without an OLED display panel suffer this problem, but with the Z1FC it’s more noticeable than most. The Innocn 15K1F is the only monitor on the graph with an OLED panel, which is why its contrast ratio runs away from the competition. Matthew Smith / Foundry The Arzopa Z1FC’s color performance is either mediocre or good, depending on your perspective. It doesn’t defeat most alternatives, and its coverage of the DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB are inadequate for serious content creation. On the other hand, it delivers color performance similar to more expensive competitors at a budget price. The Dell Pro 14 Plus, for example, is three times more expensive yet has no significant advantage in color gamut. Matthew Smith / Foundry It’s a similar story in color accuracy. The Arzopa Z1FC’s color accuracy is not that impressive, but it’s not bad, and it’s in line with the competition. Since it’s the least expensive option here, it’s easy to call that a win. In addition, this level of color accuracy is more than enough for casual gaming and office productivity, which is what the Z1FC is most likely to be used for. Sharpness isn’t bad, either. The monitor has a 16.1-inch panel with 1920×1080 resolution. That works out to be about 137 pixels per inch. For comparison, that’s better than a 27-inch 1440p monitor (about 110 ppi) and less than a 27-inch 4K monitor (about 160 ppi). Pixelation is sometimes visible around very small fonts and UI elements, but the display looks reasonably sharp when displaying videos, games, and Microsoft Word. Arzopa Z1FC HDR image quality The Arzopa Z1FC technically supports HDR but, like most portable monitors, it’s rather bad at it. Switching to HDR increased maximum brightness to about 360 nits, but the monitor’s contrast ratio didn’t improve. The color gamut is also an issue, as HDR content targets a wider color gamut than what this monitor can deliver. If great HDR is your priority, the Z1FC isn’t going to do the job. The same is true for all price-competitive portable monitors, however. Arzopa Z1FC motion performance Gamers will enjoy the Arzopa Z1FC’s improved refresh rate, though with a few caveats. Motion clarity is good, for the price. The monitor’s 144Hz refresh is noticeably crisper than a 60Hz portable monitor when viewing fast-moving objects or turning the camera in a 3D game. Blur is still obvious, though, and can make small objects or moving text difficult to read. Your opinion on the motion clarity will likely hinge on what you’ve tried before. Those coming from a 60Hz display will be impressed. If you’ve witnessed a 240Hz OLED (or better), however, you’ll be disappointed.The Z1FC unfortunately lacks Adaptive Sync, which is a serious mark against its gaming credentials. Its absence means you must accept distracting screen tearing (which is ugly) or cap game frame rates using in-game V-Sync settings (which may reduce motion clarity and smoothness, depending on the game’s frame rate). The Z1FC doesn’t support any form of Adaptive Sync used by current game consoles, either. Most price-competitive monitors also lack Adaptive Sync, but there are a few that provide it. Examples include the Aopen 16OG7QT and UPerfect 16. I’ve not tested those models, however, so I can’t say how their image quality compares to the Arzopa.   Despite the lack of Adaptive Sync, I think the Arzopa’s motion clarity is good for the price. Honestly, it’s a bit strange to me that many more expensive portable monitors, like the Viewsonic TD-1656 and Dell Pro 14 Plus, remain stuck on 60Hz. The Arzopa’s motion is clearly better than either of them. Should you buy the Arzopa Z1FC? The Arzopa Z1FC is a solid option if you want an inexpensive portable monitor that covers the basics and then some. It delivers a bright, attractive image and decent motion clarity alongside an attractive exterior design. The Z1FC is a particularly sensible buy when it’s on sale for $170 or less, as its image quality can rival alternatives priced north of $300. Read...

Chorus said the outage was `the result of human error during planned works, which resulted in one of our core ethernet routers for the Wellington region being isolated from our network`. Read...

More than 100,000 customers in Wellington and nearby areas lost fibre for more than an hour on Friday morning. Read...

Connections were reported to be coming back online. Read...

About 90% of the connections in Wellington and nearby areas lost fibre for more than an hour. Read...