You may have heard the term ‘VPN’ around the internet, but what does it stand for and what is a VPN anyway? Here we’ll answer all your questions about why you’d need a VPN. What does VPN stand for? VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. Since that doesn’t explain anything at all, let’s continue. So, what is a VPN? It’s software, usually in the form of an app that you install on your phone, laptop, PC or even smart TV....
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and used to be used mainly by employees connecting to their company network from a remote location. These days, VPN services are popular with consumers who want to access content that’s otherwise blocked because of their location or by people who don’t want their online activity to be visible or traceable. Our pick of the best VPNs are NordVPN and ExpressVPN . So what’s a VPN tunnel?...
You might not be aware, but for the past few years some significant changes have been going on behind the scenes in the web browsers and websites that you use every day. Slowly, the web is moving to HTML 5 and here we’ll explain exactly what you need to know about it. What is HTML 5? For a long time, Adobe’s Flash was the technology that most websites used for playing media and interactive content on websites....
In an era where social media platforms continuously seek innovative ways to enhance user experiences, X (formerly known as Twitter) isn’t about to give users extra stuff for free. And that’s why it offers an optional subscription service. It’s called X Premium, and was previously known as Twitter Blue before Elon Musk’s radical name change. But what exactly is X Premium, and is it worth the money? What is X Premium?...
It’s new iPhone time! For the first time in well over a decade, Apple launched new phones on a Monday. However, aside from the unexpected timing, there are no big surprises with the iPhone 16 range . Rumours ahead of the event confirmed key specs for the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, including A18 chipsets, upgraded cameras, a new Camera Control button and, of course, Apple Intelligence ....
Jodie Whittaker is due to end her tenure as the Doctor very soon. But never fear, you can still get your time-travelling fix with some of the classic era episodes of the show. As one of the longest running shows in TV history, there are a wealth of episodes, stories and bubble-wrap baddies to experience if you go back to the show’s golden age. Here’s how to stream the classic Doctor Who shows from the 1960s-1980s and dabble in some time travel of your own....
Apple is introducing a new central feature of iOS 18 in the form of Apple Intelligence (“AI” for short, no doubt a clever marketing ploy to appropriate this abbreviation for itself in this way now), which runs to a large extent on the devices – and of course that needs power. So much so that only the current iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are the only models capable of running AI....
Withings has added a new metric to its Body Cardio scale: vascular age, a measure of how your cardiovascular health compares to what’s typical for your age. Vascular age isn’t quite an entirely new measurement, but instead is based on Withings’ existing Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) measurements, which reflect arterial stiffness – a key indicator of cardiovascular health. The company says that since 2016, users have recorded over 80 million PWV readings, which it’s used to help drive the new vascular age metric....
One of the biggest events in the Apple calendar is the Worldwide Developers Conference. This event brings developers together from around the world to learn about the next big software and hardware launches from the tech giant. It means we can expect another appearance from Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi – here are his funniest moments from past events . Here’s everything you need to know about WWDC 2025, including what day the famous keynote is due to take place and what you should expect from this year’s virtual event....
In summary New and improved selfie cam tipped Improved main sensor ToF and enhanced dynamic range for Pro The Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi’s 16 Pro flagship smartphones have been tipped to come with a huge camera upgrade, but perhaps not the one you might be expecting. Prolific tipster Digital Chat Station has taken to Weibo with a fascinating claim about one of the first big flagship phones of the next generation....
In summary: Tech Advisor reports that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to launch in Europe within a month, starting at €1,499 for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. The European model will feature a 6,000mAh battery upgrade and be available in white, black, and green colors, with purple remaining China-exclusive. This pricing matches the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, making it competitive news for European consumers seeking flagship smartphone performance. Details concerning the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s European launch have leaked online, including the crucial matters of pricing and battery size....
At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Featured packed for the price All-day heart rate, blood oxygen and stress tracking Support for 120 types of exercise Larger always-on display Cons Always-on display comes at a big cost to battery More expensive than its predecessor Not the smartest wearable Our Verdict Xiaomi continues to offer one of the most feature-packed wearables in the budget fitness tracker market with the Mi Band 7....
In summary: Google Pixel devices are receiving a January Android 16 security update that fixes battery drain, touchscreen unresponsiveness, and GPU issues including AOD flickering. Tech Advisor reports this update addresses Webex call noise problems and Live Universe wallpaper deletion bugs across Pixel 7a through Pixel 10 Pro Fold models. While the patch provides essential stability improvements, users shouldn’t expect major new features until the next Pixel Drop expected in March....
At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict Despite some misleading marketing material, the ZeroLemon is a nicely designed and high-capacity power bank that can quickly charge up an attached phone or tablet. Save for the twin 3A outputs, though, it’s a largely no-frills affair in premium casing. Best Prices Today: ZeroLemon 15,200mAh JuiceBox Battery Charger The ZeroLemon JuiceBox is a nicely designed and high-capacity power bank that can charge up your attached devices at great speed....
Originally billed as the world’s largest telecommunications purchase, the U.S. government’s Networx contract is turning out to be chump change for the five carriers involved in the deal. Halfway through its 10-year term, the contract has driven around $2 billion in revenue compared to projections as high as $34 billion for this stage of the program. Networx is an umbrella program that allows federal agencies to buy voice, data and video services from five carriers: AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink (formerly Qwest), Sprint and Level 3....
Many people assume that the ability to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations is built into Windows, Android and other operating systems. But that’s not the case, unless you count Windows WordPad – a very basic word processor. And that won’t help you with spreadsheets or presentations. What you need is some office software. Microsoft Office might be the best-known suite, but there are alternative choices which can cost you significantly less: even free!...
Gadgets are useful in all kinds of situations but at festivals, I’d say they are a necessity. So, here’s what I took to Reading Festival this year. I took just 5 simple devices to ensure I kept connectivity and didn’t pass out due to heatstroke. All were fairly modest gadgets but the combination of them made the festival experience all the more enjoyable and relaxed. However, I also decided that one smart device I’ve been using a lot recently wasn’t going to make the cut....
Cybercrime is an ongoing threat. You might think that the only form of cybercrime to worry about is cybercriminals stealing your financial information. But it may not be so simple. There are far more concerns than just basic financial ones. Cybercrime continues to evolve, with new threats surfacing. When you hear and read about the range of cybercrimes out there, you might be tempted to stop using the internet entirely. That’s probably too drastic a step to take....
At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict If you want a cheap hybrid and have realistic expectations about performance, you should jump at the Acer Spin 1. It’s well-made, is comfortable to type on and has a superb screen for the price. We would, however, advise getting the 64GB version unless you are planning on installing virtually nothing. A 32GB phone may leave you with plenty of space, but a 32GB Windows 10 laptop certainly does not....
For months, rumours have been swirling about what was tentatively dubbed AirPods Studio, a pair of high-end headphones that provide the smarts of AirPods with the audio experience of over-ear cans. Though rumours suggested the cans weren’t due to make an appearance until March 2021, Apple lifted the lid on the AirPods Max – not Studio as previously suggested – earlier today. Designed as the ultimate pair of AirPods, the AirPods Max sport a unique canopy headband design that Apple claims helps distribute weight and dissipate on-head pressure during long listening sessions, and the stainless steel headband that holds it together should be flexible enough for a variety of head shapes....
