Apple hit with another class action lawsuit for alleged copyright infringement

Just about a month after being accused of using pirated books to train its AI, Apple is facing another similar proposed class action lawsuit. As first reported by Bloomberg Law , two neuroscience professors from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, claimed that Apple used their registered works without authorization. The neuroscientists, Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik, said Apple trained its AI models using shadow libraries and web-crawling software that provide access to pirated, copyrighted books, including two of their own. In the previous class action lawsuit, a separate pair of authors also alleged that Apple committed copyright infringement when using published works to train Apple Intelligence models without consent. Apple isn't the only tech giant facing copyright lawsuits related to its AI, as OpenAI is in a similar situation after being sued by The New York Times for similar accusations. While these AI models are relatively new, there's already a case that may have set some precedent. Earlier this year, Anthropic settled a class action lawsuit by agreeing to pay $1.5 billion to 500,000 authors involved in the case, which revolved around copyright claims. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-hit-with-another-class-action-lawsuit-for-alleged-copyright-infringement-175242922.html?src=rss

The ZoraSafe app wants to protect older people online and will present at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

ZoraSafe is designed to protect some of the least protected internet users out there: your parents and grandparents.

The first products with Apple's M5 chip could make their debut this week

We may only be a few days away from the big reveal of Apple's latest chips . According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman, Apple is getting ready to release its October lineup of new products powered by the M5 chip as soon as this week. In the latest Power On newsletter, Gurman expects announcements for an upgraded iPad Pro, a refreshed Vision Pro with a revamped strap, and the new base model MacBook Pro, all of which will come with the latest Apple silicon. Previously, the expected launch for the M5 MacBook Pro flip-flopped between early next year and its typical fall release. Gurman previously reported that Apple was targeting an early 2026 release for the upgraded MacBook Pro, but more recently revealed that the company was nearing mass production for its laptops. Gurman referenced another hint that the entry-level M5 MacBook Pro is on the way, since Apple stores are running low on their M4 MacBook Pro stock, but still have enough inventory with the M4 Pro or M4 Max options. Gurman also noted in a previous edition of his newsletter that the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips wouldn't be ready in volume until early next year. As for the October releases, we're not expecting another event like Apple did with its iPhone 17 reveal. Instead, Apple will likely reveal its remaining fall lineup with online announcements, like it did with the current MacBook Pro in October of last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-first-products-with-apples-m5-chip-could-make-their-debut-this-week-163149688.html?src=rss

Elon Musk vs. the regulators

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for all things future of transportation.

Nvidias AI empire: A look at its top startup investments

Over the last two years, Nvidia has used its ballooning fortunes to invest in over 100 AI startups. Here are the giant semiconductor's largest investments.

8 Best Cat Water Fountains, WIRED Tested and Reviewed (2025)

Ensuring your cat is drinking enough water is one of the best ways to keep your pet healthy. We tested popular models to find the best water fountains for most cats.

4 Best Website Builders (2025), Tested and Reviewed

Don't fuss around with files and servers. Just use one of these WIRED-tested website builders.

COAI defends call for mobile tariff hike, cites rising network costs, OTT traffic

New Delhi: Telecom industry body COAI has defended service providers call to increase mobile tariff, citing the continuous widening of the gap between their expenses on network deployment and the revenue earned by them in return. While speaking at India Mobile Congress, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), Director General, SP Kochhar told PTI that Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

16 Best Laptops (2025), WIRED-Tested and Approved

Our expert team of laptop testers stand behind these Windows laptops, MacBooks, Chromebooks, and Linux portables.

Specialized S-Works Levo 4 Electric Mountain Bike Review: The Best Electric Mountain Bike

This supercharged, intuitive trail machine can turn any intermediate rider into a World Cuplevel legend in their own mind.

A New Algorithm Makes It Faster to Find the Shortest Paths

A canonical problem in computer science is to find the shortest route to every point in a network. A new approach beats the classic algorithm taught in textbooks.

Should You Cancel Xbox Game Pass? Everything to Know on the Price Hikes and New Features

Xbox users in the US face price increases up to 50 percent on their monthly gaming subscription, making it a great time to check if youre on the right tier or if you even need to subscribe at all.

Judiciary must adapt to challenges posed by data, AI: SC judges

Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari of the top court said that the goal of the judiciary is not to reinvent law but to expand the frontiers of fairness without restricting the idea of fair competition.

First-ever image captures two black holes orbiting each other

Scientists have captured the first image of two black holes orbiting each other in the quasar OJ287, confirming a long-held astronomical theory. Using radio telescopes, researchers detected particle jets from the 18-billion-solar-mass and 150-million-solar-mass black holes, locked in a 12-year orbit. This unprecedented observation offers a glimpse into binary supermassive black hole dynamics.

NSE faces around 170M cyberattacks daily: official

The NSE recorded its highest-ever 400 million cyberattacks in a single day during 'Operation Sindoor', designed as a DDoS simulation.

The canvas is an invitation to be bravehighlights and perspectives from the Anek Art Collective

In this photo essay from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, we showcase a range of artworks and artist insights on creativity.

Bharat 6G Alliance, 9 global bodies sign Delhi Declaration to endorse 6G ecosystem

The declaration places sustainability at the heart of 6G design, calling for energy-efficient, repairable, and recyclable systems that reduce carbon footprints while ensuring affordability and accessibility.

Easing NRI investing in Indian markets urgent goal for SEBI: Pandey

The watchdog is looking at simplifying ways in such a way that the non-resident Indians do not have to travel to their home country for complying with the know your customer requirements.

Bira 91s many woes; Tech for SMBs in construction

Multiple reports have linked Bira 91s downturn to a regulatory and operational disruption that followed a legal name change.

Inside the VC Mind: Primes fundraising masterclass for founders

In this episode, the core investment team at Prime Venture Partners sit down to answer everything founders wish they could ask a VC face-to-face.

Apple is winding down Clips, its forgotten video-editing app

It seems to be the end of the road for Apple's Clips app. The company said on a support page that it has stopped updating the video-editing app, and new users can no longer download it from the App Store. Existing users on iOS and iPadOS will continue to have access for the time being, but the company hasn't said how long that will last. If you previously downloaded the Clips app, you can still redownload it from your Apple account in the App Store, the support page notes. Clips was introduced in 2017 and offers a host of editing tools geared toward creating videos for social media. But Clips never really caught on, and many of the features it boasts are pretty much standard fare on the social apps now. Apple has recommended that Clips users save their videos to their photo libraries or elsewhere, so if you are one of the few users hanging on, you should probably go ahead and do that before it's too late. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-winding-down-clips-its-forgotten-video-editing-app-210907085.html?src=rss

How is the immune system kept in check? | Explained

What did the three Medicine Nobel awardees discover and why is it important? How do regulatory T cells function? How does their work on regulatory T cells lay the ground for a new field of research leading to new treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases?

Thinking Machines Lab co-founder Andrew Tulloch heads to Meta

AI researcher Andrew Tulloch reportedly announced his departure to employees in a message on Friday.

Apple says goodbye to the Clips app

Apple appears to be winding down support of Clips, with the company removing Clips from the App Store and saying it will no longer be making any updates.

Ready or not, enterprises are betting on AI

This has been a big week for AI companies signing enterprise deals, with Zendesk unveiling new AI agents that are supposed to be able to resolve 80% of customer service issues, Anthropic and IBM announcing a strategic partnership, and Deloitte also announcing a deal with Anthropic.

DMarts Q2 net profit declines 10 pc sequentially to Rs 746.55 cr

New Delhi: Avenue Supermarts Ltd, which operates retail store chain DMart, on Saturday reported its net profit at Rs 746.55 crore for the second quarter of the current fiscal (Q2 FY26), down 10 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) from Rs 829.73 crore. However, the firms profit increased 5 per cent year-on-year (YoY) from Rs 710.37 crore. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Anbernic's modern-day Nintendo DS dupe is cheaper than the original

After remaking every Game Boy model imaginable, Anbernic is ready to take on the next frontier of classic gaming handhelds: the Nintendo DS . In its usual drip-feed fashion, the handheld maker released a teaser video revealing the Anbernic RG DS . The company didn't offer many details for its Nintendo DS clone, but announced that it would cost less than $100. That price tag isn't surprising for anyone who's been following Anbernic's recipe of recreating iconic handhelds at an affordable price point. However, it's still an attractive price point that's even cheaper than the Nintendo DS' original MSRP of $149.99. Beyond price, Anbernic hinted at a possible new chip and showed off four colorways, including black/red, teal, white and transparent. Anbernic Anbernic hasn't announced a release date yet, but the company often starts selling its devices shortly after the first reveal video. Once available, the Anbernic RG DS will compete against the more premium Ayn Thor that starts at $250. It's important to note that Anbernic paused shipments from its Chinese warehouses to US customers in April following the tariff changes, meaning American buyers were limited to Anbernic's US stock. The previous notice has since been removed, but the Trump administration recently announced another retaliatory tariff on all Chinese goods. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/anbernics-modern-day-nintendo-ds-dupe-is-cheaper-than-the-original-174405199.html?src=rss

Prince Harry and Meghan call out the harmful effects of social media on todays youth

Prince Harry and Meghan spoke about the dangers of social media at a gala and festival in New York.

Trump fires back at Chinas rare earth mineral restrictions by threatening 100% tariffs

President Donald Trump declared Friday that he will impose a 100% tariff on all imports from China, while also imposing export controls on any and all critical software from the United States.

The beloved Chevrolet Bolt is back but only for a 'limited run'

One of the most affordable EVs in America, the Chevrolet Bolt , has made its long-awaited comeback. After discontinuing the Bolt in 2023, the American automaker has refreshed the popular EV with a 2027 model that has some key upgrades. Chevy said the new Bolt will be available at dealerships in the first quarter of 2026, starting with a comfort trim that goes for at least $29,990. The updated Bolt will get even cheaper in the coming months when Chevy releases an LT base model that starts at $28,995. That price tag offers an upgraded EV with an estimated range of 255 miles and peak charging speeds of up to 150kW. According to Chevy, the new Bolt can charge 2.5x faster than the previous model , which often saw complaints about charging speed. Now with a new LFP battery, the 2027 Bolt can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 26 minutes and has access to both DC fast charging and Tesla's Supercharger network thanks to a native NACS port. Along with an 11-inch driver display, the Chevy Bolt is built with an 11.3-inch infotainment display that can handle navigation, music, and entertainment with Google built-in. Notably, the refreshed Bolt doesn't have Apple CarPlay compatibility, even though previous models did. Chevrolet While Chevy revived the Bolt, it returns as a limited run model. The carmaker said in a statement that it moved quickly to retain the nameplate in our portfolio for a little longer, after hearing feedback from ending production, and added that the Bolt will be available for a limited time...as one of our highest volume EVs at Chevrolet. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-beloved-chevrolet-bolt-is-back-but-only-for-a-limited-run-161552328.html?src=rss

Its not too late for Apple to get AI right

Apple still has a shot at leading the AI-powered app era. As OpenAI launches its ChatGPT app platform, Apples smarter Siri and deep ecosystem could keep it ahead.

Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro Review: An Outdoor Watch That Doesn't Work

This Garmin killer is dead on arrival.

5 Profitable small business ideas for new founders

Discover 5 simple and profitable business ideas in India that blend creativity, demand, and strong marginsperfect for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Bira 91 chief seeks fresh funding amid employees demanding change

In a LinkedIn post Ankur Jain said the brewer is close to securing new capital as staff press for overdue salaries and leadership change.

Windows 10 support ends October 14, but here's how to get an extra year for free

You'll get access to Windows 10 a little longer by doing this. (Getty Images) You've known it for a while: Microsoft has determined that it's moving Windows 10 to end of life status starting on October 14. That means while Windows 10 PCs will continue to work after that date, they'll stop getting important security updates by default. That leaves you with three choices if you want to make sure your computer remains secure: You can choose to upgrade to Windows 11 for free if your computer is compatible. You can buy a new PC that already has Windows 11 pre-installed (or opt for an alternative, like a Mac or a Chromebook). Forget about Windows 11 right now and sign up for the Extended Security Updates (ESU), which lets you kick the can down the road for a year. Since the last one is easy and can now be done for free in many cases that's what we're focusing on here. We'll walk you through the steps of keeping Windows 10 on your PC for now, at least. How to sign up for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates on your computer We can question Microsoft's motives for killing off Windows 10, even though it works perfectly well on most older PCs. But without those periodic security updates, your PC will become increasingly susceptible to malware with each passing week. To that end, enrolling in Extended Security Updates (ESU) will give you another year of using Windows 10 securely. At one point, Microsoft suggested the 12-month extension would require a $30 fee. While that's still an option, there's now a free path for Windows 10 users in the US. Here's how to make it happen. Step 1: Make sure your PC is up to date You can find out if your computer is up-to-date by going into your Settings > System > About, then scroll down to see what version you're running. If not, you'll want to make sure you also install all the Windows 10 updates available. Step 2: Make sure you're using an administrator account If you share a computer with multiple people in your household, make sure you're signed in to the administrator account. Typically, it's the first account created on the computer. You'll know it's the right one when you see Administrator under the name. (You can double-check under Settings > Your Info.) Step 3: Verify if your PC is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 (or not) If you see an option to upgrade to Windows 11 , just do that. It's free and it keeps you in the Windows loop. Otherwise, continue following the steps below so you can keep your computer safe with security updates. Step 4: Enroll in Extended Security Updates Sign up for ESU by selecting Update & Security from the Settings menu. Click the Enroll Now sign-up link, as pictured below. Again, you may see an option to download Windows 11 if your computer meets the requirements (again, definitely do that if you see it). Find out if you need to update your computer. (Screenshot/Engadget) If you're not seeing the Enroll now link, you probably need to update and install the latest Windows 10 updates (as noted above). By enrolling in Extended Security Updates, you'll have another year before you need to upgrade to Windows 11. (Screenshots/Engadget) Step 5: Choose your upgrade method Next up is choosing how you want to enroll, and you have a few options. The easiest way is to back up your PC settings. It's free, but it takes a little bit of time since you'll need to back up your data. Again, you'll need to be using your administrator account to get started. Back up your PC before you enroll in ESU. (ExplainingComputers via YouTube) That said, the free option here comes with two catches, at least for users in the US. (European users will get the free option with no strings attached .) The first is that you'll be linking your Windows login to Microsoft's cloud-based online service. Most users have likely already done this (if they're using CoPilot, Office 365, GamePass, OneDrive or one of Microsoft's other various online services). But if you've specifically opted for a local login to Windows, the price you're paying for this free extension is joining the cloud-connected Microsoft universe. The other potential issue is that the free backup only applies to the first 5 GB of storage . Anything more, and youll need to pay up for Microsoft's OneDrive services. But thankfully, you can turn off anything you don't want to back up by going to Settings > OneDrive and toggling off options like Documents, Pictures and Videos to get in under the free threshold to start. Once you're signed in, a window will pop up that says Add this device to receive Extended Security Updates. Click Add Device to enroll it. Click Done. A note: Thanks to YouTube's Explaining Computers channel , where we grabbed the screenshot above (since our test PC was already signed up for cloud backups, and didn't provide the splash screen to choose options). You can watch their full video if you'd like a deeper dive into the process. That's it, you're done! (Until next year) You've got 12 more months to figure out an alternative upgrade path to Windows 11. If anything changes next year, we'll update this story with what your next steps are. You did it right if you see this window. (Screenshot/Engadget) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/windows-10-support-ends-october-14-but-heres-how-to-get-an-extra-year-for-free-125118616.html?src=rss

AI to make telecom network self-healing, improve customer services with shift to 6G: DoT Secretary

NEW DELHI, Oct 11: Artificial intelligence will make telecom networks self-healing and improve customer services, telecom secretary Neeraj Mittal said on Saturday. Speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2025, Mittal said that the government is trying to keep up pace with the fast-evolving technological landscape and come up with the organised response as a country along with ITU (International Telecommunication Union) to see the manner in which AI and telecom developments can be harmonised for good. As we move [] The post AI to make telecom network self-healing, improve customer services with shift to 6G: DoT Secretary appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Why doesnt Cards Against Humanity print its game in the US? Its complicated.

Price, quality, speed, and relationships all matter.

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Review: A True MacBook Pro Rival?

No Windows laptop is dethroning the MacBook Pro anytime soon, but the Yoga Pro 9i 16 gets surprisingly close.

Stylish beat-'em-ups, platformers and RPGs, and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. Some gorgeous new games arrived this week, and we've got some demos and reveals from upcoming projects to take a look at. Later this month, Lorelai and the Laser Eyes studio Simogo is going to celebrate its 15th anniversary with some news and surprises . Perhaps the developer is porting some of its earlier games to more platforms. I'm hoping that we'll learn about Simogo's next game as well. I'm not holding out hope for a sequel to Sayonara Wild Hearts , which is my favorite game of all time depending on the day you ask me (on other days, it's The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past , FYI). However, if Simogo announces a live concert of music from the game , I'm going to do my damndest to be there. I'll be tuning in on October 28 to learn what the studio has for me us in any case. Speaking of showcases, Entalto Publishing and developer GGTech ran one of their own this week. The Out of Bounds event shone a spotlight on a dozen indie games, spanning a breadth of genres. Also, a quick reminder that the latest Steam Next Fest starts at 1PM ET on Monday, October 13. As always, the week-long event will have tons of demos for you to check out. Its always worth trying a bunch of them. You never know, you might end up being one of the first few folks to play the next Balatro , Manor Lords or Deep Rock Galactic Survivor . New releases Absolum is a beat-'em-up from the folks behind Streets of Rage 4 . It's the first original IP from Dotemu, which has found success with the likes of the terrific Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge . It co-developed this game with Guard Crush Games and Supamonks. The art and animation from the latter looks absolutely divine. You can play Absolum solo or with a friend. Since it's a roguelite, you'll gain upgrades to bolster your character on each run while earning experience that goes toward permanent progression. There are multiple paths to explore, so the replayability factor seems strong here. Engadget senior reporter Igor Bonifacic spent some time with Absolum this summer and was impressed by it . The game received strong reviews this week too. Absolum is out now on Steam , Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5. Dotemu also has another beat-'em-up, Marvel Cosmic Invasion , coming soon. A few reviews I've read for Bye Sweet Carole (which are fairly mixed) dinged it for having clunky controls and some other quality-of-life problems, such as getting softlocked while trying to complete puzzles. I hope Little Sewing Machine can iron out those issues since the presentation of this game is quite something. It looks like an early-'90s animated movie, with hand-drawn animations and, seemingly, a soundtrack to match. Bye Sweet Carole is a 2D horror-platformer from publisher Maximum Entertainment in which you play as a young girl trying to find her best friend, who disappeared from an orphanage. It's out now on PC , PS5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S. Want to see another new game with a unique look that makes it stand out from the crowd? Of course you do. Exploration action game Dreams of Another which landed on PS5, PS VR2 and Steam this week sees you creating the environment in a dream-like world by shooting at it. Director Baiyon (PixelJunk Eden) and the team at Q-Games used point cloud rendering technology to create the unusual, but captivating visuals. Dunno why they felt the need to put a clown in this game though. Clowns are rotten things. Dreams of Another arrived on the same day that Q-Games' PixelJunk Eden 2 hit PS4, PS5 and Steam (it's coming to Epic Games Store as well). That game debuted on Nintendo Switch in 2020. Here's yet another lovely-looking project, and this time it's a pixel-art game from Teenage Astronauts and publisher No More Robots. In Little Rocket Lab , you play as aspiring engineer Morgan, who sets out to build factories with the aim of achieving her family's dream of making a rocket ship.Its more build a rocket, girl, than Build A Rocket Boy . This is a blend of a factory builder and life sim, and it looks rather charming. Little Rocket Lab has touched down on Steam and Xbox. It's on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. On the subject of pixel-art games, I couldn't not include one that came out this week from a developer based in my hometown. Cairn: Mathairs Curse is a turn-based RPG. It's set in the early 2000s in the Scottish Highlands and it sees a young lad and his mates dealing with the aftermath of a cult casting an ancient curse on their home. Solo developer Ross McRitchie spent five years making Cairn: Mathairs Curse and his partner, Christine, composed the Celtic soundtrack. It's said to have plenty of Scottish humor, which speaks to me. The game, which Steam reviews have likened to EarthBound , is out on Steam now. Upcoming I'm looking forward to checking out Blackwood , which is slated to hit Steam in the second half of 2026. It has a pretty great pitch: By day, you run a DVD store in 2012 New York. By night, youre a ruthless assassin. Blackwood is a cinematic third-person shooter with grounded melee combat, brutal takedowns, responsive gunplay and a double life to manage. The facial animations look a little rough in the reveal trailer, but it's alpha footage and there's plenty of time to polish it. I'm hoping the team at Bangladesh-based AttritoM7 Productions manages to do that, because otherwise this game is looking quite nifty with its John Wick-style combat. I do love a game with a great name, and I've got a couple to tell you about. Action RPG Bittersweet Birthday has hand-drawn pixel art and nothing but boss battles when it comes to combat. Bittersweet Birthday from World Eater Games and publisher Dangen Entertainment is set to land on Steam , GOG , Humble and Itch on November 11. It's coming to consoles later. Heres a pinball-themed precision platformer in the mold of games like Baby Steps and Getting Over It . Fittingly, it's called A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad and you can control it with a single button. Theres no release date as yet for this project from Azimuth Studios. However, a demo is available on Steam now. Like a good teenage cousin, it's fun and annoying in equal measure. Another pre-Next Fest demo I've had a chance to check out is for Don't Stop, Girlypop! , a fast-paced arena shooter with an anti-capitalist bent. I've been looking forward to this one since I found out about it late last year. The demo, with its Y2K girly-pop aesthetics and Doom Eternal/Ultrakill -style gameplay, does not disappoint. I'm glad the team trimmed the first word from the original name Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop! since the shorter version is much punchier and more memorable. Funny Fintan Softworks and publisher Kwalee haven't revealed a release date as yet, but I'll be checking my T9 flip phone impatiently in the meantime. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/stylish-beat-em-ups-platformers-and-rpgs-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110000184.html?src=rss

The 26 Best Shows on Amazon Prime Right Now (October 2025)

Butterfly, The Girlfriend, and The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy are just a few of the shows you should be watching on Amazon Prime Video this week.

Australias March Toward 100 Percent Clean Energy

The countrys grid operator says shifting from coal to clean power is not only possible but inevitable. The work there could provide a road map for other countries.

How close are we to solid state batteries for electric vehicles?

Superionic materials promise greater range, faster charges and more safety.

Gear News of the Week: Intels New Chips Arrive, and Apple May Debut iPads and MacBooks This Month

Plus: PlayStation 6 rumors heat up, Metas Ray-Ban glasses are hard to fix, and Logitech disables its smart-home buttons.

Top 3 branding mistakes every startup should avoid

Learn the 3 biggest branding mistakes startups make and how to avoid them to build a consistent, memorable, and trusted brand identity.

Kotak Mahindra Bank expands startup accelerator, launches season 2 of BizLabs

The programme, running from October 2025 to November 2026, will operate in partnership with major incubators, including IIT Delhis Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer and T-Hub.

Elon Musk settles ex-Twitter executives lawsuitover unpaid severance | Explained

Four senior executives at Twitter accused billionaire Elon Musk of working to take revenge on them after he was made to buy the social media platform for $44 billion in 2022

Samsungs premium phones sales grow 40% while smart TV sales doubled during festive season

The South Korean electronics major said that smartphone growth was led by its Galaxy AI-powered portfolio of Z Fold 7 foldable smartphone, Galaxy S25 series as well as Galaxy S24 series

The fixers dilemma: Chris Lehane and OpenAIs impossible mission

The companys Sora problem is really at the root of everything else.

Corvette E-Ray 2026 Review: Price, Specs, Availability

The first Corvette to use an electrified powertrain has now hit European shores, so we decided to see how this hybrid sports car would cope with the UKs uniquely crummy road surfaces.

Creativity, divinity, femininitythe journey of artist Swati Tiwari

In this photo essay from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, we showcase a range of paintings and artist insights on creativity.

Activision officials must face claims over Microsoft takeover, judge rules

Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Chancery Court said on Thursday the shareholders in the proposed class action can pursue their core claim that Kotick and other Activision directors breached their fiduciary duties

Maharashtra's draft rules for vehicle aggregators cap surge pricing, limit working hours of drivers

The state government has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders on the draft rules, which are in line with the central guidelines, by October 17.

Global financial watchdogs to ramp up monitoring of AI

Banks have been broadly optimistic that AI will make them more productive, but regulators around the world have expressed concerns about its potential impact on financial stability

OpenAI, Sur Energy weigh $25 billion Argentina data center project

The project would involve a large-scale facility with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts to support advanced artificial intelligence computing, according to a government statement

Is the internet dying? How AI bots are taking over the web

Is the internet losing its vibe? Find out how AI bots are stealing the spotlight, flooding feeds, and turning the web into their own playground.

Gen Zs rewriting mental health narrative; A half-a-trillion-dollar opportunity

Lastly, in what is being called a major conservation win, the green turtle has been rescued from the brink of extinction. Once hunted extensively for turtle soup, its eggs as a delicacy and decorative shells, the ancient mariner saw its numbers plummet and was listed as endangered since the 1980s.

How Oratrics is enhancing the soft skills of students the world over

Bengaluru-based edtech startup Oratrics offers holistic personality development programmes for students and professionals. Its courses combine communication, leadership, creative skills, and emerging technologies, supported by an AI-powered platform.

NASA astronaut captures dazzling view of Starlink satellite train over Earth

Astronaut Don Pettit captured a stunning video from the ISS of a SpaceX Starlink satellite train streaking over Earth's auroras. The satellites appeared as bright as Jupiter against the green northern lights, highlighting the growing visibility of the expanding satellite network. Pettit's footage offers a unique perspective on human-made objects transforming the night sky.

Salesforce CEO says National Guard should patrol San Francisco stunning his own PR team

Though Benioff's shift mirrors Silicon Valley's broader accommodation of Trump, the exchange offered a rare glimpse of just how far that repositioning can go. The question now: will other Bay Area tech CEOs follow Benioff's lead and call for federal troops in their own backyard?

Navan plows ahead with IPO during shutdown, aims for $6.45B valuation

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Instagram tests new layout that puts the spotlight on Reels and DMs

Instagram head Adam Mosseri has announced that as part of a test, some Instagram users will be able to try a new menu bar in the app with a different arrangement of tabs. Notably, the new menu bar has dedicated tabs for both Reels and DMs, two of the app's most popular features. If you opt-in to the test, Instagram's current tabs for your feed, search, creating a new post, Reels and your profile page will be replaced by a new layout that swaps search and Reels, and switches the dedicated tab for creating a post with a new one for DMs. Meta's test also makes it possible to swipe between tabs. Mosseri's post announcing the test acknowledges that these kinds of changes can take time to get used to, which is why the new layout is optional for now. Based on recent announcements though, it's clear Meta has wanted to move in this direction for a bit. Setting aside the long-awaited iPad version of Instagram defaulting to Reels, the company has also said publicly it plans to prioritize messaging and short-form videos moving forward. It even tested a similar Instagram tab redesign with Indian users in early October, where the default tab was Reels and the second tab was DMs. Reels and DMs have driven most all our growth at Instagram over the last few years, so we are exploring making them the first two tabs, Mosseri said at the time. Users who joined Instagram when it was an app for sharing photos might be uncomfortable with its slow drift away from photography, but the shift is reflective of Meta's decision to chase larger social media trends. As posting has become more professionalized, chatting and sharing privately has become more popular. If you take Meta at its word, Instagram is increasingly an app for consuming content made by people you don't know, and then talking about it in private group chats with friends. This test just reflects that reality more accurately. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-tests-new-layout-that-puts-the-spotlight-on-reels-and-dms-215407062.html?src=rss

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Proton VPN review 2025: A nonprofit service with premium performance

Proton VPN stands out for two main reasons: it's one of the only virtual private networks (VPNs) to include a free plan with no data limits, and it's one of the few services majority-owned by a nonprofit. It's the best VPN in both of those categories, and it makes a strong case for being the best overall. Even if you don't care about the work of the Proton Foundation, Proton VPN is a service worth using. It's easy to install and manage, runs like the wind and meets high standards for security and privacy. It has more IP locations in Africa than any of its competitors. It's even looking toward the future by working toward full IPv6 support. In short, Proton VPN gets our enthusiastic recommendation, especially for torrenting (which it supports on almost every server). It's not perfect the apps for Apple systems lag behind their Windows and Android counterparts, and the free servers can be noticeably sluggish but the cons pale in comparison to the pros. We'll get into it all below. Editor's note (9/24/25): We've overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we'll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews. Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we're using. Table of contents Findings at a glance Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols How much does Proton VPN cost? Proton VPN side apps and bundles Close-reading Proton VPN's privacy policy Can Proton VPN change your virtual location? Investigating Proton VPN's server network Features of Proton VPN Proton VPN customer support options Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG Final verdict Findings at a glance The table summarizes what we found while reviewing Proton VPN, both good and bad. Keep it open in a tab while you comparison shop for a VPN. Category Notes Installation and UI Windows has the best interface, but all apps are smooth Android users get unique preset protocols Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox can be used for split tunneling on Mac and iOS Speed Retains 88 percent of download speeds and 98 percent of upload speeds Global latency average stays under 300 ms, with 52 ms on the fastest server Security No DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks on any servers Full IPv6 support is available on Android, Linux and browser extensions; Mac, Windows and iOS still block IPv6 to prevent leaks WireShark test showed active packet encryption Pricing Best plan costs $81.36 for two years ($3.39 per month) Free plan includes unlimited data and critical security features, but you can't choose your server Bundles Proton Unlimited saves money if you want two or more Proton products Privacy policy General Proton policy prevents collection of IP addresses unless a user has violated the terms of service (such as by using a Proton VPN server to abuse another site) No third parties are allowed to handle personally identifiable information Confirmed by Securitum audit in 2024 Virtual location change Unblocked Netflix repeatedly in all five testing locations, with new content proving a successful location change A free server in Romania got into Netflix but had trouble loading the library Server network 154 locations in 117 countries More servers in Africa than any other VPN, plus many others across the globe About two-thirds of server locations are virtual Features NetShield can block just malware, or all malware, ads and trackers Kill switch on all platformsSplit tunneling on Windows, Android and browser extensions only Secure Core servers route VPN through two locations, one of which is physically secured in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland Almost all paid servers are P2P-enabled Tor over VPN servers in six countries let you access dark web sites from any browser Profiles saves time when you repeatedly need specific connection settings Customer support Most articles in the online help center, while well-written, are invisible unless you use the search function Live chat is only for paying customers, and is unavailable from midnight to 9 AM CET Background check Launched in 2017 by the same company that developed ProtonMail Majority owned by the Proton Foundation, whose board includes the company founders and can resist takeover attempts While ProtonMail has worked with Swiss authorities in the past, Proton VPN is not governed by the same laws that compelled this Claims of a vulnerability in WireGuard's memory don't hold water Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN This section explains how it feels to run Proton VPN on the various platforms it supports. As a rule, it's not difficult. Proton VPN has more features than ExpressVPN, and a couple of them might trip up new users, but you'd have to really scrounge to find an actual inconvenience to complain about. Windows Proton VPN installs easily on Windows you'll need to grant it permission to make changes, but that's it. Once you've signed in on the app, you'll reach one of the best interfaces we've tried on a VPN. The server network is immediately visible as both a list and map, and the location search bar, connect button and major features are all laid out around the same window. Proton VPN's app for Windows. Sam Chapman for Engadget It's honestly amazing how much you can reach from the launch window without anything feeling cluttered. They even squeezed in keyboard shortcuts for the search field. We also love that settings open in the same window, since dealing with both the main VPN app and a separate preferences panel can get annoying. Our only real gripe is that there should be an easier way to adjust the size of the map. Mac The desktop app for Mac isn't quite as deftly laid out as the Windows app. You can reach most of the important features from the main window, including Profiles, NetShield, Secure Core servers and the kill switch. However, there's no longer a way to filter out a list of the P2P or Tor servers, except by digging through the Profile controls. On the plus side, you can adjust the size of the map, so it's now a viable alternative to the server list. Proton VPN's dark mode interface on macOS. Sam Chapman for Engadget The other preferences are hidden in the menu bar go to Proton VPN > Settings to reach them. They're laid out in four tabs, and shouldn't take more than a minute to go through at setup. Android The Android app takes the same design cues as the Windows app, and works as well. Four tabs along the bottom switch between the home screen, the country list, Profiles and all other settings. You can search the list of countries by tapping the magnifying glass at the top-right. In another nice touch, tapping the dots by any virtual location will tell you where the server is physically located. Proton VPN's Android client. Sam Chapman for Engadget Android users get some nifty exclusive Profiles, including anti-censorship, which automatically connects to the fastest country except for the one you're in. The Settings tab is a single menu with subheadings and no unnecessary complication. iOS Proton VPN for iPhone and iPad looks almost the same as it does on Windows and Android, but with some of the same drawbacks found on Mac. The server list is more cluttered, and once again there's no easy way to sift out the P2P and Tor locations. Proton VPN's app for iPhone and iPad. Sam Chapman for Engadget The Settings tab puts all the feature descriptions in the open, which makes it look denser than it is. But these are minor quibbles this is still a VPN that's very easy to activate and forget about. Browser extensions Proton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These serve as de facto split tunneling, as connecting through the extension protects only browser traffic; everything else goes unprotected. You can split the tunnel further by setting the VPN to not work on certain URLs (unlike the other apps, you don't need to know the IPs of those sites). Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator We used Ookla's Speedtest app to determine how much Proton VPN drags on a user's latency, measured in milliseconds (ms), and download and upload speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Together, these three stats show whether a VPN will noticeably slow down your internet, especially during demanding tasks. We had high hopes for Proton here because of its VPN Accelerator technology, which runs VPN communications across several parallel tracks to process everything faster. It didn't disappoint for the most part. Although download speeds didn't reach the heights we saw from ExpressVPN , Proton VPN's browsing performance still looks excellent nearly across the board. Proton VPN barely makes a dent in your download speeds. Sam Chapman for Engadget To choose our locations for the test, we checked Proton VPN's list of smart routing servers , which use servers in one country to simulate IP addresses in another. Almost all the smart routing servers are based in five cities: Miami, London, Marseille, Bucharest and Singapore. We ran these tests on a Mac using the automatic protocol setting. Server Location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Portland, OR, USA (unprotected) 16 -- 58.93 -- 5.82 -- San Jose, CA, USA (best server) 52 3.3x 55.82 5 5.58 4 Miami, FL, USA 160 10x 54.33 8 5.49 6 London, UK 332 20.8x 52.55 11 5.72 2 Marseille, France 309 19.3x 45.42 23 5.59 4 Bucharest, Romania 408 25.5x 52.51 11 5.57 4 Singapore, Singapore 394 24.6x 52.26 11 5.50 5 Average 276 17.3x 52.15 12 5.58 4 Proton VPN looks very good in that table. Its average download speed was 88 percent of our unprotected speeds. To put that in perspective, if you started with 30 Mbps down (about half what we get) and connected to any Proton VPN server, you'd almost certainly still have a fast enough connection to stream in 4K. Note the almost Proton VPN did drop noticeably on its French server in Marseille. It's not uncommon for one of a VPN's data centers to have trouble while the others work fine, and you can usually fix the problem by just disconnecting and reconnecting. Just note that while drops to about 75 percent of your download speed are rare, they're not inconceivable. Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols When we talk about VPN security, we're really talking about reliability. Can this VPN establish an encrypted tunnel and transmit all your information through it, every time, without leaks or failures? With Proton VPN, we're happy to say the answer is yes; we probed its security and found no cracks to speak of. Read the section below for specifics. Proton VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Stealth Proton VPN uses four VPN protocols to communicate between your devices, its servers and the internet. Three of them (WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2) are common choices with no serious flaws as long as they're implemented thoughtfully. The fourth, Stealth, is an obfuscation protocol you should only use if the other three are blocked. The protocol selection screen on Proton VPN's Android app. Sam Chapman for Engadget OpenVPN is the most secure option. Without getting too technical, OpenVPN encrypts its backend functions as well as the data itself, which leaves it with no obvious vulnerabilities. It can also communicate using the same ports as common HTTPS traffic, so it's hard to block. WireGuard is more efficient than OpenVPN, both in its source code and the cryptography it uses. It normally requires an exchange of fixed IP addresses, but the Proton VPN implementation overwrites those IPs with randomized addresses, cutting the security risk. IKEv2 is a safe choice that's occasionally faster than either OpenVPN or WireGuard. You probably won't use it unless it happens to come up while you've set the protocol to Smart. As such, it's on the way to being phased out of Proton VPN. Stealth is unique to Proton VPN, though its function is not. It's got the same architecture as WireGuard, but adds another TLS tunnel to evade network blocks that catch VPN traffic. That extra encryption slows it down, so we don't recommend using it unless the other three protocols don't work. The first option on the app, called Smart, is not a protocol it means your VPN client selects the protocol that will give you the best speeds on your current server. Since all four protocols are safe, there's no downside to using the Smart setting most of the time. Leak test We used AirVPN's IP leak tool to check all four of Proton VPN's protocols for DNS and WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN uses its own DNS servers to reduce the risk of sending unencrypted requests, but since leaks are still possible, we tested using a simple method: checking our visible IP address before and after connecting to the VPN. Despite testing several locations over three days, we never saw our real IP address show up on the tool. This held true even outside the Secure Core server list, where data centers might have been managed by third parties. It's not perfect proof, but it's a very good sign that Proton VPN enforces a consistent security regime on all its servers. Proton VPN successfully masked our real IP address, even on a virtual location in Angola. Sam Chapman for Engadget We also used BrowserLeaks to check for WebRTC leaks. These are mainly an issue on the browser side, but a VPN is doubly important if your browser happens to be leaking. We enabled WebRTC on our browser and tested the same set of Proton VPN servers without springing any WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN and IPv6 Proton is working on making its entire VPN compatible with IPv6 addresses. If a VPN that's only configured for IPv4 has to resolve an IPv6 address, it can cause a leak that's why most VPNs, even the best ones, block IPv6 altogether. That said, the whole internet will run on IPv6 one day, so it's nice to see Proton VPN leading the pack. So far, IPv6 is automatically enabled on Proton VPN's Linux apps and browser extensions, and can be optionally activated on its Android app. The Proton VPN apps for all other platforms still block IPv6 traffic, but this should hopefully change soon. Encryption test Even if a VPN's protocol choices are solid, it's possible for individual implementations of those protocols to fail. We used WireShark, a packet inspector app, to test whether Proton VPN's encryption worked no matter what settings were in place. We're happy to say we never saw plaintext once. How much does Proton VPN cost? To get full access to Proton VPN, you'll need a Plus subscription, which costs $9.99 per month. You can knock off half that price by subscribing for a full year and paying a lump sum of $59.88, working out to $4.99 per month. A Plus account with Proton VPN also gives you free access to every other Proton app. You can also pay $107.76 in advance to subscribe for two years, an average of $4.49 per month perhaps more convenient, but it doesn't save you much. The one-year plan is the best value, though it's also nice that you don't have to pay through the nose for only one month. There's a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all plans. Proton VPN is currently offering Engadget readers an exclusive deal that offers a 12-month plan for $47.88 ($3.99 per month) and a 24-month plan for $81.36 ($3.39 per month). Learn more about it here . One final option is the Proton Unlimited subscription, discussed in the side apps and bundles section below. The Proton VPN free plan Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market right now. No other VPN backed by as much experience and good judgment has a free plan with no data limits. Instead of capping how much data you can use per month, Proton VPN restricts which servers free users can access, limiting them to eight countries: the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Norway, Canada, Poland and Romania. The frustrating part is that you can't choose which of these servers you use; Proton VPN just auto-connects to whichever one is the least burdened. A Proton representative told us that this change goes along with improvements to the selection algorithm, better load balancing and the addition of the Poland and Romania locations. It is also possible to try for a better connection by clicking change server. The fact remains, though, that a free Proton VPN plan is useless for unblocking content in specific locations but this may be by design. The free plan seems more aimed toward privacy and anonymity than streaming, and the placement of the free locations near Russia and China reflects that. Free Proton VPN plans don't sacrifice any essential security features. Proton VPN side apps and bundles Proton VPN's main bundle is Proton Unlimited, which gets you all six Proton products in one package: VPN, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. This costs $12.99 for a month, $119.88 for a year ($9.99 per month) and $191.76 for two years ($7.99 per month). We won't be going in-depth on any of them in this review, but here's a quick rundown of each. Proton Mail: An end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton can still see a Mail user's real IP address, but can't read any of their messages. Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage. As with Mail, Proton can identify users, but can't read any of the content they store. Proton Calendar: An encrypted scheduling app with events and reminders. Proton Wallet: A self-custody wallet for storing Bitcoin unconnected to any exchange. Proton Pass: A password manager that generates, stores and autofills passwords for online accounts. Even if you only need two of the six, Proton Unlimited saves you money. Separate monthly subscriptions to Proton VPN and Proton Mail would cost a total of $14.98, so you've already knocked off $2 per month. That increases if you're able to commit to a year in advance. Close-reading Proton VPN's privacy policy Proton's privacy policy comes in two parts: the general Proton policy and the shorter policy specific to Proton VPN . We'll cover them in that order. General Proton privacy policy Proton tracks user activity on its product websites using its own marketing tools; the data set collected does not include IP addresses. It retains an email address connected to each user's account, but it's not allowed to connect IP addresses (and thus identities and locations) to those emails unless the user breaches the terms of service. You may rightly ask how Proton would know a user is abusing one of their services if they don't keep activity logs. The answer is that logs aren't needed; most forms of abuse can be detected in other ways and observed in real time. For example, if someone used a Proton VPN server to launch a DDoS attack, the team could inspect that server and find the hacker while the attack was still ongoing. The policy goes on to list the five third-party data processors Proton uses (Zendesk, PayPal, Chargebee, Atlassian and Stripe), none of whom are allowed to store customer activity data. Proton cautions that it will share what data it does have in response to unblockable requests from the Swiss government, but not until all legal or other remedies have been exhausted. This is standard for a VPN that wants to remain in business, and the transparency report shows the company does indeed fight court orders when it can. Proton VPN privacy policy Proton's VPN-specific privacy policy is quite short. It states that Proton cannot log user activities or identifiable characteristics of devices connected to the VPN, cannot throttle internet connections and must extend full privacy and security to free users. In one sense, a privacy policy requires you to take the VPN provider at their word, but it's dangerous for a company to make promises they don't intend to keep. The policy is legally binding, and breaking it is grounds for a lawsuit. Proton VPN's succinct no-logs policy is therefore a great sign. It's also been confirmed several times by a third-party audit, most recently in July 2024 . Can Proton VPN change your virtual location? Testing a VPN's ability to mask a user's location isn't complex all you need is a streaming subscription. We connected to five test locations and tried to unblock Netflix with each one. If we managed to access the site, and saw different shows than those on the American library, we concluded that the location had masked us successfully. Server location Unblocked Netflix? Library changed? Canada Y Y Romania Y Y Ghana Y Y Japan Y Y New Zealand Y Y Proton VPN passed the test every time in all five locations. The only hiccup came in Romania, which we chose because it's one of the free locations. The app connected us to a free server, which was too slow to load Netflix; when we chose a paid server, the problem disappeared. Proton VPN changed our virtual location so we saw the Japanese Netflix library. Sam Chapman for Engadget Investigating Proton VPN's server network Proton VPN's free plan includes servers in five locations: the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States and Japan. When you connect as a free user, you'll be automatically connected to whichever location is fastest. A paid plan opens up the full network of 154 servers in 117 countries and territories. The menu includes a huge selection of African locations, more than any VPN we've tested in some time. The Middle East, along with central and southern Asia, are also well represented, and U.S. users will find 20 different locations to choose from. Proton VPN lets you know which of its locations are virtual. Sam Chapman for Engadget Keep in mind that about two-thirds of these server locations are virtual, meaning they're not physically located where they claim to be. This includes all the African servers except South Africa and Nigeria; all the South American servers except Brazil, Colombia and Argentina; and all the Middle Eastern servers except Turkey, Israel and the UAE. A majority of the locations in Asia are also virtual, including South Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. To be clear, virtual locations can hide your IP address just as well as physical ones. It's only a problem if you're expecting the kind of performance, particularly in terms of latency, that you get from a nearby server. Luckily, Proton VPN gives you fast enough download and upload speeds that distance shouldn't be a problem. None Countries Virtual Locations Cities North America 6 3 25 South America 7 4 7 Europe 42 6 51 Africa 25 23 26 Middle East 13 10 14 Asia 22 16 25 Oceania 2 0 6 TOTAL 117 62 154 Features of Proton VPN Proton VPN has a number of extra features that go beyond standard VPN functionality. We've already mentioned the Stealth protocol and IPv6 support. In this section, we'll cover an additional five features that might be of interest. NetShield ad blocker Proton VPN's built-in ad blocker is known as NetShield. It's available on the main UI page, and has two settings: one that blocks only malware sites, and one that blocks sites connected with malware, ads and trackers. The stronger feature is on by default. The Netshield page on Proton VPN's iOS app. Sam Chapman for Engadget NetShield works by checking any DNS requests against a database of web servers known to host malware, inject ads or attach cross-site trackers to your browsing session. The DNS-blocking approach means it's not capable of blocking ads served from the same domain that hosts them so no blocking YouTube video ads. On the positive side, it means NetShield works across your entire device, not just on your browser. NetShield also displays a running total of how many of each form of interference it's blocked. It catches most banner ads, but since you can't customize the blocklist in any way, it's best when combined with another browser-level ad blocker. Secure Core servers Here's an interesting one. Secure Core is a form of a common feature known as double VPN or multi-hop VPN, in which a connection runs through two VPN servers before being decrypted. If one server fails or gets compromised, the other server keeps your connection private. Secure Core servers add a second node to your VPN connection. Sam Chapman for Engadget Proton VPN takes this a step further. When you activate Secure Core, your connection will still end at your chosen server location but before that, it will travel through a designated server in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland. A few touches make Secure Core servers more reliable than the average VPN node: All three countries are safe jurisdictions, with consumer-friendly privacy laws and courts sympathetic to privacy claims. Secure Core data centers are locked down physically; for example, the Iceland location is a refitted military base, and the Sweden location is literally underground. Proton owns and operates all Secure Core locations itself, with no rentals or third-party managers. Almost no other VPNs pay as much attention to physical security as Proton VPN does with this feature. The second hop makes Secure Core connections slower on average, but it's worth it if you have something especially sensitive to do online. Kill switch Proton VPN includes a kill switch, a standard feature. When active, a kill switch cuts off your internet whenever your connection to the VPN drops. This means you're never in danger of leaking your real identity or location, even for a second. It also protects you against the TunnelVision exploit, which requires the hacker to make a fake VPN server. Split tunneling Split tunneling is included on the Windows and Android apps, but users on other devices can access it through the browser extension. With split tunneling, some apps or websites get online through the VPN, while others stay unprotected. Split tunneling with Proton VPN on Android. Sam Chapman for Engadget Proton VPN allows split tunneling by both app and IP address. This grants you a precise level of control over your split, as long as you know the IP of each website you're placing on the list (you can find that out using DNS checker ). Torrenting servers and port forwarding Proton VPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. It restricts torrenting to P2P servers, but nearly every server on the list is a P2P server only Secure Core servers and some free servers don't permit torrenting. Combine that with the fact that it maintains 96 percent of your upload speeds on average, and you should have few problems using a torrenting client. Proton VPN's list of P2P servers. Sam Chapman for Engadget It also has some support for port forwarding, which can improve torrenting speed. Windows and Linux users can enable it with a simple toggle, which provides an active port number for configuring private servers. Mac users can set up port forwarding through manual OpenVPN or WireGuard configurations. Tor over VPN A handful of Proton VPN servers route you directly to the Tor network after encrypting your connection. While connected to one of these Tor over VPN servers, which are marked with TOR in their names and an onion symbol, you'll be able to open .onion links on a normal browser. This is more than just convenient Tor over VPN is the safest way to access the dark web. With the VPN as an intermediary, you're never connecting to Tor with your own IP address, so malicious node operators can't see your real identity. For maximum privacy, use Tor Browser to create your Proton VPN account, so you're never exposed at any point in the process. Proton VPN has Tor servers in six countries (the U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Hong Kong). Each just has one Tor server, except the United States, which gets two. Tor over VPN is supported on all platforms, but it won't work on Mac or iOS unless you have the kill switch enabled. Profiles A profile on Proton VPN is a group of pre-established settings you can use to quickly configure the VPN for a particular task. Two profiles are available from the start: Fastest, which connects to the fastest server, and Random, which always connects to a different server. You can create more profiles by toggling four settings: Feature: The type of server used. Choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P or Tor over VPN. Country: The country to which the profile connects. Server: A server within that country. You can also select fastest or random. Protocol: Which VPN protocol the profile will use. Smart can be selected. As an example, say you want to watch a TV series that's only available on Netflix in Canada. You could create a profile called Netflix Canada that connects to the fastest Canadian server with just one click. We'd call profiles situationally useful, but they can save a lot of time if you regularly perform the same action on your VPN. Proton VPN customer support options We went to Proton VPN's FAQ pages with two questions that came up while researching other sections: which of Proton VPN's servers are managed by third parties, and why do certain server locations (like Marseilles) run slow despite the app showing a light load? You can access the help center through any of Proton VPN's apps, or by going directly to the website. Articles appear to be organized into six categories. Oddly, clicking any category button only shows you a handful of the articles in that section for example, the Troubleshooting category looks like it only has five articles. If you type troubleshooting into the search bar, though, you'll see dozens pop up. There are even some sections, like Billing, that don't appear on the main page at all. It has the feel of a website update that wasn't adequately brought in line with the bulk of the support content. Until Proton fixes it, just use the search bar for everything. The articles themselves are well-written, give or take some stilted English. Getting quick help We couldn't find written answers to our questions about ownership and server load, so we turned to live chat. Free users should keep in mind that live chat support is only available on paid accounts, but there's a fairly active subreddit at r/protonvpn where Proton staff frequently post. Live chat is not intuitively located on protonvpn.com. We finally found it by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the main page, only to be told nobody was online to help at the moment live chat is only accessible from 9 AM to midnight Central European Time (CET). We submitted our question about the Marseille servers as an email ticket instead. Sam Chapman for Engadget This part was easy, at least, as the form helpfully populated our system information. We also got a prompt response within 24 hours. We ended the interaction there, as we weren't able to reproduce the sluggish behavior on the French server locations, but it's nice to know the team will answer quickly. Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG Proton VPN launched in 2017 , but its team's experience goes back much farther. The founders of its parent company, Proton AG, met while working at CERN in Switzerland, and the company remains under Swiss jurisdiction. Their first product, Proton Mail, went live in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and claims to have 100 million users today. Proton VPN was Proton AG's second project. Like Proton Mail, it consists of a free plan supplemented by paid upgrades. Since then, Proton has introduced several more products: Proton Calendar in 2020, Proton Drive cloud storage in 2022 and the Proton Pass password manager in 2023, each designed around using end-to-end encryption to make user data inaccessible. The Proton Foundation Proton announced in 2024 that the majority of its shares had been acquired by the Proton Foundation, a nonprofit whose only purpose is to control Proton stock. Among other benefits, this prevents it from being purchased by anyone who disagrees with its mission. To sell to an objectionable parent company, the entire board of trustees would have to agree, which feels unlikely based on Proton's track record. Throughout Proton's history, we only found two incidents serious enough to comment on, and only one of them concerned Proton VPN. We'll cover them both below. ProtonMail law enforcement collaboration allegations On the page that hosts its annual transparency report , Proton states openly that it may be legally compelled to disclose certain user information to Swiss authorities (see the Privacy Policy section of this article for more on precisely what information that describes). In 2021, the company admitted it had given Swiss police (acting on a French warrant) a ProtonMail user's IP address and device logs. The police arrested the user, a French environmental activist. While that's unnerving for privacy-minded users, there are some important contextual issues to consider. Most importantly, ProtonMail is not governed by the same policy as Proton VPN. At the time the case unfolded, Swiss law obliged all email companies to comply with court orders from Swiss authorities to hand over data. VPNs aren't subject to those retention requirements . Today, Swiss email companies have been reclassified so they're also exempt from data retention requirements, thanks in part to a policy change Proton fought for . A representative from Proton confirmed that under Swiss law, we are not obligated to save any user connection logs. It's also reassuring that, despite complying with the subpoena, Proton wasn't able to turn over the contents of any emails. Alleged WireGuard memory vulnerability In January 2025, researchers at Venak Security alleged that Proton VPN lacks memory protection for keys generated under the WireGuard protocol, which might let hackers scrape the keys and decrypt intercepted communications. Proton responded to Venak in a blog post , which a Proton representative confirmed remains their official response to the allegations. In short: the Venak article only demonstrates that it's possible to view public keys, not private ones. This isn't much of a bombshell, given that public is right there in the name. But asymmetric encryption the kind used by VPN protocols like WireGuard requires both keys to decrypt any messages. Even if a hacker were able to get ahold of a private key, they likely wouldn't be able to use it for anything. WireGuard incorporates perfect forward secrecy by default, changing session keys often enough that any given key is obsolete by the time it's stolen. Final verdict In short, we're prepared to recommend Proton VPN to almost anybody. Whether you're mainly concerned with security, streaming or something else, chances are good that you'll be satisfied. The only serious downsides are that the long-term plans are overpriced and that it's hard to get live tech support if you live outside of Europe. It's also our unqualified pick for the best free VPN, but with the caveat that it's a bad choice for anyone who needs to choose specific server locations. If all you care about is staying hidden from your ISP and advertisers, Proton should be your first choice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/proton-vpn-review-2025-a-nonprofit-service-with-premium-performance-153046073.html?src=rss

Malware apps posing as free VPNs are on the rise

Cybersecurity firm Cleafy just issued a report warning against a rising malware called Klopatra, which infects personal devices by posing as a free VPN app called Mobdro Pro IP + VPN. This is the latest corroboration of a series of warnings delivered by Kaspersky security researchers in 2024 about the increasing number of malware apps pretending to be free VPNs a warning that's more relevant than ever as VPN usage spikes in response to age-restriction laws. Mobdro is the name of a popular IPTV app that's been taken down by the Spanish government at least once, but the Mobdro Pro IP + VPN app appears to be unrelated, piggybacking on the name to use it as a malware vector. If you download the app, it guides you through what appears to be an installation wizard, but is actually the steps for handing over total control of your device. Once inside, Klopatra abuses accessibility services to pose as you, enter your banking apps, drain your accounts and assimilate your device into the botnet for further attacks. Cleafy believes that Klopatra has already roped around 3,000 devices into its botnet, mainly in Italy and Spain. Its report concludes that the group behind Klopatra is probably based in Turkey, and is actively refining its approach, incorporating innovations and changing with the times. Hence the use of a combined cord-cutting and free VPN app as a mask it's perfect for exploiting rising frustrations with both streaming balkanization and government clampdowns on web freedom. According to Kaspersky, other free VPNs used as malware vectors in the past year include MaskVPN, PaladinVPN, ShineVPN, ShieldVPN, DewVPN and ProxyGate. With Klopatra's runaway success, Cleafy believes that imitators will spring up. App stores aren't always quick to take down implicated apps, so be very careful to vet any free VPN app before you download it. If you're not sure, you can always go with one of the free recommendations from our best VPN list (Proton VPN or hide.me). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/malware-apps-posing-as-free-vpns-are-on-the-rise-175629088.html?src=rss

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iFixit says the Pixel Watch 4 is the most repairable smartwatch around

When Google announced the Pixel Watch 4, it made a point to mention that the smartwatch was designed with serviceability in mind. Now that it's out, the repair experts at iFixit have taken a look and can confirm Google's claims. The how-to specialist site has called the Pixel Watch 4 the most repairable smartwatch you can buy right now. Thats notable, as iFixit points out , because youd probably expect a sustainability-oriented brand such as Fairphone or Framework to be getting this kind of recognition ahead of Google. (That said, the Fairphone 6 did recently receive a perfect 10/10 repairability review .) But iFixit said it was truly impressed with what owners can do to fix Googles latest wearable on their own. The first thing it highlights is the presence of visible screws that dont interfere with the watchs IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Both the vibration motor and battery are also easy to remove, the latter being glue-free and requiring you only to unscrew from its enclosure. As for the display, thats also secured by screws alone (spotting a pattern here yet?) and sealed using a replaceable O-ring gasket that you can easily purchase. iFixit notes that its harder for square watches to use the same solution, so Googles decision to make the Pixel Watch 4 round boosts its repairability. At the end of its comprehensive video, iFixit awards Google a provisional rating of 9/10 for repairability, calling it the most satisfying smartwatch teardown it has performed to date. For transparency, the site points out that it does have an ongoing business partnership with Google, but insists its completely unrelated to the teardown treatment it gives the Pixel Watch 4. Its perhaps surprising level of repairability isnt the only thing in the Pixel Watch 4s favor. In Engadgets 86/100 review of the device, Cherlynn Low also praised its rapid charging speeds, excellent health and fitness tracking credentials and attractive display. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ifixit-says-the-pixel-watch-4-is-the-most-repairable-smartwatch-around-171242107.html?src=rss

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The FCC has submitted a proposal that would make it harder for consumers to receive itemized bills with accurate information from their ISPs, as spotted by The Verge . The draft would revise previous unnecessary requirements on the grounds that a fact-based list of charges may confuse customers. This comes as a response to complaints by ISPs over a Biden-era transparency rule that went into effect back in 2024 . Compliance with this rule mandates that ISPs make it easier for consumers to compare prices and avoid hidden fees. This typically comes in the form or something called a nutrition label, which shows speeds, fees and data allowances for internet plans. The FCC is planning on examining ways to eliminate any other label requirements that are unduly burdensome and provide minimal benefit to consumers. Getting an actual list of what we are paying $100 for each month doesn't seem like a minimal benefit to me. The regulatory agency isn't looking to ditch these nutrition labels entirely, at least not yet, but is seeking to eliminate the requirements to itemize location-based fees. We propose to eliminate the requirement that providers itemize discretionary, recurring monthly fees that represent costs they choose to pass through to consumers and which vary by consumer location, the draft proposal said. It also targets requirements to make this data readily available to all consumers. The proposal has language that would stop forcing ISPs to make this information multi-lingual and to make it available both online and to customers on the phone. It also seeks to decouple these labels from customer account portals. We aren't sure where these nutrition labels would continue to live. FCC head Brendan Carr wrote a cheeky blog about the proposal that seemed more interested in discussing pumpkin spice lattes over ISP regulation. He said that the proposal seeks to separate the wheat from the chaff so that consumers can get quick and easy access to the information they want and need to compare broadband plans. The language of the proposal seems to indicate the exact opposite of that sentiment, but that's politics for ya. A vote on the proposal is scheduled for October 28. This is all part of Carr's Delete, Delete, Delete initiative , which seeks to appease President Trump by removing as many government regulations as possible. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-fcc-is-trying-to-make-it-easier-for-internet-providers-to-charge-hidden-fees-155305720.html?src=rss

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Ford is cutting the price of the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000

Ford is cutting the price of the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000, as confirmed by the automaker to CarsDirect . The price cuts vary by trim, however, and will only apply to more expensive packages for the electric pickup truck. This comes as the $7,500 EV tax credit expired at the end of September. The 2026 model has a starting price of $63,345 for the STX trim, which is the same price as the previous year's entry-level XLT. The STX replaces the XLT and delivers 536 horsepower, up from the XLT's 452, and 290 miles of range, up from 240. The Flash edition will receive the full $4,000 price cut, giving it a new price of $65,995. The Lariat, originally priced at $76,995, will get just a $2,000 haircut and will sell for $74,995. The Platinum edition will be priced at $84,995 and will not cost less. This summer, Ford announced that it would release an affordable midsize all-electric pickup with a starting price of around $30,000 in 2027. The truck would be built on the company's upcoming Ford Universal EV Platform that will be shared by a new family of products. These models would use Ford's upcoming prismatic LFP batteries . As EV-related tax incentives continue to expire, manufacturers will need to reach into their own pockets to deliver value to consumers. This week Tesla announced the Model 3 and Model Y 'Standard' editions, which give up some luxury touches in exchange for price, with both starting at under $40,000. Inflation has also played a large role in car pricing over the last five years, as $40,000 has roughly the same purchasing power as $32,000 in 2020. Ford recently walked back a program that would have enabled dealers to offer a $7,500 tax credit on EV leases even after the expiration of federal subsidies on September 30, as first reported by Reuters . The plan involved having the companys lending arm purchase new EVs out of the brands dealers inventory, after which Ford would apply for the tax credit on the vehicles. That credit would then have been considered in the EV lease terms for customers, passing on the savings. GM was set to have a similar program before canceling it earlier this week. According to Reuters sources, GM killed the program after Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio raised concerns about it. It is unclear why Ford followed suit. Update 11:23 EST: Added more context. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-is-cutting-the-price-of-the-2026-f-150-lightning-by-up-to-4000-144241504.html?src=rss

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Today's best iPad deals include the iPad A16 for $279

We generally consider Apples iPads to be the best tablets for most people, but most of them dont come cheap. To help you get the most value possible, were keeping a constant eye on sale prices and rounding up the best iPad deals we can find each week. This week has been a particularly fruitful time to be in the market for an Apple tablet: Amazon held its latest Prime Day sale on October 7-8, while other retailers like Best Buy , Target and Walmart are still running sweeping sales of their own. A number of Apple device discounts from these events are still available today, including the base iPad (A16) for $279 and a $150 drop for the iPad Air . Beyond iPads, other gadgets like the AirPods 4 , MacBook Air and AirTag remain heavily discounted as well. Here are all the top deals on Apple gear we could find this week. Best iPad deals Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) for $449 ($150 off MSRP ) : The most recent iPad Air is a relatively minor update, as the only major addition is a more powerful M3 chip. However, we still recommend the Air over the base model in our iPad buying guide : Its display is laminated, more color-rich and better at fending off glare (though it's still 60Hz); its speakers are more robust; it works with Apples best accessories and its performance should hold up better in the years ahead. We saw the base model drop as low as $437 during Amazon's Prime Day sale this week, but this $150 discount ties the best price we've seen otherwise. Other configurations are also $150 off. Also at Best Buy . Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $649 ($150 off) : Engadget's Nate Ingraham gave the 13-inch iPad Air a score of 89 when it was released in March. It has a bigger and slightly brighter display than its 11-inch counterpart but is otherwise the same. If you plan to keep your iPad hooked up to a keyboard, the extra screen space is lovely for multitasking or just taking in movies. This discount is an all-time low, and it applies to several color options and storage configs. Also at Best Buy . Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off) : The 8.3-inch iPad mini is exactly what it sounds like : the smaller iPad. The newest iteration has an improved A17 Pro chip which is enough to support Apple Intelligence alongside 128GB of storage in the base model and Apple Pencil Pro support. Youd buy it if you want a tablet you can more easily hold with one hand. We saw it available for $20 less during Amazon's Prime Day sale, but this is still a decent drop from its typical going rate. Also at Best Buy . Best Apple deals Apple AirPods 4 for $89 ($40 off) : If you don't need ANC, the standard AirPods 4 are still a good buy for those who hate the feeling of pairs that jut into their ear canal. They lack built-in volume controls, and no open-style earbuds can produce the same level of bass response as traditional in-ear headphones, but they generally sound more pleasant than most pairs of this type, and they still offer a host of Apple-friendly features. This is another all-time low. Also at Walmart , or Best Buy for $1 more. Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $65 ($34 off) : We may see an updated model by the end of the year, but the current AirTags are the best Bluetooth trackers for iPhone owners right now thanks to their vast finding network and accurate ultra-wideband tech that makes it easy to locate nearby items. Just note that you'll need a separate AirTag holder to attach them to your keys, wallet or bag. This deal comes within a dollar of the lowest price we've seen for a four-pack. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . If you just want one, individual AirTags are a bit cheaper than usual at $20 as well. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4) for $799 ($200 off) : Apple's latest MacBook Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops , and it earned a score of 92 in our review . It's not a major overhaul, but the design is still exceptionally thin, light and well-built, with long battery life and a top-notch keyboard and trackpad. Now it's a bit faster. (Though we'd still love more ports and a refresh rate higher than 60Hz.) This discount ties the all-time low for the base model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, but configs with more memory and storage are $200 off as well. Also at Best Buy . Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M4) for $999 ($200 off) : The 15-inch MacBook Air is nearly identical to the smaller version but has better speakers and a more spacious trackpad alongside its roomier display. The notebook very briefly fell as low as $969 earlier this week, but this is a solid drop all the same. Other configs are similarly discounted. Also at Best Buy . Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off) : The top-end option in Apples confusing stylus lineup , the Pencil Pro supports pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, tilt detection, haptic feedback and Apples double tap and squeeze gestures , among other perks. Its a lovely tool for more intricate sketching and note-taking, but the catch is that its only compatible with the M4 iPad Pro, M2 and M3 iPad Air and most recent iPad mini. We've seen this deal fairly often over the course of the year, but it's a fine discount compared to buying from Apple directly. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . Apple AirPods Max for $429 ($120 off) : The AirPods Max are bulkier and older than Sonys WH-1000XM6 the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones plus they rely on a weirdly flimsy case to preserve power, so we only recommend them to hardcore Apple fans. That said, their ANC and warm sound profile still rank among the better options on the market, and they offer most of the same handy features as the in-ear AirPods. This model is virtually the same as the pair we reviewed way back in 2020, only it has a USB-C port and supports lossless audio with a cable. This discount is $30 off the pairs lowest-ever price, but its the biggest drop weve seen since July. Apple iMac (M4) for $1,149 ($150 off) : We like the M4 iMac as an all-in-one computer thanks to its powerful performance, standard 16GB of RAM and improved webcam. Just note that it only comes in a 24-inch screen size option. This deal on the base model isn't quite an all-time low, but it's roughly $40 lower than the desktop's usual street price and a decent savings compared to buying directly from Apple. Also at Best Buy . Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) for $389 ($10 off) : The latest flagship Apple Watch only hit the market last month, but Amazon is already selling it for $10 off. It doesn't show up as a percentage off, but you'll see some models listed at $389 instead of Apple's $399 MSRP. If you're new to Apple's wearables or are ready to upgrade from a Series 9 or older, this is a good model to grab. If you're coming from a Series 10, however, there's not much need to upgrade as the only major change from last year's model is a slightly larger battery and a tougher screen. Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) for $240 ($9 off) : There's a similar stealth discount for the newest budget model, the Apple Watch SE 3, at Amazon. It normally goes for $249 again, not a big discount, but better than nothing if you're looking to get onboard early. Apple gave this model some badly needed updates compared to its predecessor, including an always-on display, faster charging, better sensors and the same processor that you'll find in the new Apple Watch Series 11. Read more Apple coverage : The best AirPods The best Apple Watches The best MacBooks The best iPhones The best iPads Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/todays-best-ipad-deals-include-the-ipad-a16-for-279-150020625.html?src=rss

Sonos Ace headphones are $100 off right now

Sonos Ace headphones didnt get off to the best start, but the brands first headphones have come a long way since launch, and for $100 off when purchased directly from Sonos or Amazon , theyre well worth considering. The Ace are down to $299 from both retailers, and for that price youre getting one of the most feature-packed pairs of noise-canceling headphones on the market right now. When the Ace arrived in the summer of 2024, we praised them for their sound quality, premium design and comfy fit, but had no choice but to ding the headphones for not launching with some of their flashiest features. But thats no longer an issue if you pick up a pair today, as Sonos TrueCinema spatial audio tech now works as advertised. As a reminder, TrueCinema takes into account the dynamics of your living space when youre using TV Audio Swap to create a virtual 3D audio system in your headphones. The idea is that you feel like you arent wearing them at all, which is a big claim to make, but theres no denying that True Cinema enhances the experience of watching movies and TV shows while wearing the Ace. Sonos has also improved the Aces adaptive noise cancellation in updates made available since launch, while phone calls are now clearer than they were when we first reviewed the headphones. Theyre still expensive at full price, but if you use other Sonos products in your home and think youll appreciate the Aces ability to swap audio output with a compatible Sonos soundbar (ideal for late-night movies when the kids are in bed), then its a very easy recommendation at $299. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-ace-headphones-are-100-off-right-now-142323913.html?src=rss

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