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Best VPNs for 2025 — summary & buying guide Summary of a recent Engadget roundup (overhauled Sep 2025): after extensive testing the author recommends seven top VPNs that balance speed, privacy, features, platform support and price. The market is strong — many solid choices — but also crowded with low-quality apps that prioritize ads over infrastructure. This guide highlights the winners, honorable mentions, and how to pick the right VPN for your needs. Quick highlights Top picks: 7 recommended providers (chosen for real-world speed, security, and value). Honorable/dishonorable mentions include Windscribe, CyberGhost, TunnelBear, VyprVPN and Norton VPN — each with clear pros and cons. Testing notes: platforms supported, measured speed impact, server locations, extra features, and best available price were assessed. List updated Sep 2025 and reviewed quarterly. Honorable /…

DuckDuckGo subscription adds advanced AI models while keeping privacy DuckDuckGo has reoriented its paid tier (formerly Privacy Pro) into the DuckDuckGo subscription, keeping the same pricing — $10/month or $100/year — while adding access to more advanced AI models from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta for subscribers. Key points Price and perks: Subscription price and existing perks (VPN, personal info removal, identity protection) remain unchanged. AI access: Subscribers gain access to additional, more advanced AI models through Duck.ai. Third-party reporting lists models such as GPT-4o and others, but official confirmations vary by source. Privacy: DuckDuckGo says Duck.ai conversations are anonymized and not used to train future systems. The base Duck.ai remains free and does not require an account. Opt-out: Users can hide AI buttons in desktop and mobile browser…

Google Ordered to Pay $425 Million in App Data-Collection Lawsuit A federal jury has ordered Google to pay $425 million to the plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of collecting users' app data even after they turned off the Web & App Activity tracking setting. The suit, originally filed in July 2020, was certified as a class action and covers roughly 98 million Google users and 174 million devices. Key facts Verdict: $425 million in compensatory damages (no punitive damages awarded). Findings: Jury found Google liable on two of three privacy-violation claims; it found no violation of the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act and no malice. Lead plaintiff / timeline: Lead plaintiff filed suit in July 2020 (reported lead plaintiff name: Anibal Rodriguez). Judge:…

Philips Hue at IFA 2025 — Essential bulbs, Bridge Pro and new strip lighting At IFA 2025, Philips Hue unveiled its biggest product launch to date, introducing the new entry-level "Essential" smart bulb lineup alongside refreshed strip lighting and the more powerful Hue Bridge Pro. Essential lineup — what’s new Form factors: A19 bulbs, GU10 spots and strip lights (both white-only and color versions). Connectivity: Bluetooth out of the box; full platform features available via Hue Bridge or Matter-over-Thread. Trade-offs vs regular Hue color/white bulbs: reduced dimming range, narrower whites (2200–6500K vs ~1000–20000K) and less accurate color — important if you sync lights to TVs or need exact matching. Pricing & availability A19: $25 each or $60 for a 4-pack. Starter kits (US) with Hue Bridge V2: from $80 (2x…

EcoFlow and BSH join forces to reduce electricity costs EcoFlow has entered a partnership with BSH Hausgeräte (the Bosch home appliances group behind brands like Bosch, Siemens, Neff and Thermador) to better integrate EcoFlow's energy systems with BSH's smart appliances. The goal: reduce household energy consumption and lower electricity bills by pairing advanced backup power and energy management with energy-efficient, Matter-enabled appliances. What this means Integration of EcoFlow power solutions (portable and whole-home backup systems, energy management software) with BSH's smart appliance ecosystem. Use of Matter and smart-home connectivity to optimize appliance operation and energy use. Expected benefits include lower electricity costs, improved resilience during outages, and smarter energy scheduling. Brands involved BSH brands: Bosch, Siemens, Neff, Thermador (and others). Energy partner: EcoFlow. Where to find more Official partnership details:…

Hue Secure Video Doorbell — 2K fisheye, 24‑hour free history, Zigbee integration Signify (Philips Hue) is releasing its first video doorbell under the Hue Secure lineup. Key selling points include a 2K fisheye camera, free 24‑hour video history, Zigbee support so the doorbell can trigger Hue lights, and compatibility with Google Home and Samsung SmartThings at launch. Apple Home (HomeKit) and Matter support are expected later. Main features 2K fisheye camera — higher resolution than some Nest and Ring models for more detail Free 24‑hour video history — no subscription needed to keep the previous day’s clips Zigbee radio — pairs with Hue lights to automate lighting when someone approaches Wi‑Fi: 2.4GHz & 5GHz support; initial setup uses Bluetooth Works with Google Home & Samsung SmartThings; Apple Home (HomeKit) and…

Best streaming deals right now (quick guide) Streaming prices have climbed, but smart shoppers can still find big savings. Highlights from current offers: Paramount+ Essential — $30 for one year (50% off). Ad-supported plan; runs through Sept 18. YouTube TV — 3 months for $150 (new subscribers). Spotify Premium — 3 months free for first-time users (auto-renews; set a reminder to cancel if needed). Sling — Sling Orange/Blue 50% off first month (around $23–$25.50). DirecTV — First month starting at $50 (base Entertainment package). DashPass + HBO Max (with ads) — $96/year bundle with DoorDash benefits. Peacock — First responders discount: $48/year (50% off). Student discounts HBO Max ad tier for $5/month via Unidays. Hulu ad tier for $2/month. Spotify Student: Premium + Hulu (with ads) for $6/month. NBA League…

Apple's 'World Knowledge Answers': AI-powered web search coming to Siri Reports indicate Apple is developing an AI-based web search system called "World Knowledge Answers" that will be integrated into Siri, Safari, and Spotlight. The feature is expected to arrive in early 2026 and aims to deliver richer, conversational answers by combining text, images, video and local data. What we know Name: "World Knowledge Answers" (internal). Integration: Siri, Safari, Spotlight and other system surfaces. Timing: Expected in spring/early 2026 (reports point to rollout around March 2026). Approach: Apple is reportedly testing both internal models and external models (e.g., Google Gemini) to power the system. Goal: Reduce reliance on Google Search and turn Siri into a more capable, multimodal answer engine. Sources and further reading MacRumors summary (Sept 3, 2025) Tech Portal…

Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra — Hands-on overview Samsung’s 11th-generation Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a premium 14.8-inch Android tablet focused on productivity and creativity. It pairs a large AMOLED 120Hz display with a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chipset, an 11,600mAh battery, a redesigned S Pen, upgraded DeX multitasking and Google Gemini Live AI integration. Key specs Display: 14.8" AMOLED, 2960 × 1848, 120Hz, up to ~1,600 nits Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ RAM & storage: up to 16GB RAM, storage from 256GB (expandable via microSD) Battery: 11,600mAh (45W fast charging stated) Connectivity: Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB‑C Cameras: 13MP rear, 12MP front, additional 8MP ultrawide on Ultra OS: Android 16 with One UI 8 Other: IP68 rating, in-screen fingerprint, magnetic S Pen dock S Pen & accessories The new S Pen…

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE — Launched at IFA 2025 Samsung has launched the Galaxy S25 FE at IFA. The handset is available now, starting at $650 and offered in four colorways. It’s a midrange member of the Galaxy S25 family, below the S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra (released in January) and the ultra-thin S25 Edge (released in May). Key specs Price: starts at $650 Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (up to 1,900 nits peak) Chipset: Exynos 2400 OS: Ships with One UI 8 (Android 15), bringing refreshed UI, new icons, better animations, more AI features and improved split-screen performance Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto; 12MP front camera AI features: Generative Edit photo tools, on-device assistant and other Galaxy AI capabilities Notes The S25 FE uses Samsung’s Exynos 2400 rather…