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What to Know About, and Where to Find, Apple Intelligence Summaries on Your iPhone

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:00
This feature can summarize emails, messages and more on certain iPhones.
Categories: Technology

Best Rural Internet Providers for 2025

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:00
Good rural internet is hard to come by. Here are our top picks.
Categories: Technology

Millions of Ukrainians abroad hope to return home once Russia's invasion ends

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:00

Some Ukrainians have already returned after fleeing Russia's invasion, and almost half of the more than 5 million still abroad want to, according to a survey this year.

(Image credit: Claire Harbage)

Categories: News

Huion’s huge drawing tablet aced most tests I threw at it, but let me down where it matters most

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:45
Huion Kamvas Pro 19: one-minute review

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a drawing tablet with a huge 19-inch screen, 4K resolution and wide color gamut offering 99% sRGB, 96% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage. While its $1,099 / £1,099 list price is hardly chump change, you can often get it cheaper, and that price includes a range of accessories, including a shortcut remote, stylus box with two styluses, and a selection of cables. So, is it worth the investment? Well, it would be – if it wasn’t for one fairly critical flaw.

Whether I was sketching or blending colors with paint-like brushes, using the Kamvas 19 Pro was seriously smooth. Not only is it without parallax and completely jitter-free, but it can also register strokes at a steep angle of up to 60 degrees, making it easy to trace wide arcs and circles. Its driver software offers a decent amount of customization, despite not always being the most intuitive to use, and the shortcut remote made accessing all my go-to tools and menu items a breeze.

When it comes to its design, though, the Kamvas Pro 19 is more of a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong: its screen is capable of seriously impressive color and a detailed 4K resolution, and it's ergonomic enough that I always felt comfortable using it. Unfortunately, it gets marked far too easily, in a way I’ve never seen from the best drawing tablets. After roughly eight hours of sketching, the screen was covered with scrapes and scuffs – while these rubbed off with a screen wipe, it does make me worry that eventually this kind of wear will become permanent.

Aside from this tendency to mark the display, the Huion’s two styluses are actually very decent. They’re lightweight and easy to hold, even during long scribbling sessions, and their programmable shortcut keys minimize the number of times you have to shift to another input. Their customizable pressure sensitivity is also excellent, although I wouldn’t put too much stock in the advertised 16K pressure levels – I’ve honestly never been able to tell much difference in practice from devices that offer 8K.

On paper, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a very decent device, offering great performance and accessories for a pretty reasonable price. Certainly, with sale prices sometimes offering it for as little as $939 / £879, it is a pretty tempting package. But, try as I might, I can’t ignore how susceptible to wear that screen seems to be. In light of that, you may well find that a device like the XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 is a sounder investment long term.

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: price and availability
  • Launched January 5, 2024
  • Retails for $1,099 / £1,099

Released on January 5, 2024, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is available to buy now. While its list price is $1,099 / £1,099, you’re unlikely to pay that – at the time of writing, Huion has it on sale for $939 / £879.

Included for that price is the drawing tablet itself, the Huion Keydial Mini shortcut tool, pen box, Battery-Free Pen PW600, Battery-Free Slim Pen PW600S, and all the cabling you’ll need. If you’re buying in the UK, you’ll get Huion’s Adjustable Stand ST100A bundled in as a free gift, but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay $29.99 for this if you’re in the US.

All told, though, this is a pretty competitive price when compared to some of the other mid-range drawing tablets I’ve reviewed in recent months. For example, the similarly specced XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 has a list price of $899.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499.99, while the seriously talented Xencelabs Pen Display 16 goes for $999 / £969 (around AU$1,597) – and that’s without all the accessories that come in the fully kitted out, $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080) Bundle edition. So the Kamvas Pro 19 is pretty on the money in terms of value.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: specs

Dimensions

17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)

Active drawing area

14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

Weight

2kg

Display resolution

3840 x 2160

Pressure levels

16,384

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: design
  • Display offers gorgeous color but could be brighter
  • Screen scuffs and marks to an inexcusable degree
  • Good range of accessories

Given the price, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s display is pretty impressive, making any art I worked on look pleasingly crisp and well-defined. With a 3840 x 2160 resolution across an 18.4-inch screen, it has a pixel density of 238ppi – that’s essentially the same as the slightly pricier XPPen Artist Pro 19, although it’s a fair bit lower than the 275ppi offered by the smaller and spendier Xencelabs Pen Display 16.

While touching up and recoloring some photography in Photoshop, I was impressed by how boldly it expressed colors, with reds, greens and blues in particular looking deliciously punchy thanks to its color gamut coverage of 99% sRGB / 96% Adobe RGB / 98% DCI P3. It’s not quite as bright as some rivals, however: its 220-nit typical brightness is bested by both the XPPen and Xencelabs above, which can hit 250 nits and 300 nits respectively.

There’s more to a drawing tablet than meets the eye, though: how it feels is also important. And while the Kamvas Pro 19’s anti-glare etched glass does a decent job of keeping reflections at bay, I didn’t find its texture to be that impressive. Rather than offering a paper-like bite when sketching, I could barely feel the grain of the glass at all. The only time it really became noticeable was when I was moving the stylus toward the top left, meaning the haptic feedback the display gave was often inconsistent.

(Image credit: Future)

But there was an even bigger issue with the glass – and it’s the source of my only significant reservation about Huion’s slate. While using the erasers on the styluses, I quickly noticed that they seemed to be leaving marks on the glass, which isn’t ideal given how often you might find yourself correcting mistakes. However, it was only when I turned the screen off after a long session of sketching that I noticed the extent of the scraping; the glass was covered with marks from both the stylus nibs and erasers. These can be wiped away, at least superficially, but it does concern me that the glass will eventually sustain permanent wear.

Fortunately, elsewhere, the build quality feels a lot more robust, with the main body of the device feeling sturdy and well put together. At 2kg, it is hefty enough that you may not be all that comfortable sitting it on your lap, but it does have built-in feet that raise it to a nicely ergonomic 20-degree angle. Several height options would have helped me find the absolute best angle, though. To really maximize the ergonomics here, a deeper bezel might have provided more room to rest my wrist. As it was, I felt its 0.78-inch (2cm) screen borders didn’t give me quite enough space to lean on.

Accompanying its two styluses – the three-button Pen PW600 and two-button Slim Pen PW600S – is a supply of standard and felt nibs, as well as a nib changing tool. You also get a Bluetooth-powered shortcut remote, the Keydial Mini, and all of the cabling you’ll need. It doesn’t include any clips for you to rest the styluses or a carry case, but you can get a free stand when you buy it in the UK, which definitely feels like a decent bonus.

When it comes to cabling, the Kamvas allows you to go maximalist or strip things right back. On the upper end of the scale, you can plug the supplied 3-in-2 adapter into your drawing tablet’s power and data ports, then hook the other end into your computer’s USB and HDMI ports and the mains. This will allow you to both sketch and record the slate’s video output to your hard drive. Alternatively, you can simply plug it directly into the mains and hook it up to your laptop – and thanks to its 40W reverse charging, it can charge your laptop in the process, meaning that’s one less cable on your desk.

  • Design score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: performance
  • Accurate strokes without parallax or jitter
  • Shortcut remote works well
  • Some user unfriendly quirks to driver software

Carrying out some line tests, I found the Kamvas Pro 19 to be accurate. There's no discernible parallax between the nib of the stylus and the brushes on screen, which is fortunate, as I couldn’t see any obvious way to recalibrate this in the drivers. While there is a little lag when moving the nib quickly, I didn’t find this to be a huge issue in maintaining accurate strokes.

When I got started with some actual artwork, the Kamvas Pro 19 felt fluid and responsive, allowing me to sketch out a nautilus shell with remarkable accuracy. While it didn’t feel quite as natural as when drawing on the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, it was able to register the stylus at up to 60 degrees, making tracing wide, fluid circles and spirals a snap. Additionally, the pressure sensitivity made blending colors using an oil-paint brush a cinch, with that vibrant screen making the pastel peaches and pinks look bold and brilliant.

The Keydial Mini shortcut remote makes it far easier to trigger various functions, without having to reach for the keyboard or mouse. Each key has a wide range of assignable shortcuts – including key combos, mouse click or scroll wheel functions, launching apps, media controls, or system-level functions like show desktop or launch mission control – while the wheel can be assigned to various functions from zooming and scrolling to adjusting parameters like brush size or flow.

(Image credit: Future)

Broadly speaking, these made it much easier to interact with menus and manipulate the canvas, although I did experience some slightly odd behavior when it came to assigning shortcuts in the driver software. Once you’ve entered a title or key combination, there’s no way to leave the field, and clicking either ‘X’ button wipes what you’ve entered. It took some trial and error for me to work out that you have to just click away from the window to save the shortcut, which is an odd bit of UX design.

Elsewhere, the driver software lets you further customize various settings. You can assign additional shortcuts to the buttons on the styluses. As well as the options listed above for the Keydial Mini, you can also trigger precision mode – this focuses input from the whole screen onto a tiny area for fine control – pan & scroll, and Fixed Pressure Sensitivity, a handy function that holds pressure at the current level when the button is pressed. You can also tailor the styluses’ pressure curves to your needs, choosing between five settings, from soft to hard, or shaping your own curve.

  • Performance score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: stylus
  • Both styluses are light and ergonomic
  • Increased 16K pressure levels probably unnoticeable for most people
  • The erasers are great – if you ignore how they mark the screen

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s styluses are well-designed and feel comfortable in the hand. No small part of this is due to their light weight and ergonomic shape, both of which make them comfortable to use for long drawing sessions. As a result, I didn’t experience any cramping or strain even when working on artwork for hours at a time. Sadly, they’re not quite as well weighted as XPPen’s X3 Pro Roller Stylus – with its center of gravity right where you grip it, that stylus felt almost weightless when pitching or spinning – but Huion’s pens are still easy to manipulate.

Both the Pen PW600 and the Slim Pen PW600S are capable of recognizing 16,384 pressure levels. That sounds seriously impressive, but I wouldn’t put much stock in this; in practice, I’ve rarely been able to distinguish any difference between 16K and 8K pressure sensitivity. The styluses are remarkably responsive, though, fluidly reproducing the weight of your hand. Using the most extreme curves, I did occasionally find it hard to maintain an even pressure, but that’s inevitable: every slight wobble of your hand is exposed at that high a sensitivity.

Buttons on the styluses are well-placed and make triggering shortcuts a breeze. Yes, I occasionally accidentally triggered them with my fat fingers, but this is an issue I’ve found with most styluses I’ve used, so I’m not going to hold this against Huion. if you find this particularly distracting, you can disable the shortcuts in Huion’s driver software.

The inclusion of an eraser on each of the styluses is appreciated as well, as I much prefer the tactile act of erasing with the stylus tip. However, as I mentioned above, the materials of the erasers are hard enough that they tend to mark the screen – this feels like it could become a real issue over time, and isn’t something I experienced with the erasers on Xencelabs’ pens.

  • Stylus score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Huion Kamvas Pro 19?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Ergonomic and comfortable to use, richly colored 4K display – but the screen gets far too easily scuffed for my liking.

3 / 5

Performance

No noticeable parallax or jitter, generous 60-degree tilt recognition, easy-to-use shortcut remote, some odd software quirks in the driver.

4.5 / 5

Stylus

Lightweight and comfortable to hold, handy shortcut keys and eraser, 16K pressure levels hard to differentiate from 8K.

4 / 5

Value

Competitive price, good range of accessories – but is it worth the cost if it eventually succumbs to screen damage?

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an expansive, colorful display
At 18.4 inches, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 gives you a huge amount of drawing room. And its wide color gamut means you can be sure every hue you use is as accurate as possible.

You don’t want to be tied down with excess cabling
Not only can you hook up the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 with just one power cable and one USB-C cable, but it also offers 40W reverse charging, meaning you don’t need another cable to keep your laptop juiced.

Don’t buy it if…

You care about having a pristine screen
As I remarked above, my test unit’s display got scuffed pretty quickly during use, particularly while using the styluses’ erasers. If the idea of marks on your drawing tablet sets off alarm bells for you, look elsewhere – or at least pick up a screen protector for it.

You want the brightest display for your spend
With its 220-nit screen, the Kamvas Pro 19 is hardly a dim bulb. But several of its rivals are capable of a typical brightness of at least 250 nits, making them easier to view in stronger light.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: also consider

Huion Kamvas Pro 19

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2

Xencelabs Pen Display 16

Dimensions

17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)

18.1 x 12.1 x 0.8 inches (460 x 306.6 x 21.5mm)

16.1 x 10.2 x 0.47 inches (410 x 259.4 x 12mm)

Active drawing area

14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

16.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

13.55 x 7.6 inches (344.2 x 193.6mm)

Weight

2kg

4.91 lbs (2.23kg)

2.67 lbs (1.21kg)

Display resolution

3840 x 2160

3840 x 2160 pixels

3840 x 2160 pixels

Pressure levels

16,384

16,384

8,192

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

Windows 7 or later; macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Android (USB3.1 DP1.2); Chrome OS 88 (or later); Linux

PC: Windows 7 or later (latest service pack/build); macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Linux - Ubuntu 14.04 or above, Debian 9.5, CentOS 7.0 or above, RedHat 7.0 or above

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2
The XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 rocks pretty similar specs to the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, without costing much more. It offers great color reproduction, an expansive 19-inch display, an identical 4K resolution, two wonderfully well-balanced styluses and a shortcut remote. But the clincher is that its screen doesn’t get scuffed or marked as easily as the Kamvas Pro 19, making it a more reliable choice. Read my full XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 review.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16
While more expensive than either the Huion or the XPPen once you’ve picked up all its accessories, the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is still a dream drawing tablet. I was seriously impressed with its lightweight portable build, higher pixel density, 300-nit brightness when mains powered and fantastic accessories, ranging from its super-reliable shortcut remote to the packaged carry case. Read my full Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review.

How I tested the Huion Kamvas Pro 19
  • Tested it over several weeks
  • Conducted multiple line tests
  • Used it to work on both sketches and retouching photos

I spent several weeks putting the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 through its paces. First, I used it for a range of line tests to help me assess its accuracy, check its tilt recognition and monitor for issues like parallax or jitter. Additionally, I spent some time tweaking its driver settings to see the kind of control this gave me over the styluses’ pressure sensitivity and various shortcut buttons.

From there, I started creating artworks in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Sketching out a nautilus shell helped me get a sense of how it performed when creating line drawings and using various paint-style brushes. On top of this, I used the Kamvas Pro 19 to touch up several photos, which helped me assess both its utility and its color accuracy.

Having spent several decades creating digital artwork, I’ve got a large amount of experience creating vector art and manipulating photos. On top of this, I spent many years as the editor of a print magazine, meaning I’m well-versed in assessing how well digital artwork performs in terms of color and resolution when compared to printed proofs.

Categories: Reviews

New iPhone 17 Air leak supposedly shows the super-slim battery Apple may use in this model

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:30
  • An image of the iPhone 17 Air battery has leaked
  • We're expecting a capacity of around 2,900 mAh
  • All of the iPhone 17 models should launch in September

We're expecting the iPhone 17 series to launch sometime during September, including the iPhone 17 Air – apparently a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus. Now a new leak purports to show off the battery that will be fitted inside the Air model.

Images of this battery have been posted by well-known tipster Majin Bu (via 9to5Mac), and it comes enclosed in a steel frame, which matches the iPhone 16 Pro approach. Of particular note is how thin the battery is, from front to back.

According to Bu, the battery capacity is around 2,900 mAh, which is close to the 2,800 mAh figure we've heard from earlier rumors. For comparison, there's a 3,561 mAh battery inside the current iPhone 16, so we're looking at a significant drop.

However, given improvements in battery life technology, and tweaks set to be introduced with iOS 26, reports suggest iPhone 17 Air should still give you a day of battery life – even with the ultra-slim profile and reduced capacity battery.

Battery worries

iPhone 17 Air New Battery Design RevealedFull Article:https://t.co/dc9wI7LS3K pic.twitter.com/Y9MbDQDiRIAugust 1, 2025

If the rumors are to be believed, then the iPhone 17 Air is going to measure just 5.5 mm, front to back. That's a lot slimmer than the 7.8 mm iPhone 16, and it even beats the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 5.8 mm thick.

Ever since we heard an iPhone 17 Air was on the way, there have been concerns about battery life. Putting together a super-slim phone is all well and good, but it does mean less room for the battery and other internal components.

However, we know that iPhones can traditionally get more battery life out of less battery capacity, because Apple develops its hardware and software in tandem – so let's hope the usual trick can be repeated with the iPhone 17 Air.

It should be unveiled alongside the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max during September. Apple hasn't said anything officially, but well-placed sources have pointed to September 8-10 as the most likely dates.

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Best Vitamins for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails in 2025

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00
Improve the health of your hair, skin and nails with the right vitamins and essential nutrients that your body needs to thrive. Here are the best options to get you started.
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The 3 hottest VPNs for protecting your data this weekend – plus a bonus free option, chosen by our cybersecurity experts

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00

The UK's Online Safety Act officially introduced age verification measures on July 25, reshaping how people access certain websites and services.

Designed to protect children from harmful content and make platforms more accountable, the rollout has sparked heated debate. Critics worry about increased tracking, potential data breaches, and the loss of online privacy.

With new restrictions in place, VPN interest in the UK has surged as users look for greater control over their browsing and data security. While we don't encourage bypassing age checks, it's clear that VPNs have become a go-to tool for those concerned about privacy and the changing internet landscape.

We've tested countless VPNs over the years – you’ll find our full list of recommendations to the best VPNs and best free VPNs in our dedicated guides.

But if you just need a quick answer to which VPN to choose this weekend, we’ve got you covered here. These are the top options available today, plus a heads-up on what to look for in the small print.

1. NordVPN: best for most people

NordVPN still sits at the top of our rankings because it’s the best all-in-one VPN we’ve tested, delivering world-class security and speed, plus versatility from its extra features. Yes, Surfshark is slightly faster, and ExpressVPN just beats NordVPN on privacy and security in our most secure VPN guide, but at $3.39 / £2.69/month (on the two-year plan) NordVPN is cheaper than Express ($3.99 per month), better at unblocking geo-restricted content (it’s our top recommendation for streaming), and offers more extra features than both rival services.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature blocks malware, ads, and trackers well, while its audited no-logs policy means that no browsing data is logged by its servers. (Those independent audits prove that NordVPN is operating exactly as it claims.)

The apps themselves are straightforward to use, making it a good choice for beginners.

In this new era of stricter internet rules, NordVPN is a great choice for most people, and TechRadar has an exclusive dealSign up and get:

✅ Up to 76% OFF
✅ Up to $50 Amazon Gift card
✅ 4 months free protection (TechRadar exclusive)

Choose the Pro, Complete, Ultimate or Prime plans to get the deal. There's a 30-day money back guarantee, so if it isn't right you can cancel your subscription and get a refund.

Read more: NordVPN reviewView Deal

2. Surfshark: top budget option

Surfshark is the cheapest VPN in our top three, at $1.99/ £1.89 per month on the two-year plan. It scored slightly lower than NordVPN and Express VPN in our privacy and security tests, but it’s still an extremely robust choice for keeping your data safe - and it beats the other two on speed. You also get unlimited simultaneous connections, so every device in your home can stay protected, which neither NordVPN or Express VPN offer.

Surfshark's CleanWeb tools block ads, trackers, and known malicious sites, while its audited no-logs policy ensures that your browsing remains private. In our experience, speeds remain consistently fast across both nearby and long-distance servers, making it perfectly capable for streaming, video calls, and general browsing without interruptions.

Pricing is one of Surfshark's strongest selling points: plans start at around $2 per month on a two-year subscription, while monthly and annual plans remain competitive for those who prefer flexibility. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there's a seven-day free trial so you can see whether it's right for you.

Read more: Surfshark reviewView Deal

3. ExpressVPN: great for beginners, but not cheap

If you're new to VPNs and want something that works flawlessly from the start, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice. Its apps are simple, intuitive, and consistent across devices, so you can connect securely in one click – we’ve tested it with complete beginners and they were able to get it up and running with no issues.

It also scores highly where it counts, on privacy and security, beating NordVPN (only just though, as you’ll see in our most secure VPN guide). ExpressVPN's commitment to privacy is reinforced by multiple third-party audits and, like the two services above, it has a proven no-logs policy, giving newcomers peace of mind that their data isn't being tracked. Its Lightway protocol also optimises speed and reliability, even on slower connections.

One reason why it’s our third recommendation and not our first is that ExpressVPN costs more. Plans start at around $4 per month on a two-year plan. Every subscription includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, letting beginners test its performance risk-free.

Read more: Express VPN reviewView Deal

PrivadoVPN Free: bonus free option

We don't recommend choosing a free VPN if data protection is your top priority, but if that’s what you’re looking for, then PrivadoVPN Free is one of the better services we’ve tested. It delivers AES-256 encryption, a strict no-logs policy governed by Swiss privacy laws, and industry-standard protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. It hasn't yet undergone an independent audit though.

You get 10 GB of full-speed data every 30 days. After that limit is reached, traffic is throttled to around 1 Mbps. That’s fine for light browsing or occasional streaming, not for heavy use.

Despite the cap, speeds during the full-speed window are surprisingly fast, with many tests showing performance comparable to our top-scoring VPNs. It can also unblock major platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Still, if you’re serious about protecting your data, we’d recommend signing up for one of the services above.

Read more: PrivadoVPN Free reviewView Deal

Five red flags to avoid when choosing a VPN

VPNs don’t always guarantee complete anonymity, but using a reputable one does significantly boost your privacy online.

However, not all VPNs are created equal. While the services we've highlighted above have proven in our testing over the years to be trustworthy and reliable, there are plenty of options that can put your privacy, and your device, at risk.

Exclusively free VPNs are particularly notorious for tracking users or injecting ads to make money, and some paid services cut corners on security or performance.

Here are five big red flags to watch out for when choosing a VPN:

  1. No independent security or privacy audit
  2. Vague privacy policies
  3. Slow connection speeds or frequent disconnections
  4. Severe data caps that make streaming or gaming impractical
  5. Limited server locations, restricting your connection options
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Art of the praise: Why flattering Trump is now the go-to diplomatic move

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00

World leaders have lavished praise on President Trump in order to smooth diplomatic relations — and get better deals too.

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If compliments make you feel super awkward, this comic is for you

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00

When someone says something nice about us, it can make us feel awkward and uncomfortable. Researchers explain the science behind those emotions — and make the case for accepting genuine praise.

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How to Watch Australia vs. British & Irish Lions From Anywhere: Stream 3rd Test Rugby Union Free

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:30
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This Bird ID App Has Helped Me Practice Mindfulness More Than Any Meditation App

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:07
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Slow Horses season 6: everything we know so far about the hit Apple TV+ show's return

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:00
Slow Horses season 6: key information

- Officially wrapped filming
- No trailer released yet
- Main cast predicted to return
- Plot to follow Mick Herron’s 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House' novels
- Season 7 expected to begin shooting in September/October
- Slough House spin-off, Down Cemetery Road, in the works

Slow Horses season 6 has already finished filming, which is huge news considering season 5 isn't even out on Apple TV+ until September 24.

The gritty spy drama is getting a bit of a name for itself, not only for its thrilling action-packed scenes, but its incredible release schedule never leaving more than a year between seasons.

And it appears there's plenty more where that came from as Jackson Lamb and his team of down-and-out MI5 agents are returning for season 5, 6 and 7 over the next couple of years.

Adapted from the books by Mick Herron, Slow Horses season 6 already has a plot to follow and filming in the can, but there's plenty more to talk about when it comes to trailer, expected release date, predicted case, news, rumors and more. Though, I'll be sure to update here once season 5 hits Apple TV+.

Potential spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 to 4.

Slow Horses season 6 release date

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

Apple TV+ renewed Slow Horses for season 6 just days after the season 4 finale – and, according to Deadline, the cast and crew have already finished filming.

In an official statement from Apple TV+ on the show's renewal, Jay Hunt, creative director for Europe said: "Audiences around the world have fallen in love with the Slow Horses, and I'm delighted that Gary Oldman will be leading this star-studded cast on another acerbic and action-packed adventure".

So, when it comes to the Slow Horses season 6 release date, season 4 released in September 2024 and season 5 is scheduled for September 2025. With season 6's filming done and dusted, I think I can quite confidently say that season 6 is looking at a fall 2026 release date.

Slow Horses season 6 trailer: is there one?

There's no Slow Horses season 6 trailer just yet (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Considering Slow Horses season 5 is yet to receive its own trailer, it seems incredibly unlikely that we'll get a season 6 trailer any time soon.

But, we were treated to a season 5 teaser look at the end of the season 4 finale. If that's the case this time round, mark October 22 on your calendar for the season 5 finale for a potential first look at season 6. I'll be sure to update here when it drops, too.

Slow Horses season 6 predicted cast

Gary Oldman will reprise his titular role as Jackson Lamb (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Slow Horses season 5.

Slow Horses season 5 will air six episodes on Apple TV+ between September 24 and October 22. Since we don't know what happens yet (and we don't want to spoil it by revealing the plot of Mick Herron's 'London Rules' novel), we can only predict the cast to appear in season 6, with one known addition:

  • Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
  • Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
  • Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
  • Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish
  • Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
  • Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
  • Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
  • Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte
  • James Callis as Claude Whelan
  • Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe
  • Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
  • Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tergorian
  • Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
  • Lenny Rush as TBC
  • Nick Mohammed as TBC
  • Hiba Bennani as TBC

So, there's a new cast member that we know for certain is joining Slow Horses season 6 and that's Doctor Who's Lenny Rush who, according to the Radio Times, was spotted filming with Oldman in January. Other than that, I'm sure it'll be full of returning favorites.

Slow Horses season 6 potential plot synopsis and rumors

Slow Horses season 6 will be adapted from 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House' (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 through 4.

Slow Horses season 6 is confirmed to be the first season that will follow not one, but two, of Mick Herron's novels. As confirmed by Deadline, these will be 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House', the sixth and seventh books in the series.

And the official synopsis from Apple TV+ for season 6 is as follows: "Season six sees the Slow Horses on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge".

To delve deeper into the plot, it's also worth taking at the synopsis's for the books. For 'Joe Country' that's: "In Slough House, the backwater for failed spies, memories are stirring, all of them bad. Catherine Standish is buying booze again, Louisa Guy is raking over the ashes of lost love, and new recruit Lech Wicinski, whose sins make him outcast even among the slow horses, is determined to discover who destroyed his career, even if he tears his life apart in the process.

"With winter taking its grip Jackson Lamb would sooner be left brooding in peace, but even he can't ignore the dried blood on his carpets. So when the man responsible for killing a slow horse breaks cover at last, Lamb sends his crew out to even the score.This time, they're heading into joe country. And they're not all coming home."

The team at Slough House return for more espionage drama (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

And for 'Slough House': "Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.

"Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.

"With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements.

"The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions."

Much like the rest of Slow Horses, season 6 will also be six episodes long and while I'd usually take a look at the previous season to give an insight into the plot, it doesn't air until September/October.

I'll be sure to update here as soon as the story at Slough House has unfolded once more.

Will Slow Horses get more seasons on Apple TV+?

Slow Horses season 7 is officially on the way (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses season 7 was officially confirmed by Apple TV+ in July and Deadline reported in June, whilst in conversation with Oldman, that "season 7 will begin shooting in the UK in late September or early October".

With season 5 following books 6 and 7 in Mick Herron's Slough House series, season 7 will follow 'Bad Actors'. There's also the soon-to-be published 'Clown Town' coming September 9, which could hint at at least one more season to come, but any news on this is unconfirmed.

But, there's also a Slough House spin-off series in the works titled Down Cemetery Road, based on Herron's first novel of the same name.

With filming already happening, The Hollywood Reporter revealed it will star both Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson as Sarah Tucker and Zoë Boehm respectively.

Apple TV+'s creative director, Hunt, said of the news: "Down Cemetery Road has all the hallmarks of Mick Herron's funny and acerbic writing, and I'm delighted we will be bringing it to life for Apple TV+ with such a stellar cast".

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on Ted Lasso season 4, Foundation season 3, Presumed Innocent season 2, and Silo season 3.

Categories: Technology

ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from DJI and Insta360 trading blows to OpenAI getting scared by its own AI

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 02:00

This week DJI and Insta360 had a Freaky Friday situation as they announced a 360 camera and a drone respectively, tech the other is usually known for.

We also heard that OpenAI is scared of its next AI, and the UK faced the Online Saftey Act.

You can catch up on these stories and more in this week's catch up of the seven biggest tech news stories.

7. We Found My Skechers

(Image credit: Skechers)

This week, Skechers debuted the new Find My Skechers. They look like your run-of-the-mill sneakers on the outside, but hidden in each heel is a cutout that’s perfect for an Apple AirTag.

This Bluetooth tracker can then be used to help you keep track of your child if you’re out in an unfamiliar place, or help you locate any lost shoes, whether they were misplaced while out and about or while getting ready in the mad rush to get to school.

Though when we polled parents, the reactions were mixed. Predominantly because the target age range – toddlers and young children – outgrow their shoes every six months to a year. At their cheapest, Find My Sketchers cost $52 a pop, which is a lot to regularly shell out.

6. The UK faced the Online Safety Act

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This week Britain was hit by the latest provisions of the Online Safety Act, introducing age verification measures designed to help prevent young people accessing age inappropriate content. However the new requirements have frustrated many adults.

A petition to repeal the UK Online Safety Act garnered over 450,000 signatures in just a few days, and some have tried all sorts of workarounds including attempting to game the system with Death Stranding’s photo mode.

Most people are onboard with the idea behind the rules, but aren’t keen on needing to share their ID with websites – especially foreign websites – as they’re worried their data might be mishandled. Despite the concerns, the Government has said it won't be repealing the measures.

5. Google Home's crisis got worse

(Image credit: Future)

Last week, we reported on a growing number of complaints about Google Home devices, with the smart home gadgets failing to deal with commands properly or throwing up other bugs.

This week, it seems the problem got worse, with many reporting their voice controls for smart lights were now completely broken and not working at all.

The situation has gotten so bad that US law firm Kaplan Gore has announced it has "begun investigating a possible class action" against Google because so many users are now reporting broken functionality, despite most of these devices having worked fine in the past.

4. DJI Osmo 360 landed

(Image credit: DJI)

The 360 camera space has been dominated by Insta360 for years, but it finally has some proper competition following the arrival of the DJI Osmo 360. What's more, they could soon be joined by the GoPro Max 2, which was recently teased by GoPro.

Considering it's DJI's first foray into the market, the Osmo 360 impresses straight off the bat, delivering what DJI says are several industry firsts, the most notable of which are its twin 1-inch sensors with 8K video recording up to 50fps. Those sensors are effectively twice the size of the Insta360 X5's, our current favorite 360 camera, and should give DJI's model the upper hand for image quality, especially with richer 10-bit color depth.

Based on specs, the Osmo 360 has the edge over the X5, but it's real-world use that matters the most, and the X5 is our favorite model for a reason. It has stellar battery life, and its lenses can be replaced in the event of damage. We are currently conducting our hands-on versus of the two models, and it's making for a titanic battle.

3. Insta360 revealed the world’s first 360 drone

(Image credit: Antigravity, Insta360)

DJI isn’t used to having competition in the skies, but this week, its first serious rival for years flew into town. The undisputed king of 360 cameras, Insta360, has announced its new Antigravity platform, which will soon give us the first drone with a 360-degree camera.

Okay, but what’s the benefit of a flying, all-seeing camera? The main one is that, in theory, you won’t need to worry about perfectly shooting aerial videos as you fly, because you’ll be able to reframe them later. We’re looking forward to experiencing that in person when the Antigravity drone fully launches later this month.

2. ChatGPT helped us study

(Image credit: OpenAI)

ChatGPT has added a new feature called Study mode to its paid-for and free accounts that turns the famous chatbot into an unpaid study tutor for your kids. Parents often panic about ChatGPT being used by their children to avoid actually learning anything, but Study mode is different. It’s pretty safe for kids to use because it teaches them how to arrive at the answer, rather than just giving them the answer. It’s more of an interactive back-and-forth chat about the question being posed, which encourages them to learn as they go.

Of course, you don’t need to let your kids have all the fun with it. You can use Study mode yourself to learn any new subject. Having the ability to turn ChatGPT into a proper tutor is pretty handy, so whatever it is you want to learn – whether that’s a new language or how to code – now you’ve got the perfect excuse to get started.

1. OpenAI was scared by its AI

(Image credit: Shutterstock/ DIA TV)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed details about his company's testing of GPT-5 (the next-gen brain for ChatGPT) by saying he got scared by the AI, and comparing it to The Manhattan Project.

The over-the-top analogy might evoke some level of keen scientific minds coming to a major breakthrough, but his other comments made OpenAI seem either reckless or incompetent.

Even if he's exaggerating, we don't know if either of those descriptions should be attached to the kind of company that might decide how next-gen AI power is deployed.

Categories: Technology

Appeals court keeps order blocking indiscriminate immigration sweeps

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 01:47

A federal appeals court ruled Friday to uphold a lower court's temporary order blocking the Trump administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in Southern California.

(Image credit: Jae C. Hong)

Categories: News

Wi-Fi 8 won't be faster, but will be better - more details emerge just hours after Wi-Fi 7 protocols are officially ratified

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 00:02
  • Wi-Fi 8 plans to fix edge-of-coverage dropouts where extenders usually fail to keep things running smoothly
  • Wi-Fi 7 maxes out throughput while Wi-Fi 8 makes sure it works everywhere, every time
  • Wi-Fi 8 to introduce Single Mobility Domains so devices roam between access points without getting interrupted

Only hours after the official ratification of Wi-Fi 7, early details of its successor, Wi-Fi 8, are already making waves.

A release from Qualcomm noted Wi-Fi 8 isn’t promising faster peak speeds; instead, it focuses on improving stability, cutting latency, and ensuring smoother performance in environments with many connected devices.

Where Wi-Fi 7 emphasized raw throughput and bandwidth gains, Wi-Fi 8 is being designed to sustain those benefits under pressure, ensuring consistent delivery even in crowded or interference-prone settings.

Rethinking the role of Wi-Fi

Two core trends are shaping the direction of Wi-Fi 8. First is the growing ecosystem of personal devices such as AR glasses and next-gen health monitors, which demand seamless and low-latency connections to nearby companion devices.

Second is the rise of AI-powered systems that depend on fast, reliable access to edge or cloud-based intelligence.

Together, these trends are pushing local networks, including your Wi-Fi router or even a mobile 5G router, into territory they weren’t originally designed for.

Wi-Fi 8 is being framed as the foundational layer of connectivity that will underpin these increasingly dynamic and latency-sensitive systems.

And unlike a basic Wi-Fi extender that simply expands signal reach, the new standard rethinks how access points work together, how devices roam, and how signal quality is preserved at the edge of coverage zones.

What gives Wi-Fi 8 its edge is the ongoing development of the 802.11bn standard.

Several core features aim to make Wi-Fi more reliable in the real world, not just in ideal lab conditions.

One of the key innovations is “Single Mobility Domains,” which allow devices to move across multiple access points without experiencing disruptions, something particularly beneficial in environments like airports, hospitals, or multi-floor offices.

Another major improvement is performance at the edge, the outer limits of a signal’s reach.

Current setups, even with a Wi-Fi extender, often suffer drops and delays in these areas - Wi-Fi 8 introduces physical layer updates meant to improve consistency without relying on brute-force signal strength.

Multi-access point coordination is another shift, and this is ideal for large venues or dense urban housing - as rather than each unit operating in isolation, Wi-Fi 8 envisions coordinated networks that intelligently share airtime and avoid overlap.

On-device coexistence, especially where radios like Bluetooth or ultra-wideband compete for antenna space, is also receiving attention.

Wi-Fi 8, expected to be finalized by 2028, reflects a deeper rethink of what modern connectivity actually requires.

The push isn’t for headline-grabbing throughput figures but for a wireless experience that performs like wired infrastructure.

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Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Aug. 2

CNET News - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 21:21
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 2.
Categories: Technology

3 big takeaways from the NTSB hearing on the DCA midair collision

NPR News Headlines - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:36

A three-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades dug into problems with altimeters, chopper routes and the busy Washington, D.C., airspace.

(Image credit: Kayla Bartkowski)

Categories: News

States sue Trump administration after more hospitals stop treating transgender youth

NPR News Headlines - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:28

A coalition of 16 states and D.C. argue in the lawsuit that the Trump administration is trying to effectuate a national ban on gender-affirming care for youth by intimidating hospitals and doctors. 

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)

Categories: News

Tesla to Pay $243M After Jury Finds It Partly Liable for Fatal Autopilot Crash

CNET News - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:03
A fatal collision in 2019 occurred when a Tesla driver had Autopilot mode engaged.
Categories: Technology

Millions of users have fallen victim to malicious browser extensions because of a critical flaw, but things are changing — here's what you need to know

TechRadar News - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 16:37
  • Labels like “Verified” give a false sense of safety but don’t reflect real extension behavior
  • Browser DevTools were never meant to track how extensions behave across tabs and over time
  • Malicious extensions often act normally until specific triggers make their hidden features come alive

The unchecked spread of malicious browser extensions continues to expose users to spyware and other threats, largely due to deep-seated flaws in how the software handles extension security.

New research from SquareX claims many people still rely on superficial trust markers like “Verified” or “Chrome Featured,” which have repeatedly failed to prevent widespread compromise.

These markers, while intended to reassure users, often offer little insight into the actual behavior of an extension.

Labels offer little protection against dynamic threats

A central issue lies in the limitations of Browser DevTools, which were designed in the late 2000s for web page debugging.

These tools were never meant to inspect the far more complex behavior of modern browser extensions, which can run scripts, take screenshots, and operate across tabs, actions that existing DevTools struggle to trace or attribute.

This creates an environment where malicious behaviors can remain hidden, even as they collect data or manipulate web content.

The failure of these DevTools lies in their inability to provide telemetry that isolates extension behavior from standard web activity.

For instance, when a script is injected into a web page by an extension, DevTools lack the means to distinguish it from the page’s native functions.

The Geco Colorpick incident offers an example of how trust indicators can fail catastrophically - according to findings from Koi Research, 18 malicious extensions were able to distribute spyware to 2.3 million users, despite carrying the highly visible “Verified” label.

To address this, SquareX has proposed a new framework involving a modified browser and what it calls Browser AI Agents.

This combination is designed to simulate varied user behaviors and conditions, drawing out hidden or delayed responses from extensions.

The approach is part of what SquareX terms the Extension Monitoring Sandbox, a setup that enables dynamic analysis based on real-time activity rather than just static code inspection.

At the moment, many organizations continue to rely on free antivirus tools or built-in browser protections that cannot keep up with the evolving threat landscape.

The gap between perceived and actual security leaves both individuals and companies vulnerable.

The long-term impact of this initiative remains to be seen, but it reflects a growing recognition that browser-based threats demand more than superficial safeguards.

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