Acemagic has introduced the F5A, a new mini PC powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, part of the Zen 5 generation and built on TSMC’s 4nm FinFET process.
This chip carries 12 cores and 24 threads, runs at up to 5.1GHz boost clock, and includes 24MB of L3 cache with a configurable TDP of up to 54W.
The company claims the processor can reach up to 80 TOPS of total computing power, with 50 TOPS reserved for AI-related workloads.
Early availability and discountsThis device is currently on pre-sale, and any order made between now and August 31, 2025 using the code “ACEUS120” will get a $120 discount. It will begin shipping on September 10, 2025.
The F5A is available in several versions, starting with a barebone option without RAM or storage for $769 ($649 with code).
There are also the 32GB RAM + 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM + 2TB SSD models, which are selling for $909 ($789 with code) and $1,139 ($1,019 with code), respectively.
Acemagic is offering a two-year warranty across all models, which is in line with consumer electronics standards but not unusually generous for a system designed to compete with higher-end business PCs.
Unlike many compact systems, the F5A includes two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots, supporting up to 4TB of storage, along with memory expandability up to 128GB of DDR5.
The cooling system features copper heat pipes and dual fans, with added thermal management for solid-state drives.
While Acemagic emphasizes quiet operation, real-world performance under sustained load will be the true test of its effectiveness.
Connectivity is another area where the F5A appears well-prepared. It supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and dual 2.5Gbps LAN ports.
For wired expansion, there are two USB4 ports delivering up to 40Gbps transfer speeds, along with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and OCuLink.
The device also supports four simultaneous 4K displays, which could appeal to users seeking a compact workstation environment.
Pre-installed Windows 11 Pro comes as standard, with support for Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Manjaro for those who prefer open-source systems.
Acemagic’s F5A will compete with the recently released Geekom A9 Max, another HX370 model, which costs more.
While Geekom leans on a longer warranty and established brand recognition, Acemagic counters with affordability and flexible expansion.
The comparison reflects the wider dynamics of the mini PC market, where buyers weigh cost and specifications against support and brand assurance.
You might also likeThe SwitchBot Air Purifier Table integrates an air purifier with a tabletop, a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser.
It has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99, and can be purchased from SwitchBot and Amazon; however, there appear to be very regular discounts on the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table, and at the time of writing, it’s on offer for $175.50 / £180.
Replaceable filters cost $39.99 / £44.99, and will need to be replaced roughly every 6-12 months, depending on use, so it’s important to factor this extra cost in.
(Image credit: Future)Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was fairly simple but a little fiddly, on account of the little electrical connector I needed to plug in before putting the tabletop in place.
It’s a good height for having next to the couch or bedside, and the built-in wireless charger proves particularly useful in these cases. The onboard controls are a little tricky to see due to the tabletop, but I found myself using the SwitchBot app to control the purifier most of the time.
The simple-to-use companion app was pleasingly responsive when operating the air purifier and offers air quality data, scheduling, and a timer, which are all good features to have.
(Image credit: Future)During testing, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table quickly detected and cleared dry shampoo contamination. While it didn't immediately remove fragrance, it was cleared fairly quickly once I intervened and increased the fan speed myself.
It operates quietly in sleep mode, and is only as loud as light traffic when on top speed. Pet Mode didn’t operate as I’d expected, but the overall low volume of the purifier meant that it didn't bother my cats. I also found the fragrance diffuser to be efficient in lightly fragrancing the room after I’d applied drops of fragrance oil to the pop-out pad.
Overall, this is a good price for a multi-talented and Matter-compatible air purifier with an efficient companion app. If you’d like to explore other air purifiers we recommend, I suggest taking a look at our guide to the best air purifiers.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: price & availabilityThe SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is available to purchase from the official SwitchBot website and Amazon, and has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99.
The list price sounds pretty high considering the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table only detects and reacts to PM2.5; however, there appear to be regular discounts on offer on the SwitchBot site and at Amazon, so it’s common to find it available at a lower price. For instance, at the time of writing, the Air Purifier table has 35% off in the US, and 40% off in the UK at SwitchBot, knocking a considerable $94.50 / £120 off the list price, and lowering the cost to $175.50 / £180.
(Image credit: Future)There’s a cheaper model available too, the SwitchBot Air Purifier, which includes most of the features mentioned in the following review, just without the tabletop and wireless charging. This has a list price of $219.99 / £239.99 but, as with the Air Purifier table, this price is often discounted, and it’s listed at $119.99 / £139.99 at the time of writing.
Both models use the SwitchBot Air Purifier Filter, which has a list price of $39.99 / £44.99. As with all HEPA filters, this will need to be replaced on occasion, with SwitchBot advising a lifespan of 6-12 months depending on usage and air quality, so it’s important to factor in this regular cost.
Taking into account the convenience and additional features of the Air Purifier Table, and that it’s very regularly available for less than its official list price, I would say that you’re getting good value for money here.
Type
Air purifier table
Fan speeds
3
Timer
Yes
CADR (Clean air delivery rate)
236CFM
Filter
Pre filter, HEPA and activated carbon
Particle sizes detected
PM2.5
Dimensions
11.4 x 11.4 x 16.5 inches / 290 x 290 x 420mm
Weight
10.7lb / 4.9kg
Control
Onboard power buttons, app, and voice control
Additional modes
Auto, Sleep, Pet
Extra features
Fragrance diffuser, Light sensor, Wireless charging, Matter
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: design and featuresIt feels like they were having a “yes” day in the SwitchBot office when they came up with the concept of the Air Purifier Table, like every idea thrown out was met with an enthusiastic nod. But somehow they found a way to make it work.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table consists of an air purifier with a tabletop, as one might expect, but it also boasts a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser. It made a useful little side table next to my couch, and the built-in Qi wireless charger proved handy for keeping my iPhone or Motorola Moto Buds+ earbuds topped up, which was a nice bonus feature.
Does an air purifier really need all these things? Perhaps not, but I appreciated the thought, and found these extra features useful, so you may do, too.
(Image credit: Future)The air purifier is capable of detecting and reacting to PM2.5 (particle matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller), but it is also capable of filtering VOCs and odors, thanks to the HEPA and activated carbon filter. This filter sits within the base of the machine, behind a washable pre-filter, both of which can be easily accessed by removing the outer panel.
Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was a little fiddly, as there are two parts of a little electrical connector between the purifier and the table top that need to be connected together. Once this was done, it was a case of rotating the table top until it clicked into place. There were four little screws that were meant to be screwed into the purifier underneath the tabletop for extra reinforcement, but this seemed basically impossible, even with my tiny hands, so I had to leave them.
(Image credit: Future)There are a number of controls on the top edge of the purifier, underneath the tabletop, to use when you’re within reaching distance, or you can use the companion app to control the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. The onboard controls include a button to change between the air purifier’s three modes: Auto, Pet, and Sleep, a button to cycle through the three fan speeds, a child lock, and a timer.
The controls were a bit tricky to reach, as they’re somewhat hidden underneath the tabletop. It wasn’t easy to change the settings unless I was sitting down and had a better view, although this wasn’t such a problem once I’d used them for a while, and it made more sense to use the app to adjust the settings, anyway.
The SwitchBot companion app is simple to use and houses a good range of features and air quality data insights for the price of the appliance. It proved very responsive over the weeks I used it, making it easy to switch modes or power on or off.
It clearly displays the air quality reading on the dashboard, using ratings from very good to bad, along with a numerical reference that relates to the number of micrograms of PM2.5 per meter cubed.
The app also provides historical data in graphs spanning either the last 24 hours or 30 days. This meant I could view which hour any spikes in air contamination occurred over the last day, and see what the minimum and maximum readings were each day over the last month. It would have been nice to have access to a 24-hour graph for previous days of the month, but this is only a small niggle, really.
(Image credit: SwitchBot / Future)I could also set schedules within the app, either as a one-off occurrence or repeating on particular days and times. There’s a timer function, too, which offers both hours and minutes, up to 12 hours, so I could leave it running for exactly 11 hours and 26 minutes, if I really wanted to.
Finally, the care and maintenance section told me how many hours of life were remaining on the filter, and how many hours I’d been using it for. At this moment, it’s telling me that I’ve used it for 184 hours, and I’ve got 4,136 hours left. This section also advises that the pre-filter should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner every two to four weeks, which is all handy info to know.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was pleasingly responsive when I tested it by spraying dry shampoo from roughly two feet away. It took just a few seconds to detect the contamination, with the PM2.5 reading increasing to 619 micrograms per meter cubed in thirty seconds.
In this time, the fan speed increased in order to tackle the detected contamination, and took a further thirty seconds to return the air level to “good”, and back to “very good” in less than two minutes from the initial detection.
As it tackled the contamination so quickly, and therefore returned to its lowest setting, it didn’t do much to tackle the lingering fragrance of the dry shampoo in this time, though this is standard for air purifiers incapable of reading the ambient levels of VOCs in the air. This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t capture VOCs, however, as the HEPA and carbon filter is capable of doing so, but it needs to be manually set back to a higher fan speed to do so efficiently. I upped the fan speed to level two, and could no longer detect the fragrance after about fifteen minutes.
(Image credit: Future)On the subject of scents, the built-in fragrance diffuser worked better than I was expecting. I’ve encountered this feature before with my beloved GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite, though it was one of the rare sources of disappointment, as it wasn’t very efficient. Things were a bit more positive when it came to the diffuser in the SwitchBot, however; I could detect a good amount of the fragrance from the oils I’d placed on the pad.
One important thing to note regarding fragrance or essential oils and pets is to please make sure you do your research on whether any oils you plan to use are safe, as some can prove toxic to our furry friends.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was very quiet when in sleep mode, measuring just 26dB from two feet away, which is quieter than a whisper. It was therefore very easy to sleep next to, and so I’d have no concerns using the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table as a nightstand.
(Image credit: Future)Pet Mode worked a little differently than I expected. On the SwitchBot site, Pet Mode is described as using a softer air supply to prevent disturbing pets. In practice, I found that enabling it just seemed to bump the fan speed up to two, regardless of the air quality, which was already good. Nonetheless, neither of my rescue kitties seemed bothered by the 49dB volume, and were happy to come up and have fusses right next to it.
At its top fan speed, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table gave a reading of 55dB, making it a little louder than the Blueair Blue Pure Mini Max, but seeing as this is still only as loud as light traffic, it’s perfectly acceptable.
Overall, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is an efficient air purifier for the price, and a handy little side table and phone charger.
Section
Notes
Score
Value for money
Provided you purchase it at what appears to be a regularly discounted rate, you’re getting a good little air purifier and some fun additional features for the price.
4/5
Design & Features
There’s a lot packed into this little table, thanks to its air purifying, charging, and fragrance diffusing features. The setup was a little fiddly in places, but easy enough overall.
4/5
App
The companion app was simple to use and responsive. It gave some insights into any spikes in contamination throughout the day, plus min and max readings over the past thirty days.
4.5/5
Performance
The air purifier reacted to and tackled contamination quickly during testing, and dealt with the odor left over, once I’d manually upped the fan speed.
4.5/5
Buy it if...You want a smart purifier
Having the SwitchBot app made it really easy to control and schedule the air purification, and it proved responsive and informative during testing.
You’ll make use of the extra features
If you happen to need a new side table or nightstand with built-in wireless charging, then the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is a great way to feed two birds with one scone.
You want a purifier with auto-detection
It’s always useful to have an air purifier that can be left to its own devices, and the automatic detection and reactivity to PM2.5 means the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table will jump into action on its own accord.
You want VOC detection
Unsurprisingly, considering its price point, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table doesn’t detect or react to VOC contamination. If you’re looking for something that does, and you have a little more to spend, I highly recommend checking out the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 instead.
You just want an air purifier
If you’re not bothered about having an extra side table or a wireless charger, then you’re probably better off opting for the standard SwitchBot Air Purifier and saving some money.
You want it to deal with odors unaided
As it only detects and reacts to PM2.5 contamination and deals with it quickly, the fan isn’t running high enough for long enough to tackle odors. Therefore, manual intervention is required by turning up the fan speed until the odor is gone.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i
GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite
Price
$269.99 / £299.99
$169.99 / £169
$49.99 / £59.99
Fan speeds
3
3
3
Modes
Auto, Sleep, Pet
Auto, night mode
Sleep, Custom
Additional features
Fragrance diffuser, Light sensor, Wireless charging
Washable fabric pre-filter
Aromatherapy
Filter
Pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon
HEPA and activated carbon
3-in-1 HEPA filter
App support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
11.4 x 11.4 x 16.5 inches / 290 x 290 x 420mm
18.9 x 10.6 x 10.6 inches / 481 x 269 x 269 mm
6.2 x 6.2 x 10.75 inches / 158 x 158 x 273mm
Weight
10.7lb / 4.9kg
7.5 lbs / 3.4 kg
2.4lb / 1.1kg
Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i
This delightfully lightweight air purifier offers simpler on-board controls, with one touch button to cycle through the three fan speeds, and auto and night modes. There’s a handy companion app that allows for easy control, along with air quality data based on the ambient levels of PM2.5. BlueAir has cleverly made the pre-filter part of the aesthetic, opting for a washable fabric covering, making this air purifier more pleasing to the eye. If you’d like to find out more, check out my full Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i review.
GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite
This is another favorite of mine, and makes for a great desktop option. Similar to the BlueAir above, it’s simple to control with a touch button to cycle through the fan speeds and modes. One such mode is the custom mode, which was great, as it allowed me to run a customized routine. The Smart Air Purifier Lite can be controlled via the fantastic Govee Home companion app and voice control, too. For more information, why not take a look at my full GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite review?
I passively tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table by having it next to my couch for a few weeks. I used it as a side table, charged my iPhone and earbuds, and made use of the fragrance diffuser and ambient lighting.
I tested out all of the different modes, like Sleep mode when I napped on the sofa, and Pet mode when my rescue cats were about. I explored the app and made use of the various features.
I tested how fast the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table would react to and clear contamination by spraying dry shampoo around two feet away. I also monitored the readings on the app during this time.
If you've been watching Fox or Fox News via YouTube TV you might have heard the warning: since Monday, Fox has been telling viewers that their channels may be getting pulled from YouTube TV.
This isn't about censorship or political affiliations or anything like that. It's because Mom and Pop are fighting. Fox and Google are having a bit of a bust-up over what's called a carriage deal, which is how much YouTube TV pays Fox to carry its products.
As The Hollywood Reporter explains: "August and September are often critical times for carriage deals, as they coincide with the start of the NFL season." That's bad news if Fox's predictions come true and the channels get pulled: "If the Fox channels do go dark, then YouTube customers in markets with a Fox-owned station would lose access to their local NFL games, as well as college football and the MLB playoffs."
What's going on with Fox and YouTube TV – and what you can do about itWhat's happening here is that Fox is basically airing dirty laundry in public, claiming that "we are disappointed that Google continually exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace". And of course there are two sides to every story, and Google's side is that "Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive."
This isn't the first time this has happened. Disney pulled channels from Charter Communications last year, and earlier this year it looked like Paramount channels including CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon were going to be pulled for similar reasons. But in both cases the respective parties did eventually reach a deal, and in Paramount's case the channels didn't go down at all.
That's likely to happen here too. But if it doesn't, you're not out of options: Fox has launched its own streaming service, Fox One, and says it wants that to be available to anyone who pays for traditional pay-TV services. So, if Fox disappears from YouTube TV you'll be able to watch its channels there – and YouTube says if the channels do go dark for "an extended period" it'll give you a $10 credit.
You may also likeGet 25% off EVERYTHING at Domain.com
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Founded in 1998, Florida-based Domain.com is a web hosting provider and domain registrar who claims to power 1.2 million websites across the globe.
The company is now owned by Newfold Digital (previously known as Endurance International Group), the power behind other hosting names like Bluehost, HostGator and iPage. As of August 2025 the site is closed and has merged with Network Solutions.
Domain.com offered easy-to-use and low cost shared hosting plans in various forms: WordPress hosting, a website builder, an online store builder, and general-purpose do-everything shared hosting plans to cover everything else.
The company didn't offer VPS hosting, dedicated server hosting, or any more advanced hosting plans.
(Image credit: Domain.com)Domain.com shared hosting (No longer available)Domain.com's shared hosting range is refreshingly simple. There are only three plans, all with the same core features: free domain, free SSL, unlimited bandwidth, 1-click WordPress install and a free website builder. Upgrading only adds more resources, so there are no extra features to weigh up. Prices start at $3.75 a month on the annual plan, $4.99 on renewal, but there's no complex discounting scheme if you sign up for longer. Choose a one, two or three-year contract, it's still $3.75 a month.
We signed up, but quickly ran into problems. Domain.com doesn't use any of our favorite hosting management platforms (cPanel for its all-round tools, Softaculous to install and manage WordPress and other apps.) We found its replacements have fewer options and aren't always organized logically, often leaving us struggling to find key functions.
The 1-click installer is especially disappointing. It only covers WordPress, has the bare minimum of configuration options, includes few management tools, and has occasionally failed to install WordPress in the past (though not during this review.)
The plans have some feature gaps. In particular, there are no backups with the cheaper plans (adding them to our test account would cost an extra $2.13 a month.) Even when we got our site online, performance was below average (more on that, later.)
If you're running a basic site, with few visitors, and long-term prices are your top priority, then Domain.com might, just about, be acceptable. Although many providers have lower prices in the first term, they tend to jump on renewal, and Domain.com's 'from $4.99' renewal price is very low.
Unfortunately, opting for Domain.com means you'll pay in other ways, with below-par speeds, few features and poor management tools.
Hostinger's shared plans start a little cheaper at $2.99 a month on the annual, two or four your plans, although they're more expensive after that $6.99 to $8.99. Backups are still limited on the cheapest plans (weekly rather than daily), but performance is good, there's an excellent control panel and 1-click installer, useful WordPress extras, six data centers, and more.
The WordPress plans come with preinstalled plugins and themes (Image credit: Domain.com)Domain.com WordPress hosting (No longer available)WordPress is the world's favorite website creation platform, a hugely configurable tool which can handle everything from a single page personal site to a product-packed international web store.
Domain.com's shared hosting supports installing WordPress, perhaps enough if you just want to explore what it can do. But if you've something more serious in mind, Domain.com's WP range extends the range with a handful of extra features.
The WP Starter plan is priced from $3.75 a month, just like the shared hosting, but adds unlimited storage, a customized control panel and pre-installed themes and plugins. They're small improvements, but not worth very much. You probably don't need a lot of storage (simple WordPress sites are often barely 1GB in size), and even newcomers can find plenty of quality themes and plugins for themselves.
The WP Essential plan (priced from $6.95 a month) includes more valuable extras, including Sitelock's malware scanning and removal service, and a direct phone line 'to a team of support agents who are specially-trained in all things WP Essential.'
Malware scanning is useful (hacked WordPress sites are a well-known web danger), and the plans are fair value, but they just don't have enough WordPress-related functionality to justify your time. Many hosting providers offer malware scanning as a paid extra, and you could easily buy a better shared hosting package elsewhere and add malware scanning yourself.
Domain.com does have one unusual extra in its WP Live support service. Priced from $29.95 to $149.95 a month, this goes beyond troubleshooting problems to giving advice on all kinds of design and optimization issues: social media strategies, creating an online store, making sure your site works well on mobile devices, more.
This could be useful in some situations. If you're new to WordPress, just starting your site, spending a one-off $149.95 for a month of design advice could save you a lot of time, and produce a better site. But in reality, you're likely to be better off choosing a more capable WordPress plan with additional WordPress-related features, faster hosting underneath, and the option to upgrade to VPS hosting if your site grows.
Alternatives include Hostinger's shared package, very cheap but with handy WordPress extras. Bluehost has a wide range of plans, with some strong business features at the top of the range. And if you're not quite sure what you need, IONOS' has WordPress options ranging from the impossibly cheap ($0.50 a month for year one, $8 on renewal) to supremely powerful ($120 a month for agencies and developers).
The website builder includes a powerful web store (Image credit: Domain.com)Does Domain.com have a website builder? (No longer available)If you're looking for the easiest and quickest route to create a web presence, then a website builder is often the best choice. Most builders come with or can create starting sites in minutes, and adding elements to pages (text, images, videos forms) is as easy as dragging and dropping.
Domain.com has three website builder plans, ranging from $1.99 a month (billed monthly) for a limited product which supports a maximum of six pages, to a $12.99 a month ecommerce plan with product listings, inventory tracking, integrated shipping, order and tax management, and more.
The builder is certainly easy to use. No need to browse through templates to find something that appeals: just answer a few questions on yourself, your site and its goals, and it creates a starter site for you right away.
There's a reasonable set of features, too. All plans include free SSL, unlimited storage, social media sharing, blogs, contact forms, easy integration with an existing Facebook page, and more.
The plans are fair value, and the $1.99 plan in particular could be a smart low-cost solution for very simple sites.
As with Domain.com's WordPress plans, though, the lack of VPS or dedicated support is a problem for more demanding projects, such as a web store. If your site outgrows Domain.com's basic shared hosting infrastructure, you can't upgrade to anything better, and could be forced to move somewhere else.
Wix is a capable website builder with many more features and a far wider range of plans. Casual users can build and host a website for free, and an array of other plans covers everyone from personal users to (potentially) big international corporations.
Squarespace is a powerful alternative with great-looking templates and professional business and e-commerce plans. Or if it's value you're after, Bluehost has plans from $2.95 a month, while the Hostinger-powered Zyro has an 'e-commerce essentials' plan from an initial $3.99 a month.
(Image credit: Domain.com)How fast is Domain.com?Reliability is a must-have for any serious website. If your site is regularly broken, or down entirely, it hurts your reputation and may drive users away.
We check reliability by using Uptime.com to access a test site every five minutes over a two week period. We expect hosts to show 100% uptime with this short a test, but Domain.com managed a disappointing 99.11%. That puts it last in our last 15 tests (11 hosts hit 100% uptime, even the next-to-last host managed 99.63%.)
Uptime also records the response time of each test web server. Domain.com came bottom of the list here, too, with an average response time of 2.97 seconds (nine of our last 15 averaged less than 0.5 seconds.)
(Image credit: GTMetrix)We measure hosting performance by using a tool called GTmetrix to access a test WordPress site and calculate how long it takes to display the main content of a page (a figure technically called Largest Contentful Paint, or LCP). The lower the LCP, the faster and more responsive your site appears, and the happier your visitors will be.
Domain.com's LCP was relatively disappointing at 1.5 seconds, far slower than providers such as Bluehost (0.8 seconds), GoDaddy (0.7 seconds) and Hostinger (0.6 seconds.) Although 1.5 seconds is still acceptable, keep in mind that's based on launching our very simple template site. If yours has any significant content or features then it could be much slower.
(Image credit: k61)Finally, we use k6 https://k6.io to measure website performance when it has many visitors loading pages at the same time. Our Domain.com site handled an average 22.67 requests per second, but with a price. Response times became even longer and more unreliable as the site load increased, and the overall test response time was a lengthy 1.591 seconds. Most providers were at least a second faster, and Hostinger, HostGator, InMotion Hosting and Bluehost managed response times of around 100ms or less.
Domain.com's web control panel is basic (Image credit: Domain.com)How easy is Domain.com to use?Buying a Domain.com plan is easier than usual. There are generally only a few plans, and the site only displays the bare minimum features for each. Pricing is clear and there are no misleading discounts to catch you out (a '$4.99' starter price which leaps to $14.99 after a year, say).
Managing your plan isn't as straightforward. Domain.com doesn't use standard tools such as cPanel or Softaculous, opting for its own custom control panels, instead. We found them relatively basic, with fewer features. These don't seem as intuitive or well organized as more standard control panels, either, and we spent longer than expected trying to carry out some tasks.
Use the control panels for a while and these initial impressions won't matter as much, because you'll learn where everything is. But if you're looking for the most straightforward shared hosting, we'd generally recommend choosing a host which offers quality tools such as cPanel or Softaculous.
Alternatively, there are some hosts who do produce very capable control panels of their own. Hostinger's hPanel is a great example, and it's available in the company's budget shared hosting range (from $1.99 a month).
(Image credit: Domain.com)What is Domain.com's support like?Domain.com offers 24/7 live chat support and a web knowledgebase. There's no ticket support, though, and the company no longer offers telephone support. That can become a problem if you've a long-term issue, as you'll have to explain the situation from the beginning whenever you talk to an agent.
The web knowledgebase has plenty of useful content, and its search engine does a good job of displaying the most relevant articles at the top. We noticed that some content appeared to be cut-and-pasted from iPage, (both iPage and Domain.com are owned by Newfold Digital), and no-one had remembered to replace the 'iPage.com' references with 'Domain.com.' That looks a little clumsy, but as iPage and Domain.com use the same technology, the articles should hopefully apply to both hosts.
We opened several test live chat sessions, and in every case an agent appeared to respond in under a minute. The initial responses are largely automated, and appeared more or less identically for every test question, but typically we still had an initial reply to our issue within three to four minutes.
The quality of responses varied depending on the issue, with agents performing noticeably less well on more complex or unusual problems (how to install WordPress on a subdomain, and the SSL consequences of that.) But when it came to common issues which you're far more likely to have, the agents quickly identified each problem and pointed us to the best solution.
Domain.com has very few plans (Image credit: Domain.com)Final verdictDomain.com's low long-term prices are appealing, and if cost is your top priority, your site is basic and you're not that bothered about power or performance, it might - just about - do the job. But if you're managing any more serious project, you'll find faster, more reliable and powerful hosting available elsewhere for only a little extra cash.
Domain.com FAQsWhy have you not completely removed this review?Domain.com only recently closed. Some readers might want to read back over a review to compare what hosting was like at domain.com and compare it to Network Solutions.
What payment types does Domain.com support?Domain.com accepts payment via card and PayPal.
Does Domain.com offer refunds?Domain.com has a 30-day money-back guarantee covering hosting, but not domain registration, setup fees, or the cost of any additional services.
The small print warns that all first-time hosting accounts are eligible. If you've been a customer before, and signed up again, you won't be able to claim a refund.
(Image credit: Domain.com)Does Domain.com have an uptime guarantee?The Domain.com states in several places that some hosting plans have a 99.99% uptime guarantee, which translates to a downtime of just four minutes and 23 seconds a month. Sounds like good news, especially as most hosting packages only offer 99.9% uptime, or 43 minutes and 50 seconds a month.
Unfortunately, we can't find anything on the Domain.com website which explained anything about the policy: what counted as downtime, what didn't, when you might start being compensated for problems, and you might get. We asked support but our agent couldn't tell us, either.
Maybe the company has the tech to hit that target, maybe it doesn't, but with no clear definition of what 'downtime' means, it's not a meaningful guarantee. We'd recommend you ignore it until Domain.com adds some relevant details to its terms and conditions.
Where are Domain.com's data centers?The Domain.com website doesn't have any significant information on the company's data centers, and we weren't offered a choice of locations when we signed up for our regular hosting account.
We put our server IP address into IPLocation.net https://www.iplocation.net/ip-lookup to find out where the server is located. This doesn't always return an accurate answer, but of the eight databases IP Location checked, six suggested our IP was in Florida, one said Massachusetts, and one couldn't give us a location.
What is my Domain.com IP address?Log into the Domain.com customer account panel.
Click the Hosting tab at the top of the screen.
The server IP address is displayed in the Server Information box on the right-hand side of the control panel.
What are Domain.com's nameservers?Log into your Domain.com customer account panel.
Click 'DNS & Nameservers' in the left sidebar.
Domain.com's nameservers are displayed beneath the 'Add Nameserver' button. (If you don't see them, they're probably ns1.domain.com and ns2.domain.com: try those, first.)
Domain.com's change auto-renewal status to cancel a product (Image credit: Domain.com)How do I cancel a Domain.com product?Log into your Domain.com web account.
Click the Hosting Tools icon at the top of the page (nine small dots arranged in a square.)
Click the 'Logged in as ' box at the top of the screen, and choose Hosting Renewal.
Choose whether you'd like your hosting canceled immediately, or when your subscription expires. Read the details carefully to avoid any mistakes, and click Change Status.
The TECHRADAR coupon is good for 25% off the cart total with no minimum purchase. All renewals after the initial discounted period will be charged at the then current standard list price for the selected period. Coupon is not valid with sunrise registrations, landrush registrations, EAP registrations, pre-registrations, premium registrations, renewals, transfers, custom website design, other coupons, or special pricing.
For decades the program has supported writers who would become big names – Alice Walker, Michael Cunningham, Louise Erdrich and more. Last week, applicants got an email saying the program would be no more.
What began as an attempt to claim free food through the McDonald’s app rewards system turned into something far more revealing for one expert.
A security researcher known as “BobDaHacker” discovered serious weaknesses in McDonald’s online systems while trying to redeem a reward for free McNuggets through the company’s mobile app.
The flaw ran deep, granting access to the “Feel-Good Design Hub,” a central platform for marketing assets and brand materials used by employees and agencies in more than 120 countries.
Reporting security issues the hard wayAttempts to disclose these flaws highlighted another concern: McDonald’s had no clear path for researchers to report vulnerabilities - according to Bob, the company once had a “security.txt” file listing contacts, but it disappeared just months after being posted.
With no direct disclosure channel, Bob had to dig through LinkedIn for staff names and repeatedly call headquarters until someone finally responded.
This drawn-out process suggests other researchers may give up long before their findings reach the right people.
Even after McDonald’s replaced its password system with an account-based login, another oversight remained.
By altering “login” to “register” in the URL, Bob was able to create new accounts with full access.
Worse still, when registering, the system emailed plain-text passwords - a practice discredited for decades because of the risks it creates for identity theft and misuse.
While companies at McDonald’s scale face unique challenges in rolling out secure systems, such basic failures raise difficult questions about priorities.
This is not the first time McDonald’s has faced scrutiny for weak safeguards, as just a month earlier, a different issue came to light when a platform storing private data was protected by the password “123456.”
When flaws are repeatedly so easy to exploit, it raises doubts about whether firewalls, security suites, or even routine internal reviews are consistently applied.
For a corporation with global reach, lapses of this kind have consequences beyond marketing assets, as employee and customer information could be at stake.
McDonald’s reportedly fixed most of the vulnerabilities flagged by Bob, but the company has not reestablished a reliable reporting channel for future disclosures.
Without one, the risk remains that serious flaws will be overlooked or ignored until exploited.
Via Toms Hardware
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Security researchers have discovered 77 apps on the Google Play Store delivering all sorts of malware to users.
Cumulatively, the apps were downloaded 19 million times, according to Zscaler ThreatLabs, which uncovered the large campaign after investigating an infection by a popular Android baking trojan called Anatsa (or Tea Bot).
In the investigation, the researchers determined the majority of the apps - 25% - were used to deploy Joker, a piece of malware that can send texts, grab screenshots, make phone calls, exfiltrate contacts list, subscribe users to premium services, and more.
How to stay safeBesides Joker, the researchers also spotted a variant called Harly, different adware code, and Anatsa, a dangerous banking trojan that can now steal login credentials and other sensitive information from more than 800 banking and crypto apps. Anatsa also seems to have increased its scope, now also targeting victims in Germany and South Korea.
Most of the malicious apps were described as “maskware” - on the surface they work as intended, but in the background, they can steal login credentials, sensitive data, and more.
Generally, security researchers would advise everyone to only download apps from reputable sources.
However, with the Google Play Store being one of those reputable sources, it is obvious that this advice is not enough to stay safe.
Users should also make sure Play Protect, Android’s built-in security system that scans apps from the Play Store and the device for malware, harmful behavior, or suspicious activity.
Furthermore, users should review each app before downloading, looking at the overall score, the number of downloads, and reviews. Glancing through the reviews should be enough to determine if an app is a potential problem, or not.
Finally, users should mind the permissions freshly installed apps ask for. Most of the time, malicious apps will require Accessibility permissions, and that can serve as a reliable red flag.
Via BleepingComputer
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It seems as though a new security measure is on the way to Google Messages, as the company has begun rolling out a new QR code feature in the latest beta, which verifies the device of the person you’re chatting with.
First spotted by 9to5Google, Google’s new verification tool in Messages aims to prevent impersonation scams. Before, you could verify contacts by tapping ‘Verify encryption’, presenting an 80-digit code that you can share with the other person to verify your device and vice versa.
While Google Messages has always had a verification feature, its new QR code approach provides a more convenient way to prove the identity of the person you’re texting with. In that case, if someone were to break into a conversation pretending to be a contact, Google can check if their device is verified and alert you if it’s suspicious of odd activity.
The outlet also states that Google will be bringing it to Android 9+ devices this year, but where can you find it in the beta?
(Image credit: 9to5Google)If you have access, open the Google Messages app and click into a conversation. When you tap the contact’s name, it will open the Details page, which displays the ‘End-to-end encryption’ section – and you’ll want to tap ‘Verify encryption’.
In addition to the existing 80-digit code option, there’ll also be an option to scan your contact’s QR code. Messages will also prompt you to ask the other person to scan your QR code in return, allowing Google to verify each device. To view the verification status, you can view them in the ‘Connected apps’ section of your device’s Contacts app; however, this integration hasn’t gone live yet, according to 9to5Google.
Recently, the company has been working around the clock to give its Messages service much-needed upgrades – like its new ‘Delete for everyone’ function – and now it’s doubling down on its security measures.
In October last year, Google unveiled plans to improve spam protection in Messages, following the addition of an unsubscribe button to prevent unwanted spam messages and a sensitive content warning tool, both of which rolled out in April. We’d expect the QR function to arrive before the end of the year, but an exact date hasn’t been revealed yet.
You might also likeThe NucBox M6 Ultra from GMKtec has launched into the mini PC market, claiming performance levels usually linked to larger desktop systems.
This home entertainment unit, which can also double as a business PC or even a workstation PC, is currently listed on GMKTec’s website at $389.99, down from $519.99.
To celebrate its debut, GMKtec is offering a $12 launch discount with promo code PRM6U12 (valid from August 20 to August 31, 2025). It is also offering free worldwide shipping, a one-year warranty, and a seven-day return option.
Ryzen processor and Radeon graphics at the coreAt the heart of the GMKtec NucBox M6 Ultra is the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS processor, a six-core, twelve-thread chip built on a 4nm process.
Its clock speeds reach up to 5.0GHz, with cache split between 6MB L2 and 16MB L3.
On the graphics side, this device is powered by the integrated AMD Radeon 760M, which is based on the RDNA 3 design.
GMKtec claims this unit performs close to a GTX 1650 Ti and supports FSR 2.0+ upscaling.
Buyers can select a ready-to-use configuration with 32GB DDR5 memory and a 1TB NVMe SSD, or opt for a barebone kit that includes no RAM, storage, or operating system. The barebone model costs $259.99.
The small chassis, measuring 128.8 × 127 × 47.8mm and weighing just over 528 grams, provides support for dual M.2 2280 SSD slots, expandable up to 8TB. Its memory capacity reaches a maximum of 128GB across two DDR5 channels.
The GMKtec NucBox M6 Ultra supports broad display connectivity, including HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, and USB4 outputs, which enable triple-screen setups and even 8K resolution.
The I/O selection includes multiple USB3.2 Gen2 ports, a USB2.0 port, a USB4.0 connector capable of 40Gbps transfer speeds and 100W PD input, and a standard 3.5mm audio jack.
For wireless and network connection, it offers WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and two 2.5G Ethernet ports. These options give the system flexibility for both work tasks and entertainment setups.
The M6 Ultra incorporates a three-mode power switch: silent mode at 35W for media playback, balanced mode at 45W for general productivity, and performance mode at 50W aimed at gaming.
GMKtec suggests that the system can handle modern titles at 1080p with frame rates ranging from 80 to 186fps, depending on the game.
GMKtec is a household name in the mini PC market, but with such specifications all under $400, there is a need for skepticism regarding its long-term performance and durability compared to larger desktop builds.
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We’re just a couple of weeks out from Meta Connect, where we’ll likely see the company’s first Ray-Ban smart glasses with a display, but a rival has beaten them to the punch with a pair of specs that look to go toe-to-toe with what Meta’s offering.
That’s because we just had the international launch event for the Rokid Glasses, which are up now on Kickstarter if you want to score a pair with a limited-time discount (ranging from 20 to 15% depending on which early bird deal you can snag).
At a glance, they share a lot of similarities with Meta’s existing smart specs – we’re talking a 12MP camera, open-ear speakers, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 chipset. You’ll also get an onboard AI assistant, which is “ChatGPT 5 empowered,” if you have an internet connection.
These Rokid glasses take things up a notch, however, as they also boast a pair of Micro LED waveguide displays that serve as a heads-up display for directions, real-time translation, and as a prompter.
(Image credit: Rokid)Another feature teased by promotional imagery is that the glasses can – just like Meta’s smart specs – identify things you can see when requested. Still, with the display, they’ll also highlight what they’ve identified. This would be very handy for making sure there’s no confusion between what you wanted to know more about and what the glasses are informing you on.
These screens look to appear conveniently in your vision – but a little out of the way to not be too distracting – though they’re not full-color. You can only see green text and shapes.
Regardless, it certainly seems like Rokid’s specs could be a real winner if they can live up to the hype. Especially because – even before any early-bird discounts – they’re set to cost $599 (around £355 / AU$920).
That’s considerably less than the $800 (£590 / AU$1,230) Meta’s specs are rumored to cost.
Image 1 of 2(Image credit: Rokid)Image 2 of 2(Image credit: Rokid)I wouldn’t count Meta out yet, however, as in the smart glasses race, they have a proven track record with some very stylish (yet functional) specs with both its Ray-Ban and more recently its Oakley collaborations.
What’s more, rumors suggest Meta’s glasses will boast a full-color display – though it’ll only be visible to a single eye. This, however, would make it a more versatile screen.
As for the price difference, when you factor in that Meta’s specs always come with a charging case (so presumably its new model would too) then it’s only set to be about $100 pricier, as Rokid’s glasses with a charging case will set you back $698 (around £395 / AU$1,075).
It’s also likely Meta’s specs will actually arrive sooner, as Connect is in September and the tech typically launches within a month after. The Rokid Glasses aren’t being shipped from Kickstarter until November.
(Image credit: Oakley / Meta)While this launch doesn’t expose a clear winner or loser between Rokid and Meta, it does highlight that the smart glasses game isn’t set to be a one-horse race – certainly not to the degree that VR has felt the past few years.
We’ll have to wait and see what Meta debuts at Meta Connect, and as always, we’ll have to test both glasses out before issuing our final verdict – but Rokid’s specs look impressive, and if it can stick the landing, Meta (and anyone looking to buy a pair of smart specs) will want to pay attention.
You might also likeLG has quietly listed a new 49-inch UltraWide monitor on its Singapore English website ahead of a potential worldwide release.
The new 49U950A-W monitor combines a 32:9 curved Nano IPS panel with a 5120x1440 resolution, and is designed as a single screen alternative to dual setups.
The display supports a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, making it ideal creative work, and comes with two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, a USB hub, and a USB-C input with support for 90W power delivery. The USB-C connection allows display output, charging, and data transfer
No Thunderbolt portsThere’s no Thunderbolt port on this monitor though, limiting bandwidth and daisy chaining options, which is particularly disappointing, given LG’s 40-inch UltraFine monitor, released in June 2025, came with Thunderbolt 5 support.
The new screen includes adaptive sync support with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-SYNC compatibility. Response times are rated at 5ms gray-to-gray, with an additional motion blur reduction option.
Color reproduction reaches 98 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Factory calibration is provided, brightness is listed at 400 nits, and VESA DisplayHDR 400 compliance offers modest high dynamic range capability.
While it is not aimed at the top end of HDR performance, it does provide improved contrast and highlights compared with standard panels.
The monitor incorporates tilt, height, and swivel adjustments, and supports a 100x100mm VESA mount.
A light sensor enables automatic brightness control, while TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light should help ease eye strain during extended use.
The display includes picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture layouts, a software-based dual controller feature, and app-driven screen splitting.
There are built-in 10W stereo speakers with extended bass too.
The new 49U950A-W is priced at S$2,299 (Singapore dollars) approximately US$1,790, but there’s no word on when it will go on sale globally.
(Image credit: LG)You might also likeIf you're hoping for an AirPods Max 2 announcement at the big Apple event on September 9th 2025, prepare to be disappointed: the next generation of Apple's over-ears isn't expected to arrive until at least 2027.
That's an eternity in tech terms: the original AirPods Max launched in 2020. But it seems that Apple is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
According to Bloomberg, the problem is simple: AirPods Max are "too popular for Apple to stop selling them, and not popular enough for the company to invest a ton of time and money into creating a new version" – after all, there's the AirPods Pro 3 to work on instead.
What are Apple's AirPods Max 2 and AirPods Pro 3 plans?As ever with unannounced Apple products we're dealing with leaks, rumors and predictions here. But it looks like AirPods Pro 3 are coming soon and AirPods Max 2 are coming later than hoped.
Bloomberg says that the AirPods Pro 3 are due to launch before the end of 2025 – let's hope we hear about them at the iPhone 17 event – with similar heart rate monitoring to the Powerbeats Pro 2.
As for the current AirPods Max, their most recent update was a damp squib: they got USB-C to comply with EU legislation, and that was as far as new hardware features went – though this did enable lossless wired audio support, and we think it works pretty great, actually.
The hoped-for H2 chip upgrade, which would have put them on a par with AirPods Pro 2, didn't feature. AirPods Max, unlike many premium headphones, still don't do wireless lossless audio, and having an older chip means they're missing many of the features of AirPods Pro 2.
After five years of daily wear, my OG AirPods Max are prime candidates for replacement: the headband's getting baggy, the tight fit – I have a huge head – is mildly annoying now, having to find a Lightning cable or adapter when everything else in my life is USB-C is a pain.
But I'm not interested in paying a premium price for tech that's half a decade old now, especially when the best headphones from other firms are improving significantly with each new release. I wonder how many other AirPods Max owners are likely to switch to rival brands before the second generation arrives…
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