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  • England vs. Denmark: How to Watch FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Game Live From Anywhere

    England vs. Denmark: How to Watch FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Game Live From Anywhere

    A win for either side in this Group D clash should guarantee their safe passage to the Women’s World Cup knockout stages, as England take on Denmark today at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

    Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses are one of the tournament favorites, but were made to work for their 1-0 win against outsiders Haiti in their group opener.

    Denmark, meanwhile, also notched up a 1-0 win in their first match of the tournament, with Amalie Vangsgaard’s late strike enough to earn them victory over China.

    Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch England vs. Denmark, no matter where you are in the world.

    England soccer star Georgia Stanway clapping her hands while holding a water bottle.

    England vs. Denmark: When and where?

    This Group D clash takes place at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Friday, July 28.

    Kick-off is set for 6:30 p.m. AEST local time in Australia, which makes it a 4:30 a.m. ET or 1:30 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada, and a 9:30 a.m. BST kick-off in the UK.

    How to watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 online from anywhere using a VPN

    If you find yourself unable to view the tournament locally, you may need a different way to watch this match — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

    With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

    Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Australia, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

    Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

    Livestream England vs. Denmark in the US

    This Women’s World Cup match is being broadcast on FS1 in the US. If you’re already a subscriber, you can livestream games via the Fox website. If you’re not, you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries Fox, the least expensive being Sling TV Blue.

    Numerous other live TV streaming services carry FS1 as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

    NBC-owned Telemundo, meanwhile, offers all the games in Spanish, which can also be viewed via NBC’s streaming platform Peacock Premium.

    One further option in the US for watching matches comes with Tubi TV, which is offering full-length replays of the games in English minutes after they end on the free ad-supported streaming service. You’ll have to sign up for a Tubi account in order to get the games, but you won’t need a credit card or subscription.

    Watch England vs. Denmark for free in the UK

    Football fans in the UK are among the luckiest in the world, as all matches of the FIFA Women’s World Cup being shown live on free-to-air channels, with the BBC and ITV sharing broadcast duties. This game will be shown live on BBC1, which means viewers in the UK will be able to stream the game for free on BBC iPlayer. Coverage starts at 9 a.m. BST on Friday morning.

    Stream England vs. Denmark in Canada

    Comprehensive live coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup will be available in Canada via TSN. Cord cutters can watch via the network’s streaming service TSN Plus.

    Stream England vs. Denmark for free in New Zealand

    Live coverage of 2023 Women’s World Cup for the co-host nation is with free-to-air channel Prime. Kick-off for this match is at 8:30 p.m. NZST.

    Quick tips for streaming the 2023 Women’s World Cup using a VPN

    • With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming the Women’s World Cup action live may vary.
    • If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
    • If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
    • All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
    • And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
  • Best Record Player for 2023

    Best Record Player for 2023

    With the sales of vinyl booming, music fans will tell you there’s nothing that compares to the rich sound of a record player. There’s an intrinsic joy to picking out one of your favorite records, pulling it out of its sleeve and placing it on a turntable. As the needle drops on the vinyl, you’re transported elsewhere. Not only is it a completely different experience, but some folks insist that it makes you feel closer to the artists who made the music.

    That’s why CNET has tested and rounded up some of the very best record players on the market right now. If you’re on the lookout for a new system, you have a lot of options. Not only can you find affordable speakers, but there are also plenty of high-quality turntables, including models with Bluetooth connectivity. Superior analog sound often requires spending more money, but it’s not necessary. If you’re a vinyl enthusiast, you could start with something like the $149 Audio-Technica AT-LP60X workhorse — it’s simple and it’s good.

    Based on my hours of testing and comparisons between models at every level, the best turntable for most people is the Fluance RT82 ($299). It offers excellent design, killer old-school looks and great sound quality for the money. But, if you’re looking to spend a lot more than that, the best turntable I’ve tested is the U-Turn Orbit Theory. It offers killer sound quality and looks every bit the premium model it is. Need more information? This guide will fill you in on the models CNET has tested and the features you should be looking out for, from $45 and up. If you’re a music lover, dust off your vinyl collection and keep reading.

    The best record players compared

    Product Fluance RT82 Audio Technica AT-LP60X Crosley C10A Pro-Ject T1 Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Pro-Ject Debut Pro U-Turn Orbit Theory Rega Planar 3
    Price $300 $149 $290 $399 $499 $999 $999 $1,399
    Cartridge Ortofon OM10 Audio Technica AT3600L Ortofon OM5E Ortofon OM5E Sumiko Rainier Sumiko Rainier Ortofon 2M Blue Ortofon 2M Blue
    33/45 speed switch
    Onboard preamp Optional
    Adjustable feet
    Platter Metal Metal Metal Glass Metal Metal Acrylic Glass
    Removable headshell
    Weight (lbs) 14.1 5.7 12.1 11 12.4 13.2 13.23

    Other products we’ve tested

    Most of the turntable models I’ve tested for this buyer’s guide have at least something to recommend them — whether it be design, sound quality or both. The following are ranked in order of commendability.

    • Music Hall MMF-1.3 ($347): The Music Hall MMF-1.3 is a good turntable at a decent price. It has an even-handed response with all types of music but it wasn’t as engaging as the Fluance RT82. If you’re looking to plug a turntable straight into any receiver without a phono preamp this is the model we’d opt for.
    • Fluance RT85 ($500): Unless you have a mellow-sounding system, the Fluance RT85’s combination of an Ortofon 2M Blue and acrylic platter seems like one upgrade too far. The RT85 will be too much for already-bright systems and the Pro-Ject T1 and Debut EVO are a better value at this level.
    • Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN ($379): With its carbon-fiber tonearm and natural wood veneer plinth, the Audio-Technica features excellent design, but it’s a mixed bag in terms of sound quality. The table sounded boomy when plugged into a phono preamplifier, and while it was more neutral with the onboard preamp, it was still a little ho-hum.
    • Victrola Stream Carbon ($699): The first turntable to work wirelessly with Sonos, the Victrola Stream Carbon is easy to set up and play on any compatible speaker. The turntable’s a lot of fun and the sound quality was fine enough, but sadly the ergonomics were a little off. Specifically, the two components you use every time — the power-speed switch and the tonearm lift — are almost comically tiny. Read Victrola Stream Carbon first take.

    U-Turn Orbit Plus turntable
    • U-Turn Orbit Plus ($329): While it’s better-sounding than I remember the original being, the U-Turn couldn’t compete with the performance of other players around $300. The turntable sounded truncated with a lack of extended high frequencies, and on the hardware side, the lack of a cue lever felt like a glaring omission.
    • Crosley Cruiser Deluxe ($45): The “suitcase-style” turntable is hyper-popular due to its combination of eye-catching design and cheap pricing. The Deluxe has a plethora of features including Bluetooth in/out plus RCA out, but some compromises appear to have been made including a cheaper stylus. It’s a fun toy, but in the end it’s the Crosley’s poor sound quality which disappoints. The Victrola Eastwood (below) sounds better, but it has its own issues.
    • Victrola Eastwood ($85): Unlike the competitive Crosley Cruiser Deluxe, the Victrola offers a proper cartridge (no plastic moving parts here) and compact styling. While it also sounds better than its competitor, the Eastwood’s main problem is that the lid gets in the way when you try to change records, which could lead to damaging your vinyl.

    Best Albums to Own on Vinyl

    See all photos

    Record player FAQs

    Five different turntables arranged on the floor.

    How I tested

    A close up shot of an Audio-Technica record player.

    All of these turntables offer a phono-level output — an unamplified signal that needs RIAA equalization. I used a combination of gear including a Rotel RA1592 amplifier, Onkyo TX-NR696, Q Acoustics 3050i tower speakers. and the Cambridge Audio Due preamp.

    For receivers and amps that lack phono input, you’ll need a phono preamplifier. CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg recommends the $100 Schiit Mani phono preamp as a quality budget option.

    Two of the models offered a switchable line-level output — the Music Hall MMF-1.3 and the Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN — and this is handy if you don’t have or don’t want an external preamp. You can plug these models into anything that accepts RCA cables. I also plugged these two directly into the amplifier and compared them against each other.

    It’s worth noting that some of the models are unavailable outside North America, such as the Crosley C10A, Music Hall MMF-1.3, Fluance RT82 and the U-Turn Orbit Plus. If you’re looking for the best alternative to the Fluance RT82, I would recommend the Pro-Ject T1.

    As part of the tests listened to a number of different albums including these four artists: Bob Marley, Slint, LCD Soundsystem and Miles Davis. On each turntable, I listened for bass response (was it boomy or clean?), midrange detail (low-level instruments and echo effects) and high frequencies (were they recessed or too loud?). The best turntables performed well across all genres.

    Test your music system with these great rock tracks

    See all photos

    More audio advice and recommendations

  • PIA VPN Review 2023: An Open-Source VPN Provider That Does Transparency Right

    PIA VPN Review 2023: An Open-Source VPN Provider That Does Transparency Right

    Private Internet Access, sometimes known simply as PIA, is a well-established VPN provider operating out of the United States since 2010. It’s an excellent budget-friendly option that puts its money where its mouth is with regards to user privacy. So if you’re on a budget and in the market for an OG VPN that delivers on privacy and transparency, give PIA a look.

    PIA has been around longer than most other VPNs and is one of the most transparent VPN services available. PIA is independently audited, publishes transparency reports regularly and its apps are all fully open-source — all of this going above and beyond what many of its competitors offer in terms of transparency. And while you won’t get any over-the-top bonus features with PIA, you’ll get everything you need to protect your privacy online. Once you take the time to learn the app, it’s highly customizable and easy to use across platforms. PIA’s main strengths are in privacy and transparency, but its speeds are competitive as well. However, one area where I’m hoping for some improvement is in its streaming capabilities — PIA struggled with a few streaming services.

    My evaluation of Private Internet Access involved an in-depth look into its features and performance on major platforms as well as its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. I conducted 250 individual speed tests and evaluated its streaming capabilities with various streaming providers. I also analyzed its cost and overall value compared to other providers. Overall, I was impressed with the service, and I found PIA to be a capable VPN provider for most use cases.

    Read more: How We Test VPNs

    Speed: Consistent speeds, and fast enough for just about anything

    • Average speed loss: 24% in July 2023 tests
    • Number of servers: 35,000
    • Number of countries: 84

    PIA performed satisfactorily in my very first speed evaluation of the VPN service, with an average speed loss of 24% compared to my base internet speeds. PIA’s 24% speed loss is good for third place behind NordVPN (10% speed loss) and ExpressVPN (18% speed loss), which are our two picks for the fastest VPNs. And considering most VPNs will reduce your normal internet speeds by half or more, a 24% speed loss is still respectable.

    There are many factors that can influence your VPN speeds — including the VPN protocol you’re using. With PIA, you can connect via OpenVPN and WireGuard on its desktop applications. Connecting via WireGuard generally results in faster speeds than through OpenVPN because it’s a lightweight protocol that’s engineered for speed and security. I tested PIA’s speed performance through both WireGuard and OpenVPN and as you’d guess, found that PIA’s speeds were faster through WireGuard as they were through OpenVPN. I measured an average speed loss of 33% when connecting through OpenVPN, whereas my average speed loss through WireGuard was only 15% — which averages out to a 24% speed loss between the two.

    I found PIA’s speeds to be generally stable and consistent with my expectations based on my physical location and the VPN server locations I was connecting through while testing. Consistency and stability aren’t a given when it comes to VPN speeds, so it was good to see PIA excel in that regard. Other top VPNs like Surfshark, IPVanish and Proton VPN have struggled with consistency in my experience testing their speeds.

    From my location in Ohio, my base internet speeds hover around 370Mbps. The fastest VPN speeds I got through WireGuard were to PIA’s servers in New York City, where my speeds averaged 348Mbps. VPN speeds to Europe (France and Germany) averaged 340Mbps and speeds to the UK averaged 317Mbps. And as expected, the slowest speeds I registered through PIA using WireGuard were to Australia and Singapore, where I averaged 309Mbps and 261Mbps, respectively.

    My fastest speeds through OpenVPN were to Europe at 303Mbps, and speeds to New York City followed at 281Mbps. The one peculiarity I noticed with PIA’s OpenVPN speeds was that speeds to Australia and Singapore were faster than the speeds I measured to the UK. In fact, the average speeds I measured to Australia were significantly faster at 263Mbps as opposed to 185Mbps when connecting to the UK. My average speeds to Singapore averaged slightly faster than the UK at 198Mbps.

    If you’re looking to maximize the speeds you get out of your PIA VPN connection — for things like streaming or gaming, for example — then use WireGuard. But if speed is a secondary consideration and you need heightened privacy online or need to evade censorship, then I recommend using OpenVPN because it is the most secure VPN protocol available and can get around firewalls. Even so, PIA’s OpenVPN speeds should be fast enough for most any online activity, provided your non-VPN speeds are adequate.

    Read more: Fastest VPN of 2023

    Cost: One of the cheapest VPNs available

    • $40 per year or $12 per month (3-year plans available at $79 every three years)
    • Money-back guarantee: 30 days
    • Payment options: Credit card, PayPal, cryptocurrency
    • Apps available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Opera

    If you’re on a budget and want a decent VPN solution, consider checking out Private Internet Access. Convoluted pricing structures are all too common in the VPN industry, but PIA (thankfully) doesn’t bother with such practices and locks its prices at the same budget-friendly rate throughout the course of your subscription. PIA’s annual plan is $40 per year and its monthly plan is $12 per month. Although the company does offer a three-year plan at $79 every three years, I don’t recommend signing on with a VPN provider for longer than a year at a time, given how rapidly things tend to shift in the VPN industry.

    PIA’s pricing is actually cheaper and far more straightforward than Surfshark’s, which currently holds CNET’s Editors’ Choice Best Value VPN designation. Surfshark’s annual plan starts at an introductory price of $48 for the first year, but then increases to $60 for any subsequent year. Similarly, Surfshark’s two-year plan starts out at $60 for the first two years combined, but then renews at $60 annually afterwards. Its monthly plan is on the expensive side at $13 per month.

    For less than Surfshark’s introductory annual price, you’ll get access to a large network of approximately 35,000 servers located in 84 countries around the world. And as with other top VPNs like Surfshark and IPVanish, PIA has ditched connection limits and has begun offering unlimited simultaneous connections, while other competitors like its sister company ExpressVPN and NordVPN restrict their users to five and six connections, respectively. Native apps are available on all major operating systems including Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS. And while many VPNs only offer a command line option for Linux users, PIA recently upgraded its native Linux app to include most of the key features available on other platforms, like a kill switch and split tunneling. PIA also offers additional features like an ad tracker and malware blocker, multihop connections, obfuscation and automated connection settings.

    PIA app performance

    PIA’s app may seem a little daunting at first to VPN newbies as compared to the clean, simple app interfaces of services like ExpressVPN and Surfshark. But I like how you can pin certain components to display above the fold and customize what information you want at the forefront of the app whenever you connect. So you can make the app as clean or as dense as you want.

    While my experience using PIA was largely positive, there were a few instances where I was left disappointed with its performance. I found PIA’s streaming capabilities to be hit or miss. For example, I wasn’t able to establish any connection using OpenVPN on PIA’s Amazon Fire TV Stick app. This could be an issue for anyone who needs to have a kill switch or split tunneling enabled while streaming, because PIA doesn’t offer either feature through WireGuard on its Amazon Fire TV Stick app. And while I was able to establish a connection via WireGuard using PIA’s Amazon Fire TV Stick app, the results were rather disappointing. I was able to access Disney Plus content, but both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video blocked access to its content while connected to PIA — even while I was connected to a “Streaming Optimized” server in the US.

    I was able to access Netflix content via PIA’s desktop app — though only when connected to US servers — but Amazon Prime Video continued to detect the VPN and block my access. Overall, I found PIA’s streaming performance to be a far cry from the level of performance that others like Surfshark and ExpressVPN consistently deliver. If you’re looking to access streaming content through your smart TV or streaming device, ExpressVPN and Surfshark are better choices.

    PIA’s split tunneling feature also ran into some major issues. I couldn’t get it to work on my Windows machine even though other VPNs’ split tunneling features worked as expected. PIA engineers said that the PIA app was conflicting with a background service I had running on my PC within Intel’s Killer Performance Suite, which was causing the split tunneling feature to fail and sometimes cause my entire system to crash. Once I removed the offending program, PIA’s split tunneling feature worked as expected. PIA engineers surmised that the VPN’s “advanced split tunneling features” were a contributing factor as to why PIA’s feature failed while other VPNs’ split tunneling worked normally on my machine. For example, engineers pointed to the fact that PIA can split DNS traffic, which allows you to run all of your DNS requests through PIA’s DNS servers or allow DNS server settings to redirect on a per-app basis. Whatever the case, PIA’s spokesperson told me that the engineers will continue to look into the compatibility issues I raised.

    So if you’re a Windows user and the split tunneling feature isn’t working for you, get in touch with support to see if something on your machine is causing it to fail. If you’re a MacOS user, be aware that split tunneling only works on pre-Monterey versions of MacOS. So, even though the feature is present in PIA’s MacOS app, if you’re using MacOS Monterey or later, it simply won’t work.

    While PIA is cheaper than CNET’s Best Value VPN, Surfshark, it doesn’t quite boast the wealth of features and capabilities that Surfshark does, meaning it can’t quite match the overall value. That said, PIA is a capable VPN in most respects and is a great option for anyone on a strict budget.

    Read more: The Best Cheap VPN in 2023

    Privacy and security: Top-tier privacy and transparency efforts

    • Open-source
    • RAM-only servers
    • No leaks detected
    • Independently audited

    One of the areas where PIA shines is in its commitment to privacy and transparency. All of PIA’s apps are open-source, meaning that the software’s source code is publicly available for scrutiny by anyone who wants to inspect it. This helps ensure the software does what the company says it does and that it’s free of potential security issues. It’s good to see that PIA has gone open-source because it’s not the norm in the VPN industry (most VPNs are closed-source). Out of CNET’s list of best VPN services, only Proton VPN is open-source.

    PIA had its no-logs policy independently audited by Deloitte last summer. According to a blog post published by PIA outlining the results of the audit, auditing firm Deloitte “found that server configurations align as of June 30, 2022 with internal privacy policies and are not designed to identify users or pinpoint their activities.”

    Positive results from an independent audit like this are a good way of building trust in the company’s assurances that it doesn’t collect or store any logs related to users’ online activity while connected to its servers. If PIA doesn’t collect any usage logs, that means it doesn’t have any useful information to hand over to authorities if requested. But a VPN’s no-logs claims are virtually impossible to verify with complete certainty, even with the publication of an independent audit. A PIA spokesperson told me that the company is “confident that Deloitte’s findings remain correct today,” and that it’s working on coordinating its next audit as part of its “broader efforts around regular transparency reporting.”

    “PIA’s server infrastructure is not designed to identify users or pinpoint their activities and we do not store any logs relating to traffic, session, DNS or metadata. There are no logs kept for any person or entity to match an IP address nor a timestamp to a current or former user of our service,” the spokesperson said.

    But PIA has a few additional aces up its sleeve that help boost the credibility of its no-logs claims. The company’s latest semi-annual transparency report outlines the number of court orders, subpoenas, warrants and notices it received in the past six months, and states that it produced logs a total of zero times in the 166 instances it was approached for information. Additionally, PIA has had its claims tested in court and was unable to produce logs.

    PIA’s RAM-only server architecture also helps strengthen its stance on privacy. With RAM-only servers, data is theoretically never stored to a hard disk and is wiped every time the server is rebooted.

    PIA offers industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, along with essential privacy features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection. In addition to its standard kill switch feature, PIA offers an Advanced Kill Switch that completely kills your internet connection even when you’ve turned the VPN off. This is a nuclear option, but presents an excellent way for users with critical privacy needs to ensure that they can’t accidentally go online without protection from the VPN. Both kill switch features worked as expected during my testing, and I detected no leaks whatsoever.

    Though PIA’s commitment to privacy is solid, a few things may be a deal-breaker if you require critical levels of privacy from your VPN. First, the company’s US jurisdiction may scare you off due to the US government’s rocky track record concerning digital privacy. Second, PIA’s Kape Technologies ownership may give you pause. Kape owns CyberGhost VPN, ZenMate VPN and ExpressVPN, in addition to PIA, and up until 2018, Kape Technologies was known as Crossrider, a company with a bit of a checkered past.

    Additionally, two key statements in PIA’s privacy policy stood out to me. One indicating that the company shares certain information under certain conditions with Kape and companies under the Kape umbrella:

    “While we may disclose collected Personal Data to necessary members in our group of companies (across our ultimate holding company and all its subsidiaries) insofar as is reasonably necessary to continue our Service in line with this Policy, we regard our commitment to user privacy as paramount.”

    And another indicating that PIA also grants some control of processing user data to employees across PIA’s group of companies:

    “Only key employees of PIA and PIA’s Group with a need to administer or process Personal Data are granted access to the servers and information where Personal Data is stored.”

    This is a concern, because as VPN companies are continuing to consolidate under larger holding companies, it’s getting increasingly difficult to keep track of where user data is being stored and who is controlling or processing it. Unlike PIA, ExpressVPN — which was purchased by Kape in 2021 — states explicitly in its Privacy Policy that “Your Personal Data is controlled by and stored under ExpressVPN, and not by its ultimate holding company, Kape Technologies PLC (UK) or other related entities.” We would have liked to see a similarly clear line drawn in PIA’s policy.

    When I voiced my concerns about the privacy policy, a PIA spokesperson told me via email, “Kape does not control PIA user data. PIA controls its own user data and the only employees with access to this are those working directly on PIA product and user experience, and even then this is in a very limited capacity.”

    The spokesperson also said PIA’s legal team is now working on updating its privacy policy to more clearly communicate this.

    All things considered, PIA seems to be doing everything in its power to assuage concerns about its US jurisdiction with its wide-ranging transparency efforts. And there is no indication that Kape Technologies is in any way still involved in its previous ad-injection practices while operating as Crossrider. If you’re not concerned about the US jurisdiction, PIA is still an excellent choice for privacy-conscious users.

  • AT&T Is Raising the Rates for Its Older Unlimited Elite Plans

    AT&T Is Raising the Rates for Its Older Unlimited Elite Plans

    AT&T is raising the rates for its older Unlimited Elite plans. In an email sent out to customers on Wednesday, the carrier says that “starting with the August bill cycle” the price of the plan will increase by $2.50 per line, per month. The price hike was also detailed in an accompanying support page.

    Formerly AT&T’s top unlimited plan, the Unlimited Elite option offered HBO Max (now just Max) and 40GB of hotspot data in addition to unlimited talk, text and data in the US, Mexico, Canada and 19 Latin American countries. It was discontinued last year and replaced with Unlimited Premium, which dropped the bundled HBO Max but added 10GB more of hotspot data.

    It was not immediately clear if Max’s price increases earlier this year played a role in the new rate hike or if AT&T planned to raise the rates on older plans that similarly bundle in the streaming service.

    “We’re committed to the relationships we hold with our customers and being transparent is paramount; all impacted customers were notified in mid-June,” an AT&T spokesperson told CNET. “We want our customers to know they have options, and should they choose to make a change, we offer other rate plans that may provide different features that better suit their needs, including getting more mobile hotspot data for the same price.”

    After retiring the Unlimited Elite plan last year, AT&T reached a new agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery last summer to be able to offer HBO Max to AT&T’s wireless and internet users. Despite the new agreement, which talked about how AT&T would have “flexibility in how it delivers the service to customers,” AT&T has yet to add the streaming option back to any of its wireless plans.

    The increase in the rate plan comes just days after AT&T began reaching out to customers to alert them that it would be lowering the discount it offers users who pay their bills with credit cards on automatic payments.

    Update on July 26, 2023: Added statement from AT&T.

  • Best Student Discounts, Deals and Freebies of 2023

    Best Student Discounts, Deals and Freebies of 2023

    Being a college student can be tough. Most days, it feels like a constant struggle — not just emotionally and mentally but most of all financially. I can testify to this, having recently graduated from college, where I ate nothing but croutons and cereal for a week to avoid grocery shopping. Luckily, thanks to Spotify and Hulu’s student discounts, paying outstanding fees for these streaming services was one financial burden I didn’t have to worry about.

    Trying to find the best student discounts used to be tough, but times have changed. Recognizing the financial strain on college students, many companies now offer student discounts to help ease this stress and, hopefully, attain a life-long customer in the process. You just have to verify your student status. For example, with a valid .edu school email address or proof of enrollment (via a validation service such as SheerID or Unidays), you can score the best student discounts on Microsoft Office, Spotify and Hulu subscriptions and even Amazon Prime.

    In this article, we’ve rounded up all the best student discount opportunities. Be sure to check with your school’s housing department and student bookstore as well, where you might find certain streaming services for free or cheap. You can also find extra discounts on devices and software. For more information, see the best free apps for college students who need to save money and time, plus the best student credit cards.

    Read more: Best Laptops for College for 2023

    Student discounts on fitness and entertainment

    These popular music and video streaming services give you breaks on subscriptions once you verify your student status. And Peloton just got in on the act as well.

    Student discounts on education

    Need help studying? Here are some of the best sources to help with learning, writing papers and acing the test.

    Student discounts on money management

    If there’s one thing most students could use a hand with, it’s managing money.

    Student discounts on apps and software

    While you may be able to get software at a discount through your school’s bookstore, you won’t do any better than free.

    Student discounts on shopping and tech

    From Amazon to Groupon, you can save up to 50% on services and devices.

    Read more: All the latest coupons from Amazon, Best Buy, Groupon, Lenovo and Microsoft.

    More back-to-school recommendations

  • Apple’s Next iPhone Could Have an ‘Action’ Button

    Apple’s Next iPhone Could Have an ‘Action’ Button

    Your next iPhone might have an Action button. According to a report from MacRumors Wednesday, code in the fourth iOS 17 developer beta hints at functionality for an Action button on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.

    Apple introduced the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra, and it allows you to run a pre-selected function or program when activated. On the Apple Watch Ultra, pressing the Action button can start a stopwatch or begin a workout without unlocking your device or navigating to an app.

    The report said the Action button on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could replace the Ring/Silent switch on the side of the iPhone. The Action button could have nine different functions. What each function would do is unclear, but the names of some of the functions, like Camera and Flashlight, indicate the Action button would likely be able to turn these functions on and off.

    Apple has not announced any information about the next iPhone, but the company will likely unveil details of its next smartphone at the next iPhone event — probably in September.

    Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

    For more, check out why the iPhone 15 might need a different charger and hidden features in iOS 17 you should know about.

  • T-Mobile Added 1.6 Million Net Customers as Faster 5G Network Grows

    T-Mobile Added 1.6 Million Net Customers as Faster 5G Network Grows

    T-Mobile continued adding phone and home 5G internet customers as it grew its base by a total of 1.6 million net added customers across the board during the second quarter of 2023.

    T-Mobile’s subscriber growth comes amid more modest growth from AT&T during the quarter, with a struggling Verizon adding far more home internet than phone customers.

    T-Mobile reported 760,000 postpaid net phone additions, a metric used by the industry to denote success and dependable revenue. T-Mobile maintained that its 5G network reaches 98% of Americans, which has gone unchanged since last quarter. Its higher-speed Ultra Capacity 5G network has continued growing as it now covers 285 million people and still has a goal to reach 300 million by the end of the year.

    Most of the Ultra Capacity 5G network is midband, including the 2.5GHz of spectrum acquired in the merger with Sprint. T-Mobile has limited deployments of the highest-speed millimeter wave 5G spectrum in its network, with no plans for big expansion, but it could be used to support the network.

    “Millimeter wave could potentially be an interesting play for us when it comes to enhancing capacities for us that could be used, for example, with [T-Mobile’s High Speed Internet],” T-Mobile President of Technology Ulf Ewaldsson said during the second-quarter earnings call, referring to the carrier’s 5G fixed wireless service. The carrier is working with its vendor and manufacturer partners to explore the possibility.

    The carrier will continue to grow its midband 5G into next year with spectrum converted from LTE to 5G and from the so-called C-band spectrum of 5G, Ewaldsson said, as well as spectrum won in auctions covering the 2.5GHz and the 3.45GHz ranges. “There is so much more for us to run out, and I couldn’t be more excited that we’re expanding our lead in terms of our network,” Ewaldsson said.

    During the quarter, T-Mobile introduced a pair of new 5G plans in April — Go5G and Go5G Plus — that are slightly pricier than the existing Magenta and Magenta Max plans, but add more high-speed data for use in Mexico and Canada and 10GB of extra hotspot data. Over 60% of the accounts that are joining T-Mobile are subscribing to Go5G Plus, T-Mobile Consumer Group President Jon Freier said on the call.

    “Go5G Plus instantly became our most popular plan,” T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said.

    T-Mobile added 509,000 High Speed Internet customers for its 5G fixed wireless service, which it noted was more than its rival carriers, Comcast and Charter, combined. T-Mobile has 3.7 million high-speed internet customers and is “right on track” to reach 7 million to 8 million subscribers to its fixed wireless service, Sievert said: “We’re speeding up, not slowing down, on this network.”

    T-Mobile’s High Speed Internet does have a population limit since, as it’s currently arranged, it uses “excess capacity” of 5G service from its network. While Sievert didn’t comment on specific plans to grow the fixed wireless part of its network beyond its base of 2.5GHz spectrum, he noted that “we’re always on the hunt for other ways to add capacity to our network.”

    The carrier is still trialing fiber wired internet, but had no expansion news to share.

    T-Mobile reported $15.7 billion in revenue, growing 3% year over year for the same period. That broke down to a diluted earnings per share of $1.86, which came in above the $1.69 earnings per share predicted by analysts polled by Yahoo Finance.

    T-Mobile stock fell 1.99% in after-hours trading.

  • Mastering iOS 17: 5 Hidden Features and Settings You Shouldn’t Miss

    Mastering iOS 17: 5 Hidden Features and Settings You Shouldn’t Miss

    The first public beta of iOS 17 released earlier this month, introducing new features to the iPhone like contact posters, live voicemail and StandBy Mode. But that’s just the beginning.

    Related story: iOS 17 Public Beta Is Out. I’m Excited About These New iPhone Features

    Like every new mobile software release, iOS 17 has several hidden features and settings that are just as useful as the popular features — and ones you might end up using every single day on your iPhone.

    If you want to take a deep dive into what your iPhone has to master, read on to check out 5 hidden features currently available in the iOS 17 public beta, which you can download right now (as long as you’ve got a supported iPhone).

    If your iPhone isn’t compatible with iOS 17, it might be worth taking a look at the best iPhone models of 2023 and our review of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.

    Automatically delete verification codes sent to you via text or email

    Every time you sign in to an application that uses two-factor authentication, or 2FA, you’ll first need to get a text message or email verification code sent to you. You might have hundreds of these verification codes littered in your text messages or email, and though you can delete these codes one by one, there’s now an easier way to clean house, thanks to iOS 17.

    In Settings > Passwords > Password Options, you can now toggle on a new Clean Up Automatically setting so that verification codes in the Messages and Mail applications are automatically deleted after being used with the autofill feature that appears at the top of your keyboard.

    Verification code settings in iOS 17

    Use Apple Maps offline to navigate

    You might be surprised to learn this, but you’ve never been able to use Apple Maps offline. Instead, you’d have to be connected to the internet, which is useless if you need to find your way back home when you’re out in the wilderness or in an area with no connection. In iOS 17, you can finally download an offline map to grab directions even when you don’t have service.

    In Maps, tap your profile photo in the top right of the navigation window and go into Offline Maps. Depending on where you drive most, you may see a suggested map to download, along with the size of the map, in case you don’t have much storage. You can also just hit Download New Map, type a city, manually adjust the map if needed and download it to your iPhone.

    Apple Maps offline map setting

    Crop your photos using the zoom feature in Photos

    Cropping a screenshot or picture in the Photos app is a relatively easy process, but Apple has made it even easier with iOS 17.

    Now, when you’re viewing a photo and you zoom in on it, a new Crop button will appear in the top-right. This will automatically take you into edit mode and allow you to then adjust the crop even more, or you can simply hit Done to finish the crop. You must act quick though, as the crop button appears for only a few seconds after you zoom in to a photo.

    New zoom crop feature in Photos on iOS 17

    Use Crossfade for smoother transitions in Music app

    If you’re in charge of playing music at a friend’s party or in the car, you now have the option to use a cross-fade effect between songs in Apple Music on iOS 17.

    In the Settings app, go to Music and toggle on Crossfade. Once the setting is enabled, you can choose how long you want the cross-fade to be: Choose between one second and 12 seconds, in second intervals. If you choose five seconds, for example, the next song in the playlist/album will begin to slowly play in the background five seconds before the current song ends.

    The crossfade feature in the Music settings on iOS 17

    Interact with certain widgets on your home screen

    The widgets that live on your home screen are no longer there just for looks. Apple has brought interactive widgets to the iPhone, allowing you to control applications from your home screen, much like you would from the control center.

    For now, the number of interactive widgets is limited, but if you want to add one to your home screen, press down on an empty space on your home screen to enter edit mode, tap the plus sign in the top right, and scroll through the list of widgets. A few interactive widgets available include Podcast, Home, Notes and Music.

    For example, in Music you can play or pause music, while in Home, you can turn any connected devices off and on, such as a smart light bulb or a thermostat.

    The Music and Home widgets on iOS 17

    For more on Apple’s upcoming mobile operating system, check out our hands-on look at iOS 17, as well as what you should know about Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

  • Reddit Is Testing Its Own Version of Verified Accounts

    Reddit Is Testing Its Own Version of Verified Accounts

    Reddit is joining other social media platforms in verifying certain accounts. The social media site announced Wednesday that it is testing out a new “Official” label on some accounts that have confirmed their identity.

    A phone with Reddit open and an

    Reddit said a small number of organizations that have existing relationships with the site will get the new label. The social media site also said the Official label doesn’t come with any extra perks, like the additional privileges that come with a blue check mark on the site formerly known as Twitter.

    “This label is designed to help mods and users quickly identify these organizations, and allows them to trust that these users are who they say they are,” Reddit wrote online. “Our main goal is to explore ways in which we can help increase authentic engagement between organizations and users.”

    A Reddit administrator also said in a post on the site that the Official label should not be confused with the Promoted label, which is used to mark paid advertisements.

    For more, check out what to know about the Following tab in Threads, what to know about Apple’s hidden social network and how to delete your Twitter account.

  • Best Cheap Phone of 2023: Most Value for Money

    Best Cheap Phone of 2023: Most Value for Money

    The Pixel 6A on the left and the iPhone SE on the right

    You don’t need to splurge on the iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23 to get the latest version of iOS or Android, or perks like multiple cameras, photography tools and access to your favorite apps and games. When it comes to the basics, the best cheap phones provide plenty of value but cost noticeably less than their flagship competitors.

    Our top picks come as cheap as $160, while more advanced models will run you $500 — which is substantially cheaper than top-of-the-line models from Apple, Samsung and Google. If you have a specific budget in mind, you can also check out our best phones under $200 and best phones under $500 lists for other affordable phone options.

    What is the best cheap phone?

    Even without discounts, you can find brand-new phones for less than $200. But when a phone’s regular price is set under $400, you’ll start to notice concessions a company makes to offer a more affordable phone. That’s why the $349 Google Pixel 6A is our favorite best cheap phone. Google delivers all the big features that matter, such as a peppy processor, great cameras and years worth of software support. And to keep the price low, Google makes smart compromises, most notably a display that looks dim under direct sunlight.
    The Pixel 6A accomplishes its intended purpose of providing a lot for less. Even though Google’s Pixel 7A at $499 is also a very good value, the Pixel 6A still takes crisp and colorful photos for its price. You also get the same eye-catching design and Pixel-specific software features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate.

    Best cheap phones of 2023

    How we test phones

    Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. We use the phone, test the features, play games and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. And if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you about it.

    We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:

    • Display
    • Design and feel
    • Processor performance
    • Battery life
    • Camera quality
    • Features

    We test all the phone’s cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: from outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and nighttime scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We have a series of real world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.

    We take into account additional phone features like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays and other useful extras. We weigh all our experiences and testing against the price so you know whether a phone represents good value or not.

    Read more: How we test phones

    Best cheap phones FAQs