Author: Admin

The NBA postseason has begun. Sunday’s eventful regular season finale closed out an 82-game marathon. On Tuesday night, TNT has a double-header, with the Hawks and Heat kicking things off in a battle for the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed and a showdown with the Boston Celtics. The second game of the night will have the fighting Timberwolves heading to Los Angeles to take on LeBron James and the Lakers, with the winner of this contest becoming the Western Conference’s seventh seed and heading to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.

The Timberwolves will be without center Rudy Gobert, who was suspended after punching a teammate during Sunday’s game against the Pelicans, as well as Jaden McDaniels, who is out for the season after punching a wall during the same contest.

Needless to say, the NBA playoffs should be exciting. Here’s everything you need to know about watching and streaming the NBA postseason with or without cable.

What does the NBA playoff bracket look like?

Best options for streaming the NBA playoffs

As all the games will be shown nationally, most of the major streaming TV services offer all the networks you’ll need for watching the NBA playoffs. That said, it can be a bit complicated.

Each live TV streaming service offers a free trial, allows you to cancel anytime and requires a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Coach Pep Guardiola will be aiming to lead his Man City side a step closer to their first UEFA Champions League triumph, as they come up against his former club Bayern Munich in the first leg of their blockbuster quarterfinal tie at the Etihad Stadium.

Landing the German giants was arguably the most difficult draw possible for City, but the English Premier League side will come into the clash full of confidence. City have won their last eight games in a row across all competitions in a run that has seen them hit the back of the net 31 times, with striker Erling Haaland in seemingly unstoppable form.

Guardiola will now pit his wits against a familiar opposite number, with this match the first big test for newly appointed Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel.

A Champions League winner with Chelsea, who beat City in the 2021 final, Tuchel has had a mixed start since taking the helm at Bayern. A key win over Bundesliga title rivals Borussia Dortmund was followed by a shock exit from the DFB Cup to Freiburg. Tuchel knows that blocking supply lines to Haaland will be crucial to any success for his side in this fixture, and will be encouraged by the fact that the Norwegian forward lost all seven encounters against Bayern during his time as a Dortmund player.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.

Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich: When and where?

Man City host Bayern Munich at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, April 11. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. BST local time in the UK (3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT in the US, and at 5 a.m. AEST on Wednesday, April 12 in Australia).

How to watch the Man City vs. Bayern Munich game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game — 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. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. 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 Canada, 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.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

See at ExpressVPN

Livestream the Man City vs. Bayern Munich game in the US

Wednesday’s big match at the Etihad Stadium will be available to stream on Paramount Plus, which has live broadcast rights in the US for every UEFA Champions League and Europa League fixture for the 2022/23 season.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Paramount Plus

Watch the Champions League in the US from $5 a month

Paramount Plus has two main subscription plans in the US: Essential for $5 per month ($50 per year if paid annually) and Premium for $10 per month ($100 per year).Both offer coverage of all Champions League fixtures this season.

The cheaper Essential option has ads for on-demand streaming and lacks live CBS feeds as well as the ability to download shows to watch offline later. Newcomers to the service can take advantage of a 30-day free trial, while students may qualify for a 25% discount.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

See at Paramount Plus

Livestream the Man City vs. Bayern Munich game in the UK

Champions League rights in the UK are with BT Sport, with this game set to be broadcast on the BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate 4K channels. If you already have BT Sport as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via the BT Sport app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a BT Sport Monthly Pass account to stream the game.

Livestream the Man City vs. Bayern Munich game in Canada

If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to every Champions League match this season.

Livestream the Man City vs. Bayern Munich game in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this UEFA Champions League fixture on streaming service Stan Sport, which is showing every single Champions League game live in Australia this season.

Quick tips for streaming the Champions League using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming Champions League matches 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.

Sling Freestream is the rebranded free tier of Sling TV and it’s super easy to sign up for an account and begin watching free content there. It’s one of the best free streaming services available, offering over 200 ad-supported channels and over 40,000 on-demand titles to stream at no cost.

While you can watch Freestream content without the need to create an account, logging in to the service offers a more personalizable experience with the ability to mark channels as favorites, create a watchlist, initiate parental controls or continue watching content across all of your devices. You’ll need to follow the below steps to create an account if you want those features.

How to sign up for Sling Freestream

1. Head to the Sling Freestream website.

2. Click on Create a Free Account.

3. Enter your email address, your desired password and click Create a Free Account.

4. That’s it! Simply click Start Watching Now to begin streaming.

There’s no need to add a credit card unless you decide to upgrade to a paid Sling Orange or Blue account or opt supplement your free viewing with the occasional movie rental.

Sling

Sling Freestream

Stream for free

With hundreds of live channels and a library of TV shows and movies to watch on-demand for free, and no credit card required, you can check out what Sling Freestream has to offer without spending a dime.

See at Sling

How to use Sling Freestream without an account

If you live in the US, you can head to the Sling Freestream website and watch live or on-demand content for free without the need to create an account at all. Click Stream Free to access the live channels content catalog without the need to log in.

As mentioned at the outset, you’ll benefit from some more personalization and parental control tools if you do create an account. The service is free either way and doesn’t require a credit card.

Those outside of the US can enjoy Sling Freestream by using a VPN. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change the location of your phone, tablet or laptop to a US server and gain access Sling Freestream from anywhere in the world. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make this easy.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 a month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

See at ExpressVPN

Fitbit users will soon be able to log in with their Google accounts, the companies said in a press release on Tuesday. The new login method will go live this summer.

When the feature goes live, existing Fitbit account holders will be able to move their accounts over to Google, which owns Fitbit. The company says this will give people greater convenience as they can log in with one password. Google also says this move gives Fitbit owners added privacy controls, including the ability to manage their Fitbit data in the Google Privacy Center.

Much like when it acquired Fitbit in 2021, Google reiterated its commitment to privacy, saying Fitbit health and wellness data won’t be used for Google Ads.

Fitbit account holders will need to move their accounts over to Google by 2025.

Fitbit Charge 5

$129 at Amazon

Google acquired Fitbit in 2021 for $2.1 billion, saying the deal was about breaking further into the wearables space and not about siphoning data. The search giant reiterated it would protect Fitbit data privacy, which came on the heels of scrutiny from the European Commission. Since then, Google heavily integrated Fitbit’s features into its first wearable released last year, the Pixel Watch. While Google’s encroachment on Fitbit territory may have been seen as an affront, Fitbit CEO James Park, now head of Google’s wearable division, said the brand isn’t going anywhere.

It seems, however, that the Fitbit-infused Pixel Watch has been selling well. While official sales figures haven’t been released from Google, early reports indicate the Pixel Watch is pushing product, with 880,000 units shipped in the final quarter of 2022.

Summer is just around the corner, and if you’ve got some adventures planned, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a camera that can capture all the action. Insta360 makes a variety of rugged and compact models that are designed with a 360-degree field of view, and right now, you can grab one for up to $110 off at the company’s spring sale. These deals are only available through April 19, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

There are quite a few different cameras and accessories that you can pick up for less at this sale. The Insta360 One X2 is a simple, compact 360-degree camera, and right now you can snag it on sale for $365, saving you $65 compared with the usual price. It captures 360-degree video in stunning 5.7K resolution, has built-in video stabilization and is waterproof up to 10 meters. Or, you can get the best of both worlds with the Insta360 One RS. It comes with interchangeable lenses so you can use it as a standard action camera with 4K video and 48MP photos, or use the 360-degree lens to capture capture mind-blowing third-person video. It also features image stabilization, active HDR and a rugged design that’s waterproof up to five meters. Right now it’s on sale for $440, saving you $110 compared with the usual price.

A few other camera models are also on sale, and you can complete your kit with discounted accessories like this extended selfie stick, dive case, motorcycle mount and more.

Online trackers can be annoying. You search for a product or click on an advertisement one time, and then ads for that product seem to follow you to the ends of the internet, even across devices. Sometimes, you just want a little privacy in your browsing. Enter DuckDuckGo, a search engine that pledges to keep your search activity anonymous and not track you online.

There are other private browsers, such as Brave and the Mullvad Browser, that block others from monitoring your online activity. But DuckDuckGo — which has spent heavily on an advertising campaign — sees itself as a direct competitor to Google Search, complete with a mobile app and extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and other browsers, as well as a Mac browser in public beta.

After major incidents like the Cambridge Analytica scandal, people have become more aware of how much personal information is available to tech companies and advertisers — and are opting out of being tracked when they can. While it doesn’t track users, DuckDuckGo’s app was downloaded more than 50 million times between July 2020 and June 2021 — more than all other years combined since its 2008 launch.

Here’s what you need to know about DuckDuckGo and how it tries to keep your searches more secure.

What is DuckDuckGo?

DuckDuckGo is a search engine that offers a mobile browser app and a desktop extension, both aimed at allowing you to browse the internet without companies gobbling up your personal data. It promises to keep your searches private, anonymous and offers built-in tracker blocking, so the sites you visit have a harder time collecting information about you.

Read more: Best VPNs of 2023

How does DuckDuckGo work?

For starters, DuckDuckGo does not track searches made through its browser extension or mobile app. Other browsers, including Chrome, allow you to use private or incognito windows that don’t track your search history, but their default windows do. (That’s the basis of every “embarrassing search history” joke.) Instead of making you navigate to a different version of its app, DuckDuckGo never tracks your search history.

Searches made through DuckDuckGo also automatically connect you to the encrypted versions of websites wherever possible, making it harder for anyone else to see what you’re looking at online. This is another scenario where both options (encrypted and unencrypted) exist on other search engines, but the default isn’t always the privacy-friendly option. DuckDuckGo saves you the extra steps of manually navigating to encrypted connections.

DuckDuckGo was criticized in May 2022 when researchers discovered some Microsoft tracking scripts while using DuckDuckGo’s browsers. The presence of Microsoft trackers seemed to fly in the face of the search engine’s privacy promise, and DuckDuckGo’s founder and CEO clarified on Reddit that the company was “currently contractually restricted by Microsoft” from stopping Microsoft scripts from completely loading. This is because the company uses Microsoft’s Bing to power its search results. The company followed up in August, however, by announcing that it would further restrict Microsoft trackers in its browsers.

However, DuckDuckGo remains ahead of other popular privacy options when it comes to blocking tracking data, and the company has clarified its app store descriptions to better clarify limitations in its privacy protections. DuckDuckGo had also previously disclosed its partnership with Microsoft, and its CEO said in the Reddit post that the company is working to get that restriction changed.

DuckDuckGo also actively blocks external trackers from following you around online. For a more detailed explanation of DuckDuckGo’s privacy features, check out DuckDuckGo’s blog.

How is DuckDuckGo different from Google Search? What about Incognito mode and private browsing?

DuckDuckGo essentially takes the opposite approach compared to other big tech companies like Google and Facebook, which have traditionally made money by targeting ads based on your browsing history and personal data. While Google has said it’s going to stop this practice, the platform still collects a ton of data about you, including your location and search activity — yes, even in incognito mode.

Incognito mode simply deletes information related to your browsing session from your computer: your history, cookies and any info you’ve entered into fields. Notably, it only does that after you end your session by closing out all your tabs. So if you leave your incognito tabs open for hours or days at a time, that information will still build up. And no matter what, Google can save your searches — and companies, internet service providers and governments can still track you across the internet, even when you’re using incognito mode.

DuckDuckGo is different because it doesn’t store your browsing data at all, and it blocks trackers while you’re browsing.

If it isn’t targeting ads, how does DuckDuckGo make money?

DuckDuckGo still makes money from advertising — it just doesn’t use targeted ads. The search engine shows you ads based on the keywords you search for, which aren’t connected to your personal data like your browsing or purchase history. Essentially, you’ll only see ads for whatever you’re currently searching for, not the weird product your friend sent you a link to last week that you now can’t get away from.

How can I use DuckDuckGo?

On mobile devices, simply open your app store and search for “DuckDuckGo.” You’ll be able to download the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser app and use it the same way you’d use Chrome or Safari. At the bottom center of your app, you’ll see a fire icon, which you can press at any time to close all your tabs and clear all personal data.

On desktop, go to duckduckgo.com, where you’ll see a button to add DuckDuckGo to your browser. On Chrome, you’ll be directed to the Chrome webstore page to download the extension for free. On Safari, you’ll be instructed on how to set DuckDuckGo as your default search engine or to manually activate a search using DuckDuckGo.

For more about online privacy, check out the five reasons to ditch Google for DuckDuckGo, what to know about DuckDuckGo’s free AI feature DuckAssist and how DuckDuckGo’s app tracking protection beta is available to Android users.

Though the best wireless earbuds usually come with silicone ear tips, not everyone likes the feeling of having ear tips jammed in their ears. It can cause ear fatigue and other discomforts. A lot of people prefer tip-free earbuds, which comfortably nestle in your ears or rest on top of them. With no tip covering the earbuds’ speaker driver, these earbuds are called “open” buds. The most popular open earbuds are Apple’s standard AirPods, now on their third generation (Apple also still sells the second-gen AirPods).

Open earbuds also have a safety benefit. Because they don’t seal off your ear canal, they let ambient sound in so you can hear what’s going on around you. That can be an important feature for some people, including runners and bikers who want to hear cars approaching. However, the downside to their openness is that if you’re in a noisy environment, the ambient sound will make it harder to hear what you’re listening to. Also, open earbuds have a harder time producing strong bass, which affects sound quality.

Here’s a look at the top open-style buds. I’ll update this list as I test more worthy candidates.

Read more: The 22 Best True Wireless Earbuds for 2023

Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET

Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS

Best cheap open earbuds

$30 at Amazon

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You’re receiving price alerts for SoundPEATS True Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones with Built in Mic in-Ear Stereo Headphones for Sport, Deep Bass, Binaural Calls, One-Step Pairing, 35 Hours of Playtime, Upgraded TrueFree Plus

What makes these Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS buds special is that they sound surprisingly good for open earbuds — they’re pretty close to what you get from Apple’s AirPods 3 for sound. On top of that, they support Sony’s LDAC audio codec for devices that offer it. Not too many cheap open earbuds have good sound but these Soundpeats have good bass response and clarity. They’re also good for making calls and have a low-latency gaming mode.

David Carnoy/CNET

AirPods (3rd Gen)

Best sound

$200 at Amazon

$179 at Apple

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for Apple AirPods 3 (MagSafe Case)

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

Take one look at the new design of the third-gen AirPods ($179), and the first thing you’ll probably think is: “Those look like the AirPods Pro without ear tips.” You wouldn’t be wrong. While they’re more fraternal than identical twins, the third-gen AirPods are shaped like the AirPods Pro, with the same shorter stems and same pinch controls as those of the Pro. Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the second-gen AirPods (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It’s much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant and support Apple’s spatial audio virtual surround feature (for Apple users only).

Read our Apple AirPods 3 review.

David Carnoy/CNET

Sony LinkBuds

Most innovative design

$148 at Amazon

You’re receiving price alerts for Sony LinkBuds (Gray)

Battery Life

5.5 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple’s standard AirPods. While they don’t sound as good as Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM4 noise-isolating earbuds, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as good sound and very good voice-calling performance.

Like the third-gen AirPods, their open design allows you to hear the outside world — that’s what the ring is all about. That makes them a good choice for folks who want to hear what’s going around them for safety reasons or just don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears. They also have a few distinguishing extra features, including Speak to Chat and Wide Area Tap. Instead of tapping on a bud, you can tap on your face, just in front of your ear, to control playback.

They’re IPX4 splash-proof and thanks to their fins — Sony calls them Arc Supporters — they lock in your ears securely and work well for running and other sporting activities.

Read our Sony LinkBuds review.

Amazon

1More ComfoBuds 2

Good for kids and those with small ears

$40 at Amazon

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You’re receiving price alerts for 1More ComfoBuds (Black)

Battery Life

Rated up to 4 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX5 — protection against low-pressure water streams)

1More has a slightly different take on the standard AirPods for those who have trouble keeping them in their ears. The ComfoBuds 2 have mini ear tips on them that help secure them in your ear. This second-gen version offers improved sound from the originals with better bass (it’s still not great sound, but it’s good for the money). As their name implies, they’re lightweight, comfortable to wear and work well for making calls.

It’s worth noting that their charging case is remarkably narrow and compact. It looks like a tiny hot-dog bun. They’re IPX5 splashproof and also available in black.

Angela Lang/CNET

AirPods (2nd Gen)

Apple’s most affordable AirPods

$99 at Amazon

$100 at Best Buy

$149 at Crutchfield

You’re receiving price alerts for Apple AirPods 2019 (Charging Case)

Battery Life

Rated up to 5 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

The new AirPods (third gen) are a nice upgrade over the second-gen AirPods. That said, the AirPods 2, which came out in 2019, are now selling for around $100 and sometimes a little less. While they don’t sound as good as the AirPods 3 and have a longer stem, they fit some people’s ears better. Those with smaller ears may prefer these older AirPods due to their slightly smaller design.

Read our Apple AirPods 2019 review.

Juan Garzon/CNET

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Unique design

$50 at Amazon

$100 at Best Buy

$90 at eBay

You’re receiving price alerts for Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (Black)

Battery Life

Rated up to 8 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX2 — sweat-resistant and protection against light splashes)

Say what you will about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live’s bean-shaped design, but it’s certainly innovative. Like the standard AirPods, they have an open design, so you don’t jam an ear tip into your ear. They’re comfortable to wear and fit my ears more securely than the AirPods. These wireless buds are discreet and basically sit flush with your ear, which reduces wind-noise while biking. I regularly use them for running and biking, and they’re great for sporting activities if they fit your ears well. But one warning: Some people won’t get a secure fit, so buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy.

They deliver good sound and work well as a headset for making calls, with good background noise reduction so callers can hear you clearly even when you’re in noisier environments. While they feature active noise canceling, it’s mild compared to the noise canceling in earbuds that have a noise-isolating design. In other words, buy them for their design and sound, not their noise-canceling features.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review.

David Carnoy/CNET

Cleer Arc

Best open sport earbuds with ear hooks

$110 at Amazon

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You’re receiving price alerts for Cleer Audio ARC Open-Ear True Wireless Headphones with Touch Controls, Long-Lasting Battery Life, Touch Control, and Powerful Audio for Music, Podcasts, and More (Light Grey)

Cleer’s Epic Arc buds are similar to Bose’s Open Sport Earbuds (see below) but are actually a little more comfortable to wear thanks to their swiveling hinge. Like the Bose buds, they rest on the top of your ear just above the ear canal and fire sound into your ears. They’re open so they let ambient sound in (that’s a plus if you’re a runner or biker and want to hear traffic), but their 16.2 mm drivers provide ample bass and volume. They don’t sound quite as good as the Bose Open Sport Earbuds but they’re pretty close.

I liked the case, which is a little big but pretty thin. While it has an integrated USB charging cable (that’s nice), like the Bose Open Sport Earbuds case it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery so it’s basically a dock for charging the earbuds, which are also available in black. Battery life is rated at up to 7 hours and they’re IPX5 splash-proof.

Some of these types of ear-hook-style earbuds have physical control buttons but these have touch controls. I found they worked pretty well but not great. The buds do have a companion app that allows you to upgrade the firmware and tweak the sound profile.

David Carnoy/CNET

Fiil CC2

Value open earbuds with an open case (No longer available)

$18 at Amazon

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for Fiil CC2

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes

Headphone Type

Wireless earbud

Water-Resistant

No IP rating, advertised as sweat-proof

I never tried the original Fiil CC earbuds, but the next-generation CC2 improves on the performance of the originals, with better battery life (they’re rated at five hours on a single charge) and no audio latency issues when watching videos. They list for $30 but sometimes sell for even less, which makes them a very good value.

These did stay in my ears better than the standard AirPods. They pair quickly — they’re equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 — there’s a Fiil companion app for tweaking settings and they sound quite decent for open-style buds, with just enough bass to keep you from feeling they’re bass shy. They’re also decent for making calls and have touch controls.

One of their distinguishing features is their open case, which makes it easy to access the buds and put them back in their case. Thanks to some integrated magnets, they stay in the case securely — you can turn it upside down and the buds won’t come out. Unlike the AirPods, these have square not rounded stems, which seems a little weird at first, and they do fit in your ears slightly differently to AirPods as a result.

Pretty much everyone knows how to take a screenshot on the iPhone. For the unfamiliar, all you have to do is press the volume up and side buttons at the same time to capture exactly what’s on your screen — nothing more, nothing less.

If you want to capture more, like what’s above or below what you see on your screen, there is another way to take screenshots that you may not know about.

Hidden within iOS is a scrolling screenshot feature that allows you to snap multiple pages with only a single screenshot. There are third-party apps you can use to stitch together individual screenshots and create a longer one, but a scrolling screenshot makes the process easier.

Read more: 14 Hidden iOS 16 Features That Will Make Your Life Easier

If you want to save a film script in Safari or a long PDF in your email, here’s what you need to know to take scrolling screenshots on your iPhone.

And if you’re interested in learning about other hidden iOS features, check out this sneaky way to secretly message someone else on iOS and the hidden trackpad that lives in your iOS keyboard.

Apple Pro Tip – Protect your device’s precious screen

The Belkin UltraGlass screen protector helps safeguard your iPhone screen from scratches, cracks and breaks. It’s twice as strong than your average tempered glass protector and can survive drops from twice the height too.

$40 at Apple

What is a scrolling screenshot?

A full-page screenshot, or scrolling screenshot, captures an entire page — webpage, document or email — without you having to take multiple screenshots and then stitch them together. For example, if you wanted to screenshot a 116-page document in Safari, you would only have to take a single screenshot to capture the entire thing.

How to take a scrolling screenshot on your iPhone

To take a scrolling screenshot, do the following:

1. First, take a regular screenshot on your iPhone. If you have Face ID, quickly press the side button + volume up button. With Touch ID, it’s side/top button + home button.

2. Tap the screenshot preview that appears in the bottom-left corner. It appears for about five seconds, so you must be somewhat swift.

3. Next, go to the Full Page option. Underneath Full Page, you’ll see a preview of the entire scrolling screenshot on the right side, along with a larger preview in the middle. You also have tools to crop the scrolling screenshot, in case it’s too long.

4. Once you’re finished editing the scrolling screenshot, hit Done. You’ll see two options: one to save the scrolling screenshot and another to delete it.

5. Finally, tap Save PDF to Files to save the scrolling screenshot.

You must choose a folder to save the scrolling screenshot in. By default, the Files app will select the last folder you saved something to or the Downloads folder.

How to view scrolling screenshots on your iPhone

All scrolling screenshots are converted to PDFs, so they’re saved to the native Files app. To view your scrolling screenshot, open the Files app, go to the folder in which your screenshot was saved and tap the screenshot.

Here you can rename the file, draw on it, leave comments and more. You can also share the scrolling screenshot, but the other person must have Files or another PDF-reader to view it.

Also, check out 13 new iPhone features you’re missing out on without iOS 16.4 and our iOS 16 cheat sheet.

Microsoft 365 is the most recent version of the Microsoft Office set of tools, and it includes programs you already use at home, school or work. Some of the programs include Word, Outlook and Powerpoint, and buying a Microsoft 365 membership is still the most popular way to access these tools and more.

On Jan. 11, Microsoft announced the release of Microsoft 365 Basic which costs $2 a month, or $20 for a yearly subscription. However, you can snag Microsoft 365 at no cost under some circumstances.

Microsoft’s suite of productivity software consists of classics like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, as well as newer apps like Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint.

The suite typically costs $20 to $100 a year for subscription access across devices and family members. Microsoft also has a standalone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, called Office Home and Student 2021, for a flat $150 — no subscription required.

Here are the versions of Office 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you can find online for free.

Get Microsoft Office 365 Education free if you’re a student or a teacher

If you’re a student, teacher or faculty member with an active school email address, you’re likely eligible to get access to Office 365 for free through Microsoft, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Teams, plus other classroom tools.

All you have to do is enter your school email address on this page on Microsoft’s website: Office 365 Education. In many cases, you’ll be instantly granted access thanks to an automated verification process. If you attend an institution that needs to be verified, it might take up to a month to confirm your eligibility.

College students can also get Microsoft 365 Personal for $3 a month with a valid school email address.

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How to get Microsoft Office suite free if you’re anyone else

Anyone can get a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365. However, it does require you to enter a credit card number. If you don’t cancel your subscription before the month is up, you’ll be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (formerly called Office 365 Home).

The good news is if you don’t need the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools, you can access a number of its apps online for free, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar, My Content, Skype, Designer and Clipchamp. Here’s how to get them:

1. Go to Microsoft365.com.

2. Click Sign up for the free version of Office under the “Sign in” button.

3. Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. If you already have a Windows, Skype or Xbox Live login, you have an active Microsoft account.

4. Select the app you want to use and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.

So what’s the catch for the free version?

You might be saying, “Wait a minute, if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place?” The functionality of the free apps is limited, so they only run in your web browser and you can only use them while you’re actively connected to the internet. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions.

There are still benefits to the free version, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what the Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) productivity tools allow. If you’re looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.

For more productivity coverage, check out what Microsoft 365 Basic offers customers, all of the best features in Windows 11 and how to take screenshots in Windows 10 or 11. You can also take a look at CNET’s list of the best Windows laptops.

Check out Microsoft 365

See at Microsoft