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Southampton’s battle to beat the drop doesn’t get any easier, as they face defending English Premier League champions Man City on Saturday at St. Mary’s.

Currently rooted to the bottom of the league table, the Saints slumped to a 1-0 defeat in a crucial face-off with fellow relegation rivals West Ham last weekend.

Their hopes of bouncing back in this fixture look slim, as they come up against a Man City side that looks back to its imperious best, following their 4-1 dismantling of Liverpool last Saturday.

A win for City on the south coast would see Pep Guardiola’s side cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League down to five points before the Gunners’ big game against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

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

Southampton vs. Manchester City: When and where?

Southampton host Man City at St. Mary’s on Saturday, April 8. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. BST local time in the UK (12:30 p.m. ET, 9:30 a.m. PT in the US, and at 3:30 a.m. AEST on Sunday, April 9 in Australia).

How to watch the Southampton vs. Man City 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. 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.

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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.

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Livestream the Southampton vs. Man City game in the US

This EPL fixture is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.

Livestream the Southampton vs. Man City game in the UK

Premier League rights in the UK are split between Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime Video. This game is exclusive to Sky Sports — showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account, and a Now Sports membership, to stream the game.

Livestream the Southampton vs. Man City game in Canada

If you want to stream this EPL clash live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to FuboTV Canada. The service has exclusive rights to this Premier League season.

Livestream the Southampton vs. Man City game in Australia

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

Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN

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

Master & Dynamic makes some really nice headphones, including the MW75, an Apple AirPods Max competitor, and the freshly updated MH40, which features new drivers and a new chipset that delivers improved sound and performance. However, they’re pricey, with the MH40 costing $399 and the MW75 running $599, and rarely see major discounts. That’s why I’m highlighting the company’s 30% off “friends and family sale” that’s activated when applying the code GIVEGET30 at checkout. The sale ends April 10.

I’m a fan of the MW75, which comes in multiple color options and is on our best headphones of 2023 list, but it’s out of most people’s price range. With that 30% discount, though, you get about $180 off, so you’re looking at $420. Meanwhile, the new MH40 gets a $120 price chop to $279.

Read more: Master & Dynamic MW75 hands-on review

All of Master & Dynamic’s headphones are well built (they’re sturdy) and have a unique retro-modern look. The MW75 does sound a little better than the new MH40 and features active noise canceling. But the MH40 sounds more refined than its predecessor, with support for the AAC and AptX audio codecs, and also has improved voice-calling performance. Additionally, you can plug its USB-C cable in to a computer or Android smartphone for a wired digital connection for high-resolution audio.

I like Master & Dynamic’s $299 MW08 earbuds, which are certainly more enticing at around $210 (with the 30% off code). But note that they’ve been out for a while and the MW09s may be on the horizon.

The Dyson Zone headphones have great sound, excellent noise canceling and its visor can filter out pollution to help you breathe easy. But at almost $1,000 they’re a tough sell, especially for anyone who doesn’t live or work in a place where airborne pollution is an issue, like a major city. A lot of headphone users simply won’t benefit from the air filtration system at the core of the Zone.

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Having spent some time with my review model, I’m impressed with the audio quality and noise canceling, but their significant weight, bizarre appearance and limited appeal makes them tricky to recommend, at least to most people. Those of you with deep pockets and who walk or cycle through New York’s busy streets may well see the value in these unusual headphones. Everyone else will be better served by more traditional noise-canceling headphones.

Dyson’s Zone headphones go on sale globally towards the end of April and will cost $949 ( 749, which is about AU$1,395 converted).

Dyson first showed off the Zone headphones last year and frankly we weren’t sure what to think. They’re huge over-ear headphones with metal grilles and a quirky removable face visor that sends purified air to your mouth and nose using micro compressors and filters inside the earcups. It’s certainly a first of its kind, and Dyson thinks it’s on to something.

Dyson Zone

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Like

• Great sound quality
• Excellent active noise cancellation
• Generous battery life for music
• Air filtration could help reduce breathing problems in big cities

Don’t Like

• High price
• Extremely heavy
• Built-in filtration has limited appeal beyond wealthy urbanites

The Zone is designed for urban use, for those of you walking or cycling through the world’s megacities where breathing ground-level air pollution is a serious problem. Then there’s the pollutants in underground subway systems, which can be worse than at street level. Dyson says its filter system captures 99% of airborne particle pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and airborne dust, which are especially problematic in cities.

Now, I can’t give a verdict on how well that actually works because funily enough I don’t have my own particle laboratory to test it scientifically. But I did go and see Dyson’s labs in the UK, where it’s spent over six years testing and refining the Zone using medical-grade mechanical lungs on mannequins in rooms full of pollutants to measure how many bad gases actually get inside those lungs. They also test how well it works on different-shaped heads and how effective the system is in different wind conditions.

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Wearing the visor feels a bit weird, but it’s not uncomfortable. It snaps on magnetically to the headphone cups and sits a little in front of your face to blow a stream of cooling air around your mouth and nostrils. It feels nice.

The airflow is powered by the smallest motors Dyson has ever made — one motor in each earcup — but having them so close to your ears is a bit like having two hair dryers strapped to your head. The canceling helps reduce that noise, but you can still hear it, especially if you’re listening to gentle music or podcasts. I listen to a lot of metal from bands like Periphery and that certainly drowned out the motors when I cranked the volume up.

The bigger issue for me, though, is that I personally just feel a bit silly wearing the visor out and about. I feel conspicuous, and it certainly attracted plenty of odd looks while I tested it. That said, I live in Edinburgh, a relatively clean city that isn’t the target for the Zone, so there’s little need to wear them here. I may feel differently on the streets of Paris or Beijing.

But it’s new and anything new often looks a bit odd at first. Face masks weren’t common on Western streets until the pandemic hit and now they’re perfectly normal to see out and about, so maybe this type of technology is something we’ll eventually get used to seeing. And Dyson does have a good track record of its unusual products going mainstream, with its bladeless fans and hand dryers being commonplace now, and its Air Wrap hair styler dominating TikTok beauty feeds the world over.

The filters are easy to access beneath the metal grilles of the earcups and Dyson says each set should last around a year before you need to replace them. The Dyson app tells you when they need replacing, while also giving information about the air quality in your area.

Pull the face mask off and they just become a standard pair of headphones — albeit big ones. Thanks to those motors, they weigh in at nearly 600 grams (21 ounces), making them extremely heavy. Significantly heavier than Apple’s AirPods Max, which we criticized for being too heavy — and they’re only 390 grams (13.6 ounces). Even so, the earcups are deeply cushioned, which helps make them comfy to wear for a couple of hours at a time. The headband fits securely, making them feel lighter than they are. I never felt they were at risk of slipping off while walking.

I’d be interested in a version where not just the filters and visor are removable, but the whole filtration unit can be disconnected when not needed. It’d make the headphones more comfortable for general use — say, while sitting at your desk for eight hours, or watching a movie at home — when you don’t need to worry about breathing outdoor pollution. It might also allow for models to be sold without the filtration for less money, while still letting you buy the filter system as an optional extra should you decide you need it. I’ll certainly be interested to see what a second-generation Zone looks like.

The active noise canceling is excellent though, with road noise kept to a minimum and the general background hum in cafes and bars removed almost entirely.

They offer a great, balanced tone too, with 40mm drivers providing excellent bass that gives a meaty but controlled kick on EDM tracks that doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the tones. As a result, higher frequencies from acoustic guitars, cymbals or strings sound crystal-clear. Tesseract’s track Hexes was reproduced with rich, warm bass, powerful hits on the kick drum and bright, defined cymbals and vocals.

Meanwhile, the shimmering high notes of the acoustic guitars and close-miked vocals in Enter Shikari’s acoustic version of Dreamer’s Hotel sounded superb.

Battery life for audio is a generous 50 hours, although that’ll drop to between 90 minutes and four hours with the air filtration on. But that should be enough for your commute into the office, where you can whack them on a charger for your journey home. Dyson says they can withstand being worn in the rain, but there’s no official water resistance rating here. So keep them tucked away during torrential downpours and try not to take them swimming.

There’s no question, then, that the Dyson Zone performs well as a set of headphones, but the fact remains that $949 is a hell of a lot of money and a huge chunk of that cost is for the air filtration system. So you’ll really need to consider how important that is to you in your everyday life. If you commute daily through the heart of polluted megacities walking alongside traffic or experiencing the stale air of a subway for hours every day, it could be a good investment in your long-term health. If you just want a pair of headphones, you can save yourself a bundle and look elsewhere.

LG’s UltraGear gaming monitors are some of the most popular models you can buy, so the $1,000, 240Hz 27-inch UltraGear 27GR95QE-B OLED HDR model sounded like one of the most interesting monitors to launch at CES this year. And it’s certainly interesting. OLED screens have the highest contrast you can find in a display thanks to their true blacks, and their naturally wide color gamut makes them excellent for TV screens.

But because monitors are used for so many different types of tasks, OLED’s strengths can occasionally become weaknesses and some of the technology’s inherent weaknesses, like brightness, need to be finessed. LG succeeds at gaming, for the most part, but doesn’t entirely succeed at all the other things the monitor needs to do when you’re not playing. There are some things that competing technologies like Quantum Dot OLED, found in monitors such as the Alienware 34 QD-OLED models, handle a bit better.

The UltraGear OLED 27 has a curved 45-inch sibling, the $1,700 45GR95QE-B. It has similar specs to the 27-inch model, with some similar complaints, but its low resolution for its size (3,440×1,440 pixels) means it’s not great for a lot of general uses despite its productivity-friendly dimensions.

7.9

LG UltraGear OLED 27GR95QE-B

$1,000 at Amazon

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Like

• Well constructed with good physical layout
• A ton of features

Don’t Like

• Some people don’t like the antiglare screen
• Can only access all the settings with the remote control
• Brightness performance issues

Design and features

The monitor’s physical design hits most of my checklist items for a “yay!” Easy to access ports: check. Easily maneuverable cable management: check. Solid build quality: check. A stand that allows the screen to pivot, swivel and adjust the height: check. Its only illumination is stripes wrapping around the electronics section the screen is mounted on, which may be too subtle for some people, but I like it. Plus, it looks like a gaming monitor without looking like every other gaming monitor.

But I hate that you can only access the full set of menu options via the remote. There are a few (like inputs) that you can get to using the hard-to-manipulate single joystick on the monitor and a few more that you can get to using LG’s OnScreen Control software, but a lot of the nitty gritty stuff — gamma and white balance choices, for example — requires the remote. And being able to maintain a slim profile with the skinny OLED screen means it’s got a huge AC adapter brick.

It has an extensive feature set as well. That includes all the basics for gaming, plus a full-range slider for the Black Stabilizer (a necessity for OLED), LG’s Dynamic Action Sync mode, which reduces latency between the system and the screen, and HDMI 2.1 for use with variable refresh-rate supporting Xbox Series X and S, and PS5.

But it’s got a ton of color and image-adjustment options that you rarely see in a gaming monitor, like 18 steps of manual white balance. The LG Calibration Studio is a full-featured profiling tool, complete with recalibration reminders, a host of predefined target spaces (including CIE RGB, Apple RGB, monochrome and a fully user-definable one) and the ability to save two of the custom profiles as hardware presets.

The calibration software can be a bit glitchy, but it’s generally well designed. I’m a big fan of being able to set all the options on a single screen, and it’s pretty straightforward to understand and use. There’s one big thing I miss, though, and that’s the choice of calibrating for a full screen (as with most calibration software) rather than just within a 10% window. In the case of the LG, it’s critically important.

Performance

Basically, in SDR the screen can hit around 200 nits for any screen coverage except full screen. At that point, it seems like it drops to a maximum of around 150 nits. That’s why it seems so dim for most general use — because most of us work on full white screens. The perception of dimness isn’t helped by the excellent antiglare treatment, and a more matte finish makes it seem like it’s lower contrast as well, despite OLED’s effectively infinite contrast. People have complained that they wish the screen was more like the typical glossy TV OLED, which tends to look brighter with more saturated colors, but, well, I loathe glossy screens for the same reasons. I’m used to swimming upstream in life.

But it also screws up calibration, because LG’s software (and presumably its factory) calibrates over an area that has different brightness characteristics than full screen, which screws up the gamma calculations. You may not have any problems with gamma oddities and a lot of profile definitions (like sRGB) are based around low peak brightness, partly because they were defined for a time when monitors tended to peak at 200 or 250 nits. However if you’re, say, doing illustrations on a paper white background, it can mess things up and certainly makes color unpredictable.

That’s illustrated by the two Adobe RGB calibrations in the chart: I calibrated the monitor using LG Studio, with its 10% window, then measured the results with fractional and full-screen targets in Calman 2023. You can always use a third-party calibration utility to massage it to work, but those profiles can’t be saved as a monitor preset.

The brightness variability also results in odd results for the gaming presets which are further complicated by the Black Stabilizer settings. (OLED can render pure black, which is a case traditional gamma calculations was never meant to handle, so the ability to boost the brightness in shadow areas is essential for visibility.)

The shape of the gamma curve doesn’t really matter much for gaming; appropriate — rather than accurate — shadow detail, contrast, brightness and color matter a lot more (though game designers might disagree). DAS isn’t a pixel refresh booster (OLED is plenty fast at 1ms or less) or motion blur compensation feature so it really doesn’t affect brightness the way those can. And the 240Hz screen refresh is rock solid.

HDR looks great, and unlike a lot of HDR monitors this one lets you adjust settings like brightness and the gaming presets have settings for HDR along with SDR. In HDR it hits the full rated 98.5% P3 gamut coverage.

LG rates the display at a peak brightness of 800-1,000 nits for a 3% window, which it certainly hit. But it requires several seconds to ramp up to peak and can’t sustain it for more than a few. In practice, you’re more likely to see a maximum of about 700-750 nits consistently, which still looks great given the monitor’s price. The full-screen brightness is still low, but you’re far less likely to encounter situations where it matters.

If you can get away with spending $1,000 on a monitor that you’ll love for gaming but probably not so much for work, then the 27-inch LG UltraGear OLED will probably tickle your eyeballs. But if it needs to multitask while it takes up space on your desk, you may need to put a little more thought into the purchase.

Testing

All measurements are performed using Portrait Display’s Calman 2023 software using a Calibrite ColorChecker Display Plus (formerly X-Rite i1Display Pro Plus) and a Murideo Six-G pattern generator for HDR testing where necessary, or the Client3 HDR patterns within Calman, where possible. How extensive our testing is depends on the capabilities of the monitor, the screen and backlight technology used, and the judgment of the reviewer. For a complete description of our testing procedures, see How CNET Tests Monitors.

Apple released iOS 16.4.1 on Friday, a little more than two weeks after the release of iOS 16.4. The latest update brings security fixes and bug patches to issues that might be actively exploited on your iPhone. The update also fixes a few problems with iPhone features that some users might have experienced, like Siri not responding to requests.

You can download the update by going to Settings > General > Software Update and tapping Download and Install.

Here’s what you’ll get in the update and why you should download it.

Security fixes and bug patches

The most important things in the latest update are patches for two security issues that Apple said might be actively exploited.

Apple said in one instance, an app could execute arbitrary code kernel privileges. According to MalwareBytes, kernel privileges are a serious issue since they offer greater access than administrative privileges. That means someone could access your personal files, load their own malicious code or programs onto your device or alter your system however they want.

The other fix applies to a WebKit issue where some malicious web content may lead to a code execution. According to Okta, this is a form of hacking that can be used to execute commands on your device without your knowledge. It can be used to load a virus, alter software and cause other issues on your device.

Both of these issues can be exploited, compromising your iPhone and your personal information. However, iOS 16.4.1 should fix both issues and protect you and your device.

Siri and emoji fixes

The iOS 16.4.1 update also fixes two issues users have run into: Siri not responding to requests, and the new pushing hands emoji not showing various skin tones.

Here are Apple’s release notes for iOS 16.4.1:

This update provides important bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone including:

• Pushing hands emoji does not show skin tone variations
• Siri does not respond in some cases

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT20122

For more, check out what you might have missed in iOS 16.4 and what could be coming in iOS 16.5.

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You should be asleep, but instead you’re scrolling through your iPhone in the middle of the night. The display is a bit too bright, so you go to lower the brightness — only to realize that it’s already at the lowest setting possible. If you continue using your phone like this, you could strain your eyes, potentially causing headaches and making it harder for you to fall asleep. And that’s not good.

Fortunately, there are a few iOS features that can help you lower your screen’s brightness more than the standard settings allow.

In this guide, we’ll touch on some built-in features that can darken your screen like you didn’t think possible. No more straining your eyes or disturbing others with your incredibly bright iPhone display.

Read more: Best iPhone in 2023: Which Apple Phone Should You Buy?

Before we get started, it’s important to note that you probably shouldn’t use all these features together, so experiment with a combination that works for you and the lighting in your environment.

For more iOS tips, check out 22 iPhone settings you should change right now and 14 hidden iPhone features you might not know about.

iPhone Pro Tip – Get privacy and protection with this iPhone screen protector

This tempered glass screen protector, designed for the iPhone 14 and older models, protects your display from cracks, scratches and dust. And the screen protector is coated with a special filter that allows light to pass through only from certain angles, to protect your privacy.

$8 at Amazon

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1. Enable Night Shift to make your display warmer

The Night Shift feature automatically adjusts your display — using your phone’s internal clock and geolocation — to warmer colors that are easier on your eyes. Every morning, the display returns to its regular settings. You can turn it on in your Settings or via the Control Center.

Method 1: Settings

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift. From here, you can either schedule the feature at a certain time or enable it for the entire day and have it disable in the morning. You can also adjust the color temperature by using the slider at the bottom of the page — you can choose between less warm and more warm.

Method 2: Control Center

Swipe down from the top-right to access the Control Center. Then press and hold the Brightness icon and tap the Night Shift button to turn it on and off.

2. Reduce white point to bring down intensity of bright colors

You can also reduce the white point on your iPhone to adjust how intensely colors show up on your screen. Bright colors are especially illuminated at night time, so try this setting to dull them a bit.

In Settings, go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size and toggle on Reduce White Point. A marker will appear under the setting, which you can use to adjust the intensity of bright colors to your liking.

3. Use Zoom to add low light filter

If you’re only interested in dropping the brightness, and don’t want warmer colors or less intense colors, there is a way to lower just the display brightness. Using the Zoom accessibility feature, you can add a low light filter over your display to make it darker than usual.

Launch the Settings application and go to Accessibility > Zoom and make sure that the Low Light option is chosen under Zoom Filter. If you’d like, you can toggle on the Zoom feature here, but the easier way is to triple-click the side button from anywhere on your phone to use Zoom.

When Zoom is enabled, your phone will automatically add the low light filter to your display, making it darker, even if your brightness is already at its lowest. A small floating circle will appear on your screen, indicating that Zoom is currently turned on. If you tap the controller, you can hide it. To disable Zoom, simply triple-click on the side button again.

Millions of people use mobile payment apps like PayPal’s Venmo and Square’s Cash App everyday to transfer money directly from their bank accounts to friends, family and merchants. These platforms offer convenience, but they aren’t without security risks, due in part to their combination of finance and social media. Users can also be targets for hackers looking to drain financial accounts.

But don’t worry — there are plenty of ways for you to secure your Venmo and Cash App accounts with a few simple settings changes and privacy best practices. Here’s what to do.

Basic tips for protecting your privacy on Venmo and Cash App

Both payment apps use encryption and fraud detection technology to protect account information. But to better ensure your security, you should take a few extra steps.

Use a randomly generated password

We know — you’re tired of hearing about how you need to use unique, hard-to-guess passwords for every account. But it’s still true, especially when your money’s involved. One easy way to do this is to use a password manager. Our favorites — including LastPass
, 1Password and Bitwarden — offer a free tier of service with all of the basics: password storage, strong and secure password generation and autofill capabilities.

Beware of common scams

Criminals target users of apps like Venmo and PayPal in all kinds of clever ways. There have been reports of hackers posing as Venmo and Cash App support staff, calling or texting users, “helping” them change their passwords and then draining the accounts.

Scammer landlords have asked prospective renters for a deposit before offering apartment tours. Scammer pet owners have used a similar bait-and-switch, offering purebred animals at extremely low prices, asking for advance payment and then disappearing. Cash App’s support page is full of these types of calamities.

“Nobody at Venmo will ever contact you to request a password or verification code to your account,” according to the app’s security support page. The same is true for Cash App.

If you fall victim to a scam on either app, you should contact support@venmo.com or access resources through Cash App’s site.

Don’t use banking apps on public Wi-Fi (or invest in a VPN)

When you log into a financial app on any public Wi-Fi network — at a hotel, airport or coffee shop, for example — it can give malicious actors an opportunity to break into your account. It’s happened on cash-sharing apps before.

If you absolutely need to access your account and can’t use a reliable network, we recommend using a VPN to hide your activity from spying eyes. Here’s how to set up a VPN on your iPhone or Android and our list of the best VPNs of 2022.

Don’t send money to strangers

Avoid sending payments to people you don’t know and trust through Venmo and Cash App. Neither app is currently optimized for buying or selling goods or services, though Venmo is working on a business profiles feature to make retail and commercial sales more secure. If you’re a vendor considering using Cash App, you’re better off creating a business account through Square Payments.

Read more: 6 Best Payment Apps

Make all of your Venmo transactions private

This is an absolute must. When you create a Venmo account, by default all of your transactions are public — which means anyone on the internet can see exactly what you’re sending, and to whom. This public record has been used to figure out everything from who won The Bachelor before a season aired to an alleged political sex trafficking investigation.

Making all of your transactions private by default is extremely easy. Open the Venmo app, and tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings > Privacy, and under Default Privacy Setting, tap Private. Now all of your future payments will only be visible to you and the recipient.

You can also change the privacy settings for past transactions. On the same Privacy page, under more, tap Past Transactions. You’ll see the option to Change to Friends, or Change All to Private.

One benefit of Cash App: All transactions are private by default.

Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is a solid way to add another layer of security to your account. When you sign in on a new device, Venmo will send a code to the phone number registered with your account, that you’ll need to enter correctly to access your account.

To enable two-factor authentication on Venmo, open the app and tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings, and under security, tap Remembered Devices. You’ll see the device you’re currently using, and possibly others you’ve used in the past. When you sign on with any of the devices on your list, you won’t need to enter a verification code. To remove any of the devices, swipe left and tap Delete. If you want to enable two-factor authentication on all devices, you can delete them all from this list.

On Cash App, every time you sign into your account on a new device, you’ll be sent a one-time login code. The app recommends adding two-factor authentication to your email account associated with the app for better protection.

Set up a pin or turn on Face ID

Enabling Face ID or a pin adds more security to your account when opening the app or making a transaction.

On Venmo, you can set this up so that every time you open the app, you’ll need to enter either your Face ID (or fingerprint scan depending on device) or your pin. To get started, tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings, and under security, tap Face ID & PIN. Tap the toggle to Enable Face ID & PIN. The app will prompt you to enter a new passcode, and, if you’re on an iPhone, you’ll get a pop up notification asking if you’d like to allow Venmo to use Face ID to unlock your account. Tap OK. If you’re on an Android phone, it may say PIN code & biometric unlock.

On Cash App, you can set up a security lock that requires your Face ID, Touch ID or a pin to transfer funds. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap Privacy & Security, and under Security, toggle on Security Lock. The app will prompt you to enter a pin, and then enter your email address to confirm your selection with a code.

Turn on payment send notifications

Get alerted to any unauthorized activity on your Venmo or Cash App accounts by turning on notifications.

On Venmo, go to Settings > Notifications. Choose from push, text or email notifications. Under Push notifications, you can toggle on and off notifications for bank transfers, payment received, payment sent and lots more. Turning on at least the payment sent notification is a good way to get an immediate alert of anyone else sending money through your account.

On Cash App, tap your profile icon, and tap Notifications. Tap to turn on push notifications by text or email.

Link a credit card instead of your bank account

Though you can add a checking or savings account to Venmo, it’s more secure to link it to a credit card. Though you’ll be subject to a 3% transaction fee, credit cards typically have much stronger theft and fraud protection than a conventional bank account.

To change your payment method on Venmo, go to Settings > Payment methods, and tap Add bank or card. Then tap Card, and enter your credit card information.

On Cash App, you need to enter your bank account information before entering a credit card. However, you can sign up for a free Cash Card debit card so you can use funds people send you through the app on the card.

For more, check out the best checking accounts, best savings accounts and best credit monitoring services.

Thinking of spring cleaning? Whether you’re finally cleaning up the junk drawer or upgrading your tech, don’t condemn your old device to your in-home gadget graveyard — or worse, the garbage. We all hang onto outdated tech for our own reasons, but there are also multiple ways to repurpose old devices for your smart home, using them as security cameras and more.

Whatever the tech, when it’s finally time to say goodbye, there’s a right way to dispose of your old gadgets — and there are a lot of wrong ways. We’ll show you which is which.

What to do before you get rid of a device

When you’re finished with a gadget, make sure it’s also finished with you. Make sure to back up anything you want off the device — photos, videos, songs — and then perform a factory reset. Here are a few CNET articles to help clarify the finer points of wiping a device:

• How to Wipe Your Phone or Tablet Before You Sell It
• The Best Way to Completely Wipe Your Android Device
• What to Do With Your iPhone or Android Phone Before Donating It
• How to Reset and Clean My Laptop to Give to Someone Else?

Here are the best places here in the US to recycle, repurpose or give new life to your old technology.

How to recycle smartphones

Smartphone Recycling lets you print a free FedEx shipping label or request a recycling kit. Ship your old smartphone and you might even get paid, depending on the device’s condition and age. Smartphone Recycling accepts devices in bulk, so you have to ship a minimum of 10. Depending on how long you’ve been hoarding phones, you might meet this quota on your own. If not, check with friends and family and make it a group effort.

What you can recycle: Smartphone Recycling accepts smartphones, cell phones, MacBooks, tablets, iPhones, iPads, iPods and Apple Watches, as well as batteries attached or installed in devices.

Best Buy

Best Buy accepts a wide range of tech products and generally takes three items per house per day. Specifics may vary depending on where you live, but you can check with the state-specific recycling information dropdown menu on the site.

Best Buy also offers a haul-away option for larger appliances like TVs, dishwashers, freezers, microwaves, treadmills and exercise bikes. If you’ve ordered a new product, Best Buy will take away your old one for recycling. There’s also a stand-alone haul-away option that costs $200. You can have two large items hauled away as well as an unlimited number of smaller items, with some exceptions.

What you can recycle: Best Buy can take TVs, cables and chargers, media players, projectors, laptops, hard drives, webcams, cellphones, calculators, radios, landlines, headsets, vacuums, fans, ink and toner cartridges, alarm clocks, speaker systems, e-readers, video game consoles, memory cards, camcorders, digital cameras, GPS devices and more.

Staples

Office supply store Staples also offers free recycling options for old technology. Staples accepts up to seven items per customer per day. The company also has various haul-away options, driver pickup and pallet pickup, as well as prepaid address labels available.

What you can recycle: Staples can recycle accessories, adapters, cables, computers, cordless and mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, routers, tablets, webcams, ink and toner and other office tech items.

Home Depot

Home Depot has an explainer on its website about how to safely dispose of dead batteries, old paint, electronics and other items, as well as tips for upcycling and repurposing. According to RecycleStuff.org, the services are drop-off only for residential customers.

What you can recycle: According to RecycleStuff.org, Home Depot accepts household alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V), lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, rechargeable household batteries, cell phones and LED light bulbs.

US Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA doesn’t handle recycling and drop-offs the same way other businesses do, but it does have a handy guide that makes it easier to get the information you need. The EPA’s directory breaks down donation and recycling by electronic device, company name, logo and any additional details.

What you can recycle: Again, the EPA’s directory links you out to specific companies and their policies, but according to the list, you can recycle and donate mobile devices, PCs and TVs as well as imaging equipment and supplies.

Electronics Take-Back Coalition

Like the EPA, Electronics Take-Back Coalition makes it easy to find manufacturer take-back programs in the US. You can browse over 25 companies’ take-back program summaries, including Acer, Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Panasonic, Sony and more.

The Electronics Take-back Coalition doesn’t handle the recycling, but it can direct you to the proper resource for your needs.

What you can recycle: Depending on the company, you can find places to turn in iPhones, iPads, smartphones, monitors, computers, printers, keyboards, mice, DVD and VHS players, cameras, TVs and more.

EcoATM

EcoATM gives you a price estimate for your old phone that you can lock in on the mobile app using your old device’s IMEI number. EcoATM will ask a few questions about your device like brand, model, memory, carrier and condition before generating a quote. From there, you can visit one of the organization’s kiosks, located at stores like Kroger, Walmart and Dollar General.

What you can recycle: EcoATM can help with iPhones, Samsung smartphones, tablets and MP3 players, Google Pixel phones, LG phones and tablets, Motorola phones and ZTE phones. You can also recycle chargers and cellular accessories like cases, but you won’t be paid for them.

Earth911

Earth911 lets you search by device and ZIP code to find appropriate nearby locations to turn in old phones. When you visit the organization’s website, click Where to Recycle at the top of the page to get started. Earth911 works with well-known businesses like Lowe’s and Target, as well as local waste and recycling centers.

What you can recycle: Earth911 helps you find locations to recycle, but it will also note the materials the location accepts, whether it allows drop-off or pickup for residential or businesses, as well as any additional information.

Recycling for Charities

Recycling for Charities accepts technology donations, but gives a percentage of the device’s value to the charity of your choosing. Scroll through a directory of charities, select one, enter the required information and click donate. Charities receive anywhere between 25 cents and $100 from your items.

What you can recycle: Wireless cell phones and corresponding batteries, iPhones, wireless pagers, digital cameras, iPods, PDAs and Palm Pilots.

Call2Recycle

Call2Recycle is a battery-focused recycling program. The organization offers drop-off options at locations like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Staples, as well as shipment boxes for batteries and cell phones. Drop-offs are free, but recycling kits and shipment boxes cost between $45 and $115, depending on the size.

What you can recycle: Rechargeable batteries like Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion, Nickel Zinc and Small Sealed Lead Acid weighing up to 11 pounds. Call2Recycle also accepts single-use batteries like AA, AAA, 9V, C, D and button cell batteries weighing up to 11 pounds. The organization also accepts cell phones and their corresponding batteries regardless of size, make, model or age.

For more information, check out five things you can recycle (and five things you can’t) and the right way to recycle plastic and the dos and don’ts of recycling metal cans.

With the weather getting warmer, are you planning a vacation overseas? Or are you temporarily outside your home country for any other reason? If you’re hoping to watch your favorite Netflix content while away from home, you may find it isn’t available where you’re traveling.

This can be frustrating, especially when you’re a paying Netflix subscriber. But, due to licensing agreements with copyright holders, Netflix can only show certain content in certain countries. This means that when you’re outside your home country, you may be blocked from watching the shows and movies you want to see.

Read more: Best VPN Service of 2023

With the help of a virtual private network, you can watch all the Netflix content you want, from wherever you are in the world. Using Netflix with a VPN can make it look like you’re at home even when you’re traveling overseas. Here’s how to do it, with one caveat.

While Netflix does make certain efforts to block VPN use on its platform, the streaming provider doesn’t appear to be aggressively blocking limited VPN use. Regardless, you should always consider Netflix’s terms of use, because terms can change at any time and the company can terminate your account if it detects abuse. We don’t encourage people to violate their user agreements.

Can I watch Netflix internationally with a VPN?

Yes, you can — in four simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a VPN service. Not all VPNs will be up to the task of unblocking Netflix, but a top VPN service like ExpressVPN or Surfshark should be able to consistently unblock it while you’re traveling abroad. Before you subscribe, however, make sure that VPN use is legal in the country you’re traveling to.
2. Download the VPN software to your computer or device. The download and installation process will be just like downloading any other app.
3. Connect to a VPN server in your home country. If you’re from the US and want to access your home Netflix catalog from overseas, you’ll need to connect to a server located in the US. If you’re from the UK, then connect to a server in the UK to access that catalog — and so on down the line, for any country from which Netflix offers service. Simply click on the corresponding country in your VPN app to connect to a server located in that country and you’re good to go
4. Launch Netflix. Head over to Netflix on your computer or device as you normally would and you should be able to watch all the titles you’re used to watching at home. If you’re having issues or are getting an error message, try connecting to a different server from your country or contact your VPN provider’s customer support.

How does this work?

This works because, when you connect to a VPN server, your IP address changes to the address of the VPN server you’re connecting through. Your real IP address and physical location are hidden from Netflix in the process. Netflix, for all intents and purposes, will therefore register your location as the location of the VPN server you’re connecting through and will deliver the content it makes available in that country.

We can’t guarantee that it will work for you 100% of the time, though, because Netflix does its best to block known VPN IP addresses and uses other methods to preclude its customers from using VPNs to unblock geographically restricted content on its site. But most mainstream VPNs — especially our top picks — are usually reliably capable of providing access to Netflix.

Read more: 5 Best VPNs for Your Smart TV

In any case, remember to only try this in geographic regions where Netflix offers its service and, as per the company’s Terms of Use, “have licensed such content.”

Also, keep in mind that while it isn’t necessarily illegal to use a VPN to thwart geo-blocking (unless using a VPN is illegal in your country), Netflix could still potentially suspend or terminate your account if it determines you’ve violated its terms of service. So proceed at your own risk. That said, we haven’t heard of any reports of people’s accounts being terminated for using a VPN to unblock Netflix content.

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