Earfun has put out a series of wireless earbuds over the last couple of years with one important commonality: They’re very good values, made more so by frequent discounts. I’ve highlighted previous deals on its Air Pro SV and Air Pro 2, as well as the more recent Earfun Air S. Now the company is releasing its new Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds, which I’ve been testing for the last week and feature the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive for Android and other devices that support it. They’re due to ship on Jan. 30 and are on sale now for $56, or 30% off their list price of $80.
Lightweight and comfortable to wear — I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size — these aren’t a huge upgrade over the Earfun Air S, but they are clearly better. They have slightly larger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), slightly improved noise canceling and better battery life (up to seven hours with noise canceling on, according to Earfun). They also support the new LE Audio standard and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (they also support AAC for Apple devices). Their transparency mode seems to be a touch more natural sounding than the Air S, too.
In short, the Earfun Air 3 deliver strong performance for their modest price, with robust bass, good clarity and a relatively wide soundstage. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and “multidevice” connectivity. (I could pair them to two devices simultaneously but had to pause the music on one device and hit play on the other for the audio to switch.)
They’re IPX5 splash-proof and have touch controls that could be a little more responsive but work OK. And, finally, the buds connect to the Earfun Audio app for iOS and Android, which allows you to update the firmware and tweak their sound profile.
The wireless charging case isn’t tiny, but it fits in a pocket easily enough.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
I listened to the buds using an iPhone 14 Pro and an Asus ROG 6 Android smartphone that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 mobile platform. With the Asus, I was able to stream high-resolution tracks from Qobuz (with aptX Adaptive) and the sound had a bit more depth and detail and the overall sound was impressive, again given the price.
However, they can’t compete with high-end buds like the new $400 Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2, which offer better definition and more accurate sound. I know that’s an unfair comparison, but I only mention it to say that while the Air Pro 3 sound quite good for relatively cheap earbuds, they do have their limitations, particularly when it comes to bass definition — the bass is a tad overemphasized at the default setting.
If you’re wondering where these stand for voice calling, they perform well, with decent background noise reduction in noisier environments (like the streets of New York, where I tested them). But I wouldn’t say they’re excellent for making voice calls; callers said my voice sounded “reasonably” clear outdoors, not crystal clear. You can use either bud independently of the other and use a single bud to listen to audio or make calls.
Here’s a quick look at the Air Pro 3’s specs, according to Earfun. For now they’re only available on Earfun’s website, but eventually they should hit Amazon and perhaps go on sale there.
Compatible with Earfun audio app
Multidevice connectivity
Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive
QuietSmart 2.0 hybrid active noise cancellation up to 43dB
6-mic array
Bluetooth 5.3 + next-gen LE Audio & LC3 codec
11mm wool composite drivers
<55ms ultra low latency mode for better video and gaming experience
IPX5 sweat and water resistant
Up to 7 hours of battery life with ANC on and 9 hours with it off (extra 4 charges in the case)
Few things in life are both as invigorating and de-stressing as getting to kick back and fire up your favorite game. And when it’s time to play, you want a machine that isn’t going to leave you frustrated with lag and crashes. That’s why having a computer that can keep up with the taxing expectations of the newest games is a boon to any gamer.
If you’re looking for a gaming laptop to take up less space than a desktop PC or to take with you wherever you go, check out the MSI Pulse GL76. Usually listing for $1,349, B&H has slashed the price on this device by $550, meaning you can bring one home for just $799 right now. Keep in mind that this deal is only available today, Jan. 26, while supplies last, so order soon if you want to cash in on these savings.
The Pulse GL76 is a sleek gaming laptop boasting a large 17.3-inch display with 1,920×1,080 screen resolution and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. And while that large screen may be a bit bulky for on-the-go play, it’s nice to have a large screen while immersed in battles and other missions. Plus, with virtual surround sound, you shouldn’t have any problem staying engaged.
It comes equipped with 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD storage and 16GB of RAM, which should allow you to store your saves without bogging down your machine, as well as Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card with ray tracing technology and a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor to keep your gaming session going strong. While with laptops you have to consider the possibility of overheating, that shouldn’t be a problem with Cooler Boost 5, which uses two fans and six pipes for efficient cooling under heavy loads. It even has support for Wi-Fi 6.
As for the aesthetics, it has an RGB backlit keyboard that allows you to adjust its hue, and it comes with Windows 11 Home OS installed. If you’ve been hunting for good deals on gaming laptops, this might be the perfect addition to your gaming arsenal.
The Dead Space remake may be the best video game remake ever produced.
For the uninitiated, the original Dead Space was a sci-fi survival horror game set in the 26th century. Players step into the role of engineer Isaac Clarke, part of a small crew sent to the USG Ishimura, a giant mining ship, to do repairs. But in true horror fashion, the Ishimura has become something of a ghost ship. Only a few crew members have survived thanks to the Necromorphs, the zombie/alien monsters responsible for a bloody massacre on the ship.
What makes this Dead Space remake so special is how it remains true to the original classic but somehow manages to completely reinvent the experience at the exact same time.
Dead Space Remake does have an advantage over other, similar remakes such as Resident Evil 2 and 3. The original game came out in 2008 — its controls haven’t had enough time to date poorly. The same goes for the visuals. The original Dead Space looked fantastic back in 2008 and still looks good in 2022. Still, it’s hard to deny the forward strides made in this new remake. This is a fantastically made video game.
Visually, the remake is stunning. The lighting effects are some of the best found in any video game out there. Dark rooms feel unnerving and creepy in contrast with other areas basked in bright lights, creating a more welcoming environment, which made me lower my guard at just the right moments.
As beautiful as Dead Space looks, there are a few minor issues I came across. In rooms where there’s smoke or mists, Necromorphs are a little too hard to see. The same can be said for areas in total darkness where the only source of light is the one that is emitted when pointing a weapon.
The remake feels like the original — in a good way. Multiple times while playing I paused to look up YouTube clips of the 2008 original game and directly compare the two. I didn’t even notice the “new” content in the remake because, in my mind, that content was already there. It was seamlessly integrated. I assumed I’d just forgotten about it since it’s been over a decade since I played the original.
Dead Space is even more phenomenal when taking in the audio. Sound pours through the speakers with distant screams of pain echoing off the ship’s metal hallways.
This time round we have a voice actor for Isaac. In the original, Isaac was a silent protagonist who didn’t utter a word, just grunts and screams. Now he has a voice, but developer Motive Studio made the smart move by giving him limited dialogue. In the original, other characters delivered exposition with zero input from Isaac. This time around, his dialogue creates a more natural conversation between characters while conveying the same points as the original.
Dead Space made some other changes to the original as well, but like with Isaac’s voice acting, it doesn’t distract and seems as if it was always there. When exploring the Ishimura, there are times when Isaac will come across an area with zero gravity. He can move around effortlessly in all directions, which is a big difference from the original. Necromorphs will also show up in these areas, causing for some interesting zero-gravity combat where you blast them away while being upside down.
The boss monsters also changed in the remake, but again, I didn’t notice until I actually went back and watched the original.
Necromorphs are more detailed and disgusting than ever.
EA
Dead Space also expanded on the franchise storyline. Dead Space’s original plot unfolded quite slowly with the explanation of what was behind the Necromorphs coming much later in the game. This time around, there are earlier mentions of what’s really behind the horror taking over the ship.
Helping with this narrative expansion are new side missions. These quests require more exploration of the Ishimura while also adding more details to the plot. And like everything else found in the remake, these additions were harmonious.
If there’s one word to summarize the Dead Space remake, it’s seamless. Practically every decision made in this game was done to make players like myself feel like these new additions were already in the original. This is remarkably tricky to do, but Motive pulled it off, making Dead Space something fans of the original and newcomers will enjoy equally.
Dead Space comes out on Friday on PC for $60 and on Xbox Series and PS5 for $70.
Apple’s iOS 16.3 update is available now, and it brings new features, bug fixes and security updates to your iPhone. The update was released alongside updates for other Apple software, too, like iPadOS, Safari and previous versions of iOS. The latest iOS update arrives about a month after the release of iOS 16.2.
Here are the new features landing on your iPhone with iOS 16.3.
Support for the second-gen HomePod
Apple’s iOS 16.3 software will support the second-generation HomePod, which is set to be released on Feb. 3 for $299 ( 299, AU$479). Apple announced the release of the new HomePod four days before the latest iOS software was made available.
New Unity wallpaper for Black History Month
Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
The latest iOS update includes a new iPhone wallpaper as part of Apple’s Black Unity Collection. The collection celebrates Black History Month with a special-edition Apple Watch Black Unity Sport Loop, a mosaic watch face and the new iPhone wallpaper. Apple also plans to release a selection of Black History Month content for Apple TV, Fitness Plus, Music, Maps, Books, Podcasts and the App Store as part of the collection.
New ways to use Emergency SOS via satellite
Emergency SOS via satellite was introduced at Apple’s event in September. In iOS 16.3, the Call with Hold option has been replaced with Call with Hold and Release. If you enable Call with Hold and Release, you can hold the side button and a volume button to initiate a countdown and an alarm. After the countdown, you release the buttons and your iPhone will call emergency services on its own. Before with Call with Hold, pressing the side button and a volume button would first bring up the Emergency SOS call slider. If you continued to hold the buttons, a countdown started and an alarm would go off. After the countdown ended, your phone would make an emergency call.
Security keys add more protection to your device.
Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
There’s also an option to Call Quietly in Emergency SOS. By enabling this option, when you try to make an emergency SOS call, your phone won’t start flashing or making an alarm sound.
Security keys come to Apple ID
Users can now use third-party security keys instead of two-factor authentication for their Apple ID.
Security keys are a lot like keys to your home. You still use passwords, but this extra layer of security can help protect you against phishing scams and hackers.
“Hardware security keys are very, very secure,” Diya Jolly, chief product officer of authentication service company Okta, told CNET’s Stephen Shankland.
Apple’s security keys feature only works with FIDO Alliance-certified security keys.
Here is the list of new features and changes included in iOS 16.3.
New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.
Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices.
Support for HomePod (second generation).
Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls.
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards.
Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen.
Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status.
Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly.
The next time you find yourself needing to send a text while stuck in the middle of nowhere, you may be able to look to the sky, where low-Earth satellites can help send an SOS, no matter what device you have.
Last year, Apple became the first tech company to offer new satellite texting capabilities to its devices, introducing it with the iPhone 14 as a system to call for help in emergencies. The idea is easy enough: Point your phone at the sky, line it up with a satellite passing overhead and send a text to authorities. You can even send GPS data too.
Now, other companies are poised to jump on board, making satellite texting a new frontier for the phone world.
“I think 2023 is certainly shaping up to be the year of mobile satellite connectivity,” said Avi Greengart, an analyst at research firm Techsponential. “Everyone’s doing it. Everyone is doing it differently.”
Sadly, it’s not as easy as adding a satellite texting app and an extra satellite radio to the phone. Low Earth-orbiting satellite systems cost money to run and maintain, just like cellular internet and phone systems do. Apple has said it’ll give iPhone owners free access to emergency services for two years after they buy their device, but it hasn’t said what happens after. Other satellite texting systems haven’t launched yet and seem likely to charge users for the privilege.
There’s no debate about whether this technology can be useful. We’ve already heard stories of people’s lives being saved because of it. The question is whether people are willing to pay for it. And if not, will satellite texting be just another fad, like 3D TV?
Currently, satellite tech on our phones is only for emergencies and only in expensive smartphones like Apple’s iPhone 14, which starts at $799. That makes the technology a nice-to-have feature that the broader population of phone owners won’t have access to for some time. Those that do may never end up in a dire situation without signal when the feature would come in handy — a group that IDC research director Nabila Popal counts herself among. “I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have cell service,” Popal said.
Given satellite texting’s niche use, Popal doesn’t believe having it will sway consumers into buying one phone over another. It will certainly appeal to backcountry hikers, desert drag racers and remote truckers who plan to head beyond cell networks. But, for everyone else, it’s not an important enough feature to rush out to buy.
Instead, it’s more like one more feather in the cap of modern smartphones, which have already bundled together so many other technologies we used to have to carry separately in our bags, like cameras and handheld video games.
For its Snapdragon Satellite feature, Qualcomm went with satellite communications provider Iridium, which has a constellation of 66 orbiting satellites with global coverage.
Iridium
The current state of satellite texting
Satellite phones have been around for decades, showing up in films as far back as Steven Seagal’s 1992 classic military thriller Under Siege whenever someone needs to make calls from the middle of the ocean. A satellite phone also played a critical role in getting people off dinosaur-infested island in 2001’s Jurassic Park III.
“Where’s the phone? Get the phone!” yells veteran dino survivor Alan Grant as it nearly slides off a boat and into a river during a Spinosaurus attack. (Spoilers, he grabs it at the last minute and is able to signal for help.)
The real-life versions aren’t as exciting, but they can be just as helpful. They use networks of dozens of satellites orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes or so to relay phone signals to the ground. The first of these systems was Iridium, which launched its service in 1998 and a dozen other satellite networks have survived by offering connectivity to frequent travelers, but the prospect became popular recently after Elon Musk’s rocket startup SpaceX borrowed the idea to surround the globe with internet coverage through its Starlink program.
You can still get satellite phone coverage by purchasing a bulky, nearly $900 feature phone and paying a premium of at least $50 for 5 minutes of call time for service from companies that own a private network of satellites. But phone makers are building in the capability to use those orbital networks to send emergency texts because smartphone radios have gotten good enough to communicate with satellites directly, instead of relying on a separate — and often large — antenna.
Phone radios have “gotten so good now that you can build satellite connectivity into a phone without needing an external antenna,” said Anshel Sag, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
Among mainstream smartphone makers, Apple was the first with its iPhone 14 line. The company partnered with GlobalStar, which has limited coverage of the US, Europe, Australia and limited parts of South America. Apple only activates this feature in a handful of countries in those continents, and it only works for emergency text messages made outside (it won’t reach deep within buildings), but the company pledged that new iPhone 14 owners get two years of service included when they buy the phone.
Earlier this month, Qualcomm revealed a new feature coming in Android phones that will let users send and receive text messages through satellites. It uses the Iridium network and Qualcomm says it will have global coverage, which is more than Apple’s services says.
The service, called Snapdragon Satellite, will only be for emergencies to start but will eventually be able to exchange messages socially and even use data, likely as part of a premium service. It’s not available yet and will come in phones launching in the second half of 2023 that use Qualcomm’s latest premium chips, though the company is leaving it up to phonemakers whether to have the service at all in their phones or if they should charge for the privilege. That leaves lots of unknowns.
And there are smaller players with their own niche devices, like Bullitt, which announced its Motorola-branded rugged phone powered by a MediaTek chipset at CES 2023 that will launch in the first quarter of 2023 for an undisclosed price tag. Bullitt promises two-way satellite texting through connectivity partner Skylo, which leases time on existing satellite constellations. Huawei actually launched its Mate 50 series of phones with satellite texting through China’s BeiDou satellite network a day ahead of Apple’s iPhone 14 debuted, though Huawei’s reach has diminished over the years.
More individual phones coming out with their own ideas of satellite texting will likely follow, and the big US carriers have all selected their own satellite partners to eventually offer mobile service beyond their networks’ edges, though none has a firm launch date yet.
Everyone’s in on the race because they can see the potential value of providing satellite safety nets as a service, analysts say. Apple could easily add it alongside its subscription services, like the $7 per month Apple TV Plus, $10 per month Apple Music Plus or $17 Apple One bundle. Carriers could use it to sweeten the deal for the priciest subscription plans, betting that the risk-averse among us are willing to pay extra for peace of mind. “It’s hard to overstate how important telling someone you’re out of gas in the middle of the Gobi Desert or Death Valley or the Adirondacks is,” Techsponential’s Greengart said.
The text message interface of Apple’s Emergency SOS feature.
Kevin Heinz/CNET
Is it a bad thing to be the new phone trend?
Of course, the phone industry doesn’t have the best track record with new technologies. Analysts broadly consider the last couple years of transition to 5G wireless to have been a letdown, particularly because coverage has been spotty and speeds are sometimes as slow as the 4G LTE service we’ve had for years.
Satellite texting could be even more finicky than 5G was, particularly because it depends on the availability of satellites and the yet-untested strain of having many people relaying help requests through them.
Still, early signs seem promising. At CES 2023, Qualcomm took journalists outside Las Vegas to test its Snapdragon Satellite feature, and it worked. CNET phone editor Patrick Holland tested Apple’s Emergency SOS feature on his iPhone 14 and found that it worked — in fact, anyone can try it out without sending an emergency message thanks to a demo mode in the phone’s settings.
This seems like the next frontier — to use satellites to bolster mobile networks and keep people in contact. Even if most people will never have the misfortune to need it, the feature still acts as a safety net, helping the more adventurous phone users who wander beyond cell towers or disaster survivors after mobile networks fail.
Some iPhone 14 owners have reportedly been saved already thanks to the feature, including one man stranded when traveling by snow machine in Alaska above the Arctic Circle. In another case, a couple tumbled down into a deep canyon in a Los Angeles forest and used an iPhone to send for help. In less than 30 minutes, they were rescued. Without the iPhone’s satellite texting feature, emergency services wouldn’t have been contacted, and “nobody would have known to look for them,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Sgt. John Gilbert told The Los Angeles Times.
We’ve come a long way from needing to buy big, clunky satellite phones if we want to venture safely beyond the range of cell networks. Pretty soon, many smartphones will be able to call for help, whether you’ve taken a wrong turn in the wilderness or been attacked by dinosaurs on a remote island that you should have just stayed away from.
It’s been years since you’ve set up your home internet, and unfortunately you’ve forgotten your Wi-Fi password. Now you’re stressed out because you want to connect a new device to your network, but you don’t know how. Usually you should be able to find the password printed right on your router or through your router’s web interface, but if those don’t work, there’s no need to panic because your computer has all your Wi-Fi passwords saved in one place.
As long as your Windows or Mac computer has connected to that network before, its Wi-Fi password is permanently stored in your settings. It may require a bit of digging on your part, but all of the passwords are there, saved and ready to be shared with anyone who wants to connect to Wi-Fi.
Every password you’ve entered and saved on a Mac is stored in Keychain Access, the password management system for MacOS. And that includes Wi-Fi network passwords.
To start, use the search feature to open the Keychain Access app and do the following:
1. Click on System under System Keychains in the sidebar.
2. Next, click on Passwords at the top of the window.
3. Find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for and double-click on it.
4. Finally, check the box next to Show password and enter your password when prompted.
Find all your stored Wi-Fi passwords in the Keychain Access app on MacOS.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
The password field will then show the password you used to log in to that Wi-Fi network. You can double-click in the password field to select the password and copy it to your clipboard, if needed.
How to find Wi-Fi passwords on Windows
Finding the password to the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to is simple on Windows, but getting your hands on all stored Wi-Fi passwords takes a bit of work, so we’ll discuss both methods below.
To find the password to the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows:
1. Click the Start button and then go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 11) or Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 10).
2. Next to Connections, click your Wi-Fi network name highlighted in blue.
3. In the Wi-Fi Status page that opens, click WirelessProperties and then on the Security tab.
4. Finally, check the box next to Show characters to display your Wi-Fi network password above it.
You can easily find the password for the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to on Windows.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
However, this isn’t the only way to find your Wi-Fi network passwords. The method above only allows you to view the password to whatever Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to, but there is a way to find the passwords to all the Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to on your Windows computer.
To find all your Wi-Fi network passwords on Windows:
1. Right-click on the Windows icon in the taskbar on your desktop.
2. Click Windows Terminal (Admin).
3. Type in netsh wlan showprofile and hit Enter on your keyboard to view every Wi-Fi network you’ve connected to.
4. Once you find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for, type in netsh wlan show profile “(Wi-Fi network name)”key=clear (for example, netsh wlan show profile “Netgear667”key=clear), and then hit the Enter key.
You can use Windows Terminal to find all your Wi-Fi network passwords.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Settings for profile, connectivity, security and cost will appear. The Wi-Fi network password will appear under Security settings, and next to Key Content. In addition to Windows Terminal, you can also use the Command Prompt application to type in the commands listed above to find your Wi-Fi passwords.
Apple’s 5K monitor, the Apple Studio Display, debuted in March last year. It’s currently the most budget-friendly external display in Apple’s lineup, and while Apple rarely discounts its own products, there have been a few deals on this display at some third-party retailers.
Right now, Amazon has discounted the standard glass version of the Apple Studio Display by $299, bringing the cost to just $1,300 — its lowest price ever. The nano-texture glass version is also currently discounted by $150, meaning you’ll pay just $1,749 for a limited time. Both discounted displays are the models with the tilt-adjustable stand.
Each of these monitors features a 27-inch 5K Retina screen, an A13 chip, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera with Center Stage and a high-fidelity, six-speaker sound system. Their three-mic array makes for clear audio on calls and voice recordings. More than 14 million pixels and 1 billion colors at 600 nits of brightness make for a phenomenal display. And an antireflective coating also ensures better readability, while the nano-texture glass option further minimizes glare.
They each have one Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port with 96-watt charging capability to connect your Mac, and three standard USB-C ports. Plus, you can pair your Studio Display with Mac notebooks and desktops, as well as Magic accessories (sold separately).
It’s important to note that this monitor doesn’t play nice with Windows computers — but if you’re already an avid Mac user, these deals at Amazon can help you score a solid monitor for less than you’d pay at the Apple Store.
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Another virtual private network provider just took an important step towards boosting its transparency with customers. Surfshark — CNET’s Editors’ Choice for Best Value VPN and one of our top VPN picks — passed an independent no-logs audit conducted by auditing firm Deloitte, the VPN company said in a blog post on Wednesday.
“The positive result from Deloitte’s no-logs assurance report provides factual evidence to our users and future customers that Surfshark operates on the highest privacy and quality standards,” Surfshark’s VPN product owner Justas Pukys wrote. “We will continue to perform various audits and tests to get independent verification of our security and privacy measures.”
The audit examined the configuration and management of Surfshark’s IT systems and supporting IT operations and was conducted between Nov. 21 and Dec. 2, 2022, according to a summary of Deloitte’s audit report (PDF). As part of the audit, Deloitte inspected the design and configuration of Surfshark’s standard VPN servers, static IP VPN servers, multihop servers and multiport servers.
“Based on the procedures performed and the evidence obtained, in our opinion, the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with [Surfshark’s no-logs policy],” Deloitte said.
Deloitte’s validation is important, because an independent audit is one of the only ways to confirm that a VPN provider’s no-logs claims are legitimate. Even though an independent audit from a firm like Deloitte can only confirm its findings for the scope and duration of its audit, it can offer customers a certain measure of confidence that the VPN they’re using is genuine in what it promises.
“[The] No-logs Policy is one of the most important features of our Services,” Surfshark says in its Terms of Service. “It means your activities are not in any way logged, retained, or transferred to third parties when you connect to our Services. We do not collect any information about what you do online (your visited IP addresses, browsing history, session information, used bandwidth, connection time stamps, network traffic or any other similar data).”
The new MoviePass is expanding its beta nationwide, and it’s considering bringing back the hallmark all-you-can-watch plan that made it famous… just this time at a price that’s higher than $10.
The nationwide beta is currently available to anyone who signed up for the service’s waitlist last summer. MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes told Insider that those joining the beta may experience some glitches that engineers are working on, and a wider relaunch is expected this summer. MoviePass has confirmed the launch details with CNET, and Spikes announced the expansion with a YouTube video sent to the waitlist.
This new version of MoviePass uses a credit-based system instead of flat-rate pricing, with plans varying based on geographic region. The New York City-based plans that I’m able to see start at a $20 Basic level for 68 credits, which MoviePass says should translate to one to three films per month. The most expensive plan offered is the $60 Pro level, which MoviePass says should allow for one movie per day under the equivalent of 1,240 credits. Unused credits will roll over, up to a maximum of two months’ worth based on the selected plan. Outside of New York, MoviePass says its cheapest plan could be as low as $10.
Price tiers offered in the New York City region for the MoviePass beta. An “unlimited” option is among those being tested.
MoviePass/Screenshot by Mike Sorrentino/CNET
For New York, these prices aren’t bad. It’s not unusual for one movie ticket to cost $17 or more in Manhattan, so even getting two films out of the service is still a discount. However since the service is in beta, it’s worth keeping in mind that these prices could still shift as the service heads toward its eventual wide release.
For an occasional theatergoer, the $20 starting price undercuts rival services in New York, but someone looking to go three or more times a week to a specific theater could be better served looking into programs owned by movie theater chains like AMC A-List ($25 in New York), Regal Unlimited ($24) or Alamo Drafthouse Season Pass ($30). Still, it’s worth noting that MoviePass allows access to a much wider variety of theaters, using either the app to get tickets for MoviePass-partnered theaters or the MoviePass credit card for theaters that aren’t partnered. Spikes told Insider that pricing for its unlimited tier is being tested at a variety of levels during the beta.
The nationwide expansion is the latest step toward the rebirth of MoviePass after Spikes purchased the brand in November 2021. MoviePass famously flamed out in 2019 after burning through money when it offered a $10 unlimited plan. Spikes helped found MoviePass in 2011 with partner Hamel Witt, and the service went through iterations that included a $50 per month unlimited plan at one point. Spikes was fired from the company in 2018 when it was helmed by then-Helios CEO Ted Farnsworth and then-MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe. Now that Spikes is back in the MoviePass driver’s seat, he said that plans for the service include integrating an optional advertising program to subsidize costs for customers. He’s also eying the metaverse as a possible area for MoviePass to grow.
Apple now lets you protect your Apple ID and iCloud account with hardware security keys, a significant upgrade for those who want maximum protection from hackers, identity thieves, or snoops.
Hardware security keys are small physical devices that communicate with USB or Lightning ports or with NFC wireless data connections when you’re logging on to a device or in to an account. Because you must have keys in your possession to use them, they’re effective at thwarting hackers trying to reach your account remotely. And they won’t work on fake login sites, so they can thwart phishing attacks that try to fool you into typing your password onto a counterfeit website.
Support for the keys arrived Monday with iOS 16.3 and MacOS 13.2, and on Tuesday, Apple published details on how to use security keys with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The company requires you to set up at least two keys.
Apple has been working to tighten security in recent months, stung by iPhone breaches involving NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection option arrived in December, giving a stronger encryption option to data stored and synced with iCloud. And in September, Apple added an iPhone Lockdown Mode that includes new guardrails on how your phone works to thwart outside attacks.
A big caveat, though: Although hardware security keys and the Advanced Data Protection program lock down your account better, they also mean Apple can’t help you recover access.
“This feature is designed for users who, often due to their public profile, face concerted threats to their online accounts, such as celebrities, journalists, and members of government,” Apple said in a statement. “This takes our two-factor authentication even further, preventing even an advanced attacker from obtaining a user’s second factor in a phishing scam.”
Hardware security keys have been around for years, but the Fast Identity Online, or FIDO, group has helped standardize the technology and integrate its use with websites and apps. One big advantage on the web is they’re linked to specific websites, for example Facebook or Twitter, so they thwart phishing attacks that try to get you to log in to fake websites. They’re the foundation for Google’s Advanced Protection Program, too, for those who want maximum security.
Apple added hardware security key support to iOS 16.2 and MacOS 13.2.
Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET
You need to pick the right hardware security keys for your devices. To communicate with relatively new models of both Macs and iPhones, a key that supports USB-C and NFC is a good option. Apple requires you to have two keys, but it isn’t a bad idea to have more in case you lose them. A single key can be used to authenticate to many different devices and services, like your Apple, Google and Microsoft accounts.
Google, Microsoft, Apple and other allies are also working to support a different FIDO authentication technology called passkeys. Passkeys are designed to replace passwords altogether, and they don’t require hardware security keys.
