Category: Technologies

At 8-6, the Colts are currently owners of the seventh and last playoff spot in the AFC. They’ll need a win in Atlanta to protect their playoff positioning. The Falcons have dropped their last two games to fall to 6-8 but are still in the NFC Wild Card hunt. Atlanta is only one game behind a quintet of teams in the conference at 7-7.

The Colts and Falcons kick off in Atlanta at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Fox. Here is how you can watch, even if the game isn’t available on your local Fox channel.

The game will be shown on TV in the Indianapolis and Atlanta areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch or if you’ve elected to have an added layer of privacy for streaming.

There is an option that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network, or VPN.

Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.

Read more: NFL 2023: How to Watch and Stream Games and RedZone With or Without Cable

Colts vs. Falcons: When and where?

Week 16 of the NFL season sees the Falcons host the Colts at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Sunday. The game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home of the Falcons.

How to watch the Colts vs. Falcons game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch; 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 a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has assigned you an IP address that incorrectly places you in a blackout zone, a VPN can solve for that by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout 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 and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

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

Livestream the Colts vs. Falcons game in the US

This week’s Colts-Falcons game is on Fox, so in addition to a VPN set to an area carrying the game (see tips below) you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local Fox affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football-broadcasting channels like ESPN. Check out our live TV streaming services guide for details.

If you live in an area where the game is being broadcast, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another option for Fox. The best part about antennas is that no streaming or monthly fees are required, although you will need to make sure you have good reception.

Quick tips for streaming Colts vs. Falcons using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• Sling Blue is only an option if and when the ability to get Fox local affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
• 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.

The Lions have a chance to do something on Sunday they’ve never done before: win the NFC North. With a win on the road against the Vikings, Dan Campbell’s crew will do just that. The Lions’ last division title happened 30 years ago, before the NFC North existed and they played in the NFC Central. The game has importance to the Vikings, too, one of five NFC teams at 7-7 battling for a Wild Card spot.

The Lions and Vikings kick off in Minnesota at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Fox. Here is how you can watch, even if the game isn’t available on your local Fox channel.

The game will be shown on TV in the Detroit and Minnesota areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch or if you’ve elected to have an added layer of privacy for streaming.

There is an option that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network, or VPN.

Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.

Read more: NFL 2023: How to Watch and Stream Games and RedZone With or Without Cable

Lions vs. Vikings: When and where?

Week 16 of the NFL season sees the Vikings host the Lions at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Sunday. The game will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, home of the Vikings.

How to watch the Lions vs. Vikings game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch; 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 a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has assigned you an IP address that incorrectly places you in a blackout zone, a VPN can solve for that by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout 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 and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

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

Livestream the Lions vs. Vikings game in the US

This week’s Lions-Vikings game is on Fox, so in addition to a VPN set to an area carrying the game (see tips below) you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local Fox affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football-broadcasting channels like ESPN. Check out our live TV streaming services guide for details.

If you live in an area where the game is being broadcast, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another option for Fox. The best part about antennas is that no streaming or monthly fees are required, although you will need to make sure you have good reception.

Quick tips for streaming Lions vs. Vikings using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• Sling Blue is only an option if and when the ability to get Fox local affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
• 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.

Got a new TV for entertaining during the holidays? Is it a lot bigger than your last TV? Before you dive into all the fun stuff, you need to consider a very important question: Where are you going to put it?

Whether you wall-mount or use a TV stand, there are some important, and often unintuitive, aspects to consider. For instance, did you know that bad TV placement can reduce a TV’s apparent picture quality, cause neck pain and more? You definitely don’t want to mount your TV too high, too far away or at a weird angle.

Issues created by bad TV placement might not be apparent right away, but over weeks and months they could be noticeable, annoying and possibly even painful. The time gap could be enough that you might not even realize it’s the TV’s placement causing the issues.

Is this hyperbole? Not really. Consider that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has standards in how your work environment is setup to minimize the chance of repetitive stress injuries. If you’re watching four to six hours of TV at night, it’s possible you could be susceptible to many of the same issues. Also, most TVs look far worse “off axis,” as in too far above, below or to the side of the center of the screen. So all that money you spent on a new TV could be wasted by not looking at it from the angle it looks best.

Mounting a TV above a fireplace is also a bad idea, as is the bathroom. A slight seating shuffle, or adjusting your preferred pedestal placements, could yield better picture quality or allow for a larger TV. So before you mount a TV or buy an expensive TV stand, consider these dos and don’ts for TV placement.

Do these five things before you set up a new TV

Do check TV height

While there’s no set height for TV placement, ideally you don’t want the TV to be too high. Staring up at a TV is like sitting in the front row of a movie theater. It’s not ideal, not comfortable and not conducive to long viewing sessions. Generally speaking, you want the center of the TV to be about eye level, or even slightly lower. This is true whether you’re mounting the TV or putting it on a stand.

For more on this, check out my guide on how high you should put your TV.

Do check the distance from your couch to your TV

It’s unlikely anyone reading this is going to be sitting too close to their TV. Sitting closer to your TV has two benefits: It fills more of your field of view (so it’s more immersive), and you can see more resolution (the image is more detailed). If you can’t or don’t want to sit closer, you can alternatively get a larger TV. Check out this article on how big a TV you should buy for more info.

Do look out for sources of TV glare

Room lighting and reflections are the No. 1 killer of TV images according to a study I just made up. The fact is nearly every modern TV has a reflective screen, and I don’t care how awesome your lamps are, they’re not as interesting as what’s on TV. Sure, you can just turn off the lights (or close the blinds), but sometimes that’s not easy or possible. If it isn’t, check out our piece on how to rid your HDTV of reflections.

If you’re thinking of wall mounting, keep in mind all the Do’s mentioned so far. Plus, if you’re thinking of getting an LCD, make sure you get a wall mount that’s able to pivot or adjust. With few exceptions, LCDs have worse performance if you’re not sitting directly in front of them. Being able to pivot or move a wall-mounted TV so it’s aimed directly at your eyeballs will be a huge improvement in picture quality (compared to the same TV not aimed at you). It’s worth mentioning at this point that TV weight is not a limiting factor when it comes to mounting.

Do consider more than style

When it comes to TV stands, there are countless options. Consider the TV height in addition to whatever style you like. Most stands are fairly uniform in height, and a few inches above or below ideal isn’t going to matter, but a large TV on a tall stand isn’t a great idea.

Do consider safety, especially if you have young kids

Turns out that falling TVs injure a lot of kids every year. Find out how to keep your TV from falling over if you’ve got kids or lively pets.

Don’t make these seven common TV placement mistakes

Don’t mount your TV too high

A TV at the correct height is going to look really low when you’re standing. Which is fine, since most of the time you won’t be standing when you’re watching it. Mounting a TV too high can literally be a pain in the neck. If you want a good laugh, there’s a lively subreddit devoted to pictures of people who have mounted their TVs too high.

Don’t mount a TV above the fireplace

Seriously. Don’t mount a TV above a fireplace. For the above reason and more — not the least of which is that heat is the enemy of all electronics. Even if you never use your fireplace, mounting a TV above it is almost always too high to watch from a couch.

Don’t feel limited by a cabinet, bookcase or entertainment center

If you have a cabinet, bookcase or entertainment center where your TV has always been, it’s worth considering losing it. That’s a big ask, especially for a new TV, but consider two things. First, it not only limits the size of the TV you can get, but the quality. If your cabinet can only fit a 42-inch TV, know that the better TV tech like local dimming, OLED and Mini-LED are almost exclusively available in larger sizes. If they can be found in smaller sizes, there are usually only one or two models. Second, depending where the TV’s speakers are located, a cabinet could severely reduce the TV’s sound quality and volume. (If you have a 5.1-speaker system or soundbar, this won’t be an issue.)

Don’t put your indoor TV outside

Don’t mount a “regular” TV outside. There are TVs made for just that. Or, if you don’t want to spend the money on a TV designed for outdoors, just know that any TV you leave out there isn’t likely to last long (even if it’s under an awning). Best to bring it in when you’re not using it.

Don’t feel you need a ‘real’ TV

For kitchens and bathrooms, a smart display like a Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo Show might get you everything you need without the size and hassle of a full-size TV.

Don’t sit too far away from your TV

However, you can get a larger TV to compensate. At 10 feet away, you could get the largest TV on the market and still not see pixels.

Don’t put your TV at a weird angle

If you have to turn your head to see the screen, it’s just going to lead to sore necks. Twisting your head a bit may not seem like a big deal, but keeping it that way for hours at a time can be a pain — literally.

Bottom line

Let’s take two rooms as examples. First room: You have a great TV, mounted high on a wall near the corner, with the sofa and adjacent lamps, on the other side of the room in the other corner. These poor folks have a small-seeming TV, lots of reflections, and stiff necks from turning and looking up at the TV. Second room: The TV is mounted at eye level, the sofa is 8 to 9 feet away and there are no lamps to reflect on the screen. In which room would you want to watch a marathon of Andor?

Proper placement can determine a significant portion of the overall enjoyment of a new TV. It’s worth considering adjusting your room to be more conducive to comfortable TV viewing. Not only will you gain potential picture and comfort improvements, but in the process, you might free up more space for other things. Like a rug that really ties the room together.

Once you’ve got the placement figured out, here’s how to set up your new TV. If you’ve already got it set up, here are some important picture quality settings to adjust, including turning down the sharpness control. If you’re having trouble hearing dialogue, there are some settings you can adjust that might help.

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As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.

The Christmas weekend brings another long weekend of NFL action. After Week 16 kicked off with the Saints and Rams, the Bengals and Steelers meet up on NBC for a Saturday showdown.

The AFC North rivals enter this weekend’s contest each fighting for their playoff lives, the 8-6 Bengals riding a three-game win streak and sitting in the AFC’s No. 6 seed, while the 7-7 Steelers are on a three-game skid and in 10th place in the conference.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is called for 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) with the game streaming nationally on Peacock and also available on your local NBC station.

Keep reading to see your options for watching Bengals vs. Steelers on Peacock and live TV streaming services, and check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for more viewing options.

Bengals vs. Steelers game today: When and where?

This Week 16 NFL fixture sees the Steelers host the Bengals at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers.

How to watch Bengals vs. Steelers in the US

This week’s Bengals-Steelers game is on NBC, so your local NBC station will carry the game. In addition to cable, satellite and an over-the-air antenna — which lets you watch NBC for free — you can also watch the game live using a streaming service. The least-expensive is Peacock Premium at $6 per month. Most live TV streaming services including YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV also carry your local NBC station (see below), but they’re a lot more expensive.

You can also subscribe to NFL Plus, the NFL’s own streaming service at $7 per month, but streams are limited to just watching on a phone or tablet (not a TV).

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

The Bills may finally be on the right track. After a rocky first half of the season, Buffalo has now won two straight against strong opponents in the Chiefs and Cowboys to improve to 8-6 and is right in the thick of the AFC playoff picture.

On Saturday the Bills head to Los Angeles to take on a reeling 5-9 Chargers team that just got blown out 63-21 in Week 15’s Thursday Night Football.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is called for 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Whereas Saturday’s first game was on NBC, this contest will stream nationally on Peacock (as well as on broadcast TV in the local Los Angeles and Buffalo markets). And in a first, the game will feature a commercial-free fourth quarter. The broadcast will stay with the game for the final 15 minutes, which is usually interrupted constantly by commercial breaks as coaches use their timeouts and referees conduct official reviews of close plays.

Keep reading to find out how to watch this game on Peacock — and if you live in the home market of either the Bills or Chargers — a local network channel.

You can also check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for your viewing options for the rest of the season.

Bills vs. Chargers game today: When and where?

This Week 16 NFL fixture sees the Chargers host the Bills at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Chargers.

How to watch the Bills vs. Chargers 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 and 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. It’s also a great idea for when 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. 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, non blackout 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 and Canada, as long as you’ve got 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.

How to watch Bills vs. Chargers in the US

For those outside of the LA or Buffalo areas, this week’s Bills-Chargers game will be available to watch nationally via streaming service Peacock.

Peacock Premium costs $6 per month and also carries Sunday Night Football games.

Can I watch Bills vs. Chargers on local TV?

Yes, but only if you live in the local market of either of the teams playing on Thursday. WGRZ in Buffalo and KNBC in Los Angeles will be showing the game, according to 506 Sports. There are two ways to watch local channels on your TV. The first is with a live TV streaming service. The second is with an over-the-air antenna, if you live in an area that has good reception.

You can watch local networks with a live TV streaming service, but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries the channel you need for the game in your area.

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Quick tips for streaming the Bills vs. Chargers game using a VPN

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

Walmart is known for its low prices and during the holiday season they go all out, dropping new deals nearly daily. While digital deals for instant holiday gifts are always an excellent choice, if you’re looking for something more tangible you still have options, thanks to Walmart’s last-minute holiday sale. Right now there are still a number of times on sale with express delivery to arrive Christmas Eve, but you’ll find pickup options are more abundant. Keep in mind that Walmart stores close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day. Bear in mind as well that there is a $35 minimum purchase to qualify for express delivery.

You can browse the entire selection of Walmart’s last-minute deals by following the above link, but not all of them qualify for expedited shipping. We’ve sifted through some of the enticing items to bring you the absolute best gifts you can grab from Walmart without having to worry about constantly checking the shipping tracker. You can see our favorite deals that can still get express delivery below.

More great Walmart holiday deals with express delivery:

• Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker, $169 (save $30)
• KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-quart stand mixer, $240(save $90)
• Hoover Powerdash Pet carpet cleaner, $69(save $61)
• Ninja 4-quart air fryer, $69(save $20)
• Shark Hydrovac 3-in-1 Vacuum and mop, $129 (save $170)
• Bose Quiet Comfort noise-canceling over ear headphones, $249(save $100)

Bill Gates’ first grandchild was born in 2023, so the year will forever be special to him, he says. It was also the year that artificial intelligence went mainstream, spurred by the arrival of ChatGPT. And that got Gates thinking about how the world his granddaughter is coming into will change in a positive way because of AI.

The co-founder of Microsoft and a guiding figure of the PC era across several decades, Gates knows a thing or two about technological revolutions. He sees 2024 as a monumental year for artificial intelligence, with the technology becoming especially important in global health, where Gates and his namesake foundation have been working for decades.

“We now have a better sense of what types of jobs AI will be able to do by itself and which ones it will serve as a copilot for,” Gates wrote in a lengthy post on his GatesNote blog this week. “And it’s clearer than ever how AI can be used to improve access to education, mental health, and more. It motivates me to make sure this technology helps reduce — and doesn’t contribute to — the awful inequities we see around the world.”

The year of AI

It’s been quite a year for AI, and more specifically, generative AI. Gen AI goes a step further than other AI methods. It can create new materials, such as text, images, speech or video, based on its own understanding of the patterns it recognizes in data.

Gen AI became known thanks to the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022, although smart home controls and AI-powered virtual assistants such as Alexa had already made inroads into homes and popular culture.

ChatGPT, the frontrunner in the onslaught of generative AI tools released over the last year, allows anyone with a smartphone or a laptop to use AI for generating information or images. These tools been trained on huge swaths of data that allow it to come up with original responses to our queries — with varying degrees of success. More than 100 million people use ChatGPT each week, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said in November. Microsoft is a significant investor in OpenAI.

Other companies aren’t ceding territory to Microsoft. In early December, for instance, Google began updating its Bard AI chatbot with a new AI model called Gemini that provides improved text-based chat abilities. Tech companies are continuing to add Gen AI abilities into programs and devices of all kinds, from search engines to smart phones.

In 2023, investors poured nearly $10 billion into gen AI startups, more than double the $4.4 billion invested the year before, according to GlobalData.

But even as Gen AI explodes in popularity, many users are still cautious. In addition to concerns that AI could replace human employees, many worry about it putting forth inaccurate information. Dictionary.com selected the AI term “hallucinate,” describing what happens when AI produces false information, as its word of the year.

Gates thinks mainstream integration of AI is coming soon.

“If I had to make a prediction, in high-income countries like the United States, I would guess that we are 18-24 months away from significant levels of AI use by the general population,” he wrote.

But he also sees 2024 as a turning point.

What Gates sees on the AI road ahead

Since stepping down as Microsoft CEO in 2000, Gates has focused on philanthropy, founding the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his now-former wife. It’s in areas related to his foundation’s work in global health where Gates sees AI becoming helpful in 2024.

Fighting antibiotic resistance: He cites an AI-powered tool under development at the Aurum Institute in Ghana that helps health workers prescribe antibiotics without contributing to antimicrobial resistance, where pathogens learn how to get past antibiotic defenses. The tool can comb through all the available information about antimicrobial resistance and suggest the best drug plan for a patient.

High-risk pregnancy help: A woman dies in childbirth every two minutes, Gates says. He’s hopeful that AI can combat this horrifying statistic. AI-powered ultrasounds can help identify pregnancy risks, and the Gates foundation is working to fund that process. Also, AI researchers at ARMMAN, an India-based nonprofit organization, are working on a large language model – the technology that underlies ChatGPT and other AI chatbots – that can help health workers treating high-risk pregnancies.

HIV risk assessment: Many people aren’t comfortable talking to a doctor about their sexual history, but that can be vital for assessing risk for diseases like HIV. Gates is excited about a South African chatbot called Your Choice, being developed by Sophie Pascoe of Wits Health Consortium. The chatbot acts as a nonjudgmental counselor that can provide round-the-clock advice, especially for vulnerable populations.

Quick access to medical records: While people in rich countries may have their medical records easily available, in other countries, many people don’t have a documented medical history, Gates says. This can hinder their medical treatment because their doctors need to know about allergies, past health issues and more. A Pakistani team is working on a voice-enabled mobile app that could make this easier, asking a series of questions and filling out a patient’s medical record with the answers.

Beyond global health advances

Gates also sees AI assisting in education, calling AI education tools “mindblowing,” as they are tailored to individual learners, and says they will “only get better.” He’s excited about how the technology can be localized to students in many different countries and cultural contexts.

Not everything on Gates’ mind is AI-related. He’s concerned about climate change, saying he’s “blown away by the passion from young climate activists,” and hopeful that 2024 will see more investment in innovations that will help those who are most affected by the climate crisis.

And he even plunges into the debate over nuclear energy. Gates notes that high-profile disasters such as Chernobyl in the 1980s and Three Mile Island in the late 1970s have spotlighted the risks, but over the past year, he’s seen a shift towards acceptance. He sees the once-bogeyman of the energy world as necessary to meet the world’s growing need for energy while eliminating carbon emissions.

From skeptic to enthusiast

A New York Times in early December noted that Gates was “long skeptical” of what AI could do. That changed in August 2022, when he saw a demonstration of OpenAI’s GPT-4, the large language model underlying ChatGPT. That sold Gates on the concept, and he helped Microsoft “move aggressively to capitalize on generative AI.”

Although Gates left Microsoft’s’s board in 2020, he’s still an adviser to its CEO Satya Nadella. Microsoft has plunged full-bore into the AI world, The company invested heavily in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, earlier this year. And it’s been adding the technology across its online services, including its Bing search engine.

The company also reimagined Windows 11 with the addition of Microsoft Copilot, which puts AI assistance always available on the Windows 11 desktop taskbar. Microsoft vice president Yusuf Mehdi calls it the most significant update to the operating system so far, and it works across multiple apps and mobile phones.

Even Gates struggles to adapt

Gates’ year-end letter compares the rise of AI to that of the internet, email and search engines, noting that it wasn’t long ago when many people were unfamiliar with these things, and now they are part of our daily lives. Gates sees the same kind of sea change coming with AI.

But he admits that it won’t be smooth, giving an example from his own life.

“I thought I would use AI tools for the foundation’s strategy reviews this year, which require reading hundreds of pages of briefing materials that an AI could accurately summarize for me,” Gates says.

But that didn’t happen.

“Old habits are hard to break, and I ended up preparing for [the reviews] the same way I always do,” he writes.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see our AI policy.

Your iPhone is a little handheld miracle, granting you on-the-go access to the internet and your favorite apps. It helps you wake up on time and reminds you of important events. In exchange, you probably just move it around your home, your car and everywhere else you go. Maybe you clean it sometimes. But when was the last time you did something nice for your iPhone?

Just like every other piece of tech, your iPhone needs a little maintenance every now and then, especially if your browsing starts to feel sluggish over time. Keep your iPhone 15 or 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max or any other model moving as fast as possible by clearing your browser cache every month — it takes only a few seconds.

Your cache acts as a sort of digital mini-fridge, storing information about sites so it doesn’t have to reload from scratch. When it works, it means you can take a quick trip to your mini-fridge instead of walking all the way out to the kitchen. The problem is that the contents of that mini-fridge can wind up expired — you go to grab a snack and notice that something that used to be green is now a putrid brown. In browser terms, the cached data might load slowly or entirely incorrectly, leading to wonky-looking websites. Clearing your cache is like cleaning your mini-fridge and letting it stock up with fresh data.

Whether you use Chrome, Safari or other browsers on your iPhone, your cache builds up that digital clutter over time. Clearing your cache gives the browser a new start, which can speed up your web surfing, even on iOS 17. (And if you’re trying to get your phone to run faster, try managing your iPhone’s storage.)

Website cookies are similar, except they store information about user data, rather than data on the website itself. Clearing your cookies gives you a chance to reset those preferences, which could improve your browsing experience. Note that clearing your cache and cookies will log you out of sites, which means you’ll have to log into them again and reset any preferences. But the upfront investment of that time can lead to a smoother experience down the road, and it can be a useful fix if you’ve recently changed settings that aren’t being applied properly.

Here are step-by-step guides on how to clear your cache on your iPhone based on the browser you use.

How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari

Safari is the default browser on iPhones, and you can clear your Safari cache in a few short steps. Starting with iOS 11, following this process will affect all devices signed in to your iCloud account. As a result, all your devices’ caches will be cleared, and you’ll need to sign in to everything the next time you use them. Here’s what to do.

1.Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Select Safari from the list of apps.

3. Go to Clear History and Website Data.

4. Choose Clear History and Data in the pop-up box.

Then you’re set!

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

How to clear your iPhone cache in Chrome

Chrome is another popular browser for iPhone users. Thankfully, Google has simplified the process for clearing your Chrome cache, making it much faster to clear your data.

1. Open the Chrome app.

2. Select the three dots in the bottom right to open more options.

3. Choose Clear Browsing Data to open up another menu.

4. Select the intended time range at the top of the menu (anywhere from Last Hour to All Time).

5.Make sure that Cookies, Site Data is selected, along with Cached Images and Files. Finally, hit Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.

Read more: This iPhone Setting Stops Ads From Following You Across the Web

How to clear your iPhone cache in Firefox

If you’re a Firefox devotee, don’t worry. Clearing the cache on your iPhone is pretty straightforward. Just follow these steps.

1. Click the hamburger menu in the bottom right corner to open up options.

2. Choose Settings at the bottom of the menu.

3. Select Data Management in the Privacy section.

4. You can select Website Data to clear data for individual sites, or select Clear Private Data at the bottom of the screen to clear data from all selected fields.

Read more: Experiencing Slow Wi-Fi? It Could Be Caused by Internet Throttling. Here’s How to Tell

What happens when you clear the cache?

Clearing your cache removes the website data your phone stored locally to prevent having to download that data upon each new visit. The data in your cache builds over time and can end up slowing things down if it becomes too bulky or out of date. (My phone had about 150MB of data stored in Chrome when I checked.) Clearing that data gives sites a fresh start, which may fix some loading errors and speed up your browser. However, clearing your cache also signs you out of pages, so be prepared to sign in to everything again.

How often do I need to clear my cache?

Most people only need to clear their caches once every month or two. That’s generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large enough to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.

With just one point separating these two title-chasing rivals, Saturday’s clash between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield is set to be a key encounter in the race for the English Premier League crown.

Last weekend, the hosts were left frustrated by struggling Man United as the two sides played out a hard-fought stalemate — a result that saw Liverpool drop points at home for the first time this season. Jurgen Klopp, nevertheless, will have been lifted by an impressive 5-1 trouncing of West Ham by a heavily rotated starting lineup in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarterfinal.

Arsenal hold a one-point advantage over Liverpool and come into this big game off the back of a confidence-boosting 2-0 win last weekend over Brighton at the Emirates, in a match that saw Kai Havertz once again on target.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services for watching all of the action live wherever you are in the world.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal: When and where?

Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday, Dec 23. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. GMT (12:30 p.m. ET, 9:30 a.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 4:30 a.m. AEDT on Sunday, Dec. 24, in Australia).

How to watch the Liverpool vs. Arsenal game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you’re unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch — and that’s where 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 a great idea if you want an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins while you’re traveling and connecting to Wi-Fi networks.

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 sticks 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, non-blackout 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 thinks is circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

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

Livestream Liverpool vs. Arsenal in the US

Sunday’s Liverpool-Arsenal match is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.

Livestream the Liverpool vs. Arsenal game in the UK

Premier League rights in the UK are split among Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport). Liverpool vs. Arsenal 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 Liverpool vs. Arsenal game in Canada

If you want to stream Liverpool vs. Arsenal live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights for this Premier League season.

Livestream the Liverpool vs. Arsenal game in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this EPL fixture on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every 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 in to 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 including 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 in to your services. We normally recommend Brave.

Want to get a few minutes back in your day? While most Apple computers allow you to copy text directly from an image, you need to download the image or grab a screenshot first. It’s a bit of a hassle, and it can lead to a lot of clutter on your hard drive. If you’re looking for a more convenient alternative, then we’ve got a deal you won’t want to miss.

TextSniper allows you to instantly copy text from images, PDFs, videos and more, and right now Mac users can get a lifetime subscription for just $4 at StackSocial, which is a 42% discount on the usual price of $7. There’s no set expiration for this StackSocial offer, so you’ll want to get signed up sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out.

TextSniper is one of the best text recognition services out there. It allows you to extract the text from just about anything on your screen, including images, PDF documents and even videos, and copy and paste them using custom keyboard shortcuts. It has its own text-to-speech function, and it’s compatible with multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian and more. Plus, it can instantly scan QR codes and barcodes, and it can be used without an internet connection.

This deal scores you lifetime access to TextSniper for one device, which has to be running MacOS Big Sur to get the multiple-language capabilities. If you have MacOS Catalina, you can run the English-only version. Just be sure to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase.

Read more: You Need to Try These 17 Essential MacBook Settings Right Now