Category: Technologies

When it comes to getting the most out of the many, many different sources of entertainment that you can watch on a screen, getting a bigger one is a good way to start. So why not treat yourself to a Hisense 75-inch 4K mini-LED TV and upgrade your home theater setup for under $700.

If that price seems low, that’s because it is. It’s $500 less than it retails for and $100 less than it’s been going for recently, dropping it down to a new all-time low. You were already getting a lot of TV and features for your money before this discount, but now it’s a deal you won’t want to miss.

The good news starts with that massive 75-inch canvas that will make your TV shows, movies and games look better than ever. It’s 4K ready, of course, and features a mini-LED QLED panel for a great quality image, brightness and contrast. Support for all the buzzwords is present and correct, including Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG). Full array local dimming helps ensure inky blacks when watching dark content, too.

In terms of connectivity, there’s plenty. Four HDMI ports and a pair of USB ports kick things off, while Ethernet and RF ports are included. Things get even more interesting when we go wireless, with Apple’s AirPlay 2 and Google’s Chromecast included.

Speaking of Google, this Hisense monster runs Google TV which gives you access to apps for all of your favorite streaming services. Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and all the rest are a click away. Just plug in your account details and you’ll be watching the latest episode of that hit new show in seconds.

With all of that said, all you need to do now is order. And enjoy that new TV!

While tablets are generally great for day-to-day activities, they often lack the power to do anything more substantial than watching movies or browsing the web. Two-in-one laptops can help bridge the gap, though, with more powerful specifications than most standalone tablets while remaining just as portable. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is one such device, and while its regular price of $1,299 could put a lot of potential buyers off, Woot has massively cut its price down to just $700 for a limited time. That’s lower than it has ever gone at Amazon where it is currently listed at $995.

The foundation of the Asus ROG Flow Z13 experience is the 13.6-inch touch-enabled screen that runs a 1920 x 1200 resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which gives you a bit more room for things like gaming. It’s powered by a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-12500H processor, a midrange desktop CPU that will let you get by on older and less resource-consuming games like indies or card games. But unfortunately, while the ROG Flow Z13 is generally marketed as a gaming device, this configuration doesn’t come with its own GPU and instead relies on the integrated graphics of the CPU. There is an optional (and pricey) external GPU that can solve that problem, though.

The screen runs at a 120Hz refresh rate, which is good for gaming and the general day-to-day experience. The higher refresh rate also comes in handy if you want to use a stylus to take notes, draw or do any other graphical work, which makes the ROG Flow Z13 quite versatile. It also has its own little kickstand, which isn’t really anything world-changing, but it’s a nice detail that lets you take it from tablet to desktop mode in seconds. And the included detachable RGB keyboard completes the tablet-to-laptop transformation.

Besides that, it comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which should be more than enough for most folks without needing to grab an external hard drive for extra storage. As for battery life, you’ll likely see about 6 hours or so based on our testing.

One of my favorite Canadian television shows, Murdoch Mysteries, recently returned for its 17th season. To watch it, I pulled out my Kubuntu Focus Linux gaming laptop, connected it to my LG C2 OLED, and went to fire up my VPN (virtual private network), only to realize I still needed to install it.

Perhaps, like me, you need to watch Netflix, Disney Plus, or another streaming service while traveling abroad. Maybe you want to bolster your online privacy. Whatever the reason, it’s worth using a VPN. Using a VPN lets you hide your location from your internet service provider (ISP) and services like apps or websites. For instance, I can comfortably be seated on the sofa in my living room in North Carolina, but using a VPN, apps and websites think I’m in Toronto, Canada (or another location based on the server you select).

On most platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, setting up a VPN is pretty simple: Download an app and install it. However, on Linux, the configuration process isn’t as straightforward. While some VPN providers offer standalone apps, you may have to resort to changing your network manager settings or relying on a browser plugin.

Installing a VPN on Linux using your VPN provider’s app is the easiest method

If your VPN provider offers a Linux app, that’s the best way to run a virtual private network on your PC. You’ll enjoy the most features, such as switching servers quickly and picking which VPN protocol to use, like OpenVPN or Wireguard.

Thankfully, most of the major companies include helpful guides for getting started:

• ExpressVPN
• Surfshark
• NordVPN
• Proton VPN
• PIA
• IPVanish

Some VPN providers, like Private Internet Access (PIA), offer downloadable files for installing Linux apps. Often, these will be a .run file, a shell script, or a .deb file, a software package installer for Debian-based operating systems like Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or Pop!_OS.

Here’s how to set up a VPN on Linux with a downloadable file:

1. Head to your VPN provider’s website, navigate to the Downloads page, and download the installer that’s compatible with your Linux operating system (OS) and computer hardware.
2. Open your terminal (CTRL + ALT + T on most Debian-based Linux distributions).
3. Navigate into the folder where your file is saved (usually your Downloads directory): cd /home/[username]/Downloads
4. Make the installer executable (note: If your file is a deb file, you can skip this step, and proceed to step 5, but this is required for scripts like .run or .sh files): chmod +x [filename]
5. Run the installer: sudo ./[file name] for a script like a .sh or .run file, or sudo apt install [package name] for a .deb file.
6. Launch your VPN, sign in with your account credentials, then start using your virtual private network.

Note that these steps might differ slightly based on your specific VPN provider; however, the process should be similar. Here’s what it looked like when I loaded up Private Internet Access on my Linux machine:

1. Download the most recent version of the PIA.run file.
2. Open a terminal (CTRL + ALT + T).
3. Navigate into my Downloads directory: cd /home/techuplife/Downloads.
4. Make the installer executable: chmod +x pia-linux-3.5.1-07760.run (Note: The numbers here will differ based on the version of PIA you’re installing).
5. Start the installer: ./pia-linux-3.5.1-07760.run.
6. Follow the prompts in the terminal window to finish installing Private Internet Access.
7. Fire up the PIA Linux app, sign in, and select a server location.

While select VPN providers offer downloadable files like a .run or .deb, others, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, rely entirely on the command line. Let’s look at downloading a VPN on Linux with the command line:

1. Open a terminal window (CTRL + ALT + T).
2. Find the installation command on your VPN provider’s website, copy that (CTRL + C), and paste it into the terminal (CTRL + SHIFT + V).
3. Hit Enter or Return to run the installer and follow the prompts.

Once installation finishes, run your VPN to log in and get connected. The specific steps for a Linux app command line download differ but should generally be similar. When I installed Surfshark on my laptop, it looked like this:

1. Launch a terminal window (CTRL + ALT + T).
2. Copy the installation script and paste it into my terminal: curl -f https://downloads.surfshark.com/linux/debian-install.sh –output surfshark-install.sh
3. Run the installation script: sudo sh surfshark-install.sh then follow the on-screen prompts.
4. Open the freshly downloaded Surfshark Linux client app, log in, select a server location, and enable the VPN.

You can also install a VPN on Linux using your system’s network manager

While I recommend using the official Linux app from your VPN provider, assuming there’s one available, you can configure a virtual private network on your computer using a specific protocol, like OpenVPN or WireGuard. You’ll use a specific VPN protocol client like WireGuard and OpenVPN, or Network Manager. While using Network Manager or OpenVPN works, it’s more cumbersome and doesn’t give you the full slate of features as a standalone VPN client app from your provider.

For example, by installing Surfshark’s VPN app, I could switch between WireGuard and OpenVPN. Different VPN protocols offer various benefits. Generally, OpenVPN sports better security at the expense of connection speeds, while WireGuard is more balanced with excellent protection and minor speed loss compared to not using a VPN. But not all companies allow you to use their client app — IPVanish’s Linux instructions all hinge on OpenVPN.

To configure a VPN on Linux using your network manager:

1. Open Connections.
2. Click the plus (+) sign.
3. Select your preferred VPN protocol, typically OpenVPN or WireGuard.
4. Enter the correct information based on your VPN provider.

From there, you can change several fields:

1. Connection name: You can use anything, but I recommend setting this as your VPN provider, i.e., NordVPN, IPVanish, etc.
2. Gateway
3. Connection type: TLS, Static Key, Password, Password with Certificate (TLS)
4. User name
5. Password

Depending on which connection type you select, you may have even more fields. You’ll need to check your VPN provider’s website to see the correct information to input in the various boxes and obtain certificates.

VPN apps with a GUI on Linux are great for beginners

Many VPN providers only offer Linux command line interface (CLI) apps. Although the command line isn’t necessarily tricky, a visual interface is easier to navigate for Linux beginners. Additionally, a graphical user interface (GUI) provides features like the ability to pick your favorite servers, quickly turn your VPN connection on or off, and easily navigate into your settings. Surfshark and Private Internet Access (PIA) are two of our favorite VPN providers with Linux GUI applications.

That’s not to say a CLI VPN app is challenging to use, but it’s not as intuitive — especially for folks new to Linux — since you’ll need to enter the proper commands to perform essential functions like changing servers and turning your VPN on or off. With NordVPN, for example, you’ll need to remember the proper Linux app commands to enter to connect, disconnect, change servers, enable kill switches, and perform other functions. Or, if you’re me, look up commands each time because you don’t recall them off the top of your head.

Luckily, they’re mostly pretty simple; nordvpn login logs you in, nordvpn connect / nordvpn c connects you to VPN servers, and nordvpn set killswitch on enables its kill switch. Similarly, with ExpressVPN, you’ll connect using the command expressvpn connect. Using expressvpn list in a terminal window shows a list of recommended server locations, and you can pick a specific location using expressvpn connect “[country – city]”. As you can see, most terminal commands aren’t too tricky, but you might have to consult help documents for the VPN you’re using for the full library of options.

Other ways to run a VPN on Linux

Using your VPN provider’s Linux app — either with a GUI or CLI — gives you a great experience. However, you can also use a browser extension. A standalone VPN app provides comprehensive protection for all applications on your computer — from your Chrome web browser and Steam game client to Spotify. If your VPN has split tunneling, you can even choose which apps use a VPN while it’s enabled and which don’t. So you could use your VPN to access Netflix libraries from the UK while installing a game from Steam outside of your VPN to avoid that pesky two-factor authentication email from Valve and faster download speeds.

On the other hand, a browser extension only protects web traffic through your browser. So if you’re watching Netflix, streaming Spotify, and reading articles on your favorite websites (it’s CNET, right? RIGHT??), in a browser, that’s routed through your VPN. But downloadable apps for Spotify, Netflix, and other services aren’t. In this way, a browser extension is similar to split tunneling in that only some traffic is protected. But where split tunneling allows you to use your VPN for various apps, extensions only work with whatever’s in that specific web browser.

Ultimately, if you’ve got the option to use a VPN client app, you’ll get the most functionality. A browser extension is pretty easy but less comprehensive than a standalone VPN application. And using the network manager on your Linux OS works well enough but makes switching VPN protocols more cumbersome.

It’s not wise to keep all of your photos, music, movies and other important files on your computer’s storage drive. It can slow down performance, and you’re at risk of losing everything if it crashes or breaks. If you’re looking for a convenient, affordable and risk-free way to back everything up, then we’ve got a deal you won’t want to miss. Right now, 20TB of Prism Drive cloud storage for just $90, which saves you over 90% compared with the usual price. And unlike many other cloud storage services, this is a one-time payment, so you don’t have to worry about recurring subscription costs adding up over time.

And if 20TB is a little much for your needs, you can get 10TB for $80, 5TB for $59 or 2TB for $39. Just note that these deals are available only through Oct. 23, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Prism Drive lets you securely store your files and access them from practically anywhere using your computer, phone or tablet. You can upload just about any type of file, including MP4, JPEG, PPT and more, and you can preview files in the cloud without having to download them first. Note that there is a file size upload limit of 10GB.

The service uses zero-knowledge encryption to keep your data secure and deleted files can still be recovered for up to 30 days after. There’s no limit on the number of devices you can use to access your storage drive, and you can create shareable links to safely share files with friends and family.

The holiday season is coming up quick and that means shopping is picking up. If you started gift shopping early during Amazon Prime Day last week, or if you usually buy gifts on Black Friday, you’ll likely need to know the return policy just in case the items don’t work out.

See below for the return windows and policies for major retail stores Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Macy’s. For more shopping tips, here’s how to get $30 ahead of October Prime Day. Also, here’s how to get shipping costs cut at these chain retailers.

Amazon returns

When you make a purchase on Amazon — even Amazon Warehouse — you’ve got 30 days to return the items. That’s not a lot of time if you’re buying gifts that you intend to give during the holidays. My suggestion? Open the item to check that it has all the parts and pieces, and to make sure it’s what you’re after. If not, box it back up and ship it back as soon as possible.

If you do keep the item that you plan to gift past 30 days and the recipient finds that it doesn’t work for them, they can still get a refund for up to 80% of the total price on an Amazon gift card. They can also choose to exchange the item — for instance, if it’s the wrong size or color.

Note that some Amazon sellers may have different return policies.

Walmart returns

If you buy something from Walmart (online or in-store), you typically have a 90-day window to return it. However, Walmart does offer extended holiday returns for items purchased between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 that give you until Jan. 31, 2024, to return the item. So if you buy something as a gift during one of its sales, you or the person receiving it will have time to return or exchange the item.

Target returns

If you buy something at Target and decide you’d like to return it, you have 90 days to do so. And if you have Target’s credit card, RedCard, you have 120 days to make the return. If you’re returning a Target brand item or something from your registry, Target gives you a full year.

Similar to Walmart, Target also has an extended holiday return policy. Here’s how it works:

• For all electronics and entertainment items (excluding Apple products) purchased between Oct. 1 and Dec. 24, the 30-day refund period will start on Dec. 26 and must be returned by Jan. 24, 2024.
• For Apple products (excluding iPhones) purchased between Oct. 1 and Dec. 24, the 15-day refund period will start on Dec. 26 and must be returned by Jan. 9, 2024.
• For mobile phones purchased in-store or online as a pickup order between Oct. 1 and Dec. 24, the 14-day refund window starts on Dec. 26 and must be returned by Jan. 8, 2024.

Best Buy returns

Best Buy gives you 15 days to return items you’ve purchased, and 14 days if it’s an activatable device like a phone or tablet. However, if you’re a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total member, you have 60 days to return anything you’ve purchased, excluding activatable devices.

If you’re returning a gift you received, you’ll get store credit for the purchase price if you return it in a store. If you return the gift by mail, the gift buyer will get the credit.

If Best Buy follows last year’s holiday return policy, items purchased between Oct. 24 and Dec. 31 have until Jan. 14 to be returned.

Macy’s returns

Any item purchased from Macy’s must be returned within 30 days. If it’s an item from a gift registry, you have 90 days from the event date to return it.

If Macy’s follows last year’s holiday return policy, items purchased Oct. 3 and later have a 90-day return window. This policy would end Jan. 31, 2024.

For more, here’s how to save on your next Target shopping trip. And here are nine Amazon Prime tips you shouldn’t forget.

If you’re in the market for a new television and want the best without paying sky-high prices, you can’t go wrong buying reconditioned. Right now, there are plenty of deals to be had across a whole range of Samsung TVs, with prices starting at just $390.

These TVs range from the relatively small to the absolutely gargantuan, with plenty in between, and some have more or better features than others. They’re all factory-reconditioned, so should be practically as good as new, and are covered by a 90-day Samsung warranty (PDF). With so many options to choose from, we’re sure that everyone can find a TV to suit their needs and budget. You just have to pick one and pick one soon — these Woot reconditioned units are limited in number, and the whole deal ends at 11:59 p.m. CST (9:59 p.m. PT, 12:59 a.m. ET) on Oct. 20.

There are multiple models and screen sizes to choose from, with one of the biggest and best being the Samsung S95C QD-OLED TV in the 77-inch configuration. You can pick up one of those for $3,400 right now which might sound like a lot — but this really is a lot of TV for your money. You’ll get a whole range of features, including some built especially for gamers.

Looking to shop at the other end of the price range? The 32-inch Samsung Q60C is just $390 and there are other display sizes on offer there, too.

None of these deals require that you do any more than place your order before the time (or stock) expires. That means there are no discount codes and no on-screen coupons, but you do need to be quick. Just measure up and make sure your new 77-inch TV will fit where you want to put it first.

If you’ve ever walked into a hotel room and found that your charger won’t quite reach from the wall to where you need it, you aren’t alone. But this power strip fixes all of that and right now you can pick one up for just $10 if you’re quick.

That price is extremely low, thanks to the huge 62% discount. You’d normally have to pay as much as $26 for this particular power strip, and you don’t need to jump through any hoops to get this deal either. No on-screen coupons, no discount codes, no fuss.

This power strip can be used at home or in the office just fine, but it’s when traveling that it really comes into its own. The thin, flat cord means that it won’t get caught under doors if needed and the long 5-foot cable ensures that you’ll be able to charge with plenty of cable to spare. Even the plug itself is super thin to ensure you can squeeze it in should space be restricted behind furniture.

You’ll be able to power several devices at once since this power strip turns a single AC outlet into four. There’s more, too, thanks to the three USB-A ports and a single USB-C port for charging up phones, tablets and whatever else you’re lugging around.

Amazon’s product page doesn’t say anything about when this deal will end, so keep that in mind when you’re planning your order. Note as well that the deal is only available on the white version, though we’re not sure that it really matters what color your power strip is anyway. If you need a longer cord, 10- and 15-foot versions are available, though not with quite as big a discount.

If you’re an Xbox gamer looking to bag a few more wins, you may want to upgrade to the Elite Series 2 Core wireless controller. You can customize it to fit your play style, and right now you can pick it up at an all-time low price. The basic white variant is currently $41 off at Microsoft directly, which drops it down to just $89. Or you can grab the red variant for $114, which saves you $26. The blue variant is also on sale at Microsoft, but you’ll find a better price at Walmart, where you can pick it up for $123, saving you $17. Just note that there’s no set expiration for these deals, so we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

The Elite Series 2 Core controller, unveiled in September 2022, is essentially a more affordable, trimmed-down version of its namesake Elite Series 2. As you’d expect, the two offerings share a bunch of features, like adjustable-tension thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, wrap-around rubberized grips and 40 hours of rechargeable battery life — all things that can help serious players up their performance and stay in the game for longer.

The Core version, however, comes without the swappable paddles, thumbsticks and D-pad or the charging dock and protective case. If you decide you want all of those customization options down the line, they can be purchased separately in the Complete Component Pack, meaning you can get in the door for less with the Core model and spend the extra as and when you need to.

And if you’re looking for more ways to expand your Xbox gaming setup on a budget, you can check out our full roundup of all the best Xbox deals for more bargains on headsets, storage drives and more.

While external hard drives are great for expanding storage, they often don’t have the read and write speeds to handle more intense activity. That can be anything from gaming on a PC to running an application from it, and if you want to do any of that, you’ll have to go with a higher-end portable SSD like the Samsung T9.

With a capacity for higher speeds and a more robust design, the 2TB Samsung T9 usually goes for $240 but is currently discounted down to $200. This is the first discount we’ve seen on the new T9 SSD and it’s a solid 17% saving.

What sets the Samsung T9 apart from other external hard drives is its ability to hit an impressive 2,000MBps read and write speeds, which is close to the 2,600MBps speeds that an internal NVME SSD can manage. That means you’re getting performance speeds that can almost match an internal drive, which gives you much more room to run intense applications like games or editing software. Even better, it can sustain those speeds for quite a while, so you won’t experience slowdowns or have issues with running apps of the Samsung T9.

Of course, running extended read/write activity can make any external hard drive heat up, but the T9 helps mitigate that with its thermal guard. It also has 9.5-foot drop protection, which is great for those needing a more portable solution without worrying about handling their external hard drives super carefully. Add to that the five-year limited warranty, and you’re getting an overall excellent deal for $200.