Category: Technologies

E-readers have continued to grow in popularity, largely in part to how much more convenient it is to grab one device with all of your favorite books on it instead of lugging around a couple of heavy paperbacks. These devices are compact, ultraportable and offer a wide variety of content for readers of all ages. Right now Amazon has discounted a number of its Kindle devices by up to 33%. If you’ve been considering grabbing an e-reader, now is an excellent time to make the jump to digital.

The Amazon Kindle (2022) is the best-value e-reader on the market right now and tops our list of best e-readers of 2023. It’s a great entry-level model for anyone wanting to make the switch to digital books. It’s compact and has a 6-inch screen, but still boasts 300-ppi resolution. And right now you can save $20 on the ad-supported version in black and denim colors. That brings the cost down to $80, making it the cheapest option in this sale. And if you want to upgrade to the ad-free version, you can grab it right now for just $100 (save $20).

But if you’re a fan of reading while soaking in the tub or sunbathing at the pool, you might want to opt for the 2021 edition of Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite. Not only does it come with a larger 6.8-inch display, but it’s also rated IPX8 waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about accidental splashes or your device taking a tumble into the water. The ad-supported version is discounted by $40 right now, meaning you can bring home the 8GB ad-supported model for just $100. (Or double your storage and grab the 16GB ad-free Kindle Paperwhite for $30 more.)

There are other models available in this sale, including models designed for kids that come with a two-year protection plan and a year of Kindle Kids content included, with prices starting as low as $80. Be sure to shop the entire sale selection to find the right fit for your needs and budget.

Some American lawmakers want to ban TikTok over worries that its 150 million US users could be a powerful weapon in the hands of the Chinese government.

Proposals bouncing around both the US House and Senate would do just that, though the technical details remain fuzzy. And an unprecedented move like this would undoubtedly prompt legal challenges from free-speech advocates, the tech industry and others, especially in the absence of any direct evidence showing Chinese government ties or surveillance.

The growing calls for such a ban follow the more than four-hour grilling of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew by a House committee last month. During the meeting, several members angrily charged that the app could be used to both gather intelligence about Americans and spread dangerous disinformation in service of that government’s agenda.

They also railed against the company’s perceived data collection and sharing habits, as well as the potential effects of explicit and otherwise inappropriate content on the growing minds of kids and teenagers.

Chew repeatedly insisted during the hearing that his company, which is based in Singapore and Los Angeles, operates independently from both its China-based parent ByteDance and the Chinese government.

After the hearing’s conclusion, TikTok also released a statement accusing the committee members of “political grandstanding” and failing to acknowledge the company’s efforts to address data protection concerns through efforts like Project Texas, which the company says would keep American user data in the US.

While some security experts agree it’s possible that TikTok could pose a danger to national security, they argue that a ban isn’t the right way to handle those concerns. Instead, they argue that political leaders should focus on passing federal digital privacy legislation that would regulate how all social media companies collect, protect and share user data.

“We’re not China,” said Justin Fier, senior vice president for red team operations at the AI security company Darktrace. “There’s no ‘Great Firewall’ here. We don’t monitor every packet that goes back and forth.”

Fier said that from a practical standpoint he doesn’t understand how such a ban would work in the US, other than by forcing companies like Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, which in itself would be a “massive” move.

That said, Fier and other data security experts say politicians are right to be worried about TikTok’s impact on national security.

“From a targeting perspective, it’s the perfect data set,” he said, noting that Chinese intelligence officials could easily filter the massive amounts of data collected by the app to find specific Americans to target for espionage purposes.

Anton Dahbura, executive director of the Information Security Institute at Johns Hopkins University, agrees. He says that Chinese efforts to gather data on the American population at large are nothing new, noting that its government has been tied to everything from the massive data breach of the Marriott hotel chain to swarms of surveillance drones discovered in the skies of Washington, DC.

Meanwhile, he says the stakes continue to increase as the definition of what’s now considered critical infrastructure continues to broaden. While facilities like meat-packing plants and schools may not have been considered to be part of this category a few years ago, they are now, Dahbura says. But their data security resources and practices haven’t kept pace, making them soft targets for nation-state hackers.

Data collected by TikTok could give those digital intelligence operators the information they need to target them, he said.

“This is something everyone should take seriously,” he said. Dahbura added that while other social media companies are also collecting that same data, “it’s over the top to have an open pipeline directly to foreign governments for them to use as they please.”

Despite that, he agrees that a ban would do little good, saying that Americans will find a way around it or move to imitators that will inevitably pop up.

Dahbura says the mishmash of complaints and issues thrown around by the politicians calling for a ban shows how members of Congress don’t really understand how social media and the technology behind it work.

There were at least a handful of times during the hearing where representatives asked questions that didn’t make any sense, including whether TikTok accessed home Wi-Fi networks. Apps don’t access networks, but devices like phones and laptops do, then apps connect to the internet through them. Another such question was whether TikTok monitors pupil dilation. Chew said it doesn’t. It just identifies the eyes on a person’s face when they’re using certain kinds of filters.

At the same time, some of the committee members tried to put the focus on the perceived evils of social media as a whole, for example, pointing to the suicide death of a teenager last year that allegedly happened after the teen watched TikTok videos promoting suicide.

While those are big problems, they aren’t unique to TikTok, Dahbura said. “That eliminated their credibility for me,” he said of the panel.

Fier said that given the vast amounts of data social media companies collect and store, the government will have to ultimately decide whether it wants to regulate them as it does financial institutions and other data-heavy industries.

Given the millions of people and businesses that use TikTok and social media,”it would be a tough culture shift to go backward,” he said.

Both experts said that one thing Congress could do is finally pass a federal privacy law. Right now, in the US tech companies are governed by a patchwork of state laws. While admittedly this wouldn’t stop Chinese espionage efforts, it could go a long way toward addressing other long-running concerns about social media as a whole.

“Our politicians have become extremely reactive in regards to technology,” Dahbura said. “But the way technology is moving, we can’t be reactive anymore. We have to be proactive.”

After Samsung and Oppo released their flip phones for 2023, Vivo may soon be coming out with one of its own.

An image of the so-called Vivo X Flip was leaked on Chinese social media by a well-known tipster on Monday. It shows a clamshell-style phone with a large cover screen in a horizontal orientation on the upper section of the device. This is a significantly larger screen than the one on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4, and stands in contrast to Oppo’s Find N2 Flip, which has a large screen in a vertical orientation.

Smartphone companies are betting foldable phones will be the next big thing in smartphone tech, but these bendy devices have yet to break into the mainstream. The flip phone, however, seems to be paving the way for the segment, as it stages a comeback partly thanks to its compact design and the perception that it’s more disconnected than regular phones.

This year, Oppo released its first flip phone to international markets, in a move that deepens the phone maker’s commitment to the foldable phone category.

Earlier reports on the Vivo X Flip say that it has a 6.8-inch inner screen and will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. There is no word yet on when Vivo’s flip phone will be announced or if it will receive an international release, but the the Chinese phonemaker is reported to unveil its bookstyle foldable phone, the Vivo X Fold 2, as early as April.

Vivo didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The ReMarkable 2 is one of the cheapest and most effective E Ink tablets available. Starting at $279, it has a gray-scale screen that’s perfect for distraction-free reading and seamless writing or drawing with its included pen. And now you can expand the tablet’s capabilities to include distraction-free typing with ReMarkable’s Type Folio.

The $200 Type Folio (AU$299, 179) is thin and sleek and acts as a case, kickstand and keyboard for the device – surprising considering there’s little difference in appearance between it and ReMarkable’s original $129 Book Folio. It weighs about a pound and connects to the ReMarkable 2 magnetically while allowing access to the sides of the device.

Type Folio for the ReMarkable 2

$200 at ReMarkable

Out of the box, it’s hard to tell if there is a keyboard included in the Type Folio. When you put the tablet in the case, all you see is the cover flap, just like a book cover. The clever design hides the keyboard under the tablet; you’ll need to lift the ReMarkable 2 up and slide it forward in order to expose the keys. The cover flap folds behind the keyboard to give you a clutter-free typing area.

The Type Folio has two viewing angles: one that sits upright and is great for typing and one that’s nearly flat and designed for combining handwriting with typing. The tablet automatically switches to portrait view as soon as either keyboard setting is engaged.

Anyone who has used a compact tablet keyboard will feel right at home here. The small but functional keyboard’s full-sized letter keys are nice, and the 1.3mm of key travel gives just the right amount of satisfying clack. It can be set up with Mac or Windows typing shortcuts, but the layout is a little too cramped to use them quickly, especially for larger hands. Also, the Enter, Delete and function keys are squeezed into the end of the keyboard, making them slightly difficult to navigate.

The biggest hurdle for most people, though, will likely be the ReMarkable 2 itself. The tablet is generally very responsive to key inputs, but it’s still a different experience compared to a laptop or tablet with an LCD screen. E Ink displays don’t refresh as quickly as LCDs, and the result is a slight mirage effect whenever you move the cursor quickly. It’s most pronounced when attempting to delete text, as you can see the cursor jumping back across the page as you delete. It’s not particularly distracting, but it is certainly noticeable.

The typing experience on E Ink tablets is also prone to ghosting, where you can see a faint image of E Ink underneath your page. Refreshing the page gets rid of ghosting, but it’s not practical to close out and reopen a document every time it happens. Ghosting is something you’ll encounter on all E Ink devices, even the best Amazon Kindles. That said, it seems more prevalent when typing, as my frequent use of the Delete key would leave a slightly gray box underneath my paragraphs.

While typing on the ReMarkable 2 certainly has its quirks, it’s also fairly pleasant. I don’t have to worry about pop-up notifications, and I’m not tempted by the internet since there’s no web browser. It’s also better for my eyes, as the ReMarkable and other E Ink tablets lack the harmful blue light associated with LCD screens. I loved how seamlessly I could integrate handwriting with my typing, too, but I would have liked typing options on the included notes app to be more robust.

Also, there’s currently no way to adjust margins, and there are only four type settings: title case, subhead, paragraph and bullet points. You can use keyboard shortcuts to easily toggle among them, but I’d love more complete font and paragraph settings. I prefer to write double-spaced, for example, but that’s not possible right now.

Additionally, I wish it were slightly easier to position the cursor on the screen. There’s no mouse support, so you have to tap on a location or navigate using the directional arrows on the keyboard. And worst of all, the note app lacks any spelling and grammar checker – a truly horrific omission for someone as error-prone as I am.

Also read: Best E Ink Tablets for 2023: Devices Made for Reading and Writing

The biggest downfall of the Type Folio, however, is inextricably linked to the ReMarkable 2’s greatest weakness: the lack of any lighting whatsoever. Most E Ink tablets have some sort of lighting to illuminate the display for use in the dark. The ReMarkable 2 and the Type Folio have no lighting whatsoever. If you want to use them in the dark, you’re turning on a lamp. Considering even the cheapest Kindle e-reader now comes with front lighting, the ReMarkable 2 feels outdated. Especially compared to competitorOnyx Boox Tab Ultra, which has front lighting and an optional keyboard case for $109 that pairs with a superfast refresh mode for zero cursor lag.

Ultimately, at $200, the ReMarkable 2 Type Folio keyboard cover is best suited for casual typing. The ReMarkable 2 excels at handwritten notes and PDF management, but that’s about it. Those looking for a way to write long-form pieces on a distraction-free E Ink tablet should opt for the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra, where you’ll get access to a speedy device with the software you’ll need to actually get work done.

NordVPN feature Meshnet lets you securely share files and route traffic through other devices, regardless of where you are in the world. The free feature, released in June 2022, essentially gives you the ability to create your own personal VPN server through your computer without the need for any special equipment, configuration or advanced networking knowledge. It’s had more attention recently because Nord made it free to all in March 2023. It was previously only available to the company’s paid VPN subscribers.

NordVPN pitches Meshnet as a feature you can use for all sorts of applications, including gaming, P2P file sharing, remote collaboration and remote device access. With Meshnet active, you can set up a secure local area network of up to 60 devices (10 of your own and 50 external) remotely from anywhere. You can host a LAN party with your friends, for example, whether you’re all in the same room or in another part of the world.

Meshnet devices are connected via NordVPN’s proprietary WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol, so you can access and share files securely, not unlike you would on a corporate network. The NordLynx protocol also encrypts the VPN tunnel you create if you or your friends want to remotely route your traffic through your home computer and connect to the internet using its IP address.

All you need to make this work is the NordVPN app on your compatible devices (MacOS, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS). And — as mentioned above — you don’t even need a paid NordVPN subscription anymore, because Meshnet is now free to everyone.

Meshnet has a ton of potential, and there really is a lot you can do with the tool if you’re able to fully leverage its capabilities. However, the feature is still a little rough around the edges and has a few inherent drawbacks. It’s worthwhile to understand what Meshnet can and can’t do, and what you can practically use it for.

NordVPN

Fastest VPN we’ve tested in 2023 / Number 3 overall choice

In order to use Meshnet, you’ll need to sign up for NordVPN and use that service’s app. However, the Meshnet features are available for free — you won’t need to provide any credit card info. Read more:

• NordVPN Review

• Best VPNs for 2023
• Fastest VPNs for 2023

See at NordVPN

What Meshnet does

For most people, Meshnet is perhaps best used for transferring files from one device to another. It’s also great for routing traffic through another device’s IP address and for secure online collaboration between colleagues and friends.

Meshnet offers immense practical value as a way to easily share files between devices. Even in 2023, it can sometimes be cumbersome to send a file from one device to another. Sending files via email isn’t secure, and you have to make the effort to compress larger files due to the severe limitations email providers set for file capacity.

Even cloud storage tools like Google Drive or Dropbox and file transfer tools like WeTransfer impose limitations on sending files unless you pay up. You could go the wired route, but that will require the devices to be next to each other. It’ll also probably involve various adapters in addition to the requisite wires. Meshnet lets you send up to 1,000 files of any type and any size wirelessly and securely from anywhere in the world in a single transfer — for free.

If you’re someone who routinely transfers lots of photos, videos or other large files between devices, or if you share files with friends, family and colleagues, Meshnet is an excellent solution. NordVPN offers tutorials on how to share files with Meshnet on various platforms, but some of the instructions are incomplete and the file sharing process may take a little bit of figuring out. For example, the iOS file transfer tutorial indicates that you will be able to “find the files shared with you by checking your device’s default download folder location.” It doesn’t mention that you will have to manually select the file’s destination on your iOS device. The file won’t just automatically appear in a default download folder.

If you have friends that you game with online around the country or around the world, Meshnet is a great tool for setting up your own private gaming server to host remote LAN parties with them. This functionality is particularly beneficial for sandbox games like Minecraft or Roblox. Or if you work on a remote team and need to securely collaborate in real time with your colleagues, Meshnet can be of real value. Applications like this may require some additional technical know-how, but NordVPN’s tutorials are usually good enough to get you started. (Note, of course, you’ll want to vet the tool with your company’s IT department before installing it or using it for any corporate projects.)

Meshnet is useful, but limited, if you want to route your internet traffic through your home or office computer remotely. To route your traffic through another computer on Meshnet, all you need to do is open the NordVPN application on another device and connect to the host machine directly from the app. However, the functionality is limited because your host machine, wherever it is, must be online, active and connected to Meshnet. It’s a practical solution if you know you’ll need to use the routing functionality in the short term and have your host machine prepped and ready to host the connection.

But if you’re traveling, especially overseas or for more than a few days, you’ll need to be willing to have the host machine remain on and active the entire time you’re away if you’re hoping to stream content online as if you’re at home. Even then, there’s no guarantee that the machine will stay connected. In cases like this, it’s far more practical to simply use a paid NordVPN account to connect to a server in the region you want to access content from. Also, be aware that the traffic routing functionality on MacOS is only available on the sideloaded version of the app, which is available for download directly from NordVPN — it doesn’t work if you download it from the App Store.

Don’t confuse Meshnet for a full VPN

Meshnet is a cool feature, and once you’re experienced you can get creative with how you use it. But even though you can create your own VPN server and connect through it, Meshnet ultimately can’t replace a full-fledged VPN service. Most notably, it’s not a practical solution for geofencing your IP address for international streaming, and secure internet browsing is only possible if your host machine is connected to a VPN server when using the traffic routing feature (otherwise your traffic is exiting from the host machine’s ISP-assigned IP address).

The feature still has a lot of room to improve. I understand that it’s an innovative new feature for a VPN provider, but I wish it delivered a more seamless experience overall. For instance, devices that are online and connected to Meshnet don’t always show up on other devices as online and available for file sharing or traffic routing. I had to switch Meshnet on and off again a few times to get our devices to communicate with each other properly.

However, once you get past its little quirks and figure out how to make it work for you, it can be a useful feature. Just keep in mind that you need to have the NordLynx protocol active on any device you connect to Meshnet.

For security reasons, be careful to only allow people you trust to connect to your Meshnet when sharing files, setting up a LAN or allowing traffic routing through your machine. You’re responsible for the online activity associated with your IP address, so if someone you don’t know is using routing their traffic through your IP address and doing something illegal, you’re on the hook for it. If someone you don’t know sends you a file through Meshnet, that file may contain malware. If someone you don’t know is connected to your local network through Meshnet, they’ll have access to the other devices on the LAN.

It’s a good idea to also set permissions for Meshnet’s various functions to ensure you’re limiting access to the level you’re comfortable with.

Also, be aware that you’ll need to provide NordVPN with an email address to create an account and use Meshnet, even though it’s available free of charge. If you’re not comfortable providing your email address, you could theoretically use a burner email to sign up. And don’t be surprised if you’re periodically prompted to sign up for a paid NordVPN subscription, or at least whenever you sign into your account. Though Meshnet is free, NordVPN would naturally want to convert as many free Meshnet users into paying users as possible.

If you prefer the paid option, note that Nord currently offers a variety of two-year (27-month) plans starting as low as $4 a month ($108 due at signing), and the service’s 30-day money back guarantee makes it risk-free to return to the free Meshnet version, if you’d prefer.

For more information, check out our NordVPN review and VPN FAQs.

In an era of Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount Plus, HBO Max and Peacock, there seem to be nearly as many streaming services as there are days in a month. With subscription prices constantly rising,the cost of signing up for more than one service can quickly rival an old cable bill.

Depending on your cellphone service, however, there could be ways to score discounts on one or more of these options. Some T-Mobile plans can get you a free subscription to Netflix and Apple TV Plus. Verizon offers the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu) with certain plans, while one of Cricket Wireless’ unlimited plans includes ad-supported HBO Max.

Let’s break down the best streaming service deals that are available now from each carrier.

Read more: Best Streaming Service Deals

Verizon

Sarah Tew/CNET

Free Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus with some Verizon unlimited plans

Save $13 per month

Have your sights set on Disney Plus?

Verizon includes the Disney Bundle — subscriptions to Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus that run a combined $15 a month — with its 5G Play More and 5G Get More unlimited plans. Other plans, such as its most affordable Start and Welcome Unlimited plans, have six-month trials of Disney Plus included, but not the bundle.

Verizon allows mixing and matching with most of its unlimited plans, so as long as one line on your account has a Play More or Get More plan, you will be able to get the perk. Note that it is only one Disney subscription per Verizon account, not per individual line.

The deal works for both new and existing Disney Plus subscribers, so if you already have a subscription you can either cancel or, if you have the six-month trial, have the Verizon subscription run first and then have your regular subscription continue after.

It is also worth noting that the Disney Bundle Verizon offers includes ad-free Disney Plus (though Hulu still has ads). Disney’s regular triple play offer starts at $13 per month but has ads for Disney Plus and Hulu. Going ad-free for Disney Plus and Hulu in a triple play with ESPN Plus runs $20 per month.

According to Verizon’s website, both the Disney Bundle and six-month Disney Plus offerings are available until May 17. Verizon didn’t immediately get back to us about whether the deals would be extended past that date or what would happen to those who have already signed up.

See at Verizon

Apple

Free Apple One with the One Unlimited for iPhone plan from Verizon

Save $23 per month

On top of its Disney-related perks, Verizon includes Apple One with its One Unlimited for iPhone plan.

You can’t mix and match One Unlimited for iPhone with other unlimited plans, so all of your phone lines will need to be on the plan if you want the perk. One line gets you Apple One’s individual plan, which includes 50GB per month of iCloud Plus storage plus access to Apple Arcade, Apple Music and Apple TV Plus. Two or more lines get you Apple One’s family plan, which bumps the iCloud Plus storage to 200GB per month and adds the ability to share with up to five other users.

Apple One individual plan runs $17 per month while the family plan costs $23 per month.

You can learn more about what’s required to get Apple One with Verizon on Verizon’s website.

See at Verizon

T-Mobile

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Free Netflix on some T-Mobile unlimited plans

Save $15.49 per month

T-Mobile, through its Netflix on Us perk, has long offered free Netflix on some of its unlimited plans, including Magenta and its newer Magenta Max option. Older plans, called One and One Plus, also have Netflix included. The version of Netflix you get depends on your plan and how many lines you have.

Currently, any type of Magenta plan will get you Netflix Basic, so long as you have multiple lines. The exception is a Magenta Max plan, where you’re required to have only one line. If you have multiple lines of Magenta Max, you’ll get Netflix Standard instead. The basic version typically runs $10 a month and lets you watch on a single screen at a time. The standard version is the most popular version of Netflix that runs $15.49 a month and allows viewing on two screens. Full details, including what you’d need to pay if you want to upgrade to a higher plan like the 4K-capable Netflix Premium, can be found on T-Mobile’s website.

Note: It’s one Netflix subscription per T-Mobile account, not per individual line.

See at T-Mobile

Sarah Tew/CNET

Free Apple TV Plus on some T-Mobile Magenta, Magenta Max plans

Save $7 per month

In addition to Netflix, T-Mobile offers free Apple TV Plus as a perk. The Apple TV Plus deal is available to new and existing T-Mobile customers, but, like the Netflix deal, it varies based on your plan.

It is worth noting that T-Mobile doesn’t let you “mix and match” different plans on a family account, so you can’t have one person be on Magenta Max and get the Netflix and Apple TV Plus perk and then have other lines on cheaper Magenta plans.

A subscription to Apple TV Plus, normally $7 per month, is included with Magenta Max and specialized plans like Magenta Max 55+, Magenta Max Military and Magenta Max First Responder, among other plans. Six months of Apple TV Plus are included with plans such as Magenta, specialized Magenta plans and Sprint ONE. The company lists more eligible plans and how long they get Apple TV Plus on its website.

See at T-Mobile

Sarah Tew/CNET

Free year of MLB.TV for T-Mobile customers

Save $150

Are you a baseball fan? MLB.TV costs $150 per year, but customers with T-Mobile, Sprint or Metro by T-Mobile can receive a free one-year subscription to stream Major League Baseball games and events.

The deal kicked off last week just before the start of the 2023 season and runs through April 4 at 4:59 a.m. ET, and customers can redeem the limited-time offer through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app. Bear in mind that you won’t be able to stream live games in your local market with MLB TV, including those on local regional sports networks or games airing on national platforms like ESPN or TBS.

See at T-mobile

Metro by T-Mobile

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Free Amazon Prime membership with Metro by T-Mobile’s heritage $60 rate plan with Amazon

Save $15 per month, though you need to call in

Metro by T-Mobile includes a subscription to Amazon Prime with its heritage $60 rate plan with Amazon, which differs from its regular $60 per month unlimited plan that is currently available online. To get Prime, you need to call Metro by T-Mobile customer service and request it. In addition to two-day free shipping, it also means you’ll have access to Prime Video, for streaming movies and shows like Shotgun Wedding, The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

In addition to Prime, the plan also includes 100GB of Google One storage and 15GB of mobile hotspot. As its name suggests, Metro by T-Mobile is owned by T-Mobile and runs on its network.

See at Metrobyt-mobile

Cricket

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Free ad-supported HBO Max on Cricket Wireless’ $60-per-month Unlimited plan

Save $10 per month

Cricket Wireless, which is owned by AT&T, has added a deal that will bundle a subscription to the ad-supported version of HBO Max with the carrier’s $60-a-month unlimited plan. The streaming service gives you access to all HBO content as well as Max originals such as Peacemaker, The Flight Attendant and Our Flag Means Death.

Note: It’s one HBO Max subscription per Cricket account, not per individual line.

See at Cricket Wireless

On Monday, Google announced three new Search features that could make planning your next vacation cheaper and easier. The new features can help you save money on your next flight, explore a hotel before you book it and easily plan things to do on your trip.

Here’s what you can expect to see if you plan your next vacation using Google.

Flight price guarantee

Google Flights already shows you whether flight prices are low or high compared to historical averages, but now Google is launching a pilot program for price guarantees in the US.

How it works is Google will place a badge next to low-priced flights. Google doesn’t think the price for these flights will get any lower, but if the price does go down, Google will send you the difference via Google Pay.

This pilot program is only available for “Book on Google” flights that depart from the US.

Explore hotels before booking

If you use Google Search on mobile to find a hotel, you can view a slideshow to explore different hotels and find the right one for you. You can save hotels you like and pull up more information about the area around particular hotels, too.

Find prices for and book nearby activities

Finally, you can find prices for nearby attractions in Google, and you’ll also find a link to book tickets for those activities.

To view these, you have to use Google Search or Google Maps to find an attraction or tour company. You’ll see prices attached to different attractions and companies, as well as a “Tickets” tab that pulls up different ways to book admission. Searching for some attractions will also show you suggestions for similar experiences you might enjoy.

For more on Google, check out eight new Google products CNET expects in 2023, how to travel back in time with Google Maps and tips and tricks to help you save money on Google Drive and Gmail.

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If you’re stubbornly refusing to upgrade from your Samsung Galaxy S10 (we don’t blame you, it was a fantastic phone in its day), you may want to freshen it up with a new protective case to protect your smartphone and its delicate screen against cracks, chips and other damage. Whether you have the small (Galaxy S10E), medium (S10) or large (S10 Plus) from the Galaxy S10 series, there are plenty of Samsung Galaxy S10 case options out there for your device.

Here are some of our favorite picks for the best Galaxy S10 case in every style, from rugged armor cases to leather covers to polycarbonate cases and even a clear case. Some have button covers and reinforced corners for extra protection.There are options that are compatible with a belt clip holster so it’s always within grabbing distance. There are others that have a card slot so you don’t have to carry a wallet and a phone. Some of the recommendations for these Galaxy S series cases are based on our experience with the preceding S9 versions.

Tough but relatively slim

Sarah Tew/CNET

OtterBox Symmetry Series

$45 at Amazon

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The OtterBox Symmetry Series is the company’s most stylish phone cover case and is fairly slim, durable and will protect your device and camera (it’s similar to Speck’s cases, which certainly influenced OtterBox’s design). This Samsung Galaxy S10 phone case comes in black, a clear case version and a variety of other colors. This rugged case which provides drop protection and a raised lip screen bumper starts at $40.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Gear4 Piccadilly

$10 at Amazon

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I like several of Gear4’s cases, including the translucent Piccadilly, which comes in a few different scratch resistant design options, as well as the Gear4 Battersea. The Gear4 Piccadilly Samsung Galaxy S10 case is wireless charger compatible and has raised edges for extra protection. All of Gear4’s cases feature a lining of the company’s special D3O shock-absorbing material for drop protection. The Piccadilly starts at $30.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Catalyst Case

$35 at Amazon

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Catalyst was once known for its waterproof cases and it still sells them. It’s shifted to making slim “shockproof cases” that protect the screen and camera of your smartphone with a clear back, raised bezels and a removable lanyard. Ijust wish the lanyard could be tightened on your wrist. This shock absorption case for the Samsung Galaxy S10 series is available in clear (pictured) or trimmed in black for $40.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Tech 21 Evo Check

$13 at Amazon

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We’ve been longtime fans of cases from Tech21. The company has the usual assortment of cases for your Galaxy S10 device, including old stalwart — and my personal favorite — the Evo Check (pictured here). It’s rated as having 12-foot drop protection as well as antimicrobial technology and is available in the “smokey” color you see here as well as the more purplish ultra violet.

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Scooch Wingman

$15 at Walmart

$9 at Amazon

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Scooch bills its Wingman as a five-in-one case. That’s because the slap-bracelet style bendable kickstand not only props your phone up horizontally and vertically but is supposed to allow you to grip your phone more easily, “eliminating pinky fatigue” and serves as an air vent mount in your car. Finally, the case is also a case — and a pretty protective one.

Wallet and folio cases

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Samsung LED Wallet Case

$85 at Amazon

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This is the favorite Samsung case of CNET TV guru David Katzmaier. The LED Wallet Case is a slim wallet case (you can store a single credit card in it, but not much more) that has a set of LEDs that light up to show the time as well as notifications in retro dot-matrix fashion. You can also turn off alarms andanswer phone calls by swiping the screen protector cover. Plus, with the special icons youassign to your contacts, you’ll know who’s calling.

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Gear4 Oxford

$6 at Amazon

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The Oxford is Gear4’s folio case, which converts into a kickstand and has a slot to store a credit card and cash. It, too, uses the company’s D30 material to protect your phone and is wireless charging compatible.

Tough cases

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X-Doria Defense Shield Series

$13 at Amazon

X-Doria’s Defense Shield Series comes in a few different variations. For a rugged case that the company says is “certified to exceed MIL-STD-810G military grade drop-test standards for drops up to 3m (10 ft),” it isn’t too bulky. I personally like the iridescent model (the Galaxy S10 case on the right in the photo).

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OtterBox Pursuit Series

$26 at Walmart

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Over the years, I’ve regularly included OtterBox’s Defense Series cases in best cases roundups, but it’s become a little too bulky for my tough case tastes. OtterBox’s Pursuit Series feels and looks like a sleeker version of the Defender Series, with seals, port covers, and easy cutouts for buttons (you’ll want to reach those buttons). It comes in three colors.

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Urban Armor Monarch Series

$15 at Amazon

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Urban Armor Gear makes a few different ultra hybrid case lines that are all decent. I like the translucent Phylo (pictured left), but if you’re looking for aGalaxy S10 case that’s a little tougher to offer rugged protection for your phone and camera, there’s the Monarch Series (pictured right, for $60). Available in multiple colors and textures (including top grain leather and alloy metal hardware), it’s got reinforced corners and the company says it meets 2x military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6) and comes with a 10-year limited warranty.

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LifeProof Next

$19 at Amazon

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LifeProof, now owned by OtterBox, is known for its rugged cases. The Next has a fairly sleek design for a tough case and comes in two different trim options with a translucent back.

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