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Disney Plus has been the breakaway success among a wave of new streaming services in the last two-plus years, thanks in part to its large library of shows, movies and exclusive originals. The service already raised its price once since launch, and Thursday brought another hike, with a twist: The service also introduced a second subscription tier with advertising.

Here are the big details to know about the tiers, pricing and everything else.

How much did Disney Plus raise prices?

Previously, Disney Plus had a single subscription level, which was ad free. On Thursday, the service launched a new tier with ads in the US; at the same time, it hiked the price on its ad-free memberships in the US from $8 a month to $11. That means that if you’re an existing Disney Plus subscriber who pays every month, your next bill will be $3 more.

Annual membership are now $110, up from $80 previously.

Disney Plus’ US price still undercuts the $15.50 monthly fee for Netflix‘s most popular plan in the US, which lets you stream to two different devices simultaneously in high definition. And Disney Plus allows all subscribers to stream to four devices and access 4K content at no extra cost — features Netflix charges $20 a month to unlock on its premium tier.

Way back in 2017, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger noted that Disney Plus pricing at launch would reflect the “fact that it will have substantially less volume” than prime competitor Netflix. As the months and years pass, Disney Plus is accumulating a bigger catalog of exclusives and originals. As that happens, it’s widely expected the company will continue pushing its price higher.

How much does the new ad-supported tier cost?

The new ad-supported subscription to Disney Plus is $8 a month, which matches the price of the ad-free tier before Thursday’s hikes. That means if you want to keep streaming Disney Plus but don’t want to pay any more money than you already were paying, you’ll need to switch levels and start watching with commercials. Otherwise, ad-free streaming on Disney Plus is now $11.

The ad-supported subscription doesn’t offer an annual plan.

By comparison, Paramount Plus charges $5 for its tier with advertising, and $10 for the ad-free version. HBO Max is $10 a month if you watch with ads or $15 a month to strip out all commercials. NBCUniversal’s Peacock has a limited free tier with advertising, which blocks some library from being streamed, and it offers two all-access subscriptions: an ad-supported membership for $5 and an ad-free one for $10.

How much is the Disney bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus?

The company offers bundles that combine Disney Plus with Hulu and ESPN Plus, offering a discount if you subscribe to more than one.

The launch of the ad-based Disney Plus tier has tweaked the various combinations and prices of the bundles:

• $10 a month: Disney Plus and Hulu, both with ads
• $13 a month: Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus, all three with ads
• $20 a month: Ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu, plus ad-supported ESPN Plus

Disney has one additional bundle, but it’s only available for customers who already subscribe to it — you can’t enroll in it anymore. This bundle combines ad-free Disney Plus with ad-supported Hulu and ad-supported ESPN Plus for $15 a month.

Does Disney Plus have a free trial? Or other free offers?

Disney Plus no longer offers a standard free trial. It eliminated its one-week free trial program in June 2020.

But other deals may unlock Disney Plus free (or at no added cost).

For example, Disney and Verizon have a deal that will gives some customers on certain plans the Disney “bundle” — Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus — at no extra cost; you’re supposed to be eligible with Verizon’s higher-end 5G Play More, 5G Do More and 5G Get More unlimited plans, as well as its non-5G Get More or Play More. Other Verizon plans, such as its more affordable Start and Do More plans, have six months of Disney Plus included, but not the bundle. A Verizon websitehas the fine print with the terms those deals.

When do new movies and new shows hit Disney Plus?

All new titles are added to the service at midnight PT/3 a.m. ET on the day of their release.

Typically, Disney Plus releases new series episodes early Wednesday mornings, and original films tend to land early Friday mornings — but it isn’t an ironclad rule.

When will Black Panther: Wakanda Forever start streaming?

Disney hasn’t confirmed a streaming release date for the Black Panther sequel yet, but it’s reasonable to estimate that Wakanda Forever will likely start streaming sometime between late December and mid- to late January.

To make an educated guess about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s timing, it’s most helpful to look at the timeline for other Marvel films once Disney revived the practice of theatrical exclusives.

So far this year, Marvel theatrically released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May and Thor: Love and Thunder in July. Although Doctor Strange took 47 days to reach Disney Plus, Thor: Love and Thunder, its most recent Marvel movie, hit Disney Plus 62 days after its theatrical release. That’s closer in length to Marvel’s theatrical exclusives last year: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was in theaters for 70 days and Eternals, 68 days.

If Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were to match Doctor Strange’s 47-day timeline, it would be on Disney Plus on Dec. 28, tucked into the week after Christmas but before New Year’s Day. Every year, that week is an extraordinarily popular time for streaming — it’s often when Netflix racks up some of its biggest hits of all time.

But if Disney opts for Black Panther’s theatrical exclusive to be closer in length to that of its other Marvel movies, then Black Panther won’t become available to stream until mid- to late January, or possibly even later.

Disney’s timing decisions for Black Panther and other upcoming movies — the new Avatar movie and the next Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy films, to name a few — are likely to hinge on how much the company wants to generate box office dollars versus how much it wants to reel in new streaming subscribers and keep the ones it has.

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What devices support Disney Plus?

Disney has wide device support, streaming to phones, tablets, computers, connected TVs and streaming media boxes. The company has global distribution agreements in place with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku, Sony, Amazon, Samsung and LG. That encompasses the makers of:

• Roku’s boxes, sticks and TVs.
• Apple TV, iPhone and iPad.
• Phones and TVs running on Android operating systems, as well as Chromecast streamers.
• Xbox One.
• PlayStation 4.
• Amazon Fire TV devices.
• Samsung smart TVs.
• LG smart TVs.
• Comcast X1 set-top boxes and Flex platforms.

What product features does the service include?

Video and audio formats: Disney Plus can stream 4K Ultra HD content in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. You can see a title’s available formats in any of the Disney Plus apps by clicking to that show or movie’s main page and then clicking on the “details” tab. The app for streaming boxes, like Roku and Apple TV, is also designed to briefly flash a symbol telling you the format that you’re watching; it appears in the upper right corner of the screen for a few seconds when a video begins to play.

Simultaneous streams: Every Disney Plus account can stream to four devices simultaneously and can create seven user profiles for different members of the household. Each account can pick an avatar of a Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Star Wars character, with more than 200 avatars available.

Mobile downloads: Disney Plus also offers unlimited mobile downloads for offline viewing. Subscribers can download to up to 10 mobile or tablet devices, with no constraints on the number of times a title can be downloaded. The number of titles stored at one time on a device depends on how much storage space is available on the device.

Languages and accessibility: The service supported English, Spanish, French and Dutch at launch, including in its user interface as well with audio support and subtitles for library content. Disney Plus originals and much of its library is available with multiple languages as the audio or as subtitles. The app also supports closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance to help subscribers with disabilities. (In July, the American Council of the Blind gave Disney Plus an achievement award for its descriptive audio, specialized tracks that describe the settings and the action taking place alongside a program’s dialogue.)

Parental controls: Disney Plus offers parental controls in the form of kids profiles. You can designate any profile to be in a kids mode, which has a simplified interface designed for younger viewers. These kids profiles limit the library to programming that’s rated TV-7FV and G in the US, or the equivalent ratings in other geographic markets.

Group watch: Disney has a group-watching feature, which lets you synchronize your stream of any title on Disney Plus with other accounts through the app, so you can watch a program at the same time as friends or family even if you’re apart.

Movies Coming in 2022 From Marvel, Netflix, DC and More

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When it comes to exercising, a lot of us fall into one of two categories: fitness lovers or the exercise-averse. It can be more challenging to maintain a regular exercise schedule as cool weather rolls in at the end of the year.If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, consider investing in a fitness tracker. Fitness trackers like Fitbits can assist you in setting, achieving and monitoring your progress over time.

Regardless of whether you enjoy working out, staying active is important. And a tool that will help you on your health and fitness journey could be the key to staying on task, even when cold weather moves in. If you think you would benefit from having data points about how much movement you get in a day, you should consider purchasing a Fitbit to track your activity to hit daily targets and keep you inspired.

Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers can keep up with all activities, tracking your steps and workouts. Fitbit devices can also track your sleep patterns, stress levels and heart health. If you’re interested in monitoring your fitness journey through the end of 2022 and beyond, a Fitbit is a stylish, comfortable and effective tool that could help you get in shape.

While you can find really good offers on Fitbit devices all year long if you take advantage of special markdowns, you’ll usually find impressive sales during the holiday season, making now a great time to invest in one of these wearables. It’s also worth remembering that Google’s new Pixel Watch, which includes many of Fitbit’s best activity tracking features, launched in October. Many of the products listed in this article are previous-generation Fitbit devices, but they still pack plenty of functionality and value — especially at these lower prices.

If you’re already sold on getting a Fitbit but aren’t sure which one is right for you, we’ve got you covered with all the information you need. Read our deep dive on a few of Fitbit’s most prominent models.

Best Fitbit deals available right now

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Fitbit Sense 2: $200

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With tools to monitor heart health, stress management and even skin temperature, this is a bit like having a medical assistant around your wrist at all times. This is the second generation of Fitbit’s health-focused smartwatch, and the updated interface return of the physical navigation button make this wearable particularly appealing — especially at this price. Besides keeping a close eye on atrial fibrillation (heart rate irregularities), this Fitbit includes a cEDA sensor that detects electrodermal activity, which often correlates to your body’s response to stress. You can also see your nightly blood oxygen levels at a glance.

It still has all the great features the first-gen Sense offered, like built-in GPS for hikes, biking and driving. The watch also has Amazon Alexa built in for news updates, bedtime reminders and alarms, and it can control smart home devices, too. The smartwatch comes with a variety of clock face options. One battery charge lasts six full days, and a full day’s charge takes only 12 minutes. It’s available in gold, platinum or graphite.

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Fitbit Versa 3: $139

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The Fitbit Versa 3 is Fitbit’s previous-generation watch, but it still offers quite a few useful features. In addition to heart rate and sleep cycle monitoring, the Versa 3 includes blood-oxygen tracking for more detailed health metrics.

Named our favorite Apple Watch alternative for 2022, this fitness tracker doesn’t skimp on the smartwatch features, either. In addition to adding Google Assistant to its smart home compatibility, the new Versa 3 can also run hundreds of apps like Spotify and Uber.

$139 at Amazon

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Fitbit Versa 2: $110

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Oct 2019

While it’s not one of the latest models, the Fitbit Versa 2 is still a popular fitness wearable that offers a whole lot of features at a really great price. The Versa 2 is one of the company’s fitness smartwatches, meaning it has a few more advanced features to help you know who’s calling, give you access to Alexa for controlling your smart home devices with your voice and much more.

For the better part of the past year, the Versa 2 has sold for around $180, so this current markdown is a great deal. The Versa 2 is available in a variety of colors as well, though the discounts vary.

Read our Fitbit Versa 2 review.

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Fitbit Charge 4: $125

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Nov 2020

Again, it’s not the most recent Fitbit fitness tracker in the series, but the Fitbit Charge 4 has plenty to offer, and you can get it at a pretty deep discount. The Fitbit Charge 4 was given the CNET Editors’ Choice Award in 2020 for its low price, stylish design and health features, including heart rate notifications and sleep tracking.

This smartwatch is half the size of other watches and its touchscreen makes it easier to go through the settings as needed. Even better is that it can track more than 20 different activities and can assist you in setting goals for your workouts and routines. If you’re not using GPS, the battery can last for up to seven days on a single charge, but if you are, you’ll need to charge it much more frequently.

Read our Fitbit Charge 4 review.

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Fitbit Inspire 2: $57

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For a simpler, sleeker smartwatch, the Inspire 2 puts an emphasis on keeping you moving. Track the day’s activities and progress toward goals for total steps, movement and calories burned. The Inspire also has 24/7 heart-rate tracking to calculate resting versus active rates. It even tracks your light, deep and REM sleep to give you a sleep score and improve on nightly habits. And the Inspire 2 goes 10 days on a single charge. It’s not the newest Inspire fitness band, but at this low price it still has plenty to offer.

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Fitbit Luxe: $100

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Fitness trackers are generally not the nicest-looking devices on the market, but the Fitbit Luxe does a pretty good job of breaking that mold. The overall design of it is slimmer, with rounded edges, nicely colored bezels and unique bands that can be paired with it to make the fitness tracker look like a piece of jewelry. While a Luxe typically lists for $130, you can grab the black-and-graphite model from Amazon for $30 off right now.

When it comes to fitness tracking, the Luxe is no slouch. It offers sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and stress management. It gives you up to five days of battery life per charge. Read our Fitbit Luxe review.

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Fitbit Charge 5: $148

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One of the most popular Fitbit styles in recent years has been the Charge line. The Fitbit Charge 5 is the newest in the lineup, making its debut in September of 2021. It was just recently updated with a new electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) functionality and Daily Readiness Score, which add to the existing sleep tracking, built-in GPS and heart rate alerts.

Its features and long battery life combine to make this a must-have fitness tracker this holiday season. The Fitbit Charge 5 earned an Editors’ Choice Award and is considered “the best Fitbit you can buy” right now. Read our Fitbit Charge 5 review.

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Read more: Fitbit Sense, Versa 3 and Inspire 2: How to Decide Which Wearable to Buy

If you own any kind of modern Mac — including MacBook laptops, iMac all-in-ones or Mac Mini and Mac Studio desktops — there are three basic ways to take a screenshot with keyboard shortcuts. MacBook Pro owners can use the Touch Bar for a fourth method. Apple’s MacOS software also gives you a fair number of options to easily save, deleteand open the screenshot for markup.

These tips also apply to the latest Macs, such as the recently updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with a new M2 chip and the M2 MacBook Air. We’ve also tested these tips to confirm they work in MacOS Ventura, the latest operating system update.

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Method 1: Cmd-Shift-3

This keyboard shortcut captures a screenshot of your entire screen.

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Method 2: Cmd-Shift-4

Use this keyboard combo to turn your cursor into a crosshair, which you can drag to select a portion of your screen to capture. Release the mouse button or trackpad to take the shot.

You have a number of other options after hitting Cmd-Shift-4:

Press and release the spacebar: The crosshair turns into a little camera icon, which you can move over any open window. Click on your desired window to take a screenshot of it. A screenshot captured by this method features a white border around the window with a bit of a drop shadow.

Press and hold the spacebar (after dragging to highlight an area but before releasing the mouse button or trackpad): This locks in the shape and size of the selection area but lets you reposition it on the screen. It’s very handy if your initial selection area is off by a few pixels; just hold down the spacebar to reposition it before releasing the mouse button to snap a screenshot.

Hold down the Shift key (after dragging to highlight an area but before releasing the mouse button or trackpad): This locks in each side of the selection area made with the crosshairs save the bottom edge, letting you move your mouse up or down to position the bottom edge.

Without releasing the mouse button, release the Shift key and hit it again to reposition the right edge of your selection area. You can toggle between moving the bottom edge and right edge by keeping the mouse button or touchpad engaged and pressing the Shift key.

M2 MacBook Air

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Method 3: Cmd-Shift-5

A shortcut command introduced way back in MacOS Mojave in 2018, Cmd-Shift-5 calls up a small panel at the bottom of your display with your screen capture options. There are three screenshot buttons that let you capture the entire screen, a window or a selection of your screen.

Likewise, the two video-recording buttons let you record your entire screen or a selection of it. On the left is an X button to close the screenshot panel, but you can also just hit the Escape key to exit out.

On the right side is an Options button. It lets you choose where to save your screenshot — Desktop, Documents, Clipboard, Mail, Messages, Preview or Other Location, and set a 5- or 10-second delay so you can line up items that might otherwise disappear when you engage your screenshot tool.

By default, the Show Floating Thumbnail option is enabled, which puts a little preview thumbnail of your just-captured screenshot in the lower-right corner of your screen, similar to the screenshot procedure with iOS. Unlike on your iPhone, you can turn off this preview thumbnail on your Mac. Lastly, you can choose to show your mouse pointer in a screenshot or video.

If the screenshot panel is in your way, you can grab its left edge and drag it to a new spot on your screen.

Bonus for Touch Bar MacBooks: Cmd-Shift-6

If you’ve got an older MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar, you can also take a screenshot of what’s currently showing on the Touch Bar. Just hit Cmd-Shift-6 to take a very wide and skinny screenshot of your Touch Bar.

Easy annotation

If you embrace the Floating Thumbnail, you’ll gain quick access to Markup tools to annotate your screenshot. You can swipe the Floating Thumbnail away or just let it slip away on its own and it’ll be saved to the spot you last saved a screenshot. Click the Floating Thumbnail and it’ll open in a Markup View preview window (but not Preview) with all of the markup tools you get in Preview.

You can right-click the Floating Thumbnail to:

• Save the screenshot to your desktop, Documents folder or clipboard
• Open it in Mail, Messages, Preview or Photos
• Show in Finder
• Delete
• Open it in the Markup preview window described above
• Close (and save)

Longtime Mac screenshotters may be slow to adopt the Cmd-Shift-5 shortcut, but I find myself using it more for the ability to annotate screenshots without needing to open Preview, and quickly delete screenshots that I know immediately I messed up. The 5- and 10-second delay options are also useful and appreciated additions.

During the holiday season, travel picks up significantly. And whether you’re planning to catch a flight or spend several hours on the road, using Google Maps to help you navigate can help to ease some of the stress of traveling.

There’s a multitude of ways to use Google Maps to help make the journey easier, from quickly getting around the airport to using the Maps app offline. Check out some of the app’s best features for holiday travelers below.

For more travel advice, check out must-have gadgets for international trips, how to travel without using up your vacation days and when is the best time to shop for airline tickets.

1. Navigate through airports and train stations

If you need to quickly find a store in a large mall or transit center, Google Maps is expanding its Directory tab for all airports, malls and transit stations. This can help when you’re running around the airport trying to find a place to eat or grabbing a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight.

The tab will tell you a destination’s business hours and what floor it’s on. You can look through restaurants, stores, lounges and parking lots.

2. See how busy an attraction is

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To see how busy a spot is, check out Google Maps’ Busyness tool. Already you could search for a location, like a business, to see a chart that showed how crowded it is in real time. Now a feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire map areas are clogged with people.

To use the new feature, you open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer’s browser) and move around the map to find a general area, say, downtown, a riverwalk or a quaint nearby town. The busyness information will now automatically appear on the map, so you don’t need to specifically search for a place to see how crowded it is. Google Maps may say something like “Busy Area” and when you click for more details, it could say, for example, “As busy as it gets.”

3. Input your itinerary into Google Maps

Google Maps can chart your holiday travels, but it can also quickly show you your flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the hassle of searching through your email for check-in times and confirmation numbers.

To see your upcoming reservations:

1. In Google Maps, tap Saved in the bottom menu row.

2. Tap Reservations. Here, you’ll see a list of upcoming reservations you’ve made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail.

3. Select an item to see more about the reservation, including date and location.

4. You can also search for “my reservations” in the Google Maps search box to see a list of what you’ve booked.

4. Make a restaurant reservation

Planning a dinner night out with a large group for the holidays can be a hassle, especially when you go at a busy hour. Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation. Here’s how.

1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.

2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that pops up, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it gives you that option (not all do).

Remember you can use the busyness feature mentioned above to pick the least packed place. Also, note that some restaurants that are closed to dine-in may still allow delivery, curbside pickup or outdoor seating.

5. Use Google Maps offline

Heading someplace remote where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you’re offline.

1. Before you head out, search in Maps for the location where you’ll want directions.

2. In the location’s window, pull up the menu at the bottom.

3. Scroll right through the tabs and tap Download, and then in the next window tap Download again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.

Now, as you use Google Maps for directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection Maps will switch to the offline map to guide you. Note that because you’re offline, Maps won’t be able to offer real-time traffic info.

6. Find EV charging stations anywhere

If you’re taking your electric vehicle out for shopping, dinner or a vacation, Google Maps can help you find EV charging stationson your route, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type — such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2) and Tesla — to see just the stations that are compatible with your EV. Note you can also search for gas stations by following these same directions. (Here’s how you can save money at the pump.)

1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs on the top of the screen and tap More.

2. Scroll down to the Services section and select Electric vehicle charging.

3. Maps will display nearby charging stations and how many are available.

4. Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a stop on your trip.

You can also use this trick to search for other places along your route, like a coffee shop.

7. Share your location with others

Is anything more frustrating during a group activity than when the group gets split up and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help bring you all back together.

1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner and tap Location sharing.

2. Tap Share location, and select who you want to share your location with and for how long you want to share it.

3. Tap Share, and Google Maps will send your location to everyone you’ve selected.

4. If you want to see someone else’s location, tap that person’s icon at the top of the window and then tap Request.

For more, there’s a new deadline for needing a Real ID for air travel. Here’s what you need to know.

The best phones you can buy right now, like the iPhone 14 Pro, the Google Pixel 7 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, offer all the features you could possibly want. From their stellar performance, amazing camera systems and an array of extra features, these top phones represent the pinnacle of mobile technology. So it’s unsurprising that these premium phones also come with sky-high prices to match. The huge costs of these devices mean they’re out of reach for many of us, or are simply unnecessary if you just need a solid device for your everyday essentials.

The huge number of choices from a variety of phone manufacturers should make shopping simple, but sometimes it makes it more confusing, whether you’re looking for the highest-quality, elite phone or a more affordable phone like the Google Pixel 6A. The best devices on the market not only have different prices, but also different camera specs, screen sizes and storage capacities.

In this article

• Top phone-buying tips
• Performance vs. budget
• 4G or 5G?
• Camera performance
• Processor performance
• How much storage do you need?

To help you cut through some of the jargon and spend your money sensibly, I’ve put together my tips for buying a phone in 2022.

How to buy a new phone: Top phone-buying tips

• Know what you care about most: Is it screen size? Camera quality? Battery life? This will help narrow down your choices. Phones like the iPhone 14 Pro or Pixel 7 Pro, for example, pack incredible cameras that almost rival the quality you’d get from a DSLR. If you’re a photographer, then spending money here is a good idea. If not, you can likely save yourself a bundle.
• Don’t discount the midrange: Features of last year’s flagships always trickle down to this year’s midrange handsets. You can get a great phone that does almost everything that a premium phone can do for a fraction of the price. Google’s Pixel 7 Pro packs a great zoom camera, but the base Pixel 7 has most of the same key specs and comes at a more reasonable price.
• Shop the sales: Look for deep discounts and promo deals around major holidays, especially Amazon’s Prime Day and Black Friday. And find out what your grace period is in case you need a quick return or exchange.
• Last year’s phones: They can often be a great deal, too. Wait for this year’s launch to get last year’s phone for less, when stores and carriers may be trying to offload their existing stock.
• Hold the phone at a store first: You may love or hate the way it looks and feels in person.
• Check if you’re already invested: Have you already bought a lot of iPhone apps and iTunes movies? Stick with an iPhone if you still want access to them. Likewise, if you’ve invested in loads of Android apps, you’ll want to stay on that side of the fence. Otherwise, it’s simple enough to switch platforms.
• Buy a case and screen protector: You’ll protect your phone from costly damage, and will increase the phone’s resale or trade-in value for when you’re ready to move on.

Smartphone performance vs. budget

In general, performance lines up with cost. The very latest, greatest technology usually comes at a premium. Flagship phones pack the best cameras, the most powerful processors and may even sport cutting-edge tech like flexible displays. The high prices mean that these phones are only worth considering for those who want the absolute latest tech in their pockets.

Not everyone needs such top tech however, or may simply be unwilling to spend the $1,000 or more typically required to get it. Luckily, the midrange sector of the phone world has been one of the fiercest battlegrounds for companies to compete in, resulting in some amazing phones that won’t break the bank. Features like wireless charging and cameras with multiple lenses that were once the domain of flagships are now commonplace on midrange phones.

Even budget phones will still offer decent camera quality and enough power for you to enjoy all of your everyday web browsing, WhatsApp’ing and Instagramming.

4G or 5G?

5G is the latest standard that promises lightning-fast mobile data speeds when you’re out and about. Like any new technology, it’s commonplace to see it on higher-end devices but it’s also increasingly common to find on much more affordable phones too.

Coverage for 5G isn’t everywhere yet, so it’s important to ask yourself whether you need 5G speeds at all and crucially, whether they’re available where you live. If you’re planning on keeping your phone for at least a couple of years, you can safely expect 5G to become more of the norm in that time. If you’re on the fence about it now, it may be that in nine months you’ll feel differently and might regret not taking the plunge sooner.

Screen size

All phones have gotten steadily bigger over the last few years, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max measuring a whopping 6.68 inches and the Galaxy S22 Ultra coming in at 6.8 inches. Small phones aren’t that common anymore but there are a few options to consider if you don’t want a massive screen stretching out your pockets.

Apple opted not to update the iPhone 13 Mini this year, but it is still officially on sale through the Apple Store and at 5.4-inches it’s quite a lot smaller than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14. On the Android side, the Google Pixel 6A’s 6.1-inch display makes it one of the better smaller phones, but even then it’s hardly what you’d call tiny.

Camera performance

Camera features have been a major point for bragging rights in recent phones, with manufacturers always wanting a bigger, more exciting number, be it the number of megapixels or quantity of actual camera lenses. Three rear cameras are now common — a regular lens, an ultrawide lens and a telephoto lens — with even budget-focused phones packing multiple cameras.

This is great, as more lenses mean more shooting options when you’re out and about. But that doesn’t mean that any multilens camera is as good as another. As with processor performance, the more you spend, the better the results you’ll typically get, with the absolute best cameras around usually being found on the most expensive flagships.

Look out for features like optical (rather than digital) zooms, night mode for better low-light images, and optical image stabilization. Sometimes these features might not be clear, and it’s not possible to judge a camera’s performance just by looking at the specs. If you really care about your phone’s photography skills, then take some time to look at the reviews and see how its camera performs before you spend your money.

Battery life

Most phones, from the budget end through to elite flagships, can last most of a day on a single charge. Bigger phones might have bigger batteries, but they also have bigger screens and often more powerful processors, so they suck that extra juice down quickly. Few phones will give you more than a day of use. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Always plan on giving your phone a full charge overnight.

• Look for features like fast charging, that allow your phone to take on a lot of power in a short space of time. Check to see if your phone comes with a compatible faster charger though, as an old USB plug may not support it.

• Your battery will last longer if you avoid more demanding tasks such as gaming or video streaming. Keeping the screen brightness down will help, too.

Processor performance

Top-end phones pack powerful processors along with typically up to 12GB of RAM. It’s enough to make these phones run any task without breaking a sweat, but you don’t need to spend flagship level money to get great performance.

Most decent midrange phones offer enough power to handle all of your everyday needs. You’ll still be able to play almost any game from the Google Play store and edit your high-resolution photos in apps such as Snapseed. There’s little you could throw at most midrange phones that they wouldn’t be able to handle.

As you move into the budget end of the spectrum, that’s when you’ll start to notice some slowdown with things like gaming. More demanding 3D games might look more stuttery and may even unexpectedly quit. However, basic tasks such as sending emails, listening to Spotify and browsing Instagram shouldn’t be a problem.

How much phone storage do you need?

Most phones, even the budget ones, come with at least 32GB of storage, of which 10 may be taken up by preinstalled apps and the phone’s operating system. If you don’t ever plan on recording any video and gaming isn’t your thing, 32GB might be enough, but otherwise you should consider 64GB or even 128GB to be a minimum.

Higher-end phones — particularly those that can record high quality 4K video — offer capacities of 256GB or more. With that much space, you’ll barely need to think twice about having to clear out old files.

If the phone supports microSD cards then it’s a different matter, as you can pick up 32GB microSD cards (or bigger) for very little money these days and popping one into your phone will dramatically increase the amount of storage you’ll have access to.

Bonus features

Many of these features are now common on phones at various price points and are worth keeping in mind when you’re shopping.

• Fingerprint scanner or face unlock: A scanner may be on the back, or even invisibly built into the display. Biometric security, as it’s called, is more secure than having to remember a PIN.

• Water-resistant: Do you often take calls in the rain? Look for a phone with at least an IP67 rating to keep it safe from water and spilled drinks.

• Wireless charging: This is available on many phones, with some now offering faster wireless charging speeds, as long as you use a compatible charging pad.

When I recently introduced a co-worker to the magic of Ctrl+Shift+T, his mind was blown. The way he uses his computer has changed. His life, if I may make a logical leap, has forever changed. I honestly can’t believe more people don’t know about this gem of a keyboard shortcut. So what is Ctrl+Shift+T (or Cmd+Shift+T for Mac users)?

I’d argue that it’s one of the most important and useful keyboard shortcuts there is, right up there with Ctrl+Z. In fact, it performs a similar function: undoing a mistake. Specifically, the mistake of accidentally closing a browser tab or window. Ctrl+Shift+T is the easiest way to restore a browser tab you didn’t mean to X out.

I know I’m not the only one who routinely clicks the “X” on a Chrome browser tab when I only meant to switch to it. We’re all just a little too click-happy in this multitasking world. But if I’m not particularly prudent about my cursor positioning, it’s because I have a secret weapon up my sleeve: I know that Ctrl+Shift+T has my back.

Let’s walk through how to use it, plus all the other ways to restore lost tabs in any browser. And don’t miss our list of the best Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts, the essential Mac keyboard shortcuts, and a Google Chrome trick that organizes all your tabs for you.

Four ways to reopen closed tabs in Google Chrome

Google Chrome gives you a few options for restoring tabs and windows after you’ve closed them, and depending on your needs, it’s good to know how they all work. Note, however, that restoring closed tabs isn’t an option when browsing in incognito mode.

1. Keyboard shortcut method

The quickest way to restore a single tab you closed by accident is with a keyboard shortcut. On a PC, use Ctrl+Shift+T. On a Mac, use Cmd+Shift+T. If you want to restore multiple tabs, or if you need a tab you closed a while ago, just keep pressing Ctrl+Shift+T and your tabs will reappear in the order in which they were closed. Bonus: If you accidentally close your entire browser window altogether, just open a new Chrome window and the keyboard shortcut will reopen everything at once. This is a great trick for the times when a system update forces you to close your browser or restart your computer altogether.

2. Browser history method

Your Chrome browser history also keeps track of recently closed tabs. It’s not as lightning-fast as a keyboard shortcut, but this method is useful if you closed the tab a long time ago and need to refer back to it.

There are a few ways to access your browser history in Chrome. One way is to use another shortcut: Ctrl+H. Another is to click the hamburger menu in the top right corner of your browser, then select History. And a third option is to type “chrome://history” into your address bar, then press enter.

However you arrive at your browser history, once there you’ll have access to all the websites and tabs you’ve viewed, in reverse chronological order. Clicking on a result will reopen it for you. Going through the hamburger menu also has a built-in list of Recently Closed tabs, which you can select to reopen.

Read more: 11 Chrome Features You’ll Wish You’d Known All Along

3. Tab search method

Ever noticed the little downward-pointing arrow in your Chrome tab bar? In Windows, it’s right next to the icons for minimizing, maximizing and closing your window. (On Mac it’s at the top right.) This icon is Chrome’s built-in tab search feature, which itself can be accessed with a simple keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+A. Tab search shows you a list of all the tabs you currently have open, and another list of your recently closed tabs. You can scroll through the lists to reopen or switch to the desired tab, or use the search bar to find it with a keyword. This comes in handy for those who keep dozens of tabs open at all times.

4. Taskbar method

If you’ve got a Chrome window opened — or if the app is pinned in your taskbar — right-click the icon from the taskbar and you’ll see a short list of links: Most visited and Recently closed. From there, you can restore a tab just by clicking on it. (Note these options do not appear on Mac.)

Bonus: ‘Continue where I left off’ method

There’s a Chrome setting that essentially makes Ctrl+Shift+T the default. By toggling this feature on, every time you open Chrome, the browser will automatically reopen the tabs you had open in your previous session. To turn it on, go to your Chrome settings (also through the hamburger menu), then On startup. Select the Continue where you left off option.

What about other browsers, like Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera?

The Ctrl+Shift+T keyboard shortcut will work in other browsers, too (as well as right-clicking the tab bar and selecting Reopen closed tab). Most of the other methods of reopening a tab work across browsers too, though the menu labels and options may differ. The experience is largely the same on a Mac, with the exception of the taskbar method.

For both Firefox and Microsoft Edge, you can also go through your browser history to find and reopen a tab you accidentally closed. Firefox has a dedicated sub-menu under History called Recently closed tabs. Microsoft Edge has a tabbed History menu for All, Recently closed and Tabs from other devices. In Opera, if you have the sidebar enabled — and if History is one of the elements you’ve elected to include in the sidebar — clicking the History icon from the sidebar will also pull up a list of recently closed tabs.

The other browsers also offer a setting to reopen the previous session’s tabs automatically upon startup. In Firefox, go to Settings > General and check the box under Startup labeled Open previous windows and tabs. In Microsoft Edge, go to Settings > Start, home, and new tabs and under When Edge starts, select open tabs from the previous session. And in Opera: Settings > On startup, then check the box for retain tabs from previous session.

For more, check out Google Chrome’s best features, including how to mute a noisy browser tab. Plus, browser settings to change for better privacy and browser extensions that’ll save you money when shopping online.

If an asteroid made of pure gold, with a diameter of 2,600 feet and blasting at 77,000 miles per hour, came in at an angle of 48 degrees and hit New York City’s Upper East Side, aka around where I live, I unfortunately now know what would happen.

Myself and 6,363,353 people would be vaporized within the space rock’s resulting crater, a massive chasm over half a mile deep. The shard would release more energy than the last volcanic eruption of Yellowstone, a colossal disaster that, thousands of years ago, spewed ash, magma and debris far enough to cover most of the continental United States.

Or at least that’s what I learned from an asteroid simulation website this afternoon while sipping on a cup of coffee.

The Asteroid Launcher is a free, data-driven concept created by Neal Agarwal, a developer widely known by his online persona: neal.fun. Agarwal’s goal is basically to blend immense arrays of data and interesting mental dilemmas to form clever, interactive online thought experiments, like this one that tells you what kind of devastation would follow an asteroid smashing into your town.

“The main inspiration,” Agarwal told me over email, “was definitely growing up watching movies like Deep Impact and Armageddon! I’ve always wanted to have an online tool that would let me test out different impact scenarios and see the effects.”

But of course, the key here with Asteroid Launcher lies in Agarwal’s pseudonym.

There are thankfully no known significant impact threats for the next hundred years or more, according to NASA — and, worst case, the agency is well on its way toward generating a sort of asteroid defense system with the resounding success of its DART mission, which took place earlier this year.

Still, it doesn’t hurt to cater to our intrusive thoughts once in a while. Just for fun.

Peruse Agarwal’s projects and you’ll find an awesome array of rabbit holes to get lost in.

The Size of Space progressively presents you with larger and larger objects, starting with an astronaut and making its way through stars so enormous they make our sun look like a feeble yellow pom-pom. Spend Bill Gates’ Money offers you $100 billion to spend on items ranging from a 12 pack of Coca-Cola all the way to a literal Boeing 747 commercial airplane. It shows you how much money multibillionaires are working with day to day.

And my personal favorite, Absurd Trolley Problems takes you on an illustrative, ethical journey based on English philosopher Philippa Foot’s fictional scenario where an onlooker has the choice to save five people in danger of being hit by a trolley — except the only way to save them is by killing one person in their stead. The hard part about this isn’t so much the decisions, but the fact that you should, hypothetically, remain consistent in every one of those decisions.

“I’ve kept a big ideas list since I was 16, and have recently passed 1,000 project ideas written down (most of them terrible),” Agarwal said. “The ideas can come from everywhere, from books and movies to a conversation with a friend. I think the important thing is writing them down and being as open as possible to new and weird ideas. Sometimes two to three bad ideas can combine and form a great project.”

Which brings us to Agarwal’s latest endeavor: Asteroid Launcher.

You begin by designing your own asteroid, entering a material, rock diameter, speed and impact angle. Then, you can select any location on a realistic map to the left of the screen. All that remains, at that point, is to click a giant button that says LAUNCH ASTEROID.

Boom.

You arrive at a page that tells you, theoretically, what you’ve just done to your location of choice.

These results are surprisingly detailed, as Agarwal embedded his code with asteroid information gleaned from academic science publications, such as a doctoral thesis about asteroid impact risk and a peer-reviewed population vulnerability model authored by experts from NASA, Lancaster University and the University of Southampton.

However, it does appear that some question the results of Asteroid Launcher — one scientist, for instance, tweeted his preference for the more old-school Earth Impact Effects Program to satisfy doomsday cravings.

Though, to that end, Agarwal says the Earth Impact Effects Program uses the same equations as Asteroid Launcher because both are based on a research paper written by Gareth Collins, an asteroid impact expert at Imperial College London. “They’ll give pretty much the same results,” he explained, noting that Clemens Rumpf, an asteroid risk expert who formerly worked at NASA, also contributed to his project.

“The goal of neal.fun is to bring back the weird and fun internet!” Agarwal said. “I grew up at a time when the internet was full of strange and fun flash games and experiments, and watched that all slowly go away as social media took over. Now the web is finally becoming powerful enough again to create fun digital experiences, and I’m excited to keep exploring the potential with new projects.”

On Asteroid Launcher, once you’ve pressed the big red button, scroll down a little, and you’ll catch far more than fatalities spurred by your asteroid design.

Agarwal tells you how many gigatons of TNT your explosion equaled, how many people would receive second-degree burns if your asteroid was closer to a huge fireball, the radius within which peoples’ eardrums would rupture from the shock wave and within which homes would be completely leveled from wind speeds upon impact.

It’s darkly obsessive to check out as many asteroid designs as you can. Immediately after making my dream gold impactor, I plugged in the stats of the asteroid that NASA’s DART spacecraft punched into in an attempt to change the relatively small space rock’s orbit around a larger hunk of space rock.

I couldn’t get things to be completely accurate, because this is so theoretical, but here’s what I came up with.

Dimorphos is considered to be made of “rubble,” aka a bunch of materials, so for material, I went with generic stone. It’s actually about 525 feet in diameter, but Asteroid Launcher requires some rounding. I put in 500 feet. As for speed at time of impact, a parameter we don’t know, I popped in the speed at which the DART spacecraft hit the rock, because, well, why not? That came out to something like 14,400 miles per hour, which had to be rounded as well. I set the location to London and angle to 90 degrees for no reason whatsoever.

Here’s what we got for results — they’re much less shocking than my first ridiculous, gleaming monster asteroid.

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My next plan was to input the parameters of the dinosaur-killer asteroid, Chicxulub. But get this: It was so gigantic it didn’t even fit in the diameter section.

“Asteroid impact science is still an evolving field and not everything is known yet,” Agarwal said. “Generally the larger the asteroid, the more uncertain we are about the effects.”

Final Fantasy 7 fans got ready to eat well in the mid-noughties, as developer Square Enix released a bunch of spinoffs expanding the universe of the legendary 1997 PlayStation RPG. Unfortunately, most of the new stories — like PS2 shooter Dirge of Cerberus and CGI movie Advent Children — turned to be fast food next to the delicious and nutritious meal that was Final Fantasy 7.

The sole exception was the excellent 2007 action-RPG Crisis Core. This prequel cast you in the role of Zack Fair, a character with a small-but-crucial role in Final Fantasy 7’s main story, and explored his career as a member of megacorporation Shinra’s Soldier paramilitary group.

It offered roughly 25 hours of main story gameplay, a solid chunk of side missions and an inevitable emotional gut-punch of an ending that seared itself into fans’ brains.

See it at Amazon

$50 at Amazon

The problem: It was only on PlayStation Portable (the PSP) and remained marooned on Sony’s now-obsolete handheld for more than 15 years. However, after the 2020 Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its downloadable content hinted at Zack’s playing a bigger part in the upcoming Rebirth, Square Enix is finally letting a new generation of gamers dive into Crisis Core.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion hits PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC on Dec. 13. I played a chunk of the game on PS5 over the weekend, and found this remastered classic to be a nostalgic joy.

Initially, I thought this was just the PSP game with some modern flourishes — 3D character models, upgraded environments and the ability to finally play it on a massive TV screen (or mirror the handheld original on Switch). Some of the prerendered cutscenes aren’t as well remastered, with graphical artifacts occasionally marring the image.

As I played, it became increasingly clear that Square Enix had made more subtle changes as well; developers have brought the combat closer to the Remake’s beautiful flow. Chaining physical, magical attacks and summoning god-like beings who perform super attacks feels natural and smooth — partially because all the modern systems’ controllers have more buttons to use than the PSP — making for a far more pleasant experience than it was in 2007.

You also have a new way to interrupt your most powerful enemies’ biggest attacks, by doing as much damage as possible when they’re charging up. It might not seem like a major addition, but it adds a layer of strategy to boss encounters you might otherwise have played defensively.

The slot machine-style Digital Mind Wave system that periodically gives you bonuses or summons an ally in combat remains inscrutable as ever — it also determines when Zack and his abilities level up. Rest assured that this isn’t random, so it seems that way you just can’t see how much experience points you have. Its link to Zack’s emotional effect also used to great narrative effect at a few key points.

All the cutscenes are fully voice acted now — chunks of the original were text-only — with the Remake’s excellent cast back in their roles. That includes Superman & Lois’ Tyler Hoechlin as future villain Sephiroth, who’s a pretty chill (if a bit aloof) dude for much of this game.

However, for good or ill, Crisis Core Reunion is fundamentally the same game we got in 2007. It’s still divided into easily digestible story chapters where Zack goes out on assignments for Shinra, unlocking bite-size missions along the way — it can’t quite shake off its roots as a portable game designed for quick sessions.

It feels a little stop-start in the early hours, especially as the game’s various systems are introduced to you, but you’ll soon get into the groove.

The gameplay loop of doing a chapter, then blasting through a bunch of unlocked missions and talking to the various characters in the hub around Shinra headquarters is satisfying — similar to Mass Effect, another classic 2007 RPG. It’s basically a few rooms and streets, greatly enhanced by the game’s magnificent art direction (without the slow loading of the PSP version).

Zack is also an ultra-charismatic protagonist, and his enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air compared to Final Fantasy 7’s moody Cloud. Fans who know about the relationship between these two will find getting to know Zack particularly rewarding.

The other characters are a mixed bag — Zack’s Soldier mentor Angeal is so stiff that I practically drift off whenever he’s on screen, and main villain Genesis is a dorky Sephiroth wannabe. The voice actors do their best, but the writing around these two just isn’t compelling. However, Cloud and Aerith make up for it when they enter the story.

And seeing the early adventures of these gaming icons, and how Zack helped to shape them, is the best reason to play Crisis Core Reunion. It’s still a 2007 PSP game at heart (as evidenced by the beautiful mid-noughties flip phones), but Square Enix’s ambition made it one of the best games on that system. I’m so glad it’s not trapped there any more. It’s a game every Final Fantasy 7 fan needs to play before Rebirth arrives late next year.

Morocco aims to continue its magnificent run at the 2022 World Cup with more giant-killing heroics, this time against Portugal in a quarterfinal clash. Africa’s sole remaining representative in the tournament, Morocco made it through to the last eight with a memorable win on penalties over 2010 World Cup winner Spain, with Achraf Hakimi’s cheeky winning Panenka penalty kick underlining the confidence now surging through Walid Regragui’s side.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on Portugal coach Fernando Santos for this massive game, after superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the starting line-up during the team’s round of 16 victory over Switzerland in favor of Benfica youngster Gonçalo Ramos. The controversial decision appeared to be the right one, however, with the 21-year-old hitting a rare World Cup hat-trick as his side cruised to a 6-1 win to set up this fixture.

The Morocco-Portugal game starts on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT). The match will be shown nationwide in the US on Peacock and Fox, which is available on numerous live TV streaming services. Outside the US, World Cup matches are being carried by other streaming services, including ITVX in the UK, SBS in Australia and TSN in Canada. But what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the match, or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There is an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.

Here’s how you can watch the game, and the rest of the 2022 World Cup, from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

World Cup 2022: How to Stream Every Game in the US

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When is the Portugal vs. Morocco match?

Morocco will play Portugal at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. ET) on Saturday, Dec. 10.

Elsewhere in the world, the match starts at 10 p.m. in Qatar, 7 p.m. in London, and on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 6 a.m. in Sydney.

How to watch the Morocco vs. Portugal match online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the match locally, 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 match day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s 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. So 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, nonblackout 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.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

See at ExpressVPN

Livestream the Portugal vs. Morocco match in the US

The Portugal-Morocco match is on Fox in the US, so you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a Fox station that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.

Sling/CNET

Sling TV Blue

Carries FS1 and Fox with every World Cup game in the US

Among the live TV streaming services that carry local Fox stations and FS1, the cheapest is Sling TV Blue at $40 per month. Note that Sling is currently running a promotion where the first month of service is half-price ($20) for new subscribers.

One important caveat: While FS1 is available everywhere in the US on Sling TV, Fox local affiliates will only be available if your billing address is in one of the 18 metropolitan areas covered in Sling’s agreement. If you’re outside of one of these areas, you’re probably better off going with one of the alternate services listed below.

See at Sling TV

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry FS1 and local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

James Martin/CNET

Peacock

Carries every World Cup game in the US (Spanish only)

For Spanish-speaking US residents Peacock is airing all of the World Cup games live in Spanish. The remaining games will stream on its $5-a-month Peacock Premium subscription package, not the service’s free tier.

Read our Peacock review.

See at Peacock

Watch the World Cup 2022 Morocco vs. Portugal match for free in the UK

ITV

Carries World Cup matches in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch every match of the 2022 World Cup for free. Games are split between two channels, the BBC and ITV; the Morocco-Portugal match is on ITV. If you’re away from home in the UK, you can use a VPN like ExpressVPN to watch ITVX (formerly ITV Hub), the streaming service for ITV, from anywhere.

See at ITVX

Stream Morocco vs. Portugal World Cup 2022 match in Australia

Aleksandra Aleshchenko/Getty Images

SBS On-Demand

Carries World Cup matches in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream all 64 World Cup matches live for free using SBS On Demand, the streaming home of the country’s free-to-air TV network. The service also offers full replays, mini-matches and highlights.

See at SBS

In addition to the services and countries listed above, numerous other local fixtures are carrying the World Cup 2022. They include:

• Argentina: TVP
• Belgium: RTBF (French) and VRT (Dutch)
• Brazil: TV Globo
• Canada: TSN
• France: TF1 and beIN Sports
• Germany: ARD and ZDF
• Hong Kong: PCCW
• Japan: Dentsu
• New Zealand: Sky
• Spain: RTVE

Quick tips for streaming the World Cup 2022 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.

Apple’s entire iPhone 14 line — including the standard iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max — are now available to purchase. And with a wide price range starting at $799 ( 849, AU$1,399) for the iPhone 14 going all the way up to $1,099 for the Pro Max, you may want to be able to see what the differences are between all the models. This especially could be the case if you are having a harder time finding the iPhone 14 Pro during a shortage.

The biggest additions to the 2022 iPhone line include new cameras, the iPhone 14 Plus (a larger non-Pro model) and a redesigned notch known as the Dynamic Island for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The lineup is also the first to omit a physical SIM card slot on its US models, instead opting for an eSIM when activating service with a wireless carrier. Plus, it’s the first iPhone lineup to include satellite communication for emergency calls when cellular service isn’t available.

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While several of these new features are available across the lineup, there are a number of differences (and prices) for each model. We’ve rounded them up in this specs chart, so you can directly compare what’s available.

The new iPhone lineup was just one part of Apple’s fall product reveal, with the company also debuting three new Apple Watch models with the $249 Apple Watch SE, $399 Apple Watch Series 8 and the $799 Apple Watch Ultra. The AirPods Pro also received a 2022 update, with Apple claiming longer battery life and improved noise canceling for the same $249 price as the original.

Apple iPhone 14

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