Thursday, October 17, 2019

Apple : Typosquatters target US Presidential election

Apple : Typosquatters target US Presidential election

Typosquatters target US Presidential election

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 04:21 PM PDT

As the US 2020 election approaches, political campaigns and scammers are trying to capitalize on voters that misspell a candidate's name by taking them to fake and sometimes even malicious sites according to a new report from the cybersecurity firm Digital Shadows.

Typosquatters often target popular sites or keywords and register misspelled domain names in an effort to bring visitors to their own products, scams or even malware.

Researchers from Digital Shadows analyzed over 550 typosquats for the 34 candidates participating in the US 2020 primaries as well as other election-related domains to compile their new report. The firm broke down the typosquats they discovered by placing them into three categories; misconfigured or illegitimate sites, non-malicious and redirects.

Strategy and research analyst at Digital Shadows, Harrison Van Riper explained that not every typosquat the firm investigated led to something interesting, saying:

"Altogether, we detected over 550 typosquats for the 34 candidate- and election-related domains we gathered from open-source research. Not every single one was something interesting; most of the time the typosquatted domain was simply parked and not hosting content. Still, there were some worthwhile areas to dig into deeper." 

Typosquats

Misconfigured or illegitimate typosquat domains are ones that have not been properly configured and instead show directory indexes or HTML error messages.

Non-malicious typosquat domains on the other hand, are not designed to hurt visitors but rather the brand of the political candidate or party. At the same time though, the firm also found non-malicious typosquats that were actually helpful and informed users that they were actually at the wrong domain.

Redirects were found to be the most common type of typosquat and these sites redirect visitors to scam sites, fake Chrome or Firefox browser extensions, fake program updates used to install malware or tech support scams. According to Digital Shadows, 68 percent of redirects bring visitors to sites which promote malicious browser extensions or other unwanted content.

The firm also found it difficult to determine who owns these typosquatting domains due to changes in the WHOIS system following the introduction of GDPR.

To protect against typosquatting domains, Digital Shadow recommends that brands and public figures register similar domains to their actual site, even misspelled ones, before others have a chance to do so. Organizations should also monitor domain registrars for domains that are similar to their own brands. As for voters trying to find out more information on candidates, Digital Shadow suggests that they find the candidate's social media profile first and then use it to find their official website.

Via Bleeping Computer

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Half of all iPhones are already using iOS 13 while most other flagships are still waiting on Android 10

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 01:28 PM PDT

Apple's new iOS 13, which launched alongside the iPhone 11, hasn't even been available for a month, yet the tech giant has confirmed that 50% of iPhones have updated to the new operating system already, showing strong adoption by users.

The data is all the more striking considering how Apple has broken down the adoption rates. While half of virtually all iPhones in the wild have upgraded to the new operating system, considering only iPhones released in the last four years raises that rate to 55% (38% of those remain on iOS 12). So, however it's measured, the adoption is large.

Some older devices aren't eligible to update to iOS 13, so Apple's ability to still drive 50% adoption for all iPhones is a feat.

The new iPadOS is faring a little worse, with only 33% adoption from all iPads. Of iPads released in the last four years, 41% have updated to iPadOS. Part of what may be slowing the updates there is that iPad's aren't on the same upgrade cycle for customers, so there are likely a greater percentage of old devices floating around that can't update to iPadOS. 

Ease of adoption

Apple's iOS 13 adoption rates are certainly helped by the company's strict control of iOS device architecture and release. Compare that to Android: Google can release an update like Android 10, but users can't upgrade until the new OS is customized by device manufacturers and then processed through mobile carriers, causing months - if not the better part of a year - for the new Android version to land on phones.

Plenty of users are updating despite new iOS 13 problems cropping up. In this case, the new features may outweigh the risk of issues. iOS 13 has introduced a dark mode that can benefit users with iPhone X or iPhone XS models with OLED displays, and iOS 13 introduces Apple Arcade. And, of course, all new iPhone 11 models came with iOS 13 baked in.

Now, what remains to be seen is how quickly Apple will move the iOS 13.2 beta that brings Deep Fusion for iPhone 11 cameras into a public release.

Via: 9to5Mac

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Nvidia's new Shield TV Pro leaks on Amazon with launch coming very soon

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 01:16 PM PDT

Rumors had already been swirling about a pair of new Nvidia Shield TV products, and a recent leak on Amazon suggests one will be an Nvidia Shield TV Pro launching on October 28, Android Authority reports.

The product listing showed a similar design to the existing Nvidia Shield TV, but an updated remote with backlit buttons. The price was listed at $199, which would fit the $199 / £189 / AU$249.95 launch price of its predecessor.

But, there are some clear reasons to upgrade, including the new Nvidia Tegra X1+ chip, which can boost performance up to 25%, plus, and support for Dolby Vision HDR content.

We already hold the Nvidia Shield TV in high regard, as it offers the best Android TV experience available. That's thanks to its high performance and its versatility as a smart home control, streaming platform and gaming device all in one.

Not all the upgrades we may have wanted

The upgraded chip inside the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is nice, but there's no increase in memory or storage. The new device will have two USB 3.0 ports, which opens the door for easy expansion with external storage, but 16GB is still on the small side to start.

Another miss is the devices use of 802.11ac wireless (Wi-Fi 5), when Wi-Fi 6 is now an option. Of course, that can be remedied by using an Ethernet cable for a fast and reliable connection.

The timing of the Shield TV Pro couldn't be better, though. Why's that? Google Stadia. Google's online game streaming service, is set to launch November 19, and there have been rumors both that the Nvidia Shield TV will support Stadia and that Google Stadia will come to Android TV.

The slated launch of the Nvidia Shield TV Pro may be a bit early for the Stadia launch, but that gives it time to gain some traction and attention before the streaming service goes live. So, for current gamers and would-be gamers getting excited about Stadia, the updated Nvidia Shield TV Pro may prove a winning option over the less versatile Chromecast Ultra and Stadia controller pairing Google is offering.

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New AMD Ryzen 7 3750X processor leaks, but don't get your hopes up

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 01:04 PM PDT

AMD's Ryzen 3000 processors are blowing up the CPU market, with loads of cores and incredible performance. Plus, there are a lot of different models. And, there might be a Ryzen 7 3750X inbound, according to a leaked product master list spotted by @Komachi_Ensaka on Twitter.

The master list has since been taken down on AMD's website, but Hot Hardware was able to dig up the details. What showed up was a Ryzen 7 3750X with no details beyond its 105W power draw and its fitment into an AM4 CPU socket.

Given that the Ryzen 7 3750X would fit snugly between the 8-core Ryzen 7 3700X and the 8-core Ryzen 7 3800X, it's a safe bet the processor will also be an 8-core model. The only problem is that it's a bit too snug of a fit between those two chips.

No room for a 3750X

AMD is doing an impressive job putting its Zen 2 processor architecture into products that hit all different price points and performance levels, whether that's the Ryzen 5 3600 or the Ryzen 9 3950X. But, the Ryzen 7 models in the 3000 series already have things pretty well covered.

As we mentioned, the Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X both are 8-core/16-thread chips. They also have the same amount of cache. The former has a 65W TDP and the latter hits 105W. While none of these specs mean there couldn't be a 3750X fit neatly between them, their clock speeds are a tighter fit. The Ryzen 7 3800X has a base clock just 300MHz higher than the 3700X, and its boost speed is just 100MHz higher.

For a Ryzen 7 3750X to fit in, it would only be able to offer a marginal improvement in base clocks and a tiny improvement in boost before it basically just became a 3800X.

All this is to say, you're probably not going to see a Ryzen 7 3750X on store shelves between AMD's other processors. Perhaps it will show up in pre-built systems, giving OEMs the ability to offer rigs with just a little more juice.

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Dyson hair dryer: the best Supersonic prices and sales in October 2019

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 11:55 AM PDT

Dyson, a company mostly known for vacuums, has engineered a high-tech hair dryer called the Dyson Supersonic. The Dyson hairdryer features innovative technology that puts it in a category of its own and is unlike any traditional hair dryer. The Supersonic features a digital motor that creates ultra-fast drying while also preventing heat damage. The only downside of this futuristic hair dryer? The Supersonic is priced well above most hair dryers, currently retailing for $400 in the US and £300 in the UK. But fear not, we're here to ease your financial pain by listing the best Dyson Supersonic prices and sales below so you can get the best deal on the premium hair dryer.

The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is built with a powerful V9 digital motor that combined with air multiplier technology produces high-velocity controlled air for fast, controlled drying. The Supersonic hair dryer measures air temperature 20 times a second so you'll never have to worry about damaging your hair with extreme heat. The Dyson hair dryer offers four different heat settings as well as three different speed settings so you can style your hair exactly how you want. The controlled heat and settings also help with reducing frizz so you can achieve sleek, smooth hair with every use. The Supersonic also comes with three different magnetic attachments so you can achieve different styles using just one tool.

See the best prices and sales available for the Dyson hair dryer below.

The best Black Friday Dyson Supersonic deals and prices

While you can see current offers on the Dyson Supersonic below, Black Friday is also an excellent opportunity to score a discount on the pricey hairdryer. Lucky for you, we've created a Black Friday deals guide so you can shop all the top sales in one place.

The best Dyson hair dryer prices and sales:


If you're still undecided about the Dyson hair dryer we've answered some common questions below to help with your buying decision.

Dyson Supersonic price: is the Dyson hair dryer worth the money?

The high price tag on the Dyson hair dryer can initially cause sticker shock, but there are several reasons for the steep price. The Supersonic is engineered like other Dyson appliances and therefore priced similarly. The Dyson hairdryer features a tiny a digital motor that combined with the heat sensor produces fast drying results without damaging the hair. Dyson installed the tiny motor in the handle rather than the head which balances the weight of the dryer so your hand won't get tired when drying your hair. The Supersonic will also outlast other hairdryers so you won't have to keep repurchasing the same $70 hair dryer every couple of years. 

How does the Dyson supersonic hair dryer work?

Extreme temperatures can damage hair, so Dyson engineered a hair dryer that protects hair while also achieving fast drying and controlled styling. The Supersonic features a powerful Dyson digital motor that's six times faster than other hair dryers. The motor combined with the Air Multiplier technology produces high-pressure controlled air, which results in a smooth and even hair drying experience. Thanks to the intelligent heat control, which measures air temperature 40 times a second, the extreme heat is regulated, so your hair is protected against damage.

Does the Dyson hair dryer dry faster?

The short answer is yes; the Dyson Supersonic dries hair faster and more efficiently than traditional hair dryers. The Dyson hair dryer combines controlled heat with a powerful motor that results in drying time that's twice as fast as most hair dryers. The Supersonic also features three different drying speeds so you can control how fast you want your hair dried. 

Shop more Dyson deals with our roundup of the best Walmart deals that are happening now.

Learn more about the Dyson hair dryer with our Dyson Supersonic review.

You can also shop for more Dyson discounts with our best cheap Dyson deals and offers that are currently going on. 

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Everything you've posted to Yahoo Groups will soon be deleted: here's how to save it

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 11:03 AM PDT

It's probably been a long time since you last used Yahoo Groups, which is part of the reason Yahoo has decided to shut the service down later this year. 

If your memory of Yahoo Groups is a little fuzzy, it offers like-minded users the opportunity to gather and discuss particular topics, much like Tumblr or Reddit. Members of a Group can share files, have conversations, conduct polls and send messages to one another in a friendly, communal way. At least, that was the idea.

[Editor's Note: this article has been updated to display the correct start date for when Yahoo Groups will stop supporting new content. We have also included a statement directly from Yahoo. We apologize for the error.]

"We are tailoring Groups' features to match the preferences of our Groups members," a Yahoo representative tells us. "Most of our members connect and share content primarily over email, so we believe this change will streamline and improve the Groups experience. Yahoo Groups will continue to provide a way for people to connect with their communities around shared interests, and we will continue to listen to feedback to ensure we keep our users happy."

Additionally, it seems possible to us that the service has been overwhelmed by competition from more successful platforms. As a result, the company plans to start shutting it down on October 28, when users will no longer be able to upload new content.

The process will finish on December 14, when everything will be erased permanently from Yahoo's servers. Files, polls, calendars, conversations, folders calendars – not a trace will remain.

Download your data

That window gives you a few months to download your data before it's gone for good, and it's well worth doing; you might not recall exactly what you've shared on Yahoo Groups over the years, but there may be the odd photo or file that you'll look back on fondly, or posts that you'll want to hang onto.

To grab your content, head over to your Yahoo Group's page and you should see a link to download everything directly. Alternatively, you can log into your Yahoo account on Verizon Media's Privacy Dashboard and request the data.

There might be quite a lot to package up, depending on how active your Yahoo Groups were, so you'll receive an email once it's all archived and ready to download.

Via The Verge

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Three down: network responds to huge outage as connectivity slowly returns

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 10:26 AM PDT

Update: Three has confirmed to TechRadar that the issues plaguing users is almost rectified - the full statement is in the page below.

Three suffered a huge network outage in the evening of October 16 (and continuing well into the next morning), with many users complaining they can't access data or calling.

Three first confirmed via Twitter that there is an issue with voice and data that's being looked into, and has released the following statement to TechRadar:

“Following technical difficulties with our services across voice, text and data, some customers have experienced an intermittent service today. For the majority of customers, the network has been restored so they can make calls, send texts and use data.  

"We are aware that some customers are still experiencing issues and our engineers are continuing to work to fix this. To help with the process we advise our customers to turn their phones off and on or turn airplane mode on and off, which may resolve the issue. 

"The service is returning to normal, and we expect it to be resolved over the course of the day. 

"We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers.”

Three's Twitter response looks like it was written quickly on a mobile - minimal capital letters suggest that this was dashed off as the public outcry has grown quickly. (Three's Twitter support page also hadn't been updated - beyond replies - since September 3, although it's now pinned the same Tweet from the main account).

Multiple members of the TechRadar team saw data and calling down overnight and this morning, but are now finding that connections are being restored by restarting their device.

Turning your phone off and on again is the thing that brings back data connection - our tests of doing such are showing a 4G signal and data connectivity grinding back into life, so we suggest you do the same if you're struggling.

Could this be the reason?

One engineering-focused Twitter user, Peter Clarke, has pointed out that there are network migrations - moving systems over to new, better ones - happening at the moment, and this could well have caused the issues:


The #ThreeDown campaign has been trending today - with many taking to Twitter to express outrage at the situation.

Looking at tools that monitor and track outages across mobile networks (such as Down Detector) it seems that the issue is increasing across the country - likely as users exit their home Wi-Fi and realise that data isn't picking up the signal.

The problems seem to be largely affecting big cities, with Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Norwich and especially London reporting large volumes of outages.

Down Detector was showing a huge spike in outage reports a7 8AM

We're seeing that the reports of the outage are starting to drop as connectivity begins to return - the number was starting to drop rapidly later in the morning, so it seems issues are being resolved:

Users reporting issues began to tumble around 10AM

Now what?

A lot of users are demanding compensation, although the question of whether compensation will be given out for an outage under 24 hours is a tricky one.

If you feel you deserve some level of recompense, you can head over to Ofcom to see what options are available to you - and we've asked whether Three will be providing compensations to affected customers.

We'll update this story as and when we find out what's actually happening to Three's network - but this isn't the best timing for the provider, as rival O2 has pushed out its 5G services across the UK on the same day.

And it looks like we've already reached the point of British bitter humour - the jokes about the outage have been rolling out...

And is this the weirdest #ThreeDown tweet out there?

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Windows 7 Pro end of life gets closer

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 09:50 AM PDT

Microsoft has announced that it will begin notifying Windows 7 Pro users regarding its plan to stop updating the operating system from January 14, 2020.

Windows 7 Home users already started to receive these notifications in March. Now they'll start showing up on the devices of the operating system's professional users.

However, in its announcement, Microsoft noted that “devices that are domain joined as a part of an IT-managed infrastructure will not receive the notifications”.

Windows 7 Pro users will soon begin seeing notifications which include a “learn more” button that will take them to a page on Microsoft's website where they can learn more about Windows 10 and the devices that run the operating system.

Windows 7 end of life

By showing off all the improvements that have been made to Windows 10 since its release in 2015 while simultaneously reminding users that Windows 7 will soon stop receiving security updates and new features, Microsoft hopes to finally convince any users that have been putting off the update to its latest operating system.

The notifications sent to Windows 7 users also help ensure that they won't be surprised when the operating system stops receiving updates in a few months.

After the short lifespan of Windows Vista, Windows 7 showed users that Microsoft could make a modern operating system that they would want to use. It first debuted in 2009 and was supported until 2015 but times have changed and so too has the direction Microsoft is taking its Windows operating system.

If you're still running Windows 7, now is the time to upgrade as after January 14, 2020, those still using the outdated operating system will leave themselves open to hackers and other security threats.

Via Tom's Hardware

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Master & Dynamic MW07 true wireless earbuds get a sporty upgrade for runners

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 09:24 AM PDT

Master & Dynamic's MW07 true wireless earbuds have been given a hefty upgrade to bring us two new models: the MW07 GO, and the MW07 PLUS.

The brand is well known for its luxurious designs, and the new wireless earphones are no different, with colorful geometric housings and sleek charging cases that look as good as the buds themselves.

The MW07 GO are made with runners in mind, being 15% smaller than the original MW07 true wireless earbuds, with five ear tip sizes and ear wings for a secure fit while working out.

A bud for every occassion

Made from a lightweight composite called TR90, the MW07 Go come with an IPX6 water-resistance rating, which means they'll withstand a little sweat, and with 10 hours of battery life in the buds, bolstered by 12 hours from the charging case, they should easily last throughout your workout. 

Master & Dynamic doesn't offer much information on the audio quality of these buds, but with custom 10mm beryllium drivers, they should sound fairly powerful.

The cheapest of the two new models, the MW07 GO, cost $199 / £179, which works out at around AU$290 based on current conversion rates. 

The MW07 PLUS are significantly more expensive, coming in at $299 / £279 (around AU$440), reflecting their superior battery life; at 40 hours (10 hours in the earbuds, and a further 30 from the charging case), they surpass most other models on the market. 

They come in an elegant stainless steel charging case, and are made from handcrafted acetate that comes in a number of chic colors. As they also sport 10mm beryllium drivers, they probably have a similar sonic profile to their less expensive siblings. 

The release of these new models could mean that the original MW07s get discounted over Black Friday and Cyber Monday – stick with TechRadar for the latest from the massive sales event to find the best headphones deals.

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The new Google Assistant doesn't support button navigation, to the dismay of users

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 09:22 AM PDT

The new Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4 XL brought with them a new and improved version of Google Assistant. The updated app includes some welcome additions, such as a smarter, pared-down look and improved voice recognition, but not every change has been warmly received.

Google has also decided to abandon the three-button interface from previous versions of Assistant and replace it with gesture controls – and not everyone is happy about it.

A new Google support document explains that although three-button navigation is still available in Android 10 (and can be activated through System > Gestures > System navigation), if you select it, you won't be able to use the new Assistant.

As Android Police notes, the new gestures may prove tricky for users with limited mobility, who would find Google Assistant particularly useful, and reception from the Reddit Android community has been mixed to say the least.

Swipes and gripes

Google has tried to force gesture controls on users before, to widespread annoyance. When the Android 10 beta arrived in August, many members of the Android community were dismayed by its new gesture navigation, which uses swipes in place of button presses.

Testers' main complaint involved the back gesture – a swipe from either the right or left edge of the screen. Many third-party apps already use that gesture for other functions, such as accessing menus, so having it taken over by the operating system presented a real problem.

Google responded to the backlash by arguing that gestures are more natural and make navigating with one hand easier, but eventually caved and made buttons available as an option when the new OS launched.

It's possible that it will change its mind about Google Assistant as well, particularly as it starts to roll out to older handsets. Fingers crossed.

Via Android Police

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Black hat SEO: 7 tactics to leave back in the 90s

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 09:13 AM PDT

Before search engines like Google started cranking out algorithms to rank websites on things like relevancy, quality content, and links, black hat search engine optimization (SEO) tactics were the hottest thing since sliced bread. But what exactly is black hat SEO?

In layman’s terms, black hat SEO consists of website optimization strategies that are now deemed as unacceptable or unethical to search engines. The term “black hat” is derived from old western films, where the good cowboys wore white hats and the bad guys wore black hats.

Black hat SEO used to be appealing to marketers. It could grow organic search rankings relatively fast. Today, however, the results of using these techniques are far from positive and could cost you. In this blog, we discuss seven black hat tactics that you are better off leaving back in the 90s.

Hidden text

Do you remember those cool invisible ink pens as a kid? Back in the day, marketers used invisible or hidden text on a website to try and entice search engines to rank them higher in organic search engine results (SERPs). 

For example, if the background of a website was white, a sneaky marketer would place paragraphs of keywords on the website in the same color as the background, thus making it “invisible” to users, but crawlable to search engines. This hidden text is often put in places on websites that visitors usually wouldn’t notice, such as the footer. 

Today, this tactic does not fly with search engines, and it is deemed as an unacceptable SEO tactic that can result in lower organic rankings.

Cloaking

As its name suggests, cloaking is a sneaky way to show one website to search engines and an entirely different website to users. An example of this, according to Google, is when one website shows flash content to users while another shows HTML content to search engines.

Link farms

Google and other search engines consider both internal and external website links to be valuable, and they use them as a ranking factor.

 Many website owners used to pay link farms to get additional links to point to their site. However, search engines have become wise to this tactic and will penalize a site that uses it. 

Keyword stuffing

Keyword stuffing used to be an effective technique in the 90s and the early 2000s to rank organically in the SERPs. But now this is not the case. The thought behind this sneaky technique was that if you inundated your website with keywords you wanted it to rank for, Google would rank the website higher for those search terms and user queries. 

Ever since Google released the Panda update, keyword density is something that Google monitors very carefully. Instead of keyword-stuffing a website with terms you would like to rank for, creating user-friendly content with natural language is the best way to appease search engines. 

Hidden links

As we mentioned above, search engines consider link equity when ranking a website. Hidden links are just what they sound like: links on a website that the user cannot see but search engines can still crawl. 

Some common ways to hide links include placing link text behind an image, using links with a font size of zero, or adding links that are the same color as the background color of a website.

Duplicate content

Duplicate content can come in many forms, and search engines nowadays do not take duplicate content lightly. Before search engines caught on to this black hat SEO technique, website owners would place the same content on several pages of a website to improve individual page rankings, and oftentimes, they would steal content from other websites. 

Today, search engines like Google take duplicate content very seriously, and it’s something that should be avoided at all costs.

Clickbait

Clickbaiting is a devious way to entice users to click on a website by using a deceptive headline to catch a user’s attention. Often, the page title or meta description will say one thing, and the website will say another. 

For example, a site may entice users to click on a title tag that says, “Get a Free Car.” When clicked, the link will take them to a website that has nothing to do with getting a free car. This is an easy and unethical way to get website clicks. Most website owners who use this black hat SEO technique are trying to generate income based on website clicks. However, search engines have caught onto this—it should absolutely be avoided.

The two main reasons to avoid black hat SEO

There are two main reasons why you should avoid the unethical practice of black hat SEO tactics as we have presented above. For one, black hat SEO can lead to an unpleasant user experience. 

Think about it: Have you ever gone to a website and found that the site had absolutely nothing to do with what you searched for? This can be incredibly frustrating to users, which means they probably won’t come back to that website anytime soon.

The second, perhaps biggest reason to avoid black hat SEO is the fact the search engines are smart enough to catch onto these techniques. They will not hesitate to demote your website in the SERPs. And that will make it much more difficult for your business to attract prospects and turn them into customers.

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Beloved comic book Bone is being made into a Netflix TV show

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 08:27 AM PDT

Netflix has announced that it's secured the rights to comic book series, Bone, and it will be developing an animated kid's show based on the Jeff Smith creation that sold millions of copies around the world. 

The Bone Netflix show will follow the "iconic Bone cousins on an adventure through a vast, uncharted desert and into a mysterious valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures," according a press release from the streaming giant.

Smith, the creator of the Bone comic book series, says that he's waited a long time for it to be developed into an animated show:

"Netflix is the perfect home for Bone. Fans of the books know that the story develops chapter by chapter and book by book."

So, what is Bone?

Since 1991, Bone has been published in over 30 countries, with over eight million copies sold in North America alone.

The series follows cutesy bald cartoon characters, the Bone cousins, as they journey through the desert after being kicked out of their hometown, Boneville. 

During their travels, the three cousins encounter strange creatures and mysteries that draw them into a bigger quest than they ever imagined when they first left Boneville. 

Right now, there's no word on a release date, or even any mention of who's involved with the project – so, don't expect to see the Bone Netflix TV show until at least 2020. 

The new series joins a flurry of animated shows and movies that are expected to arrive on the streaming platform in the coming years. This is because Netflix has struck a multi-year deal with the creators of animated coming-of-age comedy Big Mouth, which will see the team creating a bevy of animated projects for the streaming giant through their production company, Brutus Pink.

Compared to other platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix is home to a huge number of animated shows, particularly those aimed at older viewers like Matt Groening's Disenchantment, Rick and Morty, and F is For Family. 

However, with Disney Plus looming on the horizon, the streaming giant could be about to lose its crown as cartoon king – after all, Disney Plus is expected to house every single Disney film in existence, which includes masses of animated content. 

Will Bone save the day for Netflix? Only time will tell.

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The Apple Watch 5 gets a price cut at Walmart ahead of Black Friday

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 08:15 AM PDT

The Walmart Black Friday sale is just around the corner and the retail giant is giving us a sneak peek with a rare discount on the all-new Apple Watch. For a limited time, you can get the Apple Watch 5 on sale for $384. That's a $15 discount and the lowest price we've found for the GPS-only model smartwatch. If you're interested in a cellular plan, Walmart also has the Apple Watch 5 with LTE connectivity on sale for $484.

The Apple Watch 5 was just released this past September with new features and an upgraded design. The biggest change to the smartwatch is the Always-On Retina display, which allows you to easily read the time, messages, and other important notifications. The latest Apple Watch also received new health benefits, which include activity trends, cycle tracking, and an updated ECG app. The Apple Watch 5 includes a new Map app and compass and additional safety features that allow you to make emergency calls. The waterproof smartwatch tracks steps, workouts, and calories burned and provides up to 18 hours of battery life.

While the discount on the Series 5 smartwatch might seem small, it's extremely rare for a newly released Apple Watch to already be on sale. The older Apple Watch 4 is currently on sale for $395, which makes the $384 price tag on the Apple Watch 5 even more appealing.

Apple Watch 5 deals:

Learn more about the upcoming November sale event and see upcoming discounts with our Black Friday Apple Watch deals guide.

See more offers on the smartwatch with the best Apple Watch 5 prices and deals that are currently available.

Shop older model deals with our roundup of the best cheap Apple Watch prices and sales.

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Ace offer gives instant saving on Google Pixel 4 deals - and you still get that free Chromebook

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 08:00 AM PDT

Usually when new smartphones are released to the world, it takes a while for the market to diverge and for genuine market-beating prices to start rolling in. But Carphone Warehouse has turned that received wisdom on its head when it comes to hot-off-the-press Google Pixel 4 deals.

That's because Carphone Warehouse has immediately come along with an offer that knocks a fair few quid off Google's brand new mobile. To be more accurate, it has come along with two offers dependant on whether you're hoping to purchase on contract or a SIM-free Pixel 4.

Wanting to spread your payments and buy the Pixel 4 or 4 XL on contract? Then Carphone Warehouse is offering your choice of a £50 gift card for Currys PC World, Google Play or Just Eat. Not fancying any of those? Then you can opt for a £50 pre-paid Mastercard instead to spend on pretty much anything you want. Monthly costs start from less than £30 with data allowances going as high as unlimited , so you should easily be able to find the tariff to suit you from Carphone.

Got the £669 to spend on a Pixel 4 outright (or £829 for the XL)? This time the retailer will let you claim a gift up to the value of £25. That's in the form of a gift card for Currys PC World or Costa, a pre-paid Mastercard or a 1-month Sky Sports pass from Now TV. All you'll have to figure out after that is which cheap SIM only deal to put inside it.

But remember - you won't be eligible to claim these vouchers if you simply head over to the Carphone Warehouse website now or go to a branch and order your phone. You have to click one of the special links below and insert your email address first (where you'll also find the full Ts&Cs)...

But what about my free Chromebook?

Aha, so you've heard!? Order your new Pixel 4 deal in the pre-order period (i.e. up until October 24) and you can also claim a free Chromebook that would normally cost in the region of £250.

Well there's no need to panic. Order from Carphone Warehouse and you'll get the gift as mentioned above and the Chromebook freebie. Sweet!

Is the Google Pixel 4 any good?

In short...yes. Want something longer...? Yes, very.

It's the camera phone that really shines, as is the norm with the previous iterations of Google's smartphones. So a second 12MP sensor has been added to the rear and considerable promises about the software smarts that aren't as immediately obvious.

We also love the 90HZ OLED screen. It may sound incidental, but it makes for a super smooth scrolling experience that you can only really marvel in when you experience it.

Want to know more? Then head over to our early hands-on Google Pixel 4 review to discover all you need to know.

Why buy from Carphone Warehouse?

Everyone knows the name 'Carphone Warehouse' but what is it that makes the retailer really standout?

Providing 'text to switch' features - allowing you to easily change over your number when you switch contracts - as well as phone trade-ins to save money with your old handset, Carphone is working to make your purchase as easy as possible.

Combine that with Carphone's next day delivery guarantee and click and collect options from 850 stores and the high-street retailer is looking like a strong option - discover its latest prices and offers with our Carphone Warehouse deals guide.

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You can now buy the twin-screen Asus ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo in India

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 07:46 AM PDT

Following its reveal during Computex 2019, Asus has now launched its latest dual-screen laptops, the ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo, in India. The major highlight of the new laptops is that it comes with a second screen that Asus calls ScreenPad Plus.

The ScreenPad Plus is a touch screen with up to 4K resolution that aims to improve productivity while working on a laptop. Arnold Su, Head of Consumer Notebooks and ROG Business, ASUS India, said that "The need for the industry to evolve with the changing times necessitates innovation. As one amongst the industry incumbents, we realized it was both an opportunity and responsibility for us to push the envelope, disrupt the status quo, and come up with a magnificent offering."

Asus ZenBook Duo & ZenBook Pro Duo specifications

Asus ZenBook Duo is a 14-inch laptop with a Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution display. It has minimal bezels, which give it a 90% screen-to-body-ratio. It is powered by up to 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor with up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD storage. 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX250 manages the graphics duties. The ScreenPad Plus on the Duo measures 12.6-inch with a 1920 x 515 pixels resolution. 

The ZenBook Pro Duo features two 4K screens: its main display is a 15.6-inch 4K (3840 x 2160) touchscreen OLED, while the resolution of its secondary 14-inch ScreenPad Plus display is also technically 4K (3840 x 1100). 

While the ScreenPad Plus can be used as a standard secondary Windows display, Asus' ScreenXpert control software offers users multiscreen window and app management tools, including App Switcher, ViewMax, and App Navigator.

Asus ZenBook Duo starts at Rs 89,990, while the ZenBook Pro Duo is priced starting at Rs 2,09,990.

The regular ZenBook also gets an upgrade

Along with its show-stopping ZenBook Pro Duo range, Asus also announced upgrades to its standard ZenBook lineup, with new 13, 14 and 15-inch models boasting second-generation ScreenPad 2.0 touchscreen trackpads.

Featuring a NanoEdge display with ultra-slim bezels (95% screen-to-body ratio), the ZenBook 13 (UX334), ZenBook 14 (UX434) and ZenBook 15 (UX534) laptops offer some mighty impressive specs, with the choice of up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPUs, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics, 16GB RAM, ultra-fast PCIe SSDs and gigabit-class Wi-Fi 5.

The ZenBook 13 and 14 are priced at Rs 84,990, while the ZenBook 15 starts at Rs 1,24,990 in India.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 has a major security flaw – but it’s going to be fixed

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 07:24 AM PDT

As security flaws go, a fingerprint scanner that will unlock a phone for any unregistered print is pretty serious – and that’s exactly what seems to be happening with the Samsung Galaxy S10.

Okay, there’s a bit more to it than that. The fingerprint scanner can only be fooled once certain screen protectors are applied, and only seems to be fooled by thumb prints – but even so, it’s cause for concern.

The issue was discovered by a British woman who, speaking to The Sun, said she applied a cheap screen protector and found her unregistered thumb print would then unlock the phone. Her husband was apparently able to do the same with his thumbs, and testing the screen protector on a relative’s phone led to the same issue.

Troubling but temporary

It’s not clear whether other Samsung phones with in-screen scanners have this issue, nor how many brands of screen protectors can confuse the scanner in this way, and how many people are therefore walking around with completely compromised biometric security.

But it’s still a concern, especially as you wouldn’t even need to be using a screen protector yourself to have compromised security. All it would take is for a thief to have access to an applicable screen protector.

Thankfully, a fix is on the way. The BBC reports that Samsung has acknowledged the issue and promised a software patch to fix the problem. It’s not clear exactly when this fix is coming, but in the meantime you might want to disable fingerprint security – or at the very least make sure you’re not using a screen protector that affects it.

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The best Kodi VPN in 2019

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 07:22 AM PDT

If you're looking to add a VPN to your Kodi box, you've come to the right place! We've reviewed and tested VPNs to find the best Kodi VPN. 

For those not familiar with Kodi, it’s one of the most, if not the most popular media players around thanks to its excellent interface. Not only that but it’s a free and open source that boasts some impressive capabilities when it comes to add-ons which support various streaming services.

Some of those add-ons are perfectly legal, and others – not so much. Naturally, we, at TechRadar do not endorse any form of piracy or illegally viewing copyrighted material. But we do endorse getting the best software for your needs - and that's where our Kodi VPN chart is your friend.

The best Kodi VPN in 2019

IPVanish provides superb performance levels complemented with a wide range of server locations. In testing, our download speeds improved by around 15% compared to our normal rates. The provider supports a whopping 10 simultaneous connections on multiple devices. This is ideal for larger families or family/friend gatherings, as there will be plenty of free slots available for other internet activities, even if several people are streaming content.

The service offers native clients for Windows and Mac, along with Android and iOS, plus it has setup instructions for other platforms. The native Windows client, in particular, is a sterling effort with an intuitive interface and a bundle of advanced features (although on the downside, we found it could potentially be susceptible to more network issues than rival VPN software).

IPVanish has a strict no logs policy and all the necessary security in place for a smooth and carefree VPN experience. If there’s one thing that somewhat spoils the fun, it’s the cost of the service as it’s a bit on the pricey side. There is no free trial available, but the three plans include a 7-day money-back guarantee. The 1-year subscription is the best and most affordable option. The packages available are:

This British Virgin Islands provider has an impressive collection of servers spread across 94 countries with some great performance. In our tests, we recorded good speed consistency with no fluctuations of any kind. 

Setting up a VPN can be complicated even for an expert, but ExpressVPN does a great job to help you out. Their site is packed with various tutorials that will help with any common tasks and issues you might have and there is always the excellent live chat support to help you out. 

The provider offers quality clients for every major platform with setup instructions for various other devices. iOS and Android (which you can also install on Android TV) clients are especially well made and are very user-friendly. 

On the security and privacy front, the service doesn't disappoint either. The 256-bit encryption is available and you can choose from OpenVPN via UDP, OpenVPN via TCP, L2TP - IPSEC, PPTP or SSTP protocol. The service has a favorable privacy policy with zero logging of any kind.

The service is a bit pricier than most and there is no free trial, but you do get a 30-day money back guarantee. There are three plans available, with the yearly plan being the most affordable (you also get an extra three months). The packages available are:

NordVPN offers an impressive level of overall server coverage, being one of the largest VPN networks around. Its performance is far from shabby, too, providing consistently fast connections throughout much of that expansive network. 

The provider has a Kodi specific page on their website, if you need more information about unblocking Kodi. That being said, NordVPN does a good job support-wise, with their guides being right on point without being too technical so even newbies won't have any trouble understanding. The great example of that is this blog post, which shows you how to watch movies on Kodi.

This provider also has user-friendly applications for all major operating systems (there is also a dedicated app for Android TV). These are packed with useful features, along with plenty of beef on the security front. There’s Double VPN (double encryption) for maximum privacy, Onion over VPN, a CyberSec feature for blocking intrusive adverts and malicious online threats, an automatic kill switch, and more besides. NordVPN has a clear ‘no logs’ policy, too.

There is a free 3-day trial to take this VPN for a test spin, but it’s rather hidden away on the website. With the monthly billing being rather pricey, the cheap 3-year subscription provides the best value for your money. The packages available are:

Streaming content requires a fast connection and it doesn’t get much better than VyprVPN in this respect. Our performance tests revealed that this provider offers superb download speeds – twice as fast as the rates we get with the VPN turned off, in fact. Add the firm’s widespread server coverage and you have a service tailored for HD and 4K content.

While there might not be an obvious Kodi support, the website has a bunch of support resources. For instance, in the TV section of the website, you can find a guide for OpenELEC, a common Kodi platform. You can also find a web forum where VyprVPN users can post about their experiences or ask about some particular issues.

There are easy-to-use clients for all relevant platforms and devices, supported by strong security aspects. Along with the expected range of protocols and encryption, the provider’s own Chameleon technology aims to defeat VPN blocking and throttling for a faster connection. A kill switch, NAT Firewall, and VyprVPN’s own DNS solution complete the efforts on the security front. On top of that, there is no logging of traffic or online activities, but there is some logging occurring in the form of recording connection times and IP addresses.

Would-be users have a free 3-day trial at their disposal, which is particularly useful as VyprVPN doesn’t allow refunds. Commercial plans are based on monthly and annual billing, with the monthly plans carrying an expensive price tag. Your best bet is the Premium plan with annual billing as it includes all the bells and whistles (like the Chameleon protocol) for a reasonable price. The packages available are:

Performance is always a priority when streaming content and PureVPN delivered. In our testing, the provider achieved good speeds, although, on long distance servers, performance suffered, but that's nothing unusual. Combine the solid performance with a large number of servers and you shouldn't have trouble finding a good connection.

The provider offers many clients for desktop and mobile users, as well as an add-on for Kodi. If you need any help configuring Kodi with PureVPN, you can find many helpful tutorials and guides for both desktop and mobile platforms.

As for the privacy, there have been some issues in 2017 but that seems like it's all in the past as the privacy policy looks very clear and straightforward, stating that there is no logging of any kind.

Although the provider doesn't offer a free trial, you do get a 31-money back guarantee and the yearly plans are quite cheap. Speaking of cheap, the limited 5-year plan is one of the most affordable plans you can find anywhere and it offers the best value by far. The packages available are:

How to choose the best Kodi VPN

As ever when it comes to streaming content – particularly if it’s HD – you want one of the best VPNs which gives you fast download speeds to avoid those dreaded pauses while the ‘buffering’ icon hogs the screen. A large web of server locations also helps as you’ll have more options to find the fastest connection possible.

And as always, you’ll want good levels of security and a ‘zero logs’ privacy policy. An intuitive dedicated client is highly desirable as there might be some initial tweaking and fiddling required. Those who prefer viewing on the go should look out for mobile device support, and preferably native clients for iOS/Android.

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Astros vs Yankees live stream: how to watch ALCS 2019 baseball online from anywhere

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 06:44 AM PDT

Two of the most well-supported baseball teams in the MLB are facing off in the 2019 ALCS - the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. Both will be desperate to make the World Series and you can watch every pitch and home run by reading our guide on getting an Astros vs Yankees live stream from pretty much anywhere in the world.

So far the 2019 ALCS series is beautifully poised at a game apiece as the players head to New York City.

The Yankees went big in Game 1, with second baseman Gleyber Torres putting five RBIs against his name.

But the Stros turned things around a day later in a nerve-jangling game at the Minute Maid Stadium that went to an eleventh innings. Carlos Correa was the hero of the hour with a colossal match-winning home run. And then the Houston team took a win on the road 4-1 to take a one game advantage. Spirits were dampened on both sides when Wednesday was washed out, so Game 4 now takes place on Thursday.

Whether you’re shouting for the Yankees, love the Astros or just a huge fan of baseball, we have the information you need for watching the 2019 ALCS series online and from anywhere. Read on to see how to live stream Astros vs Yankees baseball on your TV, computer and even on your mobile devices.

How to watch the 2019 ALCS online from outside your country

We have your viewing options below if you want to watch the baseball from the US, UK or Canada, including the routes you need if you don't have cable access - you can see how to live stream Cardinals vs Nationals 2019 NLCS with our dedicated guide.

However, try watching your usual online coverage when you're abroad and you'll soon discover that you can due to broadcasters' geo-blocking. No, we don't suggest you go running to Reddit to see where you can stream a dodgy, illegal feed. It's by utilising a VPN - or Virtual Private Network - that allows you to change the IP address of your laptop or mobile to one in a different state or country which does have the stream so that you can watch the series from anywhere in the world.

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How to watch Houston Astros vs New York Yankees in the US 

It's Fox's turn to host the coverage of the ALCS in the US, with games shown on either Fox or FS1. That's where you need to head if you have cable.

If you have a subscription to MLB.tv, you can also stream it on MLB.tv so long as you get an authentication code from one of the cable providers. If you don't have a subscription to MLB's streaming service, now would be a great time to consider getting on board as you can watch every World Series game and even get ready for the 2019 season with MLB.TV's Postseason package for just $24.99.

Not a cable subscriber? Don’t worry as we’ll explain all of the other ways you can watch the baseball online down below.

  • Sling TV $25 or $40 - Sling TV is an inexpensive way to watch baseball though you’ll be missing out on games shown on the MLB Network.  The service splits its content into two different TV packages which does make things cheaper though to stream MLB you’ll need to sign up for both.  Sling TV is compatible with Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, Chromecast as well as lots of other devices and its easy to get started with a 7-day free trial. 
  • Hulu with Live TV $45 - Hulu with live TV includes ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, FS1 and TBS but does not come with the MLB Network.
  • DIRECTV NOW $50 per month - DIRECTV NOW gives users all the channels needed to watch MLB online and also comes with some extra channels as well.  If you want a lot of content to choose from and don’t mind watching the games live as the service doesn’t include cloud DVR, then DIRECTV NOW’s 7-day trial will let you test out the platform.
  • fuboTV $19.99 for the first month - fuboTV has a low introductory price though after that the price goes up to $44.99 a month and includes 70 channels. Unfortunately it does not have ESPN, MLB Network or TBS though it does offer strong local coverage and 30 hours of cloud DVR storage.  fuboTV does has a free 7-day trial available so you can test out its functionality for yourself.
  • YouTube TV $40 per month - YouTube TV includes ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, MLB Network and TBS. Google’s service includes all of the networks that carry national baseball broadcasts though you’ll have to check out its welcome page to see which local networks and regional sports networks are available in your area.

- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites

How to stream Yankees vs Astros live in the UK 

UK baseball fans will be able to watch this season’s games on BT Sport which is included in BT’s TV bundles. If you aren’t a BT Sport subscriber, you can sign up for the BT Sport app for £10 a month with the first three months free or subscribe via Sky TV or TalkTalk TV for £29.99 a month.

If BT Sport’s monthly prices are too high for you, remember that MLB.TV is also available in the UK.

How to watch the 2019 ALCS in Canada

There are a number of ways to watch MLB in Canada. Baseball fans with a cable subscription will be able to watch games on Sportsnet, TVA Sports, TSN and RDS.

Don’t want to pay for a premium cable subscription just to watch baseball, don’t worry as MLB.TV is available in Canada (with no blackouts).

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The best VPN for Amazon Fire TV Stick in 2019

Posted: 17 Oct 2019 06:20 AM PDT

Introduced back in 2014, the Fire TV Stick is Amazon’s rival to Chromecast and Roku. The device plugs into an HDMI port and allows any TV to stream content over a Wi-Fi network - basically turning the device into a very well-featured smart TV.

However, much of that content that people want to stream - is geo-locked, so it’s only available from a certain country or region. This is mainly due to the likes of content licensing agreements and broadcast rights. Of course, the main way to get around this and access the content is by using one of the best VPNs and changing your IP address to a location that has the content you crave.

Best VPNs for Amazons Fire TV in 2019

ExpressVPN is our top pick for the best all-round VPN, and specifically for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. With 3,000 servers in close to 160 locations, this British Virgin Islands-based provider offers a lot of connection choices. In our testing, we found speeds were fractionally lower than our normal rates on shorter hops, with little change in long-distance connections.

ExpressVPN is known for its quality apps which include a brand new Android app that works well with Android-based streaming devices (like Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick), and it can be navigated with the remote control. When you fire it up, the app immediately recommends the location that gives you the best connection speed. Talking of connection speeds, these were really impressive in both the US and Europe - and even some locations further afield.

ExpressVPN offers an excellent level of technical support, including lots of troubleshooting guides and 24/7 live chat support, plus you can also get in touch via email if that’s more convenient.

The Android app uses the OpenVPN protocol, encrypting all traffic with 256-bit encryption. The privacy policy clearly explains that the company doesn't collect or log traffic data, connection IPs, or browsing activity from individual users, a huge plus for Kodi users. In our testing, we confirmed that ExpressVPN unblocks Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and a wide range of streaming services. ExpressVPN also provides Fire TV-compatible MediaStreamer DNS services, for those who wish to unblock content even when not connected to the VPN.

Price plans aren’t the cheapest, but may be worth the added cost for the best possible streaming experience on Fire TV / Fire TV Stick. The pricing is somewhat mitigated by ExpressVPN's ‘no hassle’ money-back guarantee which allows you to try the full service for up to 30 days, with no sneaky small print restrictions on bandwidth or similar. That certainly comes in handy as there’s no free plan or trial. The yearly plan offers the best bang for your buck (with three months thrown in for free). The packages available are:

In our testing, NordVPN delivered very good performance, with impressive speeds on short connections, and some very serviceable results with longer distances. There are plenty of servers to choose from, too. The provider offers tutorials on how to set up your router with a VPN or share the VPN connection from your PC in order to use the service with the Fire Stick. Since recently, there is also a dedicated Android TV app that you can download from Amazon Appstore and use it with your Fire TV.

NordVPN excels on the security front, offering double data encryption (where your connection gets passed through two separate VPN servers), along with support for all the major security protocols. On top of that, the firm has a ‘no logs’ policy, which is always good to see.

There’s a free trial but you’d never know about it unless you dig around on the website. Out of the four available price plans (all of which have a 30-day money-back guarantee), the monthly plan is very expensive, but the limited three-year subscription is a fantastic deal. The packages available are:

This Romanian/German provider has a dedicated Fire TV Stick app, which can be found on Amazon Appstore, and if there are any problems installing the app, in-depth guides can be found on their website. In our testing, the service performed quite well with some really good performance levels, and there is a considerable amount of servers, too. The client is simple to use which can be important for newbies, although, there can be some interface issues.

Security conscious users shouldn't worry as the provider uses all the standard protocols, including the IKEv2 and OpenVPN, with 256-AES encryption. While in the past there have been some privacy issues, the privacy-policy states the usual 'no-logs' policy and there doesn't seem to be any apparent privacy-related problems.

Unfortunately, Cyberghost doesn't have a free trial and the monthly plan is quite expensive. However, there is a 45-day money back guarantee and the longer-term plans are much more cost friendly, with the special 18-months plan being the clear winner. The packages available are:

IPVanish certainly delivers on the performance front, over both short hops and long-distance connections, with the former being up to five times quicker than some rivals, and the latter showing a commendable average increase of 15% in download speeds. There are plenty of servers to choose from, with impressive global coverage.

There’s also a dedicated Fire TV app that is easy to setup and use - it actually launches the app the second the VPN connects. It has some handy options like automatic IP switching and fastest server optimisation, although note that it doesn’t support the first-generation Fire Stick. IPVanish doesn’t log any traffic or connection data when you use the service.

One downside worth mentioning is that when we tested out the firm’s customer support, we found it sluggish to respond, which obviously isn’t ideal if you do run into a problem.

There is no free trial, but the three plans on offer do come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. Your best bet is the yearly subscription which is the most affordable option. The packages available are:

[Save 40%] Get 40% off VyprVPN's annual plans. VyprVPN is a fast, highly secure VPN without third-parties, all  for as little as $36.00 for the first year. Get VyprVPN here.  

This VPN is blazingly fast and delivered more than twice our normal download rates, which will be pure streaming heaven for users watching 4K content (or HD, for that matter). The server count is very impressive as well, with more than 700 servers in 70+ locations around the globe.

VyprVPN has its own Fire TV app, available in the APK format or directly through the Amazon Store. The app offers lots of speed optimization options and will automatically connect to the fastest server available, also providing you with upload and download speed graphs, a ping test and so on.

OpenVPN and Chameleon protocols are used here, with the latter being VyprVPN’s proprietary solution that’s designed to avoid deep packet inspection, and your VPN connection being detected and throttled or blocked (note that this is only available on the Premium plan).

The provider also has its own DNS solution, and maintains a ‘no logs’ policy, although that said, some session logging does take place, such as connection times and IPs – which might not be ideal for everyone.

You can test the service with a free 3-day trial – and it’s a good idea to exercise that right, as VyprVPN doesn’t allow refunds after you’ve signed up. When it comes to subscription plans, the best all-round choice is the Premium plan billed annually, because this comes with all the advanced features on offer – and monthly billing is expensive (for either plan). The packages available are:

How to choose the greatest VPN for Amazon’s Fire TV Stick

Obviously, performance is always important for streaming, so you want a VPN provider that offers fast and reliable connections. A plentiful server count is helpful for finding a swift server – the more options you have, the better – and it’s also good to have a lightweight app which won’t affect performance levels, too.

You won’t always find a dedicated app for the Fire TV Stick, though, and it’s obviously a bonus when you do, because it means you can avoid having to set things up manually. Support for Kodi add-ons is also a plus.

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