Protect your self while browsing the web

Are you looking for a way to protect your online privacy and security? If so, then you should consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN is a secure connection that allows you to access the internet without having to worry about your data being exposed. Here are some of the reasons why you should use a VPN.

1. Protect Your Privacy: A VPN encrypts all of your data, making it impossible for anyone to track or monitor your online activities. This means that even if someone were to intercept your data, they wouldn’t be able to read it or understand what you’re doing online. This is especially important if you’re using public Wi-Fi networks, as these are often unsecured and can be easily hacked.

2. Access Blocked Content: Many countries have restrictions on what content can be accessed online. With a VPN, you can bypass these restrictions and access any website or service that may be blocked in your country. This is especially useful if you’re traveling abroad and want to access services like Netflix or Hulu that may not be available in the country you’re visiting.

3. Save Money: Many websites offer discounts for users who connect through a VPN. By connecting through a VPN, you can often get cheaper prices on flights, hotels, and other services than those who don’t use one.

4. Improved Security: When using public Wi-Fi networks, it’s easy for hackers to intercept your data and steal sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers. With a VPN, all of your data is encrypted so even if someone were to intercept it, they wouldn’t be able to read it or understand what you’re doing online.

Using a VPN is an easy way to protect yourself from hackers and other cyber criminals while also giving yourself access to content that may otherwise be blocked in your country. So if you want to stay safe online and save money while doing so, then consider using a Virtual Private Network today!

 

Philips Hue is getting a $130 app for TVs

It’s a high price to pay to sync your Philips Hue lights with movies or TV shows in your living room.

Signify, owner of the Philips Hue brand, is launching a Philips Hue Sync TV app for Samsung TVs. The $129.99 app will be available on Samsung’s 2022 or newer QLED TVs (Q60 or above) on January 5th and will synchronize everything you see on a TV to Philips Hue smart lights.

It’s effectively the software version of the $250 Play HDMI Sync Box, which scanned HDMI inputs to sync lights to movies and TV shows. This $129.99 app will do the same, but it also works on native apps like Netflix and Disney Plus, which didn’t work on the Play HDMI Sync Box.

You’re really paying $129.99 for the software side of this setup, as you don’t get any hardware like the Play HDMI Sync Box. There are cheaper alternatives, too. The Govee Immersion Kit is just $79.99 and includes an LED light strip and camera to work on any 55- or 65-inch TV with any content (including smart TV apps).

Signify says all image formats and TV content will be compatible with the Hue Sync TV app, and there will be a variety of options to customize intensity, brightness, autostart, and more. The existing Philips Hue Play gradient light strip and the Hue Play bars are designed to work best with this TV app and will pair well if you mount the lights behind a TV. We asked both Signify and Samsung whether this Hue TV app will expand to more TVs or additional brands, but neither company would comment on future plans.

Alongside the Philips Hue Sync TV app, Signify has new Philips Hue PAR38 floodlight bulbs, which are designed to light up backyards or walkways with color. The white and color bulbs will be available on March 14th in the US, priced at $79.99 each or $149.99 for a pack of two.

MacBook owners have two months to claim up to $395 over butterfly keyboard woes

After a class-action lawsuit, Apple has agreed to a $50 million settlement for MacBook owners that had to replace their keyboard or individual keys.

If you bought an Apple MacBook with an ill-fated butterfly keyboard and ended up having to replace either individual keycaps or the whole keyboard, you may be eligible to claim part of a $50 million settlement reached after a class-action lawsuit. The law firm handling the settlement has been emailing class members since mid-December (judging by this MacRumors report) but we wanted to highlight that the deadline for making a claim is fast approaching on March 6th, 2023.

Claims can be submitted via the keyboardsettlement.com website, which says that the settlement class includes “all persons and entities in the United States” who purchased a butterfly-equipped MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro between 2015 and 2019.

There are three main class members. The first includes anyone that had to replace their keyboard (aka, got a “topcase replacement”) more than once. This group should get their payment automatically, but should confirm their mailing address for their $395 (max) payment. The other two groups — which include anyone who replaced their whole keyboard or individual keycaps and found this didn’t resolve their issues — will need to submit a claim form. You can get up to $125 for replacing a keyboard, and up to $50 for keycaps. Settlement payments are only available if your repair was carried out by Apple or one of its authorized service providers within four years of purchase.

The butterfly keyboard saga dates back to 2015, when Apple replaced the traditional scissor-switch keyboard mechanism in the MacBook with a new slimline butterfly version. But soon after its release, MacBook owners started noticing that the keyboard had serious reliability issues, where keys could become unresponsive or sticky if seemingly the smallest amount of dust got under the keys. 

Although Apple would eventually ditch the keyboard in 2020, plenty of customers had to get individual keys or even their entire MacBook keyboards replaced in affected models. Multiple lawsuits were filed over the issues, and a class action suit was certified in 2021. Apple agreed to a $50 million settlement in July last year, and a judge approved the settlement in November