A VPN (Virtual Private Network) puts another layer between you and the internet at large to help keep your home network safe, but VPNs can also be used to bypass geographic blocks on things like Netflix that have different content for different regions. With a VPN, you can conceal your location by disguising your IP (internet protocol) address and encrypting all the data you send and receive over the internet. Of course, VPNs won't protect you from every threat (for more on that, check out our piece on common VPN misunderstandings), but working in tandem with security software like firewalls included with your router and devices, can help keep you safe online.

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images And another one bites the dust — this time, it’s Google Podcasts, which is being discontinued in favor of YouTube Music.Back in 2018, Google moved its Play Music service over to YouTube, and while some people felt it was an improvement, others weren’t so thrilled. I have to say that I count myself among the latter; I usually listen to rather than watch my music, and I didn’t find the YouTube Music interface any kind of improvement. Now, as it tends to do, Google has decided to drop yet another of its apps and instead add those features to another service. It sent out an email to users announcing the move last September and has now sent another, offering tools that allow you to either migrate your subscription to YouTube Music or export... Continue reading…

Disney The Marvels starts streaming on Disney Plus on February 7th, nearly three months after it had the lowest-grossing box-office debut in MCU history. This may give the Nia DaCosta-directed action-adventure film starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani a chance at a new life since it can tap into the built-in audience of other titles featuring its stars, including Ms. Marvel, WandaVision, and of course, Captain Marvel.It grossed about $84.5 million domestically and $121.6 million internationally (for a combined total of $206 million), according to Box Office MoJo. While that’s a pretty average post-pandemic box-office run for any other film, it’s not enough for the expensive MCU tentpole to break even: Variety reports the... Continue reading…

LIFE habitat burst test | Sierra Space Sierra Space blew up its inflatable space habitat to test how much pressure it can handle. Dubbed LIFE, for Large Integrated Flexible Environment, it consists of “softgoods,” or woven fabrics that act like a rigid structure once inflated. The test focused on LIFE’s pressure shell, which is supposed to keep the habitat intact no matter the pressure it’s experiencing. This layer is made up of Vectran straps (the same material used for the Mars Rovers), which “becomes stronger than steel when inflated on-orbit,” and other high-strength fabrics. With the support of NASA, it pumped in air beyond the recommended level of 60.8 psi until the whole thing went kaboom. (The explosive ending starts at 5:55 in the video below.)The aerospace... Continue reading…

Users often criticize Windows 11 for continuing an alarming trend by Microsoft. The company has continued to market its products and services within Windows through intrusive means such as lock screen ads and pre-installed apps. The issue is even worse when you buy from an OEM other than Microsoft because each OEM usually installs its own pre-installed bloatware. It creates a subpar experience where a brand-new Windows 11 machine can feel heavy straight out of the box.

Image: MrBeast Exactly how much money can you make by uploading a video to X? The going assumption has been that X — like Twitter before it — is a poor platform for video creators that can’t compete with YouTube and TikTok in terms of monetization and reach. So there’s been a lot riding on the results of a recent test by MrBeast, who aimed to see whether he could actually make money on Elon Musk’s platform.Last week, MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, posted a video to Musk’s platform with the explicit goal of seeing “how much ad revenue a video on X would make.” Musk had previously encouraged MrBeast to post to X, and he sent out an excited message shortly after the test went up. “First MrBeast video posted directly on !” Musk wrote. Now, a week... Continue reading…

Image: PocketPair The Pokémon-like has sold over 5 million copies in the three days since its early access launch. Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Securities and Exchange Commission has linked a SIM swapping attack to its account breach on X earlier this month, which led to the creation of a fake post announcing approval of Bitcoin ETFs that caused the cryptocurrency’s price to spike. In an update on Monday, the SEC says an “unauthorized party obtained control of the SEC cell phone number associated with the account in an apparent ‘SIM swap’ attack.”A SIM-swapping attack occurs when a bad actor obtains a victim’s phone number through techniques like social engineering. That allows the attacker to intercept calls and texts intended for the victim, including two-factor authentication codes, which they can then use to sign in to their victim’s accounts.In the SEC’s case, a bad... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge General Motors is getting rid of the “Ultra Cruise” brand and merging the team that was working on it with the team responsible for Super Cruise, as the automaker reconsiders its goals for advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS). Last week, CNBC reported that GM was “ending the Ultra Cruise program,” focusing instead on the current Super Cruise system that is available across the company’s vehicle lineup. GM spokesperson Aimee Ridella clarified that the ultimate intention is to improve Super Cruise but that no one is being laid off as a result of this decision.“GM is not scaling back its advanced driver assistance programs,” Ridella said in an email. “We have reallocated our ADAS-focused resources to bring even more capability to Super... Continue reading…

Motorola’s classic clamshell modernized with a flexible OLED display finally feels worth the money after a $450 discount. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Between foldable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5, the Pixel Fold, and the OnePlus Open, it’s easy to forget the Motorola Razr Plus exists. The flip phone is a throwback to Motorola’s roots, only the sharp-edged number pad departs to make room for the 6.9-inch OLED display that greets you when opening it. (You can still ride the nostalgic wave with a software-based dialer resembling the classic design.) Thanks to a steep 45 percent discount at Woot that’s only around for the next couple of days (or while supplies last), you can buy the newest Razr Plus in black for just $549.99 ($450 off). That price is even cheaper than the $699.99 base model and about $150 cheaper than we’ve seen at other retailers during last... Continue reading…

An electric delivery vehicle plugged into a new charging station at a USPS sorting and delivery center. | Image: Christian Lilakos The US Postal Service debuted its first EV charging stations in Atlanta, Georgia, today, the first of many expected to be deployed at “hundreds” of new sorting and delivery centers this year. It’s a key step in the Postal Service’s plan to put together one of the nation’s biggest EV fleets, made up of more than 66,000 delivery vehicles. “The work USPS is doing to electrify those vehicles is making EVs commonplace on every road and street in our country,” John Podesta, senior advisor to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation, said in a press release.“The work USPS is doing to electrify those vehicles is making EVs commonplace on every road and street in our country.”USPS is working on converting around 400 sites... Continue reading…

LG’s MyView smart monitor | LG Electronics You can now purchase the entire slate of LG’s webOS-powered MyView monitors, which debuted at CES earlier this month, including one with a 31.5-inch 4K IPS panel (model 32SR85U) that starts at $599.99. Sure, gamers can find better value for their money than a monitor that maxes out with 5ms response times and a 60Hz refresh rate, but visual creatives might appreciate a 95 percent DCI-P3 color gamut. And when your office work is done, you can fire up a full suite of entertainment apps or stream directly from another device with AirPlay 2 and Miracast support.It could be an ideal monitor for movie watching at your desk without loud fans (or Slack notifications) ruining the immersion, and it’s easier to fit into your home office than... Continue reading…