Your router is the gateway between your Local Area Network (LAN) and the wild west of the Internet, and it should be your first line of defense for your privacy. But routers, even custom ones running OPNsense, are set up to get you online, not for your privacy. Even going through a basic checklist of security fixes will get your network more secure, but it only goes part of the way towards making your browsing more private.

Racist videos that appear to be created with Google’s AI video generation tool Veo 3 have raked in millions of views across TikTok, according to findings from the nonprofit media watchdog Media Matters. The AI-generated videos uncovered by the organization are filled with racist tropes, many of which target Black people.Media Matters determined that the videos — one of which received 14.2 million views — were generated with Google Veo 3 because of the “Veo” watermark in the corner of the clips. Some users also listed hashtags, captions, or usernames pertaining to Veo 3 or AI, according to Media Matters. Each clip found by the organization lasted just eight seconds, or was “composed of multiple clips each lasting no more than 8 seconds,” which tracks with Veo 3’s eight-second limit.Veo 3, launched by Google in May, allows users to generate AI video clips and audio with just a text prompt. On its website, Google says it will “block harmful requests and results.” TikTok’s rules similarly state that “hate speech and hateful behavior has no place on TikTok,” and that the platform “will not recommend content that contains negative stereotypes about a person or group with a protected attribute.” “We proactively enforce robust rules against hateful speech and behavior and have removed the accounts we identified in the report, many of which were already banned prior to the report publishing,” TikTok spokesperson Ariane de Selliers said in a statement to The Verge.The Verge found some of the videos highlighted by Media Matters were also on YouTube but with fewer views, while Wired also discovered similar, racist AI-generated videos on Instagram. Other videos found by Media Matters contain antisemitic content and racist depictions of immigrants and Asian people.Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.Update, July 2nd: Added a statement from TikTok.

Microsoft’s layoff of roughly 9,000 employees is continuing to have downstream effects at the company’s subsidiaries. Aftermath reports that as many as 100 developers at Blizzard have been impacted, and as a result the studio is winding down development on its mobile tower defense game Warcraft Rumble.In an announcement, Blizzard wrote that while the game will not be abandoned entirely, the company will cease development on any new content. “Moving forward, we’ll continue supporting Rumble with updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes, but no new content. ”Blizzard continued, saying Rumble, “struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success.” And while its developers worked to respond to player feedback that, “ultimately wasn’t enough to put the game on a path to sustainability.”Warcraft Rumble was the first mobile focused game in the Warcraft Universe. It launched in 2023 after nine years in development and was originally one of two mobile games Blizzard was working on, the other being Blizzard’s take on Pokémon Go. That game was never officially announced by Blizzard and cancelled sometime in 2022. Warcraft Rumble joins a handful of other Blizzard games in development stasis along with Starcraft II and Heroes of the Storm.Earlier today, Xbox also announced that it was cancelling the Rare-developed Everwild, as well as the Perfect Dark remake, while shuttering The Initiative, the studio making it.

I've been playing around with a couple of ESP32 microcontrollers, and that experimentation has taught me a lot about sensors and what you can build for really, really cheap. For as little as $4, you can buy an ESP32 (depending on the type you get, of course) and hook it up to a basic sensor, often found for even cheaper. There are many sites that will provide code snippets for different sensors to get them working on your platform of choice, such as Arduino or ESPHome.

To me, staying on top of my daily habits isn’t about motivation or waiting to feel like doing it — it’s about getting started regardless and having a system in place that makes it easier to keep going. This is where Notion usually steps in. I’ve been using it for years for setting up my to-do lists and reminders, but it’s capable of way more than that. You can turn it into a habit coach and tracker with some simple tricks. Here’s how I do it…

No one wants to waste power on their gaming PC. Sure, you want the highest performance possible, even if it comes at the cost of increased power draw, but spending watts that you're not using is just a waste. From frames that your monitor can't display to odd CPU spikes when you're sitting on the desktop, tiny inefficiencies can quickly add up.

In 2017, my gaming PC died a brutal death, and with finals and a new job looming just around the corner, I stuck to a PS4 slim instead of investing the time, money, and effort into a full-fledged new PC. For the longest time, the console was all I needed, with its exclusives, comfort, and familiarity.

Stop what you're doing and grab this SSD before it sells out. This 2TB model from Crucial delivers pretty good speeds, topping out at 7400MB/s and also has a heatsink, which is perfect for compact spaces without much airflow. Best of all, it's now down to its best price yet at just $119. This is the cheapest that we've seen this drive, and we don't think it will get any cheaper during Prime Day.

Apple’s latest iPad Air is an even better value now it’s $100 off. If you want to get a head start on back-to-school shopping — or upgrade your Apple gear — there are already some great deals worth exploring ahead of Amazon Prime Day. From tablets to smartwatches, the early deals are already starting to trickle in. Prices might drop even further during Amazon’s four-day sales event, sure, but gadgets like the latest iPad Air are already matching their all-time low, giving you a solid chance to save before the four-day shopping event officially kicks off on July 8th. Even better, you don’t need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of the current deals, as retailers other than Amazon are offering the same discounts across the board.Below, we’ve gathered the best discounts across a variety of categories to make your shopping easier. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve also included notes on historical pricing trends, so you can see how they stack up against previous deals. We’ll be updating this guide as Prime Day approaches, too, so be sure to bookmark this page or keep an eye on all of our daily deals coverage.The best earbud and headphone dealsThe best iPad and MacBook dealsThe best Apple Watch dealsAirtags and other miscellaneous dealsThe best earbud and headphone dealsApple EarPods (USB-C)Apple’s latest pair of wired earbuds are comfortable, offer great microphone quality for the price, and feature a built-in remote for controlling audio playback.Where to Buy: $19 $15.99 at Amazon $19 $15.99 at WalmartYou can buy the latest AirPods Max for $479.99 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, which is $30 shy of their all-time low. The luxe over-ear headphones offer great sound with support for lossless audio, and their active noise cancellation comes close to matching top-tier alternatives from Sony and Bose. They also feature a remarkably natural-sounding transparency mode, deep integration with other Apple devices, and up to 20 hours of battery life with ANC turned on. Read our original review.Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C charging caseThe second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with much better noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and onboard volume controls. The latest refresh also ships with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning. Read our review.Where to Buy: $249 $199 at Amazon $249 $199 at Walmart $249.99 at Best BuyIf you don’t need active noise cancellation, the Beats Solo 4 are also on sale for around $129.95 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is $30 shy of their best price to date. The comfortable headphones build upon the prior model with better, bass-rich sound and support for spatial audio. They also now offer lossless audio via USB-C and an extended battery life of 50 hours. Read our review.The best iPad and MacBook deals11-inch iPad Air M3 (128GB, Wi-Fi)The latest 11-inch iPad Air features Apple’s fast M3 chip with GPU upgrades like dynamic caching for smoother performance in demanding apps. It also supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the new Magic Keyboard, which features a larger build and a 14-key function row. Read our review.Where to Buy: $599 $549 at Amazon $599 $549 at B&H Photo $599 $549 at Best BuyYou can buy the latest iPad with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart starting at $299 ($50 off), which matches its best price to date. The 11th-gen model is a pretty minor upgrade over the 2022 iPad with twice as much base storage and an A16 Bionic chip, which, while faster, doesn’t support any of Apple’s AI-based Apple Intelligence feature. Read our review.The M4-powered MacBook Air 13 is available at Amazon and Best Buy with a 10-core CPU, eight-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage starting at just $849 ($150 off), which is $50 shy of its all-time low. The latest Air is faster than its predecessor thanks to the addition of Apple’s newer M4 chip, and now offers double the base RAM at 16GB. It also features a sharper 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam and supports two external displays with the lid open, making it even better for multitasking. Read our review.2024 iPad MiniThe seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review.Where to Buy: $499 $399 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi) $599 $499 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi) $799 $699 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi)If you prefer the 15-inch Air, the entry-level configuration with the M4 chip, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage is down to its all-time low of $1,049 ($150 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The larger Air is identical to its smaller sibling, only it features a better six-speaker sound system and comes with the option of either a 35W Dual USB‑C Port Compact Power Adapter or a 70W USB‑C Power Adapter.The best Apple Watch dealsApple Watch Series 10 (GPS)The Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger, wide-angle OLED display with up to 30 percent more screen area. It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, yet it charges faster and features the same fitness and wellness features. Read our review.Where to Buy: $399 $329 at Amazon (42mm) $399 $329 at Walmart (42mm) $429 $359 at Amazon (46mm)You can buy the latest 40mm, GPS-enabled Apple Watch SE at Amazon and Walmart for $189, which is $40 shy of its best price to date. Apple’s entry-level wearable is great for tracking the essentials, including your heart rate and sleep quality, and offers fall/crash detection, Apple Pay, and other conveniences. While it lacks the Series 10’s temperature sensor, EKG, and depth tracking, the SE still delivers excellent value if you don’t need advanced health features. It will also support the next iteration of watchOS, watchOS 26, when it arrives in the fall with its new wrist flick gesture and AI-powered “Workout Buddy.” Read our review.Airtags and other miscellaneous dealsApple MagSafe Charger (2m)Apple’s updated magnetic charging puck is available in two sizes, 1m and 2m, and supports 15W MagSafe / Qi2 charging as well as 25W charging on the iPhone 16 only.Where to Buy: $49 $39.99 at Amazon $49.99 $39.99 at Best BuyThe Apple Pencil Pro is down to $99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target, which is $10 shy of its all-time low. Apple’s premium stylus packs in advanced creative features missing from the entry-level USB-C model, including pressure sensitivity and a “Barrel Roll” gyroscope, which lets you rotate the stylus as you draw to quickly adjust the angle of your digital pen or brush. It also comes with wireless charging, Find My support, and squeeze gestures that let you control smart home devices. That being said, it’s only compatible with the latest iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and M2 or M3 iPad Air models.MLS Season PassThe MLS Season Pass grants access to live MLS games as well as the annual Leagues Cup tournament, the MLS All-Star Game, the playoffs and more. Right now, the 2025 season pass is half off at $49, and Apple TV Plus subscribers can save an extra $10.Where to Buy: $99 $49 at AppleAnker’s MagGo Wireless Charging Station (Foldable 3-in-1) is available for an all-time low of around $82 ($28 off) at Amazon and directly from Anker (with code WS24EP9P3P0F). The Qi2-certified charger can deliver up to 15W of power to compatible iPhone models while simultaneously charging a pair of AirPods and an Apple Watch. Its foldable, lightweight design also makes it convenient for travel or keeping your nightstand clutter-free.Apple AirTags (four-pack)Apple’s AirTags are unobtrusive, waterproof, and tap into the massive Find My network for out-of-range locating. Read our original review.Where to Buy: $99 $74.99 at Amazon $99 $74.99 at Best Buy $99 $74.99 at WalmartYou can buy the Anker MagGo Wireless Charger (Pad) at Amazon for $22.99 ($7 off), which is $3 shy of its all-time low. Anker’s Qi2-certified charging pad can deliver up to 15W of power to MagSafe-compatible iPhones, including the newer iPhone 16 models. It also comes with a five-foot cable; however, you will still need to supply your own AC adapter unless you spring for the $25.99 bundle.Update, July 2nd: Adjusted pricing / availability and added several new deals, including those for the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple’s EarPods, and the AirPods Max.

If I want a PDF made out of a document on Windows, I always go to the Print to PDF feature. Despite its name, Print to PDF doesn't actually print anything; instead, it catches the print job using a virtual printer and converts your document into a PDF. This does mean that if you want to convert, say, a Word document into a PDF on Windows without third-party tools, you have to act as if you were printing it, but then on the print page, select "Print to PDF" and continue the process. It's handy to have, if a little weird to invoke.

Obsidian is a fantastic note-taking app, and it's easy to assume that you can only use it for super-serious professional things. But let's be real, here; we D&D DMs need all the organization we can get to keep our brains in check and our campaigns running smoothly. Trust me, there have been countless times where my players brought up a character and location, and I just stared at them and said "...who or where was that, again?"

Just under a month ago, we reported on a case where one of the Anker power banks, the PowerCore 10000 with the model number A1263, was recalled. The recall affected millions of units, citing a fire and safety hazard that could cause property damage or harm to people.