Eliana Willis

Elyse Betters Picaro (with graphic elements from Paolo Boaretto, Sparklestroke Global, and Cosmic Latte via Canva) / ZDNETI don’t know about you, but I’m tired of seeing AI used in place of actual search results in my web browser or used to summarize whatever I’m looking for. Google has become useless because of this, and other popular search engines are following close behind.With more and more search tools turning to AI, what can you do? Are there alternatives that aren’t pushing AI front and center? Why yes, there are. Here’s a short list of search engines that do not push AI in your face and instead go the old‑school route with actual website results.Also: How to get rid of AI Overviews in Google Search: 4 easy waysI will offer this one warning: At least two of these search engines (Brave and DuckDuckGo) offer AI features that can be disabled. In Brave’s case, it’s the Answer With AI feature that can be disabled in Settings, and with DuckDuckGo, there’s a button at the top-right for Duck AI, which you can also disable in Settings. Once you’ve disabled those features, they won’t appear in your search results or on the main page of the engine.1. BraveDid you know that Brave has its own search engine? That’s right — go to search.brave.com, and you won’t find AI at the center of this privacy‑focused search engine. You just need to disable the Answer With AI feature in Settings first. In 2021, Brave’s search engine became the default for the Brave browser. I’ve used it, and it’s quite good. With no data collected, you can bet I use it regularly. Brave’s search engine is free to use. Also: I use Edge as my default browser – but its new AI mode is unreliable and annoyingOne thing to keep in mind is that the Brave index is intentionally smaller than Google’s or Bing’s to avoid spam and low‑quality content. 2. DogpileDogpile actually fetches results from Google, Yahoo!, Yandex, and Bing, but it presents the results totally AI‑free. By aggregating results from the bigger sites, you can be sure you’ll find what you’re looking for (without having to deal with AI summaries). Also: Google’s new Search mode puts classic results back on top – how to access itDogpile has been around since 1996 and shows no sign of going away. It also includes features such as category links, Yellow Pages, White Pages, spelling correction, filters, statistics, recent searches, favorite fetches, and more. More

Elyse Betters Picaro (with graphic elements from Ameythyststudio, Aleriimingirov, and Romansa design art via Canva) / ZDNETGiving your phone some extra juice via a public charging station is always a handy option, but it may not be a safe one. As described in a new report from NordVPN, cybercriminals can now turn to a trick called choicejacking, in which they’re able to transfer data from your phone to a device disguised as a charger.What is choicejacking?With this new method, a malicious device that looks like an innocent charging station or port manipulates different functions on your phone. In doing so, your phone is tricked into connecting to the device via data transfer mode without your input or permission. Once that connection is made, the criminal’s device can access and steal your photos, documents, contacts, and other personal files. Also: 7 ways to lock down your phone’s security – before it’s too late”Choicejacking is particularly dangerous because it manipulates a device into making decisions users never intended — all without them realizing it,” Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN, said in the report. “Whether it’s granting access to data or downloading malware, these attacks exploit the trust we place in everyday interactions with our smartphones.” Advanced upgrade to juicejackingChoicejacking is actually a more advanced upgrade to the older practice of juicejacking. With juicejacking, hackers install software on charging stations at airports and other public spots that can then automatically scoop up data from your connected phone. In certain cases, your phone may lock down, preventing you from stopping the transfer before it’s too late. Also: Traveling this summer? Consider this before using airport Wi-Fi and charging portsJuicejacking first popped up way back in 2011. But in a win for the good guys, mobile OS developers cooked up a way to stop this threat. Let’s say a smartphone connects to a charging station. If the station indicates that it supports Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) or Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) for data transfers, that means it’s likely a hacker’s device impersonating a charging station. In that case, the user is asked whether they want to allow a data transfer or just charge the phone. But in the latest twist, researchers from Graz University of Technology in Austria found a way to bypass the OS-level protections against juicejacking. Malicious devices can now impersonate USB or Bluetooth input devices to enable a data transfer mode. Affecting Android and sometimes iOS devices, this tactic can use such technical methods as keystroke injection, input buffer overflows, and protocol abuse to complete a data transfer in as few as 133 milliseconds. Also: The best power banks you can buy in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed”Choicejacking represents a dangerous evolution in public charging threats,” Warmenhoven added. “With a single deceptive prompt, attackers can trick people into enabling data transfer, potentially exposing personal files and other sensitive data. Public USB ports should never be treated as safe, and awareness is the first line of defense.” More

Toshiba/ZDNETBuying a big-screen TV to upgrade your living room or home theater doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Right now at Best Buy, you can pick up the 75-inch Toshiba C350 More

Joan Cros Garcia – Corbis/Getty Images If you’ve been considering a new internet provider, AT&T has a pretty tempting offer that might make your decision a little easier — but you only have a few days to act.  Fiber internet has become one of the most reliable options for home service over the past few […] More

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETOpenSnitch is a Linux port of the popular MacOS app Little Snitch. This app is essentially an application firewall that tracks network requests from apps, so you can create rules to block or allow those requests.Why is that important?Also: 7 things every Linux beginner should know before downloading their first distroSay, for example, that you’ve installed a Linux app that shouldn’t require internet access (those do still exist). You’re using that app with OpenSnitch running, and it reports that the app has made an outgoing internet connection. What gives? That shouldn’t be the case. It’s possible the app is sending telemetry (which could include information about your activity) to some third party. You don’t want that. Also: You can try Linux without ditching Windows first – here’s howWith OpenSnitch, you’ll know when these things occur, and when they do, you can take action to block those outgoing requests. This is a great tool to help you keep your privacy and security intact. Let me show you how to install the app and how it’s used.How to install OpenSnitch What you’ll need: I’m going to demonstrate this on Ubuntu Linux 24.04. OpenSnitch can also be installed on Fedora-based distributions, and you’ll only need to modify the installation commands. So, you’ll need a running instance of an Ubuntu-based distribution and a user with sudo privileges. That’s it. Let’s make it happen. More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETIf you’re dealing with streaming overload and can’t decide what to watch, Roku is rolling out new free features to help make your decision a little easier. Designed to help you discover new shows, these features showcase trending content, new content, and what’s in theaters now. There’s also a new “Surf Mode” that brings Reels and TikTok-style viewing to your TV.What’s new on RokuTop trending: Roku will let you see what everyone is watching with new “Top 10 Movies” and “Top 10 TV Shows” rows. These rows, which refresh daily, will spotlight the most searched titles across Roku’s expansive library. You’ll find them under the “New & Popular” tab as well as the Movies and TV destinations. More