nazar_ab / Getty Images T-Mobile will officially launch its public Starlink satellite service on Wednesday, July 23. Currently in beta testing, the service will be available for any mobile phone user with a compatible device, including AT&T and Verizon subscribers. In its Monday news release, the Uncarrier explained what Starlink will offer. From the get-go, […] More
June Wan/ZDNETI’m going to start off by saying that when presented with a free VPN service, I typically turn and run because most of those services cannot be trusted one bit. Even some paid VPN services aren’t always what you think they should be. However, there are some VPNs that carry with them a reputation for being secure, stable and trustworthy. Nearly all of those VPNs have an associated cost, some of which can only be used for free during a trial period. And then there’s ProtonVPN.Also: Best VPN services 2025: How the fastest VPNs with the best networks stack upProtonVPN has developed a very good reputation because the service and the apps are stellar. I’ve used ProtonVPN on Linux and Android for quite some time and have always been pleased. But what if you don’t have the budget for a paid ProtonVPN account and you’re 100% certain you need a trustworthy VPN for your Android device? What do you do? You’re in luck because you can use ProtonVPN on Android for free.Before you get too excited, using ProtonVPN for free means you’ll lack a few features. For example, you can only protect one device at a time, you get medium VPN speeds and you’re limited to servers in five countries. You also do not get the opportunity to choose which server you use. As a result, you won’t be able to masquerade your device as a specific location. Also: 3 things to consider when buying a new VPN – and why ‘free’ isn’t always bestEven so, a limited (trusted) VPN is still better than none (especially when you’re connecting to insecure networks). How to install ProtonVPN What you need: An Android device and an Internet connection. That’s it. Let’s dive in. More
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus with an OLED display. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETChromebooks are continuing to level up. Google just announced a host of new AI features live in ChromeOS now, along with the Lenovo Chromebook Plus More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETAndroid 16 is officially here, and Google has some big upgrades on the way. Instead of releasing a new OS and a new phone lineup at the same time, Google is making the same move it did with Android 15 and giving both software and hardware their time to shine. Also: How to turn on Android’s Private DNS mode – and why it’s an absolute must for securityThis is the earliest Google has launched a major Android release in a while (for comparison, Android 15 was released on Oct. 15, 2024, and Android 14 was released on Oct. 4, 2023). Here’s a look at four of the biggest upgrades in Android 16. All of these features will drop for Pixel devices first, including models as old as the Pixel 6 and 7 series, and other devices later in the year. 1. Streamlined updates and lock screen app updates: Don’t want to unlock your phone every time you check to see when your late-night food order is arriving? Feeling uneasy in a new city and want to make sure your ride-share is close? Streamlined app updates give you the ability to see real-time updates from your lock screen. Google says it’s working with app partners to bring this capability to Android, including in Samsung’s Now Bar and OnePlus’ Live Alerts.Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025Google says it’s also automatically grouping notifications that come from a single app to make sure you don’t get information overload. More
Meta Meta has officially entered into a new partnership with Microsoft by launching its “first-ever limited edition” headset — the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition<!–>. For this new bundle, the tech giant isn’t changing the headset’s hardware. It’s still the same Quest 3S running on a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset. It still supports full-color […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Amazfit Balance 2 smartwatch is available now for $249. The watch has a vivid AMOLED display with sapphire glass, 21-day battery life, dual speakers, and advanced golf features. Subscription music services are not supported and the app store is still limited. –> Late last year I bought a lovely Woodland […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Amazfit Helio Strap is available now for $99. As a smartwatch alternative, the strap offers virtually all the same health tracking features via the robust Zepp app, with over a week of battery life. The fabric strap isn’t made of exceedingly high quality materials, but luckily can be easily replaced. […] More
Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETGoogle released Android 16 a bit earlier than expected, and although it was missing some crucial features, there are key additions to the platform that go a long way to improve security.This was an important step forward, as the need for improved security grows every year. Without companies like Google, Apple, and others upping the ante on security, the mobile space would wind up the wild west of the technological landscape, with ne’er-do-wells popping up all over the place, stealing data at will. Also: How to turn on Android’s Private DNS mode — and why it’s an absolute must for securityWell, Google has taken a pretty big step forward with Android 16 in the form of two key features, which I’m going to explain here. 1. Identity Check This feature was actually added back in 2024, but it wasn’t until the release of Android 16 that it started receiving much attention. What is Identity Check? Let’s say you’re away from home (which you’ve designated as a trusted location; more on that in a bit). While you’re gone, someone gains access to your phone and either goes to make changes to critical security settings or attempts to access saved passwords or other sensitive information. Because the phone is away from your trusted location, when that person tries to make those changes, biometric authentication will prevent them from accessing those features or data. Also: 7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy – and why you should tooHere’s the thing about Identity Check: it’s not easy to find. The best way to locate the feature is to open the Settings app and search for “identity check.” Once on the Identity Check page, you can enable the feature (it should be enabled by default) and add a trusted location. Once you’ve added a trusted location, biometrics won’t be required for that particular place. More
