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    VPN-ready routers may be a smartest way to connect to Wi-Fi now. I put one to the test

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Privacy Hero 2, a $199 router available on FlashRouters, supports NordVPN and Surfshark alongside various VPN protocols. It comes with one year of access to Privacy Hero Wireguard VPN and, with a current promotion, one year of NordVPN. The company should improve the build quality and be more generous with […] More

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    4 surprise products we could see at Samsung Unpacked 2025 – and are worth getting excited about

    Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung is kicking off its first Unpacked event for 2025 this coming Wednesday, on January 22. Although there are still a few more days until airing, we have a good sense of what will be revealed. Spoiler: The Galaxy S25 series will undoubtedly be the star of the show.Also: Samsung Unpacked 2025: How to watch and what to expectNew Galaxy smartphones are usually shown off during the first Unpacked of the year. Plus, Samsung revealed the topic in its formal invitation. The company stated that “the new Galaxy S series is about [to reset] the bar once again”. Artificial intelligence (AI) is probably set to be the second-biggest topic, as Samsung referred to the “new AI developments as premium Galaxy innovations.”But what about the rest of the show? Well, there’s a good chance more will be unveiled at the event, even if it’s in the form of a short teaser image or video. Samsung has been working on all sorts of devices outside of its wheelhouse for the past few years, and they could make a surprise appearance at Unpacked 2025. Below is a list of four potential candidates.1. Galaxy S25 Slim More

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    Can you still get a Windows 10 upgrade for free in 2025? Short answer: Maybe

    by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Note: This article was originally published in January 2017. It has been updated multiple times since then to reflect the most current information. The most recent update was on January 18, 2025. When Microsoft released Windows 10 in 2015, it offered the new operating system as a free, no-strings-attached upgrade […] More

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    Finally, I found a 5K monitor that rivals the Apple Studio Display – but costs hundreds less

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Asus’ ProArt PA27 is on sale at Amazon for $800. This 5K monitor delivers stunning visual quality and color reproduction on par with Apple’s monitors. Power users, however, may be frustrated with the display’s limited array of ports and low refresh rate. more buying choices High-quality 5K monitors have been around […] More

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    What to expect from Samsung Unpacked 2025: Galaxy S25 Ultra, AI features, and more

    Considering that Samsung’s Unpacked invitation reads, “The new Galaxy S series is about to set the bar once again for mobile AI experiences now and into the future,” it’s nearly certain that the S25 lineup will launch at the event. When Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite in October, the company shared that Samsung would be one of the leading manufacturers to adopt the mobile platform. With this event being Samsung’s first release since the Snapdragon 8 Elite launch, it’s likely the S25 lineup will sport Qualcomm’s newest chipset. Also: Leaked Nothing Phone 3 email teases AI-powered flagship – but I’d rather see thisThe chipset will bring major improvements to smartphones, especially in the AI space with support for on-device processing, which will result in faster processing speeds, less latency by forgoing sending data to the cloud, and increased security, as data doesn’t have to leave the device.The Snapdragon 8 Elite has already launched in North America in the OnePlus 13, in which ZDNET’s Kerry Wan found the chipset to “gracefully” tackle day-to-day tasks such as bouncing between productivity apps. However, its performance with graphic-intensive applications is a bit less efficient. In terms of form factors, many leaks give us a good idea of what the phones will look like. An Android Headlines report claims the Galaxy S25 will have a 6.2-inch screen, the Galaxy S25 Plus will have a 6.7-inch screen, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have a 6.9-inch display. Images within the report also reveal that the S25 lineup will all have rounder edges, but other than that, it seems like all three will be staying very close to their current design. The color ways for the base models will include Iceblue, Mint, Navy, and Silver Shadow and for the Ultra will include Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silver Blue, and Titanium White Silver, according to the report.  More

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    This Lenovo laptop handled my various workflows with grace – and it’s surprisingly affordable

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 with the Snapdragon X Plus processor is available now, starting at $749. It’s durable and reliable, runs cool, and features a comfortable keyboard and nice OLED display. However, it might not stand out in a market of similarly-specced devices that are lighter and cheaper. more buying choices […] More

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    My favorite lightweight laptop for work is not a ThinkPad or MacBook – and it’s on sale

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Vivobook S 15, Asus’ first Copilot+ PC, normally retails for $1,299, but it is currently on sale for $1,099 on Amazon. It is sleek and lightweight with a gorgeous OLED display, great battery life, and snappy performance. However, because of the nature of Windows on ARM laptops, it’s not yet […] More