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• Dreame Aqua10 is designed to revolutionize robovac mopping
• It comes with a roller mop that cleans itself as it mops
• Also features a carpet guard, roller fluffer, and hot water bath in the dock

Dreame is quickly becoming a brand to watch when it comes to robot vacuum innovation. We loved the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, with its tiny feet and retractable navigation puck, when we tested it. That model was designed to clean in places traditional bots can't reach, but for its newest bots, Dreame has turned its attention to a different challenge: mopping.

Most of the best robot vacuums on the market can mop as well as vacuum, but the mop functions don't tend to be all that good, even on pricey bots. With the Aqua10 Series, Dreame aims to change that.

Rather than a fixed mop pad – either the D-shaped style or dual spinning discs – the Dreame Aqua10 uses a roller mop. When the pad rolls back into the underside of the bot, a scraper removes any dirt. It's then sprayed with fresh water before it meets the next patch of floor. That means if it's going over a spillage or dirty area, the grime won't stay on the pad and end up spread further across the floor. The pad spins at 100RPM, and clean water is applied evenly via 12 spray nozzles.

"We realized it’s not only about how strong the mop is – it’s about how clean the mop stays," says Sean Chen, a Dreame Managing Director.

There are a handful of robot vacuums on the market that use a roller for mopping. Current examples include the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni and the Eureka J20, the latter of which we tested out and were very impressed with.

However, with its Aqua10, Dreame has taken a few steps further, introducing three special features that the brand says are industry firsts. My personal favorite is the 'FluffRoll' roller fluffer. This spins around rapidly (1,000RPM!) in the opposite direction to the main mop roller, and ruffles up the fibers to make the pad softer and better at getting into grout lines and uneven tiles, and ultimately better for cleaning.

Dreame has also added a roller guard. This automatically closes over the roller when the bot approaches carpet or rugs, to prevent the damp roller from coming into contact with carpets.

Once the mopping is complete, the dock has the facilities for the roller to take a bath in its 'ThermoHub'. It'll soak in water of up to 100 °C to remove grease and grime.

(Image credit: Dreame)

The rest of the robot vacuum looks almost equally tech-packed, with an incredibly strong 30,000Pa of suction, and the same little threshold-hopping legs and retractable puck that we liked so much on the X50. Navigation and object avoidance come courtesy of AI powerhouse Nvidia, and there's Matter support for smart home integration.

The Dreame Aqua10 series is scheduled to go on sale starting Q4 2025 (so from October). Where and how much for is currently a mystery.

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• More than two in three Brits say AI doesn't understand emotional cues
• Only 3% would trust AI with sensitive tasks
• We still prefer to talk to human agents

New research has emerged suggesting that, while artificial intelligence does a great job of improving productivity in the workplace, it's not so good at adapting to regional differences.

ServiceNow found that the UK is the most AI-skeptical country within EMEA, with more than two-thirds (69%) stating that AI chatbots fail to understand emotional cues like tone and frustration.

Nearly as many (68%) noted that AI hasn't met expectations in the past five years, with only 55% believing AI will eventually detect emotions and bridge the human-machine gap.

AI doesn't understand how humans speak yet

The report uncovers how humans want to collaborate with AI rather than feel threatened by it, however so far it's proving not to be such a useful tool when it comes to personal issues. Only 3% would trust AI with emotionally sensitive tasks like closing a bank account after a death.

This preference for a more human-centric approach has resulted in what ServiceNow describes as double standards – although long hold times (59%) and information repetition (46%) are key pain points for customer service when speaking with human agents, many still prefer to speak with them over faster AI alternatives.

The difference is even bigger among older generations, with younger consumers more likely to believe that AI could evolve and plug that gap.

At the moment, AI's biggest value is in automating administrative tasks, like tracking packages and scheduling car services.

ServiceNow EMEA President Cathy Mauzaize explained: "Consumers are done with disconnected service. AI must evolve to anticipate needs and work with human agents, not replace them."

Looking ahead, the report calls for AI developers to factor in emotional awareness, focusing on human-machine collaboration.

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• Ubisoft has named the co-CEOs of its new subsidiary, Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, the son of the publisher's current CEO, Yves Guillemot
• The subsidiary's goal is to bring the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six franchises "to their full potential"
• Charlie Guillemot has addressed the nepotism concerns, saying, "What matters now isn't my name, it's the work ahead"

Ubisoft has announced the co-CEOs of its new Tencent-funded subsidiary, Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, the son of the publisher's current CEO, Yves Guillemot.

The company named the co-CEOs in a new blog post, stating that the subsidiary's new structure will be dedicated to bringing some of the publisher's biggest franchises, such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, "to their full potential."

"With complementary backgrounds, Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot bring their strong industry expertise, deep knowledge of the Ubisoft ecosystem, and a shared culture of innovation to the role," Ubisoft said.

Derennes co-founded Ubisoft's Montreal studio in 1997 and most recently served as managing director for the North American region, while Guillemot began his career at Owlient in 2014, a studio acquired by Ubisoft, and later returned to Ubisoft in 2025 to join its transformation committee.

"With this new subsidiary, we want to build on that strong foundation by creating the right environment for the teams working on Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six to take the creative and technical risks needed to make excellent games," Guillemot said.

"Our focus is on evolving Ubisoft's operating model to bring more focus, more autonomy, and more accountability to the teams so they can stay closely attuned to our players. Decision making will be quicker, and it will also be easier to pivot when we need to change course."

Guillemot stressed that the idea isn't to start from scratch, but to "evolve our organization and ways of working to get back on the path to success".

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Derennes echoed Guillemot's earlier sentiment, saying that it's their long-term objective with the subsidiary to "grow these iconic brands — while remaining loyal to their DNA — into experiences that are constantly enriching and surprising to our players."

In a separate interview with Variety following the announcement, Charlie Guillemot was asked to address the nepotism concerns now that he is a co-CEO of a subsidiary under his father's company.

"I completely understand where it comes from, and I want to be clear about it. Yes, I’m Yves’ son," he said. "That’s not something I hide from. But my appointment isn’t only about family ties; it’s about what Ubisoft needs at this moment."

He continued: "I've spent the last decade building experience both inside and outside Ubisoft, leading teams, managing brands, and navigating change in a fast-moving industry. I also made the conscious choice to step away when it made sense, to learn and grow elsewhere.

"What matters now isn't my name, it's the work ahead. Ubisoft is at a pivotal moment. What's expected of me is to help push the company forward by bringing energy, focus, and by relying on the incredible expertise that already exists across the teams. I see myself as someone here to contribute, support, and help create the right conditions are in place for everyone to do their best work."

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Fitbit users are experiencing problems. Many people are currently unable to sync their best Fitbit to the app, and those who uninstall the app are seemingly unable to get back in with their usual account details.

This is clearly a big problem, leading to Fitbit stating that it's "experiencing a major outage" on its status page. Users are effectively unable to make use of the app – an app Fitbit Premium users are paying for – leading to missed sleep and readiness scores, and failed data aggregation and interpretation.

An update: a solution is being rolled out, and Fitbit's status page is marking the issue "closed" at this time. However, some users are still unable to log into their app, suggesting the fix might be taking a while to roll out to everyone.

Are you still affected? Did you miss tracking an important workout or event, like a marathon or Hyrox? Email me at matt.evans@futurenet.com and I'll feature your responses on this liveblog.

(Image credit: Future)

Our first clue something was wrong came from a huge spike in Downdetector, which you can see above. At the time of writing, we're seeing over 2,000 reports of outages, with many more users turning to other sites like Reddit to voice their displeasure.

Reddit speaks outTrouble Logging In from r/fitbit

Hopping over to the Fitbit subreddit, we found the post above with a barrage of comments all saying the same thing: their Fitbit devices wouldn't sync to the app, and when they tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app, they could no longer log in again. Here are a few examples:

Comment from r/fitbitComment from r/fitbitFitbit's official status: "experiencing a major outage"

(Image credit: Future)

status.fitbit.com confirms the app and web API alike is experiencing a "major outage", with service disruption (not a complete blackout, however) across both channels.

However, it's interesting to note that Device Sync / Pairing is listed as "Available" with a green tick, which contrasts with the reports from users on Reddit in the previous post.

An email from a reader

A reader with the handle D.Z. emailed in to add their voice to our suspicions: "Neither my husband nor I have been able to sync our Fitbits this morning. We've tried on a phone and four different tablets."

It's interesting to note this is a problem occurring across devices: because it's affecting both mobile and web apps, something is going wrong with Fitbit on the back end.

Therefore, if you're reading this, switching devices and trying to log in on something else probably won't work: the problem is coming from your Fitbit account, not the device you're logging in on.

Is there something wrong with my Fitbit?

(Image credit: Andrea Gaini)

Probably not. Whether you've got an ancient Fitbit Alta, a cheap-and-cheerful Fitbit Inspire 3, or a top-of-the-line Google Pixel Watch 3, don't panic: your actual device is likely fine, even if it's not syncing to your app. There seems to be no need to restart or tinker with your Fitbit device itself, at least until Google comes out with an official fix.

The issue, as mentioned in previous posts, seems to be from the Fitbit app. You may lose some of today's data as a result of this syncing issue, but it's too early to understand the full ramifications of a big outage like this. However, it's a relief that your best fitness tracker is likely just fine.

We’re back! from r/fitbit

Are we back? One user just posted that they're able to log in once again with their regular details, with others chiming in that it's working.

However, other users are stating that they still can't access their app, so it's clear the fix is slowly being rolled out to the userbase.

That's reassuring news for Fitbit fans, but it's helpful to know how fast this fix is rolling out. If you're still being affected by the outage (or you missed recording an important event or workout), drop us an email at the address above.

Reader email: Some people are still affected

(Image credit: Fitbit)

One reader, emailed in to tell us that they're still not back in the app, despite the fix that's apparently rolling out.

"Yes, I'm affected. Can't sync, reinstalled app, now can't login."

This is despite the plunging Downdetector reports shown below, which seem to indicate the worst is behind us. Hang in there!

(Image credit: Future)Incident closed – for some...

(Image credit: Future)

Fitbit's official status page is now reporting the incident as "closed", indicating the fix is rolling out to users and the outage has ended, which lines up with those decreasing Downdetector reports.

However, according to our email inbox and the reports on Reddit, many people can't get back into their accounts still. For those people, we have to assume a fix is imminent – but let us know if the problem persists.

How to fix your Fitbit app

(Image credit: Fitbit)

Honestly? It seems as though the fix is "do nothing and try to log in later".

Fitbit is rolling out a fix, but it appears to be a slow process, with some users still left unable to log in. However, it is rolling out, so if you still can't sync your watch or fitness tracker, or you can't log into your app, don't worry – try an untracked workout for a change, and pick up where you left off once the fix has reached you. Who knows? You might enjoy the freeing lack of accountability that comes with taking off your fitness watch.

When a tool becomes a crutch

(Image credit: Fitbit)

Months ago, a similar outage hit the best Garmin watches, lasting over multiple days, and we experienced an outcry of frustration from Garmin users.

As a Garmin user myself, I remember how much I relied on my Garmin during both marathon training and during the events themselves, as tools such as the virtual pacer and heart rate zones kept me on track to hit (or at least narrowly miss) my race-day goals. The thought of having my running watch crash out on me on race day, after working towards that moment for months, simply didn't bear thinking about.

Fitbit users are suffering a similar issue today, and I can't help but feel for people who rely on that stream of information from their wrist during big life events and competitions, not just daily users looking for sleep and step counts. As a runner, I used that information as a tool during my training: it's only now I realised that tool became a crutch.

Let this be a reminder to take your training watch off every so often and practice working by feel: running coach, author and regular TechRadar contributor Lily Canter penned an excellent piece on why running without a smartwatch – referred to as "naked running" in the community – can be such a useful practice.

Psiphon is not a traditional VPN – it’s a censorship circumvention tool developed by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab. Created in 2006 to help citizens access blocked content in restrictive countries, Psiphon has gained plenty of traction among activists in censored regions like Myanmar, Iran, and China.

The service is completely free with unlimited data, but comes with a paid upgrade to access high-speed servers. We’ve found several use cases where Psiphon would be pretty handy, but it comes with some extensive caveats if you’re expecting the features you’d get from one of the best VPNs on the market.

Read on, and we’ll get into the instances where we would recommend Psiphon, and why we’d mostly recommend you look elsewhere.

Features

First up, we should point out that Psiphon doesn’t work like a VPN by default. Instead, Psiphon offers a unique hybrid approach combining VPN, SSH, and proxy technologies into a single circumvention tool.

It has two distinct modes: a proxy mode for basic web browsing and a VPN mode that tunnels all device traffic. When you boot up Psiphon, any app that runs through a SOCKS proxy is automatically configured to run traffic through the Psiphon servers. This mode is designed to access blocked sites, but it won’t disguise your browsing traffic. Anyone monitoring your network will be able to see the data you’re sending from your device.

On top of the default SSH tunnel used to power the proxy mode, you also have the option for “SSH+,” which automatically switches between different connection methods (SSH, HTTP, HTTPS) to maintain access when your proxy tunnel is blocked.

It’s an obfuscation technique that sends your traffic with an extra protocol built on top, essentially disguising your connection to the proxy as communication with a normal web server. There’s also a form of automatic multi-hop built in under the hood, which automatically routes your traffic through the best tunnels on the way to the endpoint you specify. This makes it particularly effective at bypassing the Great Firewall of China and other sophisticated censorship systems.

Split tunneling is available in a limited form. You can choose not to proxy local sites, but that’s about it. There’s no way to customise which apps use Psiphon and which don’t, as well as no way to specify individual websites you want the VPN to ignore.

The Android version includes a "MalAware" feature that detects certain types of malware in data traffic by comparing your requests against known IPs and domains that serve malware. It gives you a pretty specific readout of what threats you’re possibly being served with, although it’s not a full anti-virus solution. MalAware can only warn you; it can’t remove malware from your device.

If you’re unhappy with your current speeds, Psiphon uses a virtual currency system called "PsiCash" that you can either earn by watching advertisements or purchase to temporarily boost connection speeds.

Features score: 6/10

Server network

Psiphon operates a modest network of servers across just 28 countries, with the vast majority concentrated in Europe. There are just two servers available for North America and three in Asia.

If you want to connect to Africa, the Middle East, or Oceania, you’re out of luck. All of the servers are also country-level, so you won’t be able to switch if the server you’re connected to isn’t giving you the performance you want.

We suspect Psiphon operates several thousand servers, but it’s unclear what the exact number is. Given their relatively small global presence and slow speed results, we have to assume most of these are pretty outdated.

Server network score: 3/10

Psiphon displays its available locations in a list as opposed to on a map like many other VPN providers do (Image credit: Psiphon)Apps

Psiphon provides applications for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Although there are some methods available to run Psiphon as a Linux VPN, none of these are official. You’ll have to download a third-party solution instead that modifies the core Psiphon files, so go ahead at your own risk.

Design-wise, the Windows application features some particularly dated interface choices, which make it reminiscent of software from the early 2000s. It’s not pretty by any means, but it’s functional enough.

The options are clearly laid out from the dashboard, but the PsiCash menu is presented to you twice on the main page. However, once you get to the settings menu, the actual settings are buried within sub-menus that aren't clearly labeled, which makes it pretty complex if you aren’t already familiar with general networking concepts.

Psiphon's mobile apps feature an entirely different user interface from their desktop counterparts (Image credit: Psiphon)

,The mobile applications offer a somewhat more modern design but are also pretty clunky and unintuitive. On Android, you get additional features like the MalAware detection system and device-wide tunneling options. However, the iOS version is more restricted, making it the weakest version of Psiphon.

Installation is straightforward across all platforms and no account registration is required to use the basic service. However, if you want to purchase speed boosts, you must provide payment information and an email address.

Ultimately, all versions of Psiphon suffer from the same fundamental limitations: the absence of essential VPN features like kill switches, DNS leak protection, and reliable connection stability.

Apps score: 5/10

Ease of use

Psiphon is relatively easy to set up and use as long as you’re not installing it on Linux. You won’t need to provide any details to get the basic version of Psiphon up and running, so all you have to do is download and run an executable on Windows. That makes it highly portable if you need a VPN you can deploy in any situation.

On Android and iOS, you’ll need to install it from the Play or Apple store, but other than that, the process remains the same. All in all, it's a pretty decent VPN for beginners.

However, the automatic browser launching feature is pretty annoying, and there’s no option to turn it off. Worse, if you haven’t got a SpeedBoost enabled, it actually serves you ads from Psiphon’s partners. If you’re concerned about being tracked by advertising agencies, this is the worst tool you could use.

It’s also hard to find the server you want to connect to, as they’re not listed in alphabetical order. You’ll have to scroll through a list of random servers to find the correct one, which is just an unnecessary issue that seems fairly easy to fix.

Ease of use score: 5/10

Speed and performance

We recognise that Psiphon's a free service that’s being run with a very specific use case in mind: getting around content blocks for web content. However, the performance speeds we recorded on Psiphon’s free version were nigh unusable.

It shouldn’t be a surprise, as the free version is limited to just 2 Mbps, and these speeds make HD video streaming impossible. Page loading times were excessive, too, and video content buffered constantly. Frankly, Psiphon’s speed makes the service impractical for anything beyond basic text-based web browsing. It is not the fastest VPN on the block.

Things got a little bit better when we upgraded to Psiphon Fast, but even these speeds were significantly poorer than what we’d expect from top-tier VPNs. With Psiphon SpeedBoost enabled, we clocked maximum speeds of 35.9 Mbps.

This is just about workable if you’re only trying to stream a single 4K video, but with anything else taking up your bandwidth, Psiphon isn’t able to take the strain. Even with the SpeedBoost enabled, we found that connection stability on the VPN wasn’t particularly solid.

It’s also important to remember this is a temporary boost. You’re paying for this upgrade, whereas most top-tier VPN providers just give you unlimited data to play with for the sake of a subscription.

Speed and performance score: 1/10

Unblocking

We’ve been able to access some of the major streaming sites using Psiphon, but the speeds make it difficult to recommend as a streaming VPN.

It worked with Netflix US and UK, as well as Disney+, but that’s about it. Psiphon doesn’t have a particularly large set of servers to choose from, so we couldn’t do tests on some of the regional streaming sites we’d usually take for a spin. Even if we could connect, the speeds are so poor that it wouldn’t be worth sticking around to watch a show. Even on Netflix, our speeds were unwatchable.

To be clear, Psiphon's strength lies in bypassing government censorship rather than commercial geo-blocking. It has historically proven effective at accessing social media platforms, news websites, and communication tools in countries with heavy internet restrictions. While it’s worked in the past to uncensor sites for Chinese netizens, it’s unclear if it’s currently effective.

Torrenting support is practically non-existent due to speed limitations and the service's focus on web browsing rather than file sharing. The 2 Mbps speed cap makes downloading large files impractical, and the frequent connection drops in VPN mode further complicate P2P activities.

While torrenting does work, Psiphon blocks everything outside of a specific set of common ports for port forwarding, meaning you’d have to tunnel your torrenting use through the service if you wanted to get the best connectivity.. All in all, forget about using Psiphon as a torrenting VPN.

Unblocking score: 3/10

Privacy and security

Psiphon's privacy and security practices are actually somewhat of a mixed bag. If you approached it with modern VPN standards in mind, it would automatically fail.

There is no kill switch protection on any platform, meaning internet traffic continues unprotected when VPN connections drop. You also can’t specify which apps you want covered by the VPN tunnel, either.

The L2TP/IPSec protocol it employs is secure enough as it’s covered by AES-256 encryption, but it’s still considered less secure than modern alternatives like WireGuard or OpenVPN.

So, no kill-switch, no split tunnelling, and underpowered VPN protocols. If you’re looking for privacy, look elsewhere.

Psiphon is very upfront about the information it collects on its users (Image credit: Psiphon)

It’s also important to state that this is not a no-logs browser service. While Psiphon doesn’t collect browsing activity, it does collect and retain metadata related to the service, including connection times, device information, and bandwidth usage.

In some cases, this includes the domain visited. Psiphon also uses AWS in part to support its infrastructure, which creates a serious problem from a privacy point of view, as Amazon will log every IP that uses its services.

That’s somewhat worrying, considering Psiphon operates from Canada, which is a Five Eyes surveillance alliance member. In the event law enforcement from this jurisdiction comes knocking on Psiphon’s doors, it’s quite likely they’d be obliged to hand over a significant amount of data, which could correlate your activities from elsewhere on the internet.

That said, the most alarming privacy issue we’ve come across is a DNS leak in Psiphon’s VPN service. Psiphon claims it has taken particular care when choosing the DNS servers the app can connect to, ensuring they’re all picked from a vetted whitelist.

Unfortunately, we found that we could see our home IP address even with Psiphon active while using a DNS leak tool. We recognise that Psiphon isn’t built as a privacy tool, but DNS leaks simply aren’t acceptable when you’re offering VPN functionality.

On the plus side, Psiphon has undergone several independent security audits by reputable firms, including iSEC Partners, 7A Security, and, most recently, Cure53 in 2019. These audits found several flaws in Psiphon’s core VPN technology, all of which have since been fixed. Apart from the weaknesses identified, each audit has suggested that overall, Psiphon is quite secure.

Privacy and security score: 4/10

Track record

Since its 2006 inception at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, Psiphon has built a reputation specifically within the internet freedom community rather than the broader VPN market.

For example, during the 2021 Myanmar protests, Psiphon's user base surged from approximately 5,000 to 1.6 million monthly users, reflecting previous usage spikes after internet blackouts in Belarus and Azerbaijan. Clearly, in areas where internet freedom is on the line, Psiphon works.

That’s one reason you’ll have heard about it less than some of the big-name VPN providers. Psiphon is first and foremost a censorship bypass tool, rather than an all-in-one VPN. However, you also won’t have heard about it because there’s little to be said against Psiphon’s track record.

It hasn’t suffered any major security breaches, and the app has a completely clean rating when run through the CVE list, indicating that researchers in the wild haven’t found exploits for the app. That’s pretty impressive, considering Psiphon has been running for close to a decade and a half.

Track record score: 8/10

Customer support

Psiphon offers pretty minimal customer support. While there is a basic FAQ section on the website, it’s not easily accessible, and the dated nature of some of the questions suggests that it hasn’t been updated in a while.

There is no live chat or phone support, so if you’ve got an issue, you’ll need to send out an email request and hope someone gets back to you. One thing we did like is that Psiphon runs an email service that will send you back a bunch of country-specific links to download the app if your access to the main site is blocked.

It is somewhat odd, given Psiphon’s position as a VPN for users in restrictive countries, that there are no community forums and practically no useful user guides to help with installation.

Don’t expect extensive customer support from Psiphon. If you need a VPN that walks you through the setup process and keeps 24/7 customer support on hand, you’re better off investing in a premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead.

Customer support score: 3/10

Pricing and plans

Psiphon operates on a freemium model with the core service available at no cost. The free version includes unlimited data usage but caps speeds at 2 Mbps and includes advertisements whenever you boot up the VPN. Simple enough. What isn’t simple is Psiphon’s paid plan.

You can pay for Psiphon in two ways. On mobile, Psiphon can handle payment subscriptions through the app store. These are pretty self-explanatory: $2.99 per week, $10 per month, or $72 per year. These subscriptions remove advertisements and increase speed limits, although the performance you’ll get is significantly below the standard set by other premium VPN.

There’s also the PsiCash system, which we’re not a huge fan of. Instead of buying a subscription, PsiCash allows you to activate an on-demand boost to your VPN speeds. You have to purchase an amount of PsiCash, which is then credited to your account. You can then spend the PsiCash on temporary speed boosts for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month.

The cost is significantly higher than just buying a subscription and requires you to create a separate PsiCash account to manage your funds, but it’s the only way to access the speed boost on Windows. PsiCash is somewhat unique in that you can also earn credits by watching ads, but we haven’t investigated this at length.

Pricing and plans score: 5/10

Should you use Psiphon?

It’s very difficult to recommend Psiphon as a generic VPN solution. It’s clearly built for a specific need, and it’s hard to say that Psiphon’s useless when it could be the lifeline for someone in a heavily censored country.

It’s been built to be super simple to download and deploy without any payment necessary, so we can see some use cases where it’d work. For example, if you're an activist journalist and need access to news and communication platforms at a moment’s notice, Psiphon may also be right for you.

Otherwise, there are a few serious things wrong here. The speeds are subpar for anything other than browsing the internet, there are several outstanding questions about both technical privacy and the privacy policy, and the payment scheme is confusing, to say the least.

If you need free VPN functionality, you should consider alternatives like Windscribe Free or ProtonVPN's free tier instead. Both of these providers offer better security practices and improved speeds.

Overall score: 43/100

Psiphon alternatives

1. NordVPN – from $3.39 per month
The best VPN overall
When privacy matters most, NordVPN delivers comprehensive protection with over 7,200 servers across 118 countries. The VPN app features an advanced Threat Protection engine that blocks malware and trackers both on your device and on your connection. Lightning-fast NordLynx protocol ensures smooth streaming and browsing on up to 10 devices simultaneously. At $3.39/month (2-year plan), you get premium security without compromise. Every plan includes a full 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

2. Surfshark – from $1.99 per month
The best cheap VPN
Break free from device limits with Surfshark's unlimited simultaneous connections, which are perfect for large households. Their 3,200+ servers across 100+ countries provide consistent access to global content. For security, CleanWeb technology blocks ads and malware automatically. Unique features like GPS spoofing and dynamic multi-hop routing make it a standout for privacy. Exceptional value at just $1.99/month (2-year plan) with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

3. ExpressVPN – from $4.99 per month
The best VPN for beginners
Experience VPN excellence with ExpressVPN's blazing-fast Lightway protocol and TrustedServer technology that runs entirely in RAM. With over 3,000+ servers to pick from in 105 countries, ExpressVPN offers high-speed connections nearly anywhere on the planet while quantum-resistant encryption keeps your data safe from prying eyes. User-friendly apps work flawlessly across all devices, backed by 24/7 expert support. Premium quality comes at $4.99/month (2-year plan) with a comprehensive 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Ever since I moved my Tribesigns Mobile Height Adjustable Desk to the second story of my house, I have had the Dell Pro 32 in the dead center of the desktop. I didn't expect to like this monitor as much as I do. It would be an entry-level option with the technical specs of 4K, but it wouldn't be something I would want to use.

However, what I have discovered is that this display has quickly become one that I have come to love using. I expected to rotate this monitor out with the others I am testing, but instead, I have set those monitors up in other areas for now, so I could conduct a full review with this display.

The Dell Pro 32 Plus, in short, is a massive, yet affordable 4K USB-C hub monitor that is perfect for productivity. It's a business monitor. That's clear. And while it could be integrated into a larger setup relatively easily, this monitor screams simplicity, as in that scenario, it can do it all and do it well.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 32 Plus: Pricing and Availability

Dell's new naming structure with the Pro monitor can mean various things, but this P3225QE model is specifically a 32-inch 4K UHD (3840x2160) USB-C Hub Monitor.

You can purchase one for just $599.99 from Dell's website, or you can find it at a handful of third-party retailers as well. I've seen this monitor drop well below the MSRP for deals, so be sure to keep an eye out for them if you're in the market for a monitor.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 32 Plus: Unboxing & first impressions

The packaging for Dell is always pretty straightforward. They have recently adopted a more sustainable packaging style, which is a nice change. Still, I am always concerned about the reliability, as companies continue to move in that direction. Regardless, my monitor arrived in one piece, and I was able to set it up in a matter of seconds. Then, I took it to the Tribesigns desk, and that's where it has stayed for over 100 days.

This display is sleek. The base is still just alright, nothing fancy, but nothing wrong with it either, it's just not my favorite. The ports are easily accessible on the back; there are two ports within a pop-up on the left-hand side of the monitor for easy port access, and the buttons are off to the right. The bezels are minimal, with the Dell branding positioned small and centered on the bottom bezel. However, outside of that, this display is clean and sleek.

Dell Pro 32 Plus: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Display: 31.5 inches
Resolution: 3840×2160
Color: 99 % sRGB
Brightness: 350 nits
Response Time: 8 ms (normal), 5 ms (Fast Mode)
Ports: DP1.4, HDMI2.1, USB‑C up (DP alt + 90 W PD), USB‑C + 3 USB‑A, RJ‑45

This display is classic Dell in my mind. A great basic monitor. Nothing overly flashy, nothing that's going to give out in a few years, but something that works, works well, looks clean and straightforward, and will work with just about any device.

Yes, Dell updated its naming conventions, but this is just Dell continuing to do what Dell does well.

The build quality is solid. Over the last 100+ days, nothing has broken, worn down, seemed loose, or damaged; nothing has malfunctioned. It's been a fantastic companion during this time.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 32 Plus: In use

As I mentioned above, I initially grabbed this display for a quick working session on the Tribesigns desk. However, that was over 100 days ago, and I have used this monitor extensively since then. When I say a lot, I'll admit that I have put in some intense late nights, working from home while my kids play, on this floor of our house, and even quite a few early mornings where I didn't want to go all the way down to my basement office to get some work done. It's been a busy season for me, and this monitor has helped me navigate it as the near-perfect 4K display, and a truly impressive competitor in the budget or basic tier of 4K displays.

In my time using this display, the picture and clarity have been spectacular. I have my MacBook Pro scaled all the way to "More Space", pushing every single pixel to the maximum so that I can fit the most content on my monitor. Since I work on a 13-inch MacBook Pro throughout the day, I take full advantage of a bigger display when I can. I haven't had any issues with scaling, with blurred text, or any other visual problems. Everything has scaled beautifully with macOS; everything is sharp and clear.

Directly behind my left shoulder, while I work at this desk, is a lamp. If this monitor weren't matte, I'd be blinded by the reflection of the light. However, because of the matte finish, I can work with very little distraction, and most of the time, I can work without even noticing the lamp.

Since probably the second week, maybe the first week of having this desk setup I have had the front ports visible and I have used it to plug in a USB-C cable to charge my Logitech MX Keys Mini, Logitech MX Anywhere, my iPad mini 7, or any other device I have that needs a quick charge. On the back, I have a cheap lightbar from Amazon plugged into one of the USB-A ports and then the lightbar is sitting atop the monitor shining down on the workspace, though I'm contemplating adding my BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 from my office up here. Beyond that, I have a USB-C cable running to my MacBook Pro, which is sitting in one of my favorite vertical laptop stands of all time, the Grovemade Wood MacBook Dock in Walnut. If I am running another laptop from this desk, I'll plug it into the same port, which is part of what makes a USB-C monitor so wonderful.

In these 100+ days I have had only one complaint, which is that on a super sunny day, if the sun is hitting the screen I have wished it would get a little bit brighter. However, outside of that, this display can do just about everything else needed and then some in the realm of business. I've even done some light gaming on this to see how it was and everything felt fine. But, in the professional space, this monitor can get just about everything you need done in a minimalist workspace, or as a part of a larger workspace if needed.

It's worth noting that this display is USB-C and not Thunderbolt, but then again, I have yet to notice a situation to where I would need Thunderbolt bad enough to expet my monitor to have it, especially not a basic monitor that is designed for business productivity work.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Minimalistically massive

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Incredibly easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Highly practical for those who want more screen

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Priced well for the product

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dell Pro 32 Plus: Final verdict

The Dell Pro 32 Plus knocks it out of the park with the essentials in what I'd expect in a 4K monitor as a whole, let alone one that is also at a reasonable price. This display has great color, crisp text and images, decent ports, great resolution, a clean and modern look and okay brightness. Truly, what more could you ask for in a USB-C monitor for that money? If you're in the market for a 4K USB-C display, as long as you're trying to work on it, rather than game, this display is one that should be considered in your research.

Both Samsung and Google debuted redesigns of their most recent fold phones, and here's how their specs stack up.

• The final trailer for FX's Alien: Earth has been released
• It'll premiere on Hulu and Disney+ in mid-August
• The sci-fi horror franchise's iconic Xenomorph won't be the show's most interesting monster

There's less than a month to go (at the time of publication) until Alien: Earth crash-lands on our screens. So, what better way is there to celebrate than the release of one final, terror-fuelled trailer?

With the sci-fi horror show set to launch on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally) in mid-August, FX Networks has decided to release one more teaser to further whet our appetite for its release. And, if you thought the Alien franchise's iconic xenomorph would be the most frightening monster that'll show up, you'd better think again.

Sure, the fan-favorite biological weapon will appear in the Alien franchise's first-ever TV show. That much has been made clear ever since Alien: Earth's underwhelming first teaser dropped in September 2024.

It's the show's other skin-crawling creatures, though, that have piqued my interest since FX birthed another teaser for Alien: Earth in late April. Indeed, we caught glimpses of the other extraterrestrial beings that'll show up in the series in Alien: Earth's first proper trailer in June. Now, we have confirmation of not only how many we'll actually see, but the threat they'll pose to the human and android characters who populate the show.

Just going to *ahem* plant yourself there, are you? (Image credit: FX Networks)

"This ship collected specimens – five new lifeforms – from distant planets," Babou Ceesay's Morrow can he heard saying in the latest round of footage. "[They're] monsters."

You can say that again. From the carnivorous venus flytrap-like creature – D. Plumricarl – seen dangling from a ceiling (see the image above) to the eye-based lifeform – T. Ocellus – that's bonded to an unsuspecting sheep (see the image below), Sydney Chandler's Wendy, Morrow, and company won't want to mess around with these life-threatening species from other worlds.

It's baaaaaa-d news, I'm afraid... (Image credit: FX Networks)

For those of you who missed it first time around, here's the story brief for Alien: Earth, courtesy of FX: "In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold.

"In this Corporate Era, cyborgs – humans with both biological and artificial parts – and synthetics – humanoid robots with artificial intelligence – exist alongside humans. But, the game is changed when the wunderkind Founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids, humanoid robots infused with human consciousness."

"The first hybrid prototype named 'Wendy' (Chandler) marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After Weyland-Yutani’s spaceship collides into Prodigy City, 'Wendy' and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined."

Joining Chandler and Ceesay on the show's cast roster are Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, Kit Young, David Rysdahl, Lily Newmark, and Sandra Yi Sencindiver, among others. You can read more about the show's extensive cast, plot details, and its future in our ultimate guide to Alien: Earth.

As we revealed in mid-May, Alien: Earth will be released on August 12. Well, in the US, plus other North American countries, and South America. In Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, it'll arrive on August 13.

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• ExpressVPN has added 38 new server locations in the US
• It now offers a total of 62 US server locations
• The expansion means greater flexibility and stability for users

ExpressVPN has announced a significant expansion of its US server network, allowing its users to connect to a server in any of the 50 US states.

One of the best VPNs available, ExpressVPN’s latest server expansion means it now has servers in 62 locations in the country.

An official announcement from ExpressVPN cites varying state laws regarding “data collection, content access, and identity checks” as a big reason for the expanded state-wide coverage.

ExpressVPN’s server expansion explained

To have a nationwide presence, ExpressVPN added 38 new server locations across the US, taking its total to 62 locations, up from 24. The popular VPN provider currently has servers in 105 countries in total.

Not many VPNs can claim to have servers in every US state, but ExpressVPN joins Private Internet Access, owned by the same parent company, Kape Technologies, which reached the milestone in 2022.

All of ExpressVPN’s servers are physical, with less than 5% of data moving through its network coming from virtual server locations. Any locations that are served virtually see their traffic, according to ExpressVPN, “routed through nearby physical servers” with IP addresses that match the chosen state.

Regardless of a server’s location, it benefits from ExpressVPN’s RAM-only TrustedServer technology. This sees servers wiped with every reboot, reducing the risk of any data being intercepted by malicious actors.

Why this matters

ExpressVPN’s US server expansion offers performance-related benefits. The fact that users can find an ExpressVPN server in any US state means there’s always one close by. When data doesn’t have to travel as far, a faster and more consistent connection is expected.

VPNs are commonly used to circumvent censorship and geo-blocking. “As state laws continue to influence what you can see and do online, your location plays a bigger role than ever,” wrote the provider in its official statement.

Some US states have recently implemented invasive age verification laws, potentially putting the privacy of internet users within these states at risk. This makes secure VPNs with a plentiful supply of locations to choose from, such as ExpressVPN, all the more important.

“ExpressVPN’s expanded U.S. network gives you more flexibility and choice, helping you maintain a more consistent online experience no matter where you are,” said ExpressVPN.

If you’re not already an ExpressVPN subscriber, you can try out its new US servers at no cost. All you need to do is take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee and, if you don’t want to be charged, cancel before the 30-day term is up.

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• Windows 10's July update broke part of the emoji picker
• This is a panel that lets you select from a huge library of emoji
• The search function is broken, making navigating that expanse more difficult

Windows 10's latest update (for July) has broken part of the emoji panel in the OS, Microsoft has confirmed.

If you're not familiar with the emoji picker, it's invoked by pressing the Windows key with the full stop (period) key, and it consists of a compact panel full of emojis that you can select from. These can then be directly inserted into your active app (such as Word, for example, if you want to add some emojis in a document you're working on).

The bug doesn't stop the picker from appearing - the problem is that the search function no longer works. After the latest update for Windows 10, whatever emoji you search for won't get any results - the operating system will return a 'we couldn't find this one' message (or similar error).

This means that there are no shortcuts to finding the emoji you want - you simply have to hunt through the (considerably hefty) contents of the panel.

Windows Latest noticed that Microsoft confirmed the bug on the Windows release health dashboard, stating that: "Following the installation of the July Windows security update (KB5062554), the Windows Emoji Panel search feature does not find any results in Windows 10, version 22H2."

The company says it's working on a fix that will be deployed in a future Windows 10 update. Mind you, there aren't many of those left before updates will come grinding to a halt (except for those who opt for the extension program, which was recently improved by Microsoft thanks to the addition of a non-paying option).

Windows 10's End of Life will be in October 2025, in case you missed this.

Analysis: face with rolling eyes

(Image credit: Microsoft)

A surprising number of people are complaining about this broken functionality. I say surprising because it's not a feature I've ever used, but clearly, there are a good deal of Windows 10 users who still rely on the emoji picker, and losing the search capability is a big downer, I can see that.

Those airing their frustrations about the bug on Reddit previously confirmed that removing the July update cured the problem, and now, of course, Microsoft has admitted the issue itself.

What puzzles me here is that, as noted, Windows 10 only has a few months of shelf life left. And so, at this stage of the game, with the retirement of the OS beckoning, why is Microsoft pulling at any threads at all within the system that might cause something to unravel in this way? I don't know, and yes, I don't develop an operating system; it's a hugely complex undertaking full of headaches, and I should probably shut up, as there are doubtless reasons.

Still, it does seem rather odd, doesn't it? Windows 10 is done, no features are being added, and yet somehow, bugs are still creeping into the works in recent times - and odd glitches, too (what would cause emoji search to suddenly go down in flames, I can't begin to imagine).

Doubtless, we have time left for one last hurrah in a future update to bring in another bug (or maybe a couple, even, you never know your luck).

If you listen to the operating system conspiracy theorists (yes, they exist), this is Microsoft engaging in a clever plot to annoy you into finally making the upgrade to Windows 11. Although if that was the elaborate plan, the software giant would perhaps have sabotaged a more important facet of the Windows 10 interface (like the Start menu, ahem).

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• Gladney Centre for Adoption's CRM was generating plenty of sensitive data
• That data was being stored in an unencrypted, non-password-protected database
• The database contained names, addresses, and more

Gladney Centre for Adoption, a non-profit adoption agency, was leaking sensitive information about children, parents, employees, and other people by keeping an unprotected database.

Earlier this week, Jeremiah Fowler, a security researcher known for hunting for non-password-protected, unencrypted databases, found one that was 2.49 GB in size, and which contained more than 1.1 million records.

The records included names of children, birth parents, adopted parents, employees, and leads. Besides the names, there were also phone numbers, postal addresses, information about “birth fathers”, and data on whether people were approved, or denied, becoming an adoptive parent.

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Abusing the info for phishing

The information is highly sensitive, and as such - very valuable to cybercriminals. Crooks can use it to create custom-built, convincing phishing emails, through which they can deploy malware, steal banking information, or other login credentials, resulting in identity theft, wire fraud, and possibly ransomware.

For example, a cybercriminal might find a person that was previously denied becoming a foster parent, and send them an email notifying them of a change in their status. However, to finalize the process, they would need to pay a fee within a 24-hour window. This is just a theoretical example of how crooks could abuse Gladney’s data.

The good news is, there is no evidence anyone discovered the archive before Fowler did. As soon as the database was found, the researcher reached out to Gladney, who locked it down almost immediately. We don’t know for how long it remained active, and to be certain the files weren’t stolen - there would need to be a detailed forensic analysis.

We also don’t know if Gladney was the one maintaining this database, or if that was the work of a third party. We do know that it was generated by a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Via Website Planet

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The midrange VPN provider market is a hotly contested one, with lots of great providers both free and paid jostling for position. VyprVPN is a provider that you might not be immediately familiar with, but it’s been around since 2010, which is longer than some of the biggest and best VPNs in the market.

We last reviewed VyprVPN back in 2023, and found it to be a decent enough option, but there were some caveats we hoped that the provider would improve. Has anything changed in the two years since? Sadly, yes, and not for the better, with a number of features being removed or limited.

We’re going to look at whether this venerable VPN provider is still one you should trust with your online privacy.

Features

VyprVPN is not the most feature-packed provider on the market, but it has enough to satisfy users who need a basic product to keep them safe online.

There’s public Wi-Fi protection, which will automatically boot the VPN if you connect to an unsecured network, very useful for business travellers and people on holiday, as the free hotspots in hotels, airports, and cafes are often frequented by opportunistic cybercriminals.

Android and desktop users get a far wider range of features and customization options than their iOS counterparts. The iOS client features almost no additional features, not even a kill switch, which will cut your internet connection in the event of your VPN dropping out, making sure that you don’t leak any unprotected information.

Some features are standard across all apps, such as public Wi-Fi protection, the ability to automatically reconnect the VPN if the connection is dropped, a choice of VPN protocols including IKE v2, OpenVPN, WireGuard and VyprVPN’s own “Chameleon” obfuscated protocol which is designed to be used in environments where VPN use is heavily monitored and/or blocked.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

There’s also the option to choose between an “Advanced” connection, where you pick the server you want to connect to each time, or “Quick Connect,” where the VPN automatically picks a server from a region you choose in advance. Keep in mind, however, that there’s no way to pick a UK server with this option. Presumably, it gets lumped in with the “Europe” region.

Non-iOS users get more options, including split-tunneling, which VyprVPN calls “Connection per App”, the ability to choose the DNS server you want to use, including VyprVPN’s open zero-log VyprDNS, and the ability to have the VPN automatically start and connect when the device boots up, ensuring that you never end up browsing the net unprotected.

Features score: 4/10

Server network

VyprVPN currently offers 73 different locations to choose from around the world, with a decent spread of countries on offer. Its site claims that it has 96 servers, but that’s just not what we see in the app, which would suggest this is another area where VyprVPN has gone backwards in its offering.

Where VyprVPN further struggles compared to other providers is that almost all of these countries only have a single server. This means if you really need to access a particular piece of geo-locked content in, for example, the UK, and that particular server doesn’t work for you, then there are no other locations to try.

The only exceptions to this are the USA and Australia, which both have multiple locations – 8 in the USA and 3 in Australia.

Server network score: 4/10

Apps

Some VPN providers spend a huge amount of time on their Windows app to the detriment of other platforms, but VyprVPN has done a good job of making sure that all mobile platforms match their desktop counterpart.

The macOS and mobile apps look and feel almost identical to the Windows version, right down to the color scheme and layout.

Linux users are, as often happens, left with only a CLI setup option rather than an app, and even then, it’s tailored for only specific versions of Ubuntu. So, if you’re a Linux novice, you might be better off elsewhere.

The Apple versions of the app are rather bare-bones compared to the other options – disappointing news for folks on the hunt for an iPhone VPN. Some of that is down to Apple restricting access to the underlying operating system rather than any fault on the part of VyprVPN, but Apple isn’t entirely to blame here.

Other offerings from companies like Sufshark offer automatic connection, a kill switch, and even an Apple-friendly form of split-tunneling/whitelisting, so there are plenty more functions that could be here, but VyprVPN has seemingly chosen not to include them.

VyprVPN has done a good job of keeping its app clean and simple to use on all platforms, though the blinking snake eyes and pulsing ring while connected won’t be to everyone’s taste and can be rather distracting if you leave the app on screen.

Apps score: 5/10

Ease of use

VyprVPN’s apps are easy to use and some of the best beginner VPNs we've come across. There are two buttons, one showing the location you’ve picked, and the other that says Connect/Disconnect, and that’s it.

It’s not quite as foolproof as the big, friendly power button that so many other providers use, but it’s nice and straightforward.

It would have been nice to see a convenient drop-down of locations to pick from; instead, this is on a separate tab. That said, if you click on a new location, then it automatically connects the VPN, which is nice to see and makes trying out new servers a simple process.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

The settings screen is cleanly laid out, with a small explanation for what each setting does to help newer users understand just what they’re changing, though, for some reason, the automatic reconnect description seems to be truncated on iOS devices, with the last word missing.

There’s even a small icon in the top right of the screen that shows you useful information about your VPN connection, including the status, how long you’ve been connected, what your VPN IP address is, and how much data has been uploaded and downloaded, which can be very useful for those traveling overseas on a data-limited connection.

Ease of use score: 6/10

Speed and performance

To measure how a VPN provider stacks up in the real world and where it places in our fastest VPN rankings, we measure download speeds multiple times, with multiple speed test sites and apps. These include SpeedTest, Cloudflare, and Measurement Lab, used across multiple sessions in US and UK locations.

VyprVPN’s WireGuard speeds were remarkably solid for much of our testing. We regularly saw speeds over 600 Mbps when connected to the UK, USA, Europe, and even the Japanese location, which is quite impressive as servers in Asian locations are often substantially slower than those in the Western parts of the world.

The same can’t be said for VyprVPN’s OpenVPN speeds. While it’s accepted that OpenVPN will always be slower than WireGuard, the results we saw were still far slower than we would expect.

UK speeds often dipped below 40 Mbps, US servers returned around 40-60 Mbps, and Asian speeds fluctuated between 25-40 Mbps. These results are similar to what we saw the last time we reviewed this provider, so while there’s been no improvement, the speeds haven’t gotten any worse, either.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

To put these speeds into context, 4K streaming, for instance, requires connection speeds of 25 Mbps. So while you could stream high-def content with VyprVPN, you wouldn’t be able to do too much else without potentially encountering problems with buffering or the image quality suffering.

Connection speeds are important for downloading and streaming media, but another important factor is latency or “ping”. Your ping is a very important factor in online gaming as it measures the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game’s server and back again. In other words, this is the amount of time it takes the game to fire your weapon after you click your mouse or tap on the screen.

Ping is measured in milliseconds (ms), and you want to always try and connect to a server that offers you the lowest ping possible. The lower your ping, the faster your in-game actions are received by the server, resulting in smoother and more accurate gameplay. If you’ve ever been in a multiplayer game and seen someone jerking when they move or seeming to teleport back and forward, that’s someone with a very high ping suffering from what’s commonly known as lag.

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

Unblocking streaming services in other countries with VyprVPN is a bit of a mixed bag. We had some success in testing, with VyprVPN working with Disney+ in both the UK and the US.

Amazon Prime Video was a bit more hit-and-miss in both the US and the UK. We could stream most content, but not all. We had similar problems the last time we reviewed this provider, and it looks like these issues still persist. We had no luck with Netflix UK/US, too, and BBC iPlayer simply refused to load. All in all, VyprVPN isn't a viable streaming VPN.

VyprVPN fares better as a torrenting VPN. There are no specific servers for streaming or torrenting, so you can use whichever is closest to you. In testing, we were able to access common torrenting sites and download torrent and magnet files without issue. Connection speeds while downloading torrents were fine. Nothing spectacular, but they were quick enough to get the job done.

Unblocking score: 4/10

Privacy and Security

While better than some of the lesser-known VPN providers out there, VyprVPN could do a whole lot better when it comes to the security and privacy of its users. It’s a good thing to see it offering up-to-date VPN protocols, like WireGuard, as well as giving users the ability to choose from a variety of other options to fit their needs.

The WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols are supported across all platforms, and VyprVPN even has its own custom VPN masking protocol called Chameleon that can help bypass aggressive VPN blocking. VyprVPN even has its own private DNS servers you can use to make sure you’re leaving as little of a digital footprint as possible.

Unfortunately, that’s all the VPN offers. There’s no malware or ad blocking, no antivirus, no website filtering, no TOR over VPN, or even multi-hop servers.

VyprVPN does, at least, protect user data with strong encryption capabilities. It supports the industry-standard AES-256 encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy. This is a technique that ensures that a different encryption key is used every time a connection is made, so even if an attacker did somehow obtain an encryption key, they would only be able to access data in that particular session before the key was rendered useless.

The company has also undergone a third-party audit, which was carried out by Leviathan Security. We always love to see a VPN provider willing to undergo an audit, as it shows the provider is serious about its privacy claims. It is, however, a shame that VyprVPN hasn’t had another audit carried out since this was completed back in 2018. That’s 7 years ago, and a lot has changed in that time.

Privacy and security score: 5/10

Track record

The biggest change with VyprVPN happened back in 2023. The company is now owned by Certida and is incorporated in the USA. Previously, it was based in Switzerland, so this is a loss in terms of user privacy and consumer protection.

The company also didn’t make any real effort to inform its users about this change, with nothing being published on the website to reflect the change of owner or location.

This seems to have gone hand-in-hand with a reduction in the level of service the company offers, with apps and support for NAS devices and routers vanishing from the company website (although the support portal still has manual setup instructions for routers) along with a reduction in the number of simultaneous connections for new users, dropping from 10 to 5, and URL filtering disappearing from the app as well.

All this means that while the price has remained unchanged, you’re paying the same amount for fewer features.

Track record score: 4/10

Customer support

VyprVPN has a dedicated support portal, where a knowledge base provides setup instructions, troubleshooting guidance, and specific advice for various device types, but it’s not the most coherent or up-to-date offering we’ve ever tried to use.

For example, on the front page there’s a link to the 'VyprVPN forum', but when you click on it, you get an 'Error 404: Page Not Found' error message. That dead link has been there since we last reviewed this VPN provider in 2023, suggesting there’s not a lot of active maintenance of the support site going on.

The rest of the support portal is quite well stocked with helpful content, though it would be nice to see the articles go into more depth to help users troubleshoot their problems. Some of the articles are little more than a couple of lines long, with not even a screenshot to help beginner users find their way..

If you can’t find what you need on the portal, there’s an AI support bot that can help out and point you to useful support topics. If you’d rather not use it, then you also have the option to send a message to the support team to ask for help, or to chat live with a support engineer if you need assistance then and there.

Customer support score: 1/10

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)Pricing and plans

VyprVPN offers three straightforward price plans. There are no other tiers, and you don’t get any additional features if you pay more money. Its prices are comparable to other mid-range VPN providers such as Proton or Windscrib,e and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not the right option for you.

• 2 years - $72
• 1 year - $60
• 1 month - $10

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

On the sign-up page, there’s some confusion over what you get for your money, with the main VyprVPN page stating you get 10 simultaneous connections, but the “Choose a plan” page states it’s only 5. On reaching out to support for clarity, we were informed that users who have signed up previously get 10 connections while new users get only 5.

This is not clearly stated anywhere on the main VyprVPN page, and even checking the support portal leads you to an article that tells you to contact the support team to verify how many connections are included in your subscription. This information should be front and center and clearly stated. It shouldn’t be something we have to dig to try and find.

Pricing and plans score: 5/10

Should you use VyprVPN?

As a VPN provider, VyprVPN’s overall offering is fine. It’s solidly average, and that’s both a strength and a weakness. If you need a VPN that won’t break the bank and has decent abilities for torrenting and unblocks the streaming sites you use, as well as offering adequate download speeds, then VyprVPN has you covered.

The problem is that so do dozens of other providers, some of which cost less and offer better features.

VyprVPN doesn’t do enough to make itself stand out in a market crowded with providers all eager for your money, and lets itself down in a number of ways. The features it offers seem to have diminished over the years rather than evolving; it’s unclear about the things it supports, and it doesn't make enough of an effort to keep its website up to date with accurate information about its product offering.

To sum up, VyprVPN isn’t a bad VPN, but it’s not a particularly good one either.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

AI is no longer just a buzzword. The manufacturing industry has reached a stage where both the technology and the mindset exist to embrace real, practical applications of AI and create tangible value on the factory floor.

For many manufacturers, that journey doesn’t require starting from scratch. In fact, it can start with the data humming quietly inside the ERP software you already trust every day.

By turning that wealth of real-time production, inventory, and supplier data into fast, predictive insight, manufacturers can cut waste, dodge disruptions, and outpace competitors – all without ripping out existing systems.

In other words, the path to an AI-powered factory floor begins not with wholesale reinvention, but with smarter use of what’s already at your fingertips.

With that in mind, here are five practical ways manufacturers can start unlocking that value, without needing to reinvent the wheel.

1. Tap into real-time data for faster, smarter decisions

ERP systems hold a wealth of real-time operational data. AI can analyze this information quickly, helping manufacturers optimize daily processes like procurement, inventory planning, and customer service.

To make the most of this data, manufacturers don’t need to start from scratch. With AI tools like dashboards, real-time alerts, and insights built right into existing systems, it’s easier to spot trends, track performance, and act on changes as they happen. Instead of digging through reports or jumping between platforms, teams get the information they need right when they need it, helping them make smarter, faster decisions with more confidence.

For example, with embedded tools in place, AI can forecast demand patterns and suggest order schedules, helping avoid stockouts or excess inventory that ties up cash. It can also consolidate customer data across touchpoints, providing clearer insights into behavior and preferences, supporting better service and more targeted communications.

When used well, AI turns existing data into a powerful decision-making engine.

2. Make small tech enhancements that deliver big gains

Rather than undertaking a full system overhaul to benefit from AI, many manufacturers have turned to optimization and focusing on enhancing the tools they already have in place, through the form of “micro innovations.”

By making small, targeted upgrades to existing systems, manufacturers can deliver measurable improvements in efficiency and performance without disrupting day-to-day operations. On the factory floor, we’re seeing smart tech guide workers through complex tasks, improve workforce scheduling, and streamline everything from planning and forecasting to last-mile delivery.

These “micro-innovations” are easier to roll out and less risky than large-scale digital transformation, making them a practical choice in today’s cautious investment climate. And by improving what’s already in place, manufacturers can unlock more value with minimal disruption and less cost.

3. Free up teams by automating manual tasks

AI’s real strength lies in removing the repetitive jobs that eat up time and limit productivity. From processing supplier quotes to managing documents, many of these tasks can now be handled by AI tools, freeing up staff to focus on higher-value work.

For example, instead of manually sorting through customer records or tracking down compliance paperwork, AI can surface the right information instantly. This not only saves time but reduces the risk of errors. It also improves employee experience, as teams spend less time on admin and more time doing work that adds real value.

Manufacturers can take advantage of these efficiencies by applying AI to the systems they already use every day. Rather than building something new, it’s about enhancing what’s already in place. That way, IT automation becomes a practical, accessible step in the broader AI journey, not a major leap.

4. Focus on clear, practical use cases

The most effective AI projects start with a clear problem to solve. Whether it’s improving customer service, reducing waste, or managing risk in the supply chain, the best results come from targeted, purpose-driven use cases.

Manufacturers can start by looking at the everyday problems that slow things down, like repetitive tasks, frequent errors, or processes that take too long or cost too much. Once those pain points are clear, it’s easier to work backwards and see where AI could help. It’s also worth speaking to the people on the ground — they usually know exactly where things get stuck and where small improvements could make a big difference.

For instance, one practical use case is demand forecasting — analysing historical trends, seasonal shifts, and supplier timelines to ensure the right stock is in the right place at the right time. Another is improving visibility by merging data across departments to build a clearer, shared picture of operations.

Starting small and staying focused is the best way for manufacturers to prove value quickly and build momentum for wider AI adoption.

5. Build confidence with governance and control

AI is a powerful tool, but it must be implemented responsibly. Manufacturers operate in complex, often highly regulated environments, and any AI system must align with strict data access, compliance, and security standards.

That means AI tools should respect user permissions and keep data contained within trusted environments. Just as importantly, outputs need to be monitored and validated, ensuring humans stay in the loop, particularly when decisions carry operational or financial risk.

Strong governance builds trust. And when teams trust the technology, they’re more likely to use it — and use it well.

The future starts with what you already have

Many manufacturers already have what they need to start unlocking the benefits of AI — a lot of the tools, data, and systems are often already in place. The key is taking that first step.

By focusing on small, high-impact opportunities and making better use of the data already at their fingertips, AI becomes less of a leap and more of a natural next move.

You don’t need a big bang strategy. Just the right tools, clear priorities, and a willingness to start.

We list the best business plan software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Commentary: In the age of Gemini, non-Google AI looks increasingly like early Android bloatware.

Marvel Rivals Summer swimsuit skins are here, adding in beach-ready outfits for a selection of Heroes – and yes, that includes The Thing in a Speedo. There's a whole bunch to unlock for free, as well as a Premium upgrade that gives you access to more rewards.

I've now played hundreds of hours of Marvel Rivals since launch, and have been impressed by just how frequently it manages to completely overhaul the Competitive Mode meta. Every month or so, a new Hero is added, bringing in new ways to take down enemies and providing even more possible Team Up combinations. It's speedy updates like these that have landed Marvel Rivals firmly on my list of the best PC games to play in 2025.

Now that the Summer skins have arrived in Marvel Rivals, I'll lead you through the new swimsuit outfits on offer. Some are locked to store purchases, while others, like Luna Snow's new Cool Summer skin, can be earned via a new mini Battle Pass. Here's what you need to know.

Marvel Rivals Summer skins list

(Image credit: NetEase)

Marvel Rivals Summer skins are now in the game. You can check out the list below to see what's been added before I go into some more detail on each of the new skins.

• Psylocke - Breezy Butterfly (Store on July 17 at 10PM ET/July 17 at 7PM PT / July 18 at 3AM BST)
• Loki - Robe of Relaxation (Store on July 17 at 10PM ET/July 17 at 7PM PT / July 18 at 3AM BST)
• Thor - Worthy Waves (free Battle Pass reward)
• Luna Snow - Cool Summer (premium Battle Pass reward)
• The Thing - Sunshine Thing (premium Battle Pass reward)

As you can see, some of the Summer skins need to be purchased from the Store, while others are part of the new mini-Battle Pass. In the Battle Pass, there are free rewards as well as an optional premium rewards track. Thor's Summer skin is a free reward, while Luna Snow and The Thing can only be earned by purchasing the premium pass.

Marvel Rivals Psylocke Summer skin

(Image credit: NetEase)

Psylocke's Summer skin is called Breezy Butterfly. There are two additional color swap variations: Moonlit Mirage and Violet Veil. At present, these can only be purchased from the store as part of the Breezy Butterfly Bundle. You will then need Unstable Molecules to unlock the alternate colors. Available in the store on July 17 at 10PM ET/July 17 at 7PM PT / July 18 at 3AM BST.

Marvel Rivals Thor Summer skin

(Image credit: NetEase)

Next up is Thor, who gets the new Thor - Worthy Waves skin. This one has a single color variant: Thor - Worthy Waves (Azure Skies), which must be purchased with Unstable Molecules. The skin itself is available as part of the free rewards track in the new event pass.

Marvel Rivals Luna Snow Summer skin

(Image credit: NetEase)

Luna Snow - Cool Summer is a premium reward in the new event pass. You'll need to upgrade the standard pass to be able to earn it. There are two color variants: Radiant Radiance and Prismatic Pulse. As with other color swaps, you'll need Unstable Molecules. Some can be earned via the main Battle Pass, and some in the premium event pass.

Marvel Rivals The Thing Summer skin

(Image credit: NetEase)

Well, Marvel Rivals players, I hope you're happy. The Thing gets his Speedo on in the The Sunshine Thing skin, which can be earned via the premium event pass. This one doesn't have color variants, which is probably fair given just how little actual clothing is on show here.

Marvel Rivals Loki Summer skin

(Image credit: NetEase)

Finally, there's the Loki - Robe of Relaxation skin, which sees the God of Mischief donning a rather fetching summer hat. This one has the Tidal Trickery color variant. You'll be able to pick these up in Store on July 17 at 10PM ET/July 17 at 7PM PT / July 18 at 3AM BST.

Marvel Rivals Summer Special event rewards

(Image credit: NetEase)

Now, let's take a look at the full list of rewards available in the Summer Special event mini-pass. I've indicated which rewards are free and which ones require the premium upgrade to earn.

• Page One: Sunshine Thing skin(premium), Loki Mood Bundle, Sunshine Thing Spray, Sunshine Thing Nameplate, 200 x Unstable Molecules, It's Readin' Time Emote, Psylocke Emoji Bundle (premium)
• Page Two: Worthy Waves Spray, Worthy Waves Nameplate, Throg Emote, Thor - Emoji Bundle (premium), 200 x Unstable Molecules, Maritime Mischief MVP, Worthy Waves skin
• Page Three: Cool Summer Spray, Cool Summer nameplate (premium), Frosty Fortress Emote, Luna Snow Mood Bundle (premium), Summer Spectacular Gallery Card, Frozen Flow MVP(premium), Cool Summer skin (premium)

These rewards can now be earned in-game and will leave on August 15, 2025. Upgrade to the premium track to keep the event pass for good, giving you more time to earn rewards.

You Might Also Like...

• Here's when to expect the next season of Marvel Rivals
• Marvel Rivals Crosshairs explained
• Marvel Rivals Mutant list: here's all of the playable Mutant Heroes

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 17 (game #501).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #502) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Abracadabra!

NYT Strands today (game #502) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SORE
• VILE
• SPITE
• SAILED
• SLIP
• CAMP

NYT Strands today (game #502) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #502) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 1st row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #502) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #502, are…

• ESCAPE
• LEVITATE
• MULTIPLY
• DISAPPEAR
• TRANSFORM
• SPANGRAM: ITS MAGIC

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I found today’s search incredibly hard. And that’s despite the fact that the very first word I saw on the board was magic (it took me a little bit longer to spot ITS MAGIC).

Ever since Penn & Teller and more recently David Blaine, magic has changed from sheer wonder to curiosity over how a trick is done – we are far less likely to accept that some supernatural power is at play than previous generations, or to accept the mystery.

Because of this I struggled to think of any words that could be connected to magic. And then when I did take a hint and the letters were highlighted I struggled to find words within the twists and turns. Had Strands made them DISAPPEAR somehow? 

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, July 17, game #501)

• BOXES
• MEZZANINE
• LOBBY
• BALCONY
• WINGS
• ORCHESTRA
• SPANGRAM: THEATERS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 17 (game #767).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #768) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SEE
• SPOT
• RUN
• CATCH
• COBRA
• SLIDE
• GUITAR
• STRING
• BLANKET
• BRIDGE
• EEL
• COW
• STREAK
• NOTE
• WHEEL
• SERIES

NYT Connections today (game #768) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Order
• GREEN: I spy
• BLUE: Stretch
• PURPLE: Precede with an energetic word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #768) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SEQUENCE 
• GREEN: PICK UP ON 
• BLUE: YOGA BACKBENDS
• PURPLE: ELECTRIC -___

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #768) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #768, are…

• YELLOW: SEQUENCE RUN, SERIES, STREAK, STRING
• GREEN: PICK UP ON CATCH, NOTE, SEE, SPOT
• BLUE: YOGA BACKBENDS BRIDGE, COBRA, COW, WHEEL
• PURPLE: ELECTRIC -___ BLANKET, EEL, GUITAR, SLIDE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I was going great guns today until I hit a brick wall with eight words remaining.

I attend a very basic form of yoga – basically it’s for people incapable of doing real yoga – and the teacher will occasionally mention things like the warrior or BRIDGE, but I think the COBRA, COW and WHEEL must be for the more advanced stretchers. I’m still annoyed I didn’t spot the connection, though.

Instead, thinking that SLIDE and GUITAR were connected I somehow fudged a group together with EEL and BRIDGE and after getting one away got the purple group correct without knowing what the connection was. I had to google electric slide to find out it’s a line dance.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, July 17 game #767)

• YELLOW: MEDDLE NOSE AROUND, POKE, PRY, SNOOP
• GREEN: WORDS AFTER "NO" TO MEAN "IT'S ALL GOOD" BIGGIE, HARD FEELINGS, SWEAT, WORRIES
• BLUE: SUPER__ GLUE, MARIO WORLD, PAC, POWER
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH FISH CAMISOLE, CAPE COD, DRUM AND BASS, WU-TANG

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, July 17 (game #1270).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1271) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1271) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1271) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1271) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1271) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• F

• F

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1271) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1271, are…

• CINCH
• FOYER
• FUDGE
• TAFFY

I feel as if Quordle is playing mind games with me. Yesterday, I had a choice between power and FOYER for one of my words and I picked power, today it was exactly the same but I picked foyer.

This moment of slightly askew deja-vu was followed by two chewy food substances that are bad for your teeth TAFFY and FUDGE. Both items that I will now be craving until tomorrow’s game.

Daily Sequence today (game #1271) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1271, are…

• CLEAN
• SASSY
• HOLLY
• EMBER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK

Astrill VPN sets itself apart from the big names in our best VPN rankings by offering specialized features that bypass internet restrictions. However, it's not cheap, and prices start at an eye-watering $30 per month.

There's a reason for the hefty price tag, though. Astrill VPN targets a niche market of folks who need advanced obfuscation technology rather than more casual users.

Astrill VPN's proprietary protocols are designed to bypass network restrictions, making it one of only a handful of reliable China VPNs. However, its dated interface, limited global server coverage, and high price point make it a tough sell if you’re looking for basic protection or streaming capabilities.

Features

Astrill VPN distinguishes itself with a specialized feature set designed primarily for unblocking websites in particularly restrictive internet environments. Beyond standard AES-256 encryption and DNS leak protection, Astrill offers two proprietary VPN protocols: OpenWeb, which disguises VPN traffic as regular web browsing, and StealthVPN, an advanced obfuscation protocol engineered to bypass sophisticated censorship systems through deep packet inspection avoidance.

We found that both are significantly faster than the industry darling, OpenVPN, but they cover your browsing traffic first. This means that you'll have to fiddle around with settings if you want OpenWeb to cover all of your internet connection and not just your browser.

Astrill VPN's premium tier offers a VIP package with multi-hop connections and priority servers (limited to 100 GB monthly per server), as well as optional dedicated IP addresses for more reliable access to services that block shared VPN IPs.

Both features require additional payment beyond the standard subscription. Business plans that include centralized management capabilities for organizations with 10+ users are also available.

The client includes customizable split tunneling for routing specific apps or websites through or around the VPN, and an "App Guard" kill switch on desktop platforms that can selectively block the internet connection for specific applications when disconnected. Unfortunately, this feature is absent from the iOS and Android apps.

Astrill’s "VPN Sharing" feature allows your primary VPN device to function as a VPN hub for other connected devices, essentially acting as a proxy for devices that can’t load a full VPN client onto them. Pretty handy if you’ve got IoT devices you’d like to keep protected. There’s also support for ASUS Merlin and DD-WRT routers with a control applet that simplifies VPN management.

Despite these strengths, Astrill VPN lacks increasingly common features like Smart DNS for streaming devices. There is an ad-blocker available with the OpenWeb protocol, although this seems to be an instance of AdBlock Plus baked into the app. We found that the biggest issue with Astrill VPN is that the service limits you to just 5 simultaneous connections (with only one router connection permitted), which feels particularly limited compared to competitors offering 8-10 devices (or Surfshark’s unlimited connections).

Features score: 4/10

Server network

Astrill VPN's server network is somewhat modest compared to the likes of NordVPN. The service offers strong coverage across the United States, with servers spanning both East and West coasts as well as several states in between. There’s also decent representation in Western Europe, including multiple locations in the UK, France, and Germany.

However, Astrill VPN’s coverage of Africa, Asia, and South America leaves plenty to be desired.

One unusual aspect is that Astrill VPN is among the few VPNs still offering servers in Russia. That’s a double-edged sword given the potential security risks that have led many providers to withdraw from the country. Considering that these are physical servers, not virtual ones, you may wish to think twice before connecting.

The real issue we had with the servers while testing out Astrill is that server labeling is inconsistently applied, with some locations clearly marked by city while others are just labeled with numbers. Frankly, it’s a confusing experience when you’re trying to place your pin on the map.

Server network score: 6/10

Apps

Astrill VPN provides clients for all major platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

The Windows, macOS, and Linux clients feature a minimalist, black-and-white interface that feels decidedly dated with a design reminiscent of the early 2000s. The desktop app is surprisingly compact, occupying just a small corner of the screen and remaining tethered to the taskbar by default. While this space efficiency might appeal to some users, it can feel cramped and limited compared to modern VPN interfaces.

The Windows client provides the most comprehensive feature set, including the unique "App Guard" kill switch that allows users to specify which applications should lose internet access when the VPN disconnects. While this is useful for isolating specific applications like torrent clients, it’s less intuitive than the system-wide kill switches offered by other VPN providers.

The mobile VPN experince is somewhat more modern, particularly on Android where the app features a dark blue interface that feels more contemporary than its desktop counterpart. The core functionality remains similar with a large connect button, protocol selection, and server menu.

That’s where the positives end, however, as both the iOS and Android apps feel like a cut down version of the full Astrill app. Notably, the iOS app lacks WireGuard support, offering only TCP and UDP connection options for OpenVPN. While both mobile apps provide options to keep the VPN connected when the screen is off and auto-reconnect if the connection drops, they lack the proper kill switch feature that's available on desktop platforms.

Apps score: 5/10

Ease of use

Despite its dated appearance, Astrill VPN provides a relatively straightforward user experience. The installation process is simple, and the main dashboard, while not visually impressive, places essential functions front and center making it difficult to miss the primary connect button.

The client also has a built-in speed test tool that allows you to check ping times and connection speeds to nearby servers before connecting, which is a useful feature for optimizing performance. However, our testing revealed discrepancies between Astrill VPN's internal speed measurements and actual performance when connected.

Advanced configuration options are accessible through dedicated menus, including privacy settings for DNS leak protection and WebRTC leak fixes. The organization is logical, if not particularly elegant, making it functional but lacking the polish of VPN providers like ExpressVPN.

Ease of use score: 7/10

Speed and performance

Astrill VPN delivers adequate, if not exceptional, performance for everyday browsing and streaming. In our testing, we recorded speeds of around 56 Mbps while connected to Astrill's UK VPN server over OpenWeb, compared to 70 Mbps on our test connection without a VPN.

That’s a 20% speed reduction. With WireGuard, this rose to 60Mbps, whereas our OpenVPN speeds were only 45Mbps.

The service's built-in speed test tool suggested performance comparable to our base connection speeds, but our real-world testing with independent tools showed this to be somewhat optimistic. Nevertheless, the speeds we achieved are more than sufficient for 4K streaming on services like Netflix, which requires only about 25 Mbps.

How we perform speed tests

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

We test from two different virtual PCs, one in the UK and one in the US. We’re expecting big things out of NordVPN, as both of these servers have a 1 Gbs connection. You can find out more in our VPN testing methodology.

Connection times are almost instantaneous through OpenWeb and StealthVPN, though we found they were unusually long through OpenVPN. You also can’t change your location without disconnecting from OpenVPN first, which made testing servers for our streaming setup a tedious process.

The VIP package promises enhanced speeds through priority servers and we found this was the case, boosting our download speed to 68Mbps. However, given the additional cost on top of an already premium price, the standard servers should be adequate for your needs unless you’re specifically looking for one of today's fastest VPNs.

Speed and performance score: 5/10

Unblocking

Astrill VPN has mixed streaming capabilities based on our recent testing. The service successfully allowed us to access US Netflix, but our experiences with regional Netflix content was a mixed bag. Unfortunately, we couldn’t watch content in Canada, UK, Japan, or Australia, so it's not exactly the best Netflix VPN on the market.

The VPN's performance with other streaming platforms is inconsistent. Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+ worked on the American servers we used, although we had to go through multiple server locations before finding one that works. We also found that BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video simply wouldn’t work no matter what we did.

When Astrill VPN does successfully connect to streaming services, the video quality is generally good. We were able to stream in HD and 4K without significant buffering. However, we did find that loading times when using the base tier of Astrill VPN could occasionally be a little longer than we’d like.

For torrenting, Astrill supports P2P on many of its servers (marked with a star in the server list) and delivers reasonable speeds. The port forwarding feature available with StealthVPN enhances torrent connectivity, though the lack of a kill switch on mobile platforms is a significant drawback if you’re looking for the gold standard of torrenting VPNs.

Unblocking score: 3/10

Privacy and Security

On the technical side, Astrill VPN offers strong encryption through AES-256 standards and supports multiple protocols including OpenVPN, WireGuard, and proprietary offerings: OpenWeb and StealthVPN.

The latter two are specifically engineered to bypass sophisticated censorship systems in restrictive regions like China. The desktop applications feature comprehensive leak protection, with our testing confirming no DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks when using the WireGuard protocol. Astrill VPN also provides built-in leak testing to check whether you’re exposed, but we’ve used third party tools to verify the results.

Astrill VPN makes strong claims about its privacy practices. Based in the privacy-friendly Lichtenstein (outside the Five Eyes surveillance alliance), Astrill should be well-positioned to protect user data.

As far as data retention goes, Astrill VPN states clearly in its privacy policy that it does not collect or store users' internet traffic, immediately deleting it from servers and removing IP addresses from connection logs as soon as sessions end. It claims to use RAM-only servers, which should completely wipe all networking data as soon as they’re unplugged. Therefore, if Astrill VPN’s servers are seized it’s unlikely law enforcement would be able to find any useful information about the provider's users.

However, we’ve found several concerning statements in the privacy policy. The service keeps records of users' last 20 connections, including connection time, duration, country, device type, and application version. While Astrill VPN claims this data is kept strictly for support purposes and is deleted after 30 days (or upon request), this is a level of logging that we’re not completely comfortable with.

Perhaps more worrying is that Astrill VPN's privacy policy hasn't been updated since May 2018. That’s an exceptionally long period without revision in the VPN world. Additionally, Astrill VPN has not commissioned any third-party audits to verify its privacy claims, making it difficult to independently confirm its practices.

Privacy and Security score: 3/10

Track record

Astrill VPN has been operating since 2009, making it one of the oldest active VPN providers in the industry today. It has traditionally positioned itself as a specialized VPN provider with a focus on bypassing censorship. In particular, Astrill VPN has built a reputation for consistently working in heavily restricted regions like China, where many VPN providers struggle to maintain reliable access.

However, Astrill VPN has not been as proactive as its competitors in demonstrating any security claims through independent audits or transparency reports. We’re also unimpressed with their current privacy policy, which has been gathering cobwebs since 2018.

At the very least, we can say that Astrill VPN has maintained a relatively low profile for the last few years. It hasn’t suffered from any major security incidents that we’re aware of, although without an independent security audit it’s difficult to say how secure its server architecture really is.

While Astrill VPN has made some notable contributions to the VPN industry with not one but two different proprietary obfuscation protocols, we get the sense that the service is a little outdated and hasn’t quite kept up with the modern feature set you’d get from a top-tier VPN.

Track record score: 4/10

Customer support

One thing we can’t fault Astrill VPN for is the level of customer support on offer. Astrill VPN claims that it provides 24/7 live support. This matches up with our experience, as we found that all of our interactions with Astrill VPN’s support were resolved very quickly by knowledgeable support agents.

Beyond live assistance, Astrill VPN maintains an extensive knowledge base in wiki format that goes well beyond basic setup instructions. The documentation covers everything from standard installation guides to advanced topics like DNS cache flushing, third-party client setup, router configuration, and even tutorials on BitTorrent and remote desktop support.

There are also plenty of video tutorials on the site in addition to written documentation. We found they were easy to follow and clearly showed how to activate individual features on Astrill VPN, which might be necessary given that the UI can be a little intimidating at first glance. Overall, top marks for customer support, arguably on par with some of the top-tier VPNs out there.

Customer support score: 10/10

Pricing and plans

Astrill VPN's pricing structure is significantly steeper than industry standards, starting at $30 per month for a monthly subscription. Even ExpressVPN, which is one of the most expensive options that regularly features on our best VPN lists , starts at only $15 monthly.

Longer subscriptions reduce the monthly cost somewhat: a one-year plan brings the price down to $15 per month ($180 annually), while a two-year commitment costs $12.50 monthly ($300 billed every two years). Even with these discounts, Astrill VPN remains substantially more expensive than competitors offering similar or better features.

The "VIP" add-on package increases costs further, adding $10 per month for just 100 GB of data on priority servers and multi-hop connections. We should point out that many competitors, including Surfshark, offer multi-hop in their standard packages for no additional charge. Astrill VPN does also offer private IPs as an add-on from $5 per month, which is a pretty reasonable price for your own dedicated IP that only you can use.

On the plus side, Astrill VPN does offer a wide range of payment options including major credit and debit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, and Bitcoin and Monero. It’s always good to see cryptocurrency payment options which provide a little bit more privacy when purchasing a VPN subscription, especially given that Monero is considered nigh-untraceable.

Pricing and plans score: 5/10

Should you use Astrill VPN?

After some extensive testing, we've concluded that Astrill VPN occupies a very specific niche in the VPN market. If you’re consistently encountering VPN blocks from your ISP or at your workplace, Astrill might work where other VPNs don’t thanks to an almost swiss army knife-like set of VPN protocols and options.

Similarly, if you’re working in a heavily censored region of the world like China, Astrill VPN is definitely worth checking out. There are also a few server location options, like Russia, that you won’t find on most VPN server lists, although that’s up to you to decide whether that’s a good thing or not.

Unfortunately, you’re paying a heavy premium to get access to these features. If you’re not interested in obfuscation, there isn’t much else there that justifies Astrill VPN’s $30 a month base price.

The dated VPN interface doesn’t exactly help matters either, and you might find yourself hitting against the upper limit of Astrill VPN’s simultaneous device connections pretty quickly. We’ve found that providers like ExpressVPN or NordVPN offer more polished experiences with broader server coverage at significantly lower price points.

Overall score: 52/100

Astrill VPN alternatives

1. NordVPN – from $3.39 per month
The best VPN overall
NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs you’ll find on the market. The massive network of 7,200+ servers across 118 countries ensures you'll always find a fast connection nearby, too. It’s perfect for preserving your internet privacy, as an independently audited no-logs policy and Panama jurisdiction means your data is kept truly private. Subscriptions start at $3.39/month (2-year plan), backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

2. Surfshark – from $1.99 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription, making it perfect for households with multiple devices. Nexus technology adds multi-hop capabilities through all 100+ locations on Surfshark’s server infrastructure, as well as a rotating IP feature that keeps internet services from being able to track you. Surfshark delivers premium features at a budget-friendly $1.99 per month on its 2-year plan. Every subscription includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

2. ExpressVPN – from $4.99 per month
The best VPN for beginners and the most secure
When speed and reliability matter most, ExpressVPN delivers. ExpressVPN uses the proprietary Lightway protocol to offer lightning-fast connections perfect for streaming and gaming across 105 countries. User-friendly apps make protection simple on everything from smartphones to routers. While pricier at $4.99/month on a two-year plan, what you get is a premium service with 24/7 live chat support, as well as a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee just in case you’re not happy with the service.View Deal

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