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Nintendo Switch 2 owners, beware – some owners are reporting worrisome overheating problems

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 13:00
  • Nintendo Switch 2 users are reporting overheating issues in handheld and docked modes
  • It comes amid Nintendo's recent controversies surrounding its new Switch 2 device
  • It reportedly occurs even when playing less demanding games

It's no secret that Nintendo has been at the center of controversy since the announcement of $80 game prices, along with recent findings around its new Switch 2 display and its ghosting issues. However, the handheld's problems seemingly don't stop there.

As highlighted by Notebookcheck, multiple users are reporting overheating issues with the Nintendo Switch 2, even while playing less demanding games. Notably, most reports suggest overheating occurs when using the Switch 2's Dock, a vital component that allows users to play on external displays and provides more power for improved performance.

A plethora of Redditors have voiced frustrations with the Switch 2 Dock's lack of ventilation despite featuring a built-in fan. The latter isn't designed to cool the Switch 2, but rather the Dock.

Others also point out higher temperatures while using its Ethernet port, to the point where the handheld and its accessory are too hot to touch, and the display output ends despite the console still running.

Nintendo suggests setting the console aside to cool down and ensuring the handheld's air vents aren't obstructed – but frankly, that's hardly much of a solution to eliminate the supposed overheating.

Switch 2 overheating. from r/Switch

It's not just the Dock alone; users are also reporting that the device displays a warning message before entering sleep mode when undocked. This appears to be the system's way of throttling, but instead of that, it makes it not playable while resting.

This is a worrying sign for Switch 2 owners. If these issues become more prevalent, it would most certainly supersede the concerns about the display quality.

(Image credit: Nintendo)Analysis: Hopefully this isn't a bigger issue than I think...

It's not uncommon to hear reports about overheating with new hardware. I've become quite accustomed to it, with new GPU launches, and (more relevant) the early reports of SD cards overheating in the Asus ROG Ally.

Since this is a similar issue, it seems that Nintendo might be able to address it with a software update, similar to what Asus did. However, there's no guarantee that this will lead to a resolution. It also comes at a bad time for the Switch 2, considering its recent controversies.

It's the absolute worst-case scenario for a new handheld console owner, especially at its $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95 price; it's also worth noting that the original Switch has seen a price hike in some regions, so it's not exactly a great time for these overheating reports to emerge.

If the Dock happens to be a detriment to the Switch 2's cooling, I doubt any software update will be able to fix the issue. There's also a lack of compatibility with third-party docks, so if you're facing these temperature issues, there isn't much of a solution for now.

Let's just hope Nintendo is quick to address this before it gets out of hand...

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Categories: Technology

KidLogger review

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:45

The best parental control apps differ in terms of the level of trust they provide to children – some offer more freedom, only reporting notable activity to parents, while others track everything children do on their device. KidLogger falls into the latter category.

That may not work for some parents, but it’s ideal if you need to closely monitor what your children are doing. And, as an added bonus, there’s a free version available – suitable if you want to save some pennies, too.

Plans and pricing

With the free version of KidLogger, you can monitor up to five devices and keep logs and histories for 18 days. You get a meagre 18MB of cloud storage space for storage.

The Standard plan costs $9 for three months of access, $17 for six months of usage, and £29 for one year – so that latter option is the best deal. It retains the five-device limit, which means it won’t be suitable for larger families with numerous devices, but it does increase the storage to 400MB and keeps logs for 60 days – both much better options than the free product.

That plan also adds features, including analytics, email reporting, dedicated technical support, and screenshotting.

The most powerful option is the Professional tool. This product allows parents to monitor ten devices, keep logs for 90 days and use 1GB of cloud storage, and it costs $89 for a year of access.

At this tier, you get scheduled email reports, more in-depth options for monitoring messenger apps, phone calls and cameras, the option to hide the software on children’s phones and powerful keylogging features.

Features

There will, of course, but many parents are unhappy with the prospect of using a keylogger that takes screenshots, looks through the camera, and listens to phone calls. There are plenty of parental control tools that are less intrusive.

It’s also worth checking whether this type of app is even legal in your country – in some countries, using such a keylogger may contravene the law.

If you do need that level of control and it’s legal, though, there’s no denying that Keylogger gets the job done, and it works on Android, Windows and Mac OS – so there’s more platform support than you’ll find on most parental control apps.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

You’ll notice that iOS is missing because KidLogger is extremely limited on Apple’s smartphones, essentially functioning as a location tracker with little else available.

KidLogger will let you record keystrokes and, on certain platforms, text copied to the clipboard. It’ll monitor web history on Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari, and track the amount of time your children spend using their devices.

The app can log all external drives connected to devices, record the names of files and folders that are opened, take screenshots of the device every five minutes, and even take screenshots when children type particular keywords.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

It monitors chats and messages on apps like Facebook Messenger, Kik, WhatsApp, and Viber, and tracks the most frequently used applications on your children’s devices.

On certain platforms, like Android, you can track location, record incoming and outgoing calls, monitor text message content and view all the photos taken with the camera.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s now an offline mode that tracks activity and reports back once the children’s device reconnects to the internet – and an option to prevent any unauthorized user from removing the app’s monitoring abilities.

At certain product tiers, you can block websites and apps, and because KidLogger monitors everything, it does a better job of tracking direct messages, notes and search terms – things that other apps may struggle to track.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)

KidLogger doesn’t have traditional social media monitoring, even if it does have its keylogging and screenshotting features, and if you want to create screen time and app usage schedules then you’ll need to install a separate app. Using this module, parents can also allow kids to use certain apps without any time limits.

Also bear in mind that KidLogger does not support conventional website and content filtering options, but this is a philosophical choice: because while KidLogger tracks everything your children do on their devices, it’s not designed to be particularly restrictive with what they do.

It’s an app about tracking what they’re doing – not stopping them from doing it.

(Image credit: Kidlogger)Interface and in-use

KidLogger is easy to install across all platforms, and its dashboard is easy to use, with clear sections for screenshots, messages, web usage, text records and other data that has been gathered from children’s devices.

The user interface doesn’t look particularly attractive due to its old-fashioned and basic design, but it’s very straightforward, making it easy to access the content you need to see.

There are few options here for actually interacting with your children’s devices – you won’t be able to check in, message, or restrict usage like you can with other tools.

Support

Head to the KidLogger website, and you can log a support ticket, consult the forum and browse knowledge base articles, and you can also email KidLogger directly. The company aims to respond to queries in 48 hours.

In terms of support, though, that’s it – don’t expect live chat or phone support from this relatively small organization.

The competition

KidLogger falls behind most of the competition in terms of its interface – tools like Qustodio and Bark are far more visually appealing.

Bark does a better job of monitoring social media and using AI to stay on top of new trends, and Qustodio is available on many platforms, including iOS.

The best alternative to keylogging is mSpy, which offers many of the same features as KidLogger – but that app is also more expensive. It’s worth weighing up the features of both to decide which one is more applicable to your situation.

Final verdict

KidLogger may not be a moral or legal choice in your family or location but if you do want a logging app for your children’s devices, there are few better than this – especially on Android.

It’ll track everything that children do on their phone, even going beyond texts with its screenshotting, camera monitoring and call recording, and it works on Windows devices too.

You’ll need to look elsewhere if you want a service that can block websites and apps and allow you to control your children’s screen time, but this is a first-class tool if you want to log, monitor and keep track of children’s device habits.

Categories: Reviews

Want a first look at Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? There's currently only one place to see the trailer

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:41
  • The Odyssey has a confirmed release date of July 17, 2026
  • The date was confirmed in a new poster
  • No trailer has been officially released online, but fans can see it at Jurassic World Rebirth showings

Christopher Nolan's new project, The Odyssey, joins a host of other new movies coming soon, but what's notable about the marketing is that so far, we've only officially been given the release date and a poster.

The good news is, we can confirm The Odyssey is slated for a July 17, 2026, release, so we can start counting down the days to the next big Nolan movie.

We've got a cool new poster, too, which you can take a look at below. It's quite minimalist, which we've come to expect from Nolan movies.

First poster for Christopher Nolan’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’In theaters on July 17, 2026. pic.twitter.com/0utuOcLFlHJuly 2, 2025

The bad news is, there's nowhere online you can officially watch the trailer as it hasn't been released by approved channels online. TechRadar is aware of recent leaks, and we won't be including links to what was posted online.

So, with leaked material being hit with copyright strikes, there's only one way fans can watch The Odyssey's first trailer through official channels.

How can we watch The Odyssey's trailer?

The highly anticipated trailer for The Odyssey is playing before another big Universal movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, so cinema goers are in for a treat before they head to see the latest installment of the dinosaur franchise.

Unfortunately, I was on the fence in my Jurassic World Rebirth review, but perhaps the opportunity to see the trailer will be enough to entice people into their local theater this week.

As always, we're in for a huge treat with the new Nolan movie, and the cast list is huge. The epic fantasy movie has an ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron.

It is based on Homer's epic poem Odyssey, with the plot following Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, on his perilous journey home after the Trojan War.

Throughout the story, we follow his encounters with mythical beings such as Sirens and the witch-goddess Circe, as he heads to a long-awaited reunion with his wife, Penelope.

We have a while to wait for it to arrive in theaters, but with the trailer playing on the big screen, it's the closest we'll get to Nolan's latest blockbuster for now.

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Categories: Technology

Mobicip parental control software review

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:34

Mobicip is positioned as one of the best parental control app for busy parents who want to restrict the impact of big tech companies on their children’s lives, and it’s got Family Voice and Mom’s Choice Awards to back up its claims about protecting kids.

Mobicip also claims that “more than 2 million parents” love its app, and that it can protect kids from social media, apps, websites and excessive screen time.

It can be a little pricey, though, and faces strong competition, so should you consider Mobicip if you want to protect your children?

Plans and pricing

That pricing, for instance, can ramp up if you want the maximum level of protection available from this service.

Mobicip’s Premium package costs $7.99/£6.26 per month if you pay annually, and that tier includes protection for 20 devices and every feature that Mobicip offers.

Qustodio, meanwhile, costs $7.44/£5.83 per month if billed annually and that includes support for unlimited devices, and Norton Family is even cheaper. Bark is more expensive, though, but does go further than almost anything else when it comes to social media monitoring.

If you’d rather not shell out for Mobicip’s premium package, the Standard tool supports ten devices and costs $4.99/£3.91 per month if purchased annually. You don’t get social media monitoring or app timers with that tier, though – and those are two of the biggest draws of any parental control tool. Similarly, the Lite package is affordable at $2.99/£2.34 per month, but it omits those features and only supports five devices.

Mobicip is one of the pricier parental control apps on the market, but that Premium package is still the best value by some way thanks to its features. And, pleasingly, there’s a seven-day free trial and thirty-day money-back guarantee.

Final verdict

Mobicip setup is easy and the ability to filter content by keyword gives you more control over web blocking. It's missing some common features, though - can't set an overall device usage time, for instance, just a schedule - and dated app lists and poorly chosen default settings mean you'll need to pay extra attention when setting up.

Features

Mobicip’s screen time scheduling is immediately impressive. Parents can create specific schedules for homework, sleeping or school time.

Daily screen time limits are available and, in an innovative twist on screen time features, parents can call for “family time” by locking all managed devices instantly – perfect for grabbing people’s attention.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

You can create an unlimited number of custom filters, build schedules with five-minute increments, and allow or restrict apps or websites based on categories, too. There’s also a Vacation Mode feature that parents can deploy to allow more leniency.

This is comfortably one of the best scheduling tools on the market thanks to its great set of features – the only thing missing is the ability to set time limits for individual apps.

If you want to ensure that phones don’t capture attention, Mobicip allows parents to limit time spent on apps that hit certain categories, like social media or games, and particular apps can also be blocked entirely – while others can be put on a safe list.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

Mobicip’s web filtering comes with 20 different categories of inappropriate content alongside the ability to block adult content, block specific words and block specific websites. Parents can also use a “whitelist-only” mode that allows children to only browse a list of pre-approved sites.

GPS functionality extends to a family locator tool, location sharing and geofencing – an ideal slate of location-specific options, even if Mobicip doesn’t have the innovative driving abilities found in some rival tools. Its geofencing includes a 1,000m radius, which is more generous than many other apps – even if Norton is wider still.

When it comes to reporting, parents can access a slick dashboard that provides browsing histories, location histories, your children’s access requests and a graphical representation of screen time usage displaying the categories of content your kids use the most – like social media apps, games or browsers.

Children also have access to a dashboard where they can request more screen time or ask to access blocked apps.

And if you want multiple people to be able to manage the app, parents can add trusted guardians or contacts using a straightforward and secure invitation system.

Elsewhere, Mobicip monitors Facebook and Snapchat for harmful content, but that’s it for social media monitoring – a poor showing compared to most rivals and, notably, Bark.

You can’t set time limits for individual apps on Mobicip, only categories of apps, and Mobicip doesn’t monitor text messages or calls.

Interface and in-use

It’s very easy to get started with Mobicip: download the app, allow permissions, and off you go. And, impressively, Mobicip works across loads of platforms, from Android and iOS to Windows, macOS, Chromebook and even Kindle.

In-depth guides make setup and configuration even easier, and parents can duplicate settings across multiple child devices – ideal for families with more than one child.

(Image credit: Mobicip)

Mobicip’s web interfaces and apps are clean, intuitive and easy to use, too: for kids, it’s easy to check their screen time allowances and schedules. For parents, it’s simple to find every setting required and to access activity reports and analytics.

Support

This is another area where Mobicip goes above and beyond many rivals. As well as submitting a support ticket, parents can schedule a call with Mobicip’s customer service teams – ideal if you want to speak to a human.

An AI-powered chatbot provides answers to simpler questions, and there are loads of guides with useful imagery on Mobicip’s website.

It’s a good support option, with callbacks available alongside more conventional email support and loads of comprehensive articles.

The competition

Mobicip is a strong contender when it comes to parental control, but it still has rivals that are better in some areas.

Bark, for instance, is a much better option for social media monitoring – which is one of Mobicip’s weaker departments. MMGuardian, meanwhile, is better for checking calls and messages.

Qustodio and Norton Family are both cheaper than Mobicip, with the former supporting an unlimited number of devices and offering more robust social media and message monitoring too.

Final verdict

Social media and messaging are the two areas where Mobicip could be better, then, and if these are important to you, then we recommend you look elsewhere.

That said, Mobicip impresses in loads of other departments. Its filtering is effective, and its screen time and scheduling options are among the best you’ll find anywhere. Its location-tracking features are strong, too, and this app is attractive and easy to use for parents and children.

Customer support is excellent, its activity reporting is comprehensive, and it does some innovative things with scheduling and screen time that some rivals simply don’t offer – like its Vacation Mode or Family Time settings.

Mobicip is a little pricier than some tools, and it’s not ideal if you want to monitor social media. But if you need filtering, screen time controls and GPS-based functionality, Mobicip is one of the best parental control apps around.

Categories: Reviews

Internet speeds 3.5 million times faster than US average are possible with current fiber optic cable tech - so how does 1,020,000 Gbps sound?

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:33
  • Future networks could carry petabit speeds without new cable shapes
  • Standard-diameter fiber hits new capacity-distance milestone in lab test
  • US average internet speed is dwarfed by breakthrough optical transmission

Buried under city streets, countryside roads and the deep ocean floor lie the glass threads that carry almost everything we do online.

These strands, often no wider than a human hair, already move astonishing amounts of data, and now, Japanese researchers have pushed those limits even further - without changing the shape or size of the cable.

A team led by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), working with Sumitomo Electric and European collaborators, has achieved a transmission speed of 1.02 petabits per second over 1,808 kilometers.

A new world record

The test used a 19-core optical fiber with a standard cladding diameter of 0.125 mm, meaning it’s the same thickness as the single-core fibers already deployed in networks around the world.

Instead of requiring entirely new infrastructure, the cable squeezes 19 separate light paths into the space typically used for one.

That allows for a dramatic leap in capacity while staying compatible with existing systems.

It also marks the first time a petabit-class signal has traveled more than 1,000 kilometers in a standard-sized fiber.

The result sets a new world record for capacity-distance product at 1.86 exabits per second-kilometer.

To simulate a long-distance backbone, signals were looped 21 times through 86.1 km spans of the new fiber. Amplifiers boosted the signal at every pass and were carefully tuned to work across both the C and L wavelength bands for all 19 cores.

Using 180 wavelengths modulated with 16QAM, the system was able to handle huge volumes of parallel data streams.

After traveling the simulated route, the signals were separated by a multi-channel receiver using MIMO digital signal processing.

This avoided adding more fiber cores or expanding the cable diameter, which would have made integration with current networks harder.

To put the new achievement in context, the average US broadband speed in early 2025 is around 290Mbps. The new record of 1.02 petabits per second equals 1,020,000,000 Mbps - more than 3.5 million times faster.

The results were presented at OFC 2025 as a post-deadline paper, offering a glimpse at what future optical networks might look like.

Although it won’t transform work or home connections overnight, the research shows how far standard fiber can still go. The team now aims to refine amplifier efficiency and signal processing to move closer to real-world deployment.

With global data traffic continuing to grow, advances like this offer a way to stretch infrastructure further without the need to dig new trenches.

New optical fibers with standard cladding diameter and world records achieved by NICT (Image credit: NICT)You might also like
Categories: Technology

Turn Off This Facebook Setting Now to Avoid Sharing Your Entire Camera Roll With Meta AI

CNET News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:27
Facebook's camera roll cloud processing feature puts your all your photos and videos into the hands of Meta AI.
Categories: Technology

The GOP's massive bill would add trillions of dollars to the country's debt

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:11

The GOP tax cut and spending bill passed by the Senate this week is expected to add trillions of dollars to the federal debt over the next decade. The savings would mostly go to top earners.

(Image credit: Derek White)

Categories: News

UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Tickets: How to Livestream the Soccer Tournament for Free from Anywhere

CNET News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:03
England looks to defend its title as Europe's top national teams battle for glory in Switzerland.
Categories: Technology

Google has patched another urgent security flaw in Chrome - so update now or be at risk

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:02
  • Google's TAG team finds high-severity bug in Chrome V8
  • The bug allows threat actors to run arbitrary code on endpoints
  • It is being actively exploited, so users should patch now

Google has fixed a high-severity Chrome vulnerability which was allegedly being exploited in the wild, possibly by nation-state threat actors.

In a new security bulletin, Google said it addressed a type confusion issue in Chrome V8, tracked as CVE-2025-6554, which allowed threat actors to perform arbitrary read/write operations, potentially giving way to sensitive data theft, token exfiltration, or even malware and ransomware deployment.

The V8 engine is Google’s open source high-performance JavaScript and WebAssembly engine used in Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers to execute web code efficiently. The bug caused V8 to incorrectly interpret data, leading to unintended behavior. In theory, a threat actor could serve a specially crafted HTML page to a target, which could trigger the RCE.

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Nation-states and other adversaries

The bug was given a severity score of 8.1/10 - high, and was addressed in versions 138.0.7204.96/.97 for Windows, 138.0.7204.92/.93 for macOS, and 138.0.7204.96 for Linux, on June 26.

In the advisory, Google confirmed the bug was being actively abused, but decided not to share any details until the majority of the browsers are patched. Usually, Chrome automatically installs the patches, but just in case, you might want to head over to chrome://settings/help and allow Chrome to look for updates.

While Google kept the details under wraps, knowing who blew the whistle tells us a little more about potential abusers. The bug was discovered by Clément Lecigne of Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), a cybersecurity arm that usually investigates nation-state threat actors.

If TAG was looking into this bug, and we know it’s abused in the wild, then it’s safe to assume that it was used by nation-states in highly targeted attacks. Previous V8 flaws have been abused in campaigns against high-profile targets in the past, including journalists, dissidents, IT admins, and similar people.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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Categories: Technology

Looking for a wireless charger with a difference? I've tested a multi-device charging station with a finish you won't forget

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 12:00
Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review

The Mous Charging Station with Qi2 is a 2-in-1 wireless charger featuring a raised Qi2 pad for compatible smartphone charging and an inlaid Qi pad for wireless earbud charging. It also has an 18W USB-C output on the back and a Pogo connector on the right-hand side, meaning it can be teamed with a USB-C cable or the Mous Elevated Apple Watch Charger to power up additional devices.

Available from the Mous website and Amazon, the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 comes in a choice of three finishes: Walnut, Aramid Fiber, and Matte Black. The list price varies from $79.99 – $89.99 / £69.99 – £79.99, depending on the finish, with Matte Black costing the least, and Aramid Fiber being the most expensive.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

As things stand at the time of writing, I’d highly recommend purchasing this charging station directly from Mous rather than Amazon. This is because Mous includes the 65W power adapter needed to run the charging station efficiently when ordered from their website, but for some reason, one isn’t included when purchasing from Amazon. This would have made some sense if the Amazon listings were discounted, but as I type this, they are in fact more expensive than buying from Mous directly. Go figure!

Aside from this, everything else appears to be the same. There’s a 59-inch / 1.5m USB-C to USB-C charging cable with a soft braided outer included, which, if you’ve seen my guide to the best wireless chargers, you’ll already know is a big positive, as these woven coverings can significantly increase cable lifespan, plus they tend to look a bit nicer, too.

(Image credit: Future)

The charging speeds of the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 delivered were fairly average, taking 132 minutes to fully charge our testing iPhone 13 Pro, which has a 2,600mAh battery capacity, and 269 minutes to charge our 4,610mAh Xiaomi 14, when charged separately.

As it only weighs 9.6oz / 272g, and the non-slip base is a little, well, slippy, this isn’t the sturdiest charging station out there. This light weight is good news if you intend to use it in different locations, but as it was so easy to shuffle it across my desktop every time I touched my phone, I’d wager this isn’t the charging station you’re looking for if you want something that’ll stay put. Skittishness aside, I was pleased with the strong grip of the Qi2 pad and had no concerns over my phone being knocked from it.

The Mous Charging Station with Qi2 looks good aesthetically and appears to be well-made. The materials feel and look nice, including the top surface of the charging station, which is actual walnut, rather than just a printed effect. The entire unit feels suitably robust, with no flexing, despite my best efforts. The only thing that let the aesthetics down was the Mous logo on the top, as some of the white finish was missing, leaving black specks behind.

(Image credit: Future)

I was pleased to find that Mous had used mostly paper-based packaging for the Charging Station with Qi2, though the unnecessary plastic wrap around the housing of the USB-C connectors and what seemed to be a plastic coating on the paper cable ties mean there’s some room for improvement.

For the most part, it was fairly easy to clean the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 when it got dusty, as most of the surfaces were smooth and easy to wipe down. The only sticking points were the fine gap around the edge of the walnut plate, the debossed Mous logo, and the silicone ring of the Qi charging pad, which dust really liked to cling to.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, I’d say the Mous Charging Station with Qi2 is pretty pricey for an average-performing charging station. That being said, it is very nicely made, and the real Aramid Fiber and Walnut material plates might make it worth the cost if you want something a little more interesting than your run-of-the-mill black plastic finishes. So if aesthetics and the ability to charge extra devices are your top priority, then you’ll be quite happy with the Mous Charging Station with Qi2. If you’ll only be charging one device at a time, and like the sound of good charging speeds at a fraction of the cost of the Mous Charging Station with Qi2, I’d recommend checking out the ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger instead.

Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review: Price & specs

Price

$79.99 – $89.99 / £69.99 – £79.99

Model tested

A839

Output

15W Qi2, 5-7.5W Qi, 18W USB-C, 5W Pogo connector

Devices charged

2 wirelessly, more with add-ons

Connection

USB-C

Charging tech

Qi, Qi2

Recommended input

60W

Weight

272g

Dimensions

175mm x W: 87.5mm x H: 20.1mm​

Should I buy the Mous Charging Station with Qi2?Buy it if…

You want a fancier finish
The use of aramid fiber and walnut sets this charging station apart from its competitors, making it worth considering if you want something a little different from run-of-the-mill black plastic chargers.

You want something expandable
It’s not uncommon to find wireless charging stations with a USB-C output, but as these are often limited to 5W for Apple Watch Charging, it’s good to see an 18W output on offer here. Not only that, there’s the option to add on an Apple Watch charging module via the Pogo connector.

Don't buy it if…

You want a steadfast station
The light weight and inefficient non-slip areas on this dual pad charger meant it wasn’t difficult to knock it around as I charged my phone on my desktop.

You want a charger that’s easy to dust
While the majority of the charger is easy to wipe clean, the silicone areas and gaps on the surface make things more difficult when it comes to keeping this charging station dust-free.

Mous Charging Station with Qi2 review: Also consider

ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger
If you’re after something cheaper and faster, and you’re happy to charge one device at a time, then this Qi2 charging pad is worth considering. It delivered satisfying charging speeds, plus it’s easy to hold and has a reinforced cable, making it a bargain buy considering the low price. If you’d like to learn more, check out my full ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger review.

Categories: Reviews

Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:47

The announcement came after President Trump in April proposed a steep 46% tariff on Vietnamese imports; he later paused those tariffs while talks continued.

(Image credit: Luong Thai Linh)

Categories: News

Qantas Breach Comprises Data of Up to 6 Million Customers

CNET News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:25
The cyber incident was discovered on Monday and is under investigation, according to the airline.
Categories: Technology

Whether you're driving or flying, here are travel tips for the Fourth of July weekend

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:19

AAA anticipates that a record 72.2 million people will travel this holiday weekend. Here's how to prepare if you're one of them.

(Image credit: David Paul Morris)

Categories: News

Apple could move the logo on the iPhone 17 Pro, and that's a bigger deal that you might realise

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:19
  • A new rumor suggests Apple could move the logo on the iPhone 17 Pro
  • The logo could move down to make space for the new camera bar and to align with the MagSafe magnet ring
  • While a minor change, this could give some insight into Apple's priorities

Apple could be making a change to an iconic iPhone design element with the release of the rumored iPhone 17 Pro.

According to new rumors from somewhat reliable tipster Majin Bu (via GSMArena), Apple could move its logo to a lower position on the rear panel of the iPhone 17 Pro.

The possible change has been corroborated in an X (formerly Twitter) post from Apple tipster Sonny Dickson, who posited that the move could align the logo with the phone’s ring of MagSafe magnets.

You may be thinking that a logo moving a few centimeters isn’t a huge story on its own – and in all fairness, you’d be right. This alone isn’t too big of a deal.

However, I think this latest design rumor has the potential to say a lot about where Apple’s priorities lie when it comes to the next generation of iPhone.

Aesthetic alterations

This mock-up, shared by tipster Majin Bu, shows the iPhone 17 Pro with a lower Apple logo. (Image credit: Majin Bu)

This logo tipoff is the latest in a pretty long list of redesign rumors concerning the iPhone 17 lineup, specifically the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

In fact, it seems to me that the strongest and most repeated rumors surrounding the next Pro-level iPhones have concerned the design and aesthetics of the supposedly-upcoming handsets.

As we previously reported, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to get a Google Pixel-like camera bar, a wild departure from the function-led design philosophy of previous generations. Several separate rumors have given us a look at CAD mock-ups and dummy units that seem to confirm the changed design.

Though we have heard of a possible higher-resolution telephoto camera, as well as murmurs of a unified volume and Action button and under-display Face ID, it seems like we could be in for a lighter year when it comes to new iPhone hardware features.

Considered change, or cover up?

It's possible a better telephoto camera could be the only real upgrade to this year's Pro iPhone. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

All of this brings new context to the supposed new logo placement – what was previously a pretty innocuous design update begins to look like meddling for the sake of finding something to change.

And while all of this is based on rumors at the moment, if Apple were to launch the iPhone 17 Pro with only iterative or less-impactful hardware improvements, then these design shakeups would start to look like an effort to draw attention elsewhere.

It wasn’t too long ago that Apple faced considerable backlash for launching the iPhone 14 in a very similar state to the iPhone 13 – Cupertino would be wise to avoid a similar situation this year.

With all that said, it’s also possible that Apple is simply looking to refresh the visual identity of its next-gen handsets, to match the new look of the Liquid Glass design language coming with iOS 26.

So, while the shifting of an Apple logo by a few centimeters might not seem the biggest story, it’s worth keeping an eye on these small changes as we get closer to the expected September launch date of the iPhone 17 series. Be sure to let us know what you think of this rumored change in the comments below.

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Categories: Technology

Themes lands on ExpressVPN mobile apps – with full Dark Mode now available for iOS

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:08
  • ExpressVPN adds a new "Themes" feature to its mobile apps for visual customization
  • Dark Mode is now available to all iOS users for the first time
  • The update follows May's major revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps

ExpressVPN has unveiled a new Themes feature for its mobile apps to give users more flexibility in how the interface looks and feels.

Most notably, one of the best VPN providers on the market has finally brought full support for the "much anticipated" Dark Mode to iOS devices, too.

The update, which follows May's revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps, reflects a subtle shift in how VPN providers approach design – moving beyond pure function to meet user expectations around comfort and customization, without compromising the core privacy experience.

More than just cosmetic

Dark Mode has been a consistent request among ExpressVPN's mobile users, offering a more comfortable viewing experience and potential battery savings for phones with OLED screens.

The company says it wanted to take the time to roll this out properly across platforms, ensuring a seamless visual experience that doesn't compromise usability.

For iOS users, the introduction of Dark Mode marks a notable milestone, closing a feature gap that had persisted compared to Android.

You can now find Dark Mode under the new Twilight mode in the Appearance tab within the Account Settings.

The update adds five Themes modes for both iOS and Android devices (Image credit: ExpressVPN)

Beyond Twilight, the new Themes interface also includes Sand, Midnight, Sky, and System Default modes. Like with Dark mode, you can pick your favorite one by heading to the Appearance tab in your mobile app's Account Settings and customize your app.

Despite seeming like a small change, interface customization matters especially for apps like virtual private networks (VPN) that are opened multiple times a day.

Commenting on this point, ExpressVPN's Chief Information Officer, Shay Peretz said: "Security and style can – and should – go hand in hand. We remain committed to both, with privacy continuing to be our top priority."

As mentioned earlier, the introduction of Themes follows May's revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps, which included improvements like a brand-new speed test tool, design and usability upgrades, a server location map, and more.

What this means for ExpressVPN users

The rollout may not be headline-making in the traditional sense, but it underscores a subtle shift: even among security-focused apps, user experience is no longer secondary.

With VPN usage becoming more mainstream, particularly on mobile, updates like Themes help bridge the gap between function and form.

Whether you're switching servers, checking your connection, or leaving the app running in the background, a comfortable, customizable interface makes those daily interactions feel smoother. And for users who've been waiting for Dark Mode on iOS, the wait is finally over.

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Categories: Technology

Insurance group Kelly Benefits says over half a million people now affected in major data breach - here's what we know

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:05
  • Kelly Benefits confirms thousands of users affected in breach
  • Victims are offered free ID theft protection and credit monitoring
  • The organization urges users to remain vigilant

Insurance group Kelly Benefits has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive information on more than half a million customers.

In a data breach notification published on its website, the company said “suspicious activity” on its network prompted it to bring in third-party forensic specialists for an investigation - and the results showed a threat actor breaching the network between December 12 - 17, 2024, stealing “certain files”.

By early March 2025, Kelly Benefits determined that it lost people’s full names, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, dates of birth, medical information, health insurance information, and financial account information. The combination of the data stolen varies from person to person.

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No attribution yet

As is usual in these scenarios, the company also filed a new form with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, stating exactly 553,660 individuals were affected by the attack.

Kelly Benefits provides integrated employee benefits administration, payroll processing, insurance brokerage, and HR services.

Its payroll division alone serves north of 2,000 employers, processing around two million paychecks and issuing more than 100,000 W‑2s forms annually. For benefits, it counts more than 10,000 corporate clients, and covers more than 8,000 individuals.

Among the companies using its services (and as such, being affected by the attack) are United Healthcare, OneAmerica Financial Partners, and Humana Insurance ACE.

The organization did not say who the threat actors were, or what they were looking to achieve. At press time, no groups claimed responsibility for this attack, and the data is yet to leak anywhere on the dark web. In the meantime, Kelly Benefits urged its customers to remain vigilant, and be wary of potential phishing attacks, identity theft, or fraud.

Affected individuals are offered 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX.

Via BleepingComputer

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Categories: Technology

Microsoft Family Safety parental control software review

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:02

It’s impossible to avoid Microsoft if you’ve got a family full of tech - with laptops, PCs, smartphones and games consoles full of Redmond’s software, they’re everywhere.

But while that might sound all-encompassing, it might not be a bad idea if you need a parental control app. With features that smoothly integrate with your existing tech and a free price, Microsoft Family Safety could be the parental control app that your family needs.

Plans and pricing

There’s not much to say here, because Microsoft Family Safety is free - so you don’t have to fork out any cash, you don’t need to investigate different product tiers and their varying features, and you don’t have to mess around hunting for deals or registering for free trials.

Microsoft Family Safety is also included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions and Windows 11 operating systems.

Features

Family Safety runs on Windows, Xbox, Android, and Apple devices, and parents can also use Mac OS computers to access the web dashboard and monitor their children. Bear in mind, though, that you can’t install Family Safety on Mac OS devices used by your children - on Apple’s desktop and laptop OS, it’s a one-way street.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

It’s easy to get started with Family Safety - more on that later - and once you’re up and running, the app has a decent set of core parental control features, at least on paper.

Take web filtering, for instance: while this is a core component of any good parental control app and rivals like Qustodio do a tremendous job, on Microsoft Family Safety you’re only able to filter the Microsoft Edge browser. That might work for Microsoft, which wants to keep people using its own software, but that’s not practical in families where people want to use Chrome, Safari or other browsers.

Many alternative browsers are just blocked by the app instead, and it’s possible for parents to block individual websites - and allow favored ones, too.

Frustratingly, Microsoft Family Safety doesn’t let parents see the categories of content it blocks, and users report frequent issues with unsafe websites not being blocked and not being flagged on the parent dashboard.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

Family Safety’s screen time functionality didn’t impress all that much, either. Initially, all seems well: you can set schedules for your children’s devices, save them easily, and customize them for different days. On Android, parents can set limits on a per-app basis, too.

But a deeper dive by intrepid users online suggests that device screen time limits don’t work particularly well on Android - some reports suggest that children could continue using their devices even when contravening their scheduled limits.

Elsewhere, app blocking and whitelisting are supported and parents can allow children app access if kids send a request from their phones.

Family Safety’s location tracking features are basic. These features only work in the parents’ app on Android and iOS devices, not the web dashboard. Geofencing is only supported for Microsoft 365 subscribers - so while Family Safety is free, you’ve got to pay for 365 to get access to that feature.

Delve deeper into Family Safety’s location functionality and you will find one innovation - the Drive Safety mode. If a teen activates the feature, parents can see their route, speed and any abrupt braking. It’s welcome, but apps like Bark provide similar functionality.

What’s missing from Family Safety? Sadly, quite a lot. Outside of its web filtering, there’s no social media, messaging app or text message monitoring, and none of the camera and audio features that you’ll find in some more forward-thinking tools. You also can’t shut down or take control of child devices using Microsoft Family Safety.

Interface and in-use

Family Safety is very easy to use: install the app, grant some basic permissions and build a family group using people’s Outlook addresses, phone numbers or alternative emails and you’re good to go.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

In a nod towards transparency, children can see the restrictions they’re under on their app’s dashboard.

On Windows devices, functionality is similar - you just make your children a new account on the device rather than using their phone number.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

Once you’re all set up, Family Safety is exceedingly easy to use. The interface is clean and spacious with familiar Microsoft green accents, and everything is laid out well - all of the key options are in obvious places.

Support

Microsoft Family Safety’s website includes setup guides, FAQs and troubleshooting tips that should solve most common issues, and Microsoft’s busy forum is also available for more specific queries.

In-app support and reporting is available on Android and iOS, and the central Microsoft support website is available if you need to get in touch with Microsoft – although that does mean delving into the support functionality of one of the world’s biggest companies, and that means a likely slow response.

The competition

There’s no doubt that Family Safety has impressive rivals. Take Qustodio: it has far better web filtering and monitoring than Microsoft’s tool and it’s excellent for families that have lots of devices.

Bark outpaces Microsoft’s tool for social media and email monitoring, too.

Final verdict

There are certainly some areas where Microsoft Family Safety fights back. It’s free, for starters, and is easier to use for families that already use the Microsoft ecosystem through PCs, laptops or games consoles alongside smartphones.

It’s easy to use, too, and has accessible and moderately effective filtering, location-tracking, app management and screen time features.

That said, there are serious limitations in all of those departments, the iOS app is more limited than the Android version, and its rivals – while not free – are far more capable in every key area.

If you want basic parental control without spending any money, Microsoft Family Safety is easy to use and already available for loads of families. But if you’re at all serious about parental control, look elsewhere.

Categories: Reviews

LG will test a next-gen OLED TV tech that's way more efficient – here's why it could be a big deal

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:00
  • LG will test a new OLED production method for its TV panels
  • Potentially brighter, more efficient OLED TVs with less risk of burn-in
  • Likely to appear in niche sectors such as in-car displays first

Some time ago we reported on a new kind of TV tech called eLEAP that could solve the long-running problems with the best OLED TVs – and three years since it was announced, it looks like LG could end up putting it into production.

It's known as eLEAP, and it's an alternative way of manufacturing OLED panels. When it was announced in 2022, its focus was on small phone screens. But LG Display is looking at the tech for significantly larger displays, and that means it could be – oh yes – one giant eLEAP for TV technology.

eLEAP promises brighter, more colorful OLEDs and could potentially banish or at least significantly reduce burn-in (Image credit: JDI)Why eLEAP could transform TVs

Conventional OLED panels are made with fine metal masks, which are thin metal plates with lots of tiny holes in them. Those masks ensure that organic material is deposited on the display substrate with pixel-perfect precision to ensure that each pixel lights up uniformly without overlapping or being poorly aligned.

eLEAP does things differently. Instead of fine metal masks it uses a lithography process to create the OLED pixels. And according to trade site The Elec, LG Display already has the appropriate equipment to trial eLEAP in its OLED facility in Paju, South Korea – and it's looking to test on TV-sized panels. Samsung Display is also reportedly testing the technology.

This is a trial, not the beginning of production: LG Display and Samsung Display may still decide not to go ahead with the tech. But it does have the potential to transform OLED manufacturing: the promise of eLEAP is that it'll offer far better efficiency for the OLED pixels, because the light-emitting area is more than doubled compared to a pixel of the same size made using the fine metal mask technique.

That means they're much more energy efficient, so you could have higher brightness without increasing power use – or use less power at the same brightness. That energy efficiency also means less heat generation – and heat is a key cause of OLED burn-in, so there'd be little danger of the higher brightness causing a burn-in problem.

There is also the potential for eLEAP to be more efficient to actually produce, which would mean cheaper OLED panels, which may mean cheaper TVs – or, at least, maybe mid-range OLEDs such as the LG C5 could finally get significantly brighter without becoming as expensive as the flagship LG G5.

However, even if the trials are successful it's likely to be some time before we'll see the tech in our TVs: according to The Elec the short-term use case is in "niche OLED panels, such as those 20-inch to 30-inch in size or those used in vehicles." However, the fact that LG is testing it in panels of TV size at all is great news for its potential use in the future for better home entertainment.

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Categories: Technology

'We're leaving the door open': Ironheart producers address Riri Williams' future in the MCU amid mixed fan reception to the Marvel TV show

TechRadar News - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 11:00
  • Ironheart's producers have teased what's next for Riri Williams in the MCU
  • The Disney+ show's finale is full of unresolved story threads
  • They also discussed whether she'll ever get her comic-accurate super-suit

Two members of Ironheart's producing team have teased what's next for the titular hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

With the Disney+ show having come to a close on July 1 or 2 (depending on where you live), the fates of many of its characters are left up in the air. That, coupled with the Marvel TV series' finale also being littered with unresolved plot threads, indicates that Riri Williams' MCU journey is far from over.

However, the eponymous character's MCU future is uncertain. Despite being positively received by critics – read my Ironheart review if you haven't yet – ahead of its late June launch, fan reception to Ironheart has, as evidenced by its 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, been mixed at best.

On other review aggregation websites, the final Marvel Phase 5 project has even been the subject of a vicious review-bombing campaign, and has been labeled "woke" due to its black female lead and diverse supporting cast. It's unclear when – or even whether – we'll see Dominique Thorne's flawed hero again.

Ironheart's creative team can't say where she'll appear next. However, producer Zoie Nagelhout told me that the show's cliff-hanger ending – read more in my Ironheart ending explained article – was devised to allow Marvel Studios to pick up Riri's story whenever it's most convenient to do so.

Where do you think Riri Williams will appear next? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

"When we tell stories in the MCU, it's always the intention that there'll be more stories to tell," Nagelhout said. "Our job was to tell the best version of this series and, in doing so, leave the door open for future storytelling.

"Where that'll go and when is above our pay grade. Really, only {Marvel President] Kevin Feige knows, but it certainly was our task to leave those options open. There are storylines in the comics that would be fun to dip into, but we also think that letting these characters organically reappear where it makes the most sense is the Marvel way."

Riri Williams' newest super-suit in the MCU isn't the same one she famously wears in the comics (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

And what are the chances of Riri Williams finally designing the iconic pink and black armored suit she famously sports in Marvel Comics? Nagelhout's fellow producer Sev Ohanian wouldn't confirm if that would ever happen, but he teased such a possibility arising if Williams sticks around in the MCU for the long haul.

"Some of the best Marvel characters don't necessarily get their most iconic suits right out the gate, right?" he told me ."Many of the Avengers have eventually got theirs [in the MCU].

"But, for us, landing on the core element of who Riri is, she doesn't have the resources that someone like Tony Stark had," he added. "She has to make do with what she can find, scrap, and steal. All of those things land on the piece of material that means the most to her [the red and black muscle car that Riri's late stepdad owned]. That's the closest to her heart and, being what it was, using to make her suit at the end of this season was a good opportunity. As far as whether we'll ever get to see that suit, I certainly hope so."

Do you want to see Riri Williams again in the MCU? Would you like her to get her pink and black suit sometime soon, too? Let me know in the comments.

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Categories: Technology

Google Family Link parental control software review

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 07/02/2025 - 10:52

If your family uses Android devices and you don’t want to pay extra for one of the best parental control apps, then it can be tempting to turn to Google Family Link – Android’s own parental control suite.

Unsurprisingly, this tool works well with Google’s own apps, like Search, Chrome and YouTube, and it can save you money because you’re not investing elsewhere.

But a deeper dive into its features reveals some missing capabilities when compared to other apps – so let’s find out if it’s a false economy.

Features

We’ve skipped our usual “Plans and pricing” section because there’s nothing to say beyond the fact that this app is free.

Before you get started, it’s worth checking Family Link’s device compatibility, too. For kids, Family Link is compatible with Android devices running version 7.0 or higher. However, only certain settings will function on devices using Android 5.0 or 6.0. There’s no kids app for iOS.

For parents, the control app runs on Android devices running Android 5.0 or higher or iOS devices running iOS 11 or higher.

That last point is a boon because it means you can use Family Link on children’s devices even if you’re a parent on iOS.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

Family Link allows users to set screen time controls, including downtime and app-specific time limits. Parents can also manage app, website, and extension permissions and downloads through the control software.

You can always see your child’s location thanks to Google’s mapping prowess, too.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

Delve into many of these features, though, and you’ll discover that they’re relatively basic.

You can set device usage limits and restricted times for your children, with support for 15-minute increments, so they won’t be browsing their phones during school hours or bedtime, for instance.

Device locking is supported, and you can also give your children always-on access to certain apps. But when compared to other tools, like Bark or Qustodio, Google’s Family Link is pretty basic here.

The filtering is relatively rudimentary, too. While there’s no doubt that Google’s SafeSearch filtering works very well by blocking or blurring unsuitable text and images, other apps offer dozens of categories to choose from if you want to block specific topics, and you can’t go any further than SafeSearch here. You can block certain sites and allow others, but you’ll have more control elsewhere. And while Family Link filters YouTube, too, the options here are still fairly basic.

More impressive is Family Link’s app capability. You can see exactly which apps your children have installed and either block or limit their usage individually.

Content restrictions are available for Google Play, and you can prevent your children from making purchases as well – handy if you want them to stop spending a lot of money on addictive games. You can also prevent app installation from unknown sources and stop your children from adding or removing users from their devices or delving into the Developer options.

Unsurprisingly, Google’s location tracking is very accurate, and you can set up geofenced locations with decent radius limits – although other apps are even wider here.

You’ll get notified if children leave the area. One smart addition is the ability to view your child’s battery status, allowing you to spot if they’re about to run out of charge, too.

One notable omission here, though, is location history – it’s simply not available.

Elsewhere, Family Link doesn’t include text or call monitoring, and across basically every part of the app you don’t get the granular control you’ll find on other tools. Other apps also offer more comprehensive activity monitoring, including email and social media monitoring. And when your kids are 13, they can opt out of the monitoring if they wish.

Interface and in-use

As you’d expect from a Google app, Family Link is a sleek and minimalist piece of software that looks clean and uncluttered. It’s easy for parents and kids to navigate most of the settings available, which means setup is quick.

That’s great if you want an app that doesn’t overwhelm you with information, but it also means that some crucial bits of info can be hard to find.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

You’ll need to use different screens to check children’s app and YouTube usage, for instance, and you'll also have to delve into various menus to view their web history. Many competitors make it easier to access this information, offering more centralized access to reports, alerts, and details.

Setup is easy, at least: because this is an official Google product, you don’t have to deal with the sideloading that's sometimes required elsewhere.

Support

Unsurprisingly, from a computing behemoth like Google, Family Link’s support is a little sporadic and impersonal.

If you need help you’ll need to go through Google’s official channels, and you’ll probably not get a fast response.

Thankfully, there are plenty of good knowledge base articles in the help center, but that’s it. If you want more extensive or faster support, a dedicated app will be far better.

The competition

Norton Family, for instance, has much better support, with live chat, and Qustodio has phone support available for people in certain tiers.

There’s also no denying that those apps are more extensive in terms of features, even if competitors fall short in certain areas: Norton doesn’t do well with text and call monitoring either, and Qustodio can be pricey.

Final verdict

Google Family Link’s free price is one of its biggest selling points, then, and elsewhere its key strength comes from its granular, powerful app controls and its decent screen time and scheduling options.

Go beyond this, though, and Google Family Link is lacking. You may have to pay for rivals, but they have far more extensive filtering and location tracking and work on a broader array of devices.

Google Family Link is ideal if you want to use it alongside one of those apps, perhaps to control Google Play usage or double up on filtering to have an extra safety net. But it’s just not powerful enough to function as your primary parental control tool.

Categories: Reviews

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