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• AMD's CEO indicated that chips made in TSMC's US factories will be pricier
• Lisa Su says they could be 5% to 20% costlier than chips produced in Taiwan
• Su argues that the cost is worth it in terms of diversifying the supply chain

AMD's CEO has admitted that the company's chips will be a fair bit pricier when they are produced in TSMC's factories in the US (as opposed to Taiwan).

Bloomberg reports that it will be more expensive to source chips from TSMC's new Arizona plant than its Taiwan factories. TSMC is the chip maker that AMD uses to manufacture most of its processors and GPUs, and AMD is set to start receiving chips from the Arizona plant before the end of 2025).

At an AI event, CEO Lisa Su said that US chips will be "more than 5% but less than 20%" costlier compared to "similar" parts produced in Taiwan. The chief executive also observed that yields in the US plant are comparable to TSMC's Taiwanese facilities. (The yield is the percentage of chips that make the grade to be used in a finished product – not every piece of silicon does, and chips in that category are often repurposed for lower-tier hardware).

In an interview with Bloomberg that followed the event, Su argued that any extra expense was worthwhile in terms of diversifying where AMD is outsourcing its production. The chief executive said: "We have to consider resiliency in the supply chain. We learned that in the pandemic."

Su also underlined that the demand for AI chips, wherever they are produced, isn't going anywhere and remains massive – which isn't news to anyone, of course.

Analysis: It's still early days for TSMC US

(Image credit: AMD)

While yields may be similar (or so we're told), what Su doesn't mention is that TSMC's most advanced processes are exclusive to its production facilities in Taiwan. Arizona only goes as far as the N4 node, which is 4nm – whereas the cutting-edge production process for TSMC is now 2nm.

Eventually, though, the plan is to manufacture those more advanced products in the US – the investment in Arizona is a huge one, after all – but for now, this is simply about adding diversity, as Su indicates.

Still, all the pieces of that diversity puzzle aren't in place yet, at least according to recent reports, which observe that AMD still has to send some US-made chips back to Taiwan for finishing (if they need advanced packaging applied).

Tthe plan is for that to happen in the US eventually – but for now, there's seemingly this clunky and rather impractical workaround in place as part of the rush to get more chips out of the door (to meet AI demand, which is, as mentioned, huge).

That could be one of the reasons why costs may be inflated, alongside potentially higher costs for being based in the US in the first place (such as labor, perhaps).

Su's estimate is quite wide-ranging here, and a price jump of 5% to 20% is a wide gulf. The former seems relatively trivial, the latter represents a much less palatable hike – slapping 20% on the cost of a typical Ryzen workhorse CPU would stick $50 on top, or thereabouts (going by the MSRP of the Ryzen 9600X, which admittedly is selling for a lot cheaper now).

Okay, so you can't boil this scenario down to that outcome – there are a lot more factors to consider here, including that Su's estimate is rather vague – but the higher end of the scale provided for the potential cost increase is somewhat concerning, for sure.

As is the fact that this isn't just some rumor floating down from an anonymous source somewhere in the supply chain, but that it comes from the CEO herself.

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• Antigravity's Insta360-powered first drone is focussed on simplicity
• 360 drone with 'immersive flight' is set for August launch
• It will shoot 8K video and weigh under 250g

There’s a new player entering the drone game, and I couldn’t be more excited. This week’s announcement (or should that be “pre-announcement”?) from Antigravity teasing its forthcoming 360 drone means that market leader DJI is about to get a major rival.

The Antigravity drone, developed by Insta360 and some unspecified third parties, isn’t a straight-up competitor to DJI’s range; it’s instead taking things in a different direction. By offering 8K 360-degree capture of everything around it – like a flying version of the superb Insta360 X5 camera – this is the first ever drone to offer immersive all-around capture out of the box.

Details are scant at the moment, but Antigravity’s press release promises to “replace the technical complexity inherent in both drone flying and 360-degree videography with expressive, story-first experiences that are easy to master yet exceptionally powerful.”

Ease of use is clearly going to be a major marketing point of this first Antigravity drone, with the release going on to mention intuitive, family-friendly operation aimed at people who don’t have time to learn “complex flight controls and aerial content creation”. And that focus on simplicity and ease of use is hugely exciting to me.

The upcoming Antigravity drone will be unveiled in August (Image credit: Antigravity, Insta360)Simply does it

Don’t get me wrong – I love the power and advanced capabilities of DJI’s premium drones like the Mavic 4 Pro, and learning how best to use them to create impactful aerial photographs and videos. As someone who has been reviewing drones ever since the original DJI Phantoms were released over a decade ago, I’ve had plenty of time to master quadcopter flight. And, let’s face it, it’s not like DJI’s drones are particularly difficult to fly, thanks to their plethora of built-in safety features, wind resistance and automated flight modes.

But the idea of an ultra-focussed, low-complexity drone designed purely for 360 video is also compelling – even if it’s, for now, all just marketing talk with few concrete details. Antigravity is making some bold claims – and it has to, if it wants to attract attention in a market absolutely dominated by DJI.

However, I can already spot two key areas in which the Antigravity drone keeps things simple. The first is its weight, which we know will be under 250g. That means it’s free from many of the restrictions and rules governing drones. In the US, drones under 250g are exempt from FAA registration for recreational use, while in the UK they don’t require a Flyer ID, can be flown closer than 50m to uninvolved people and can be flown at residential, recreational, commercial and industrial sites. Less paperwork and more scope for flying are always welcome.

The DJI Mini 4 Pro's sub-250g weight is a key part of its appeal – and one that Antigravity's debut drone will also possess. (Image credit: DJI)

You might be thinking, “but DJI makes sub-250g drones too” – and you’d be right. The DJI Flip, DJI Neo and the DJI Mini range of drones all fall into the ultra-lightweight category, so this isn’t an area where Antigravity can differentiate itself. Where it can, however, is with 360 video.

Because the Antigravity drone’s camera design captures everything around it, all the time, the user doesn’t need to point the camera at a particularly subject when flying. The user just flies, lets the 360 camera do its thing and then, later on, can reframe the video to ensure that it’s pointing in the right direction. You’ll never miss a shot. This isn’t something we’ve ever seen integrated into a drone before, and truly sets the Antigravity apart from its competitors.

If I can forget about restrictions and forget about camera control, then all I need to worry about is putting the Antigravity drone in the right places. That’s a huge win in my book – and I can’t wait to take this new drone for a test flight.

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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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, July 29 (game #513).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You've got that right

NYT Strands today (game #514) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CHEESE
• MESS
• BRIEF
• BLESS
• LISTEN
• TILE

NYT Strands today (game #514) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #514) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #514) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #514, are…

• LIFE
• VOTE
• SPEECH
• LIBERTY
• ASSEMBLY
• COUNSEL
• SPANGRAM: CONSTITUTION

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I think today's Strands concerns words found in the United States Constitution, but I will admit that I'm not an expert in this regard, given that I'm based in the UK. What I do know is that the words here represent a selection of human rights that we often take for granted, but that are constantly worth reminding ourselves of – especially if we feel they are under threat.

As far as my gameplay went I saw the two shortest words first before the spangram confirmed the theme and opened up the board.

Unlike most days I barely had to cock my head sideways to work out the game words and unusually had to go hunting for non-game hints after completing the board.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 29, game #513)

• EXACT
• STRICT
• PRECISE
• ACCURATE
• PERSNICKETY
• SPANGRAM: TAKING PAINS

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 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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, July 29 (game #1282).

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 #1283) - 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 #1283) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1283) - 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 #1283) - 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 0.

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 #1283) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• A

• F

• U

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

Quordle today (game #1283) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1283, are…

• DEBAR
• ADMIN
• FOLIO
• USAGE

After getting ADMIN and USAGE pretty quickly I stalled over the final two words.

Needing to think of a word containing R, A, E and D I struggled to conjure anything that didn’t end with a D (dread, bread…) before taking a chance with DEBAR.

Meanwhile, guessing polio instead of FOLIO was a 50/50 situation that thankfully wasn’t on my last go.

Daily Sequence today (game #1283) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1283, are…

• MERGE
• TIMER
• DROLL
• OLIVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
• Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO
• Quordle #1280, Sunday, 27 July: TRAWL, BALER, PIANO, MINCE
• Quordle #1279, Saturday, 26 July: MUDDY, SAINT, KINKY, POLAR
• Quordle #1278, Friday, 25 July: BONUS, RESIN, CEDAR, MADAM
• Quordle #1277, Thursday, 24 July: AGONY, VERVE, GLEAN, MINUS
• Quordle #1276, Wednesday, 23 July: OZONE, PENCE, ROOMY, WIDER
• Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
• Quordle #1274, Monday, 21 July: KNEED, SNAIL, PINTO, FEAST
• Quordle #1273, Sunday, 20 July: GRACE, COUNT, EGRET, GIANT
• Quordle #1272, Saturday, 19 July: EARLY, CLICK, TRITE, SPREE
• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• 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

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, July 29 (game #779).

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 #780) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• MONORAIL
• VOILA
• ORGAN
• TRIANGLE
• GROAN
• TRAIN
• ABUT
• VEHICLE
• MEDIUM
• BULGE
• COACH
• TETRACYCLINE
• DIRECT
• DIOXIDE
• INSTRUMENT
• GUIDE

NYT Connections today (game #780) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Show them the way 
• GREEN: You’ve got a platform
• BLUE: Begin with an ancient language 
• PURPLE: Jumbled orchestra 

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 #780) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: INSTRUCT 
• GREEN: MEANS
• BLUE: STARTING WITH GREEK NUMERICAL PREFIXES 
• PURPLE: ANAGRAMS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #780) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #780, are…

• YELLOW: INSTRUCT COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN
• GREEN: MEANS INSTRUMENT, MEDIUM, ORGAN, VEHICLE
• BLUE: STARTING WITH GREEK NUMERICAL PREFIXES DIOXIDE, MONORAIL, TETRACYCLINE, TRIANGLE
• PURPLE: ANAGRAMS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ABUT, BULGE, GROAN, VOILA

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Some days every group could be yellow, today they could all have been purple.

I felt very smug for getting STARTING WITH GREEK NUMERICAL PREFIXES – the trigger was seeing nothing else medicinal to connect with TETRACYCLINE, so I figured it had to do with the start of the word.

INSTRUCT came next – although initially I did think the connection was transportation, but then I hit the buffers and was left with eight random words and no discernible link between any of them.

All I had was that GROAN was an anagram of ORGAN. Then after a couple of mistakes I saw the others. Quite the struggle.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, July 29, game #779)

• YELLOW: DISCOUNT DEAL, PROMOTION, SALE, SPECIAL
• GREEN: IRRITATE BUG, NETTLE, RUFFLE, STEAM
• BLUE: POKER ACTIONS CALL, CHECK, FOLD, RAISE
• PURPLE: THINGS YOU CAN PUMP BRAKES, FIST, GAS, IRON

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.

• Microsoft finds macOS security bug which could allow threat actors to pull sensitive data from Apple Intelligence
• "Sploitlight" revolves around Spotlight plugins
• It was fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, so users should upgrade now

Microsoft has revealed details of a security vulnerability in macOS which allowed threat actors to steal sensitive information from the Apple Intelligence AI tool.

In a blog post, Microsoft said it found a bug that bypasses Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) mechanisms found on macOS devices. TCC is a security and privacy framework that restricts access to sensitive user data and system features.

The bug, tracked as CVE-2025-31199, could allow hackers to access files in the Downloads folder, as well as caches utilized by Apple Intelligence. Microsoft dubbed the vulnerability “Sploitlight” since it abuses Spotlight plugins, but says it is more dangerous than previous TCC bypasses such as HM-Surf, or powerdir.

"Severe implications"

“The implications of this vulnerability are more severe due to its ability to extract and leak sensitive information cached by Apple Intelligence, such as precise geolocation data, photo and video metadata, face and person recognition data, search history and user preferences, and more,” Microsoft explained.

“These risks are further complicated and heightened by the remote linking capability between iCloud accounts, meaning an attacker with access to a user’s macOS device could also exploit the vulnerability to determine remote information of other devices linked to the same iCloud account.”

Spotlight plugins are used to index files for macOS search. Despite these plugins running in a sandboxed environment, they still have privileged access to scanned files, meaning attackers can modify plugin metadata to target specific file types.

By logging file contents during indexing, attackers can exfiltrate data without needing TCC permissions.

Apple says fixed the flaw in March 2025, through patches for macOS Sequoia 15.4. On NVD, the patch is described as providing “improved data redaction”. Microsoft said that Defender for Endpoint now detects “suspicious” .mdimporter installations, and unusual indexing of sensitive directories.

Via BleepingComputer

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If you’re a Mac gamer, you can’t have missed the recent news that Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red (CDPR) had brought its futuristic dystopia to Apple’s macOS. It’s been the biggest Mac gaming news in an already productive few years, and signals that Apple’s platforms are an increasingly attractive destination for game developers.

Since CDPR’s announcement, I’ve been testing Cyberpunk 2077 on my MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the results. The game’s default “For this Mac” custom settings opt for medium texture quality and a 1800x1125 resolution, with a locked 30fps frame rate. But once I turn on AMD’s FSR frame generation tech in the settings, my frame rate hits the mid-70s in the in-game benchmark.

Night City has looked better than it does on a 2021 MacBook, but it still runs shockingly well. (Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

That feels remarkably smooth for an integrated GPU on a chip from 2021, and it’s certainly better than most Mac gamers would expect from a game like Cyberpunk. It’s clear that Apple has worked hard with CDPR to give Mac gamers a tailored experience, and that’s paying dividends.

Sure, we’re not talking ultra settings and 100 fps or more, but the results are satisfactory enough for people on older Mac hardware. For Macs with more powerful components, the results will be even better – as my colleague Jacob recently learned when he tested the game on an M4 Max MacBook Pro.

This got me thinking about what’s coming next for the best MacBooks. While beefier chips would of course be very welcome, the results from my testing suggest they’re not the most vital upgrade that Apple’s laptops need when it comes to gaming. No, there’s something else that’s crying out for a change: the Magic Mouse.

Apple’s gaming weakness

Even M1 Macs are now capable gaming machines - but there's a hole in Apple's hardware approach. (Image credit: Future / CD Projekt RED)

Apple’s mouse has remained all but unchanged for the past 16 years. The latest revision, the Magic Mouse 2, is ten years old now and is really starting to show its age. Apple’s decision to bring USB-C to the device last year is nowhere close to what’s needed.

Indeed, people have been complaining about the Magic Mouse almost since the day it launched. Its low profile and smooth top surface can lead to hand and wrist discomfort, and I know at least one person who has had to switch to an ergonomic mouse, such was the pain of using the Magic Mouse. Don't even get me started on the fact that you have to flip the whole thing over to charge it.

But the situation is especially bad for gamers. The mouse’s slimline shape and slippery surface make it hard to grip in tense moments. Its lack of clearly defined left and right buttons can lead to misclicks. And there are no additional buttons for macros and extra functionality. It’s not a good choice for all but the most basic of Mac games, and it trails far behind all of the best gaming mice by virtually every metric.

It strikes me that improving the Magic Mouse could make far more of a difference to Mac gamers (and Mac users more generally) than an even better chip. Apple’s signature Mac chips are already some of the best in the industry. Its signature mouse, though? That lags far behind.

Yet if Apple fixed up its wayward features and gave it the treatment it deserves, Mac gaming could finally step up to the next level. Sure, you could still buy a third-party alternative, but you might not want to if Apple’s offering can actually do the job, particularly if it came bundled with your Mac. It feels like a glaring omission from Apple, but it’s not too late for the company to correct course if it truly is serious about making macOS a legitimate gaming platform.

A new mouse for a new era

Look at this thing. I don't like it, and I'm certainly not the only one. (Image credit: Majed Khan / Unsplash)

The good news is that Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has previously said that Apple is working on a “full overhaul” of the mouse with improved ergonomics, but we don’t know much beyond that. I’m not asking for a Razer-esque decked-out gaming mouse with blinding RGB lights and seven hundred buttons, but something that’s more ergonomically shaped would benefit gamers and non-gamers alike.

I’m also aware that this is probably a fairly low priority for Apple. After all, gamers can use their own third-party mice instead – that’s what I do already. The Magic Mouse is currently only bundled with the iMac and the Mac Pro, and while you can buy Apple’s mouse separately, I suspect that not everyone does that. It’s likely that relatively few Mac users actually experience the Magic Mouse, making a serious overhaul less of a pressing need for Apple.

Still, it remains an awkward dud for Apple, and improvements in this area would bring benefits to many of the company’s customers, regardless of whether they play games or not. Apple wouldn’t even have to mention its gaming benefits if that didn’t fit the company’s narrative, but gamers would certainly feel the difference.

When – and if – any of this happens is another matter. But I’m hopeful that Apple is at least considering it, given the Magic Mouse’s age and the lukewarm reception it continues to receive. In the new age of Mac gaming, this is the company’s chance to put things right.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong does not currently have a release date, after being delayed out of its last window. Thankfully, we did get a short update during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event which let us know that it'll come out sometime in 2025.

So far, Team Cherry has revealed a fair bit of gameplay, a couple of trailers, and provided an update on the development of Hollow Knight Silksong nearly two years ago. In terms of upcoming games, Silksong is easily one of the most highly anticipated, so hopefully we see more of it sooner rather than later.

There's still plenty to learn about Hollow Knight Silksong, namely whether or not it can measure up to the lofty legacy of its predecessor. Here's what we know about the upcoming sequel so far, including a look at gameplay, all of the latest news, and what's been said about when Hollow Knight Silksong is coming out, and on what platforms.

Hollow Knight Silksong - Cut to the chase

• What is it? The sequel to Hollow Knight, a modern-classic metroidvania game
• When does it come out? TBC 2025
• What can I play it on? PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
• Who is making it? Team Cherry

Hollow Knight Silksong platforms

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Hollow Knight Silksong is currently being developed for PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 / Nintendo Switch. Given that it's been quite a while since we had an update about the game, this is subject to change. If platforms for Silksong do change, we'll update this page.

What we do know is that it'll arrive sometime in 2025, according to a short glimpse during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event.

Hollow Knight Silksong trailers

The most recent trailer we've seen from Hollow Knight Silksong arrived as part of the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase event in late 2022. This trailer, which you can view below, shows off gameplay, as well as a look at the new protagonist and setting.

There have been a few more trailers released for Hollow Knight Silksong over the last four years or so. We've included some of them throughout this article, but to see all of them you can head over to the game's official YouTube channel.

Hollow Knight Silksong story and setting

Hollow Knight Silksong is set in the haunted kingdom of Pharloom. Visually, it is a gilded, gloomy sort of area, not dissimilar to the deepnest setting of the first game. Hornet will start at the very bottom, having been brought there after being captured. From there, she must climb higher and higher, hunting down foes and ultimately determining the fate of the world around her.

Much like in the first game, Silksong looks likely to convey most of its story via NPC dialogue and lore found in the environment. A story is definitely there if you want to and it, but perhaps takes less of a spotlight when compared to other facets of the game. What we do know is that there will once again be a variety of bosses to take down, friends to meet, and subtle choices to decide on while you play. There's still a lot to learn about the story in Silksong, but we're betting most of it will be kept a mystery, right up until the game is in the hands of players.

Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Players will play as Hornet in Hollow Knight Silksong, who is a pretty stark contrast when compared to the Knight from the first game. She is much more agile, able to dart and grapple around the world, with her needle weapon in hand. Once again, players will be able to find new abilities as they progress, giving them options for customizing Hornet.

So far, we've yet to see too much gameplay for Silksong, but what's been shown looks to be a continuation of the platforming/boss fighting of its predecessor. You'll explore different zones, slowly unlocking the map. It's a Metroidvania game once again, meaning that certain areas are locked behind ability upgrades, with lots of backtracking involved. Boss fights look to be a big part of Silksong, with the gameplay trailer released last year having shown off a couple of the main foes we'll be taking on.

Generally, if you played Hollow Knight, it seems as though you'll be right at home with the gameplay in Silksong. We'll have to wait and see just how many new bells and whistles are included this time around, but, for now, the action is looking like more Hollow Knight - which is certainly not a bad thing.

Hollow Knight Silksong latest news

Hollow Knight: Silksong will actually be playable at Gamescom 2025
Xbox has unveiled its plans for Gamescom 2025, which will include the opportunity to play a Hollow Knight: Silksong demo. The game will be playable on the upcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X handhelds at the Xbox booth.

Hollow Knight: Silksong will be out 'before' the holidays
One of the most surprising parts of the recent Xbox Games Showcase was the reveal of new Xbox handheld PCs, the Xbox Asus ROG Ally and Xbox Asus ROG Ally X, and the confirmation that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available on them at launch. This means it'll be out before the holiday period.

Hollow Knight Silksong confirmed for 2025
During a sizzle reel that was shown during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event, Hollow Knight Silksong is planned for 2025.

Hollow Knight Silksong delayed out of 'first half of 2023'
In a Tweet, Team Cherry's Marketing Director announced that the game will no longer hit its release window of the 'first half of 2023'.

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• Data continues to go back to Chinese servers even with telemetry off
• Hardware and OS specs, mouse/keyboard activity and more
• Trae memory usage is 3x higher than Cursor

A developer has taken to GitHub to warn that ByteDance's Trae AI-powered IDE has been collecting data from users and sending it to the Chinese company's servers.

A report found extensive network activity continues despite users disabling telemetry in settings, with around 500 network calls observed in seven minutes, equating to around 26MB of data being transferred.

The data was being routed to ByteDance servers on the byteoversea[.]com domain, with a broad range of system and project information potentially at risk of being collected by the company.

ByteDance's Trae IDE could be collecting data

According to the report, ByteDance was collecting system information like hardware specs and OS details, usage patterns, performance metrics, project and file path information, unique persistent identifiers and mouse/keyboard activity, among some other elements.

The developer also found ByteDance has the potential to enable/disable feature or modify functionality remotely without pushing updates.

Marketed as a free alternative to the likes of Cursor, Trae uses GPT-4o and Claude-3.5-Sonnet to help users boost productivity, but the app was found to use around three times as much memory as Cursor (and 6.3x VS Code).

The biggest privacy and security concerns center and data sovereignty, with major alarm bells ringing about ByteDance's persistent collection of information even after users change their preferences. The developer was also concerned about the amount of unnecessary system information collected in those logs, and the fact that it was all being sent to Chinese infrastructure.

ByteDance customers also share transparency concerns, with the IDE failing to properly disclose the data collected and the telemetry toggle appearing to be non-functional.

TechRadar Pro has asked ByteDance to respond to these allegations, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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The new photo harmonization tool cuts the manual work of editing, recoloring and relighting down to a couple of minutes.

Buzzsprout has always been on my list to test out when talking about podcast hosting providers. While it’s known for its beginner-friendly interface and powerful features, Buzzsprout’s extensive support stood out for me.

I tested Buzzsprout’s features, set my podcast live, and explored its analytic tools to get to know how it really works.

For a comparison on how Buzzsprout compares against the competition, check out the best podcast hosting providers.

Advantages of Buzzsprout (Pros)

Unlimited storage

Except for the free plan, all paid subscriptions have unlimited storage, so you never have to worry about running out of space for your podcasts.

Unlimited team members

Using just one account, you can add as many team members as you want. This allows your editors, managers, and others to access it without having to create separate access.

Manage multiple podcasts in one place

Running multiple podcasts? With Buzzsprout, you can manage them all under one roof. From uploading them to editing and even checking statistics, find everything in one account.

Plenty of learning materials

Buzzsprout has plenty of guides and support materials for you to learn everything that you need to. From their tutorials on YouTube to DIY fixes, there's plenty of content.

Free Plan Available

There is a free plan available for users who want to test out the platform. However, it is only available for 90 days, and features are limited. For instance, you can’t have a podcast website, import podcasts, etc.

Multiple monetization options

While I’ve talked about this in detail ahead, Buzzsprout offers various monetization options like ads, subscriptions, and direct payments that you can receive from your listeners.

Buzzsprout Celebrates Your Milestones

To ensure you never give up or lose the motivation of your podcasting journey, Buzzsprout sends you reminders of your achievements so far. In addition, it also shows you how close you are to your next achievement. Eventually, you’ll always strive for the best!

Who is Buzzsprout Right For?

Buzzsprout is perfect for beginner podcasters who want a simple, all-in-one solution to launch and grow their show without technical know-how.

You don’t need any advanced skills to get started. Features like Magic Mastering and one-click distribution make it easier to make your podcast live without spending hours on editing or hosting knowledge.

Furthermore, you get automatic updates to the latest version, dynamic ad insertion, and reliable hosting, so you can focus on content rather than tech.

Lastly, Buzzsprout takes the initiative to guide you step by step in publishing and making your first episode live. While Buzzsprout works for experienced podcasters, its biggest strength is removing barriers for newcomers, making it ideal for first-timers who want a hassle-free start.

Using Buzzsprout (Interface)

Buzzsprout's interface is clean and easy to understand. You can visit your statistics, podcast episodes, fan emails, your website, etc., all in one place.

Buzzsprout user interface (Image credit: Future)

Even as a beginner or a new podcaster, you won’t have a hard time figuring out how Buzzsprout works or how to publish your episodes. Secondly, I like how the dashboard also gives you a glimpse into your podcast pace (meaning how your podcast is performing) and shares resources.

From here, you can even check your fan emails and edit any existing podcast. If you want to upgrade your plan, you can do so directly from your dashboard.

Features BreakdownMagic Mastering

It works like an Instagram filter for your audio, and this feature uses advanced technology to optimize your audio with the best practices. This makes your podcast more professional with high-quality audio.

Automatic episode optimization

Forget about figuring out technical audio details. Upload your podcast recording directly to Buzzsprout and let their smart system handle all the optimization work behind the scenes. The platform automatically processes your audio to sound professional without requiring you to understand complex audio terminology or settings.

Transcriptions

For every episode, Buzzsprout lets you add a transcript to make your podcast easily accessible to people and search engines. In this feature, you can also choose your export format to use on other platforms as texts.

Embed And Sharing Options

With a one-click sharing option, you can embed your podcast directly into your website by customizing it to match your brand color. Moreover, your listeners can also directly hear your podcast from the embed and control it for speed, rewind, forward, etc. Lastly, you can also enable a sharing button that lets your listeners share your podcast with others.

Friendly Mobile App

Buzzsprout offers a mobile app that is available on Android and iOS. The mobile app works similarly to the website, allowing easy access to edit and publish your episode, check your stats on the go, or even celebrate your milestones.

Customizable Podcast website

Irrespective of the plan you choose, Buzzsprout gives you a free podcast website with your own domain (except for the free plan). This sharable website lets your audience find you without wandering on multiple platforms. At the same time, you can customize the majority of the aspects of the site.

How to Get Started With BuzzSprout?

You can sign up on Buzzsprout for free without entering your credit card. Once you’ve signed up, you can start your new podcast by entering your podcast title and description.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Enter your title and description that aligns with what your podcast is going to be about.

Getting started with Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 2: Once you’re redirected to your dashboard, click on “Upload a New Episode.”

Uploading podcast on Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 3: Enter your podcast details as asked on your screen. These include title, episode description, artwork, etc. You can also choose to post it immediately or schedule it.

Publishing on Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 4: Your episode is now live! You can customize or edit it by adding chapter markers, mid-roll placements, and visual soundbites.

Podcast Distribution With Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout allows you to submit your podcast to all the major directories. From Apple Music and Spotify to YouTube, you can manually submit episodes. This can also be done if you are on the free plan.

While this is great, there is no option for Buzzsprout to automatically submit your podcast, unlike its competitor RSS.com, which offers automatic submission once you upload your episode. We have broken down this in detail in our RSS.com Review.

Podcast distribution (Image credit: Future)Migration from Other Podcast Hosting to Buzzsprout

Migrating from another podcast hosting provider to Buzzsprout is easy. You can directly import your podcast by typing the name or add from an RSS feed URL.

Once you’re done, Buzzsprout will automatically take care of migration without you having to struggle with technical know-how. You will be notified once the migration is successful, and you can start editing and uploading your podcast through Buzzsprout without having to start over.

Monetization Options

Buzzsprout allows you to monetize your podcast with two primary options – let your listers be supporters and pay a “value 4 value” amount, or enable a subscription to provide exclusive content.

(Image credit: Future)

All the payments received will be collected in your Buzzsprout wallet. You can either take it out or carry it forward to your next paid plan invoice. Also, note that Buzzsprout charges a 15% fee for the payments you get.

Another monetization option is to allow ads on your podcast. For this, you get complete control over which ads you want to display and the ones that align with your audience's needs.

What Is BuzzSprout Ads?

A separate feature called Buzzsprout ads is where you can reach millions of listeners across 120,000+ active podcasts. You can customize your ad as per your preference and reach a wider audience directly.

This privacy-focused ad campaign targets podcasts that are related to yours, helping you find the right audience. The price for these ads is two cents per impression. You can further customize your ad budget.

(Image credit: Future)Analytics & Data

Buzzsprout’s analytics and statistics for your podcast stood out the most to me. From 30 days of statistics of your podcast to custom dates, you can find all the details of how your podcast is performing. These include your top episodes and top apps where your audience found your podcast.

But this isn’t the reason why I liked analytics. Buzzsprout has a built-in feature (even for free users) called “The Podcast Predictor,” which predicts how many downloads your podcast will receive in the next 90 days.

Another amazing option is that you can directly import your statistics from Spotify and Apple Music without having to track them separately.

Analytics (Image credit: Future)Buzzsprout Pricing & Plans

Buzzsprout has a free plan that hosts your episodes for 90 days and offers 2 hours of upload every month. The free plan comes with restrictions wherein you get limited storage, no access to monetization, and restricted features. While restricted, the free plan is perfect for anyone who wants to test our Buzzsprout before committing to its paid plan.

Talking about its paid plans, you can choose from its 3 options:

Price (per month)

Upload hours/month

Best For

$12 /month

3

Absolute Beginners

$18 /month

6

Podcasters who publish regularly

$24 /month

12

Big podcasters

Buzzsprout hasn’t named its plans because the features with all the tiers are the same. The only difference is the upload hours you get every month.

All plans include embedded players, statistics, podcast websites, and directories. But here’s a drawback I found. Despite paying for the premium plans, you don’t get Cohost AI and Magic Mastering as a part of your subscription. Instead, you need to add them separately to your plan by paying $10-30/month. This can add an extra cost for podcasters besides the regular subscription, especially if you’re looking for an all-in-one podcast hosting provider.

(Image credit: Future)Customer Support & Resources

Known for its award-winning customer support, Buzzsprout has a detailed resource section that covers guides, FAQs, news, etc. The resource hub is updated every month with new guides that you can check out. If you’re new to podcasting, their detailed guides will help you get the basics right.

If the DIY method doesn’t work or you are stuck, you can contact the Buzzsprout team by email. The “Help” option at the right corner of the header of your dashboard will automatically redirect you to email support. Note here that the team responds Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00 EDT (GMT-4).

(Image credit: Future)

Besides, you can tune into their YouTube channel or join the private Facebook community to stay updated with the podcasting world.

(Image credit: Future)Verdict: Is Buzzsprout Worth It?

Buzzsprout is absolutely worth it if you want to begin podcasting without any technical hassle. Its beginner-friendly user interface allows you to set up everything within a few steps. Besides, you can market your podcast with its easy social sharing and customizable embed and even monetize it with ads and subscriptions.

All plans are loaded with the right features a podcaster needs to kickstart their career. And if you get stuck, do not forget to check out their award-winning customer support and plenty of free resources to help you.

Meet the authors

After Nabarun Dasgupta lost a close friend to an overdose, he dedicated himself to addiction research and trying to empower drug users with lifesaving information.

(Image credit: Pearson Ripley/University of North Carolina)

The store's latest version of its popular skeleton decoration is about half the size, but it has animated features and can talk.

After making it big with one of the best VPNs on the market, Surfshark launched Surfshark One - an entire security bundle for users who seek to go the extra mile for their online safety and privacy. Aside from featuring its own VPN, the company has thrown in antivirus software, a data leak detection system, and a powerful private search engine.

Thus, with Surfshark One, the team has fulfilled its long-held objective of providing more than just a VPN for its users. Today, it offers a powerful and comprehensive package that takes all of its four services and blends them into a single and cost-effective solution.

Surfshark One’s Alternative ID feature (Image credit: Surfshark)Features

If you’re already familiar with Surfshark VPN, you may know all about its qualities. These include a full set of privacy mechanisms, a budget-friendly price that makes it one of the best cheap VPNs, and advanced capabilities in terms of speed, unblocking, and server capacity of over 3,200 servers across 100 countries.

Furthermore, its features like NoBorders and Camouflage Mode help bypass censorship and unlock all the major localized streaming platforms, such as Prime Video, Netflix, Disney +, BBC iPlayer, and others. Add high speeds into the mix, and this makes Surfshark VPN one of the best streaming VPNs.

When you add military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch, you get one of the most secure VPNs in the industry as well. As a bonus, Surfshark VPN offers its software-defined networking (SDN) Nexus technology, connecting the user to the network’s entire infrastructure instead of servers physically disconnected from the rest of its peers.

As for Surfshark Antivirus, it provides real-time protection to ensure you’re safe from cyber crooks and malicious software when downloading, installing, or using files and apps. On top of that, it enhances the digital hygiene of your devices through scheduled scans. This can include entire devices or specific files or folders.

And the best part? Surfshark’s AV tool got the ‘Top Product’ award from AV-TEST in its June 2024 test, rating its protection, performance, and usability. In particular, it reported a 100% detection rate against advanced zero-day malware attacks.

With Surfshark Alert, the platform’s data leak detection system, you will easily and immediately know if your sensitive data was included in any of the latest breaches. The service will notify you in real time if anything like this happens.

Whether related to your email accounts, passwords, personal identification number, or credit cards - you can have peace of mind, as it will alert you if any such information was part of breached online databases or is circulating around the darkest corners of the World Wide Web.

Finally, Surfshark Search is an ad-free private search tool that guarantees never to monitor or log your search history. At the same time, it keeps at bay any web trackers that may be snooping on you and making your browsing experience cumbersome.

This handy little tool also allows you to switch between regions and pick the one that delivers better and more relevant results for the location you want - wherever your real location may be. Moreover, it provides organic search results unaffected by previous searches.

Surfshark One’s app will ask you to log in only once (Image credit: Surfshark)Getting started

To start using all the perks included in Surfshark’s comprehensive security package, you’ll need to head over to its website, pick a plan (Surfshark Starter, Surfshark One or Surfshark One+), the subscription length (1-month, 12-month, or 24-month, currently with 3 extra months for free), and that’s it.

There are some differences between the three packages. Surfshark Starter only includes a VPN and Alternative ID tool. Surfshark One adds Antivirus, Alerts, and Search to the list of tools, and Surfshark One+ has all the tools from Surfshark One, but it also comes equipped with data removal from company databases and people search sites.

In terms of pricing, Surfshark Starter's 24-month plan costs $1.99 a month, (billed annually), and the 12-month plan costs $3.19 a month. Surfshark One’s 24-month subscription costs $2.49 a month (billed annually), whereas its 12-month option would require $3.39 per month. This leaves Surfshark One’s 1-month subscription, which would set you back for $17.95 - the least cost-effective option.

Surfshark One+ is $3.99 a month on the 24-month plan, $6.09 a month on the 12-month plan, or can be purchased on a rolling monthly subscription for $20.65.

After you’ve selected your desired plan and its length, just enter your email address, choose a payment method and input the requested information (so you can be automatically billed once the trial ends), create a password, and you’re good to go!

The next step is to download the suite (should start automatically) and install it. This happens pretty quickly, depending on your internet connection and the device’s speed. Now just sign in with your credentials and Surfshark One can begin protecting your device(s), identity, and online presence.

You can give the service a trial run for the first seven days completely free, as long as you pick a 24-month or 12-month subscription, cancel before the trial ends, and pay via a credit card or PayPal (it also accepts Google Pay and major cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP).

The platform also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied with the service - no questions asked.

Surfshark One app interface (Image credit: Surfshark)Interface

Surfshark’s Antivirus is currently available only on Android, macOS, and Windows, whereas its Alert, Search, and VPN services can be used on all of the above, plus on iOS and Linux, as well as on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. You can also install its VPN manually on devices like routers, gaming consoles, and smart TV systems such as FireTV and Apple TV.

You’ll be happy to learn that Surfshark One covers up to five devices with one account with its antivirus protection - a solid number for a security suite albeit not unlimited as is the case with its standalone VPN solution.

Regardless of the device you’re using to open the Surfshark One app, the interface is sleek and easy to use, even for a beginner. As you open the app and sign in (only the first time), you’re welcomed by the straightforward VPN dashboard, where you can quick-connect to the fastest server based on your physical location or take a pick at any of the others.

The next tool down the left-side menu is Alternative ID, where you can see the details of your alternative persona if you’ve created them, copy all the info, and manage it by clicking on the link that will take you to the online dashboard.

To access Surfshark’s Alert dashboard, you’ll need to click on the link inside the app and it will take you to a web page listing all the detected breaches where your sensitive details have been exposed. There, the breaches are sortable by date of scan or breach, severity, or name, and list what was leaked and when.

Somewhat unintuitively, Surfshark’s Antivirus options are further down the list, just below Alert, but managing them is as easy as they get. In a single click, you can turn on/off the real-time protection, web protection, and webcam protection, start or schedule quick and full scans, and access additional features.

Following Antivirus is Surfshark Search, which you can use right there from the app. The results will open on a web page where you can narrow them down to images or videos, as well as according to a specific region.

Settings are the last option listed in the app’s left-hand menu, and here you can configure specific features related to the VPN tool, the app in general, or your account. You can also check out the referral options to get free months of Surfshark One in return.

Encountered a problem while using Surfshark One? Help is just around the corner, accessible via the app’s settings. From there, you can browse the platform’s helpful guides, access the handy troubleshooting tools, or contact the support team at any time of day or night.

Surfshark One’s antivirus dashboard (Image credit: Surfshark)Protection

Surfshark One’s Antivirus tool constantly watches over your devices through real-time scans, in addition to checking websites and stopping threats before they download. This is in addition to allowing you to conduct on-demand quick or full scans of your entire device or focus on specific files or folders.

Quick and full scans can also be scheduled to run automatically, letting you select specific scan days and scan times - and they won’t consume much of your time or RAM. The virus database updates itself every three hours, but you can also check for updates manually whenever you feel like it.

External storage scans - checking your USBs, hard drives, and network drives for malware, ransomware, and viruses, are also possible. You can choose to include them in the full and quick scans, have the tool ask you to scan them when connecting to your device, or both.

Additionally, the always-on cloud protection feature analyzes suspicious files using the Surfshark cloud, where the platform opens and checks them with no risk to your device. Its other advantages include access to a global virus database and the fact it doesn’t come at the cost of your device’s speed.

As a rare extra perk (though currently in beta phase), you can also turn on the webcam protection to stop untrusted apps on your device from accessing your camera. The trusted app list is easily managed by ticking the boxes next to the apps that should be allowed webcam access and leaving out others.

Already trust certain files, folders, or websites enough to exclude them from the real-time, scheduled, and manual scans? You can add them without hassle through the app’s file or folder picker, or paste the URL of the website (and opt to apply to all its subdomains) you want to exclude from the web protection.

Finally, you can choose to have infected files automatically deleted after 60 days of quarantine.

Surfshark One’s VPN interface (Image credit: Surfshark)VPN

Surfshark’s VPN already has an enviable reputation as one of the top performers in the industry and for many good reasons. Let’s start off with its wide-reaching network of more than 3,200 servers (virtual and physical) spanning over 100 countries across the globe.

Unsure which server is the best for your location? No worries, just run Surfshark’s built-in speed test to see how they perform based on region (Europe, Asia Pacific, The Americas) or type (P2P, virtual, physical, static IP). You can also see how fast the recommended or recently used servers are.

Thanks to such a large and versatile network, you can access just about any type of content you need, be it geo-blocked TV shows and movies on streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, DAZN, Prime Video, Hotstar, Hulu, Crunchyroll, YLE Areena, HBO Max, YouTube, or for some localized regional browsing.

The optional NoBorders mode, supporting internet access and connectivity around the world, is on by default. Additionally, you can download Surfshark’s browser extension for advanced blocking of ads, trackers, and malware when the VPN is connected.

Do note that the kill switch, the mechanism that disables your entire internet access in case the VPN connection fails to prevent any potential IP leaks, is off by default. Hence, you’ll need to turn it on manually as this part of the service is essential for your VPN use and online activities.

That said, Surfshark’s kill switch is customizable as well. Specifically, we’re talking about strict and softer versions of it. The former steps in if the VPN disconnects or is interrupted in any way, whereas the latter acts only if the VPN disconnects by accident or is interrupted.

Other VPN-specific extras include Dynamic MultiHop, Surfshark’s Double VPN feature routing your data through two servers instead of one. This way, it provides additional anonymity that security-conscious users will particularly appreciate. However, it might affect your connection speed as it needs to pass through twice the servers.

Supported protocols include OpenVPN (TCP or UDP) and WireGuard. You can choose any of them as your preferred protocol, or allow the app to select the fastest and most stable one automatically.

The Bypasser option defines the specific apps, websites, and IP addresses that can circumvent the VPN and those that should be routed through the VPN at all times. It is important to note that apps take priority over websites and IP addresses, so if you set your browser to route via the VPN, all the websites you visit will do so too, even if you set them to bypass VPN.

Other advanced options include Rotating IP (automatically changes your IP address while your VPN location remains constant) and Invisible on LAN (hides your device from other devices connected to your local network, like phones, printers, and smart TVs). Both are off by default.

In terms of performance, Surfshark VPN connects quickly and at the first attempt regardless of the server location choice. The speeds we tested independently are very good, even when connecting to India and Malaysia, both far, far away from our actual testing location.

The MultiHop to New York via Toronto was also fast. Changing the exit location to India didn’t make a lot of difference in this area, although switching to Indonesia after that delivered significantly lower download speeds, cutting the previous ones in half (but this was to be expected in some cases).

Surfshark One’s breach monitoring dashboard (Image credit: Surfshark)Other features

As mentioned above, Surfshark Search is a separate tool in the suite, delivering truly organic (and private) results, be it in the form of regular URLs, images, or videos. The results delivered by default pertain to all locales, but you can choose a particular country on the list (there are 36 of them) for more localized outcomes.

In terms of Surfshark Alert, the platform’s own data leak monitoring solution, it lists all the breaches in which your personal details, be it usernames, IDs, names, email addresses, physical addresses, IPs, birth dates, passwords, hashed passwords, security questions and answers, account balances, and the like, may have been involved.

The breached data is listed alongside a short description of the breach, the date when it happened, its level of severity, the number of records exposed, and recommendations on what to do next. You can choose to archive this data, and it will remain there under an appropriate category.

This section also allows you to type in the number of your credit card and your personal number (or social security number) to scan the internet and see if any of them appear anywhere unseemly.

Want to receive breach reports to your email? You can - just go to Alert’s settings, turn on this option, and select how often you’d like to get them (monthly, quarterly, or yearly). It is also possible to have the breach alerts sent to your account email address or the email address affected in the relevant breach.

Finally, if you change your mind and want to have all the data, your email addresses, credit cards, and ID numbers removed from Alert, you can do this in just two clicks in the settings, and voilá - all of this information is permanently deleted.

The Alternative ID feature allows you to keep your personal information hidden by creating an alter ego of sorts online. This means you’ll get a fake email address you can use for newsletters (linked to your actual email address that stays concealed) or an alternative persona for social media.

In other words, it’ll create a whole new person, including inventing their full name (yes, a middle name too!), date of birth, gender, and address - all with a city, a postal code, and a country. You can easily manage these details on the website or copy your new fake info directly from the app.

Surfshark One offers a dedicated IP for an additional monthly fee (Image credit: Surfshark)What's not included

Although there is a lot to like about SuperShark One, there are a few reasons why some would want to upgrade. Among them is the third-party Incogni tool otherwise included in the Surfshark One+ package, specifically designed to protect your personal information against identity theft and data brokers profiting off it.

It does this by removing your details, including your name, address, and other personal data off the internet (like people search sites and databases). If you already have an active Supershark One subscription plan, it will cost you an additional $3.99 per month for the remainder of it to add this. After that, it will charge you $47.88 every 12 months.

For an extra fee, you can also get a dedicated IP address for your use only, facilitating a consistent, private, and faster online experience with no risk of IP blacklisting. This costs $3.75 per month on top of your existing Surfshark subscription, after which it is charged $45 once a year.

The platform also lets you generate an alternative phone number with a US country code for deliveries, online accounts, text updates, and listings so you don’t have to share your real number, thus minimizing spam, data sharing, and identity theft risks.

With it, you’ll be able to receive calls and text messages, and even reply with a limited capability in the Surfshark app. However, it doesn’t support verification codes and you’ll need to pay an additional $2.89 per month to add the alternative phone number to your current plan.

On top of that, the bundle itself is missing some of the nice-to-have features like a password manager, parental controls, and a firewall.

Final verdict

Surfshark One delivers a strong security suite that includes antivirus protection, a VPN, safe search, data leak monitoring, and more - for less than what some charge for a single product. Although it doesn’t offer a password vault or support for iOS (for now), its user-friendly interface, customizable antivirus, high VPN speeds (even with a double VPN), and extras like webcam protection and alternative ID will do an admirable job of keeping your online presence safe and your mind sane.

Prices have risen a tad on some items especially affected by tariffs. But for the most part, companies are finding ways to delay price increases — for now.

(Image credit: Matt Slocum)

The iPhone 17 is right around the corner and I need Apple to focus on what matters.

It can be easy to confuse the two, but there’s a difference, and it has to do with your internet speeds.

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