A VPN, or virtual private network, can help guarantee privacy while browsing, hiding your IP address so you can work anonymously. That means you can use a public network like your school’s WiFi without worrying about your information being public and at risk of being stolen. But which VPN is the best? We can help. We researched the five best VPNs for school that can help you focus on work....

Sure, there are free VPNs, but they often come with limitations and risks. It can be unclear how those vendors make their money and whether or not your data is being mined as it transits across the free VPN providers’ networks. It’s better when VPN vendors make money from their customers rather than from shadowy marketing or even criminal enterprises, but sometimes, cheap or limited VPNs can operate by using the cash flows from paying subscribers....

The streamlined Chrome OS makes it easy to navigate to popular apps like Google Docs, Google Drive, and email so students can stay on task and in touch with teachers and classmates. Chromebooks also have tons of security features like mic mute, camera shutters, and data encryption to keep students safe from digital spying and their personal information or classwork protected from theft or misuse. You don’t have to worry about viruses, either....

There are so many categories in which you can look for an earth-friendly gift. Some no-brainers are those that safeguard both the planet and all of the devices that help you work and play. For instance, avoid smartphone covers that are made of plastic and instead pick up some that are made of 100% natural waste material, like flax straw, and are completely compostable. Or, you could pick up a bag made of ocean plastic that chokes marine life to death but only now in a chic, recycled avatar that could look like one from a designer boutique....

Home security in Denver: What you need to know Denver, Colorado, crime statistics Like many major cities, Denver’s crime rate is higher than the national average. The city has a poverty level above average, a high cost of living, and higher poverty rates that often lead to an increase in crime. Why we chose it SimpliSafe’s standout feature is the flexibility of its home security systems. Anyone can build a system that perfectly fits their needs with cameras, sensors, and more available....

Das Keyboard is one of those companies. Specializing in keyboards, Das Keyboard has been in the business of making keyboards since 2005, starting out by making a keyboard with blank keycaps. Review: Glorious Aura keycaps review: Best pudding caps I’ve ever used Fast forward to today, and the company is making some of the best, most robust, most beautiful keyboards available, and the company’s first Mac-specific keyboard embodies all this keyboard manufacturing experience....

Goran Luledzija, CEO of Localizely, a translation management software company, is accustomed to Lenovo laptops and finds himself a fan: “Lenovo laptops are generally competitively priced compared to other brands, while still providing solid performance for everyday tasks such as web browsing, productivity software, and multimedia consumption.” However, with so many Lenovo models available, it can be difficult to choose the best Lenovo laptop for your budget and needs. To help, I talked to the users and experts to find the best Lenovo laptops based on factors like performance, build, price, and overall user experience....

Truth be told, you’ll need to opt for a long-term plan to get the best price on a VPN subscription. Although you’ll have to pay more upfront, the average monthly cost will be less. As you review these deals, remember that taxes will also apply. And for the cheapest long-term plans, the cost usually increases when you renew. You may be able to find offers for a free trial, but you’ll typically only get seven days free with limited bandwidth and a restricted number of servers....

Equally hard to imagine is where the internet is headed next, although there are already a few clues. What is certain is that while there is a lot of noise about the hottest programming languages and the evolution of Web3, blockchain and the metaverse, none of this will matter if the industry doesn’t have highly skilled software developers to build them. In a recent Fortune survey, CEOs cited the lack of qualified talent as the top threat to business – taking precedent over a recession or supply chain glitches....

While the Garmin Enduro 2 is clearly my favorite GPS sports watch, I’ve come to enjoy the rugged design and second small window on the Instinct series. The Garmin Instinct Crossover takes away that cool window and adds in always present analog hands with cool hand movement to optimize your view of the display. Also: Why my Garmin Enduro 2’s LED flashlight is my favorite feature The Instinct Crossover provides long battery life and rugged features with a classy iconic design....

After testing the Apple-made speaker for the past month, I’d say that while the HomePod mini is a great choice for a speaker, it’s only ideal for home control if you’re a fan of living within the Apple ecosystem. Designed by Apple The HomePod mini is a small, spherical-shaped smart speaker featuring Apple’s voice assistant, Siri. It’s about three inches tall with a circular screen at the top that lights up when Siri is listening or when the device is playing music or engaged in a phone call....

Some of the military’s IT and cyber jobs mirror civilian roles. People in these positions might set up laptop computers or email systems. But other tech-focused military careers do work that’s unique to the armed forces, like conducting cyber warfare. In either case, all of the military’s IT and cyber jobs are essential to mission success. Continue reading to learn more about some of the unique and most in-demand jobs in cybersecurity and IT....

But now that the crash has happened, what’s next for the DART mission? Do we know if it was successful? Can we sleep better at night? The short answer is, yes. “You can rest a little bit better,” Carolyn Ernst, DART DRACO instrument scientist at Johns Hopkins APL, said to ZDNET. “The first test that we did was a success.” The DART mission has two major components. The first was seeing if NASA had the technology to send a spacecraft into space to hit an asteroid that has never been seen before, and this part of the mission was a success....

Another new feature is the Kindle’s 16GB of storage, twice as much as previous models. This much storage is enough to hold thousands of titles in the palm of your hand. This Kindle has one purpose — convenient, distraction-free reading. With the device you can access over two million books without the temptation of swiping over to view messages, emails or social media. SEE: The 5 best Kindle readers of 2022 The display on the device is also meant to facilitate reading in any setting with a 300 ppi high-resolution display for sharp text and images....

For every good use, there seems one that’s very much for the worse – stalking people, for example. Two recent stories show how, even for the simplest uses, AirTags don’t – by themselves – necessarily solve the problem. The first may feel familiar. As airlines and airports behave as if they’re entirely free of planning, staff, management, and even basic honesty, more and more travelers have resorted to placing AirTags inside their luggage....

I’ve seen the likes of Belkin put out quality iPhone mounts for this purpose, but they can run you up to $30 a piece. Instead, something like the Elephant Card – yes, that’s the actual name – costs just $8 ($2 off) while supplies last and, in some ways, does the job even better than its more-expensive competition. More: How to use your iPhone as a webcam with Continuity Camera All that’s needed to make Continuity Camera happen is a Mac computer running MacOS Ventura, an iPhone running on iOS 16, and a mount to keep the handset afloat....

Also: ZDNET editors loved these tech products and gadgets in 2022 The lamp could easily be a mid-century-modern showpiece, painstakingly hollowed out of a block of expensive hardwood, perhaps mahogany or teak, with a marble-like finish and hand-crafted to polished perfection. Except, it isn’t. Not only is the lamp not made out of premium wood, its raw material lies on the other side of lumber’s quality spectrum, the lowliest-of-low by-products that remains one of the biggest environmental scourges around, namely sawdust....

Keeping on top of your certifications while managing your career can be difficult. This online learning bundle gives you the tools to learn how to secure seven different certifications. Taught by the training team at KnowDirect, each of these seven exams starts with a comprehensive overview of the skills required to both pass the exam and effectively use AWS at the suggested level. AWS certifications begin with the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01), and then move into Associate, Professional, and Specialty levels....

Each of these twelve courses is taught by Mohamed Atef, a senior penetration tester who’s also certified as an instructor. With over 20 years of experience, Atef builds each course around the theory and concepts before applying them to real-life software and examples. All are self-paced and broken up into concise lectures of five to fifteen minutes each that allow you to learn whenever you have a moment. All you need is access to the internet....

Nonprofit ocean conservation organization Oceana reports that two garbage trucks worth of plastic enters the world’s oceans every minute. That’s 33 billion pounds of plastic entering oceans every year. Mapping service Arcgis has charting data that shows there are five major patches of plastic-covered ocean covering 20 million square kilometers (7.72 million square miles). That’s enough plastic to blanket Alaska, Texas, California, Montana, and New Mexico (The United States’ five largest states by area)....