Technologies

Saints vs. 49ers Livestream: How to Watch NFL Week 12 Online Today

Want to watch the New Orleans Saints play the San Francisco 49ers? Here’s everything you need to stream Sunday’s 1:25 p.m. PT game on Fox.

The 49ers had a dominant showing on Monday night against the rival Cardinals. On Sunday, they look to continue their win streak when they host the New Orleans Saints in Santa Clara. Kick off is at 1:25 p.m. PT (3:25 p.m. CT, 4:25 p.m. ET) on Fox.

The game will be shown on TV in the San Francisco and New Orleans areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming. There is an option that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network, or VPN.

Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.

Saints vs. 49ers: When and where?

For Week 12 of the NFL season, the 49ers host the Saints at 1:25 p.m. PT (3:25 p.m. CT, 4:25 p.m. ET) on Sunday. The game is set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the 49ers.

How to watch the Saints vs. 49ers game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream the Saints vs. 49ers game in the US

This week’s Saints-49ers game is on Fox, so in addition to a VPN set to an area carrying the game (see tips below) you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local Fox affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football-specific channels like Fox, ESPN, NFL Network and/or RedZone. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

Quick tips for streaming Saints vs. 49ers using a VPN

With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
Sling Blue is only an option if and when the ability to get Fox local affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
We tested the game successfully using an ExpressVPN server in San Francisco, so that’s the location you should use to watch the game.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the «search for city or country» option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

How we test VPN streaming for Sunday NFL games

For every game we use a combination of ExpressVPN and either Paramount Plus (for CBS games) or Sling TV Blue (for Fox games). Using the maps on 506 Sports, we determine which servers are nearby and connect to one, then launch the streaming service and tune to the local CBS or Fox affiliate. If the channel comes through, it’s successful and we report the results above. We also screenshot the relevant program guide listing (see above) on either the local CBS affiliate’s website or Sling TV.

Technologies

The Messenger Reinvented: How Verum Is Expanding the Boundaries of Digital Communication

For more than a decade, the global messaging landscape has been defined by a handful of dominant platforms. Despite incremental updates, the core experience has remained largely unchanged: text, media sharing, and voice or video calls layered on centralized infrastructure.

Yet a new category of messaging platforms is beginning to emerge — one that treats communication not as a standalone function, but as part of a broader digital ecosystem.

Verum Messenger is one of the more ambitious entrants in this space. Rather than competing solely on interface or speed, it is positioning itself as an integrated environment that combines communication, privacy infrastructure, connectivity, and financial tools within a single application.

Beyond Messaging: Feature Density as Strategy

At the surface level, Verum includes many of the features now expected in modern messaging platforms, such as an AI assistant embedded directly within conversations, scheduled message delivery, disappearing messages after being read, and the ability to edit sent messages.

But it extends further into behavioral transparency and control. Users can receive notifications when someone takes a screenshot, copies, or forwards their messages, while also having the ability to block screenshots entirely and prevent screen recording. These controls are complemented by granular privacy settings, pinned messages, smart notification prioritization, message reactions and quick replies, customizable chat interfaces, and advanced notification controls.

Privacy as Infrastructure, Not Feature

Where Verum attempts to differentiate more aggressively is in its security architecture. The platform incorporates end-to-end encryption across all communications, including encrypted voice and video calls, along with automatic message deletion timers.

Account-level control is also emphasized through one-tap account deletion, restricted chat access, and active session management. Personal data protection is reinforced by storing security keys exclusively on the user’s device and implementing a multi-layered security model.

Additional safeguards include advanced privacy configuration, biometric authentication such as Face ID or Touch ID, passcode-based app locking, protection against unauthorized access, and dedicated private communication modes.

A Built-In Digital Layer

One of the platform’s more distinctive elements is its attempt to consolidate multiple digital services into a single environment.

This includes an integrated VPN, disposable anonymous email addresses, and built-in eSIM functionality, enabling connectivity across more than 150 countries. The application is designed to unify multiple services while supporting international communication, large file transfers, and group chats of up to 10,000 participants.

These are complemented by broader communication tools and an overarching goal of functioning as a centralized hub for managing digital interactions.

Financial Integration Without Fragmentation

In parallel, Verum incorporates a set of financial utilities that aim to reduce reliance on external applications. These include peer-to-peer transfers in fiat currencies, in-app balance top-ups, and a virtual payment card.

Support for Apple Pay and similar services is intended to streamline transactions, while built-in financial management tools suggest a move toward embedding everyday financial activity directly within the messaging layer.

Toward Network Independence

Perhaps the most forward-looking aspect of the platform lies in its recent technical developments.

Verum has introduced messaging capabilities that function without a traditional internet connection, relying instead on direct peer-to-peer communication between devices. This architecture reduces dependence on centralized servers, aligning with a broader industry trend toward decentralization and resilience.

At the same time, the platform incorporates on-device message translation, supporting dozens of languages with local processing. By avoiding cloud-based translation, this approach attempts to preserve user privacy while enabling cross-language communication.

A Broader Industry Signal

Whether Verum itself achieves mainstream adoption remains an open question. Network effects continue to favor established players, and feature breadth alone does not guarantee user migration.

However, the platform illustrates a broader shift in how messaging applications are being conceptualized. Increasingly, they are evolving into multi-functional environments that combine communication, privacy infrastructure, connectivity, and financial interaction.

In that context, Verum is less a direct competitor to existing messengers and more an early example of what a fully integrated digital platform might look like — one where messaging is no longer the product, but the foundation.

Technologies

YouTube Will Let You Turn Off Shorts, but Only on Mobile

You can set a timer for bedtime or breaks, or just get rid of Shorts once and for all.

You can stop scrolling: YouTube just gave iOS and Android users the power to turn YouTube Shorts off completely.

YouTube’s short-form videos are similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels. The videos are designed to be quick bursts of content, but can lead to more screen time than you may have initially intended. YouTube is rolling out a solution, at least for those who use the YouTube mobile app.

The YouTube Shorts Timer lets you set how much time you want to spend watching YouTube Shorts. Or you can set the timer to zero to stop seeing YouTube Shorts altogether. Google has instructions to disable Shorts or enable the timer in the YouTube app. You can limit your Shorts scrolling session to 15, 30 or 45 minutes, or for an hour or two. When the timer is up, you’ll see a message that you’ve reached your set time limit, but you can dismiss it. Google also says you can set reminders for bedtime and breaks.

The ability to set the timer to zero minutes isn’t available for everyone yet. A Google spokesperson told CNET that the feature was made available first to parents linked to supervised accounts. It’s still rolling out to all other users.

As a parent, I’m relieved to know parents now have more control over screen time through Google’s Family Link, an app and website for Google and YouTube parental controls. It also makes me wonder what other screen-time controls could be on the horizon.

YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A recent Pew Research Center study of teens who use TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram found that their screen time on these social media apps affects their sleep and productivity. Meanwhile, teens are using these apps for entertainment and say that the apps help their friendships — which could be important for teens. However, parental controls, app settings and other timers, like Brick, could help if you’re consistent and set schedules to have screen time without impeding on your time to rest or complete other tasks.

Last month, a California jury found YouTube and Instagram’s respective parent companies liable in a landmark civil case brought by a woman who claimed the apps were designed to be addictive to children. YouTube owner Google has said the platform is a streaming service, not a social media site, and plans to appeal.

YouTube says parents can use the timer to control how much time teens spend watching Shorts, including setting reminders for bedtime and breaks. Or parents can turn off Shorts in the YouTube mobile app by setting the timer to 0 minutes.

The feature is only available for mobile, so Shorts can’t yet be disabled on desktop. TikTok rolled out new time-management features last year, including a positive affirmations journal and missions to earn badges for reducing screen time.

Technologies

MacOS Now Has a Native Gemini AI App

Get faster access to some of Gemini’s best features without switching tabs.

Gemini is getting a native MacOS app so that you have a faster way to talk to Google’s AI chatbot, bringing access to some of its best features with just a couple of clicks.

Artificial intelligence is becoming more ingrained in everyday life, and companies are trying to make it easier than ever to access. On smartphones, AI is already just a button press away, but for desktops, LLMs like Google’s Gemini have been restricted to web applications.

With the new app, Gemini is available via a simple keyboard shortcut.

If you’ve got a MacBook, you can access Gemini at any time by pressing Option and Space on the keyboard, without having to switch tabs or open another window.

Gemini’s best features, like Nano Banana image generation, video and music generation, are also just a few clicks away.

Much like you can do with the Gemini mobile app, the new MacOS app will let you share context from a window instantly so you can get insight on the content you’re viewing. Google says this will also work with local files on your computer and isn’t limited to web pages.

The free, native app is available now for all users on MacOS 15 and up. Google says this is just the beginning and that it’s building the foundation for a «personal, proactive and powerful desktop assistant.»

The app can be downloaded at gemini.google/mac.