Technologies
Streaming TV With a VPN Is Easy With These Devices
These devices make it easy to safely and securely stream your favorite shows and movies.
Using a virtual private network to stream videos on your standard or smart TV sounds overly complicated and difficult. Never fear — there are a few devices that make using a VPN on your TV as easy as using your favorite phone app.
There are a few reasons why you might want to use a VPN to stream shows and movies on your TV. Using a VPN will help keep your viewing habits private, and it will give you access to more streaming content from different parts of the world.
If either of those reasons sound enticing to you, we’ve picked four devices that easily let you stream your favorite shows while using a VPN. And if you aren’t sure which VPN is right for you, check out our picks for the best VPNs.
Amazon Fire TV Sticks can be as cheap as $30, are easy to set up on your TV, and are one of the simplest ways to stream TV with a third-party VPN app.
Once you’ve plugged your Fire Stick in to your TV and followed the on-screen setup, you can download apps for some of CNET’s best VPNs for Fire Sticks, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. If you don’t subscribe to any of those VPN services, no worries. Each offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try each one risk-free until you find the right one for you.
Here’s how to download a VPN app onto your Fire Stick.
1. Open your Fire Stick on your TV.
2. Open the app.
3. Open Search.
4. Type in the name of the VPN you want to download.
5. Click Get.
After you’ve downloaded a VPN app onto your Fire Stick, go back to your home screen to open the app and log in to your account. Then, you can connect to a VPN server in the country or region where you want to unlock specific content, or you can connect to a local VPN server for better private streaming speeds. After connecting to a VPN server, you’re all set to securely watch shows and movies in privacy.
Amazon Fire TVs come built-in with all the same capabilities of a Fire Stick, meaning you get all the same features without having to use a precious HDMI slot. Even the Fire TV’s interface is the same as the Fire Stick. To use a VPN through a Fire TV, follow the same steps as above to download a third-party VPN app, log in to your account, connect to the VPN server you want to use and start streaming TV.
However, Fire TVs can cost between $370 and $1,100. So buying a Fire TV to stream shows and movies through a VPN is like buying a new car because you want a new paint job. If your TV works and it can use a Fire Stick, save yourself the money and buy a Fire Stick. But if you’re in the market for a new TV, and you want to use a VPN to stream content, consider a Fire TV to upgrade your streaming experience.
Chromecast with Google TV, like the Fire Stick, is another easy to use device that lets you stream TV through a third-party VPN app for around $40.
After you’ve plugged your Chromecast with Google TV in to your TV and followed the setup instructions, you can download most VPN apps, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, onto your device. If you don’t have a subscription to a VPN service, most offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them out risk-free until you find one you’re happy with.
Here’s how to download most third-party VPN apps onto your Chromecast with Google TV.
1. On your Chromecast device, go to the Apps tab.
2. Select Search for app under App categories.
3. Type in the name of the VPN app you want to download.
4. Select Install.
After installing your VPN app, open it from your Chromecast with Google TV’s home screen and log in to your account. Then, connect to a VPN server in the country or region you want to unlock content from. You can also connect to a local VPN server for better private streaming speeds. After that, you’re set to securely watch shows and movies.
ExpressVPN’s Aircove router costs less than $200, and it allows you to run all your internet traffic through a VPN, not just your TV. The router has built-in VPN protection, a range of 1,600 square feet, and it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. These unlimited connections can be organized in up to five different groups, too, so if you live with four other people, each person in your house can be connected to a different server location at the same time.
However, you need an ExpressVPN account to use the router’s VPN capabilities. That means you’ll have to switch to ExpressVPN if you have an account with another VPN service. You’ll also need to use your laptop or smartphone to set up your router. That makes setup on the Aircove slightly more complicated than Fire Stick and Fire TV, which you can simply plug in and follow the on-screen instructions.
But once you’ve finished the Aircove’s initial setup, you’ve thrown a blanket of protection over all the internet traffic that runs through the router, which makes it a good option for people looking to run other devices at home through a VPN.
Coming soon: Apple TV
Apple also announced in the follow-up to its WWDC keynote that TVOS 17 will support third-party VPN apps, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN, when it comes out this fall. That means you’ll be able to download VPN apps onto your Apple TV, and you should be able to use them in the same way you’d use them on your Fire Stick.
For more on VPNs, check out CNET’s best overall VPN services of 2023, the best VPN for your smart TV and how to set up a VPN on your smart TV.
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Technologies
T-Mobile Responds to New App Setting That Records Your Phone’s Screen
A T-Mobile spokesperson explains what’s going on with a new setting that could be construed as a privacy risk.
Some T-Mobile customers accessing the carrier’s T-Life app on their phones are discovering a new suspicious-sounding option that’s on by default: Screen Recording Tool. Understandably, a setting that records the contents of your screen raises privacy concerns. That’s especially true lately as Microsoft continues to roll out its controversial Recall AI feature in Windows that stores snapshots in the background.
If you’re a T-Mobile subscriber, you can check if this new option has been turned on by opening the T-Life app, tapping Manage and then tapping Settings (the gear icon). The Screen recording tool option shows up under the Preferences heading.
A T-Mobile spokesperson defended the feature as designed to improve the user experience.
«To help us give customers who use T-Life a smoother experience, we are rolling out a new tool in the app that will help us quickly troubleshoot reported or detected issues,» the spokesperson said. «This tool records activities within the app only and does not see or access any personal information. If a customer’s T-Life app currently supports the new functionality, it can be turned off in the settings under preferences.»
The description in the app for the Screen recording tool echoes the same intent, but the fact that the option is on by default is no doubt what’s making customers justifiably concerned.
It reads: «We use a tool to record how customers use the app to analyze and improve your experience. Only T-Mobile will review and analyze your info. If you turn this toggle on or magenta, we will record your screen while you use the app. If you turn this toggle off or gray, we will not record your screen.»
(The «magenta» and «gray» refer to the color of the toggle switch to indicate whether it’s active or not, respectively.)
According to a post on droidlife, which earlier referenced the issue, the new option shows up on both iPhone and Android phones. However, I’ll note that it hasn’t yet appeared on my test devices.
The T-Life app includes another screen recording feature that is completely separate from this new Screen recording tool. In the app’s settings, under Help & support, is Screen Share, which can be used during a support call. It allows a T-Mobile expert to view your phone’s screen while troubleshooting an issue.
If you’ve ever tried to help a friend or family member over the phone and asked them to describe what’s on the screen, you’ll appreciate how helpful it can be to view what they’re seeing directly.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, May 28
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 28.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is pretty easy, but anyone can get tripped up on a certain clue. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Stuff that accumulates on a bookshelf
Answer: DUST
5A clue: «Inside Out 2» emotion who’s constantly glued to her phone
Answer: ENNUI
7A clue: Snack for a squirrel
Answer: ACORN
8A clue: Fail, informally
Answer: FLUNK
9A clue: Crafter’s online marketplace
Answer: ETSY
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Using sign language, say
Answer: DEAF
2D clue: __ Sam (patriotic symbol)
Answer: UNCLE
3D clue: What a tapir can grasp and manipulate objects with
Answer: SNOUT
4D clue: Chances to play in a board game
Answer: TURNS
6D clue: Like one’s fingers after using a leaky pen
Answer: INKY
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
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