Technologies
How to Watch American Idol 2023: Stream Season 21 From Anywhere
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan are back on the hunt for a new singing sensation.

It’s a show that has launched the careers of a long line of household names including Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks. Could American Idol season 21 unearth another superstar?
The latest season of the long-running reality show once again sees Ryan Seacrest on hosting duties, with Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and soul legend Lionel Richie all returning to the judging panel.
Alongside virtual auditions, open-call events were held in as Vegas, New Orleans and Nashville late last year for this season, so expect a steady flow of country-singing hopefuls looking to replicate the success of last year’s winner Noah Thompson.
Catch every flat note and star power performance by following our guide to watching American Idol 2023 from anywhere in the world.
When does American Idol 2023 start?
American Idol season 21 is set to debut in the US on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC with new episodes following at the same time and day each week from then on. Each episode will become available to stream the following day after being broadcast on Hulu.
How to watch American Idol 2023 from anywhere on VPN
So what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the show or want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There is an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the show. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. Plus it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
Most VPNs, like CNET’s Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to virtually change your location. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals.
Watch in the US
Watch in Canada
Can I watch American Idol Season 21 in the UK?
There’s currently no confirmed broadcaster for this latest season of the TV talent show in the UK, however we suspect that like season 20, this new run of the show will eventually find its way to Netflix.
Tips for streaming American Idol 2023 using a VPN
- With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
- 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 viewing 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 in to 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 network’s 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.
Technologies
When to Expect Your T-Mobile Data Breach Settlement Check
The personal data of 76 million US customers was exposed during a cyberattack in 2021. The settlement payout is coming this month.

It’s been years since T-Mobile customers filed for a part of the wireless carrier’s 2022 class-action settlement. But this month, those who qualify should start receiving their payouts.
On April 8, a representative for the settlement did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether any payments have been issued.
The settlement is the result of a class-action lawsuit filed against T-Mobile after a 2021 cyberattack exposed the personal data — names, addresses and Social Security numbers — of 76 million US customers. In 2022, T-Mobile agreed to a $350 million settlement to resolve claims that its negligence led to the data breach. It remains the second-largest data breach settlement in US history, following Equifax’s $700 million settlement in 2019.
How much will you get?
If your data was exposed but you haven’t already filed, it’s too late to get in on the settlement. It’s all over except for the distribution of the checks. T-Mobile agreed to pay $350 million into a settlement fund that will be used to make cash payments for out-of-pocket losses and lost time, make cash payments, provide identity-defense services, provide restoration services, make payments to notify class members and administer the settlement, pay the class representatives who brought the suit, and pay attorney fees and costs.
According to The Hill, payments might be smaller than $25 for some, as priority will go to those who can prove they suffered out-of-pocket losses. Those who lived in California at the time of the data breach are eligible for $100. And those who spent money at the time to recover or avoid identity theft or fraud — like freezing their credit, spending money on credit monitoring services, incurring losses or were told to document their losses — are eligible for up to $25,000, according to The Hill.
Those who made a valid claim for identity-defense services will be sent information on how to activate those services. Monetary payments will be made in the manner each customer selected at the time they filed, which could mean a paper check will be mailed, or a digital deposit will be made. You can read the full documents for the lawsuit online.
Technologies
Will the iPhone Really Cost More Than $3K After Trump’s Tariffs Start Tomorrow?
The White House says a 104% tariff on China will start Wednesday. But experts advise against panic-buying if it puts you in debt.

Amid an escalating trade war between President Trump and China, expect to pay more for your next iPhone or Apple product — a lot more, experts say.
«Trump is playing hardball with China, which is unsettling on many levels,» Patti Brennan, certified financial planner and CEO of Key Financial, said in an email. «As for Apple, expect the prices to double for their products.»
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Trump announced yesterday an additional 50% tariff on goods imported from China, which would raise the total tariff rate on that country to 104%. The tariffs will go into effect starting Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a briefing today.
In addition to imposing tariffs on goods from nearly 200 countries, Trump announced last week that he was adding a 34% tariff to goods from China, where Apple produces most of its products. Trump has already increased tariff rates on China by 20% since February.
If the price of Apple’s top-of-the-line iPhone 16 Pro Max went up 104%, it could increase from $1,599 to more than $3,200.
But it’s unclear exactly how much of an impact the tariffs will actually have on prices. If rising prices cause demand to plummet, experts noted that Apple and other producers could reduce their prices to stay competitive.
Others say Apple could absorb more costs early on to stay competitive with the rest of the tech market.
«The tariffs could increase Apple product prices by about 10% in the coming months, which could lead to price increases of $50 to $150 on higher-end products like the iPhone Pro Max models and MacBook Pros,» Stephan Shipe, a certified financial planner and CEO of Scholar Financial Advising, said in an email last week.
Best Buy and Target warned consumers last month to expect higher prices for everything, after the latest round of tariffs went into effect. February’s tariff hike had already prompted Acer to announce that it was raising prices on its laptops.
If you’re in the market for a new Apple device or an imported gaming system, like the Nintendo Switch 2 or PlayStation 5 Pro, here’s how tariffs could raise prices, and what you should do to prepare.
Read more: Apple Shoppers Are Reportedly Panic Buying iPhones Amid Looming Tariffs
What’s going on with tariffs?
Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports plus «reciprocal tariffs» on imports from more than 180 countries April 2, which he dubbed «Liberation Day.» He’s long touted tariffs as a way to even the trade deficit and raise revenue to offset tax cuts, although many economists say that tariffs could lead to higher prices and may end up hurting the US economy. Stock prices plummeted afterTrump’s announcement as markets reacted poorly to the sweeping tariffs.
Trump has taken an especially hard stance on China, which was already subject to tariffs that Trump ordered during his first term in office. The latest round of tariffs means prices for these goods could rise even higher. China has responded to each round of tariffs with its own set of tariffs on US products, including coal, crude oil and farm products such as chicken, beef, soybeans, wheat and pork.
Tariffs, in theory, are designed to financially impact other countries because their goods are being taxed. Tariffs are paid by the US company importing the product, and this upcharge is usually — but not always — passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices.
How much could iPhone and MacBook prices increase?
Tariffs levied on products from China — and everywhere else — will likely translate into higher prices for consumers. That means the tech you use every day, like imported smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs and kitchen appliances, could get even more expensive this year.
If the full cost of tariffs is passed on to shoppers, we’d see a 104% increase in prices on Apple products produced in China. Apple has moved some of its production to other countries, including India, Malaysia and Vietnam. But they were each hit with their own tariffs last week — Vietnam saw a 46% tariff hike. Apple also sources components for its products from a long list of countries, all now facing new tariffs.
If Apple did raise its prices in direct proportion to this year’s proposed Chinese tariff hikes, the basic iPhone 16e, which starts at $599, could jump up to $1,222. You can get a 15-inch MacBook Air starting at $1,199 on Amazon; a 104% hike would raise the base price to $2,446
However, a tariff on goods doesn’t necessarily mean prices will go up by the same amount. If companies want to stay competitive, they could absorb some of the costs to keep their prices lower.
Apple announced a $100 price cut on its new MacBook Air last month, a day after the last round of tariffs took effect. In what was widely viewed as an attempt to persuade Trump to «carve out» an exemption from the latest tariffs, Apple announced in February that it would spend more than $500 billion in the next four years to expand manufacturing operations in the US.
«They already committed $500 billion to US manufacturing, and there was no carve out for Apple,» Brennan said. «They will have to pass along most of these costs to consumers.»
Read more: Higher Tariffs Could Make Going Solar More Expensive
Should you buy tech now to avoid tariffs later?
If you were planning on buying a new iPhone, gaming console, MacBook or other tech, buying it now could save you money.
But if you don’t have the cash on hand and plan to use a credit card or buy now, pay later plan just to avoid tariffs, experts say to make sure you have the money to cover the costs before you start accruing interest. With credit cards’ average interest rates currently more than 20%, the cost of financing a big purchase could quickly wipe out any savings you’d get by buying before prices go up because of tariffs.
«If you finance this expense on a credit card and can’t pay it off in full in one to two months, you’ll likely end up paying way more than a tariff would cost you,» said Alaina Fingal, an accountant, founder of The Organized Money and a CNET Money Expert Review Board member. «I would recommend that you pause on any big purchases until the economy is more stable.»
One way to save on Apple products, even if prices go up, is to buy last year’s model instead of the newest release.
«If you aren’t planning to upgrade in the next year, there is no need to rush out to buy a new smartphone,» Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at IPC, a manufacturing trade association, said in an email. «Technology is naturally deflationary, meaning that over time performance goes up and prices generally go down for products of similar quality.»
Technologies
Razer Laptop Sales Halted in US Due to Tariffs, Report Says
Laptops from the popular gaming brand are listed as out of stock on their website.

The Trump administration’s tariffs have gone into effect, and companies and shoppers have been scrambling to figure out how to react. On Tuesday, it appeared that tech company Razer had pulled its Razer Blade laptops and the newly released Razer Adjustable Laptop Stand from its website.
A representative for Razer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Per The Verge, the products were all available for purchase as of April 1, according to The Internet Archive.
As of Tuesday, the 14-inch, 16-inch and 18-inch Razer laptops and the laptop stand are all listed as out of stock, with a Notify Me button in lieu of a purchase button. But other laptop accessories are still available, including the brand’s selection of gaming mice and keyboards.
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