Technologies

‘Secret Invasion’: How to Stream the Marvel Series From Anywhere

The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series sees Samuel L. Jackson return as Nick Fury.

Comic book fans are hoping Secret Invasion, the first Phase 5 Marvel Cinematic Universe series to arrive on Disney Plus, hits the mark after a string of so-so recent TV and movie offerings from the normally reliable franchise.

Based on the espionage-themed comic book series of the same name, the new show sees Samuel L. Jackson reprise his role as ex-SHIELD director Nick Fury as he and his allies attempt to thwart an invasion of Earth by shape-shifting aliens the Skrulls. It makes its debut Wednesday.

It boasts a star-packed cast that also includes Oscar winner Olivia Colman, Don Cheadle, Martin Freeman, Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and Rogue One’s Ben Mendelsohn. The series comes after disappointing reviews for the recent show She-Hulk and movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Our streaming guide below lets you see for yourself if Secret Invasion is another step in the right direction for Disney after the excellent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Plus, you’ll learn how a virtual private network can come in handy while you stream.

Composite image of Samuel L Jackson starring as Nick Fury in Secret Invasion. — Disney

When is Secret Invasion released?

The first episode of this new Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series will drop on Disney Plus on June 21 at 12:01 a.m. PT (3:01 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. BST in the UK). It’s in most regions where Disney Plus is available. New episodes are set to drop at the same time on the service every Wednesday.

If you aren’t a Disney Plus subscriber but want to be, there’s an ad-supported and ad-free plan to choose from. Your subscription gives you access to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, if a catch-up is in order.

Read more: Best Streaming Services of 2023

How to watch Secret Invasion from anywhere on VPN

So what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the TV series or want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There’s 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 access the show. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. It’s also 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 log-ins.

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.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month. But you can save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch Secret Invasion in the US, UK, Canada and Australia on Disney Plus

Sarah Tew/CNET

Disney Plus

Now streaming Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion is available to stream on Disney Plus in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

For US viewers, the basic tier costs $8 a month and includes ads, while the premium, ad-less tier costs $11 a month. If you’re interested in getting Hulu or ESPN Plus along with your Disney Plus, you can pay for a bundle and save (a plan bundling the ad-supported versions of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus is $13 a month, for example). Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic are found on the Disney Plus streamer.

In Canada, the service costs $12 a month or $120 for the year.
Film fans in the UK can watch Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney Plus, where it currently costs £8 a month but doesn’t currently offer a free trial. You can, however, subscribe for a year and save 16%.
Fans in Australia get Disney Plus for AU$14 per month or AU$140 per year.

Tips for streaming Secret Invasion 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 located 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 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 in to your services. We normally recommend Brave.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, July 3

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 3.

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 Mini Crossword stumped me in a few spots. 8-Across had me thinking of a couple different words, but I landed on it eventually. Need answers? 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 to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Glaswegian or Edinburgher
Answer: SCOT

5A clue: 2025 Pixar film about a boy who gets abducted by aliens
Answer: ELIO

6A clue: Strong string
Answer: TWINE

7A clue: Religious devotee with a shaved head, maybe
Answer: MONK

8A clue: Calligrapher’s assortment
Answer: INKS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Attach, as a button
Answer: SEWON

2D clue: Sound of two glasses being «cheers-ed»
Answer: CLINK

3D clue: Noises from a pig
Answer: OINKS

4D clue: «Little piggy»
Answer: TOE

6D clue: «Did I overshare?»
Answer: TMI

Technologies

Starlink Plans to Send 42K Satellites Into Space. That Could Be Bad News for the Ozone

Technologies

Scary Survey Results: Teen Drivers Are Often Looking at Their Phones

New troubling research found that entertainment is the most common reason teens use their phones behind the wheel, followed by texting and navigation.

A new study reveals that teen drivers in the US are spending more than one-fifth of their driving time distracted by their phones, with many glances lasting long enough to significantly raise the risk of a crash. Published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention and released on Thursday, the research found that, on average, teens reported looking at their phones during 21.1% of every driving trip. More than a quarter of those distractions lasted two seconds or longer, which is an amount of time widely recognized as dangerous at highway speeds.

Most distractions tied to entertainment, not emergencies

The top reason teens said they reached for their phones behind the wheel was for entertainment, cited by 65% of respondents. Texting (40%) and navigation (30%) were also common. Researchers emphasized that these distractions weren’t typically urgent, but rather habitual or social.

Teens know the risks

The study includes survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four US regions, along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. Most participants recognized that distracted driving is unsafe and believed their parents and peers disapproved of the behavior.

But many teens also assumed that their friends were doing it anyway, pointing to a disconnect between personal values and perceived social norms.

Teens think they can resist distractions

Interestingly, most teens expressed confidence in their ability to resist distractions. That belief, researchers suggest, could make it harder to change behavior unless future safety campaigns specifically target these attitudes.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said interventions should aim to shift social norms while also emphasizing practical steps, such as enabling «Do Not Disturb» mode and physically separating drivers from their devices.

«Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers,» Robbins said. «Driving distracted doesn’t just put the driver at risk of injury or death, it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident.»

What this means for parents and educators

The researchers say their findings can help guide educators and parents in developing more persuasive messaging about the dangers of distracted driving. One of the recommendations is that adults need to counter teens’ beliefs that phone use while driving is productive or harmless.

While the study’s qualitative component was limited by a small and non-urban sample, the authors believe the 38-question survey they developed can be used more broadly to assess beliefs, behaviors and the effectiveness of future safety efforts.