The PCLinuxOS Magazine staff is pleased to announce the release of the January 2026 issue.
Another year wraps up, and with it comes the annual ritual of taking stock. What were the movies, TV shows and books from this year that stood out to you? Not necessarily the ones that dominated conversation or topped charts, but the ones you found yourself recommending to friends, or returning to for a second watch or read.
Share your picks and, if you’re inclined, a line or two on what made them stick.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
If you’ve been paying attention to BikeRadar over the past 12 months, you’ll have found it impossible to ignore the fact that an array of lovely-looking bikes have been released in 2025.
While the sight of those sparkly new paintjobs and fancy-sounding manufacturer claims might be tempting you to loosen the purse strings, we’ve got five very good reasons why you don’t need a new bike.
Here are five reasons why 5 reasons you don’t need to buy a new bike in 2026.
The latest bikes certainly come with promises of smoother suspension, aero claims and visions of adventures into the wilderness.
However, they’re not going to turn you instantly into a significantly faster, or technically better, rider. We know, annoying, right?
This applies to the best road bikes, gravel bikes and mountain bikes, so if you were hoping to spend your way to cycling stardom, you might be disappointed.
Take those aero road bikes that look more like spaceships. Given the same position, components and power output, the fancy tube shapes are only going to save you a few watts.
Instead, you could spend some time working on your flexibility. Increasing this will enable you to ride in a more aerodynamic position.
If you’re keen to splash the cash, we’d recommend optimising your current setup and clothing because this will be a far more cost-effective way to go faster.
When it comes to smashing a gravel or road race, there’s no better use of your money than some coaching.
Paying someone to tell you to train does wonders for your ability to do the hard yards, and having a professional to guide you through preparing for an event makes it a whole lot easier.
Stick with it and trust the process, and you’ll be amazed at how much fitter you’ll get.
And mountain bikers, instead of simply buying more suspension travel or extra slack, you might want to spend some money on coaching to improve an area of your technique.
You might have noticed that bike prices have gone through the roof in recent years and it means the upgrade you’ve flirted with is going to cost you a potentially silly amount of money.
An Ultegra-level road bike, for example, can now set you back the same as a Dura-Ace bike used to. While the bike industry might point to rising tariffs, manufacturing costs, more complex frame shapes, disc brakes and a host of other factors, we’re still struggling to keep up with the rise in prices.
Gravel bikes also carry a hefty premium these days, with the industry sensing a growing gap in the market. Most come with groupsets that we saw updated several years ago.
If you’re dead set on buying a new bike, this is one of the best times ever to buy second-hand. Yes, it has its risks, but if you do your research and are prepared to replace a few worn components when needed, you can get yourself a new-to-you bike for a fraction of what the seller paid originally.
Two good places to browse are Facebook Marketplace and eBay. The former is a bit better for finding bikes in your local area, but the latter comes with better buyer protection.
If you want to get that new-bike feeling, but your budget won’t stretch, tinkering with your existing bike can get you partway there.
A full service, some new tape or grips, fresh tyres and a gear tune will give you the same fuzzy feeling inside, especially if you take the time to book it in to a proper bike shop and let them do all of the hard work.
Those of us who have a nice summer bike will take great joy in assigning a Saturday afternoon to stripping down, cleaning and reassembling our pride and joy.
To get yourself primed for some quality shed time, our top tip is to make a list of any jobs that need doing in the month leading up to a service.
This will enable you to get the spares and tools you might need to get the job done as quickly as possible. Or, if you’re taking it to your friendly local mechanic, they’ll have a much better idea of what needs doing on top of their basic checks.
Aside from feeling smug come spring, you might save yourself some money because parts that wear quickly, such as chains, can be replaced before they chew through more expensive components such as cassettes.
We’ll park this argument for the mountain bike world because tech and frame design have seen more progress there. However, on the road side of things, everything now seems to be a rough combination of aero and lightweight.
We love seeing the trend of new bikes floating around the UCI’s minimum weight limit of 6.8kg, while also seeing impressively aero frames.
But, unless you’re racing, many of us at BikeRadar would argue those performance upgrades aren’t necessarily worth the cost of a new whip.
So what is actually stopping progression on the road bike side of things? Well, the road-bike market is led by professional road racing and consumers often want to ride what the pros use.
As a result, the UCI would have to remove the minimum weight limit for the lightweight bike category to see any sort of revival.
There has never been a better time to own only one bike. With the humble gravel bike, you can have a platform that is capable of racking up some big road miles, and thanks to ever-increasing tyre clearance, even tackling the stuff we’d have traditionally assigned to a cross-country mountain bike.
Okay, so if you want to tackle one discipline really seriously, you’ll probably want a bike that’s suited perfectly to the job, but if you’re like us and love riding your bike in as many places as possible, this is our favourite way to go.
Owning one bike is so much simpler than having to clean and maintain a small fleet.
If you’re tight on space, or can’t afford to invest in another bike for another discipline, try modifying your bike for oodles of versatility – you might be surprised.
Skinny is officially back in—not that it ever really left, if you ask me. Between “what I eat in a day” videos and before-and-after transformations, there’s always been this undercurrent of weight loss anxiety masquerading as wellness. “Weight loss” is assumed to be synonymous with “healthy,” but that’s never been the whole story. And during this time for reflection and goal-setting, I urge you to think bigger than simply making yourself smaller.
If you’ve struggled to identify health goals beyond weight loss, you’re not alone. We’ve been conditioned to believe that smaller bodies are the ultimate achievement, when in reality, health is so much more expansive, personal, and interesting than that. Here are the resolutions I’m making for 2026—and how to reframe your own goals around what truly matters.
The weight-loss version: I need to burn calories. Exercise is punishment for eating. Even if I hate working out, I have to do it anyway because discipline.
The reframe: What if movement was about feeling capable in your body? About the rush of endorphins after a dance class, the meditative quality of a morning walk, or the satisfaction of getting stronger over time?
My resolution: Find three types of movement I genuinely enjoy and do them regularly—not because I “should,” but because they make me feel alive. Maybe that’s swimming, hiking with friends, or finally trying that aerial yoga class. The goal isn’t to torch calories; it’s to build a relationship with movement that’s based on joy rather than obligation.
How to measure success: Can I do things I couldn’t do before? Do I feel energized rather than depleted? Am I actually looking forward to moving my body? These are the metrics that matter.
The weight-loss version: Good foods versus bad foods. Restriction as virtue. Guilt when you inevitably “fall off the wagon.”
The reframe: Food is information for your body. Am I making choices based on the moral value of different foods, or am I actually listening to what my body wants and needs?
My resolution: Notice how different foods actually make me feel, without judgment. Keep a simple log—not of calories, but maybe of energy levels, mood, digestion, and satisfaction. Do I feel better when I include more vegetables, not because they’re “virtuous,” but because they genuinely help me feel my best?
How to measure success: Am I making food choices based on how I want to feel rather than what the scale might say? Do I have stable energy throughout the day? Can I eat without guilt?
The weight-loss version: Water fills you up so you eat less; it’s a diet hack.
The reframe: Proper hydration affects everything from your cognitive function and mood to your digestion, skin health, and energy levels. You deserve to drink water because your body literally needs it to survive and thrive.
My resolution: Drink enough water that I’m not constantly tired, headache-prone, or confusing thirst for hunger. Keep a bottle with me and actually notice the difference in how I feel when I’m properly hydrated versus when I’m running on empty.
How to measure success: Are my headaches less frequent? Is my brain fog lifting by mid-afternoon? Do I have more energy?
The weight-loss version: I’ll like myself when I’m smaller. Confidence is contingent on appearance.
The reframe: Confidence comes from doing hard things, from developing skills, from taking pride in how I’m moving my body.
My resolution: Set a goal that has nothing to do with how I look and everything to do with what I can do. Maybe it’s learning to cook five new recipes, or finally achieving my lifelong dream of doing the splits.
How to measure success: Do I feel proud of myself? Am I challenging myself in ways that feel meaningful? Is my self-worth becoming less tied to my appearance?
The weight-loss version: Eating at night makes you gain weight. It’s all about willpower, baby.
The reframe: Maybe you’re eating at night because you’re bored, stressed, or genuinely didn’t eat enough during the day. Or maybe you’re staying up too late scrolling, and food is just something to do.
My resolution: Create an evening routine that actually addresses what I need—whether that’s genuine hunger (in which case, I’ll eat something nourishing without guilt), stress relief (maybe a bath, stretching, or reading), or better sleep hygiene (setting boundaries with screens).
How to measure success: Am I sleeping better? Do I feel more rested? Am I addressing the root cause of nighttime habits rather than just restricting them?
The weight-loss version: I need to earn the right to wear certain clothes. My body is a before photo.
The reframe: Your body is the vehicle through which you experience your entire life. What if the goal was to feel powerful, mobile, and pain-free rather than small?
My resolution: Focus on functional fitness. Can I lift my suitcase into the overhead bin? Hike without getting winded? Play with kids or pets without my back hurting? These are the markers of a body that serves me well.
How to measure success: Am I stronger than I was last month? Can I do daily activities with greater ease? Do I feel capable and comfortable in my body?
Perhaps the most important resolution of all is this: Stop putting your life on hold until you reach a certain size. Don’t wait to buy clothes you love, try new activities, take photos, or simply exist without constant self-criticism.
What would your health goals look like if weight loss wasn’t part of the equation? I’m willing to bet they’d be more interesting, more sustainable, and far more meaningful than anything a number could tell you. This year, I’m measuring success by how I feel, not how I look.
Colossal Biosciences, the Texas-based startup now valued at more than $10 billion that has attracted investments from Paris Hilton, Peter Jackson and Tom Brady, claimed earlier this year to have resurrected the dire wolf — an animal that disappeared at the end of the last ice age — but a group of leading canid experts concluded the company had done no such thing.
The scientists found that Colossal had made 20 edits to the DNA of grey wolves and the resulting animals did not substantially differ from wolves currently roaming North America. Beth Shapiro, Colossal’s own chief scientist, acknowledged to New Scientist: “It’s not possible to bring something back that is identical to a species that used to be alive. Our animals are grey wolves with 20 edits that are cloned.”
Nic Rawlence, director of the palaeogenetics laboratory at the University of Otago in New Zealand, added: “Rather than true de-extinction, Colossal’s attempts are genetically engineered poor copies at best, passed off as the real deal.”
The company has nevertheless pressed forward. It has launched projects to revive the Tasmanian tiger, the dodo, and the moa and plans to unveil its interpretation of the woolly mammoth — a genetically modified Asian elephant adapted to survive at -40C — in the coming years. The Trump administration cited the dire wolf announcement while making efforts to cut the US endangered species list, calling de-extinction technology a potential “bedrock for modern species conservation.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued a now familiar order: because of a supposed energy emergency, a coal plant scheduled for closure would be forced to remain open. This time, the order targeted one of the three units present at Craig Station in Colorado, which was scheduled to close at the end of this year. The remaining two units were expected to shut in 2028.
The supposed reason for this order is an emergency caused by a shortage of generating capacity. “The reliable supply of power from the coal plant is essential for keeping the region’s electric grid stable,” according to a statement issued by the Department of Energy. Yet the Colorado Sun notes that Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission had already analyzed the impact of its potential closure, and determined, “Craig Unit 1 is not required for reliability or resource adequacy purposes.”
The order does not require the plant to actually produce electricity; instead, it is ordered to be available in case a shortfall in production occurs. As noted in the Colorado Sun article, actual operation of the plant would potentially violate Colorado laws, which regulate airborne pollution and set limits on greenhouse gas emissions. The cost of maintaining the plant is likely to fall on the local ratepayers, who had already adjusted to the closure plans.
As part of the various end-of-year annual benchmarking comparisons and the like on Phoronix, today is a look at how the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H “Meteor Lake” performance has evolved under Ubuntu Linux in the two years since launching. Plus with next-gen Intel Panther Lake laptops expected to be showcased next week at CES, it’s a good time for revisiting the Meteor Lake performance to see the difference two years have made for Intel Meteor Lake laptops on Linux.
Starting in July 2026, every public school district in California will be required to have policies on the books that restrict or prohibit students from using smartphones during the school day, thanks to Assembly Bill 3216 that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law back in 2024.
The legislation also mandates that districts update these policies every five years. Newsom had previously signed related legislation in 2019, though that earlier law merely affirmed that school districts have the authority to regulate smartphone use rather than requiring them to do so.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Finnish authorities on Wednesday seized a vessel suspected of severing an undersea telecommunications cable that connects Helsinki to Tallinn by dragging its anchor across the Gulf of Finland, the latest in a string of infrastructure incidents that have put Baltic Sea nations on edge since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Police are investigating the case as aggravated criminal damage and have not disclosed the ship’s name, nationality or details about its crew. The cable belongs to Finnish telecoms group Elisa. Estonia’s justice ministry reported that a second telecoms cable connecting the two countries — owned by Sweden’s Arelion — also went down on Wednesday. This follows Finland’s December 2024 boarding of the Russian-linked oil tanker Eagle S, which investigators said damaged a power cable and multiple telecoms links using the same anchor-dragging method. A Finnish court in October dismissed criminal charges against the Eagle S crew after prosecutors failed to prove intent.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The two galaxies, located approximately 120
China’s Commerce Ministry on Wednesday demanded that the Netherlands “immediately correct its mistakes” over chipmaker Nexperia, escalating a standoff that has disrupted global semiconductor supply chains and triggered warnings from automakers about component shortages. The Dutch government in September invoked a Cold War-era law to effectively seize control of the Chinese-owned chipmaker, reportedly after the United States raised security concerns. China responded by blocking Nexperia products from leaving the country.
Nexperia manufactures billions of foundation chips — transistors, diodes and power management components — that are produced in Europe, assembled and tested in China, and then re-exported to customers worldwide. These low-tech, inexpensive chips are essential in almost every device that uses electricity, from car braking systems and airbag controllers to electric windows and entertainment systems.
The Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the Netherlands “remains indifferent and stubbornly insists on its own way, showing absolutely no responsible attitude towards the security of the global semiconductor supply chain.” Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans has repeatedly defended the intervention. Auto industry groups have warned that disruptions have not been fundamentally resolved. Japan’s Nissan and German supplier Bosch have flagged looming shortages, and the German Association of the Automotive Industry warned of elevated supply risks “particularly for the first quarter” of 2026.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Chances are that if a VPN is marketed to everyday users, it more or less runs itself. As long as you go with one of the best VPNs instead of setting up your own manual connection, the interface is likely built so you have to engage with it as little as possible. Generally, if you find yourself constantly thinking about your VPN while using it — as happened to me with Norton VPN — that’s a bad thing and you should change providers.
That said, it’s still useful to get a high-level view of how to use a VPN, especially if you’ve never used one before. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to download, install and configure a VPN on any platform and how to choose servers for specific situations. I’ll also discuss specific steps for desktop and laptop computers, phones, tablets, smart TVs, game consoles and routers.
There are over 100 VPNs available on the internet and the two big mobile app stores, but most of them follow a similar approach to download and installation. Except for certain free VPNs, you’ll need to create an account on the VPN provider’s website, install the VPN client, then use your account to log in. Here are the steps.
In a web browser, navigate to a VPN provider’s website. For suggestions on where to start, check out our list of the best VPN deals. Click any link that mentions getting the VPN or claiming the deal — as a rule, they aren’t hard to find.
Select a plan based on the length of time you need the VPN for, the features you want and the number of devices you’d like to use the VPN on simultaneously. Add a payment method. You’ll be prompted to create the username and password for a new account.
On desktop, you can start with the Mac or Windows app store, though some VPNs require a download directly from their respective website. That’s generally the way to get the most feature-rich version of the VPN, but just make sure you’re downloading from the provider’s website to ensure you don’t get a malicious copycat. On mobile, the app store is your only choice, but don’t forget to check the reviews and make sure you’re getting the service you paid for — unfortunately, rival (and sometimes less scrupulous) VPN brands can use paid placements to appear higher on search results, even for a rival product.
Follow the pre-programmed installation flow. Again, don’t let a VPN make any changes to your system if you haven’t thoroughly vetted the provider (or gone with one of our recommendations). If it’s safe, allow the VPN all the setup permissions it needs.
Finally, open the VPN client and sign in with the credentials you created in step two. You’re now ready to start using your new VPN.
With so many VPNs on the market, this process won’t always be the same. Sometimes you’ll have to make the account before paying, and some mobile VPNs let you handle the whole process in-app. What’s always true, though, is that a good VPN will make the signup flow as easy as possible. If you have trouble before you even log in, that’s a red flag.
Most VPNs are ready to go out of the box. However, even if you don’t think you’re a power user, it’s a good idea to go through the settings and make sure they match what you need. Here are a few steps I recommend taking.
Activate the kill switch. This feature monitors your connection to the VPN server. If it ever drops — either from problems in the server, your client or somewhere in between — the kill switch instantly cuts off your internet until your VPN connection is restored. This saves you from accidentally broadcasting anything sensitive while also ensuring you only connect to legitimate VPN servers (avoiding the Tunnelvision bug).
Set up favorites and profiles. VPNs usually let you select servers you’ll use regularly, websites you’ll often connect to through the VPN and other preferences that will appear immediately when you open the app. Some go further, like Proton VPN, which lets you create user profiles that bundle several preferences together.
Decide if you want the VPN to automatically launch and connect when you start up your computer.
Check on split tunneling. There may be cases where you want a certain app or site to work outside the VPN, or where you want everything to go unencrypted except one site or app. You can set up a split tunnel when you need it, but if there’s one you know you’ll use regularly, it helps to build it early.
Activate or deactivate any content blockers the VPN comes with, including ad blockers, malware detectors and parental controls, as you see fit.
Decide whether you want the VPN to send you notifications, and how.
Select a VPN protocol. It’s almost always best to let the VPN choose for itself, but it’s helpful to at least know where the protocol-switching option is. Occasionally, if one protocol isn’t working, you can troubleshoot by selecting another.
You can do all this by digging into your VPN’s preferences control panel. A gear seems to be the universal icon for that, but Mac users may also find it by picking “preferences” or “settings” from the menu bar. When you find the preferences menu, go through each tab in turn and make sure everything is the way you like it.
Picking a server location is the final box to check before connecting. You nearly always have the option of letting the VPN pick the best server. Most apps tend to determine the best server with a latency test, so it will almost always be a node very close to your physical location.
If you just want anonymity online, that’s fine — it doesn’t matter which IP address you use as long as it’s not your real one. But several VPN use cases do require a specific server location. For those, follow one simple rule: Pick a server in the place you want your signal to come from.
For example, let’s say you want to watch The Office, but you’re only subscribed to Netflix and not Peacock. Luckily, Netflix is licensed to show The Office in the U.K. If you connect to a British server location before opening Netflix, you’ll be able to access the show without paying for an extra subscription. (Of course, make sure VPNs aren’t expressly banned by the streaming service’s terms of service before accessing it while using one.)
Other than streaming, the most common reason you’ll need a specific VPN server is to get around firewalls that block websites. Whether it’s your school doing the censorship, your workplace or your entire state, the solution is the same: Pick a VPN server outside the restricted region. Censorship systems filter by location — they can’t block where they don’t have jurisdiction. Get a new virtual location and you should be free and clear. (Always be cognizant of the laws on VPN usage in your location before activating them.)
It’s good to get into the habit of connecting to your VPN whenever you get online. You can never be sure what information your ISP is gathering on you. If you’re using unprotected Wi-Fi, or a public network with a clearly visible password, anybody might be listening in. Even if you don’t need a particular location, always be using your VPN.
The only reason you might want to be online without a VPN is that certain websites, especially online banks, get suspicious if they note repeated logins to the same account from too many different IP addresses. For those cases, you can either set up a split tunnel to exclude the website from encryption, or temporarily turn your VPN off altogether.
Although most VPNs try to keep their apps similar on every platform, the strictures of differing hardware and software lead them to install and operate differently. In case you still have questions after reading the general guide above, this section goes into detail on every platform where you might use a VPN.
After subscribing to a VPN on Windows, you should be directed to download an EXE file — if this doesn’t happen, log into your account on the website and find the downloads center. Find the folder where the EXE is saved, double-click it and follow the onscreen instructions.
On Mac, the process is more or less the same, except you’ll usually get a PKG file instead of an EXE. Go to your downloads folder (either in Finder or through your web browser) and double-click the PKG file. Grant the VPN whatever permissions it needs. (Again, this is why it’s important to only use a legitimate vendor, such as the ones we recommend.)
Once installed, you can open the VPN client at any time by double-clicking the icon again. Some VPNs open as separate windows, while others will add icons to your toolbar. This often varies by platform; if you’re concerned that your VPN doesn’t look like a screenshot you’ve seen, check which operating system the image comes from.
On Android and iOS, you’ll download your VPN app through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, respectively. Even if you get started through a mobile browser, it will probably redirect you to the app store for the actual download and installation.
Follow the usual step for downloading an app: search for its name in the app store, click “Get” or “Install,” then let your phone cook. As always, so long as it’s a vetted VPN, grant it the permissions it needs. You may be able to download and install the VPN first, then create your account and submit payment through the app afterward.
One final note: several leading VPNs offer free trials for mobile users. If you see a button that says something like “get free trial,” you may be able to use the VPN for several days without paying. Just be warned that if the trial lapses, you might get automatically signed up for a plan that’s longer than you’d like.
VPNs offer browser extensions as lightweight versions of their main clients. While a desktop or mobile VPN reroutes everything that device sends to the internet, a browser extension only protects traffic through your web browser. You can use one as a primitive form of split tunneling, but they’re mainly for basic convenience — most of what you do online goes through a browser, so it’s nice to be able to protect your connection without opening a separate app.
To use a VPN browser extension, just create your account as normal, then download the extension from your VPN’s website. You can manage it from your browser’s extensions center. That’s a jigsaw piece at the top-right corner on most browsers, including Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
You can use a VPN to change your location and stream international content directly to a smart TV. The catch is that not all smart TV brands support VPN apps. For those that don’t, you’ll have to find a workaround.
The good news is that a ton of the best smart TVs can natively host VPNs, including Google TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV (though only tvOS 17 and above). To use a VPN on Android TV or Apple TV, go through the device’s app store. On Fire TV, simply type the name of your chosen VPN provider into the search bar.
On smart TVs that don’t have native VPN, like LG, Roku and Samsung, you have a few options. You can use a smart DNS feature like ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer to reroute smart TV traffic without full VPN encryption; the steps for this are different for every VPN, so check the provider’s website. You can also install a VPN on your router (see below) so your smart TV automatically uses the router’s location.
Finally, you can get a temporary fix by using your computer as a Wi-Fi hotspot while it has a VPN active. Follow the steps for your operating system.
On Windows:
In your system settings, go to “Network & Internet” and turn on the mobile hotspot.
Go to “Network & Sharing Center” and click “Change adapter settings.”
Right-click the name of your VPN provider and go to “Properties,” then “Sharing.”
Check the boxes next to “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection” and “Allow other network users to control or disable the shared internet connection.”
Click the “Home networking connection” dropdown and select “Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter.”
Open your VPN client and connect to a server in your desired location.
On your smart TV, open the internet connections menu and select the name of your PC. Your TV is now online through the VPN server.
On Mac:
Open system settings and go to the “General” tab. Scroll down and click “Sharing.”
Toggle “Internet Sharing” on, then click on “Configure.”
Click the “Share your connection from” dropdown, then choose the VPN installed on the Mac. Under “To computers using,” select “Wi-Fi.”
Click on “Wi-Fi options” and enter a name and password for your hotspot network.
On your smart TV, connect to the network you just created.
Right now, there’s no such thing as a game console with native VPN support. If you want to use a VPN while gaming — and I recommend that for safety if you’re planning to play online — you can use two of the same methods that work for a smart TV: install a VPN on your router, or get your console online through a Mac or PC hotspot.
When you install a router VPN, anything that gets online through your home network will be protected, including game consoles, TVs and smart devices that don’t support VPNs natively. It’s not a process for the faint of heart, though. You’ll need to get a new router and potentially install VPN firmware on it yourself. If you want to go this route, the easiest option is to get an ExpressVPN Aircove router — not only does it come with all the settings done for you, but it can be managed through the same clean interface as ExpressVPN’s other apps.
We don’t have space here to go through the entire process, but here’s a general overview. First, get a router with firmware that supports VPN configurations — most ISP default routers don’t, so you’ll have to go third-party.
Next, go to the downloads center of your VPN’s website and look for the section with VPN configurations. A “configuration” is a complete set of the information needed to access a certain VPN server through a certain protocol — say, a Proton VPN server in Arizona through OpenVPN. Download a configuration file for the protocol and location you want all your home devices to connect through.
Finally, open your router control panel by entering your router’s IP address into a web browser address bar, then log in with your router credentials (these should be marked on the router itself unless you’ve changed them). Go to the VPN tab — which should be there if it’s a router with VPN firmware — and upload the profile you downloaded from the VPN website. Use the same router control panel to activate and deactivate the router VPN connection.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-to-use-a-vpn-140000564.html?src=rss
The U.S. has surpassed 2,000 measles cases for the first time in more than 30 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From a report: As of Dec. 23, a total of 2,012 cases have been reported in the U.S. Of those cases, 24 were reported among international visitors to the U.S.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Smart glasses have promised convenience for years, but few have felt practical enough to wear daily. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Gen 1) come closer by keeping things familiar. They look like classic Wayfarers, not a tech experiment, which lowers the barrier right away. Right now, they’re also easier to justify on price. The matte black version with polarized lenses is 25% off at $246.75, down from $329, which is the lowest price so far, according to price trackers. A glossy black version with clear lenses costs less at $224.25 if you don’t need sun protection.
The real test is whether they fit into your routine without getting in the way. At 49 grams, they’re a bit heavier than standard Ray-Bans, and if you use prescription lenses, you’ll feel that extra weight after a while. In short bursts, though, they’re easy to live with. Tapping the frame to snap a photo or record 1080p video feels natural when your phone is in your pocket or bag. The 12 MP ultra-wide camera captures a lot of what’s in front of you and handles movement well enough for walks or events. That said, everything is recorded vertically, which should work fine for social media but limits what you can do with the footage later.
Meta AI is where these glasses either win you over or leave you cold. You can ask simple questions, send texts, manage music, or use live language translation that keeps up with real conversations (which is genuinely helpful when traveling, as noted by our senior staff writer in his review), but these won’t book trips or handle complicated requests. Also, its open-ear speakers let you listen to music or take calls while staying aware of traffic and people around you. That trade-off favors awareness over audio quality, which makes sense for everyday use. The potential downside is its battery life, which lasts about four hours, with the case adding up to eight more charges, so you’ll need to think about charging if you plan to wear them all day.
Ahead of the January 2026 ISO refresh for Arch Linux, Archinstall 3.0.15 released today as the newest update to this convenient text-based OS installer…
In a roundup of the top stories of 2024, Ars included a supply-chain attack that came dangerously close to inflicting a catastrophe for thousands—possibly millions—of organizations, which included a large assortment of Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Supply-chain attacks played prominently again this year, as a seemingly unending rash of them hit organizations large and small.
For threat actors, supply-chain attacks are the gift that keeps on giving—or, if you will, the hack that keeps on hacking. By compromising a single target with a large number of downstream users—say a cloud service or maintainers or developers of widely used open source or proprietary software—attackers can infect potentially millions of the target’s downstream users. That’s exactly what threat actors did in 2025.
One such event occurred in December 2024, making it worthy of a ranking for 2025. The hackers behind the campaign pocketed as much as $155,000 from thousands of smart-contract parties on the Solana blockchain.
