Summary VPNs promise security, but are they enough? From encrypted tunnels to protection against hackers, here’s the truth about what they can—and can’t—do. What Is a VPN? AVirtual Private Network (VPN)is a security tool that encrypts communication between the device and network as it travels via the internet. How secure it is can depend on the reliability of the VPN provider, its implementation, and how you use it. What Is Encryption, and How Secure Is It?...

Summary The Apple-Epic Games legal battle has perhaps been one of the higher-profile tech dramas in recent memory. It was largelya win in court for Fortnite, and served to spark the opening of Apple’s closed garden on regions like Europe. The battle is still not completely done, but Epic has just been handed another win, because Fortnite is back on the App Store. Fortnite is once again available for download on the iOS App Store in the United States, as Apple has approved the app’s listing....

Linux is the best server operating system, right? As it turns out, not always. While I used to run all of my game servers on Linux, a recent issue pushed me toward Windows for game server hosting—and I’m actually happy with the switch. I’ve Almost Always Used Linux for Game Server Hosting I have been running game servers almost as long as I’ve been homelabbing. I spun up my first game server back in 2021 onmy Unraid server....

Summary Spending time in a gaming lobby or chat can feel terrible. Some communities have become toxic, driving players away from the game before they even get into it. Some publishers think AI could be the solution to making their games approachable for all players. Gaming Has a Toxicity Problem I’m from the old-school gaming crowd, so most of my formative years were spent playing single-player games or couch-competitive on a console....

Quick Links My friends used to get upset with me because I always forgot to wish them happy birthday exactly at midnight. It’s not that I don’t care about wishing them a happy birthday, but I always get caught up in something else. To avoid this and prevent missing other events, I’ve started scheduling messages on WhatsApp. Schedule WhatsApp Messages on Android No, WhatsApp hasn’t released an official way to schedule messages....

I cut the cable cord years ago, and like many people, I use my Windows PC as a media hub. It works great, but controlling the PC from the sofa has always been a pain. I’ve tried the Logitech wireless keyboard that many people use, and the Rii Wireless mini keyboard. They both work fine, but they feel clunky, and they’re very unpopular with the less tech-savvy people in my home....

Quick Links Microsoft Word offers thousands of templates to save you from having to create your own designs from scratch, meaning they’re a real time-saver—in an ideal world. In fact, they can sometimes cause more issues than they solve, especially when it comes to changing the default images. Understand the Template Before you try to make any changes to the picture or pictures within the template, you should take a few moments to understand how the template is laid out....

Summary The biggest problem with the Action button found on iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models is that it can only be set to do one thing. However, by setting it to run a custom shortcut, you can get your Action button to perform different actions depending on which Focus mode your iPhone is in. Creating a Shortcut Using the “If” Function If you use Focus modes on your iPhone, you cancreate an iPhone shortcutand link it to yourAction buttonto make it do different things depending on the current Focus mode....

Summary The Mail app on your iPhone now sorts emails into four categories, with the intent of making it easier to find and manage messages. If you’re not a fan of categorizing emails, however, you can disable categories and restore the Mail app to its original form. What Are Mail Categories on iPhone? IniOS 18.2or later, by default, the Mail app will display four categories at the top of the screen....

Quick Links Summary Have you recently upgraded to Windows 11 and been bothered by unwanted ads and suggestions? Despite Microsoft’s claim that these ads improve the user experience, they can become overwhelming. Fortunately, you can easily disable them. Let’s take a look at how you can do that. Why Do You See So Many Ads in Windows 11? Microsoft claims these recommendations improve the user experience and help users optimize their operating system....

Quick Links Summary On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, use Apple’s Find My app locate your lost Beats headphones. On any other device, log in toiCloud.comand select “Find My” to locate your headphones. Earbuds and headphones are easy to lose, but more models now feature tracking features. Here’s how to find misplaced Beats or Beats Pro headphones using your iPhone or Android phone, or just about any other device. Can You Track Beats Headphones?...

Quick Links Summary If one of the thumbsticks on your Steam Deck develops stick drift, there are several solutions you’re able to attempt to fix the issue. They range from the simple, like recalibrating the stick, to DIY adventures like opening your Deck and replacing the joystick module. Let’s go through them all. Restart Your Steam Deck and Try Again The simplest fix you can try is to restart yourSteam Deckand then try playing the same game to see if that fixes your problem....

Quick Links For many, the INDEX-XMATCH combination in Excel is the go-to method for retrieving a value from a dataset. However, you may also use this dynamic duo to perform two-way lookups, returning a value at the intersection of a specified row and column. This article is aimed at readers across all levels of Excel expertise, increasing in complexity as it progresses. If you’re unfamiliar with theINDEXandXMATCHfunctions, continue reading. However, if you already know how to use INDEX and XMATCH for one-way lookups, jump straight to the section headedUsing INDEX With XMATCH for Two-Way Lookups....