Tech Talk

Did you know that some of the best VPN services are free to use? By now you've likely heard the phrase Virtual Private Network or VPN, but you may not have already signed up and started using one. A great VPN service can add an extra layer of security to your phone, tablet, PC, and even gaming console. They've become increasingly popular over the past few years, and for good reason. Best Free VPNs Hotspot Shield : Our top pick ProtonVPN : Unlimited bandwith TunnelBear : User friendly Windscribe : Earn extra free data Hide.me : No data logs at all Speedify : Did we mention fast? SurfEasy : Built in to Opera We live a lot of our lives online these days. We enter our banking information, log into private accounts, and do so much more every single day without even thinking twice about it. How many times have you connected to a public Wi-Fi, like at Starbucks, the airport, or another local business around town without even second guessing what you were doing? Unfortu

It's not that hard to find a discount on an Xbox One console anymore, but how do you know when you've found one that's worth your time (and money)? With all the different models and bundle options out there, finding a great deal can be a tad bit overwhelming. Luckily, the guide below will help you make an informed choice on which model to buy and where to purchase it. Best Xbox One Deals Available Now Xbox One S All-Digital : Starting at $170 Xbox One S : Prices from $250 Xbox One X : As low as $300 More Info : Pricing history, which to buy & more While you'll usually have the option of picking up an Xbox One S or Xbox One X console on its own, the better deals generally reach the bundled options — in part because retailers seek to get rid of consoles bundled with games which are no longer new or that gamers are avoiding. For instance, last year there were some great deals to be had on the Xbox One X with Fallout 76. Finding an amazing deal usually comes

Tesla is suspending production at its U.S. factories until May 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the company to cut pay for salaried employees between 10% and 30% and furlough workers, according to an internal email sent Tuesday night and viewed by TechCrunch. Pay cuts for salaried employees — which ranges from 30% for vice presidents, 20% for director-level executives and 10% for the remaining workforce — is expected to be in place until the end of the second quarter, according to the email. The salary cuts and furloughs will begin April 13. Employees who cannot work from home and have not been assigned critical onsite positions will be furloughed until May 4, according to the email. “While we are continuing to keep only minimum critical operations running, we expect to resume normal production at our U.S. facilities on May 4, barring any significant changes,” the email from Tesla’s human resources department head Valerie Workman. “Until that time, it is important we take a

Chromebooks’ touch capabilities are getting a boost, thanks to the new gestures Google is rolling out for the platform’s tablet mode. One of the new gestures coming to 2-in-1 Chrome OS devices is an easy way to get to the tablet’s Home screen — simpl... Source: https://ift.tt/34itTT7

SafetyCulture , the Australian enterprise software company that manages security and compliance checks at companies around the world, has raised $35.5 million at an $800 million valuation in its latest round of funding. Nearly half of the new money was meant to provide liquidity to employee shareholders who had been with the company over three years, according to a person familiar with the transaction. The round was led by the Australian growth capital investor TDM Growth Partners, with participation from other local Australian investors like Blackbird Ventures, Skip Capital (the firm created by Atlassian co-founder and co-chief executive, Scott Farquhar and helmed by his wife, Kim Jackson) and former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife. In all the company has raised over $100 million for its compliance software. “This is an exciting milestone for us to achieve as a company, especially during uncertain times like these,” SafetyCulture founder and CEO Luke A

In a sign of just how broken the process is for startups looking to receive stimulus dollars, Silicon Valley Bank, the bank that claims “more innovative startups bank with us than any other bank,” only just began processing claims today. “Since the CARES Act and the PPP were announced, we have been hard at work advocating for our clients to have access to this funding. We have been working around the clock to develop a process that works for our clients. Thousands of companies have indicated interest in the last several days,” a spokesperson wrote in an email. “We are currently accepting and processing PPP applications and continue to receive a high volume of interest. We will continue to listen to our clients and do everything we can to support their success.” The stimulus loans that startups hope to access were created to save jobs at companies affected by the government’s closure of non-essential businesses. The initiative is part of a broad range of measures meant to “flatten th

Livongo Health’s stock jumped over ten percent on a day that saw most exchanges tumble after a day of crazy volatility . The digital diagnostics and therapeutics company is benefiting from booming demand for digital health services as remote medicine takes center stage for beleaguered health care providers looking to keep treating patients while also responding to the COVID-19 epidemic. Livongo, a provider of behavioral management treatments and diagnostic tools for chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, weight management, and mental health, sits squarely in the center of current medical needs. The company announced a revised preliminary guidance for its first quarter 2020 revenue to be in the range of $65.5 million to $66.5 million versus prior guidance of $60 million to $62 million according to the company. The better-than-expected results sent the stock surging in trading on Tuesday, jumping $3.07 per share to close at $33.16, a better than ten percent gain even

Just as the Project xCloud beta is preparing to reach even more areas, it’s adding a few new games from EA. The list of available titles ready for streaming from Microsoft’s cloud is already longer than you might think, and during the April 2020 Insi... Source: https://ift.tt/2Xiu673

This major subscription service is making its way to Japan. What you need to know Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription service for games on Xbox and Windows 10 PC. The service hasn't been available Japan. Phil Spencer recorded a special message today to confirmed Game Pass is coming to Japan on April 14. While Xbox Game Pass is a major selling point for the Xbox brand as a whole, it hasn't been available in some countries, including Japan. That is changing soon, as Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, recorded a special announcement video in his home office to share that Xbox Game Pass is coming to Japan on April 14. You can watch the video that Phil Spencer recorded below. Given how Phil Spencer and others at Xbox are now working at home due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this is certainly a nice way to make the announcement. The subscription service will be available on a monthly basis for ¥ 1,100 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, ¥ 850 for Xbox Game Pass (cons

Neat , a Hong Kong-based fintech startup, announced today that it has raised a $11 million Series A to help small businesses do cross-border banking. The round was led by Pacific Century Group, with participation from Visa and MassMutual Ventures Southeast Asia, and returning investors Dymon Asia Ventures, Linear Capital and Sagamore Investments. Neat also announced a strategic partnership with Visa, which means that in the next few months Neat will start issuing Visa credit cards to SMEs and startups. This brings Neat’s total funding to $16.5 million, including its seed round announced at the end of 2018. Like San Francisco-based Brex, which achieved a $2.6 billion valuation last year, Neat focuses on giving startups and small businesses a more efficient, online alternative to traditional banking. Its services allow them to open business accounts for multiple currencies online, send and receive payments from different countries and apply for corporate credit cards. Neat’s new

Nuro’s driverless delivery vehicles just got another important approval. California’s DMV has given Nuro a permit to test completely self-driving couriers in specific parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, including Silicon Valley mainstays lik... Source: https://ift.tt/2Ri2RGc

Sit down, have a stiff drink, and take in some of today's best news from the world of tech. It's time for another daily dive into some of the better tech news from around the internet. If you're getting tired of the constant barrage of stressful stories, here are some that should make you feel a little warmer inside. Today, we've got musicians turning to Zoom for a music video, Facebook fostering closer bonds, and digital movie loaners for your friends. Zoom music videos are now a thing Social distancing means we're all apart for a while, and that includes musicians. But just like everyone else is seemingly adopting Zoom for work, at least one band is doing the same when it comes to recording music videos, Mashable reports. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down took to Zoom to record the music video for their new song, Phenom. While the music might not strike everyone's fancy, they've definitely got some creative choreography that makes the most of

Android players can dive in on this experience. What you need to know Sky: Children of the Light is a social experience developed by thatgamecompany. Pre-registration opened several months ago. It's now available to play on Android devices. A few months ago, we reported that Sky: Children of the Light, the next title from thatgamecompany, was coming to Android and was available for pre-registration. Today, we can confirmed that Sky: Children of the Light is now available for players on Android! It's a free-to-play game, with some in-app purchases that allow you to customize your character in different ways. There seven different realms to explore, which can do alongside other players. It's worth noting that it requires your device to have Android 8.0 or higher installed. Sky: Children of the Light is intended to grow and expand over time. thatgamecompany is known for developing visually moving games, such as 2013's Journey on PlayStation 3. Soaring high

For the first time, Samsung is releasing a Plus-sized version of its larger Galaxy Note phones. This release means an even larger screen option for those interested in the latest in the Note series. That also means more display real estate to protect from scuffs and scratches. Don't let your display get damaged by your daily use; keep your Note 10+ protected with a screen protector! Trusted wrapper IQ Shield Screen Protector Staff pick IQ Shield is well-known for its super thin smart film that blends into the screen almost imperceptibly. This two-pack comes with everything you need to install the screen protector onto your Note 10+ without bubbles or hassle. $9 at Amazon $8 at eBay Trusted tempered glass Whitestone Dome Glass The Whitestone Dome Glass is a premium option for protecting the display of your Note 10+. This kit includes a phone holder that ensures a perfect installation and acts as a guide for the UV light that cures the screen protector to the display.

WhatsApp today implemented new restrictions on the mass forwarding of messages in an effort to slow the spread of misinformation on the chat platform. The new limits on bulk forwarding mean if a user receives a message that has been forwarded more than five times, they will only be able to send it on to a single chat at a time. The previous limit was five chats at once, which WhatsApp introduced last year. Obviously the restriction doesn't completely prevent mass forwarding, but anyone wanting to do so now has to put a lot more repetitive manual effort into it. The move comes after several hoaxes went viral on the platform, including false stories about the current global pandemic one of which linked the outbreak to the rollout of 5G networks. At least 20 mobile phone masts across the U.K. are believed to have been set on fire or vandalized as a result of the baseless theory. "We've seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us ca