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Do you know what happens to the data and traces you leave behind on your PC and smartphone during your online activities? If not, you are in good company. The majority of people fear losing track of their personal data. But instead of just burying your head in the sand, take back control. Our guide takes a pragmatic approach: you should by no means give up online use, but rather bring back previously used services and functions from the cloud to your local IT at home. After all, much of what you have set up online for convenience at some point can be replaced again with virtually no restrictions. Time to say goodbye to the cloud! Windows without a Microsoft account, only log in to the apps For some time now, Windows setup has required an online account with Microsoft; in fact, the company no longer wants you to be able to use your PC without one. The online requirement not only affects data protection, but can also lead to problems if you want to use Microsoft apps with a second account. But you can do without it. When reinstalling the operating system, the mandatory online link can be deleted using the command oobe\bypassnro or a USB installation stick modified with Rufus. Our online guide to how to use Windows 11 without a Microsoft account explains, in more detail, both ways to do this. It’s also possible to switch from online to local login later. Important: Before permanently deleting the Microsoft account, it’s always a good idea to back up the documents, images, and other content stored in it. Tip: Even if you use your computer with a local account, you don’t have to completely do without Microsoft apps that require an online account. If you cannot use an app without logging in, first start to log in to it. In the next window, click on the Microsoft apps only option instead of Next and the system will continue to work locally. The plural in “Apps” should be taken literally here, as signing in to a Microsoft app also applies to all other apps, including the cloud storage OneDrive. To remove the apps-account link later, click on Accounts > Email and accounts in the Windows settings and on Remove > Yes under your online account on the right. Secure access to all data at home without online storage Cloud storage from Dropbox, Google, Microsoft and others is extremely practical because it synchronizes local files over the internet, making them available across all devices. Everything is always up to date automatically and in the background. However, what happens to the data stored there is difficult to keep track of. This is particularly true for the cloud-based image analysis of Google Photos, for example. As an alternative to US providers, choose a cloud service that is guarantees personal data protections or one that is based in the EU that is subject to the strict European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Protection against unauthorized access to sensitive content—and therefore also against the cloud providers themselves—requires end-to-end encryption. It encrypts the files locally before they are transferred to the online server. Unlike the previously popular Boxcryptor, Cryptomator also supports multiple cloud storages in parallel in the free version. The open source tool Cryptomator can also be used to encrypt data in Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft Onedrive cloud storage.Cryptomator The open source tool is easy to set up and use. To encrypt data stored online, select a directory in the cloud provider’s local synchronization folder as the storage location when setting up the vault. You can also use a network hard drive (NAS) for online access to the data stored on it and the apps running on it. The device manufacturers usually offer a separate option for NAS access without having to worry about firewall configuration or port forwarding. Using a virtual private network (VPN), you can also remotely access the entire home network at home, including your smart home. Upload photos from your mobile phone automatically on your computer without the cloud What Microsoft offers for synchronizing smartphone images to a Windows PC beyond the clouds of Apple, Dropbox, Google, Microsoft and Co. is cumbersome, slow and therefore not very practical. The classic transfer via cable works quickly, but not automatically. There’s no getting around plugging in the connection and transferring it on your mobile phone. Tip: It is more convenient to transfer the recordings with the PC app Windows Photo Viewer using the “Import” function than via the file explorer. In principle, wireless image transfer is also possible via Bluetooth. However, this is slow due to the large amounts of data involved, repeatedly falters, and is therefore not recommended. You can find the function after pairing the PC and smartphone in the Windows settings under Bluetooth and devices > Devices > Send or receive files via Bluetooth > Receive files. The faster WLAN alternative via the Smartphone Link app integrated in Windows again requires a Microsoft account though. My Phone Explorer does this better; the tool transfers all images from the Android smartphone locally, offline, and quickly via WLAN. The prerequisite is that the mobile phone and Windows PC are on the same network (also via LAN cable) which thankfully, is practically always the case at home. With just a few settings, you can configure the MyPhoneExplorer tool so that it automatically synchronizes new pictures from the smartphone to the Windows PC at home.Sam Singleton This is how it works: After installation on the computer, start My Phone Explorer and click on the blue Sync button. In the setup wizard, activate the options Phone with Google Android-OS and WiFi and confirm with OK. On the smartphone, install the My Phone Explorer Client app from the Google Play Store and authorize data access and display via other apps. Start the mobile app and tap the QR code button in the top right-hand corner. Scan the QR code displayed on the PC in the setup wizard, authorize PC access to the phone and confirm again with OK. The two devices are now permanently linked. To use My Phone Explorer to automatically transfer your photos from the smartphone to the computer, click on File > Settings in the PC program. Here you activate the the option on starting MyPhoneExplorer. On the left under Multi-sync”, also activate the Sync photos entry and finish by clicking OK. Every time you now start your computer, My Phone Explorer transfers the new photos to the picture directory on the local hard drive. Further synchronization options can be found under Settings > Multi-sync > Sync files. Streaming devices, fitness watches, surveillance cameras and more Thanks to the apps provided by the device manufacturers, a network hard drive can be used for functions including playing locally stored music and videos. Without a NAS, the media center software Kodi (formerly XBMC) is a good alternative. Kodi runs on various platforms, including Windows PCs and Raspberry Pi. The Android app Gadgetbridge works entirely without the cloud and replaces the manufacturer apps of many sports, fitness and smart health devices such as the Amazfit Band 7 (right). IDG Whether smart home devices can be operated without the cloud depends on the specific device and manufacturer. Surveillance cameras that record images and videos locally are available from Eufy, Reolink, and TP-Link, among others. Many smart home or smart health devices, which involve particularly sensitive data, also work without a cloud, even though the manufacturer does not intend for them to do so. On Android smartphones, the Gadgetbridge app replaces the official apps and therefore often replaces the cloud requirement. Gadgetbridge processes all data locally on the mobile device and even allows you to change devices thanks to the import and export function. Remember, the best way to avoid personal data on the internet is to not publish it in the first place, or at least to publish it sparingly. Smartphones without Google Because smartphones can now be used for almost everything and most people have them with them all the time, comprehensive user profiles can be created using the data collected: on interests, purchasing behavior, communication, movement, and much more. “De-Googled” systems aim to prevent Android devices from sending data to Google so that you retain control over your data. An easy-to-use alternative to the Google operating system is /e/OS. The system offers its own app store and can be installed on over 200 phones, with the so-called Easy Installer available for some models. There are even some smartphones with pre-installed /e/OS are also available to buy. Another alternative—curiously only for Google’s own Pixel smartphones—is Graphene OS. The current version is based on Android 15 and moves apps that require Google’s Play services and therefore extensive rights to the protected “Confidential profile” area. If the confidential profile is only activated when necessary, the included apps do not run and therefore cannot send any data. Both systems require some familiarization; their installation and operation are well documented on the Internet though if you wish to take the time to educate yourself. Read...

For all the gripes you might have about the state of streaming, this year still had some bright spots. Looking back on 2025, we saw the debut of several new streaming services that deliver more choice and flexibility to cord cutters, along with some compelling new bundles for folks who can’t resist subscribing to lots of services simultaneously. This year also brought us some great new affordable streaming players and one excellent innovation in over-the-air TV. As is custom around here, let’s rewind to 2025’s best developments in cord cutting, plus a handful that we’d rather forget. Best new streaming player: Walmart Onn 4K Plus Jared Newman / Foundry Somehow, the company delivering the best cheap streaming devices is still Walmart. Following up on last year’s excellent Onn 4K Pro, the $30 Onn 4K Plus is a surprisingly speedy streaming box with Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos audio, a feature-packed remote, and a generous 16 GB of storage for apps. In side-by-side testing, it outperformed not just Roku’s Streaming Sticks, but the $50 Onn 4K Pro as well, and the Google TV software still excels at helping you keep up with your shows. Runner-up: Roku’s Streaming Stick, if only because it finally brings TV volume and power controls to Roku’s cheapest streamer. Best new streaming service: ESPN Unlimited Sure, it’s kind of a ripoff on its own at $30 per month, but ESPN’s new streaming service finally offers everything from its cable channels without a bloated pay TV package. More importantly, it’s ushering in a new wave of bundles built around direct-to-consumer streaming services instead of legacy cable channels. Subscribers can add Disney+ and Hulu for $6 per month more (currently free for the first year), or tack on Fox One or NFL+ for $10 per month more. Runner up: Roku’s Howdy, which is reminiscent of Netflix’s earliest years. Best new live TV package: DirecTV’s Genre Packs DirecTV DirecTV’s strong stance against Disney in 2024 yielded tangible results in 2025, with four new “Genre Packs” that cost less than most other live TV streaming services. The $40 per month MyNews bundle is sneakily the cheapest way to stream local channels (and cable news) without an antenna, and the MySports package offers complete sports coverage along with local channels and news for $70 per month. There’s also a $35 per month MyEntertainment package that includes Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max, and a $20 per month MyKids package with Disney+. The future of TV bundles will involve a mix of streaming services and still-popular cable channels, while letting folks drop more of what they don’t watch. Kudos to DirecTV for figuring this out first. Runner up: Sling Day Passes, which offer temporary access to ESPN and other cable channels at reasonable prices. Best new streaming bundle: Apple TV and Peacock Apple The $15 per month bundle of Apple TV and Peacock is a rare case in which streaming companies are actually underselling it. Apple says the bundle saves “over 30 percent” versus the two services sold separately ($13 per month for Apple TV, $11 per month for Peacock). Here’s a simpler comparison: The bundle is only $2 per month more than Apple TV alone. It’s an easy upgrade if you were going to pay for Apple TV anyway. Best streaming service that didn’t raise prices: Disney+ and Hulu (no ads) In Disney’s latest round of price hikes, the ad-free bundle of Disney+ and Hulu is the one option that went untouched. At $20, it’s a solid value for two ad-free streaming services compared to the individual prices of Netflix ($18 per month), HBO Max ($18.49 per month), and Peacock ($17 per month). Enjoy it while it lasts. Worst carriage dispute: YouTube TV vs. Disney YouTube TV earns a demerit for deciding to get stingy on its customers during a 15-day blackout of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels. The company waited through two weekends of football to offer $20 blackout credits, then made customers manually dig through its website to redeem it. For shame. Meanwhile, it’s unclear what all the fighting accomplished. There are hints of genre-based channel packs to come, plus a promise to bundle ESPN Unlimited sometime next year, but the most likely outcome is higher prices. Runner up: Fubo vs. NBC, a dispute that’s now lasted for nearly two weeks and shows no signs of ending. At least Fubo is crediting affected customers automatically. Best new use of an over-the-air antenna: Channels DVR Multiview FancyBits You no longer need a pricey live TV streaming service just to watch multiple broadcast channels in split-screen view. With a Channels DVR server and HDHomeRun tuner, you can get multiview with local channels from an antenna, along with streaming sources if you have the technical chops. For DIY-minded cord cutters who aren’t averse to running their own media servers, it’s a breakthrough. Runner-up: ZapperBox, which is enabling whole-home DVR with encrypted ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. Dishonorable mention: HBO Max Back in 2023, we called Max the most improved streaming service, noting its addition of the Discovery+ catalog, a round-the-clock CNN channel, and live from TNT/TBS at no extra charge. Two years later, Warner Bros. Discovery is undoing all of that. It removed the CNN feed in November to help prop up CNN’s new standalone service, and it plans to pull sports coverage in favor of a separate TNT Sports service next year. The future of Discovery content on HBO Max is also in question as Warner prepares to once again spin off Discovery into a separate company. It also raised prices and stuffed more ads into its ad-supported tier. Having failed to deliver on most of its promises, Warner is simply going to become grist for the merger mill, which might not accomplish much for viewers but will at least make its executives richer. Cord cutting co-MVPs: Lon Seidman and Tyler “Antenna Man” Kleinle These two YouTube creators have been shining a light on the pitfalls of DRM in the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard for a couple of years now. As broadcasters push to wind down the existing ATSC 1.0 standard, they took their case directly to the FCC this year, pointing out high costs of ATSC 3.0 tuners, decryption issues in certified TVs, and limitations for over-the-air DVR. While Seidman and Kleinle aren’t against ATSC 3.0, they want to preserve the spirit of free TV over the public airwaves without expensive and complicated obstacles. The FCC is still pushing for ATSC 3.0, and has proposed new rules that would let broadcasters switch over on their own timelines. But the commission has also started asking broadcasters some pointed about why DRM is necessary and whether there’s a better way to implement it. The avalanche of complaints from consumers, led by voices like Seidman and Kleinle, undoubtably helped. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV insights. Read...

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