Netflix is metaphorically flexing its muscles and spiking the football this week, announcing both record fourth-quarter subscriber gains and price hikes for nearly every one of its plans. In other words, the streaming giant has you right where it wants you. It’s the world’s most popular paid streaming service, with cancellation rates well below industry averages. Its crackdown on password sharing has been a resounding success, and its foray into ad-supported streaming is boosting revenues. As it dumps money into more expensive sports programming—like those Christmas NFL games—it’s confident you’ll help pay the bill. Hence the price hikes: The Standard with Ads plan is now $8 per month, up from $7. The Standard no-ads plan is now $17 per month, up from $15.49. And the Premium plan with 4K video is now $25 per month, up from $23. The only plan that isn’t increasing is the optional $7 surcharge for adding an authorized password sharer to your account. What can you do about it? While Netflix believes most everyone will stay put, price hikes are always a fine time to reevaluate the value of a subscription. Here are some pointers: Check your watch history Netflix’s website contains a list of everything you’ve watched. To find it, log into your account, click the profile icon, select “Manage profiles,” choose a profile, then select “Viewing activity.” (If you’re signed in, you can also visit netflix.com/settings/viewed.) Jared Newman / Foundry Look through everything you’ve watched in the past few months or so. How often do you use Netflix, and how many shows have you thoroughly enjoyed? Are there enough of them to justify keeping Netflix year-round, or could you take some time off and allocate that viewing to other services with shows you’ve been meaning to watch? Look elsewhere for favorites Netflix mostly traffics in exclusive content, and the shows that bring in new subscribers tend to be the ones you can’t find elsewhere. But some of the staples keeping you onboard might not be exclusive to Netflix. Suits, for instance, became a Netflix hit, but debuted on USA Network and is available in full on Peacock (which you can currently get free for three months). My kids are currently binge-watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, which also streams on Paramount+ (obtainable for free as well). And while Netflix has the exclusive streaming rights to Seinfeld, it’s also a staple on free over-the-air TV, which you can watch with an antenna (and even record for later). Netflix also licenses a bunch of HBO shows that remain available on Max. I’m cherry-picking here, and I realize a lot of shows become popular because they’re on Netflix—not the other way around—but it’s worth looking at some of your favorites on a site like Reelgood to see where else they’re available, if at all. Consider your family Dropping Netflix might be easier if you’re on your own, but I know it’d be a tough sell in the Newman household, where my wife and kids make more extensive use of it. You might want to have others in your home consult their own watchlists before making any rash decisions. The good news is that you no longer need to account for people outside of your home. With Netflix having banned password sharing—at least without paying an extra toll—the service isn’t quite as sticky as it used to be. Look at some free alternatives If Netflix for you is mainly something to put on in the background while doing other things, there are lots of free streaming services to fill that void. Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, the Roku Channel, and many others offer vast catalogs of free movies and shows, with linear channels you can flip through. The free tiers of Sling TV and Philo even include a DVR, so you can record shows and skip the ads. Just try cancelling Jared Newman / Foundry The easiest way to tell whether Netflix is worth keeping is to try going without it for a while. All it takes is a trip to Netflix’s membership page and a click of the cancellation button (plus another click to confirm). There’s no penalty for cancelling a Netflix subscription, nor are there any rewards for continued loyalty. When you cancel, Netflix keeps your account info on file for 10 months, so your watchlist, recommendations, and viewing history will still be waiting if you resubscribe anytime before then. If you can’t quit Netflix has a unique gravitational pull in the streaming world, so it’s understandable if you can’t break away, but at least consider some ways to defray the cost: If you’re mostly keeping Netflix for your children, consider downgrading to the ad-supported tier. Kids profiles don’t have ads. Netflix’s ad-supported tier is included for free with some T-Mobile postpaid plans, including all of its current “Go5G” offerings. According to TMo report, customers who upgrade to an ad-free tier will still get a $7-per-month credit (which means the price hikes will still apply). Verizon offers a $10-per-month bundle of Netflix and Max (both with ads) with certain mobile and home internet plans. You can upgrade to ad-free Netflix by paying the difference in price. Comcast offers a $15-per-month bundle of Netflix (with ads), Apple TV+, and Peacock (with ads) for customers with Xfinity home internet or TV. You can also look for savings on other streaming services or consider cancelling some of them instead. In the end, Netflix seems pretty confident that’s the path its subscribers will take. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

Almost 20,000 disgusted fans have lined up to catch a putrid whiff of Putricia, the rare stinky corpse flower which unfurled in the Sydney Botanic Garden this week and bloomed in the hearts of thousands of people online. Read...

Having a fast flash drive on hand can save you the pain of transferring files over slow Wi-Fi. In fact, it allows you to bypass the need for an internet connection altogether. It just so happens that one of our favorites — Samsung’s Type-C Flash Drive — is on sale right now, with the 128GB model available for a mere $18 on Amazon. Besides the fact that this modern flash drive is a total steal at this price, this particular flash drive is awesome because, as the name suggests, it has a USB-C connection. That means it’s so easy to back up data from smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, and more. The Samsung Type-C Flash Drive is tiny, too, making it easy to throw into a pocket or purse and take with you anywhere. It’s also built with protection against most dangers, including water, dust, shocks, magnets, extreme temperatures, and X-rays. With its 400MB/s read speeds, you can transfer massive files to your thumb drive in no time, including those extra-large 4K videos. Get your very own compact USB-C flash drive for just $18 on Amazon while this deal lasts. If 128GB is too little for you, the 256GB model is also on sale (for just $27, was $35). Samsung`s USB-C flash drive is the best $18 you`ll spend this weekBuy now at Amazon Read...

Vivaldi has taken another slow step toward providing better sync options for users with the ability to push a tab to another device, plus a new weather widget in Vivaldi 7.1. The update also adds new default search engines — Startpage, Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, and Qwant — as well as the options to adjust the background themes as well as the web widgets. Many of us at PCWorld like Vivaldi, and switched to it a while back. But Vivaldi’s sync services have been an issue — with a cloud outage cutting access to Vivaldi sync services for days last December, and a more substantial problem: that one configuration of Vivaldi on one browser can’t easily be reproduced on another. Vivaldi appears to be avoiding the issue by asking you to do the legwork. On one hand, Vivaldi 7.1 does include a new sync feature: Send Tab to Device allows you to instantly share tabs to other devices that are logged in to Vivaldi. That feature doesn’t appear to happen automatically, however, and it’s limited to Vivaldi browsers on PCs. Syncing to the mobile version of Vivaldi will arrive on January 30, Vivaldi said. Otherwise, Vivaldi’s method of avoiding true syncing is to ask you to “export” features from Vivaldi’s browser. Import Open Tabs is a new feature that allows the Vivaldi browser to slurp up your open tabs that are running on a different browser, like Chrome or Edge. Vivaldi than opens them in its own browser framework, with the idea that you’ll shut down the other browser and continue work on Vivaldi instead. Finally, the new version adds a weather widget, which takes Vivaldi’s useful sidebar (where you can access web-based email and a list of RSS feeds, for example) and adds local weather to it. This does seem a bit on the superficial side, as most Windows 11 PCs hide a weather widget down in the corner of the screen. However, you can also look up weather in foreign cities, something that Windows’ own weather widget isn’t really designed to do. The new VIvaldi 7.1 update is available today. Read...

Earlier this week, security firm Trend Micro posted a security advisory (spotted by BleepingComputer) about a big vulnerability in 7-Zip, a popular file archiving utility app that’s used by millions around the world. According to the advisory, the vulnerability — identified as CVE-2025-0411 — makes it possible for hackers to bypass the Mark of the Web (MotW) security feature in Windows and remotely execute code on your PC when extracting from a malware-loaded archive file. Igor Pavlov, developer of 7-Zip, actually patched the flaw back in November 2024 with version 24.09. However, 7-Zip doesn’t have an automatic update feature, so many users are still using outdated versions of the app that are still vulnerable to this MotW exploit. If you haven’t updated 7-Zip in a long time, do it now. Head over to the 7-Zip download page and get the latest version, which is 24.09 as of this writing. As long as you’re on that version or later, you’ll be okay. Read...

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Virtual private networks (VPNs) are growing in popularity among home users for true data privacy, secure internet activity, the ability to circumvent regional content blocks, and more. If you don’t have a VPN yet, consider hopping aboard with one of our reputable picks. Unfortunately, scammers and hackers know that people are flocking to VPNs, and they want to exploit that trend as much as possible. For example, it was recently discovered that some VPNs aren’t as secure as expected due to certain security vulnerabilities. And not long ago, Google itself warned in a blog post that fake VPNs are being used to spread a malware called “PLAYFULGHOST.” Once this malware lands on your device, it can take control of the system, steal personal data, and cause major damage. How does PLAYFULGHOST spread? According to Google’s Managed Defense team, attackers have been distributing fake VPN apps infected with malware, hoping to be downloaded by unsuspecting users. Distribution of these fake VPN apps occurs through two main methods: Phishing: Users receive deceptive emails, text messages, and social media messages that contain malware attachments or links to download malware. In this case, users are urged to download and install a fake VPN app, which then installs the malware. Scammers love to phish, so it’s important to know how to recognize different phishing scams. Search engine poisoning: When Google’s search results are “poisoned,” malicious sites can masquerade as legitimate sites. You might search for a free VPN and click on a top link for a reputable brand, except it’s a fake. You’re actually taken to an imposter website and you end up downloading a fake VPN app loaded with malware. How dangerous is PLAYFULGHOST? PLAYFULGHOST is considered highly dangerous. It infects devices immediately and allows attackers to access files, passwords, and other sensitive data. It also enables remote control, granting hackers the ability to perform actions like running software (including other malware, like “Boostwave” or “Terminator”). According to the blog post, PLAYFULGHOST is difficult to get rid of once it’s been introduced. It’s persistent against various cleaning measures, so the best protection is to prevent it in the first place, preferably with the protection of reliable antivirus software. Be vigilant when downloading apps If you’re considering using a VPN service, that’s great! But be careful. Do your research, pick a reputable service, and triple-check before downloading and installing anything. If you ever get unsolicited emails with attachments or links, ignore them and toss them in the trash right away. Only download software from official sites and use independent tests, like our comparison of best VPNs, to determine which services are most trustworthy. Further reading: VPN terms and features everyone should know Read...

Microsoft is keen to push 2025 as “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” Yes, this is the year everyone should replace their old Windows 10 PCs with shiny-and-modern Windows 11 PCs. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Microsoft is taking a carrot-and-stick approach here. The carrot is all those fancy new PCs with extra-long battery life and AI features. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? But Microsoft is also deploying a stick: updates for Windows 10 PCs are coming to an end this year. As 2025 swings into gear, let’s take a step back and review exactly what’s going to happen to your Windows 10 PC. There’s a lot coming, but it may not be as apocalyptic as you might think. Microsoft ramps up the upgrade alerts If you use Windows 10, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen prompts telling you about how exciting Windows 11 is. If you haven’t yet, expect to see more in the year to come. Yes, Microsoft has already experimented with full-screen upgrade prompts. If your Windows 10 PC’s hardware is eligible for the upgrade to Windows 11, you’ll see a message encouraging you to install the free update. That message will appear on the Windows Update screen in Windows 10’s Settings app, too. Chris Hoffman / IDG But even if your PC can’t upgrade to Windows 11, you’ll still see pop-ups encouraging you to buy a new PC. I’d expect them to get more and more insistent as the October 14, 2025 deadline approaches, but you’ll be able to hide them and continue using your PC as usual. It’s worth noting that some Windows 10 PCs can technically upgrade to Windows 11 using a Microsoft-provided-but-not-officially-supported trick. But Microsoft warns that these PCs may not work properly with Windows 11 in the future, so it may not be the best solution. Free security updates end in October The big deadline is October 14, 2025. On that day, Microsoft’s support for Windows 10 officially ends and the company will stop providing free security updates to Windows 10 PCs. After mid-October, using a Windows 10 PC will be kind of like using a Windows 7 PC today. Sure, your PC will still work and you’ll be able to keep doing what you normally do, but it will grow increasingly vulnerable as more security vulnerabilities are found but not fixed. Chris Hoffman / IDG As the days go on and fewer people use it, application developers will also stop supporting Windows 10. App devs can support older versions of Windows for as long as they like, but eventually it won’t be worth the effort anymore and they’ll stop. For example, Valve stopped supporting Steam on Windows 7 as of January 1, 2024. You’ll have to pay for security updates There’s both good news and bad news about the October 14, 2025 security update deadline mentioned above. The good news is that you can continue getting security updates for your Windows 10 PC for another year up to October 2026. The bad news is that you have to pay for the privilege. Microsoft will charge $30 per device for one year of extended security updates (ESU). Microsoft traditionally offers extended updates to businesses and organizations and not to individuals, so that’s a big change this time around. However, individuals only get so much. While businesses can pay for up to three extra years of security updates, individuals can only pay for one year. (Who knows if Microsoft will further extend that next year.) Chris Hoffman / IDG That said, businesses will have to pay more and more every year. The price will be $61 for the first year, doubling to $122 for the second year, then doubling again to $244 for the third year. It’s designed to apply pressure and push businesses to upgrade to Windows 11 sooner than later. (Thankfully, Microsoft offers a much-discounted deal to schools: $1 for the first year, $2 for the second, and $4 for the third.) It’s not a long-term solution, but it’s a way for Microsoft to express that they don’t want to leave Windows 10 users high and dry while also nudging users to upgrade. Why pay that much for extended security when you can put that money towards a new PC? Windows 10 will still keep working Everything we’ve discussed so far has been about security updates for Windows 10. It’s important to be clear that your Windows 10 PC will continue to work even after October 14, 2025. You’ll be able to boot it up, use it, run all your apps, etc. Windows might nag you about no longer getting security updates and being less secure, but that’s all. I don’t recommend this, though. Whether we’re talking about a Windows 10 PC, an Android phone, or any other tech device, I recommend using stuff that’s still getting security updates. The internet is dangerous enough even without using vulnerable devices. tanuha2001 / Shutterstock Many applications will likely keep getting security updates for a few extra years, too. While Microsoft has signaled that it won’t be supporting Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, not every company is so eager to axe support for Windows 10 users. For example, Google hasn’t announced an end-of-support date for Google Chrome on Windows 10. In fact, Google supported Chrome on Windows 7 until January 2023, when Microsoft’s three-year extended support period for businesses was up. But Windows 10 is still too popular! That’s all, folks! Windows 10 has reached the end of the line and it’s about to be phased out. Everyone who hasn’t bought a Windows 11 PC is surely about to buy one now. All done! Right? No! Things aren’t quite so easy. If you think Windows 10 is awfully popular to be facing the executioner’s axe, you’re right. In December 2024, StatCounter’s market share statistics show Windows 10 was on about 63 percent of all PCs worldwide while Windows 11 sat at 34 percent. Less than a year from Windows 10’s end of life, it’s still running twice as many PCs as Windows 11. How can Windows 10 be about to die? Compare it to where Windows 7 was at the same point in its own official life cycle. Support for Windows 7 ended in January 2020. A year prior, in January 2019, 53 percent of PCs worldwide ran Windows 10 while 35 percent ran Windows 7. A lot remained on Windows 7, but the newer version of Windows was already significantly ahead. Microsoft wants you to buy a new Copilot+ PC and stop thinking about Windows 10.Microsoft As we head into 2025, Windows 11 is still far behind Windows 10 as far as worldwide adoption. For an operating system that’s supposedly about to be shown the door, it appears to be in a very strong position. There’s never been anything like this before. Microsoft is making a good show of putting Windows 10 out to pasture, but I wouldn’t be totally shocked if things changed in some small way. For example, perhaps Microsoft will offer more than one year of extended updates to consumers if Windows 10 continues to be so widely used? We’re in totally uncharted territory. Microsoft clearly hopes adoption of Windows 11 will accelerate this year, and that explains the company’s initiatives like “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” Will a big PC hardware push — complete with lots of talk about Copilot+ PCs and AI features — be enough to help Microsoft move on from Windows 10 in 2025? That remains to be seen. And even if Microsoft remains adamant about pushing users off Windows 10, you still have other options if you don’t want to dump your PC. You may want to consider installing a Windows-like version of Linux or perhaps even turn your old laptop into a Chromebook. Read...

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