Fake your location to get the lowest prices: A friend of mine in Phoenix booked a rental car in the U.K. It was $955. I told her to try this trick. She used her VPN to change her location to the U.K. and the same car for the same dates was $322. Just another reason why you need ExpressVPN on all your devices. Use this link to get three months free.
DeepSeek told me some weird things
chat.deepseek.com
DeepSeek, the blockbuster AI chatbot from Communist China, told me that 95% of global internet traffic flows through undersea cables. That wasn’t surprising, but what came next was:
“China has developed advanced submarines and underwater drones capable of tapping into these cables to intercept communications.”
This is from the state-approved chatbot that’s gone viral for blocking anything Communist China deems inappropriate.
I watched in real time …
… as DeepSeek removed answers or flat-out refused to discuss Tiananmen Square, internment camps and protests in Hong Kong. It wouldn’t tell me where to find a Christian church in China or talk about President Xi Jinping. Heck, it wouldn’t even acknowledge Winnie the Pooh.
chat.deepseek.com
DeepSeek is a Chinese startup, and its V3 model outperforms OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Meta’s Llama and Google Gemini. Its launch sparked a tech selloff to the tune of $1 trillion, despite accusations DeepSeek ripped off ChatGPT to get up to speed in record time on a (comparatively) shoestring budget.
In my tests, DeepSeek is impressive
It’s fast, smart and beats ChatGPT in most prompts I’ve tried. (“Most” is the keyword there.) It had so much to say about China’s beauty, its bullet trains and its tech prowess.
Why you can’t access some sites while you’re on a VPN and what to do
Photo © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com
Let’s say you’re browsing the web with a VPN. You’re protecting privacy, so you’re confident hackers and advertisers can’t track you. Then you try to go to a site, and it just won’t load.
This can throw a wrench into productivity when working. Or it can ruin your mood when trying to have fun online.
👊 Protect your personal info: Ensure your online privacy and keep your sensitive data safe from hackers and identity thieves. I use and recommend ExpressVPN. Literally one click and you’re protected. Use my link to get three months free.
Why you need a VPN (even if you're not tech-savvy)
When surfing the web, you might encounter a few confusing acronyms. Take VPN, for example. You might shrug and scroll past it if you don’t know what it means. Just like that, you could miss out on the best internet privacy tool.
Where to put your router for better speeds
If you sink a ton of money into a high-performing router, you probably expect it to function perfectly. Though, just buying a good router isn’t enough. You need to put it in the ideal spot to maximize efficiency.
Regarding routers, it’s all about location, location, location. By that, we mean you need to think about anything that could obstruct its signals.
Free check to see if your router has been hacked by criminals
© Christian Bridgwater | Dreamstime
The internet is a crazy place. Not only do marketers and advertisers follow your every move, but there are also hackers and scammers lurking in the dark corners, ready to pounce on your personal information.
At least marketers and advertisers want to make money off of you. The hackers and scammers we’re talking about want to flat-out steal your money by hijacking your personal information.
Smartphone security: Do you need a VPN on your phone?
Compared to computers, smartphones have weak defenses and easy-to-crack passwords. They’ve also got a ton of valuable data. Just think about everything on your phone.
Chances are your work email is connected, which means a savvy cybercriminal could steal your company’s secrets. There’s also your contacts list, which is stuffed with phone numbers and maybe even emails.
Warning: Free VPNs are putting you at risk
© Spaxia | Dreamstime.com
There’s nothing wrong with trying to save a little money every now and then. Cutting back on dining out or getting a $6 latte every day is a good place to start.
But one thing you definitely don’t want to skimp on is online security. You think you’re saving money with free VPN downloads or apps, but they will cost you in the end.
Small-biz essential: How to pick the best VPN
© Wrightstudio | Dreamstime.com
Blocking threats online feels like a neverending game of whack-a-mole. That’s why it’s important to take safety precautions before it’s too late and a criminal already has compromised your system. The best way to protect yourself is with a virtual private network.