My God, it's here, renting a printer, thank you (not) HP

Hate owning and maintaining a printer? One of the companies often blamed for the madness, HP, is responding by offering a subscription program that’ll let consumers rent one.

On Wednesday, the company announced the HP All-In Plan, which it developed after hearing feedback from customers that owning a printer can be a “never-ending struggle.”

“Well, we hear you, and we have a solution. Say goodbye to your tech troubles and hello to hassle-free printing without ever having to buy a printer or cartridge again,” the company says.

The HP All-In Plan is designed to give subscribers a new printer and all the ink they need. In addition, customers will get access to HP’s “24/7 Pro Live support” with the promise to replace a faulty printer the next business day for free if the company can't fix the issue.

To start, customers can choose one of three models: the HP Envy 6020e, HP Envy Inspire 7258e, or the HP OfficeJet Pro 9010e, which range from $129 to over $220.

The goal is to offer an “all-inclusive, flexible and convenient service” that gives customers, including small business owners, the option to upgrade to a new printer after two years. But it seems like the devil may be in the details. The program starts at $6.99 per month($83.38 per year), but you'll only be able to print 20 pages each month.

(HP)

To print additional pages, you'll need to pay more, from $8.99 to as high as $60.99 per month, depending on which printer you sign up for and how many pages you need. Still, HP says the goal is to accommodate a range of printing needs, from occasional users to professionals.

The announcement also notes that “if your printing exceeds your monthly page plan, HP will automatically apply any available rollover pages and may provide additional page sets at an additional cost.”

HP adds that “early cancellation fees will apply if you cancel after the first 30 days and during the first and second year of your Plan based on the printer you select. After the 24-month term, you may cancel anytime without a cancellation fee provided you return the printer to HP.” In other words, subscribers need to be locked into HP All-In Plan for two years. A more detailed FAQ is available over the vendor's website.

The company announced the program months after it ran an ad campaign in Europe called “Made to be less hated,” which subtly conceded its printers can be infuriating to use. At the same time, HP is facing class-action lawsuits for allegedly blocking customers from installing more affordable third-party ink cartridges in its printers.

Why you should avoid free VPN services

A virtual private network (VPN) is a useful and sometimes indispensable tool for protecting privacy, circumventing country restrictions, or protecting oneself from persecution by totalitarian regimes. For example, you can use it to access your Netflix content from another country, send absolutely anonymous emails, or protect yourself as a whistleblower.

In principle, it works quite simply: Instead of connecting directly to the internet, you first log on to a VPN service through which all web traffic is redirected. Because you get a new IP address, curious people, trackers, or malicious actors can no longer follow you on the web. The new IP address no longer leads to one’s own connection or internet provider, but only to the VPN service used.

However, this is exactly where the weak point of the process lies: If the VPN provider is not trustworthy, uses weak encryption, or is lax with user data, the VPN protection shield quickly collapses. Free VPN services often give a bad picture.

This is a list of the best VPN services. And below are seven good reasons why you should choose one of our picks over a free VPN service.

Lousy data protection

Quite ironic: Actually, we use VPNs for reasons of data protection, but sometimes the exact opposite occurs with a free service. Instead of protecting us from surveillance and the sale of our data, free VPN services like to collect data about their users themselves — to make it worthwhile for the “free” provider.

The tried-and-tested saying applies: “If you don’t have to pay anything for a product, you are probably the product yourself.”

One can almost understand it: Hosting servers and managing traffic takes effort and costs money that cannot be recovered directly from free users. That’s why it’s almost always worthwhile to go for a paid VPN: Here, market-leading providers rely on well-founded data protection guidelines, do not use logs or sell off private user data.

Anonymity and data protection are the benchmark for paid VPN services that potential customers use as a point of comparison among the competition. Serious providers therefore attach great importance to this.

best for privacy

IVPN

Best Prices Today: $6.00 at IVPN

Slow transfer rates

A short but crisp point: With almost all free VPN services, limited bandwidths is a top annoyance. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that free services are popular and attract numerous users, but at the same time the providers here like to save on the infrastructure — after all, no one pays to use them.

If you want to avoid the geo-blocking of a foreign news site, a narrow bandwidth is usually no problem, but you can usually forget about streaming, loading videos, or online gaming.

Data limits

This continues the previous point in a logical but nerve-racking way: The low bandwidth of a free VPN is always accompanied by a limited data volume. After a few gigabytes per month, that’s it.

Users either have to switch to the next free VPN service (which can further undermine data protection) or wait until the end of the month when the provider distributes new data crumbs.

Advertising and pop-ups

If you look hard enough, you can find it: A free VPN that does without log files (zero-log policy) and promises truly anonymous surfing with secure protocols. But even this joy quickly comes to an end with the free VPN when the free service covers us with pop-ups, annoying advertisements, or promos on its own behalf.

There is one thing you can be sure of: There are certainly no data limits when loading such ads.

Restricted server landscape

Because with a VPN service the traffic is redirected via a remote server, it is quite important where this server is located. In order to avoid geo-blocking, it is important, among other things, that the server used is located in the same country from which the requested content is transmitted.

With 195 countries in the world, VPN services often have to invest a lot of money in their infrastructure in order to operate servers in all relevant parts of the world. Free users, however, are deprived of many such nodes. Without an available server in the USA, for example, you cannot access the country-specific Netflix offer there.

Further reading: Best VPNs for Netflix streaming

Encryption sometimes not up to scratch

The main argument for a VPN is, after all, data protection and the promised anonymity. Both depend directly on the encryption used — and can quickly disappoint with free services.

Sometimes outdated and weak protocols such as PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) are used. The NSA probably cracks this standard with ease by now.

Without the protection of solid encryption, private data can be siphoned off and abused without much effort. A free VPN has neither the financial means nor any particular interest in investing in sound data protection for users who pay nothing for it.

Customer service – what customer service?

You can probably imagine that as a free user you shouldn’t have high hopes for solid support. In case of questions, breakdowns or technical problems, you are pretty much on your own.

The situation is completely different with premium services like CyberGhost or NordVPN, where you can expect trained customer service representatives to be available seven days a week. Any uncertainties or technical problems can be solved at short notice.

best vpn for features

NordVPN

Price When Reviewed: $3.49 per month

Best Prices Today: $3.49 at NordVPN

Conclusion

Almost every argument for using a VPN is also an argument against a free VPN. Anonymous surfing, secure protocols, and sound data protection are only really guaranteed with premium services.

In addition, there are high bandwidths, reliable support, modern standards, and often global server coverage. Ultimately, with free VPNs you don’t pay with money, but often with your own data — and that’s what you really want to protect with a VPN service.

Setting up a local account in Windows 11 is tricky. Here’s how to do it

Microsoft might want everyone on an active internet connection while setting up Windows 11, but that’s not always possible. Some people have limited internet connections, while others may find Windows doesn’t recognize their ethernet and/or wireless hardware.

Having no internet can seem like a big problem, too, since Microsoft doesn’t want people creating local accounts during Windows 11 setup. Even when disconnected from the internet, the setup screen insists you sign into a Microsoft account.

Fortunately, you can get around this restriction. Turns out local accounts are still available during Windows 11 setup if you put in a little bit of keyboard work.

During setup, when you reach the Let’s connect you to a network screen, it will appear as if you can’t go further without an internet connection. But you can—start by typing Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window. 

Next, type OOBE\BYPASSNRO into the Command Prompt window. (This command is not case sensitive, so you can enter it in lowercase and it will still work.) Your PC should reboot, then show the start of the Windows 11 setup again. Go through the same steps as before to reach Let’s connect you to a network screen once more.

You should now have a new option at the bottom right of the screen: I don’t have internet. Choose it, then select Continue with limited setup. A screen with Microsoft’s terms and conditions will appear. Accept to move on to the next screen, which lets you pick a name for your PC. After you create a password and security reminder questions, you’ll finally arrive at the desktop.

 By the way, if Windows 11 didn’t recognize your ethernet and/or wireless hardware, you likely need to install their drivers. For prebuilt PCs, head to the product page for your specific model on the vendor’s website (e.g., dell.com, hp.com, etc) to find a link to related downloads. For a DIY PC, visit the product page for your motherboard for a link to the necessary downloads.

Afterward, you should probably switch to logging into Windows 11 with a Microsoft account. (You can do so in Settings > Accounts.) This sign-in method offers extra protection against dangers like loss, theft, and ransomware—for example, you get automatic device encryption on compatible PCs, as well as automatic backup of your documents, photos, and videos to your OneDrive account. You never know when having better security and rudimentary backups will bail you out of an unexpected bad situation.

How to upgrade to Windows 11: Every option explained

Since Microsoft has said that Windows 10 won’t receive any new features from now until it ends support in 2025, it’s a good time to consider upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. It’s a free upgrade for your Windows 10 PC.

Downloading Windows 11 is very much like downloading the original Windows 11 beta, but there’s an additional tool that Microsoft has added to facilitate the process. In fact, there are four ways to download Windows 11, each with its own unique advantages. We’ll show you all four, after explaining what you should know before upgrading.

You can always consult our reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 (and reasons not to!) if you’re still on the fence and want to examine the question from all sides.

Click here for the full article on PCWorld.com

Ctrl+Shift+T: The Keyboard Shortcut Not Enough People Know About

I can't be the only one who routinely clicks the "X" on a Chrome browser tab when I only meant to switch to it. Maybe my mouse cursor speed isn't calibrated properly, or maybe I'm just too click-happy. But if I'm not particularly prudent about my cursor positioning, it's because I have a secret weapon up my sleeve: I know that Ctrl+Shift+T has my back. 

What is Ctrl+Shift+T (or Cmd+Shift+T for Mac users)? I'd argue that it's one of the most important and useful keyboard shortcuts there is, right up there with Ctrl+Z. In fact, it performs a similar function: undoing a mistake. Specifically, the mistake of accidentally closing a browser tab or window. Ctrl+Shift+T is the easiest way to restore a browser tab you didn't mean to X out. 

Let's walk through how to use it, plus all the other ways to restore lost tabs in any browser.

Four ways to reopen closed tabs in Google Chrome

Google Chrome gives you a few options for restoring tabs and windows after you've closed them, and depending on your needs, it's good to know how they all work. Note, however, that restoring closed tabs isn't an option when browsing in incognito mode.

1. Keyboard shortcut method

The quickest way to restore a single tab you closed by accident is with a keyboard shortcut. On a PC, use Ctrl+Shift+T. On a Mac, use Cmd+Shift+T. If you want to restore multiple tabs, or if you need a tab you closed a while ago, just keep pressing Ctrl+Shift+T and your tabs will reappear in the order in which they were closed. Bonus: If you accidentally close your entire browser window altogether, just open a new Chrome window and the keyboard shortcut will reopen everything at once. This is a great trick for the times when a system update forces you to close your browser or restart your computer altogether.

2. Browser history method

Your Chrome browser history also keeps track of recently closed tabs. It's not as lightning-fast as a keyboard shortcut, but this method is useful if you closed the tab a long time ago and need to refer back to it. 

There are a few ways to access your browser history in Chrome. One way is to use another shortcut: Ctrl+H. Another is to click the hamburger menu in the top right corner of your browser, then select History. And a third option is to type "chrome://history" into your address bar, then press enter.

However you arrive at your browser history, once there you'll have access to all the websites and tabs you've viewed, in reverse chronological order. Clicking on a result will reopen it for you. Going through the hamburger menu also has a built-in list of Recently Closed tabs, which you can select to reopen.

3. Tab search method

Ever noticed the little downward-pointing arrow in your Chrome tab bar? In Windows, it's right next to the icons for minimizing, maximizing and closing your window. (On Mac it's at the top right.) This icon is Chrome's built-in tab search feature, which itself can be accessed with a simple keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+A. Tab search shows you a list of all the tabs you currently have open, and another list of your recently closed tabs. You can scroll through the lists to reopen or switch to the desired tab, or use the search bar to find it with a keyword. This comes in handy for those who keep dozens of tabs open at all times.

4. Taskbar method

If you've got a Chrome window opened -- or if the app is pinned in your taskbar -- right-click the icon from the taskbar and you'll see a short list of links: Most visited and Recently closed. From there, you can restore a tab just by clicking on it. (Note these options do not appear on Mac.)

Bonus: 'Continue where I left off' method

There's a Chrome setting that essentially makes Ctrl+Shift+T the default. By toggling this feature on, every time you open Chrome, the browser will automatically reopen the tabs you had open in your previous session. To turn it on, go to your Chrome settings (also through the hamburger menu), then On startup. Select the Continue where you left off option.

What about other browsers, like Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera?

The Ctrl+Shift+T keyboard shortcut will work in other browsers, too (as well as right-clicking the tab bar and selecting Reopen closed tab). Most of the other methods of reopening a tab work across browsers too, though the menu labels and options may differ. The experience is largely the same on a Mac, with the exception of the taskbar method.

For both Firefox and Microsoft Edge, you can also go through your browser history to find and reopen a tab you accidentally closed. Firefox has a dedicated sub-menu under History called Recently closed tabs. Microsoft Edge has a tabbed History menu for All, Recently closed and Tabs from other devices. In Opera, if you have the sidebar enabled -- and if History is one of the elements you've elected to include in the sidebar -- clicking the History icon from the sidebar will also pull up a list of recently closed tabs.

The other browsers also offer a setting to reopen the previous session's tabs automatically upon startup. In Firefox, go to Settings > General and check the box under Startup labeled Open previous windows and tabs. In Microsoft Edge, go to Settings > Start, home, and new tabs and under When Edge starts, select open tabs from the previous session. And in Opera: Settings > On startup, then check the box for retain tabs from previous session.

Study: AirPods Pro are this close to being full-fledged hearing aids

A study in the journal iScience suggests that, in some noise situations, AirPods, particularly the Pro model, can work just as well as far pricier prescription-only models.

AirPods are not sold or approved by the Food and Drug Administration as devices for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. But with cheaper, over-the-counter hearing aids now available at common retailers, there's a renewed interest in non-medical companies moving into the space to help people who don't need expert care—including from Apple itself.

Researchers from the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan's National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and other entities conducted what they believe is the first comparison of smartphone-oriented earphones with medically prescribed hearing aids. The study had a very small sample size of 21 people between 26 and 60 years old and was conducted in a lab setting with a single source of sound. Still, the results are intriguing, especially considering how many people already have access to iPhones, AirPods, and their audio-enhancing features.

The researchers tested AirPods with their Live Listen feature activated against five standards for a personal sound amplification product (PSAP) under ANSI CTA 2051-2017:

• Frequency response smoothness
• Frequency response bandwidth (range)
• Maximum output sound pressure level (OSPL) at 90 decibels input
• Total harmonic distortion (THD)
• Equivalent input (or internal) noise level (EIN)

AirPods 2 only met two of the standards, bandwidth and THD, while AirPods Pro met all of them except EIN, registering 37 decibel sound pressure levels (dB SPL), when the standard calls for 32 or less. A study co-author told The Wall Street Journal that passing the EIN threshold could make it harder for people to distinguish softer sounds and speech.

The AirPods were tested against a $1,500 Bernafon MD1 and a $10,000 OTICON Opn 1. In quiet settings, AirPods Pro helped people hear as well as the Bernafon and nearly as well as the OTICON. The AirPods 2 performed the worst but still helped people hear a human voice better than without using any device.

In a noisier environment, AirPods Pro's active noise cancellation brought their performance within range of the OTICON device, but only if the noises came from the sides (as you might expect for earbuds). Neither AirPod performed very well when noise came from the front while trying to listen elsewhere.

Not noted in the report are a couple of distinctions between AirPods and more typical hearing aids. One is battery life, as the Bluetooth-based AirPods use an iPhone connection to hear environmental sounds and prioritize size over longevity. Another is repairability, another low or non-existent priority for the AirPods line.

Apple has long welcomed hearing aids to pair with iPhones, giving them a range of features and controls in its Made for iPhone (MFi) program. It has also pushed the hearing assistance features of its own audio hardware with Live Listen and Conversation Boost (which, pertinent to the study, improves mic pickup from people in front of you). A Wall Street Journal report from 2021 suggested Apple was considering positioning AirPods as hearing devices, something that's more feasible with the recent over-the-counter change to hearing aid regulations.