Search results for 'Business' - Page: 4
| RadioNZ - 15 May (RadioNZ)The Prime Minister is speaking to business leaders ahead of this month`s Budget. Read...Newslink ©2024 to RadioNZ | |
| | | ITBrief - 15 May (ITBrief)Revealing a growing corporate focus on digital accessibility, Applause`s annual survey highlights an upward trend towards inclusive design principles. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | Stuff.co.nz - 15 May (Stuff.co.nz)The owner of a long-running Timaru-based kitchen business, which was put into liquidation in October, has been issued a formal demand over a shareholders account overdrawn by an estimated $685k. Read...Newslink ©2024 to Stuff.co.nz | |
| | | Stuff.co.nz - 15 May (Stuff.co.nz)Some staff at Noel Edmonds’ River Haven hospitality business were shocked to lose their jobs with just a day’s notice. Read...Newslink ©2024 to Stuff.co.nz | |
| | | PC World - 15 May (PC World)The dreaded moment for lovers of #dancechallenges and #funnyvideos is one step closer to reality. In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that will effectively ban TikTok in the United States unless the Chinese-owned social media giant is sold within a year. TikTok responded last week by suing the U.S. government, arguing the law violates First Amendment rights.
As we wait for all the legal issues to resolve, now is a good time to stay two steps ahead, and ponder a fundamental question: If the ban does go into effect, could a VPN help you get around the new restrictions?
Much of the answer keys into the specific nature of the ban—namely, that app stores in the U.S. would ostensibly be forced to remove the TikTok app from their marketplaces. If that’s how the ban plays out, then theoretically a VPN should put you back in business, with the caveat that you’ll already need to have the TikTok app installed prior to the ban.
There’s a lot to unpack here, including what the law would require of TikTok, and how technically savvy users could respond. Read on for details. And if you’re looking for a VPN to make your digital life more more secure—or, who knows, preserve TikTok access—check out my rankings of the best VPNs.
How would a TikTok ban likely play out?
The short but frustrating answer is that no one knows exactly how a TikTok ban would be implemented. While the law was passed and signed by president Biden, the actual details are still being worked out.
our pick for best vpn
ExpressVPN
Read our review
“It’s too early to tell yet how this ban might play out,” ExpressVPN Privacy Advocate Lauren Hendry Parsons told me. “With TikTok seeking to fight this in the courts, and the timeline of the new law not requiring action for nine to 12 months, it’s possible that we won’t know the concrete outcome of this latest legislation until late 2025 or beyond.”
Still, there is some precedent that gives us an idea as to how it all could transpire. Over email, Surfshark’s VPN Product Manager Justas Pukys wrote, “It’s difficult to predict how exactly the ban could take place, but it might be implemented in a similar manner as it was in 2020 when the U.S. Department of Commerce ordered Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores.”
In that ban, which was ultimately blocked in court, the U.S. Dept of Commerce sought to remove the TikTok app from app stores and restrict updated versions of the app from being downloaded by users who already had the apps installed.
Another example we can turn to is a 2020 ban on TikTok in India, which saw both Apple and Google remove the app from their app stores. After the ban, Indian users who already had TikTok installed on their devices encountered an error message stating the app was “complying with the Government of India’s directive.”
The difference between the India ban and this new U.S. ban is that TikTok never really challenged the Indian government. In contrast, it appears as if TikTok will fight the U.S. ban to the bitter end.
How to get around the TikTok ban with a VPN
Motionstock
Motionstock
Motionstock
There are a few potential options to circumvent the TikTok ban, should it go into effect. The caveat here is that methods to get around the ban will depend on the exact implementation of the law—something we’re still waiting to see.
Mentioned in this article
NordVPN
Read our review
One of the best options will presumably be to use a VPN. Laura Tyrylyte, Head of Public Relations at NordVPN told me, “Usually, users circumvent bans of certain applications by changing locations with a VPN and reaching restricted websites.”
Indeed, NordVPN reports it saw a “demand uplift” of more than 15 percent in the U.S. beginning March 14, the day the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7521, the so-called TikTok ban. Tyrylyte cautioned that its impossible to say the surge of interest was directly connected to the legislation though.
If the U.S. government restricts web servers hosting TikTok, then the simple solution would be to connect to a VPN server located outside of the U.S. that does not have the same restrictions. For example, it could be as simple as connecting to a VPN server in Canada—closer servers usually mean faster speeds—and then loading up the TikTok app or website.
However, this would only work for users who already have the app installed on their devices prior to the ban. Indeed, it’s likely the ban would force app stores to remove the TikTok app entirely. “If U.S. users will no longer be able to find TikTok through app stores, then a VPN may not be of much help,” Surfshark’s Pukys pointed out.
So, what’s the solution if you don’t have the app already installed? We can look to some savvy user recommendations for possible solutions.
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
Sam Singleton
A post on Quora detailing a potential means of circumventing the TikTok ban with a VPN.
Sam Singleton
Sam Singleton
A post on Quora from a user claiming to be Surfshark Data Analyst Alice Matt has one idea: “First of all, you will probably need to change your app store or Play store location… Just don’t forget to turn on your VPN before doing the changes.” Changing your app store location should allow you to download apps that are not available in your own country.
The Quora users goes on to say, “Then you might need to use a GPS spoofer to change your device GPS location. VPNs change your IP address, so it is much easier to bypass such restrictions on PC than on mobile.” Since many mobile apps ask to allow for location data access, a GPS spoofer application could be required in addition to a VPN if you want to use TikTok on your mobile device.
Theoretically, this advice is sound. But I could not confirm the identity of the person who posted it, nor did Surfshark respond when I asked for comment. Therefore, it’s best to take it all with a grain of salt.
There is also the possibility of sideloading the TikTok app on your device. Sideloading is the process of using unapproved distribution channels to install apps on your phone or tablet. This entails downloading the app from a source far outside the safety zones of the Apple or Google app stores.
“Sadly, downloading applications from unauthorized websites increases the risk of infecting devices with malicious applications,” said NordVPN’s Tyrylyte. So, if you decide to sideload the TikTok app, make sure you’re doing it from a reputable third-party, and always use some form of malware protection such as a strong antivirus.
Why is TikTok being banned?
Ever since ByteDance bought the app in 2017, national security officials in the U.S. have been concerned about the Chinese government’s relationship with the company, and how the app the could be tapped to collect data on Americans, and even influence our social fabric.
Since that time, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. According to a Pew Research study, TikTok is now where 14 percent of U.S. adults and a staggering one-third of all people ages 18 to 29 regularly get their news.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously stated that ByteDance is “controlled by the Chinese government” and has warned that Chinese authorities could use the app to influence people by manipulating the algorithm and allowing the government to collect user data for “traditional espionage operations.”
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
Sam Singleton
The Senate’s H.R. 7521 bill was singed into law by Biden and prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of ByteDance’s TikTok application.
Sam Singleton
Sam Singleton
The same concerns that Wray referenced have caught fire among U.S. lawmakers. In March, the House crafted bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7521) to ban TikTok, and then the Senate voted overwhelmingly to move it to the president’s desk, with 79 senators in favor, 18 against, and three not voting.
“For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America… that was dangerously shortsighted,” said senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla. On the other side of the aisle, senator Mark Warner, D-Va, told NPR, “The Communist Party of China has an authoritarian regime that doesn’t respect privacy, doesn’t respect individuals’ rights… I don’t think we should sit by and allow, in effect, a media presence that is five or 10 times the size of NPR to potentially be broadcasting Chinese propaganda in an election year.”
Whether these fears have a basis in reality is a matter for debate. Brendan Gilligan, a legal fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), told me, “At least so far the government’s talk about the harms have been very vague. They haven’t discussed why this specific step of banning the distribution, maintenance, or updating of TikTok is necessary, which the First Amendment requires.” That likely means ByteDance and other groups have a strong case for challenging the law in court.
In the meantime, ByteDance has until January 19, 2025 to sell TikTok. Under the legislation, Biden has the option to extend the deadline an additional 90 days if he determines that progress is being made toward a sale. For now, ByteDance seemingly has no intention of selling TikTok, and made its position crystal clear by suing the U.S. government a few weeks after the law passed. The ensuing legal fight is now in the hands of the U.S. Court of Appeals. It’s First Amendment rights in the red corner versus National Security in the blue corner, so get ready to rumble.
Could you get in trouble for using TikTok?
So, let’s say ByteDance never sells, and the TikTok ban is the new status quo. What’s the impact on U.S. users if they find a way to use the platform?
The EFF’s Brendan Gilligan explains: “Number one, the law is targeted at intermediaries, not targeted at users. Second, the law explicitly denies the Attorney General the authority to enforce it against individual users.” The upshot is the law itself could not be used to criminalize individuals who continue to use or access TikTok—so, Gen-Zers, you can now collectively breathe a sigh of relief.
That being said, it gets a little murky when it comes to the legality of using a VPN to access TikTok. Gilligan notes, “While the use itself is not [criminalized], how you get to the use potentially is.” Regarding VPNs, he says, “I haven’t seen VPNs being mentioned as a concern of the government.” He goes on to say, “It seems like they’re clearly focused on app stores.”
Even if the use of a VPN to access TikTok is criminalized under this law, there isn’t much that the U.S. government could do to monitor or enforce this. Most VPNs have strict no-log policies and do not keep records on user traffic.
As ExpressVPN’s Parsons told me, “Consumers are generally worried that VPN services may be compelled by government services to share user data. ExpressVPN does not do this and never shares data with third parties. We do not collect anything that would allow ExpressVPN or anyone else to match an individual to specific network activity or behavior. We have designed our systems to never have sensitive data about our customers. Even when compelled, we cannot provide data that we do not possess.”
While this may be specific to ExpressVPN, the same structures are in place for most of the other top VPN companies. This is why it’s especially important to choose a good VPN provider with a strict no-logs policy, preferably verified by regular independent audits.
TikTok users who want to access the app via a VPN shouldn’t be too worried, though. The main purpose of this ban is to restrict mass retention of user data by ByteDance and, by extension, the Chinese government. It’s not intended to keep U.S. citizens from sharing short-form videos.
Whether banning TikTok will truly make U.S. citizens more safe is up for debate though. Gilligan said, “Enacting this legislation has undermined the U.S.’s longstanding championing of the free flow of information as a fundamental democratic principle… The solution to protecting American data is not focusing on one specific app, but rather comprehensive consumer privacy data regulations.”
VPN Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | BBCWorld - 14 May (BBCWorld)The announcement comes after Anglo American rejected a £34bn takeover bid from rival BHP. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | |
| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)Laptop sticker prices don’t really matter. Yes, obviously the price you pay for a laptop matters, but a laptop’s “manufacturer-suggested retail price” (MSRP) isn’t something you should focus on when picking your next laptop.
If you’re buying a laptop, you’ll get the most value from focusing on sales. Let’s say you have $1200 to spend on a gaming laptop. The best gaming laptop for your dollar might not be a $1200 laptop at all — it might be a $1600 laptop that’s currently $500 off.
In fact, the best value may be snatching up last year’s laptop on a clearance sale. Laptop hardware isn’t advancing very quickly year over year. A laptop from last year might be roughly as good as one from this year — and half off, too.
Further reading: Today’s best laptop deals: Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming
Why manufacturer-set laptop prices don’t really matter
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
We review a lot of great laptops here at PCWorld. Often, I find myself wanting to write something like “This laptop is a tad expensive, but if you can find it at a good price, it’s an excellent piece of hardware.”
This happens frequently with gaming laptops, but it applies to all laptops. When reviewing a laptop, I must evaluate its manufacturer-set retail price against other similarly priced laptops. I may give a laptop a thumbs up for being a good value compared to the competition at its manufacturer-set price.
As I do it, I often cast an eye at PCWorld’s laptop deals page and notice that the best deal is a laptop with similar hardware that’s on sale for hundreds of dollars off. It’s not fair to say a particular laptop isn’t a good value just because a competing laptop happens to be on sale at the moment I’m writing the review, but it happens frequently.
If you’re buying a laptop, you’ll get the best value by shopping the sales. Don’t buy a laptop just because it’s on sale — look at the reviews for a laptop that’s on sale so you’re sure you’ll be happy with it. But you’ll find the best value by starting with the sales.
Laptops are constantly going on big sales
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.Chris Hoffman/IDG
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a nice high-end laptop. Lenovo has sold last year’s model for $1000 off.Chris Hoffman/IDG
Chris Hoffman/IDG
Laptop sales are common — and frequent. You don’t have to wait for the big Black Friday or back-to-school sales events. (Although, if you are shopping for a laptop around those events, you may want to wait for them — you’ll find more laptops than usual on sale when big events like those arrive.)
But even if you’re looking for a new laptop this week, there’s a good chance you’ll find lots of great options on sale right now. Manufacturers are constantly putting laptops on sale to stand out in the market and to free up space for new models.
And these sales can be huge. Gaming laptops frequently go on sale for $500 or more off. Laptops from last year that often offer very similar performance to this year’s laptops may be on sale for 50 percent off on clearance events.
For example, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a great laptop with excellent build quality and an awesome keyboard. But at over $2000, it’s rather pricy. As I write this, Lenovo has the previous-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 model for $1007 off. At $1391, it’s a serious value if you’re looking for a high-end, rugged, ultraportable business laptop.
That sale may be expired when you’re reading this, but there may be another amazing laptop we like for $1000 off right now. Check out our favorite laptop deals (where our ThinkPad X1 Carbon example came from!) to learn more.
Even just-released laptops might already be on sale
HP Omen Transcend 14
Read our review
In fact, some laptops seem to be almost permanently available at a discount on certain manufacturers’ websites. A laptop may launch with an official $1400 MSRP but be available at a “promotional” price of $1200 on the laptop manufacturer’s online store — complete with the $1400 proudly crossed out and a “$200 off” sale tag.
If your budget is $1200, there’s no sense writing off that laptop just because it technically has a $1400 MSRP. It might almost always sell for $1200!
Laptops may even already be on big sales close to their release dates. When I reviewed the HP Omen Transcend 14 laptop around its launch date earlier this year, it was already on sale for $300 off. Maybe you thought $1499 was too much for that laptop. But there’s no sense focusing on that retail price: Even if you have bought one around launch, you could have spent $1199. If you’re keeping an eye on sales, you may not even have to wait for a newly released laptop to be available at a discount.
Last year’s laptop models on clearance sales are an amazing deal
Here’s another fact that PC manufacturers often don’t trumpet: This year’s laptop model and last year’s laptop model are often extremely similar. This year’s version might be a little bit faster — maybe.
That’s because PC hardware isn’t advancing by leaps and bounds each year.
our favorite gaming laptop under $1000 uses parts from 2023
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
Read our review
Take CPUs, for example. Intel launched Meteor Lake Core Ultra CPUs in late 2023. They’re more focused on efficiency, battery life, and AI. They perform similarly to last year’s 13th-generation Raptor Lake CPUs. Many laptops that aren’t focused on battery life — like gaming laptops — are actually using 14th-generation Core HX chips that perform very similarly to the 13th-generation hardware.
The one advantage you get with a Core Ultra-powered CPU is the neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerating AI PC tasks, but how much that actually matters is unclear — we’ll have to see what Microsoft announces and delivers later this year. Right now, it doesn’t add much.
Let’s talk about graphics hardware: The latest gaming laptops with Nvidia GPUs have Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series GPUs (the GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, 4070, 4080, and 4090.) Those are state-of-the-art graphics processors in early 2024-era gaming laptops. 2023-era gaming laptops have the exact same GPUs — the 40-series mobile GPUs came out in early 2023 and Nvidia hasn’t announced anything new.
In other words, if you’re buying a gaming laptop, a gaming laptop that came out in early 2023 might have almost the same hardware as a gaming laptop that launched in early 2024 — a very similar CPU and the same selection of GPUs. If you can find a very similar gaming laptop from last year at a big discount compared to this year’s model, why wouldn’t you buy it instead?
Of course, it’s worth focusing on other things as well — the laptop’s display, keyboard, storage, and other factors. That’s why you should check reviews before buying a laptop. But a laptop from last year might even have a nicer display than a laptop from this year. Don’t dismiss it just because it’s technically a year older.
How to find the best laptop sales
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
PCWorld’s list of laptop deals is the perfect place to find excellent laptop sales. We’re scouring the web for deals every weekday and sharing the ones we think are the best.
Our page isn’t just updated frequently — we also only list laptops we like and recommend, complete with a description of what we like about each laptop. Whether you’re looking to spend a few hundred bucks on an inexpensive laptop for web browsing, you want a sleek ultraportable, or you’re trying to get the most gaming performance for your dollar, it’s the perfect place to start your laptop shopping.
Of course, you don’t have to start with our deals page. But if you go elsewhere, be sure to do some research — we’re only trying to recommend the best deals on laptops we think are worth buying. Other sites — especially online stores — may push sales on laptops that are not all that great.
As I write this, our laptop deals page has a high-end ThinkPad ultraportable at $1007 off, gaming laptops for as much as $700 off, and a capable lightweight laptop for $600 off. It also has inexpensive laptops for everyday tasks at nearly $200 off, bringing them to around the $249 mark.
Who knows which laptops will be on sale by the time you read this? Check out PCWorld’s list of the best laptop deals to see what’s available right now.
Want more PC advice? Subscribe to my free Windows Intelligence newsletter to get all the latest tips, tricks, and news sent straight to your email inbox.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | Stuff.co.nz - 14 May (Stuff.co.nz)A bite-sized wrap of Taranaki business news. Read...Newslink ©2024 to Stuff.co.nz | |
| | | ITBrief - 14 May (ITBrief)AI players, Genesys and ServiceNow announce a strategic partnership to deliver a unified customer service solution, enhancing experience orchestration and business transformation. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | Stuff.co.nz - 14 May (Stuff.co.nz)A majority of business owners servicing part of New Plymouth’s main street want the Decks to become a permanent fixture. Read...Newslink ©2024 to Stuff.co.nz | |
| | |
|
|
| Top Stories |
RUGBY
Former Chiefs and Bay of Plenty first-five Glen Jackson will be the next head coach of the Fijian Drua Super Rugby side More...
|
BUSINESS
Hopes a new boss will bring fresh energy to the struggling Warehouse Group More...
|
|
| Today's News |
| News Search |
|
|