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The United States Federal Trade Commission tried to make it easy to cancel subscription services in 2023. The judiciary threw it out earlier this year, just before it was scheduled to go into effect, on the grounds that the FTC had overstepped its authority and skipped procedural steps. Now the legislature, or at least a few members, will try to achieve the same thing. The newly proposed Congressional bill is being provisionally titled the “Click-to-Cancel Act of 2025.” It’s essentially trying to do the exact same thing that the FTC attempted, explicitly stating that it wants “to codify the rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission relating to click-to-cancel.” The two-page submission merely points to the original FTC filing, which says that customers must be able to cancel a subscription by the same means it was originally agreed upon. So if the bill passes, Americans couldn’t be forced to call or even snail-mail to cancel a subscription that was begun online or in an app. They’d also get an annual reminder before they were charged for re-upping a subscription for another year. It’s being proposed by a trio of Democratic congresspeople from California, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, as Ars Technica reports. And unfortunately, that means it has little hope of passing under the current administration. At the risk of oversimplifying, the US Congress is currently bitterly divided with a slim margin of control held by business-friendly Republicans, who have gutted federal safeguards over industry at all levels. The conservatives are likely to keep any progressive proposals, no matter how popular, stymied. With the Trump administration apparently keeping an iron grip over the judiciary as well, it’s possible that even if the law were passed, it would be either sued out of existence or simply not enforced by federal regulators. The odds of any progress being made in the area of exploitative subscription tactics used against consumers seem slim to none, at least in the short term. Read...

Just because it’s tiny doesn’t mean it’s not powerful. This Kamrui Hyper H1 mini PC proves it–it’s small enough to tuck under your monitor, yet powerful enough to rule your workday. Plus, it’s only $400 right now thanks to a 20 percent discount at Amazon. The beauty of mini PCs is that they can sit on your desk or mount behind your monitor, clearing up space completely. The Kamrui Hyper H1 includes a VESA mount and all the screws you need to set it up easily. Speaking of monitors, you can hook up to three of them to this tiny computer. There’s a well-rounded mix of ports available, including Type-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort, all of which support 4K displays up to 60Hz. This device can handle any app you throw at it thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU. With 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, it’s already a powerhouse. But if you want to give it even more oomph, you can upgrade to 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage. Accessing the memory and storage is as simple as lifting the lid on the mini PC. For $400, this Kamrui mini PC is an absolute steal–grab it before the deal disappears. This snappy mini PC is $100 offBuy now at Amazon Read...

With vacation season upon us, it’s time to figure out what to pack for your trip. Limited tech time is great in theory, but you still need a few things to make your life easier, whether it’s gear for the car, accessories that help you connect to your entertainment, or gadgets for backing up all your pics. Here at PCWorld we’re always testing the latest gadgets to sort the good from the don’t-bother. In the process, we’ve come across a lot of tech gear that’s built for travel. Here we’ve curated a list of the gear that we believe is worthy of any packing list and sure to help prepare you for anything you may encounter on the road—or in the sky. Happy travels! Manage electrical needs with a voltage converter BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter 220V to 110V Bestek, Mapambo When you’re traveling from the U.S. to Europe, for instance, you don’t just need a different type of plug for your chargers and gadgets, but also a voltage converter because Europe runs on different settings. The Bestek Universal Travel Adapter will convert 220V outlets to U.S.-standard 110V, thus ensuring that your devices don’t burn out. It’s not only affordable, but it has three AC outlets and four USB ports. Plus, the product comes with a couple of extra plug adapters. If a more compact version is all you need, then the Mapambo converter will work just fine with one AC plug, two type-C, and two type-A ports. The Baseus Enercore CG11 is also a fantastic pick, as it’s suitable for use anywhere in the world, with slide-out plugs for the USA, EU, and UK. There are also two ports — one USB-C and one USB-A — as well as a USB-C retractable cable. Buy the BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter at Amazon Buy the Mapambo 220V to 110V Voltage Converter at Amazon Buy the Baseus Enercore CG11 Take control of tangled cords Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Keychain Charger Cable Rolling Square If you’re like most travelers, you bring multiple electronics to make the most of your experience—we’re talking camera, phone, laptop, headphones, etc. But along with all of these items, you’ll need to carry all of their charging cables. That can take up space and lead to a tangled web of cords in your bag if you’re not careful. With the Rolling Square inCharge 6 Portable Charger Cable on Amazon, you have the option of USB-C or USB-A inputs and Micro USB or USB-C outputs all in a cable that is small enough for your keychain. Buy the Rolling Square Portable Charger Cable at Amazon Or get a retractable cable Baseus USB-C Retractable Cable Baseus If you’d rather have a simpler cable, then this one from Baseus will do the trick. The retractable design ensures it’s going to be safe in your luggage, preventing any type of tangling issues and considerably lowering the chances of your cable breaking. You can get this one in two length versions—3.3ft and 6.6ft— and you can pay as little as $10 on the shorter one if it’s on sale. Buy the Baseus retractable USB-C cable at Amazon Keep your devices charged with a portable power bank Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank with wall charger Anker Traveling is always fun, but ending up with a depleted phone battery in an unknown place can be terrifying. This Anker Prime power bank takes up two roles in one. On one hand, it can plug into a wall outlet and give you the recharge you need while you’re at your hotel, for instance, but it can also act as a power bank when you’re out and about exploring. 10,000mAh is enough to charge your phone twice over (or close to that). There are three ports on this Anker hybrid charger, two of which are type-C that can reach 65W charging. It’s available for $110, but you can often find it closer to $70 when on sale. Buy the Anker GaN Prime Power Bank 2-in-1 Charger at Amazon Make that hotel outlet actually useful Anker Prime 6-in-1 charging station Anker One of the main issues we all have when traveling is that it’s tough to find multiple outlets in your hotel room. You’ll get one by the bedside table and another that’s taken up by the TV. Well, this compact power strip from Anker makes good use of that outlet and turns it into six. You get two AC outlets, two USB-A and two USB-C ports and a maximum output of 140W via those type-C ports. That’s just about perfect for laptops, smartphones and whatever else you have on you. The cool part is that the power strip is flat and the power cord detaches, so it’s ideal for your tight-packed luggage. Buy the Anker Prime 6-in-1 power strip at Amazon Never lose your valuables again Apple AirTag, Tile Pro, Samsung SmartThings, Tile Slim Apple, Tile, Samsung We’ve all been there. You arrive at your destination and you’re waiting for your checked bag to show up on the carousel, but it never does. Baggage handling is at it again. With a Bluetooth tracker you can easily keep tabs on where your bag is and maybe even help TSA locate it, should it be lost. There are quite a few Bluetooth trackers on the market that you can get. Apple users should look into the AirTag, while Android users can choose Samsung’s SmartTag2. Anyone can go for the Tile Pro. If you’re more worried about your wallet, Tile’s Slim tracker will fit inside it neatly. These are all around $30 a piece, but you can quite often get them for less or in bundles, thus lowering the price even more. If you want an AirTag alternative, the Ugreen FineTrack is a fraction of the price and often on sale. Buy the Apple AirTag at Amazon Buy the Ugreen FineTrack Buy the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 at Amazon Buy the Tile Pro at Amazon Buy the TIle Slim at Amazon Enjoy an in-flight movie without annoying headphone cables Twelve South AirFly Pro or Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver Ugreen, Twelve South Twelve South’s AirFly Pro Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter for $54.99 on Amazon (although it’s frequently on sale) allows you to turn any audio jack into a wireless Bluetooth transmitter. Simply plug in the device to the headphone jack on the back of the airplane seat and connect your wireless headphones. Then sit back and relax while you enjoy the in-flight entertainment on your sweet noise-canceling headphones. Alternatively, you can also go for the more affordable Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver, which is $36.99 but often drops below $30. Either will allow you to connect up to two earbuds or headphones. Buy the Twelve South AirFly Pro at Amazon Buy the Ugreen Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver at Amazon Drown out noise with noise-canceling earbuds AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Apple, Bose Flying on an airplane is loud. Engines roar, babies cry, passengers snore. That’s why you need noise-canceling headphones, which have become essential tools in making your flight as easy as possible. And because you’re traveling and bag space is a premium, your headphones need to be small. Not just for iPhone users, but for anyone who needs good headphones, the AirPods Pro 2 for $225.00 on Amazon continue to be the best choice due to their convenient size and noise-canceling capability. If you’re an Android user, you may want to look into the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which deliver something our buddies at TechAdvisor have called “astonishing noise cancellation” on top of superb sound quality and a secure fit. Get the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) at Amazon Buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at Amazon Or get some noise-canceling headphones Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max Apple, Sony If earbuds aren’t for you, then perhaps a pair of proper headphones will do the trick. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are easily some of the best noise-canceling headphones out there (as our friends at TechAdvisor attested with a 5-star review), delivering phenomenal audio and a comfortable build. Apple fans may want to look into the AirPods Max that are also known for what our friends at MacWorld call “industry leading active noise canceling”. Buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 at Amazon Buy the Apple AirPods Max at Amazon Capture and print your favorite memories Fuji Instax Mini 12 instant camera Fujifilm Sure, you could bring a giant SLR camera with multiple lenses and an extra special carry-on bag to store everything. Or for those who aren’t professionals, you can opt for a small, retro instant camera such as the Fuji Instax Mini 12 for $143.95 on Amazon. Just like an old-school Polaroid, you can take a picture and instantly print it out to capture the moment. Just be aware that you’ll need to purchase and carry the film separately. Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 at Amazon Keep your wires from getting crossed Bellroy Tech Kit Bellroy Bellroy is known for making great tech cases and kits, and the Bellroy Tech Kit for $59 on Amazon is our favorite. This well-designed, travel-friendly bag allows you to keep all of your cables and small peripherals stored and organized with ease. The folio style means that you can open the entire kit out flat for easy access to everything stored inside. Plus, the fabric is waterproof so you shouldn’t have to worry about a little liquid spilling on your precious gear. Buy the Bellroy Tech Kit at Amazon Game in-route to your destination Steam Deck, Switch OLED, or Backbone One Backbone, Nintendo, Valve The Steam Deck for $399 on the Steam store is a great handheld gaming system that allows you to play your favorite PC games on the go. It wasn’t so long ago that the Steam Deck was sold out everywhere and people were clamoring to get one. Thankfully, Valve has increased its supply and it’s easier than ever to get your hands on this excellent gaming portable. Play games from your Steam library on the go or load up on new titles for your next vacation. Gaming makes those long-haul flights a breeze. If you’d rather go for a different platform, the Switch OLED is an absolutely fantastic gaming console. And yes, we know the Switch 2 is en route, but good luck getting your hands on one of those anytime soon. If you’d rather just play on your phone, but have an upgraded experience, the Backbone One will mold to your phone, whether that’s an Android or iPhone model, and will help you play anything you want, including titles in your Xbox, PlayStation, or Steam libraries. Buy the Steam Deck at Steam Store Buy the Nintedo Switch OLED at Amazon Buy the Backbone One at Amazon Keep your hands and wrists happy while typing Logitech MX Keys Mini Logitech Laptop keyboards are cramped and can lead to some serious wrist pain if you type on them for long enough. Save yourself the carpal tunnel and grab a wireless keyboard like the Logitech MX Keys Mini. This compact keyboard is not only easy to travel with, but offers convenient features such as a semi-customizable layout, multi-device switching, and more. And the most important part is that it offers a great typing experience with comfortable and quiet keys that won’t bother your fellow travelers. The MX Keys Mini is currently $99.99 on Amazon. Buy the Logitech MX Keys Mini at Amazon Carry a library everywhere you go Kindle Paperwhite Amazon Books are a great thing to have around on vacation, but they’re heavy and they take up precious space in your luggage. Instead opt for an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite for $159.99 on Amazon and bring an entire library worth of books in this lightweight tablet. Plus the Paperwhite version comes with an anti-glare screen and adjustable brightness settings, making it perfect for a bright beach or dark airplane. Not sure which Kindle to buy? Check out our handy Kindle buying guide to help you make the right choice. Buy the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon Grab a mobile hotspot to stay in range of Wi-Fi range Solis Lite 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot Solis Those who travel a lot know that Wi-Fi is essential. From being able to work online while on the road or just looking up restaurant recommendations in another country, it’s an invaluable tool to get the most out of your travel experience. There are quite a few services nowadays offering pocket Wi-Fi for travelers, but Solis is one of the best with reliable global coverage across 135 countries. Plus, it has flexible plans depending upon your needs. You’ll need to purchase the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot for $159.99 on Amazon before registering for a Wi-Fi plan, but it’s only a one-time fee and you can then use it on all of your future trips. Buy the Solis Lite Mobile Hotspot at Amazon Safe surfing NordVPN  Pexels: Stefan Coders If you’re going to travel anywhere, connecting to shady Wi-Fi networks, you absolutely need to have a VPN on your device. We’ve tested what feels like a million of them and recommend you go for NordVPN, which we found to be the best overall. There are tons of configuration options if you want to deep-dive, but you can also just take the easy route and press a single button every time. It even comes with a built-in antivirus and password manager, so you have a three 3-in-1 solution. Get NordVPN Never worry about safe tap water again Philips Water GoZero self-cleaning water bottle Philips No matter if you’re traveling to a new city or going camping, making sure that you have access to clean and potable water is a necessity. The Philips Water GoZero bottles bring in some smart technology to ensure the water is safe to drink. Available for $73.89 at Amazon (or lower when on sale), the bottle uses UV technology to eliminate up to 99.999 percent of bacteria and 99.9 percent of viruses in just a few minutes. Even when empty, the cap can disinfect your bottle and remove odors. Made out of stainless steel and double-walled, the bottle won’t just purify your water, it will also keep your drinks hot for up to 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. Buy the Philips Water GoZero water bottle at Amazon Mount your smartphone on anything Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount Perilogics This Universal in-flight airplane phone holder mount for $13.97 on Amazon allows you to easily clip your phone onto an airplane seat for hands-free convenience. Maybe you loaded up that latest season of your favorite show or have a game to occupy that long-haul flight. Either way, holding your phone with a craned neck for hours and hours is bound to give you a strain. Just hook this bad boy up to the back of the seat in front of you on the airplane then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Buy the Universal in flight phone holder at Amazon Travel with an ultraportable laptop Asus ZenBook S 14 Thomas Rau If you’re going to get a super-light laptop, the Zenbook S 14 is a fantastic pick because it weighs just 2.65 pounds, which makes sit lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air. We gave this one a 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating the fantastic battery life and lovely large OLED screen. Plus, the laptop has an Ultra 7 processor, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. You can also check out our other best ultraportables or our best laptop roundup for even more options. Buy the Asus ZenBook S 14 at Best Buy Or opt for a 2-in-1 for even more versatility HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 IDG / Josh Hendrickson If you want a more versatile laptop, then a 2-in-1 model will do, like our very favorite HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. The 360-degree hinge will make it easy for you to turn this laptop into a tablet and into a Netflix-watching tent in a blink. The 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touch display is absolutely gorgeous and the 500 nits make it perfect to use everywhere you go. Buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 at Amazon Increase your screen real-estate with a travel monitor Azorpa A1 Gamut Matt Smith Sometimes you just need a second monitor, even when you’re traveling. The extra screen really helps productivity for business travelers and it makes for a great way to play your portable games on a larger screen while on the road. We really like the Azorpa A1 Gamut which delivers good image quality for an extremely budget friendly price—the A1 Gamut is usually about $70 on Amazon. It also comes with useful connectivity options and a solid build quality that will stand up to the rigors of travel.  Buy the Arzopa A1 at Amazon Grab some extra storage Crucial X9 Pro IDG If you plan on taking about a million pictures and videos and you want to have a safe way to back them up without relying on random hotel Wi-Fi, then you can also grab a portable SSD. The Crucial X9 Pro is the best external SSD for most folks because it’s not only affordable but also super fast. We gave the X9 Pro a near-perfect score and our Editors’ Choice award, utterly impressed with the 10Gbps performance and the small form factor. Buy the Crucial X9 Pro at Amazon Back up your pics Ugreen USB-C Ugreen This absolutely tiny USB-C card reader is the perfect way to back up some of those pics you took on vacation without relying on hotel Wi-Fi or your limited data. If your phone doesn’t have a microSD card, a card combined with this tiny reader makes a great external storage option. Or, if you’re using a camera with a microSD card, you can back up the pics to your laptop to free up space. It doesn’t hurt that it’s super affordable. Buy the Ugreen USB-C microSD at Amazon Stream content in your hotel room Amazon Fire TV Stick HD Amazon If you’re going to travel, you may as well keep up with your shows. The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD makes it super easy to bring all your favorite shows with you anywhere you go. You’ll just need to pop this thing in the TV, connect it to the hotel’s Wi-Fi (or the hotspot you set up), and just have fun. It’s also super affordable, available for $35 (although it’s frequently on sale for $20 or less). Buy now at Amazon Upgrade your car’s entertainment system Carlinkit 5.0 Carlinkit If your car’s entertainment system still requires you plug in your phone, then we have a nifty solution for you. This Carlinkit 5.0 dongle plugs into your car and allows you to wirelessly connect to it whenever you get in your car. In this way, you’re saving time and it’s so much more convenient. The Carlinkit 5.0 works with both CarPlay and Android Auto, so it doesn’t matter what type of phone you use. Buy the Carlinkit Android Auto & Carplay adapter at Amazon Read...

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Cord cutters have long wished for a way to stream local broadcast channels for less than the price of a full-pay TV package. Now it’s finally happening. DirecTV, which has leaned more into streaming than satellite TV of late, now offers a $40-a-month bundle with all four major broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—in five U.S. markets. It offers three of the big four networks in more than a dozen additional U.S. markets. The local channels are part of DirecTV’s “MyNews” genre pack, which it launched in February. Despite the focus on news in DirecTV’s marketing, MyNews is now the cheapest option for streaming local channels—including all their sports and entertainment programming—in certain markets. DirecTV’s sneaky local channel bundle When DirecTV launched MyNews in February, it was a pretty unusual offering. Local channel coverage was limited to Fox and NBC stations, and its cable news lineup—which includes CNN, NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, and Fox Business—didn’t really justify the $40 per month asking price. In fact, DirecTV’s own MyEntertainment package was a much better value for news hounds. For $35 per month, it includes those same five cable news channels, plus a bunch of entertainment channels and complimentary subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and Max. A couple things changed since then: In June, DirecTV made a deal to bring Paramount-owned stations into its genre packs. That includes CBS in DirecTV’s MyNews and MySports bundles. In mid-July, DirecTV quietly started adding ABC stations to the MyNews bundle in select markets. (This was first pointed out by folks on Reddit.) Having access to at least three of the big four broadcast networks changes the calculation, because no other live TV streaming service offers local channels for this low of a price. (PBS isn’t included, but you can stream it for free through PBS’s apps.) The closest alternative is Sling TV Blue, which costs $46 per month and only includes Fox and/or NBC in a small number of markets. ABC is available in additional markets, but that raises the price to $51 per month. The other options for full local channel coverage are to pay $70 per month for DirecTV’s MySports pack or at least $83 per month for a full-pay TV package such as YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. MyNews local channel availability DirecTV My News’ local channel lookup.Jared Newman / Foundry Full local channel coverage in DirecTV MyNews is not yet available nationwide. Jon Greer, a DirecTV spokesman, says it’s been bringing more CBS and ABC affiliates online now, with the goal of having broader availability for football season. In the meantime, here’s the easiest way to see which local channels DirecTV’s MyNews carries in your area: Head to DirecTV’s Genre Packs page. Under the MyNews section, click the “See all 10+ channels” link. Enter your zip code at the top of the pop-up. (You may need to hit “Change” first.) Look for the stations marked as “Local” in the channel list. I’ve also compiled a list of major cities with at least three of the big four local channels: CityABCCBSFoxNBCBaltimore, MD???Boston, MA???Chicago, IL????Dallas-Fort Worth, TX???Denver, CO???Detroit, MI???Fresno, CA???Ft. Lauderdale, FL???Houston, TX???Los Angeles, CA????Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN???New York, NY????Philadelphia, PA????Pittsburgh, PA???Raleigh-Durham, NC???Sacramento, CA???San Francisco, CA????Seattle-Tacoma, WA??? This is not a complete list, as DirecTV is adding stations in more markets over time. Should you get DirecTV MyNews for local channels? If you can pick up local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations with an antenna, DirecTV MyNews is not for you, as you’ll get the same local station coverage over-the-air for free. (If you want MyNews’ actual news channels, DirecTV’s MyEntertainment package gets you nearly all of them for less.) Those who want national sports channels such as ESPN and Fox Sports should also look elsewhere. DirecTV’s $70 per month MySports package has comparable local and cable news coverage, while also including sports channels. Bigger bundles such as YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are worth a look as well, at least until the unbundled versions of ESPN and Fox’s sports channels arrive. DirecTV’s MyNews is more narrowly focused on folks who want local channels for NFL games and other primetime programming, but can do without cable’s sports and entertainment channels. Folks who can’t receive those channels with an antenna finally have a cheaper way to stream them—with a little bit of news on the side. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more money-saving streaming advice. Read...

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