The odds say you won’t actually need your seatbelt today. The odds say that your phone won’t be hacked by a random USB-C wall charger, either. But, like a seatbelt, here’s why it’s worth investing in this cheap, easy protection device. If you go on vacation or a business trip, chances are you’re going to need a data cable for your phone anyway, and an extra can’t hurt. But a power-only cable is a handy way of securing your phone no matter what out-of-the-way, dodgy hotel or airport you end up in. Some people call these “USB condoms,” usually referring to a dongle that you can buy that blocks data from being transferred over the USB connection. In this case, “data” equals malware. Is a foreign government or hacker group building in standalone devices to push malware to your phone? Do credit-card skimmers exist? Okay then. If a malicious cable can be used to conceal malware, the wall port sure can. I recently returned from a pair of trips to Arizona and Hawaii, and had planned to invest in a data-only USB-C cable anyway. As it turned out, Plugable alerted me about its entrance into the market, and asked if I’d like to try one out. The company offers a few cables of different lengths, and I think that Plugable’s $15.95 6-foot-cable works best, if only because it accommodates awkwardly placed outlets in airports, airplanes, and hotels. (There are also cheaper, shorter options.) Buy the Plugable USB-C to USB C-Cable on Amazon The chargers in the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport were underneath the seats in the terminal.Mark Hachman / Foundry Basically, you’re investing in a data cable that you know can be plugged into about anything. And no, you probably don’t need a wired data connection in this case, as Wi-Fi and cellular data can be used for anything that you need to download. Plugable identifies its cables with a special red highlight so that you can distinguish it from other cables in your bag. As far as I can tell, it worked just fine, charging my phone on the road during some downtime and saving me from bringing another wall-wart charger. And since the cable handles power up to 240 watts, I could charge my phone, my tablet, and a laptop depending on which one needed some juice. Admittedly, there was just one hitch. Virtually every phone on the planet uses USB-C for charging, now. But the chargers themselves were built years ago. In the airports in San Francisco (SFO), Kahului (Maui/OGG), and the Hyatt and Sheraton hotels I stayed at, every charger was USB-A, not USB-C. The exception? Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, which included both USB-C and USB-A connections. A USB-A socket might be a more common sight than USB-C. depending on where you visit.Mark Hachman / Foundry So did I bring the wrong cables? Maybe. Fortunately, USB-A to USB-C data-blocking cables exist, and PortaPow is a trusted name in that regard. PortaPow’s 3-foot cable is just $6.99, though the company doesn’t state how much power it can handle. In any event, a small data-blocker cable or “cable condom” is cheap, small, secure, inexpensive, and fits easily into a bag or purse — and that red accent certainly helps it to be found when you’re fumbling with a bag in the overhead bin. It’s just a good thing to have on a trip, just in case. buy the PortaPow USB-A to USB-C cable on Amazon Read...

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The iconic “Blue Screen of Death” (now known as the Black Screen of Death) has grown increasingly rare with Windows 11 users hardly seeing it anymore. But that isn’t stopping Apple from using it in its latest advertising/marketing campaign. Apple’s new “Macs don’t panic” ad video is over eight minutes long and mocks Windows being used at a trade show, where an initially successful event ends in the glow of a blue screen fiasco. Apple describes the video: The Underdogs are ready for their first-ever trade show until a PC outage strikes and the Blue Screen of Death threatens their beloved Container Con. Thanks to the security of their Apple products, the Underdogs are unaffected and experience extraordinary success. See how the magic of Mac, iPhone, and iPad comes together to help the Underdogs meet potential clients, bag new business, and even lend a hand to a fellow packaging company. Okay, only marketing people could come up with copy like this. The “Underdogs” are a small start-up and Container Con is a trade show. The short film occasionally shows off Apple elements like the ringtone of an Apple Watch or the “Find My” feature to locate a lost iPhone. But the central concept here is Windows bashing, where the room turns blue because the Windows PCs used at the event crash with blue screens. According to Windows Latest, this is a reference to the global CrowdStrike IT outage, which incidentally was not Microsoft’s fault. Apple seems to be manufacturing a false impression with this short film, as modern Windows 11 computers don’t actually crash en masse like this, nor are Windows users panicking over their operating systems. The scaremongering culminates at 5:03 into the video with the statement: “Huh? It’s a PC problem. Your Macs are secure.” Further reading: How to troubleshoot a Windows blue screen error Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros 4K video with a wide field of view Reliable PoE connection with 24/7 recording AI detection for people, vehicles, and pets Cons Requires the $400 ProSecure NVR to function Installation involves drilling and cable runs No Apple Home support Our Verdict The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 delivers dependable, subscription-free security with crisp video and smart detection, but only if you’re willing to commit to Eufy’s wired ProSecure NVR system. It’s a strong option for homeowners ready to go beyond Wi-Fi cameras. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 Retailer Price $99.99 View Deal $129.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Wi-Fi cameras are popular because you can set them up almost anywhere and be watching video on your phone within minutes. The convenience is hard to beat. But they can also be temperamental. Most are limited to operating on crowded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, live feeds can buffer and stall, and you’re never completely sure the camera captured what you needed–especially with battery-powered cameras that don’t record anything until they detect movement. A power-over-ethernet (PoE) camera, such as the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 reviewed here, avoids those headaches. PoE cameras are also immune to Wi-Fi jamming, although you’ll want to ensure the cable is out of reach of an intruder armed with wire-cutters. A single cable carries both power and data, delivering steadier streams and 24/7 recording not subject to the vagaries of an overburdened wireless network. In this case, the camera’s recordings are stored locally on a network video recorder (NVR, a concept similar to the digital video recorder–DVR–you might use to record video entertainment). This eliminates the need for ongoing subscription fees to store and process video in the cloud. This particular camera is designed to be used with an 8-channel (expandable to 16 channels) Eufy ProSecure S4 NVR ($400 with a 2TB hard drive), which you’ll plug into your router. It cannot operate on its own, so that’s how I reviewed it here. This NVR was part of the TechHive Editors’ Choice-winning Eufy PoE NVR Security System S4 Max system I reviewed in July 2025, so it also includes local AI processing that enables facial, pet, and vehicle, detection to reduce false alerts; “AI Smart Search” that enables you to search for specific events in recorded video; and a host of other advanced features. The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 and Eufy ProSecure S4 NVR combo use artificial intelligence to distinguish between people, vehicles, and pets, which helps cut down on false alerts. The camera itself has an onboard siren and flashing red and blue LEDs, so it can deter intruders as well as record them. Given its system requirements and the need to string cable, the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 will mostly be of interest to hardcore home security buffs and small business owners. Design and features The Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 looks similar to a pan/tilt model, but turret cameras are not motorized, so their field of view can’t be adjusted via an app. A ball-and-socket design enables you to manually adjust a turret camera’s angle of view to a limited degree after mounting it. Eufy’s E41 turret camera is more compact and less conspicuous than bullet cameras, and when mounted under an eave, it blends in and doesn’t draw much attention to itself. The Eufy Turret E41 has a 122-degree field of view, sufficient to cover most front yards, driveways, or side entrances without the need for multiple cameras. Its lens can be manually tilted over an 82-degree arc.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry This is a 4K UHD camera (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) with a 122-degree field of view and 5x digital zoom. That wide viewing angle should cover most front yards, driveways, or side entrances, eliminating the need for multiple cameras. In low light, the Turret E41 relies on a starlight sensor for clear nighttime footage, and it can switch between infrared and spotlight modes depending on the situation. If you want to keep things discreet, infrared captures in black and white while emitting little visible light. If you’d rather see full color video at night and don’t mind a light kicking on, the spotlight mode brightens the area. The camera can be deployed indoors or out, and it carries a weatherization rating of IP67. According to our guide to IP codes, that means the Turret E41 is completely dustproof and that it can withstand immersion in up to one meter (approximately 3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. The camera itself has a built-in siren and red-and-blue flashing lights that can deter intruders as well as record them. The camera and NVR combo use artificial intelligence to distinguish between people, vehicles, and pets, which helps cut down on false alerts. Deployed with compatible Eufy cameras, a cross-camera tracking feature can follow a person as they move around your property, stitching the recordings of several cameras into a continuous clip. You’ll use the Eufy Security app to manage the system’s cameras, and it can be integrated with Amazon Alexa or Google Home, but Apple Home is not currently supported. The eufy Network Video Recorder S4 includes 2TB of local storage that can exdpanded be up to 16TB). Its built-in AI handles detection and tracking without relying on the cloud. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Setup and performance As I’ve already mentioned, the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41 must be wired directly to the ProSecure NVR with an ethernet cable. That means you’ll need to figure out how to run the cable cleanly as well as how to secure it, whether by tacking it along your home’s soffit or siding and possibly drilling a hole through an exterior wall to bring it inside your home. The 2TB mechanical hard drive in the ProSecure NVR S4 will be sufficient for light use, but you’ll run out of storage quickly if you opt for 24/7 recording with multiple cameras. While the camera(s) won’t stop recording as the drive fills up, the NVR will overwrite older recordings; in other words, you’ll lose that history. Fortunately, the drive sits in a standard 3.5-inch bay and can be easily swapped out for a higher-capacity drive, up to 16TB. Just be sure to buy a mechanical drive that’s rated for surveillance, because a run-of-the-mill hard drive won’t stand up to the constant writing. Hard drive manufacturers label their drives accordingly, with Western Digital’s Purple drive lineup and Seagate’s SkyHawk series being two popular choices. SSDs (Solid State Drives) are generally not recommended for this type of application. The NVR must be wired directly to your router, and you’ll use the included mouse and an HDMI-connected monitor to handle the initial configuration. From there it’s about picking your camera spot, mounting the bracket, and connecting the ethernet cable. Once plugged into the NVR, the camera comes online automatically, and you can manage the system from the monitor or the Eufy Security app. In daily use, the Turrent Camera E41 delivers sharp daytime video that lets you pick out small details like license plates or clothing logos. At night, the starlight sensor maintains color well when there’s some ambient light, and the spotlight can light up an area when you want full color. The Eufy Security app lets you view live and recorded video and manage features such as motion detection and lighting. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The AI detection does a solid job of discerning between people from a cars or wandering pets, so you don’t get bombarded with unnecessary alerts. If you’re running more than one camera, as most people will with this system, you can also default to the NVR’s global AI settings. These override whatever you’ve set on individual cameras, which makes it easier to apply consistent detection rules across the system without tweaking each camera one by one. But reliability is the selling point here, and it held up in my testing. I mounted the Turret Cam E41 in a spot where Wi-Fi cameras have given me issues with dropped connections. This one streamed continuously without buffering, and recordings went straight to the NVR without a hitch. The Eufy Security app is straightforward to use and gives you full control of the Turret Cam. It was my preferred interface for viewing live feeds, reviewing recordings, and fine-tuning motion zones, alerts, and audio settings. Everything is laid out cleanly, so you don’t waste time digging through menus to make simple changes. Should you buy the Eufy PoE Turret Security Camera E41? At around $130, the Eufy PoE Turret Cam E41 delivers solid value. You get sharp 4K video, reliable AI detection, and built-in deterrence features without paying for a cloud subscription. Just remember that it doesn’t work on its own—you’ll need the Eufy Network Video Recorder S4 ($400) to run it. If you’re starting from scratch, Eufy sells bundles that combine its NVR with mixes and quantities of its cameras (turret, bullet, and pan/tilt), which is a better deal if you’re planning whole-home coverage. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...