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| PC World - 7 Jan (PC World)Athom unveiled its newest smart home hub at CES 2025 Monday morning. Like its full-sized sibling, the Homey Pro Mini doesn’t rely on the cloud for operation, a feature that allows homeowners a truly local and private experience. With a price tag of $199, this compact yet powerful hub promises to bring privacy-first, highly compatible smart home management to a broader audience.
The Homey Pro Mini is not just another entry in the increasingly crowded smart home market. It stands apart by delivering full functionality without requiring an internet connection, ensuring faster performance, greater reliability, and a robust layer of privacy. Athom, now under LG’s wing following its acquisition in mid-2024, has doubled down on its commitment to creating solutions that empower users to control their homes locally.
This news is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart home systems.
The Homey Pro Mini operates entirely on-premises, leveraging a quad-core ARMv8 processor and 1GB of RAM to deliver smooth automation for up to 20 Homey apps. The average household installs only 14 apps, according to Homey, so this device promises to hit a sweet spot for performance and scalability.
Athom
Embedded Zigbee, Matter, and Thread radios ensure compatibility with over 50,000 smart devices from more than 1,000 brands. Athom’s proprietary Homey Flow and Advanced Flow automation systems allow users to create seamless routines, including energy management and custom notifications. For users who need additional compatibility with Z-Wave, Bluetooth LE, Infrared, or 433 MHz devices, the Mini pairs with the Homey Bridge ($69), extending its capabilities without compromising its local-first philosophy.
Athom delivers privacy without sacrificing features at a low cost
Most smart hubs require a constant internet connection to work, but the Homey Pro Mini’s local-first design ensures that all operations remain within the home. This eliminates the delays and vulnerabilities associated with cloud processing while delivering the speed and reliability users expect.
Despite its local focus, the Homey Pro Mini also includes optional cloud services including the Homey App Store, remote access, and voice assistant integrations with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri. All these features are free of charge. This hybrid approach caters to users who value their privacy but still want the convenience of remote control and broader ecosystem integration.
The Homey Pro Mini’s $199 price promises to make it one of the most accessible, full-featured smart home hubs on the market. Easy setup and standalone functionality offers renters and homeowners alike an alternative to hubs that require complex installations or expensive subscriptions. Athom has also included local backup options with cloud backups available for a modest 99 cents per month, ensuring that users can maintain their automations effortlessly.
Available for pre-order in the U.S. and Canada, the Homey Pro Mini is set to ship in April 2025, with a European rollout planned shortly thereafter. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | Aardvark - 6 Jan (Aardvark)AI looks as if it could deal a deathly blow to the internet as we`ve known it
and that could happen as early as this year. Read...Newslink ©2025 to Aardvark |  |
|  | | RadioNZ - 6 Jan (RadioNZ) Internet searches for `AI pet` have also increased since the end of 2022, according to Google Trends. Read...Newslink ©2025 to RadioNZ |  |
|  | | RadioNZ - 6 Jan (RadioNZ) The report said the deal involves SpaceX supplying Italy with a full range of encryption for telephone and internet services used by the government. Read...Newslink ©2025 to RadioNZ |  |
|  | | PC World - 4 Jan (PC World)BitLocker is a crucial Windows feature that helps secure the data on your PC. The full version of BitLocker is only available on Windows 11 Pro, but you can still use it to a lesser degree on Windows 11 Home. (In fact, it’s one of the best reasons to choose Windows 11 Pro over Home.)
So, whether you’re on Windows 11 Pro or Home, if you aren’t using BitLocker yet, you should definitely start. Here’s everything you need to know about BitLocker and how to get it set up right now.
What is BitLocker?
BitLocker is a secure disk encryption solution that’s built into Windows 11. When your PC uses BitLocker encryption, it stores all the files on its internal storage device in encrypted form.
Modern Windows PCs normally save the necessary decryption key to the PC’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for safe keeping. When you log in and authenticate, the TPM releases the decryption key and you’re able to use your computer like normal. The TPM also checks that your PC hasn’t been tampered with before it releases the decryption key.
Since your files are stored in encrypted form, a thief who steals your laptop won’t be able to access them without logging in as you. No one can open up your laptop, take the drive out, and pry into your data — your files would appear scrambled without the decryption key.
Why you need BitLocker on your PC
BitLocker ensures that only you (or someone with whom you’ve shared your BitLocker recovery key) can access the files on your PC.
It’s a huge deal for businesses who want to make sure that confidential data on company systems can’t easily be viewed by anyone. But it’s also useful security for home PC users — especially laptop users — just in case someone happens to get their hands on your PC.
The full version of BitLocker lets you use encryption without signing into a Microsoft account, lets you store your recovery key in the way of your choosing, and allows BitLocker to be used on a wider range of PCs. None of these are available via BitLocker on Windows 11 Home PCs.
BitLocker Drive Encryption vs. Windows Device Encryption
I’ve hinted at this a few times already, but there are essentially two versions of BitLocker. There’s the “full” BitLocker experience that we’re focusing on here, which is called BitLocker Drive Encryption and is one of biggest reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 Professional.
Next to that, there’s also something called Windows Device Encryption, which uses a lot of the same technology to encrypt your PC’s storage in a simplified way — at least, in some circumstances.
Windows Device Encryption is designed to be totally transparent. If you’re using a modern Windows 11 PC and you sign in with a Microsoft account, then Windows 11 automatically enables Device Encryption to protect your PC’s internal storage and upload the recovery key to your Microsoft account. Your PC’s storage will be protected with BitLocker and automatically unlocked whenever you sign in. If you ever can’t sign in to your PC and lose access to your files, you can get your recovery key from your Microsoft account online to regain access. (It also works if you sign in to a workplace-managed PC. In this case, the recovery key will instead be stored by your organization.)
Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
BitLocker Drive Encryption is more powerful and flexible. You can encrypt your PC’s storage without signing in with a Microsoft account, and you don’t have to store your recovery key with Microsoft at all — you can print it out and store it somewhere in your office, all without it ever leaving your PC’s storage. You can also encrypt other drives (including removable USB drives) with a feature named BitLocker To Go. You also have access to lots of extra settings to customize the way the encryption works.
For the average PC user, Device Encryption is great — it’s what’s keeping most Windows 11 Home PCs encrypted. The Microsoft account and recovery key upload requirements ensure that you can’t accidentally lose access to your PC’s files, and even if you lose your recovery key, you can always access it online via your Microsoft account.
A caveat for Windows Device Encryption
At this point, I want to note that some older Windows 11 PCs may not support Device Encryption. It’s up to manufacturers to configure their PCs to work with Device Encryption out of the box.
Want to check if your Windows 11 PC supports Device Encryption? Open the Settings app, select Privacy & security in the left pane, and click Device encryption under Security:
Chris Hoffman / IDG
If you don’t see this option, your PC doesn’t have it. If you want it, you’ll have to upgrade to Windows 11 Professional to unlock the full BitLocker experience instead.
Requirements for using BitLocker
For the most powerful and configurable BitLocker experience on Windows 11, you’ll need Windows 11 Professional or one of the other non-consumer editions of Windows 11 (meaning Enterprise, Education, or Workstation). The only edition it’s limited on is Home.
For optimal security, BitLocker also requires a computer with TPM 1.2 hardware or newer. (Remember, BitLocker stores its decryption key in the TPM.) Since one of the most important system requirements for Windows 11 is TPM 2.0, all Windows 11 PCs should support this.
Microsoft spells out a few other obscure requirements, like how your hard disk must be partitioned with two drives, including a small system partition designed to boot Windows before decrypting the drive. Windows 11 automatically creates these partitions when it’s installed though, so it’s nothing you really have to worry about.
And that’s it. If you’re on Windows 11 Home and want to unlock the full potential of BitLocker, see our guide on upgrading to Windows 11 Pro without reinstalling the operating system.
What to know before using BitLocker
BitLocker can make data recovery a bit more complicated. If your PC dies and you have to pull the storage device from it and plug it into a separate PC to recover your data, you won’t be able to view the files on it — until you provide your BitLocker recovery key, which is stored in your Microsoft account online (with Device Encryption) or wherever you chose to personally save it (with BitLocker Drive Encryption).
Naturally, this is also what prevents thieves from accessing your files. No one is getting access to them without your recovery key.
Your BitLocker recovery key is crucial. Let’s say you use BitLocker Drive Encryption to store your files and you later experience a problem with your PC and need that recovery key. If you don’t have it anymore, you’re toast. Those files are irretrievable. If you don’t have a copy of the recovery key, hopefully you at least have backups of those files!
Chris Hoffman / IDG
BitLocker may also reduce your PC’s storage performance. You’ll see the claim that “BitLocker slows SSDs by up to 45 percent” online, but that isn’t the full story — that’s just the result from one particular synthetic benchmark on one particular PC configuration. The precise performance impact will depend on your PC’s hardware, the workload you’re putting your storage through, and your BitLocker settings.
If you have a desktop gaming PC or high-end workstation that sits in a room in your home and you’re more worried about getting maximum performance than someone stealing it and snooping on your files, you may want to leave BitLocker disabled.
On the other hand, if you use a laptop for work — or even just personal tasks — then a potential small slowdown is a reasonable price to pay to ensure your sensitive files are protected in case you ever find your laptop lost or stolen. Modern laptops are pretty fast, and you almost certainly won’t notice a difference in productivity applications and web browsing performance when you have BitLocker enabled.
Setting up BitLocker on a Windows 11 PC
To activate BitLocker Drive Encryption on your Windows 11 PC, you’ll first need to upgrade to Windows 11 Professional if you haven’t already done so. Then, you can open the classic Control Panel and search for “BitLocker” to find the BitLocker settings. From here, you can activate (or deactivate) BitLocker for any drive:
Chris Hoffman / IDG
Want to use Windows Device Encryption instead? Head to Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption to find the settings for it. (If you don’t see Device Encryption as an option on this page, your PC doesn’t support Device Encryption.)
Chris Hoffman / IDG
Device Encryption should be enabled by default if you sign in with a Microsoft account. But to ensure it’s enabled, visit this settings page, check that it’s toggled to On, and be sure to sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account (not a local user account).
Keep in mind when using BitLocker…
When using BitLocker, the most important thing is that you need to keep tabs on your recovery key. If you lose it, you’ll lose access to all the files on your PC — and so you should store it with your Microsoft account online unless you have a good reason not to.
If you choose not to store your BitLocker recovery key with your Microsoft account online, you’ll want to store it somewhere else safe and secure. You may want to print it on a piece of paper and store it in a physical safe, for example. It’s also a good idea to have up-to-date backups of your files, whether in the cloud or on a local storage device. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | BBCWorld - 3 Jan (BBCWorld)The ruling marks a significant moment in the long running battle over how to regulate internet providers. Read...Newslink ©2025 to BBCWorld |  |
|  | | PC World - 3 Jan (PC World)It seems like every new laptop lately is a “Windows Copilot+ PC.” With Intel’s Lunar Lake and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 CPUs, AI-infused Copilot+ PCs have finally expanded into traditional x86 laptop territory. They aren’t limited to just Arm-powered laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite hardware anymore.
That’s good news for everyone. Along with speedy neural processing units (NPU) that are capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), Copilot+ PCs must have at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If that’s the new baseline for Windows PCs, that’s awesome. It will benefit you even if you don’t care about AI.
So, your next laptop might just be a Copilot+ PC. But if you ask me, Copilot+ PCs still leave a lot to be desired. While those min specs are great, there’s more to a great laptop experience than hardware. If Microsoft wants people to truly care about Copilot+ PCs, there are some serious improvements that need to happen sooner than later.
Related: PC makers say tomorrow’s AI PCs need to just keep it simple
Windows needs to integrate AI better
Chris Hoffman / IDG
Copilot+ PCs should feel more revolutionary than they currently do. At launch, we got a collection of small little features in apps like Paint and Photos, some webcam effects, and a few other goodies. It’s just not a transformative AI experience the way those Copilot+ PC ads promised.
When I hear about transformative AI integration in Windows, I imagine Windows rewriting text in any application, or summarizing anything that’s on the screen, or noticing that I’m performing a repetitive task and offering to automate it for me.
What if Windows AI truly understood what you were doing on your PC and could help you get those things done? That would be interesting, but it isn’t happening on Copilot+ PCs.
Privacy and choice need to be a priority
Microsoft’s Windows Recall feature was supposed to be the impressive new thing that sold everyone on the power of AI PCs, and it was the centerpiece of Microsoft’s original Copilot+ PC announcement back in May 2024. Recall takes screenshots of your PC activity every five seconds, then lets you search through it all using plain-language AI queries.
Of course, it was immediately controversial. While Microsoft insisted it was private and secure, there was severe backlash over privacy concerns — so severe, in fact, that the company backed down, pulled the feature, and promised to make changes to address criticism. As we reach the end of 2024, Recall continues to see delay after delay.
For people to trust Copilot+ PCs, privacy, control, and user choice needs to be at the forefront. Recall was actually designed in a more private way than the controversy implied — for example, those snapshots are stored entirely on your computer and nothing is ever shared with Microsoft. But concerns are still concerns, and it’s clear that Microsoft didn’t take those concerns seriously when originally designing Recall.
Future Copilot+ PC features need to be designed in a way that garners user trust from day one, without repeated delays while the company scrambles to rework features after the fact. It’s just a bad look.
Copilot needs to work offline (somehow)
Chris Hoffman / IDG
The name “Copilot+ PC” implies that you’ll be able to do more with Microsoft’s Copilot AI chatbot assistant on such PCs. Unfortunately, that isn’t true at all. While these PCs do have a Copilot key on the keyboard, that key also exists on many non-Copilot+ PCs, too. You don’t actually get any bonus Copilot features.
Want Copilot AI features in Microsoft Word and other Office apps? You won’t get it with a Copilot+ PC. Instead, you need to shell out for a Copilot Pro subscription. Not the clearest naming scheme!
To deliver on the promise of the name, Microsoft should make Copilot work offline in some form, perhaps on Copilot+ PCs to provide speedy AI answers even without an internet connection — and without sending any data to Microsoft, which would be a big boon for businesses that want to maintain control over internal data. Ideally, Copilot should still be able to access Microsoft’s cloud servers for more information when necessary.
But all of this really just points to an even bigger problem: Copilot itself might need a big rethink. In my experience, the new Copilot is more focused on friendly chatter than real productivity. I don’t want my laptop to be my friend — I want it to be a productivity tool!
AI image features need to work offline, too
The generative image features on Copilot+ PCs are a little sad. For example, Cocreator in Paint can “upgrade” something you draw, and you can also generate images in Photos. But that’s… it?
On a Copilot+ PC, these features use the system’s NPU to perform AI image generation. But they require you sign in with a Microsoft account, and they send your generated image to Microsoft’s servers for safety checks before showing them to you. In other words, you have to be connected to the internet — they don’t work offline.
What’s the point of using the system’s NPU to do image generation locally if it doesn’t work offline, requires a Microsoft account, and sends the image to Microsoft’s servers? You might as well just use cloud-based AI image solutions that do all the work on a cloud server somewhere.
Image generation models need to catch up
Chris Hoffman / IDG
The argument for using cloud-based AI image tools is especially strong because the image generation models on Copilot+ PCs just aren’t great. Yes, they technically work… but they’re far behind the latest AI image generation models you can find elsewhere. Cloud-powered models like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, which is used by Copilot and Microsoft Designer, generate much higher-quality images.
Copilot+ PCs need to be more competitive with the latest cloud-powered AI image models that can be used on any device, even phones. Otherwise, what’s the point?
AI features should support NPUs and GPUs
Gaming PCs are being left out of the Copilot+ PC push. That’s a shame because a powerful GPU isn’t just for gaming — it’s also the best way to run local AI models with the fastest possible performance. Indeed, while NPUs are getting all the hype, GPUs are still the fastest way to run many local AI applications that do the work on your own PC.
NPUs are useful for AI tasks because they provide better performance than a CPU and less energy usage than a GPU. And with Copilot+ PCs being all about long battery life and power efficiency, it’s clear why NPUs are in the spotlight. But what about when battery life and power efficiency aren’t so important? GPUs are still the best for that, and that means gaming laptops shouldn’t be overlooked for AI tasks.
When designing Copilot+ PCs and Windows AI features, Microsoft has ignored GPUs — if your computer doesn’t have an NPU, it simply can’t use those AI features. That’s a mistake.
Related: The best gaming laptops that perform well
Desktop PCs and gaming laptops should also be Copilot+ PCs
Orva Studio / Unsplash
Copilot+ PCs are currently limited to thin-and-light laptops. Do you have a desktop? Too bad. It can’t yet be a Copilot+ PC. Do you want a gaming laptop with a powerful CPU like Intel’s Raptor Lake refresh? Also too bad. That can’t be a Copilot+ PC either.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite hardware is only for laptops, and the company canceled its planned Snapdragon mini PC. Intel’s Arrow Lake Core Ultra desktop chips include an NPU that’s too slow for Copilot+ PC features, and AMD’s Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs don’t have an NPU at all.
Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm need to release processors for other form factors, not just the thin-and-light laptops that are in vogue. Of course, this will likely happen in time: Qualcomm has said it plans to release its Snapdragon X processors for PC desktops, and Intel and AMD will surely bring faster NPUs to desktops in the future, too.
Apps need to use that Copilot runtime
Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC specification isn’t just about getting new AI features built into Windows. It’s about establishing an entirely new type of app that requires AI-related hardware and a minimum hardware level for developers to target.
When Microsoft first announced Copilot+ PCs, it also announced the Windows Copilot Runtime, which is a collection of AI models that are built directly into Windows. Windows applications can take advantage of these AI models… but only if you’re on a qualified Copilot+ PC.
Some companies have told me about how their Windows applications can take advantage of NPUs for AI tasks, but I’ve yet to hear about a single application that uses the Windows Copilot Runtime for AI. If the industry wants to sell Copilot+ PCs for their unique features, Windows app devs will need to ship apps that take advantage of that Copilot Runtime.
That’s a tall order, though. Most AI applications are being built in a cross-platform way using cloud-based AI processing so they can run on any platform, whether a Windows PC or a Chromebook or an Android phone. Microsoft will have to convince app developers to build AI features that work only on a certain subset of Windows 11 PCs — and without proper incentives, it’s unlikely for any to take them up on that.
Bonus: The prices need to come down
IDG
One final but obvious point: Copilot+ PCs need to come down in price to achieve widespread adoption — and they do need to achieve widespread adoption if app developers are going to take them seriously enough to develop specialized software for them.
If Copilot+ PCs stay as high-end niche products used only by PC enthusiasts, then they’re going to be easy to ignore. They won’t get the software they need to be interesting, and Microsoft won’t be moved to release interesting Windows features that only a few can use.
Right now, we’re nearing the end of 2024 and it’s still hard to get a Copilot+ PC for much less than $1,000. You may be able to save a couple hundred bucks if you catch a Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptop on sale, otherwise you’re out of luck. That’s no surprise, though, as those laptops just came out (and Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Ryzen AI 300-powered laptops just started to trickle out at the end of 2024).
We’re going to need to see the price come way down in the future so that people will happily buy Copilot+ PCs instead of getting last year’s laptops at half the price. A premium pricing strategy is a good way for hardware manufacturers to make money on their hardware, but a bad way to build an application platform. Fortunately, we’ve seen some first moves on this, like Qualcomm talking about a cheaper Snapdragon X Plus chip that’ll pave the way for $700 Copilot+ laptops.
And, of course, if prices do drop, that’ll be good for everyone. Whether the AI features are useful or not, I look forward to more affordable laptops with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as the minimum!
Further reading: The best laptop deals (updated daily) Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 2 Jan (PC World)TL;DR: Find the best deals on airfare and lodging when you get a lifetime subscription to OneAir Elite, only $49.97 (reg. $790) through January 12.
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|  | | PC World - 2 Jan (PC World)Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are one of the most effective ways to keep your data private and secure while online. They encrypt and hide our confidential web activity and are a key component in helping us to navigate safely while connected to the internet.
As VPN usage continues to increase globally these apps are quickly becoming a cornerstone of our online security. Due to this importance, it’s worth looking at what’s in store for the next-gen VPNs to see how they’ll continue to provide us privacy and security into the future.
From VPNs utilizing blockchain to new encryption standards even quantum computers can’t break—and maybe even anonymity for your smart appliances—here are the coming advancements in VPN tech I’m most excited for.
Further reading: Best VPN services 2024: Top picks for speed, price, privacy, and more
Blockchain technology is coming to VPNs
The decentralized node structure of a dVPN may be the way of the future.NordVPN
Decentralized VPNs, or dVPNs, offer a new twist on VPN technology and they are quickly growing in popularity. By distributing network functions across many nodes rather than routing traffic through one company’s centralized servers, they can theoretically afford better privacy and security to users.
A dVPN runs on a peer-to-peer network that leverages blockchain technology. Decentralized nodes, operated by volunteer hosts, eliminate single points of failure and ensure that no single entity has control over every user’s data. Due to a dVPN’s more democratic functioning, they are also seen as being more resistant to censorship and government data sharing.
Just over the last year or two, decentralized VPNs have started to gain traction in the global market. So does this mean crypto bros are about to take over your VPNs? Not likely. While dVPNs certainly seem like an attractive offer, more so with all of the hype surrounding everything crypto and blockchain nowadays, this decentralization doesn’t inherently mean a better experience.
With a traditional VPN, you have to put your trust in just one company. But this company, assuming you choose wisely, will run regular audits to prove it’s trustworthy, has a vested interest in keeping its network secure, and has the financial backing to continually make improvements to its applications.
Using a dVPN on the other hand means that you have to trust each volunteer node host. Depending on how the dVPN company operates, these hosts may not be required to prove their trustworthiness or the privacy of their nodes.
So, while dVPNs are sure to become a popular choice for those seeking decentralized privacy, there will still be a place for traditional VPNs in the future. What is most likely is that you’ll see two separate markets develop, one for dVPN services and another for traditional centralized VPN services. It will then be up to you as the user to choose which you believe is best suited to protect your data.
The post-quantum encryption revolution is upon us
Post-quantum encryption will become the new standard for VPNs in the near future.Pixabay
In August of this year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) made history by releasing the first quantum-resistant encryption standards. Outside of a few overly enthusiastic cryptographers, this news might not have made a splash but it’s set to have huge implications for the future of online privacy and security.
Researchers and tech companies are racing to build quantum computers that will have the capability to crush the encryption standards of today’s machines in mere minutes—something currently impossible.
So, how does this relate to VPNs? Well, VPNs are heavily reliant on cryptographic protocols for securing communication on their networks. When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts your traffic by scrambling the data into an unreadable form, thereby preventing third parties from viewing and understanding that data. If a quantum computer with vastly greater computational power were to get ahold of this same encrypted data, it could decipher it with ease.
These new ‘post-quantum’ encryption standards will not only set the bar for VPN providers in the coming years, but also provide a roadmap to help them become more secure. “Post-quantum” encryption will become a selling point that VPNs will advertise and market to consumers.
For users, it might seem like a boutique feature now, but once quantum computers are up and running—most experts believe it could be within the next decade—you’ll absolutely want your VPN to be using these new standards.
We’re already seeing some VPN providers offer ‘post-quantum’ encryption. Just recently NordVPN took the initiative and launched an app with post-quantum support. Others such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark have also implemented their own versions as well. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes the new norm for all VPNs.
VPNs will soon protect your refrigerator, too
The all encompassing internet of things, or IoT, refers to a network of connected devices that communicate and share data with each other. For most people, this takes the form of smart home devices such as thermostats, TVs, lights, refrigerators, and home security systems. Thanks to IoT devices we now have more control over our environment than ever before.
When it comes to cybersecurity however, smart devices are generally some of the most vulnerable and least protected pieces on your home network. Cybercriminals love to exploit IoT devices and in many cases, simply hacking one device will give them access to everything else.
VPNs are out to change this in the near future. By providing fully integrated home network security, a VPN can encrypt and protect communications for all of your devices. Unlike the typical personal VPN that requires you to connect each individual device, IoT VPNs extend across an entire network to safeguard all devices. At home this can already be done via a router VPN.
Unfortunately, there are still a few drawbacks to using a router method. Many VPN providers still impose simultaneous device connection limits that can be taken up quickly by all of your IoT devices. Router VPNs also create a single point of failure meaning you need to make sure failsafes, such as an automatic killswitch, are set up correctly. This all requires a bit of technical know-how which the average layperson may not have.
Routers with built-in VPNs, like Aircove from ExpressVPN, are just one of the ways that next-gen VPNs will protect all of the devices on your home network.
ExpressVPN
VPN companies are working on new and innovative solutions for at-home IoT coverage. More and more services are switching over to unlimited device connection models. Others such as ExpressVPN have even started selling their own routers, ready to go right out of the box, with the VPN built into them.
VPNs are likely to begin offering configurable IoT options in their mobile apps as well. This will allow users to easily control which devices on their home network are connected through the VPN, all in a centralized hub. So in the future, even the AI-generated grocery list from your smart fridge will be encrypted and secure from prying eyes. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 1 Jan (PC World)TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to this all-in-one creative AI tool for $69.99 during our New Year’s sale (reg. $972).
Hustling as a content creator or running a small business often feels like a never-ending circus act. You’re the designer, the writer, the web developer, the marketer… and the list goes on. But what if you could clone yourself or hire some super-cheap help?
Enter AI Magicx. This suite of AI content creation tools is like having a whole team of digital assistants at your beck and call. Maybe you’ll start with a new logo. Use the logo generator to create a unique brand identity in seconds. Not happy with the result? Just refine your request and keep going until you find the perfect fit. Then, explore the rest of the tools.
Build a basic website for your business with the AI coder. Its chatbot gives you written code, developer assistance, and a code analyzer if you’re somewhat of a coder yourself.
AI Magicx can also generate AI articles and images for your website and social media. With unlimited words and 250 images per month, you’ll have a constant stream of fresh content.
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