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The best VPNs aren't always the most expensive. Some leading VPNs are actually really affordable, which is great news for anyone looking to secure cheap online security, data protection, and increased streaming options.

You have come to the right place if you're looking for a premium VPN with advanced features, without the big price tag. We've lined up some great value options for absolutely everyone, and there is no need to compromise on security, connection speed, customer support, or anything else.

But first, there are a few things we need to cover.

What is a VPN?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide valuable protection for your data and identity when you're navigating the online world. How do they do this? VPNs offer online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address and makes all of your information unreadable.

All of your activity is untraceable and secure, because your online traffic passes through an encrypted tunnel. Everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware. VPNs are primarily designed to provide online security, but there is another reason that millions of people use these services.

SEE ALSO: The best VPNs for your iPhone

VPNs can also be used to stream movies and shows from around the world, and the process is actually really simple. We've already mentioned how VPNs provide anonymity by hiding your real IP address. Well, this technique can also be used to manipulate the streaming market. By hiding your real IP address and connecting you to a server in another location, you can trick your favourite streaming sites into thinking that you are based in a different country. This provides access to all the extra content that would normally be restricted in your location.

Should you use free VPNs?

The question that everyone wants an answer to is whether you actually need to pay for a VPN. There are plenty of free VPNs out there, but do these offer the features you need to browse, shop, and stream securely? Unfortunately, there is often a catch with free versions (usually in the form of a limitation on your data usage or connection speed).

Occasional users will probably be satisfied with a free VPN, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading on a regular basis, you should look elsewhere. The only exception to this rule is a free trial. These come without limitations, but obviously don't tend to last for a long time.

The conclusion is that the best option for securing your data and streaming more content from around the world is with a paid subscription. The sad fact is that you'll have to pay to gain access to advanced security features without limitations on your usage. It's not all bad news though, because there are plenty of cheap plans out there, especially if you're willing to commit to a lengthy contract.

What should you consider before subscribing to a VPN?

The process of actually selecting a VPN can be seriously tricky, especially if you don't know what to consider. Most of the best VPNs offer many of the same features with similar packages, so it's important to know what matters.

To make your life a little bit easier, we have shortlisted a few things to consider before making any sort of decision:

• Customer support — VPNs can be difficult to understand if you're not an experienced user, and even if you are, problems can occur. Whether you're a total beginner or not, customer support is key for dealing with any potential issues that might arise. You should also consider whether customer support is offered by phone, email, or web chat.

• Jurisdiction — It's a good idea to look for VPNs based in the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Switzerland, and other privacy-friendly countries. VPNs based in countries that fall under the jurisdiction of the intelligence-sharing alliances should be avoided: the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Spain. VPNs in these countries can be forced by authorities to collect and hand over user data.

• Network size and location — The best VPNs offer a large network of geographically diverse servers. The more servers (and server locations) offered by a VPN, the more likely you are to find a reliable and fast connection. This is also particularly important for streaming, as you should always be able to connect to a server in the country with the content you want to watch.

• Trustworthiness — We recommend finding an experienced provider with a strong track record and a clear privacy policy. It's important that your VPN of choice guarantees your data won't be logged or collected. If it isn't obvious what happens to your data, you should steer clear.

Make sure you carefully consider these features before deciding on the VPN that suits you and your lifestyle. Once you have narrowed down your options, you can begin the process of finding the best deals.

What is the best VPN?

We're sorry to burst your bubble, but there isn't one VPN that stands above all the rest. The best VPN for you really comes down to your own set of personal preferences. Once you find a few options that tick your boxes, you need to consider the best deals.

We have reached out to partners in order to provide you with market-leading prices on VPN subscriptions, with performance and security in mind. All of these VPN services have been handpicked not only because of the prices and deals on offer, but because they all offer the most important features to protect your online data and identity.

There are also plenty of services to consider on this list if your priority is unlocking streaming sites like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Online security should always be the priority, but we know that many subscribers use these services to unlock more content from around the world. We get it, and we're here to help.

These are the best deals on cheap VPNs in 2025.

TL;DR: Get the Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle on sale for £93.89 (reg. £533.66) and save 82% on this award-winning, AI-powered photo editing software.

Opens in a new window Credit: Luminar Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle £93.89 at the Mashable Shop
£533.66 Save £439.77 Get Deal

If you're a photography enthusiast or a professional looking to shake things up, photo editing tools that utilise AI are an easy way to boost your creativity. Now, you can get your photos to look exactly how you want — and without spending months learning Photoshop. For a limited time, you can get lifetime access to Luminar Neo, along with unique add-ons, for hundreds of pounds off the regular retail price.

Luminar Neo will help you enhance tone, correct colour and lighting, remove unwanted objects, and make other creative adjustments in an instant. You can do magical things like retouching a person's skin and swapping out the sky. You'll also get pro-level tools that use AI to transform and enhance your photos.

This bundle also comes with six specialty add-ons to help you further enhance the look of your photos. This includes the Light Reflections Overlay that gives you 10 overlays to add a different feel and intensity to your pics. Or, if you want to lean into the holiday season, you can use the Frosty Winter LUTs add-on or the Wintertime Overlay add-on.

You'll get a wide range of editing tools, including layers, masking, local adjustments, pro-level presets, and continuous software updates. You can also use AI to manipulate light, upscale, remove background, and much more. You also get a video course called "Creative Photo Editing Techniques in Luminar Neo" that includes 10 tutorial videos.

A Red Dot winner in 2022 for Interface Design, this pay-once software can help you amp up your photographic creativity. And it's on sale at the Mashable Shop for 82% off the usual price.

Again, head to the Mashable Shop to get the Luminar Neo lifetime bundle on sale for £93.89 (reg. £533.66).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League's first knockout round includes some really interesting matchups, including Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan. Sure, there are probably more glamorous matchups, but this two-legged fixture is really difficult to call. Feyenoord have already dumped AC Milan out of the competition. Could they do the same to the blue half of Milan?

If you want to watch Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan?

Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on March 5. This fixture takes place at De Kuip.

How to watch Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan for free

Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final is looming large on the horizon, but there's only one spot left in this showpiece event. South Africa came out on top in Group B, and now they face off against New Zealand in the second semi final of the tournament.

If you want to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is South Africa vs. New Zealand?

South Africa vs. New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on March 5. This ODI takes place at the Gaddafi Stadium.

How to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand for free

The following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:

• Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)

• India — Disney+ Hotstar

• New Zealand — Sky TV NZ

• Pakistan — Tamasha (free) and PTV (free)

• UK — Sky Sports

• USA — Willow and Sling TV

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Pakistan

4. Visit Tamasha or PTV

5. Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream South Africa vs. New Zealand (plus the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

We're living in a high-definition, super-connected world. It makes sense that 4K smart TVs are now the expected standard for streaming from your favourite apps, up-to-date to gaming, and accessing a whole host of tech-savvy features. Not to mention the fact that 4K resolution looks absolutely incredible across a 50-inch (or bigger) screen.

Let's put it another way: You need a TV that’s up to the task of keeping you entertained while also keeping pace with the latest innovations. But one that comes at a price that suits you, of course. Thankfully, there's no shortage of choice when it comes to 4K TVs. The top manufacturers, such as Samsung and LG, update their smart TV ranges pretty much every year. There's never a bad time to upgrade.

But with an ever-growing selection of TV brands, not to mention all the head-spinning terminology, choosing a new 4K TV isn't always straightforward. If you want the latest spec — and a model that won't look out of date after a few months — it can be hard to navigate. After all, it wasn't so long ago that Full HD was the sharpest resolution on the block. Now it's budget level.

To help put you in the picture, we've pulled together some helpful information and a selection of the best 4K TVs available right now.

What resolution is 4K?

The futuristic sounding 4K is another way of saying ultra-high definition. A 4K TV display has at least 8 million active pixels. That’s a standardised resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 — four times the resolution of the HD standard of 1080p. Top branded TVs will also do a great job of upscaling regular HD and SD content so it looks as polished as possible on your 4K display.

How big are 4K TVs?

When it comes to 4K, bigger is indeed better. And why not? A bigger screen makes sense to get the most out of the 4K quality — and to set these TVs apart from smartphones and small devices, which we increasingly use to watch HD content. The smallest size in 4K is usually 48 inches, going up to 55, 65, 75, and even 80+ inch screens. The screen size is measured diagonally, from corner to corner.

How much do 4K TVs cost?

This very much depends on the spec and manufacturer. It’s possible to find basic (but good quality) models around the £400 mark. You might be surprised to find that for TVs that offer multiple screen sizes, there isn’t a huge price difference between 48 and 65-inch models. It’s when you go past 80 inches that the prices really start to go up.

What’s better, OLED or QLED?

OLED and QLED are the panel technologies behind premium 4K screens. OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. It uses a carbon-based film between two conductors that emits its own light when electric current is passed through. This creates a “self-emissive” display, as the OLED panel generates light without needing to use a backlight (as used by LCD displays). Its pixels are individually lit.

OLED has whiter whites, because the panel lights itself, and blacker blacks, because the pixels turn off entirely without using a backlight. OLED prevents “hotpsots” (overly bright areas) and “blooming” (when lighter images bleed into dark patches).

QLED stands for Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode. Championed by Samsung — the world’s biggest manufacturer of televisions — QLED is a type of LCD panel technology. It uses an LCD backlight and quantum dot colour filter that boosts colour and contrast. QLED is renowned for delivering a brighter picture than OLED — which is especially useful if you’re watching in a brightly-lit room. Samsung also has its own version called Neo QLED, which replaces usual LED diodes with ever smaller "mini" LEDs.

What is the best 4K TV for gaming?

If you’re planning on connecting a TV to a PS5 or Xbox Series X, there are features to look out for. Make sure it has HDMI 2.1 ports, which deliver better bandwidth, higher resolution, and higher frame rates. A gaming-friendly TV will also support eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), 4K@120Hz (High Frame Rate), HGiG tone-mapping, and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).

What is the best 4K TV?

We've searched the internet for some of the best 4K TVs. Maybe you're looking for pure power, or maybe you're on a tight budget. No matter what you're looking for, there should be something for you in this list. These 4K TVs are truly eye-popping.

These are the best 4K TVs in 2025.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

In the age of on-demand everything, hookup apps are the go-to for casual dating. After all, if we can stream movies (thank you, Netflix) and order a takeaway with just a few taps, why can't we find a potential partner the same way?

Sometimes all you want is a little fun, and there's an app for that.

How do you find a hookup?

It's still possible to find a connection in the real world. Meeting in bars, clubs, parks, and other real-life locations still happens on a regular basis. You're simply shortening your odds by subscribing to a dating site.

Dating sites and sex apps allow you to get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals. Plus, you can save a lot of time, energy, and cash by testing out a potential relationship on an app before meeting up. We know that some dating apps can be expensive, but just think about all those wasted coffees you could avoid by chatting through an app first.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for sending naughty messages

Using dating apps and sites is also a whole lot less intimidating than meeting someone face to face. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you dip your toe into the world of dating from the comfort of your own home.

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are popular options with massive networks of users. Plus, most of the biggest and best dating sites have free versions with limitations on certain features. So yes, you can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything. However, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with dating apps. And sometimes free apps just don't cut it.

For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up some cash. We're sorry to break it to you, but the best dating sites don't come cheap. It all comes down to access to advanced and premium features. You can still find a hookup with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading.

What makes an app good for hooking up?

There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hookup apps. What works for your friends might not work for you. Your best bet is to download a handful of options and see which one clicks with your vibe.

Skip the apps that are all about romance and happily ever afters (we're looking at you, eharmony). Instead, keep an eye out for apps that get straight to the point. The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging, video calls, all that good stuff), and even the free ones should have features like profile verification to help keep you safe.

If you really want to pay for a premium membership, that's up to you. But we recommend starting with the free versions of cult faves like Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge. These popular dating apps give you just enough functionality to connect with potential partners for casual encounters — all without spending anything.

What is the best sex and dating app for hooking up?

The good news is that there are absolutely loads of dating sites and sex apps out there for every type of dater and dating situation. The problem with this wealth of options is that deciding on the right site for you can be difficult. This is where we can help.

Whether you're looking to have a one-night stand, exchange nudes with strangers, or have some phone sex before you doze off, we've rounded up the most reliable hookup apps for every type of single. You can download them via Google Play or the App Store and start swiping in minutes.

These are the best hookup sites and apps in 2025.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 5 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: The outermost part of something

• Green: Nail care

• Blue: Causes of eye irritation

• Purple: Unfinished name for types of rec sports

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Periphery

• Green: Things People Do To Fingernails

• Blue: What Might Bring Tears To Your Eyes

• Purple: ___Ball Recreational Sports

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #633 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Periphery: BORDER, EDGE, FRINGE, SKIRT

• Things People Do To Fingernails: BITE, CLIP, FILE, PAINT

• What Might Bring Tears To Your Eyes: ALLERGY, MELODRAMA, ONION, RELIEF

• ___Ball Recreational Sports: DODGE, KICK, PICKLE, SOFT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 5

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for March 5 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 5, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A formation of rugby players during a game.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SCRUM.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 5

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

I have something shameful to confess: I never got around to watching Netflix's Daredevil. But after watching Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel's soft reboot of the franchise, I know I need to go back and rectify that error immediately.

SEE ALSO: 'Daredevil: Born Again' trailer marks a bloody return for Matt Murdock, Wilson Fisk, and more

That's because Daredevil: Born Again checks off the major boxes I want from a superhero show (and that I've been missing from the MCU's recent TV offerings). It leans further into serialized elements, offers up relentless action, and never skimps on character beats when it comes to its central masked vigilante, played to perfection by Charlie Cox. While I certainly have my qualms with Daredevil: Born Again — most having to do with Wilson Fisk's (Vincent D'Onofrio) arc — there's no denying that the show has made me a Daredevil fan.

What's Daredevil: Born Again about? Charlie Cox in "Daredevil: Born Again." Credit: Giovanni Rufino

Daredevil: Born Again is pretty accessible to Daredevil newbies like myself, although it helps if you've absorbed some knowledge of the show through pop cultural osmosis. Knowing anything about Matt Murdock's (Cox) power set and his prior showdowns with Fisk will be a huge help, but Born Again does a solid job of keeping you up to speed on what you need to know.

A lot of that comes down to the fact that Born Again resets pretty hard in its first episode. Matt's friends and law partners Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) are back for just a moment before getting swept from the board in different ways, each heartbreaking in its own right. Their presence helps bridge the gap from the Netflix series to Born Again, but their absence stings throughout the season, especially since Matt's new connections, like firm partner Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and love interest Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva), get less development than they deserve. And yes, I might not have watched Daredevil, but even I can't deny the chemistry Matt, Karen, and Foggy shared in their few scenes together! All the more incentive for me — and any other Daredevil newbies — to go back and catch up on what I've missed.

SEE ALSO: All Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked worst to best

Of course, while I grew accustomed to the lack of Foggy and Karen fairly quickly, longtime fans will need more time to process a Daredevil show without them. Daredevil: Born Again seems to know this. In the show's very first scene, Foggy proclaims that his yearning for the Hell's Kitchen of years ago is "not nostalgia." Instead, "it's reverence for the past, yet hope for the future." That mentality seems to be Daredevil: Born Again's ethos going forward. The show aims to respectfully balance the key figures of Matt's old life (aka Netflix's Daredevil) with the big changes ahead.

The biggest change? No more Daredevil. With Karen and Foggy out of the picture, Matt makes a vow to retire his vigilante persona once and for all. His enemy Fisk does something similar, opting to leave his villainous Kingpin days behind and run for New York City mayor. (A famously non-shady position.) For Matt and Fisk alike, their dismissal of their alter egos signals an attempt to achieve their goals through the "right" channels. Yet over the course of Born Again, both men find themselves drawn inexorably back into their past habits. It's only a matter of time until they revert to their old ways, right?

That reversion may take longer than Daredevil fans might expect. Matt doesn't spend a lot of time in his Daredevil suit, for example, but that doesn't mean we don't get scenes of him in action. Still, the tension between his "real" self and the lurking presence of his vigilante persona remains the most fascinating part of Born Again, as Matt reckons with whether he can still do the most good without the help of Daredevil.

Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock is the highlight of Daredevil: Born Again, but Fisk flounders. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio in "Daredevil: Born Again." Credit: Giovanni Rufino

This won't come as a surprise to Daredevil viewers, but there's no denying Charlie Cox is perfectly cast as Matt Murdock. Charismatic flirt, tortured hero... He can do it all.

Cox's assuredness in the role is undoubtedly one of the reasons why I acclimated so quickly to Born Again. Even if you don't know or don't remember the ins and outs of Netflix's Daredevil, you've got a great guide in Cox, whose firm grasp on Matt Murdock keeps Daredevil chugging along in a more character-driven fashion.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Fisk or his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer). The pair's gravelly-voiced illegal dealings often feel out of place in Born Again, like a watered-down caricature of The Sopranos. Yes, Born Again is clearly interested in paralleling the chafing between Fisk's new mayoral office and criminal instincts with Matt's own identity crisis. For some scenes, especially intercut montages of the two facing similar turning points, this works wonders. But too often, the Fisks' repetitive discussions of gang payback and bureaucratic red tape bog down an otherwise propulsive show.

No wonder, then, that Born Again's best installment is also the one that doesn't feature any Fisk action at all. Coming halfway through the season, the episode treats us to a tightly-focused hostage situation that puts Cox's star power on full display — and reminds us of the power of serialized TV. Other standout arcs include the trial of Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes), a man falsely accused of killing a cop, as well as the search for the menacing serial killer known as Muse. The Ayala trial grants us the gift of Matt in full attorney mode, while Muse's murder methods are some of the most stomach-churning on the show. Unfortunately, the Muse storyline lacks the development to truly stick its landing, but its truncated beats can't stop Muse from cementing himself as one of the scariest villains in the MCU.

Kingpin lurks at the edges of these storylines, mostly to rasp about how much he hates Matt and vigilantes. But it's toward the end of the season, when his and Matt's paths really begin to intersect, that the show loses more of its way. Daredevil: Born Again was the subject of a major creative overhaul during production, so perhaps its clumsy conclusion is part of that messy process shining through.

Overall, though, Daredevil: Born Again stakes its claim as one of the MCU's strongest TV entries, thanks in no small part to Cox's work and some exceptionally gnarly fights. These elements are strong enough that they made me a Daredevil fan without even having seen the original. Fret not, they've also encouraged me to go back in time and catch up on what I was missing out on. If Daredevil: Born Again is enough to go off of, then I'm in for a treat.

The first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again are now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes premiering Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has just added new exploits to its actively exploited list, as first noticed by BleepingComputer.

CISA's actions basically serve as a warning to U.S. federal agencies about vulnerabilities currently being exploited in the wild. 

One exploit being tracked, CVE-2023-20118, allows hackers to remotely "execute arbitrary commands" on certain VPN routers. These routers include Cisco Small Business Routers RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325.

"An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to the web-based management interface," CISA wrote. "A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain root-level privileges and access unauthorized data."

In order to take advantage of this exploit, an attacker would need admin credentials. However, as BleepingComputer points out, hackers could take advantage of another vulnerability, CVE-2023-20025, in order to bypass authentication. 

Another vulnerability added by CISA is CVE-2018-8639. This bug affects a broad swath of Windows operating systems including Windows 7, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 10, and Windows 10 Servers.

According to CISA, this vulnerability "exists in Windows when the Win32k component fails to properly handle objects in memory." A bad actor with local access to the vulnerable system can utilize the exploit to run arbitrary code in kernel mode. BleepingComputer reports that a bad actor could use this vulnerability to "alter data or create rogue accounts with full user rights to take over vulnerable Windows devices."

Microsoft and Cisco have not yet released their own security warning regarding these two exploits.

Thunderbird, the desktop and Android email client from Mozilla, just got an update to version 135. This is the start of another transition for Thunderbird: monthly major releases by default, matching the Firefox web browser.

Figure’s latest AI system, Helix, is changing the game for humanoid robots by allowing them to perform complex tasks through simple voice commands—no training required. In a new demo, two robots successfully put away groceries by scanning their environment, adapting in real time, and even working together to complete the job. With plans for home testing in 2025 and new updates improving precision and reliability, Figure is pushing humanoid robots closer to practical, everyday use.

Sometimes I wish that I could grab a game developer by the shoulders and say, "listen, you really screwed this up, here's how to fix it." Now, Sony is kinda-sorta fulfilling my wish with its new PlayStation Beta Program.

For many, the only thing protecting all their personal and financial info is the four-digit PIN on their phone. While this might be enough to stop a nosy friend from snooping on your private life, phone snatchers have figured out a way around it.

Apple rolled out iOS 18 back in September 2024, and with it came the long-awaited arrival of RCS messages–well, for some. Google Fi and other T-Mobile-based carriers were hung out to dry, but that’s finally getting fixed.

"Y'all stuck the landing — we're on the moon."

A Firefly Aerospace mission control engineer confirmed a successful lunar touchdown of its pioneering Blue Ghost robotic spacecraft in the early hours of March 2. It was the first fully successful commercial moon landing, and the company has now released footage of the well-controlled decent into Mare Crisium, a lava-covered basin on the moon's near side.

"Watch Firefly land on the Moon! After identifying surface hazards and selecting a safe landing site, Blue Ghost landed directly over the target in Mare Crisium," the company posted on YouTube. "Our Ghost Riders have since downlinked our landing footage for the world to see — a historic moment on March 2 we'll never forget. We have Moon dust on our boots!"

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

The video shows different views of the approach during the descent of Blue Ghost, a large, squat spacecraft at 6.6 feet tall and 11.5 feet wide. Just after the 2:05 mark, dust kicks up when the thrusters meet the fine lunar regolith. As the dust settles, you can see Blue Ghost's shadow on the ground, with Earth in the distance, currently some 225,000 miles away.

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The lander, funded by NASA as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, is carrying a suite of instruments and experiments for the space agency as NASA prepares to establish a permanent presence on the moon. This includes radiation-tolerant computing tests and sampling of the moon's soil.

But landing on the moon remains daunting, largely because it's a world with virtually no atmosphere to slow spacecraft down. A craft must plummet to the surface perfectly, as thrusters fire to slow its descent onto a surface teeming with pits and craters. Although Chinese and Indian craft have had recent landing successes, the U.S. commercial spacecraft Odysseus sustained damage while landing awkwardly in 2024. The same year, a Japanese craft landed upside down, on its head.

NASA expects the solar-powered Blue Ghost to now operate and collect science data for two weeks. Another private craft, operated by Intuitive Machines, may soon join Blue Ghost on the lunar surface on March 6.

Crucially, human spaceflight is expected to follow these robotic space missions. NASA currently intends to fly astronauts to the moon in mid-2027, wherein they'll spend a week exploring the dark, shadowy craters of the moon's south pole. They hope to spot rich deposits of invaluable water ice.

Nintendo is preparing for MAR10 Day, which celebrates the famous Mario games. The company has a variety of promotions planned, including special deals in stores, online offers, and even a partnership with an airline.

Like any hobby, getting started with a telescope is intimidating when you have no idea how to begin. Now that I've gone through the learning pains, here's what I have to share.

Google released a new AI tool this week, designed to identify animal species to help with wildlife monitoring.

On Monday, the tech giant announced the release of SpeciesNet, an open source model for wildlife biologists. SpeciesNet consists of a model for identifying objects in footage from cameras that monitor wildlife and a second model for classifying those objects into animal species.

Since 2019, wildlife biologists have had access to SpeciesNet though a Google Cloud-based tool called Wildlife Insights. On Monday, SpeciesNet was released to the public as an open source model.

Scientists use motion activated cameras to study wildlife in their habitats. But processing the camera footage is time-consuming because it involves sifting through massive amounts of images. "AI can accelerate that processing, helping conservation practitioners spend more time on conservation, and less time reviewing images," read the SpeciesNet repository hosted on GitHub.

Google says SpeciesNet was trained on a dataset of over 65 million images including camera trap images from Wildlife Insights users and publicly available datasets. SpeciesNet combines data gathered from its underlying models to make a prediction about each animal it identifies and labels the accuracy percentage.

SpeciesNet is 93% sure it's an animal, but we're 100% sure it's a prehistoric tank. Credit: Google / University of Minnesota

According to Google, SpeciesNet can "classify images into one of more than 2000 labels, covering diverse animal species, higher-level taxa (like 'mammalia' or 'felidae'), and non-animal classes ('blank', 'vehicle')."

SpeciesNet is available as an open source model on GitHub.

Ubisoft's Far Cry spin-off, known as the code name Maverick, may not be as dead in the water as was assumed. Ubisoft is reportedly restarting development on the game, which means this could be the next multiplayer extraction shooter.