Vivaldi, a Norwegian-based browser that focuses on customization, has joined forces with Proton. From today, the latest version of Vivaldi has Proton VPN built right into the browser, giving users access to a secure and privacy-focused VPN service without any extra downloads.
Proton, the Swiss company best known for its email service, Proton Mail, delivers end-to-end encrypted services for consumers and professionals who prioritize privacy. The partnership is another move by European companies to provide European alternatives to big tech services, with Vivaldi CEO commenting:
“We’re both European companies, proudly outside the orbit of Silicon Valley’s extractive playbook or China’s state-driven oversight. We don’t believe your personal data should be a bargaining chip.”
He also notes that users are “waking up” and choosing to prioritize privacy rather than participate in exploitative tech monopolies. If that sounds like you, Vivaldi is one of the browser alternatives to consider.
While Google Chrome watches, collects, and sells just about every movement you make on its browser, Vivaldi promises to collect nothing. Your data is stored on your device in an encrypted folder that Vivaldi can’t access.
And there’s really no need to give Google that data. Sometimes, you can make the argument that you’re paying for a service in data rather than out of your pocket — so instead of paying for a private email service as good as Gmail, you can use Gmail for free in exchange for sharing your data.
Some people think that deal is fair, others don’t. But either way, that argument doesn’t really work here — because privacy-focused browsers are free to use, too. So, you can choose to enrich Google for no personal gain, or you can choose to do what’s best for yourself instead.
And to sweeten the deal, Vivaldi has some pretty cool customization features to choose from, too. Or if you want to consider a range of options, there are plenty of other Google Chrome alternatives to choose from.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.