Something to look forward to: Dual monitors are quite common in desktop setups these days, but enjoying the same experience on the go has rarely been an option. However, a new product from Minisforum a portable monitor that unfolds into two screens could change that. The MDSA156 is a unique portable monitor that unfolds to reveal two 15.6-inch 1080p IPS displays connected by a 315-degree hinge. The bottom screen includes a built-in kickstand, allowing you to prop it up in various orientations and angles to suit your needs.Weighing just 2.2 pounds, it's impressively lightweight for a dual-screen setup. With dual USB-C ports and an HDMI input, the MDSA156 easily connects to laptops, tablets, or even smartphones, providing a quick and convenient way to expand your screen real estate on the go.The monitor also features stereo speakers and consumes up to 30 watts of power, though actual power usage is typically lower than the advertised maximum.Minisforum highlights a variety of use cases, including office work, business meetings, stock analysis, gaming, travel, and online courses. Promotional graphics showcase versatile configurations, such as vertically stacking the dual screens to mimic a larger monitor, angling them apart for easier sharing between two users, or folding them completely flat for single-screen use when needed.Additionally, the company emphasizes that the monitor's unique design promotes ergonomic comfort, reducing neck strain during prolonged use and supporting a more natural posture for reading and typing. // Related StoriesThe package does come with some compromises. The 250-nit peak brightness and limited 45 percent NTSC color gamut (equivalent to roughly 100 percent sRGB) make it less suitable for professional photo or video editing or other color-critical work.That said, at $231, the MDSA156 offers an affordable price point for a unique dual-screen form factor.While it may not replace a full desktop monitor setup, it's an ingenious solution for digital nomads looking to boost productivity and multitasking without adding significant bulk to their gear.However, if your workflow involves graphically intensive tasks and requires high color accuracy, you might consider alternatives like the Edge 4K OLED Ultralight Portable Magnetic Monitor. This model boasts 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, 10-bit color support, and a peak brightness of 400 nits, making it ideal for professional-grade work.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsSpecsTiers and pricingFeaturesSupportPrivacy and securityWhich unlimited device VPN is best?You use more than one device, so it makes sense to use a VPN to protect privacy on all your computers, laptops, tablets, and phones. If youre like me, thats a lot of devices, making Surfshark and Windscribe top candidates.While the best VPNs offer solid cybersecurity with excellent speed, some limit the number of simultaneous connections. That means you might need to disconnect your phone before using the VPN on your laptop. That can be frustrating if youve left your phone upstairs or in another room to charge, so I compared both Surfshark and Windscribe to see which is the better solution.Recommended VideosSurfsharkWindscribePlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidDevicesUnlimitedUnlimitedSupport24/7 Live ChatEmailFree version?NoYesRelatedSurfsharks annual plan is good, but the two-year subscription is the best deal. SurfsharkIf you want to connect to a VPN on multiple devices, your cost per device could be incredibly low. Still, its important to stay aware of prices since subscription fatigue is an ongoing concern.Surfshark charges $15.45 per month, which is expensive. You can save over $100 annually with a longer-term plan. Its $48 per year or $56 for two years, plus new subscribers get four bonus months. The cost increases to $60 annually to renew either long-term subscription.To get the best deal on a VPN, you need to subscribe for a year or more, but you can try Surfshark for free with a seven-day trial, and a 30-day money-back guarantee gives you an opportunity to get a refund if it didnt suit your needs.Windscribe Pro has monthly and annual plans, but you can get access for as low as $3. WindscribeWindscribes best option for unrestricted use is the $69 annual subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee of satisfaction. Two monthly plans are available: a full-featured VPN for $9 and a unique Build-A-Plan subscription that starts at $3 per month.The least expensive option, Windscribes Build-A-Plan is restricted to 30GB of data and a selection of three server locations. You can add more server locations and 10GB of data for $1 each. For $1 more, you can unlock unlimited data.Windscribe also has a free app that starts with a 2GB data cap, but can be boosted to 15GB by providing your email address and posting about the service on social media. You can access free servers in 10 countries at no cost.If you dont want to pay for a VPN, Proton Free is one of the best solutions. It includes an uncapped VPN, secure email, encrypted cloud storage, and more.Surfshark showed impressive speed when connected to a nearby server. Digital TrendsSurfshark is easy to use and is one of the best and fastest streaming VPNs available. I was impressed with almost instantaneous connections and high-speed downloads at locations around the world.A U.S. server reached 728Mbps while routing traffic through a secure server that encrypts data. Thats 81% of my unprotected Ethernet speed, a small loss compared to competing VPNs that cut internet speeds in half to protect my privacy.Surfshark also performed well in worldwide speed tests, exceeding 579Mbps in European countries and reaching 306Mbps when I chose an Australian server.I measured the best Windscribe speed from a U.S. server. Digital TrendsWindscribe has a user interface that will appeal to gamers. Its sleek and small, but functional. The app is intelligent and alerted me to a software conflict that was causing a CPU slowdown.It offers stable connections and offers hundreds of servers in 69 countries. The list isnt as large and widespread as Surfsharks, but I was able to connect to all my favorites.In my Windscribe review, I found that the fastest speeds were with a U.S. server that measured 451Mbps. Overseas is always slower, and Windscribe averaged 190Mbps for Europe and 136Mbps for Australia.There are plenty of options to adjust Surfsharks VPN connection settings. Digital TrendsBoth VPNs support obfuscation, so either is a good choice for a VPN to use in school. Administration firewalls often block VPNs, but obfuscation disguises usage.Surfsharks around-the-clock customer service was fast and helpful. Digital TrendsSurfshark customers get 24/7 live chat support. In my testing, an AI responded first and offered helpful suggestions. When I asked for a human, I was quickly connected to a live agent to help with account issues or provide more personal assistance with technical questions.Windscribe also has an informative chatbot, but live agents werent available. Email support is relatively quick, but it could take up to 24 hours to get a reply.With either service, you can browse or search the support center to find your own solution.One of the primary jobs of a VPN is protecting your privacy. Surfshark and Windscribe take this issue seriously and only collect whats needed to provide the service you pay for.Windscribe is an open source app so you can scan the code to check for privacy loopholes or activity logging routines.Both Surfshark and Windscribe have independent audits to verify their no-log claims are accurate and that security systems are sufficient to protect your data.While some services restrict how many devices you can connect, the best multi-device VPNs let you protect them all. Surfshark and Windscribe are top picks that let you share your account with your family. That means youll get great value from either service.Windscribe has a lower monthly cost, but a more expensive $69 annual plan. The Build-A-Plan option is quite unique, but youd probably want to pay the extra dollar to get unlimited data, raising your monthly cost to $4.By comparison, Surfsharks annual plan starts at $48 and comes with a four-month bonus, an equivalent monthly cost of $3. You must pay in advance, but its worth the expense to get access to one of the best VPNs available.Our top pick for a VPN for a home with lots of devices is Surfshark. Its faster that Windscribe, has plenty of features, costs less, and offers 24/7 support.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHow to activate Notification Cooldown on your Android 16 smartphoneNotification Cooldown is only available in the Android 16 betaManaging notifications is no easy task, especially when one tries to maintain the delicate balance between a no-interruption work mindset and the fear of missing out on important alerts. This not only applies to personal communication, but workplace interactions as well. A barrage of notifications can be overwhelming, especially if there are active group chats or users are working across multiple professional circles.Recommended VideosDifficultyEasyDuration5 minutesWith Android 16, Google offers a balancing act courtesy of a new feature called Notification Cooldown that slows the avalanche of notifications. This feature first appeared in the early builds of Android 15, but was subsequently pulled from the stable release. Now, it has again resurfaced in the first developer preview of Android 16.The core idea here is that if an app is sending multiple notifications in a row, the first one will elicit an alert, as usual, while the subsequent notifications from the same app will be gradually reduced in volume.With that, Google may have finally created a fuss-free way of making chained notifications less vexing. If that sounds like an intriguing premise, just follow these steps to experience the same nirvana on your Android phone.Step 1: Open the Settings app.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsStep 2: Scroll down and select Notifications.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsRelatedStep 3: On the next page, you will find the Notification Cooldown option under the General banner.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsStep 4: All you have left to do is flick the toggle corresponding to the Notification Cooldown feature.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsNotification cooldown first appeared during the early testing phase of Android 15, but it was inexplicably pulled from the stable release channel. It has yet to make a comeback on devices running Android 15, either the vanilla Pixel builds or third-party skins from different brands.Right now, it is only available on phones running the Developer Preview of Android 16. This build is only available to a handful of Google Pixel phones and the Pixel tablet.You can download Android 16 right now, but only through the Developer Preview. It is, however, advised that users wait at least for the public beta updates of Android 16, as the Developer Preview is likely to have a lot of performance and optimization issues, as well as being fairly tough to install. Of course, it's always risky installing any beta software on a device, especially if it's not a spare, as bugs are common. And while bricking a phone completely is fairly rare, it's not unheard of. So, if you don't have a device you're willing to risk, it's almost always worth waiting until the final release of any new operating system software.Notification Cooldown is a neat convenience, but it makes an exception for more pressing alerts, such as calls, alarms, reminders, and priority conversations. Also, keep in mind that this feature only silences repetitive alerts for a span of two minutes.More importantly, these gradually silenced notifications are not lost. Instead, they are simply grouped together under a unified app banner in the notifications shade. You can still access them all by simply tapping on the apps banner to open each one in the same order as they appeared.Editors Recommendations

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Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro, is no longer in short supply, the FDA says.Cheaper versions of the drug, known as compounded tirzepatide, might be restricted in 2025.Patients could face higher costs and tougher access, and telehealth is racing to adapt.The FDA has announced that popular weight loss medication tirzepatide is no longer in shortage, potentially removing cheaper versions of the drug from the market by early 2025.Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, branded to treat diabetes and obesity, respectively.They're part of a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists, including semaglutide (sold as Ozempic and Wegovy), which have transformed obesity treatment in recent years. These injections work by mimicking hormones in the body that regulate appetite and blood sugar, helping patients lose as much as 25% of their body weight.Manufacturers have struggled to meet the intense demand for these drugs. This opened the door for pharmacies to offer custom-made versions with the same active ingredient, known as compounded GLP-1 medication, at a significantly lower cost around $250 to $350 per month for tirzepatide, compared to Zepbound's list price of $1,059.With the official shortage over, the FDA has signaled it will crack down on compounded tirzepatide, affecting patients who've relied on the lower-priced medication."People are concerned. They're saying, 'This has been life changing but I don't have $1000 to pay out of pocket and my insurance isn't going to cover it," Ted Kyle, a health professional with decades of experience in policy, marketing, and obesity care, told Business Insider.Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.Most compounded versions of tirzepatide won't be allowed without an official shortageThe FDA's annoucement on December 19 to officially remove tirzepatide from the shortage list means compounding pharmacies will be restricted from making what are essentially copies of the brand-name version. These copies use the same active ingredient in this case tirzepatide but are not FDA-approved, although the manufacturers are held to other regulatory standards.Compounding pharmacies have staunchly disagreed with the decision."The drugs they are advertising are not yet available in quantities to meet demand. Until they are, state-licensed pharmacies will continue to prepare compounded copies, operating within FDA guidance to provide patients access to life-changing medications during this period when the drugmakers cannot," Scott Brunner, CEO of the industry trade group Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, wrote in a statement on LinkedIn.The FDA had previously moved to end the shortage in October, but delayed the decision after a compounding industry organization filed a lawsuit alleged it hadn't given proper notice. An update on that case is expected in early January 2025.As it stands now, the FDA's decision will give makers of compounded tirzepatide up to 90 days before enforcement to "avoid unnecessary disruption to patient treatment," per the announcement.Companies are racing to adaptThe FDA decision also raises questions for the booming telehealth industry that connects patients with weight loss drugs, as companies like Henry Meds and Hims offer compounded GLP-1s some have removed compounded tirzepatide from their websites.For now, businesses will still be able to offer some lower-cost medications for weight loss since semaglutide, better known as Wegovy and Ozempic, is still considered to be in shortage.In some cases, telehealth execs are pivoting to strike a deal with pharmaceutical companies.Earlier in December, telehealth company Ro announced a partnership with Eli Lilly to offer a half-price version of Zepbound, Lilly's brand-name tirzepatide product. The cheaper option is sold in vials in an effort to sidestep supply-chain issues with the prefilled pens and compete with compounded drugs.More brand-name GLP-1 drugs are on the horizonMore FDA news could continue to change the trajectory of GLP-1 drugs in the coming months.The FDA also announced the approval of the first generic version of a once-daily GLP-1 injection for Type 2 diabetes on December 24. It could pave the way for similar generic medications, including those for weight loss.And more brand name GLP-1s are in the works as biotech startups and pharmaceutical companies race to find the next blockbuster medication.For now, access to weight loss drugs is out of reach for many people who could benefit from them."This is going to be a continuing tension for years to come," Kyle said. "Maybe compounding will go away but the issue won't go away because the pricing does not match the scale of need."

"Quiet vacationing," "coffee badging," and "ghost jobs" were part of the corporate lexicon in 2024.These are just some of the trends that came to dominate our conversations around work.Here's a look back at work in 2024.Ghost jobs. Coffee badging. Quiet firing. Quiet vacationing.The buzziest workplace trends this year didn't just become well-known tropes but also highlighted an ongoing power struggle between workers and bosses after the pandemic shook up the way people do their jobs.The year's biggest movements reflect "shifts in work models, technological integration, and employee expectations," says Lauren Winans, CEO and HR consultant at Next Level Benefits.While some of these are by no means new fads, they all featured prominently in the discourse around work this year. Here are the trends that dominated the cultural conversation in 2024:Ghost jobsGhost jobs are nothing new but got a lot of attention this year.These are roles which employers claim to be looking to fill even though they may not actually be hiring for such positions.Employers may list ghost jobs for a few reasons. They might want to suggest they're doing well and growing; they could be trying to ready a talent pool for actual positions opening in the future; or they may want to imply to overworked employees that they'll get some additional help soon.Quiet vacationingThis one pretty much explains itself, but just in case: When employees go on vacation without using any time off or telling their bosses, they're said to be quiet vacationing. Some remote workers might take quiet vacations without letting their bosses know. Vasil Dimitrov/Getty Images RTOReturn-to-office mandates continued rolling out at big firms this year. Amazon, one of the country's biggest employers, became one of the highest-profile companies to announce a full 5-day-a-week return to the office. (Its implementation has been delayed for some employees though, due to a lack of space.)Hushed hybridAs employers tightened the reins on remote work, some employees started carving out a new working arrangement under the table.Enter the hushed hybrid schedule, in which employees skirt RTO mandates by getting their manager's approval to continue working from home on days they're technically required to be in the office.Managers, for their part, might agree to do this to keep their employees happy (or to keep them, period). They also probably have a more personal connection with the workers affected by a mandate than the executives enforcing it. And of course, managers who are themselves opposed to RTO plans might also cut employees some slack out of sympathy.Coffee badgingAnother method of evading RTO is coffee badging though it still technically requires that an employee return to the office.The practice involves going to work to swipe your badge so your attendance is logged. But instead of spending the rest of the workday there, you kill some time by grabbing a coffee, or showing face with a quick lap around the office, before returning home to do most of your actual work there. Coffee badging refers to workers who swipe in at the office to meet return-to-office requirements before leaving quickly to finish their work elsewhere. kotijelly / Getty Images PIPsPerformance improvement plans, or PIPs, usually consist of a series of goals set for an employee to improve in areas where a boss says they're underperforming. If they're not completed in the allotted time, usually a few months or less, the employee will face termination.PIPs are certainly not unique this year but statistically have been more frequently issued in recent years. They got renewed attention in 2024 as part of the discussion around ways employers trim headcount unannounced.Quiet firing, silent layoffs, and stealth sackingsYes, these are all somehow different things.Between RTO mandates and PIPs, "quiet firing," which gained a lot of buzz in recent years, stayed in the spotlight in 2024. It refers to a boss or employer's unspoken attempt to encourage employees to quit by making the role more uncomfortable, as opposed to facing the monetary and reputational costs associated with explicitly laying them off.Related phrases include "silent layoffs," which refers to giving employees severance packages but asking them to be discreet about their exiting the firm.There's also "stealth sackings," coined by the Financial Times to describe firing employees over minor offenses. The newspaper cited Meta's dismissal of two dozen staff for using $25 GrubHub meal credits to buy non-food items as an example, and EY's firing of dozens of staffers for watching multiple online training courses simultaneously.Other key trendsThere were also other trends that, though they lack flashy names, also shaped how we worked in 2024.The main one, of course, was the growing adoption of AI in the workplace, the "standout trend" of the year, according to Amy Schabacker Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute and the Human Resource Standards Institute. The continued integration of AI into the workplace is this year's "standout trend," says Dufrane. Chen Winans says other trends included an emphasis on upskilling and reskilling to keep up with technological advancements and changing job requirements, as well asincreased labor organizing efforts.What can we expect in 2025?Next year, the integration of AI at work will no doubt continue."Employees expect training and transparency about AI's role, while employers navigate concerns about job security and ethics," says Dufrane.Other themes to watch include an emphasis on skills-based hiring and employee wellness programs, as well as ongoing changes to companies' ESG and DEI strategies.Employee engagement in the US hitting an 11-year low in 2024, coupled with the possibility it may be easier to change jobs in 2025 mean that revenge quitting may also be the next big thing in workplace trends come next year, according to a Glassdoor report.The phrase refers to dissatisfied employees being vocal with their discontent and resigning, often with little or no notice, knowing it could negatively impact their employer.Heading into 2025, "monitoring employee satisfaction will be more important than ever," says Dufrane."We may see an increase in trends like bare-minimum attendance or revenge quitting as return-to-work mandates require employees to be on-site more than the post-COVID norm," she adds. "Prioritizing open communication, as well as autonomy, fairness, and a high-trust environment, will be critical for organizations to succeed."

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Colleen OShaughnessey plays Sonics right-hand fox, the kid with the plan, the bestie we wish we had: Tails. io9 recently got the chance to catch up with the voice actress to discuss Tails evolution from small screen to the big screenand we do mean big, as in current box-office champ Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In our chat with OShaughnessey, we discussed the process of finding your voice in VO, as well as how fandom is where it all starts, and how that leads to becoming a beloved figure in pop culture. Sabina Graves, io9: Lets talk about your journey with Sonic as Tails. What did Sonic mean to you growing up and what it was like to jump on board to voice the character? Colleen OShaughnessey: My Sonic journey is long, which is so great. My very first entrance into the Sonic universe was I played Charmy Bee in [Sonic] Colors[that] was the first one, the first game that I voiced Charmy. And that was about four years before I voiced Tails. I was auditioning for the show Sonic Boom and I booked Tails, and then it came along with the video games. And here we are 10 years later, and hes on the big screen, which is just unbelievable. So amazing. This franchise is so exciting. The fans absolutely are so passionate about this franchise, which is such a beautiful thing. And Im so honored to be a part of it, and for so longits been wonderful. io9: In this film, we get more of Tails jumping into his role and being on the field. I know he was nervous about it in the last film. Can you talk about what it was like for you to see that journey and evolution with the character for the film franchise? OShaughnessey: Yeah, I love it. Because for the second movie, its the very beginning of his and Sonics journey together. This is where they meet each other so its like the beginning of their story. He was super nervous. Its like meeting one of your heroes and, you know, hes hoping hes going to live up to expectations. And now hes really coming into his own in this movie. Hes more confident, he feels part of the team, and part of a family.And theyre all just such great friends and buddies and teammates. io9: Yes, and I love the films themes. I think thats one of the biggest things that really makes this film franchise resonate with audiences. I grew up with the games and Im sure you grew up with Sonic in various forms before joining the cast. What is it to you about this particular story that really resonated with you, and that you love that is being presented to audiences now? OShaughnessey: I love that theres something for everybody. Theyve taken this to such an epic level. You know, theres adventure, theres action, but theres still humor and heart and family. It covers all the bases, which is just so fun and so great to see. And truly, theres something for everyone. You can see it with your your kids, with your parents, and everything in between. Paramount Pictures io9: What was the process like to find this version of Tails voice? OShaughnessey: When I approached Tails, I approached him the same way, whether its a game or the show or the films, but this is such a grander scale. And we just talked about it being on a differenthe finds himself in different circumstances. So I guess coming from more of a serious standpoint with him because the stakes are higher there, its not like, Oh, its a racing game. We gotta go. Come on, lets go. All of that is like, its heightened and energetic and all that, but its still, its fun. And not that this isnt fun, but there are dangerous situations happening. So its more grounded. Its more serious. Its more cinematic, for sure. But what I think was so beautiful [about] this transition was that we had just done Sonic Frontiers right before I started recording for the second movie. And Sonic Frontiers is a much more serious game, and theres a lot more dialogue and theres a lot higher stakes; [its the] same kind of thing. So I [was] prepped and ready, truly, because I had just done Sonic Frontiers that was just such a departure from any of the previous games. io9: Speaking of going from silly to sort of more darker, I was really happy that they did keep some of the darker elements from Sonic Adventure 2 in the film and really put Team Sonic under a lot of more stressful situations. The movie starts and theyre like a band of brothers and theyre having fun and then, things get very serious very fast. What was it like stepping into that with Tails? I love how each brother represents a different type of kid. OShaughnessey: Yeah, everybody has their role. And he was so cool under pressure. Theres a lot of pressure and a couple of points its down to him because hes got the schematics, hes got the plan, and hes sort of trying to keep the plan together. And I feel like his cool under pressure has really stepped up for sure. Hes got some important stuff to do and he jumps in and saves the day a number of times, which is just awesome. io9: Yes, I loved it. He gets so brave, which is so great. To turn in a bit more on your career, at io9 we love talking about first fandoms. What games, movies, or books in genre really inspired your career path, and how did that lead to where you are today? OShaughnessey: Anything animated as a kid, I watched as much as my mom would allow me to watchbecause [you] cant watch TV all day, but if I could have, I would have. When I was a kid, we didnt have access to all of it at all times. I was an avid watcher of cartoons and the Wonderful World of Disney and The Muppets and all of those things. I literally would run around my house being all of these characters.I would be Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, to Miss Piggy and Kermit, to all of the Super Friends.Oh my gosh,I loved all the Super Friends. Pretty much, pick a genre and I probably was a fan of it and ran around my house doing all of those characters. Paramount Pictures io9: What was the first voice you realized or like that your family realized that you could do very well? OShaughnessey: I did Fozzie Bear and, for some reason, Tigger from [Winnie the Pooh].I just did it and I dont know where it came from, but I would look at a baby or an animal and just give them a voice. Whatever expression they had on their face, I would just give them like a whole monologue of things that I thought that they were saying. I so wanted animals to be able to talk. So I gave them voices. But I feel like the Muppets were profound in my developing of this very silly skill that I have. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in theaters now. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.