The Co-Founder & Head of Creative discusses taking a tailored approach to projects and the key to producing great sports documentaries.

We made tons of coffee, tea, and ramen to test these electric kettlesand boiled it down to these top picks.

A glitch in Slack makes it possible to accidentally send your entire DM history with one person to other coworkers. Ask me how I know.

MacworldAt a GlanceExpert's RatingProsPrivacy-focused sign-upGreat for getting around geoblocksGreat pricingConsNeeds more servers5 connections is lower than some rivalsOur Verdict Mullvads VPN is making waves in the tech world, and not just because its very good. While many VPN services are great for maintaining privacy online, Mullvad goes even further, offering a low-priced, easy-to-understand plan that lets you sign up entirely anonymously if youd like. Pair that with good speeds and great unblocking of streaming sites and you have a very competitive VPN that just needs some more servers.Price When ReviewedThis value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefinedBest Pricing TodayRetailerPriceMullvad VPN5,00 View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from BackmarketPrice When Reviewed5 Euro pro MonatBest Prices Today: MullvadRetailerPriceMullvad VPN5,00 View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from BackmarketMullvad is so keen to not store users personal information, it doesnt offer new recurring plans anymore. Thats the kind of privacy-first mindset you can expect, and while you may think that sounds like overkill, your account information is tied to a single account number.That means logging into your account is done without having to hand over an email or password, and payments are handled monthly at that flat 5 per month rolling deal (so the only price change will be dependent on the exchange rate at that time).You can even buy prepaid cards if you dont want to log payment information, which makes Mullvad the ideal VPN service for anyone looking to leave a minimal digital footprint.See how Mullvad compares to other Mac VPNs weve tested.For that lower price you may be wondering what kind of corners are cut, but you wont find any (outside of more servers). Split Tunnelling, multihop connections and even an AI-focused defence mechanism called DAITA are included in your membership. It also performed excellently when we hopped between different countries versions of Netflix.The app itself is a little different to many rivals, accessed exclusively from the menu bar on Mac rather than having that as an option. Thats likely to be a matter of preference, but the privacy focus, geo-unblocking and low price make this well worth a look.Features & AppsContent Blockers: Mullvad has a more granular filter for content blocking than some other services.FoundryMullvad is available on Mac (which well be reviewing primarily today), but it also has Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and plenty more apps. See our round ups of the Best VPN for iPad and Best VPN for iPhone. They all work the same way, but the Mac version is restricted to the menu bar as mentioned above. Thats fine (outside of making snapping screenshots for this review a tad awkward), and it packs plenty of features inside.iOS App: The iOS app looks identical to the Mac version.FoundryOnce you get your head around that, all versions of the app contribute to a total device limit of five. Wed always prefer more, but for this price thats 1 per device if you use them all. Unlike some services, the iPhone and iPad apps also pack plenty of power user features, too, like multihop connections and the DAITA protection.Sticking with the Mac version, though, and Mullvad offers a bunch of features that would be paid additions elsewhere. Theres the Kill Switch to cut traffic if the VPN drops, while a Lockdown Mode takes that step further and forces the user to reconnect via Mullvad if the connection drops.Theres Multihop for bouncing your connection via multiple servers, and split tunnelling is available as standard so users can send some traffic via the VPN and ignore it for others, and the ad blocker is more granular than you may expect, letting you stop adult content or gambling sites, among other things.DAITA: Mullvad is forward-thinking with its DAITA tool.FoundrySomething Ive not seen in my testing of VPN services in recent months is DAITA (Defence against AI-guided Traffic Analysis).As Mullvad explains, sophisticated AI can analyse data packets going to and from your device, even though that information is encrypted. DAITA isnt supported on every server, but where it is, itll add network noise so data packets are all the same size.Its a smart addition which feels particularly forward-thinking, and works with WireGuard at present. Speaking of which, WireGuard and OpenVPN are the supported VPN protocols here.PerformanceMultihop: Mullvad lets you further obfuscate traffic with multihop.FoundryIve alluded to server counts a couple of times, and thats the main drawback of Mullvad at present. It has almost 700 servers, which is still impressive but falls behind some of the biggest names in the game. For example, NordVPN has over 7,000 worldwide, but some are virtual servers that arent always where they say they are, whereas Mullvads are at least all real, dedicated servers.Mullvad also rivals the big names when it comes to getting around geoblocks. Netflix was entirely open in our testing, letting me switch between content libraries with ease. While the likes of Nord offer the same functionality, theyre much more expensive.Still, a VPN isnt worth its salt unless its relatively fast, even as traffic bounces around the globe, so what are the speeds like?In short: good! Download speeds dropped by between 11 and 15 percent in our testing, while upload speeds dropped by less than 9 percent.Thats really quite impressive, especially at this price and with such a focus on privacy. There are some minor nitpicks, though Id like to see latency noted before connecting, for example, but thats a small issue.Privacy & SecurityAs Ive kept mentioning throughout this review, Mullvad has one eye on privacy at all times. The company is based in Sweden, and runs a no-logs policy where it doesnt save any user information.Mullvad has been audited multiple times to verify that policy, but given it wont even store your email address or payment information, its hard not to be impressed.Price Every single plan for Mullvad will set you back 5 a month, or your equivalent (thats $5.26 or 4.20 at the time of writing). Thats a big step in the right direction, with no complex add-ons or power features tied behind a paywall.Pricing and plansAs mentioned earlier, all of this comes in at just 5 a month. Thats a steep drop compared to many of its rivals which charge around double that and lock you in for one or two years.On the one hand, theres an argument that youre not getting a cheap monthly rate as with its competitors, but on the other hand youre able to pick and choose when you subscribe without being tied into lengthy plans to secure those rates.Should you buy Mullvad VPN?Mullvad is a fantastic VPN service thats about as privacy-minded as can be. It might not have the most servers, but thats a small price to pay for the service on offer.

The legal heat on OpenAI in India intensified as digital news outlets owned by billionaires Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani joined an ongoing lawsuit against the ChatGPT creator. They were joined by some of the largest news publishers in India including the Indian Express, and Hindustan Times, and members of the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), which includes major players like Zee News, India Today, and The Hindu.These publishers claim OpenAI scraped and adapted their copyrighted content without permission, hurting the media industrys revenue and intellectual property, reported Reuters.The filings in the Delhi High Court argue that OpenAIs actions pose a clear and present danger to the valuable copyrights of these publishers. This follows similar lawsuits globally, including one by the New York Times in the United States, highlighting a growing backlash from publishers against generative AI models.Mounting allegations against OpenAIOpenAI, which sparked a generative AI revolution with ChatGPTs launch in 2022, has repeatedly denied allegations of copyright violations. The company claims its AI systems leverage public data under fair use doctrines. However, Indian publishers argue that OpenAIs operations in India defy legal norms, especially given the companys licensing agreements with international publishers such as Time magazine and the Financial Times.The new filing asserts that OpenAIs omission of similar agreements with Indian publishers betrays an inexplicable defiance of the law and undermines democracy by weakening the press, according to the report.In November 2023, a group of nonfiction authors filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of unlawfully using their copyrighted works and academic journals to train the ChatGPT AI model without obtaining permission.OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment.Broader implications for the AI landscapeThe intervention by heavyweight media houses adds momentum to ANIs lawsuit, which accused OpenAI last year of using its content without authorization to train ChatGPT and spreading misinformation by attributing fabricated stories to ANI.The Reuters-backed news agency demanded that the ChatGPT maker delete the copyrighted content used to train the LLM. OpenAI, however, has opposed the demand saying it violates US laws.With a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, the case is expected to set a legal precedent in India on AI-related copyright disputes.Legal observers believe the case could significantly impact how generative AI companies operate in India. Analysts have pointed out that Indias legal framework was not designed with modern AI systems in mind, creating a pressing need for updated copyright laws to govern emerging technologies.It may lead to stricter copyright rules, requiring AI developers to obtain explicit licenses for training datasets, said Anish Nath, practice director at Everest Group. Laws could also evolve to differentiate between using content for training versus reproducing it verbatim, with distinctions for non-profit versus for-profit AI companies.Future of AI copyright complianceThe legal battle in India is reflective of global trends. In the US, OpenAI has faced lawsuits from authors, visual artists, musicians, and news organizations for allegedly training AI models with copyrighted content. In response, the company has initiated partnerships with major international outlets to mitigate future disputes.Industry leaders and legal experts are closely watching the case for its implications on AI regulation and copyright laws. If Indian courts uphold the publishers demands, OpenAI and similar firms could be compelled to either enter licensing agreements in India or overhaul their training data practices to avoid legal entanglements.The outcome of this case could redefine the balance between innovation in AI and the rights of content creators, making India a critical battlefield in the global AI copyright debate. With Indian publishers and global precedents shaping the debate, OpenAIs case serves as a pivotal moment in framing AIs obligations in using proprietary content. As the AI industry continues its exponential growth, aligning technological advancements with robust intellectual property protections will be key to fostering sustainable innovation.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctionsThe AI community is abuzz over DeepSeek R1, a new open-source reasoning model.The model was developed by the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which claims that R1 matches or even surpasses OpenAIs ChatGPT o1 on multiple key benchmarks but operates at a fraction of the cost.DeepSeeks success is even more remarkable given the constraints facing Chinese AI companies in the form of increasing US export controls on cutting-edge chips. But early evidence shows that these measures are not working as intended. Rather than weakening Chinas AI capabilities, the sanctions appear to be driving startups like DeepSeek to innovate in ways that prioritize efficiency, resource-pooling, and collaboration. Read the full story.Caiwei ChenUseful quantum computing is inevitableand increasingly imminentPeter Barrett is a general partner at Playground Global, which invests in early-stage deep-tech companiesOn January 8, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang jolted the stock market by saying that practical quantum computing is still 15 to 30 years away, at the same time suggesting those computers will need Nvidia GPUs in order to implement the necessary error correction.However, history shows that brilliant people are not immune to making mistakes. Huangs predictions miss the mark, both on the timeline for useful quantum computing and on the role his companys technology will play in that future.Ive been closely following developments in quantum computing as an investor, and its clear to me that useful quantum computing is inevitable and increasingly imminent. And thats good news, because the hope is that they will be able to perform calculations that no amount of AI or classical computation could ever achieve. Read the full story.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 AI pioneers are clashing over its potential dangersYann LeCun, Metas AI chief scientist, has branded experts grave warnings hypocritical. (FT $)+ AIs biggest cheerleaders tend to know the least about it. (Wired $)+ How existential risk became the biggest meme in AI. (MIT Technology Review)2 This surveillance tech could enable Donald Trumps deportation plansFrom mass biometric databases to phone jailbreaking tools. (NYT $)+ It really doesnt have to be like this. (The Atlantic $)+ Trump has declared policing the US-Mexican border his number one issue. (FT $)+ Hes ordered the end of the CBP One border migration app. (MIT Technology Review)3 The European Union is watching Big Tech like a hawkIts concerned about disinformation spreading ahead of next months German election. (Bloomberg $)4 Trumps meme coins are bad news for the crypto industryThe community was hoping the President would legitimize cryptocurrency, rather than leaning into its scammier side. (WP $)+ Its a blow to the fans hoping hell make Bitcoin great again. (The Guardian)+ Trumps biggest supporters stand to lose the most from his crypto grift. (Vox)5 AI is helping to pin down what caused the Los Angeles wildfiresDetermining the truth could take months. AI is speeding that process up. (Wired $)6 Elon Musks gaming skills are under fireHardcore gamers are questioning how he was seemingly playing during Trumps inauguration. (NYT $)7 The European Medicines Agency has had enough of XAnd has moved to Bluesky instead. (Reuters)8 Vietnam is deploying robots to help run its postal serviceIncluding delivering parcels and sorting packages in warehouses. (Rest of World)9 Startups are in for a rough yearThousands of companies were funded between 2020 and 2021. Now, plenty are shutting down. (TechCrunch)+ Gaming startups in the UK are struggling for cash. (BBC)10 A newly-discovered asteroid turned out to be Musks Tesla RoadsterThe car and its mannequin driver have been floating in space since 2018. (USA Today)+ The worlds next big environmental problem could come from space. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the dayI think within five years, nobody in their right mind would use them anymore.Yann LeCun, Metas chief AI scientist, says he believes that the technologies powering the current wave of large language models will soon become obsolete, TechCrunch reports.The big storyHow culture drives foul play on the internet, and how new upcode can protect usAugust 2023From Bored Apes and Fancy Bears, to Shiba Inu coins, self-replicating viruses, and whales, the internet is crawling with fraud, hacks, and scams.And while new technologies come and go, they change little about the fact that online illegal operations exist because some people are willing to act illegally, and others fall for the stories they tell.Ultimately, online crime is a human story. But why does it work, and how can we protect ourselves from falling for such schemes? Read the full story.Rebecca AckermannWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ I cant believe these albums were released 50 years ago: featuring Bob Dylan, Donna Summer, and The Boss.+ What one mans search for happiness taught him about himself.+ More twins are being born than ever beforebut why? + Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this day in 1756. Enjoy this stunning piano concerto in his honor!

Apple today unveiled a new Black Unity Collection to honor Black History Month, and celebrate Black culture and community.

The Apple Watch helped save the lives of injured skiers in Washington after falling approximately 1,000 feet down a mountain, thanks to an SOS alert.A helicopter's view of a mountain rescue - Image Credit: King County Sheriff Air SupportOn Wednesday, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office in Washington were informed of an Apple Watch SOS alert. The notification from Apple's wearable came from a skier located near Steven's Pass, a popular ski resort.Rescuers didn't have much information to go on, except that a skier had fallen on the mountain, and had injured a leg. The skier reportedly fell approximately 1,000 foot in their accident, reports Fox Weather. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Director M. Night Shyamalan and writer/creator Tony Basgallop have defeated a lawsuit alleging that their "Servant" series on Apple TV+ stole ideas from a previous film.Apple TV+ show 'Servant.' Image source: AppleThe lawsuit was brought by filmmaker Francesca Gregorini in January 2020, although the case was initially dismissed. On appeal, it was allowed to proceed with its accusation that "Servant" stole the plot and aped certain creative choices in the 2013 movie "The Truth About Emanuel."Following a seven-day trial by jury, however, The Independent reports that the federal judge overseeing the case has ruled in favor of "Servant." The jury had been shown the film plus the first three episodes of the series at the start of the trial. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to architectural fee calculations. Ultimately, the decision of how to structure a fee is a business decision and judgment call on behalf of the architect, to be arrived at with consideration to a range of factors, including the project scale, typology, scope and clarity of service, and risk of changes or delays.In a recent feature article, we rounded up the five most popular methods used by architects to calculate a fee, together covering 97% of billings in 2023 according to the AIA 2024 Firm Survey Report.Of all structures, the two most popular were the stipulated sum and professional fee methods, each of which was responsible for 32% of billings in 2023. While the stipulated sum method was amenable to situations where the project brief, budget, and architects scope of services were clear, the professional fee structure offers the most flexibility across sectors and scales.Elsewhere, an hourly rate structure constituted 20% of billings and was most likely to be used by small firms. The hourly rate structure can also be amenable in situations where the scope of the architects brief is less clear, including feasibility studies to test a projects viability, as well as being used for services beyond typical design roles, such as consultancy and expert witness services.Rounding out...