Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop
Tag:

features

The Bloodlines 2 voice cast features actors from Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Vermintide, and Game of Thrones
Product Reviews

The Bloodlines 2 voice cast features actors from Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Vermintide, and Game of Thrones

by admin October 5, 2025



Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 – Voice Cast Reveal – YouTube

Watch On

When the original Bloodlines throws John DiMaggio at you right there in the tutorial you know you’re in for some quality voice-acting. The whole cast was stacked with actors familiars from games and TV like Grey DeLisle, Steve Blum, Fred Tatasciore, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Dee Bradley Baker—the list goes on.

Bloodlines 2 may not have Bender from Futurama in it, but the recent voice cast reveal does highlight a few familiar voices. Like Jane Perry, who you may know as Diana from the Hitman series, Selene from Returnal, or Rogue from Cyberpunk 2077, playing the refined Lou Graham.

Or Bethan Dixon Bate, who I spent dozens of hours with across the Vermintide games where she plays Sienna, and who also played Vlaakith in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Princeps Orla Gemnon in the Warhammer TV animation Kill Lupercal. She’s Mrs. Amelia Thorn in Bloodlines 2, running a cafe called Wake the Dead whose sign warns customers DO NOT ASK FOR PUMPKIN SPICE.


Related articles

If you played The Chinese Room’s previous horror game Still Wakes the Deep you’ll have heard Alec Newman as its protagonist Cameron “Caz” McLeary, though he was also Adam Smasher in both Cyberpunk 2077 and the anime spin-off Edgerunners, and Paul Atreides in the TV version of Dune. He’s Gideon Hall in Bloodlines 2.

One more I was surprised to see: Richard Brake, who you may know for TV and film credits like the Night King in Game of Thrones and Joe Chill in Batman Begins—he was also Corporal Dean Portman in the Doom movie—playing the Nosferatu Willem Axel. (That’s the guy wearing a bomb vest.)

The other thing this trailer shows off is lip-syncing that looks better than what we’ve seen in previous promotional material for Bloodlines 2. The characters still emote in a much more subdued way than they did in the first game, but that seems like a deliberate decision to keep things low-key, at least in the scenes shown here.

Whether it’s actually any fun to play remains to be seen. We’ll find out when Bloodlines 2 launches on October 21.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.



Source link

October 5, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
weebly logo against pale blue background
Product Reviews

Weebly review 2025: Pros & cons, features tested

by admin October 3, 2025



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Weebly is a functional, affordable, and easy-to-use website builder, but it is no longer considered one of the best website builder platforms on the market.

While it has a unique advantage with its free plan that includes basic ecommerce, the platform has not seen any major feature updates since 2018, making it an outdated option for more advanced online stores.

Offering simplicity and a low cost, Weebly does rank amongst the best small business website builders. But if you want robust features, you won’t find them here.

What is Weebly?

Weebly is a website builder that helps anyone create websites without coding. You drag and drop elements like text, images, buttons, and forms onto your page. Weebly takes care of the coding behind the scenes.

Founded in 2006 by three college students at Pennsylvania State University, Weebly was supposed to help students build online portfolios. Now, it’s owned by Block, Inc. (formerly Square) and has become a complete website solution. It includes hosting (where your site lives), domain registration (your website address), and design tools all in one place.

What makes Weebly easy for beginners is its What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editor. Changes you make in the editor are exactly what visitors see on your live site. You start with about 50 pre-designed templates and customize them with your content. Weebly manages technical details like mobile responsiveness (making your site look good on phones) and security, so you can focus on your content.

Weebly also supports ecommerce, letting you set up an online store to sell products directly. A standout feature is that you can sell unlimited items even on the free plan—something many competitors don’t offer. This is especially appealing for small businesses or entrepreneurs testing online selling without a big investment.

Weebly: 2-minute review

Weebly is a budget-friendly website builder that has been around since 2006. However, it has stagnated since Square (now Block, Inc.) acquired it in 2018. It makes website creation simple for beginners, but its limited customization and outdated templates aren’t enough to support professional designs.

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

The platform shines in ecommerce, though. It allows selling unlimited products, even on the free plan. It could appeal to small businesses on tight budgets or entrepreneurs testing new business ideas. Still, there are key drawbacks, like transaction fees on lower-tier plans and limited integration with payment platforms.

There’s basic SEO tools, but they lack the depth of competitors. Its marketing features are also disappointing compared to more modern options. Competitors like Wix and Squarespace provide more modern features, better designs, and stronger growth potential — though at a higher price point.

Features

Weebly provides a reliable set of features, but they feel outdated and insufficient for anything but the most basic websites. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly provides a reliable set of features, but they feel outdated and insufficient for anything but the most basic websites. That said, we were impressed with the ecommerce options. You can sell unlimited products even on the free plan, making it a great option for new stores that rely on volume sales. The platform also offers tools for inventory management, product reviews, shipping calculators, and coupon creation.

However, since its acquisition by Square (now Block, Inc.) in 2018, updates have been rare. This leaves Weebly trailing behind competitors like Wix, which now offers AI tools, advanced editing options, and many more templates.

Weebly’s App Center offers some flexibility with 350+ apps and integrations across various categories, like ecommerce and social. But, we found the selection still pretty limited compared to competitors. There are fewer big-name integrations, though ecommerce users can access the larger Square App Marketplace.

Weebly is still one of the best blogging sites out there, thanks largely to its affordable price tag and simple to use blogging tools.

At a starting price of $10/month for paid plans, Weebly provides decent value, especially for beginners or small businesses with basic needs. Yet, the value declines for advanced users who may need richer features from competitors.

Tools

Weebly offers customizable templates, mobile-responsive designs, and analytics that track opens and clicks. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers various tools to help users create and manage websites easily. Our testing showed these tools are mostly user-friendly, but they lack the advanced features of newer competitors. Here’s a summary of Weebly’s main tools:

Drag-and-drop editor

Weebly’s drag-and-drop editor is central to its website building experience. You can add content like text, photos, maps, and videos by dragging them into place. The editor uses a row-based structure, which is great for symmetry but limits creative freedom.

Ecommerce tools

Most of Weebly’s standout features lie in its ecommerce tools. You can manage inventory, display product reviews, and handle sales. We liked the inventory tracker, which updates shoppers when items run out. There are shipping and tax calculators too. A coupon builder lets you create custom discounts, while automated emails help with order confirmations and shipping updates.

Marketing suite

Weebly Promote is the platform’s email marketing tool. It integrates smoothly with your website to turn visitors into customers. The system offers customizable templates, mobile-responsive designs, and analytics that track opens and clicks. Our tests revealed that the email editor is easy to use, with many options to import and segment contacts. While it may not match dedicated email marketing platforms, it offers enough for small businesses.

SEO features

Weebly offers basic SEO tools for customizing URLs, title tags, meta descriptions, and image alt texts. It supports 301 redirects and automatically compresses large images to boost page load speed. We liked that you can manage product SEO settings right in the product popup window. This keeps SEO in focus. The dashboard shows basic analytics to track site performance, but it doesn’t match the depth of dedicated analytics platforms.

App center

The App Center enhances Weebly with over 350 apps and integrations in five areas: e-commerce, communication, marketing, social media, and site tools. We found good filtering options and a helpful search function. While the selection is smaller than most rivals, it still offers basic options for adding social feeds, managing contact forms, using live chat, etc.

Ease of use

Weebly is built for simplicity, making it one of the easiest website builders currently on the market. It has a live editor that lets you preview changes in real time. For beginners, this makes website creation less intimidating. We built basic pages within minutes of signing up, without needing tutorials or help docs.

The user interface has a clean design. All elements are easy to reach from a fixed sidebar on the editor page. Unlike some competitors that hide options in nested menus, Weebly keeps everything visible with a single click. But clicking any element opens up a few more customization options. The content is organized in rows, which helps beginners, though it feels like a dated approach.

Weebly also offers an All-in-One Accessibility App through Skynet Technologies, a third-party developer. It includes important features like screen readers, voice navigation, and keyboard accessibility, supporting WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 guidelines. But this app needs separate installation and costs more after a free trial.

Weebly’s design prioritizes simplicity, which can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the structured editor helps beginners avoid messy layouts. On the other, experienced designers will be frustrated by the limitations. We also noticed that changing themes can misplace or distort elements, and some formatting options aren’t customizable. Also, the platform sometimes has glitches that require refreshing the page, and the mobile app has very limited functionality compared to the desktop version.

Despite these drawbacks, Weebly’s usability is its strongest point. The company was founded by three college students who wanted to help people create online portfolios without coding. This philosophy still shines through in the product’s design. For users who want to get online quickly with little learning, Weebly offers a straightforward experience that few competitors can match.

Weebly plans and pricing

Weebly offers three paid plans and a free plan (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers plenty of plans to choose from. For just $10/month (when billed annually) or $13 per month, you can get access to most of the features needed to launch a basic online store with a custom domain name.

If you want even more customization and control over your website, the Professional plan for $12 per month is a better choice. Serious users can also consider the Performance plan, which lets you accept payments through PayPal, automate abandoned cart emails, include item reviews, and get priority support. It costs just $26 per month billed annually or $29 month-to-month.

Security

Weebly offers one-click SSL certificates for free with all of its plans. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers one-click SSL certificates for free with all of its plans. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) provides an encrypted connection between the server and the browser, so any information sent from the user’s computer is kept secure.

This encryption helps protect your private data from potential hackers or other malicious actors who might try to steal it. It also helps build trust between visitors and the website owner, as customers feel more confident providing their information when they know it’s encrypted.

Weebly also provides DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) mitigation services. A DDoS attack occurs when multiple computers flood a server with requests in an attempt to overwhelm it and take it offline. By having DDoS protection in place, Weebly can help protect against these malicious attacks and keep any site available to its visitors no matter what kind of traffic is coming in.

Customer support

Weebly provides tiered customer support based on your subscription. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly provides tiered customer support based on your subscription. Free and Personal plan users can access email support and the help center. Professional and Performance subscribers enjoy live chat. Performance users also have phone support. Our tests showed reasonable response times. Email queries were usually answered within 24 hours. Chat support was available within minutes during business hours.

Support quality was generally good for basic issues. Representatives showed solid knowledge of the platform’s core features. However, for complex design challenges or integration questions, we often got generic responses. These typically directed us to help documentation instead of offering specific solutions. The help center is comprehensive and well-organized. It includes clear articles and video tutorials for most common questions, making it a good self-service resource.

One key limitation is Weebly’s support hours. They are Monday through Friday, 6 am to 6 pm PT, and Saturday to Sunday, 8 am to 5 pm PT. Users with urgent issues outside these hours may face delays. Also, phone support is available only in English, which may be difficult for international users. Overall, Weebly’s support is adequate for a budget-friendly platform. However, it lacks the 24/7 availability and depth of expertise found in premium competitors like Wix or Squarespace.

Alternatives

Weebly is in a tough spot right now. It once held about 13.7% market share, making it the third-largest website builder after WordPress and Squarespace in 2021. However, it has lagged behind since Square bought it in 2018. Weebly is best for absolute beginners on tight budgets or small businesses trying ecommerce with low investment.

Wix is Weebly’s closest competitor and our top pick for most users. It has far more templates (over 900 compared to Weebly’s 50+) and better design tools. Wix also gets regular updates, including AI features that Weebly does not have.

Check out our Wix review to learn more about what the platform has to offer.

For users prioritizing design quality, Squarespace offers more elegant templates and better customization than Weebly. This makes it a great choice for creatives and service-based businesses wanting a strong visual impact.

Our Squarespace review covers the platform in more detail.

For serious ecommerce, platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce offer stronger selling features, though at higher prices. Even WordPress with WooCommerce provides more scalability and customization for growing businesses, but it does have a steeper learning curve.

Weebly review: Summary

Weebly is a budget-friendly website builder for beginners and small businesses. It’s great for those wanting to explore ecommerce without spending too much. It’s easy to use and starts at just $10 a month. Weebly offers strong ecommerce features, like selling unlimited products even on the free plan.

However, the templates feel outdated, there are no new features, and customization options are limited. So, Weebly is a good choice for users who want simplicity and low cost. But businesses aiming for long-term growth might find better options in Wix or Squarespace.

Weebly review: FAQs

Is Weebly free or paid?

Weebly offers both free and paid options depending on your needs. The free option provides access to basic features such as templates, drag-and-drop design tools, etc.

However, if you want access to more advanced features such as custom domain name registration, website analytics, email marketing tools, SEO tools, etc., then you need to upgrade to one of its paid plans.

Which is better, Wix or Weebly?

It really depends on what kind of website you’re trying to build. If you’re looking for something simple and straightforward with limited customization options, then Wix might be the better choice. However, if you want something more advanced with greater design capabilities and flexibility, then Weebly is likely the way to go.

What is the difference between Weebly and the Square website builder?

When you visit the Weebly website you will notice a small Square logo sitting under the Weebly logo. This can be a little confusing as Square offers its own website builder, so allow us to explain

Square is a payment processing platform. In 2018, Square bought Weebly and therefore gained access to its website building platform. However, Square also decided to build its own website builder platform.

Now Square offers a website builder via Weebly and under the Square brand. Although both website builders have some of the same features, they also differ in their offering.

Why doesn’t Weebly have an AI website builder?

Since Weebly was purchased by Square in 2018 it hasn’t seen any major updates. That means that the more recent tools you would find on the best website builders, such as AI website builders, AI text writers, and AI image/video creators, are all missing from the platform.

It doesn’t look like Weebly plans on adding them any time soon, either, so if you want them, you will need to look elsewhere.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Fallout 76's new update features Walton Goggins as The Ghoul from Amazon's TV series
Game Reviews

Fallout 76’s new update features Walton Goggins as The Ghoul from Amazon’s TV series

by admin October 2, 2025


The Ghoul from Amazon’s Fallout TV series is set to appear in the new region coming to Fallout 76, as played by Walton Goggins.

Burning Springs will be the largest (and free!) update to the MMORPG since 2020, and will include all-new Bounty Hunting missions hosted by The Ghoul and voiced by Goggins.

Goggins’ character proved popular in the TV series, as one of three lead characters alongside Ella Purnell’s vault dweller Lucy and Aaron Moten’s Brotherhood of Steel squire Maximus.

Fallout 76 Burning Springs DLC Preview The Ghoul Walton GogginsWatch on YouTube

The Burning Springs update adds the arid and charred region of post-nuclear Ohio, and will include new factions, challenges, and unique weapons, gear, and fish, alongside those Bounty Hunting missions.

There’s also an intelligent Super Mutant called the Rust King, as well as a “wild local menace” called the Rad Hog you can tame and keep as a pet.

The Ghoul will be located at The Last Resort in Highway Town, but won’t be a playable character or companion.

Image credit: Bethesda

Still, it’s a nice nod to the TV series in the main game series. It proved especially popular, watched by 65 million people in its first two weeks.

Besides contributing to a bump in popularity for the games too, a third season of Fallout has already been announced before the second has even been released.



Source link

October 2, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Surfshark Review 2025: An Excellent VPN That Continues to Churn Out Innovative Features
Gaming Gear

Surfshark Review 2025: An Excellent VPN That Continues to Churn Out Innovative Features

by admin October 1, 2025


Surfshark isn’t quite as budget-friendly as it once was, but even after a 33% renewal price increase earlier this year, this virtual private network still offers good value considering the range of features it includes and the multitude of improvements it rolled out over of 2025. Even though Surfshark’s price hike has made the service less of a bargain compared to PIA or Mullvad, it’s still cheaper than VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN that offer similar features and performance at substantially higher renewal prices.

I ran Surfshark through a gauntlet of tests across various platforms over several weeks in February 2025, along with some additional tests in August. My initial testing involved more than 200 individual speed tests, DNS leak tests, a rigorous evaluation of its streaming capabilities and an assessment of its overall value. My follow-up tests in August included additional DNS leak and streaming tests in addition to a close look through the latest audit and newly released features like split-tunneling on MacOS and FastTrack. As always, I also reviewed its corporate structure and pored through its privacy policies, with special consideration to data collection and no-logging claims. Throughout the process, I communicated with Surfshark representatives via email and videoconference.

Surfshark is still an excellent VPN that gets the job done for casual VPN users. It’s fast, has lots of servers, it’s great for streaming, is easy to use across platforms and it has some cool and unique features. Surfshark is a great choice for someone who wants unlimited simultaneous connections and a slick user interface that’s packed with useful features. I’m also encouraged by the company’s improving commitment to transparency. Here’s what you need to know about Surfshark and whether it’s the right choice for you.

Surfshark is an excellent budget-friendly VPN

James Martin/CNET

Speed: Consistently fast connections

Key takeaway: Surfshark has established itself over the years as a consistently speedy VPN that can easily handle just about any online activity, including data-heavy activities like streaming, gaming and torrenting. And I’m impressed with the new FastTrack feature’s performance and believe it can be a game changer for certain users.

  • 21% speed loss in 2025 tests
  • Number of servers: 3,200-plus
  • Number of countries: 100

Every VPN will slow your speeds somewhat, which is why we test to see how fast each VPN is relative to other providers. While other VPNs’ overall speed test results have fluctuated (at times dramatically) from year to year in our testing, Surfshark has maintained an even keel. Over the past four years of speed testing Surfshark, we’ve calculated a 19% speed loss once and a 17% speed loss three times. When I tested Surfshark’s speeds in 2025, I registered a marginally higher speed loss of 21%. 

That difference is negligible. In practical terms, it’s extraordinarily unlikely that you’d notice any difference in performance.

Either way, the point is that Surfshark is a fast VPN. As a comparison, Surfshark’s speed performance sits behind the 3% speed loss we calculated with NordVPN and the 18% with ExpressVPN.

I tested Surfshark’s speeds from my location in Ohio to Surfshark’s VPN servers in New York, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Singapore and Australia. I found Surfshark’s speed performance to be generally consistent with my expectations across all protocols, platforms and server locations that I tested. The only anomaly I noticed over the course of my speed tests was with OpenVPN on MacOS, where speeds to New York were slower than any other server location I tested. Generally, the closer the VPN server is to your physical location, the faster your connection speeds through the VPN should be. Yet the closest server location I tested yielded the slowest speeds on MacOS when using the OpenVPN protocol.

On MacOS through OpenVPN, I registered an average speed of 269 Mbps on Surfshark’s New York servers. That’s slower than the 310 Mbps I registered on Surfshark’s France and Germany servers and the 291 Mbps I averaged through the UK. More surprisingly, speeds to New York were slower than the 276 Mbps and 282 Mbps that I averaged through servers in Australia and Singapore, respectively — locations that are halfway across the globe from where I sit. New York is a popular VPN server location with a potentially higher load than other locations, which could lead to slower speeds. However, Surfshark says it has 78 servers in New York, which should be able to handle the traffic. 

I didn’t experience this anomaly while testing Surfshark’s speeds through OpenVPN on Windows.

That said, speed performance was fastest on MacOS through WireGuard with an average speed across all locations coming in at 307 Mbps — a 17% speed loss from my approximately 370 Mbps internet connection. Otherwise, I registered a 20% speed loss on MacOS through OpenVPN, 23% on Windows through WireGuard and 25% on Windows through OpenVPN, showing that Surfshark’s VPN provides consistent speeds across platforms and protocols.

New FastTrack feature can give your connection speeds a boost on certain server locations

At the beginning of August, Surfshark released a brand-new feature called FastTrack, which the company says can boost your speeds up to 70%. FastTrack is similar to speed-boosting features from other VPNs like ExpressVPN’s Lightway Turbo and Proton VPN’s VPN Accelerator, but Surfshark’s solution leverages its Nexus network to optimize the route your traffic takes to the server location you connect to. (Surfshark’s Nexus network is also what powers the VPN’s IP Rotator and Dynamic MultiHop features). Currently, FastTrack is only available on Surfshark’s latest MacOS app and only through the Sydney, Seattle and Vancouver server locations. The feature will roll out to other locations and operating systems later on, but during a recent call, Surfshark’s representatives didn’t commit to a timeline.

When I downloaded Surfshark’s latest MacOS app, none of the FastTrack-enabled server locations had the FastTrack icon displayed next to them as documented in the blog post the company published on Aug. 7. I was confused at first, but it turns out the FastTrack icon only appears when routing your connection through multiple servers is the most optimized route to take. If connecting directly to the server is the optimal way to go, then the FastTrack icon doesn’t show up. So don’t panic if you don’t immediately see the FastTrack icons even if you have Surfshark’s latest MacOS app installed. Upon firing up the Surfshark app the next day, the FastTrack icons appeared for me.

Based on a quick set of informal tests to get a feel for FastTrack’s performance, the feature seemed to work well for me. Although my speeds didn’t increase by 70% when connecting through FastTrack servers as opposed to non-FastTrack connections, the speed difference I measured between the two was noteworthy. My speeds through FastTrack connections in Sydney were about 60Mbps (or 20%) faster on average than connecting through Sydney without FastTrack enabled.

You can see the triangular FastTrack icon displayed next to the server location in the app.

Screenshot by CNET

Speeds were considerably slower to Sydney without FastTrack enabled.

Screenshot by CNET

Similarly, but to a lesser degree, my FastTrack speeds to Vancouver were about 16Mbps faster on average than without FastTrack. Your specific results may vary depending on your network and location. Users with slower or less stable internet connections may experience a more pronounced bump in speeds when using FastTrack, which could be especially beneficial if your internet connection isn’t tops. Surfshark’s representatives told me that the 70% figure was based on weeks of internal testing in different locations prior to the launch of the feature.

Cost: Surfshark’s renewal price bump bites, but it comes with improvements to the service

Key takeaway: Surfshark is still an excellent VPN that is easy to use and works well for streaming. The jump in its renewal prices means it’s no longer the wildly budget-friendly option it once was, but performance improvements make up for that higher cost. If you’re on a strict budget, you can get Mullvad or PIA cheaper.

  • $15.45 a month, $48 for the first 15 months (then $79 a year) or $60 for the first 27 months (then $79 a year)
  • Money-back guarantee: 30 days
  • Payment options: Credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Crypto
  • Apps: Available for MacOS, Windows, Linux (GUI), iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, routers
  • Works with: Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Amazon Prime Video and others

Surfshark’s 33% bump over the previous $60 annual renewal rate makes the VPN a less attractive option than it once was, making it no longer uncontested as CNET budget-friendly option. Still, that $79 annual renewal price is still significantly cheaper than rivals ExpressVPN’s ($100 or $117 a year) and NordVPN’s ($140 a year) renewal prices.

If you only need a VPN for a single month, I recommend going with Mullvad, which costs only 5 euro (about $6) a month and doesn’t renew automatically as other VPN services do. In short, don’t choose Surfshark’s monthly plan unless you go into the transaction with the intention of asking for a refund within the first 30 days.

As of publication, Surfshark’s base VPN plan costs $15.45 a month, $48 for the first 15 months (then $79 annually) or $54 for the first 27 months (then $79 annually). Surfshark’s Starter tier is its most basic subscription plan and includes the VPN and Alternative ID features. Other, more expensive subscription tiers are also available that include Starter features along with additional bundled privacy and security tools like antivirus, data leak alerts, private search and data removal services. However, my evaluation of Surfshark focuses primarily on Surfshark’s Starter tier.

Subscriptions and renewals are refreshingly clear

Buying a Surfshark subscription is a simple affair, which you can do with a credit or debit card, PayPal, Google Pay or various cryptocurrencies. I like how Surfshark has made information regarding its subscription renewals much clearer than it had in years past on its checkout page.

Surfshark includes this transparent disclaimer about its renewal terms on the checkout page — which is, unfortunately, not typical for the industry.

Schreenshot by CNET

Far too many VPN companies still struggle with subscription renewal transparency, as if they’re afraid to concede that prices will increase upon renewal or as if it’s on the customer to make that assumption. But Surfshark’s approach serves as validation that being transparent about your renewal terms doesn’t have to be scary.     

Bundle options available from Surfshark

If you’re interested in exploring additional bundled options with Surfshark, here’s a a breakdown of what the company offers:

Plan StarterOneOne-plusPrice $15.45 per month, $48 for the first 15 months (then $79 per year) or $54 for the first 27 months (then $79 per year)$18 per month, $51 for the first 15 months (then $99 per year) or $67 for the first 27 months (then $99 per year)$20.65 per month, $91 for the first 15 months (then $119 per year) or $108 for the first 27 months (then $119 per year)VPN YesYesYesAlternative ID YesYesYesAntivirus NoYesYesData leak alerts NoYesYesPrivate search NoYesYesIncogni data removal NoNoYes

VPN providers are leaning heavily into bundled services. A solid suite of bundled privacy and security tools are available from Surfshark, including antivirus, which isn’t offered by most of Surfshark’s competition. However, Surfshark doesn’t offer a password manager at this time, which other top VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Proton do. Adding a password manager could help boost Surfshark’s appeal as a bundled privacy and security service provider.

Surfshark’s app is slick, intuitive and snappier than ever

Surfshark’s app interface is slick, nicely laid out and easy to use across all platforms. I like the subtle tweaks Surfshark made this year that make the app even more user-friendly. Specifically, it displays the settings you’ve enabled, including the protocol you’re using, the kill switch, Bypasser, CleanWeb and Rotating IP. Also displayed are your connection time, current VPN IP address and the server you’re connected to. It’s a lot of information, but it’s all helpful information to have at your fingertips and Surfshark pulls it off without being obtrusive or making the app interface seem cluttered. 

I also like how you can just tap or click right on the app interface to go directly to each of the displayed feature’s settings without having to navigate through the settings menu. It’s a small detail, but it makes the app a lot more intuitive and shows that Surfshark cares about the finer details of the user experience.   

Surfshark’s desktop app includes helpful settings info at a glance.

Screenshot by CNET

Other key features you’ll get with Surfshark’s VPN include a kill switch, Dynamic MultiHop, Bypasser (split-tunneling), rotating IP and an ad and tracker blocker. All features worked smoothly across platforms including Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Apple TV and Fire TV. 

Surfshark is one of the only other VPNs besides PIA to offer split tunneling on iOS and MacOS, which is impressive considering that changes Apple made in 2020 caused issues with VPNs’ split tunneling functionality on Apple devices. Most other VPNs that include split tunneling haven’t offered the feature on Apple devices since, usually reserving it for Android and Windows users. Surfshark’s Bypasser feature allows you to route specific websites outside the tunnel on iOS, while on MacOS it allows you to bypass websites in addition to apps.  

I was happy to see marked improvements in overall app performance across platforms as well. In the past, Surfshark often took an inordinate amount of time and multiple attempts to establish a successful connection. However, in my latest round of testing, I encountered no such issues. Surfshark’s app connected in a flash every single time I went to connect to a server regardless of what platform I was using or what location I was connecting to. 

Great for streaming, minus a couple of minor issues

Streaming with Surfshark was also mostly a smooth experience during my latest tests. That’s no surprise because the VPN is well-equipped for streaming geographically restricted content with its fast speeds and large server network. I was able to stream content from various popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max and Amazon Prime Video through a number of different Surfshark server locations from across the globe — though not without a few bumps in the road. 

During my testing, Netflix loaded up immediately without issue. However, Hulu detected the VPN when I tried to stream content on my Amazon Fire TV Stick. Otherwise, streaming with Surfshark on Fire TV Stick, Apple TV and other platforms was excellent and in line with what I would expect from a top-tier VPN.

Surfshark is great for unblocking regional Netflix libraries.

Screenshot by CNET

Privacy and security: Unique privacy features and an increased commitment to transparency 

Key takeaway: Surfshark provides enough privacy for casual VPN users, but the Netherlands jurisdiction may scare off some privacy-critical users. That said, the addition of post-quantum encryption, EverLink and a renewed commitment to transparency should work for the vast majority of users’ privacy needs.

  • Jurisdiction: Netherlands
  • Encryption: AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20
  • RAM-only server infrastructure
  • No leaks detected
  • Protocols available: OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2

Surfshark’s privacy and security is enough for casual users looking for general online privacy. But there are a few reasons why you may want to look elsewhere if your privacy needs are critical (for example if you’re in a country with strict internet censorship and surveillance or if you’re a journalist, attorney, physician, activist or whistleblower). 

One reason privacy-critical users may want to avoid Surfshark is due to its Netherlands jurisdiction. Although the Netherlands doesn’t impose any mandatory data retention laws, the country is part of the 14-Eyes data-sharing alliance, which means that if data were retained, it could be shared with other countries. 

Additionally, Surfshark is still playing catchup when it comes to transparency. I’m encouraged by the results of the independent audit report from Deloitte that Surfshark published in June, which found that “the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respect in accordance with Surfshark’s [no-logs policy].” But the latest audit report is the company’s first audit of any sort since 2022. And while the positive outcome of the audit is encouraging, the full report is not available to review by the general public, rather only to Surfshark users through their account dashboards. For maximum transparency, I’d like to see Surfshark make the full audit reports publicly available, like ExpressVPN does.

Jastremskas told me that Surfshark is committed to commissioning annual third-party audits going forward, which is reassuring. Not getting audited on a regular basis doesn’t necessarily mean that a VPN isn’t doing what it says it’s doing, but regular audits act as a crucial trust signal that privacy-critical users shouldn’t ignore.

Surfshark says in its Privacy Policy that the company doesn’t “collect any information about what you do online (your visited IP addresses, browsing history, session information, used bandwidth, connection time stamps, network traffic or any other similar information).” But a VPN’s no logs claims are impossible to verify with 100% certainty, so your only option is to take the VPN provider’s word for it. No-logs audits can help, but can only go so far.

That said, I like that Surfshark will be commissioning audits on a yearly basis and that the company has begun publishing a quarterly transparency report — which details the number of legal requests it receives each quarter and if the company was obligated to disclose any user data in relation to the received requests. The latest report states that none of the nearly 350,000 requests received between April and June 2025 resulted in Surfshark disclosing user data. 

Surfshark’s supplements basic privacy features with creative and forward-looking tools

Surfshark handles standard privacy protections well, including DNS leak protection, server infrastructure and killswitch functionality.

I ran thorough DNS leak tests on multiple servers using each available protocol across various devices, and I didn’t detect any leaks whatsoever. Surfshark uses industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption for OpenVPN and IKEv2 connections and ChaCha 20 for WireGuard connections. Surfshark’s Camouflage Mode (obfuscation) is available when using the OpenVPN protocol and disguises your VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic, which can be crucial if you’re using Surfshark in a region where VPNs are restricted or outlawed entirely. 

I also like the fact that Surfshark employs a 100% RAM-only server infrastructure, meaning that its server fleet runs on volatile memory and theoretically no data is saved to a hard disk, which can help give users extra peace of mind that their data is safe and cannot be disclosed to a third party.   

I also like the option on Windows to set the kill switch to soft or strict mode. The soft kill switch works like a traditional kill switch and cuts your internet connection if the VPN inadvertently disconnects, protecting your privacy and preventing IP leaks. The strict kill switch cuts your internet any time you disconnect from the VPN, even intentionally — which offers greater protection against any potential sensitive traffic going unencrypted. You also have the option to enable a strict kill switch on your Android device using the native Android kill switch, which won’t let you use the internet at all unless you’re connected to the VPN.

But the best VPNs go beyond these basics, with innovative features that give users options for more privacy, utility or both.

I’m continuously impressed with the Dynamic MultiHop feature, which goes a step further than the traditional double VPN: While most VPNs that offer double hop connections usually only offer a handful of preset connections, Surfshark allows you to choose any pair of servers you want from its fleet of server locations in 100 different countries. Keep in mind, though, that while a double VPN connection boosts your privacy, your speed will take even more of a hit due to your traffic being encrypted twice. 

With Surfshark’s MultiHop feature, you can create custom double-VPN connections out of any two server locations.

Screenshot by CNET

One of the most unique and helpful privacy features that Surfshark offers with its basic VPN plan is its Alternative ID tool. With Alternative ID, you can create a full alter-ego complete with full name, birthdate, physical address and email address that you can use online to fill out forms or sign up for email lists without having to provide your actual personal information. 

I had a lot of fun playing around with the tool and coming up with different personas. You can either come up with everything on your own manually or have Alternative ID automatically generate the information for you. Your alternative email address will automatically forward emails to your designated actual email address. You can create up to three alternative email addresses and give them different labels based on what you use them for. An alternative phone number is also available for an additional $3 a month. All in all, it’s a really cool suite of features that can help you protect your personal data when you need to provide information to access a website or online service.

The Rotating IP feature is another useful tool. When enabled and connected to a server, the IP Rotator automatically changes your VPN IP address periodically every few minutes without disconnecting you from the server. This gives you an extra layer of privacy because it makes it that much more difficult for others to track you online.

New, innovative EverLink feature can self-heal a broken VPN connection

While not exactly the same as a kill switch, Surfshark’s brand-new EverLink feature can help ensure your VPN connection stays stable and prevent your traffic from being exposed unencrypted and your IP address from being leaked. While a kill switch automatically cuts your internet connection in the event that your VPN unexpectedly disconnects, Surfshark’s EverLink feature can automatically and seamlessly reconfigure the VPN tunnel without breaking the connection. Surfshark refers to EverLink as a “self-healing server infrastructure” and it’s an innovative one-of-a-kind feature not offered by other VPNs. EverLink is enabled automatically when using the WireGuard protocol. However, even with EverLink, I still recommend enabling your kill switch at all times when using Surfshark or any other VPN for added peace of mind.

Surfshark’s post-quantum protections help future-proof the service

I’m also happy that Surfshark rolled out its post-quantum protection for WireGuard this year. In addition to Surfshark, only a handful of other VPN providers — including ExpressVPN, Mullvad and NordVPN — offer post-quantum encryption. It’s an important step because post-quantum protections can help guard against potential future threats from quantum computers. 

Surfshark’s post-quantum layer is “an additional layer of security for our VPN protocols. For now, we are mainly working on WireGuard, but also exploring the possibilities to implement post-quantum layer for other protocols like OpenVPN,” Justas Pukys, Surfshark’s Senior Product Manager for VPN told me during an interview. 

Surfshark’s a bit more expensive than it used to be, but it’s starting to make a compelling case for its higher renewal prices

While I was critical of Surfshark’s increased renewal pricing earlier this year, given the lack of noteworthy improvements or many other major changes, the company was clearly hard at work in the background on significant developments that came to fruition over the course of the year. The addition of post-quantum encryption, a fresh no-logs audit, EverLink and FastTrack definitely count for a lot and help alleviate the renewal price sticker shock, and bump up Surfshark’s overall value compared to what it was earlier in the year. 

Additionally, the team hinted at a few more “non-traditional” parental control- and anti-phishing-related VPN features coming down the pike, which could add value in the future. Nevertheless, Surfshark is still cheaper than ExpressVPN and NordVPN even with the price hike, and I still recommend it to casual users as a reasonably priced alternative.

Ultimately, Surfshark is still a top-notch VPN that goes above and beyond what many similarly priced or more expensive alternatives can do.



Source link

October 1, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
5 features that set Leverage.Trading apart in crypto market
NFT Gaming

5 features that set Leverage.Trading apart in crypto market

by admin September 29, 2025



Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Leverage.Trading has emerged as an independent hub for calculators, guides, and risk reports that help traders navigate crypto leverage, margin, futures, and derivatives.

Summary

  • Founded by trader and analyst Anton Palovaara, Leverage.Trading serves 850,000+ users across 200 countries with over 15 million calculations to date.
  • Its mobile-first calculators, plain-English strategy guides, and transparent platform reviews make it a go-to resource for risk-focused traders.
  • The Global Leverage & Risk Report, launched in 2025, highlights real-time trading behavior through anonymized data, offering insights into market stress before major liquidations.

Leverage moves fast, and so do mistakes. In the summer of 2025, data from Leverage.Trading’s calculators captured that reality in stark detail, with nearly 85% of liquidation checks coming from mobile devices, and sharp spikes in risk testing just before billion-dollar wipeouts.

This Project Review takes a closer look at Leverage.Trading, the independent brand behind those signals. Founded by trader and analyst Anton Palovaara and operated by Prospective Aimline S.L. in Córdoba, Spain, the platform has become a go-to companion for traders trading high-risk instruments like leverage, margin, futures, and derivatives.

Overview

  • Website: https://leverage.trading/ 
  • Focus: Independent analytics and education for crypto leverage, futures, and margin trading.
  • User Base: 850,000+ traders in 200+ countries.
  • Content: Calculator suite, guides, platform reviews, risk reports
  • Commercial stance: Rankings not for sale; affiliate disclosure published
  • Support: Yes
  • Languages: English

What is Leverage.Trading?

Leverage.Trading is an independent educational and analytics brand focused on crypto leverage, margin trading, futures, and derivatives. Founded by trader and analyst Anton Palovaara and operated by Prospective Aimline S.L. in Córdoba, Spain, the publisher combines pro-grade calculators (liquidation price, leverage, position size, futures, funding, risk–reward, stop loss, margin call), plain-English strategy guides, and transparent platform reviews built on a published methodology. 

Since 2022, more than 850,000 traders in over 200 countries have used its tools and guides, generating more than 15 million calculations to date. The Leverage.Trading brand is defined by its risk-first editorial approach: before traders commit capital, they are encouraged to run the numbers, pressure-test assumptions, and know where liquidation might strike.

Features

1) Calculator suite

Leverage.Trading’s calculators are the engine room of the brand. Each tool strips away jargon and gives traders a clear read on their exposure:

  • Liquidation Price Calculator: The go‑to “how close am I to the edge?” check, surfacing buffer and maintenance margin at a glance.
  • Leverage Calculator: Works backward from margin and position size to show the leverage ratio required, margin needed, and profit potential.
  • Crypto Futures Calculator: Covers long or short setups, outputting P/L, margin requirements, liquidation levels, and maximum open size from a simple set of inputs.
  • Position Size Calculator: Converts account risk percentage and stop distance into an exact size, keeping small accounts disciplined.
  • Funding Rate Calculator: Translates hourly and daily funding into real holding costs.
  • Risk–Reward and Stop Loss Calculators: A back‑to‑basics pair that aligns targets and exits with actual math.
  • Margin Call Calculators (long and short): Model where a margin call would hit at different leverage levels.
  • Trading Calculator (Simulate Day Trades): Lets traders test capital, risk per trade, win rate, and reward‑to‑risk ratio across multiple trades to preview likely outcomes.

These tools are built with a mobile‑first design, quick inputs, and concise outputs. Collectively, they have been run more than 15 million times, making them a regular checkpoint for traders worldwide.

2) Educational coverage

Beyond calculators, Leverage.Trading has built a library of explainers that act more like field guides than theory notes. The focus is on crypto leverage, margin trading, crypto futures, and derivatives, with crossover coverage of forex and equities where leverage mechanics overlap.

Each guide follows a consistent pattern: a clear definition up top, a walkthrough in plain English, worked examples, calculator tie‑ins for hands‑on learning, and a short FAQ. The tone avoids hype and stays grounded in real scenarios.

Representative coverage includes:

  • Crypto leverage and margin essentials: Primers like What is Crypto Margin Trading?, What Is Liquidation Price?, Cross Margin vs Isolated Margin, What Is Over‑Leverage in Trading?, and What Is a Margin Call?
  • Futures and contracts: Walk‑throughs such as What Is Crypto Futures Trading?, What Are Perpetual Futures Contracts?, and USDT‑M vs COIN‑M.
  • Risk, fees and safeguards: Practical breakdowns of costs and protections, including Fees, Negative Balance Protection, and Do You Have to Pay Back Leverage?
  • US and exchange coverage: Jurisdictional clarity through articles like Is Leverage Trading Legal in the USA? and roundups of Leading Crypto Margin Trading Exchanges and U.S. Crypto Futures Trading Platforms.

3) Transparent platform reviews and comparisons

Leverage.Trading also compares crypto leverage platforms and crypto futures exchanges on a global scale with a strict, risk‑first rubric: licensing, KYC posture, leverage limits, fees, liquidity depth, and risk controls. Reviews are carried out with real accounts and published with clear pros and cons so readers can match platforms to their needs.

A dedicated focus is given to US‑friendly options. Where platforms allow American users, coverage highlights availability, regulation/license checks, KYC requirements, and relevant limits. US‑focused pages are updated regularly, ensuring readers in the States have a current picture of what’s accessible.

Commercially, the brand maintains a transparent stance: rankings are not sold, and any affiliate relationships are disclosed. Comparisons include call‑to‑action links, but placement is editorially determined.

4) Data and insights: Global Leverage & Risk Report

First released in August 2025, the Global Leverage & Risk Report offers a rare look at how traders prepare for risk before trades are placed. Built from anonymized calculator usage, it highlights spikes in liquidation checks, leverage choices, device mix, and geographic patterns during volatile stretches.

Highlights from the first release (Aug 2025):

  • Roughly 85% of liquidation checks happened on mobile between Jul 14–Aug 17, underscoring how risk management has gone mobile‑first.
  • On Jul 11, liquidation checks surged 5× hours before a $1.29b short wipeout, led by traders in India, Türkiye, and the U.S.
  • Between Jul 24–26, risk checks jumped 23% globally, ahead of a $5k intraday swing and $500m+ liquidations.
  • The Aug 15–17 “panic tape” showed a +13.7% jump on Aug 15 during a $6b options expiry, a record +28.5% spike on Aug 16, and a +19.4% rise on Aug 17 before $576m in liquidations as Bitcoin slid from ~$124k to $115k.

The report has already drawn strong interest from both media and traders, and follow‑up editions are planned. Its method is simple: anonymized inputs benchmarked against baselines, presented as behavioral context rather than prediction.

5) UX, access and trust

The brand emphasizes usability and transparency:

  • Mobile‑first design keeps tools quick and clear on any screen.
  • Global reach: Tools and content are used by more than 850,000 traders in 200+ countries.
  • Legal: Terms, Privacy, Cookie, GDPR, Editorial Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Complaints Policy are all published and accessible.
  • Trusted platform guarantee: Every review is run by real traders, rankings are never sold, and updates refresh monthly with new user data.

Who it’s for

Leverage.Trading is aimed at traders working with leverage, from advanced beginners to intermediate levels, who want calculators, reviews, and research that frame risk clearly. It also serves journalists looking for fast, first‑party signals on retail behavior during periods of volatility.

Conclusion

Leverage.Trading positions itself as a practical companion in the world of leveraged markets. Its calculators and guides simplify complex mechanics, its reviews shine a light on crypto leverage platforms and futures exchanges, and its data reports provide early signals of market stress. Strengths lie in its mobile‑first tools and uncompromising risk focus. While the coverage is clearly tailored for leverage traders rather than spot‑only beginners, the site has carved out a valuable role: helping readers test their assumptions before committing capital.

To learn more about Leverage.Trading, visit its official website.

Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.



Source link

September 29, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro in a sunny outdoor setting.
Product Reviews

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: a few neat features don’t save these problem-plagued open earbuds

by admin September 28, 2025



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro: Two-minute review

“I can hear your music,” is something my mother used to tell me when I was young, worried that I’d damage my hearing by cranking my music too loud, and it’s something I’ve heard from multiple people since I started testing even the best open earbuds.

These safety-focused open-fit headphones don’t put the earbud in your ear but just outside it, letting you hear surrounding sounds – but until the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro came along, this also meant that people around you could hear the distant ring of your tunes too.

No more! Xiaomi’s sophomore open-ear offering fixes the problem, with a bespoke 10mm driver that’s designed to eradicate sound leakage, and does a decent job at stopping bystanders hearing your music. My local park was no longer regaled by early-morning Busted and Hansen sprints, which I’m sure the community was overjoyed with.

That driver’s just one of five nestled into each earbud, a surprising spec given that most earbuds have one and even top-end ones have only two or three, and you can see them arranged in a flower-like pattern on each bud. But my first-glance comparison between this layout and the look of the five-camera Nokia 9 PureView, which was the first smartphone to use this many rear sensors, continues further than I’d like. Just as that phone offered a packed spec-sheet that didn’t deliver as promising results in testing, the OpenWear Stereo Pro may have the hardware but can’t seem to make good on it to stand a cut above the rest.

For most of my testing, I listened on the default sound profile and the buds sounded awful, really tinny and compressed – luckily I discovered that changing to one of the other few audio presets clears up lots of my problems, adding depth and range, and I wish I hadn’t written most of this review before discovering that! Oh well, a few hours of rewrites gave me more time to review the buds.

That extra testing time didn’t give me extra insight on the design, which isn’t quite as robust or rigid as open-ears need to be for gym users. Doing exercises that don’t see me stand upright like sit-ups, skull-crushers or anything reclined saw gravity drag the buds away from my ears, though thankfully they were okay when running or cycling.

It’s in the feature set that Xiaomi goes some way in winning me over. I’ve already mentioned the sound leak suppression system but the company has also brought back an easily-toggled voice note recording system, which I’ve found really useful in quickly letting me leave reminders to myself.

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Despite winning points back, though, the Stereo Pro level out as being ‘fine’ buds, instead of the solid ones they’d need to be to compete in this rapidly-growing and hotly contested market.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

  • Available from September 24, 2025
  • Costs £139.99 (roughly $180, AU$280)
  • In line with most open-ears

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro were announced in September 2025 at a launch event by the company, which also included the Xiaomi 15T smartphone, some new versions of existing wearables and a few other bits and pieces.

The earbuds cost £139.99 (roughly $180, AU$280). A US release is unlikely given precedent, and an Australian one is possible due to Xiaomi releasing some of its earbuds there, but not guaranteed.

That price puts the Stereo Pro in line with most other open-ears, which generally sit between £100 and £160 (or $/AU$ equivalent), though some of our favorite options sit at the lower end of that spectrum. More on that in the Competition section below.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Drivers

Tweeter + 2x balanced armatures + 18x13mm dynamic driver + 10mm driver

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life (ANC off)

8.5 hours (buds) 45 hours (case)

Weight

9.7g (buds) 72g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

NA

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

  • Two useful features
  • Presets, but no equalizer
  • 8.5 hours of listening per charge

Xiaomi puts the battery life of the OpenWear Stereo Pro at 8.5 hours for the buds, a figure which my own testing gave me no reason to doubt. The charging case bumps that up to 45 hours and both are slightly above average, the case figure to a commendable degree.

The Xiaomi Earbuds app for your phone or tablet gives you some extra control over your buds, with the ability to customise touch controls and jump between a few sound profiles (like EQ presets, but without there being an actual EQ). I’ll mention these in more detail later but it’s not quite as much as customization as other buds give you.

The flashy feature that’s designed to make the Stereo Pro stand out from the crowd is a driver which is designed to stop sound leaking. By ‘leaking’, I mean music from the buds that people around you can hear, which is both annoying for them and embarrassing for you (especially if your music taste is poor but trust me, we’re all judging you).

From my testing (and my partner’s, due to her being my guinea pig) the feature does a decent job at reducing sound leaking. It doesn’t totally remove it and sound leaking is still apparent, but it downplays open earbuds’ natural tendency to spread music around (due to the design). It’s most efficient in public areas where it brings your music just quiet enough to be drowned out by background noises.

Another feature present, that Xiaomi has ported over from its standard earbuds, is a recording mode. You can enable this with a gesture command, and it records audio from the buds or, apparently, a built-in speaker in the case.

It’s a useful feature for people who like to record their own voice notes on the go (let’s be honest: it’s a lot easier than using your phone’s notes app) but many countries have laws against recording unawares people, so you’ve been warned.

Throughout testing, I bumped up against a problem that seemed to be a connectivity one, rather than a sound one, though it did affect the audio. Now and then the buds would jump between tunings, from the usual one to an extra-compressed one and back again after a few seconds. There was no way of controlling or pre-empting this. I put it down to a connectivity issue because from time to time the buds would also lose connection for a few moments, a problem likely linked.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

  • Very shiny earbuds
  • Comfortable to wear but unreliable hold
  • Hardy carry case

If you’re familiar with the look of open earbuds, the thing that’ll hit you about the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro is just how shiny they are. The counterweight and bud both come with a sheen so clean you can do your hair in them, making them look really rather premium. You can pick up the buds in gray, white or, like my test unit, rose gold.

And if we’re making judgements based on appearance, seeing the five drivers on the other side, complete with the text ‘5-driver sound system, designed by Xiaomi’ makes a loud statement about the buds’ audio quality.

Each bud weighs 9.7g, which is a little more than some rivals I’ve tested, but it doesn’t tell. They’re comfortable to wear for long gym sessions or trips, though when I wore them for my workout the bud would often move away from my ear if I leant down or lay down. I’ve found this problem in a few other open-ears and it seems to happen most when the material connecting the bud and counterweight is weak, and therefore unable to hold the bud rigidly.

The case is an oval clamshell that retains your color choice from the bud – and again, has a little ‘designed by Xiaomi’ in case you forget who made it (the name appears four times across the case and buds, not counting a little removable information sticker on the case).

Strong magnets grip the Stereo Pro when you put them in the case, so I never needed to fuss much about putting them in perfectly, which was handy when I wanted to sheathe the Xiaomi in a hurry. Features of the case include a USB-C charging port and pairing button but not much else.

Pre-release information provided to TechRadar didn’t mention an IP rating for the buds or case, so keep them safe from rain.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Sound quality

  • Five drivers per bud
  • Default sound profile is bad
  • Low max volume

(Image credit: Future)

A glance at the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro’s specs list sets up high expectations for the buds’ audio chops, and that’s because each bud has a startling five drivers (most rivals have one).

There’s a tweeter for refining treble, dual balanced armatures aimed again at higher-frequency tones, an 18x13mm dynamic driver that’s targeted at bass and the aforementioned 10mm sound leak reducer. And if that overwhelming hardware list somehow doesn’t impress you, perhaps the support for Hi-Res Audio and LDAC, SBC and AAC codecs will.

After reading all those specs, seeing the five drivers individually presented on the earbuds in a distinct way, and setting up my expectations fittingly, I was pretty shocked to discover that the Stereo Pro don’t sound good at all. In fact, I wrote a pretty scathing review of the sound – and then connected the buds to the phone app (not available immediately because I had early access to my review sample), changed from the default sound profile and found most of my issues vanish. If you’ve just bought these buds, make this change straight away.

In their default sound profile, the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro sound tinny, compressing a multitude of instruments into one sound and losing the details from almost all of them. In rock songs instruments like rhythm guitar, accompaniment keys and backing vocals are muddled and drum lines and more prominent guitar lines are akin to sleigh bells for how jangling they sound. Reverb fills the space that a detailed soundstage should take up.

Changing from the default sound profile really widens instruments, as well as the soundstage (though if you’re a masochist, the in-app toggle to increase the dynamic range turns the tinniness up to 11). It doesn’t make audio sound great, but it brings it in line with other open-ears.

The drivers’ emphasis on higher-end audio helps vocals and guitar solos stand out, and while there’s sufficient bass it sounds ill-defined and loose unless you fix it in the equalizer. Most of the time, it turns songs into a wall of distorted sound in which you can’t make up the textural details. I can see some listeners being okay with this aspect of the buds, especially ones who like high-powered metal music, but bear in mind that if you try head-banging these buds are going to go flying.

The buds don’t even go very loud, so I sometimes struggled to hear music when I was nearby a road.

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

  • Your money could go further
  • …unless you want those features

As mentioned before, the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro sit around the average price of open earbuds, and also as mentioned, there’s lots of competition.

In fact, some of our favorite options are cheaper, making Xiaomi’s offering feel hard to recommend given that its performance also doesn’t match up.

The exception to this is whether or not the buds’ features sound enough to win you over, but for me, the sound quality is a sticking point.

Should I buy the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro?

(Image credit: Future)Swipe to scroll horizontallyXiaomi Openwear Stereo Pro score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The decent battery life and useful extras make up for the wobbly connection.

4/5

Design

The buds are flashy and shiny with handy touch controls but the buds aren’t held in place reliably.

3.5/5

Sound quality

The Stereo Pro gives unconvincing sound, even when you’ve turned off the poor default mode.

3/5

Value

There’s bound to be something that works better within your budget… unless the features appeal to you.

3/5

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Xiaomi Openwear Stereo Pro review: Also consider

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Xiaomi Openwear Stereo Pro

Huawei FreeArc

Honor Earbuds Open

Technics EAH-AZ100

Drivers

Tweeter + 2x balanced armatures + 18x13mm dynamic driver + 10mm driver

17x12mm

16mm

17x12mm

Active noise cancellation

No

No

Yes

No

Battery life

8.5 hours (buds) 45 hours (case)

7 hours (buds) 28 hours (total)

6 hours (buds) 40 hours (total)

7.5 hours (buds) 38.5 hours (case)

Weight

9.7g / charging case: 72g

8.9g / charging case: 67g

7.9g / charging case: 52.5g

9.6g / charging case: 88g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

NA

IP57

IP54

IP54

How I tested the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro

(Image credit: Future)

  • Tested for two weeks
  • Tested at home, in the office, on runs, at the gym and while cycling

I used the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro for two weeks before writing this review, which is the standard TechRadar testing time.

During the testing period I used the buds at home, on walks around my neighborhood, on runs, at the gym, while cycling and on busy public transport. I paired them to my Android smartphone and most of the testing was done on Spotify and Netflix.

I’ve been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for nearly six years, which has included lots of Xiaomi gadgets in the past. For the last year I’ve been reviewing countless open earbuds, and so have a lot of experience in the area with which to compare the Xiaomis.

  • First reviewed in September 2025

Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro: Price Comparison



Source link

September 28, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: Specs, Release Date, Price, Features
Gaming Gear

Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: Specs, Release Date, Price, Features

by admin September 26, 2025


Bearing in mind this is the Chinese model (there’s no word on a global edition yet), I was unable to test all of the functionality, but I have a good idea what will work here and what doesn’t. I love the time and notifications, because I don’t have to pick up my phone as much when it’s face down on the desk and I’m working.

The customizable themes and pets are fun. It’s an opportunity to add a little more personality to your phone. While the real-time updates work only with select Chinese apps right now, the utility is clear, and the music controls are very handy. The selfie preview is an obvious benefit, as the photos you can take with the main camera far surpass those taken with any front-facing camera.

Photograph: Simon Hill

I’m also excited about the pin function. You know that awkward dance you do when you’re queuing? You have the QR code that they’ll scan in a minute open on your phone, but you want to continue reading or messaging. Well, this allows you to pin it on the back display and get on with what you’re doing. While I wasn’t able to test it, I know this will be handy.

As a big retro gaming fan, I love the look and feel of the case, and it automatically connects via Bluetooth and triggers the game mode. But once I got over the novelty, I was left wondering why I would ever want to play a game on a tiny screen interrupted by camera lenses when I have one of the most gorgeous 6.7-inch phone displays I’ve ever used in my hand. I tried Angry Birds 2, and it’s totally playable on the back display, but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

And the Rest

Naturally, the 17 Pro Max is a specs beast, and the 17 Pro isn’t far behind. Both are powered by Qualcomm’s brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, and my review unit has 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. The displays feature Xiaomi’s new M10 display technology, and it is sharp and power-efficient, and it gets very bright.



Source link

September 26, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
New Baldur's Gate 3 Native Steam Deck Build Features Better Framerate And Faster Load Times
Game Updates

New Baldur’s Gate 3 Native Steam Deck Build Features Better Framerate And Faster Load Times

by admin September 24, 2025


Larian Studios has released Hoxfix 34 for Baldur’s Gate 3, and it brings with it a native Steam Deck build of the game. The team says this build should feature better framerate, lower loading times, and smoother gameplay. 

Before today’s hotfix, Baldur’s Gate 3 ran decently on Steam Deck via a Proton build, but it came with some noticeable drawbacks, like a sometimes-unstable framerate and fuzzy resolution. Though we haven’t tested it ourselves, it sounds like Larian’s new native Steam Deck build will be the best way to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on the go moving forward. 

 

“This is not just good news for Steam Deck users either,” the hotfix notes read.” The work the team has put into this build also means that everyone will get to enjoy overall improvements to the way game models are streamed on all platforms, which should reduce framerate spikes in busy areas, such as the Lower City in Act 3.”

Elsewhere in the notes, Larian has addressed various questions players might have about their saves and other aspects of transitioning to this new native build. Head here for more on that. Hotfix 34 is now live.

While waiting for your game to update, check out Game Informer’s Baldur’s Gate 3 review. 

Are you going to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam Deck with this new build? Let us know in the comments below!



Source link

September 24, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Chinese McDonald's Black Myth: Wukong collaboration features black burgers and a ridiculous dressing gown with matching headband
Game Reviews

Chinese McDonald’s Black Myth: Wukong collaboration features black burgers and a ridiculous dressing gown with matching headband

by admin September 23, 2025


Black Myth: Wukong continues to make a noise in China, this time through a nationwide McDonald’s collaboration designed to coincide with this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

On the elaborate and specially designed menu are, according to China Insider and the McDonald’s China website, a huge black double beef “mooncake” (the Mid-Autumn Festival is also sometimes called the Mooncake Festival), a crispy chicken burger “mooncake”, shrimp nuggets, which sound weird, curly fries and themed McFlurries. There’s even a weird black-cased dessert thing, with a gooey yellow and white filling. Apparently this is a sesame lava pie, whatever that is, but to me it looks like a crusted, elongated Cadbury’s Creme Egg.

Image credit: McDonald’s

But better yet! There will also be coinciding merch pop-ups in the biggest Chinese cities where people can buy exclusive Black Myth: Wukong x McDonald’s merch. The most elaborate of these pieces is a dressing gown (it might be a wearable fleece thing – it’s a bit unclear) which is black with ornate Wukong-related design-work and comes with a matching headband, which, admittedly, I rather like. There’s a horrid white dressing gown with McDonald’s logos and burgers on, too.


To see this content please enable targeting cookies.

Manage cookie settings

The collaboration starts today in China, so hurry on over, and runs in thousands of restaurants until 21st October. And I know what you’re thinking: lucky bastards – why do they get black burgers and dressing gowns and not us, in the West? Well we can’t have it because we didn’t give Black Myth: Wukong Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, that’s why. Don’t, Bertie, don’t.

Maybe a better question is why, a year after release, Black Myth: Wukong is still being celebrated in China. Well don’t forget there’s a follow-up game called Black Myth: Zhong Koi in development, which like Wukong, takes another iconic figure from Chinese folklore – the evil spirit-killing deity Zhong Koi – and spins a game around him.





Source link

September 23, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Flyoobe
Gaming Gear

Ditching Windows 10? Here’s how I installed Windows 11, removed AI, and stripped out unnecessary features using Flyoobe

by admin September 19, 2025



Windows 10 is set to go end-of-life (EOL) on October 14, and while you can purchase an extended service license to keep your machine updated for a little longer, some will ultimately choose to upgrade to Windows 11. But what if your machine doesn’t meet Microsoft’s requirements? You can get around them quite easily with Rufus or the focus of this how-to, Flyoobe.

Originally known as Flyby11, Flyoobe touts itself as “A better way to set up Windows,” and it has an expansive set of features that should make Windows 11 a much better experience on more modest hardware.

  • Upgrade a Windows 10 machine to Windows 11
  • Remove AI components
  • Slim down Windows 11
  • Enhance the Windows 11 experience
  • Install commonly used applications

In this how-to, I’ll be updating a laptop that is over a decade old to run Windows 11. This process can be applied to any machine running Windows 10. For those already running Windows 11, skip the upgrade and go right to the tweaks.


You may like

No matter what, though, you will need to install Flyoobe.

Download and Install Flyoobe

1. Download the latest Flyoobe release from the official GitHub repository. At the time of writing this was 1.10.

2. Extract the files to a folder on your desktop.

3. Double click on the Flyoobe application.

Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

On my test machine, an ancient Lenovo X220 with a paltry 2nd-Gen Intel Core i5, I have Windows 10, freshly installed and ready for this how-to. But I want to install Windows 11. I could use Rufus to make an installation USB drive, but I wanted to use Flyoobe, which will download the latest Windows 11 ISO and install it using a Windows Server variant of the setup tools to skip hardware checks for TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and, of course, the 2nd-Gen i5, which is most certainly not supported.

I’ll assume that you have an older machine running Windows 10, a machine that does not meet Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements.

1. Open Flyoobe.


You may like

2. Click on Get Windows 11.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on Download ISO from Microsoft website, this will trigger a browser to open.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Download the Windows 11 multi-edition ISO and set your preferred language. Click Confirm to move on.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Click on the generated link to download the Windows 11 ISO.

6. Drag the downloaded ISO from the file manager into Flyoobe, this will trigger the installer to start.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

7. Follow the instructions to run the install. When prompted to keep files, settings, apps or just personal files, make the choice most relevant to your requirements.

8. When ready, click on Install to install Windows 11 over the Windows 10 installation. The installer will reboot automatically and run the Windows 11 post installation setup script.

Tweaking Windows 11 with Flyoobe

We’ve got Windows 11 on an unsupported machine, so now lets spend a little time tweaking it for better performance. The first task is to remove the AI features. I don’t need them, nor do I want them. So let’s use Flyoobe to remove them all.

1. In the Flyoobe app, select the AI tab.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Click on Check to search for all of the possible AI components.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Select all of the components that you wish to turn off.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Click on “Turn off selected”. This will trigger Windows Powershell to run a script to deactivate the AI elements.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Reboot for the changes to take effect.

Install Updates and Driver with Flyoobe

My old Lenovo X220 worked out of the box with Windows 11, but the trackpad scroll button did not work and I love scrolling with that! So I needed to install the correct drivers and updates.

1. Right click on the Flyoobe app and select Run as Administrator. We need to do this so that we can install the drivers / updates. I tried without, and the process just hung.

2. Select the Updates tab and click on “Check for Updates”.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Select all of the relevant updates and click on “Install Updates”.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Wait for the process to finish. You may see some errors, these can be ignored.

5. Reboot for the changes to take effect.

Improve the Windows 11 Experience with Flyoobe

Windows 11 is a different experience from Windows 10. For one thing, the Start menu is now in the center, and my muscle memory reminds me of this every time I use it. I wanted to improve my Windows 11 experience, and so I turned to Flyoobe, which has a quick list of changes that I can make to speed up and improve the overall features of Windows 11.

1. Open Flyoobe and go to the Experience tab.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Using the dropdown menu, select “Use quick settings”

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on “Toggle All” and click Apply to action.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Wait for the process to finish. You may see some errors, these can be ignored.

5. Reboot for the changes to take effect.

Remove Unwanted Apps with Flyoobe

Windows 11, like other Windows before it, comes with a plethora of applications. Some useful, some not so. I wanted a clean start and for that I turned to Flyoobe to remove all of the unwanted applications.

1. Open Flyoobe and go to the Apps tab.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Using the dropdown menu, select “Minimal Windows” Of course you can change this to meet your needs. The “Balanced” option provides all of the essential apps and that is why it is recommended.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on “Remove Selected Apps” to start the uninstall process.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Wait for the process to finish. You may see some errors, these can be ignored.

5. Reboot for the changes to take effect.

Install Apps with Flyoobe

The complete opposite now! Whenever I install any OS, there are always a number of applications that I want / need to install. Flyoobe has an Installer tab that I can use to install a few of these, making it a little easier to get started.

1. Open Flyoobe and go to the Installer tab.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Scroll down the list and select the apps that you want to install.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on “Install Apps” to start the install process.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Wait for the process to finish. You may see some errors, these can be ignored.

5. Go to the start menu and your new apps are ready to use.

Flyoobe Extensions

This section covers extensions, written for Flyoobe, and designed to further improve your experience. There are extensions for

  • Post-setup cleanup
  • Restoring deleted apps
  • View telemetry settings
  • Tweak the File Explorer

and many more.

I’m going to show you how to run Disk Cleanup via Flyoobe, but the process is the same for the other extensions.

1. Open Flyoobe and go to the Extensions tab.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Scroll down the list and select the Post-setup cleanup option.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on “Run” to start the cleanup process.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4.Wait for the process to finish. You may see some errors, these can be ignored.

5. The disk cleanup dropdown has other options for cleaning up the system. Choose any that are relevant to your needs and setup. Just remember to take backups before clicking the button.



Source link

September 19, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

Categories

  • Crypto Trends (1,098)
  • Esports (800)
  • Game Reviews (747)
  • Game Updates (906)
  • GameFi Guides (1,058)
  • Gaming Gear (960)
  • NFT Gaming (1,079)
  • Product Reviews (960)

Recent Posts

  • Doja Cat Fortnite Account Takeover Gets Messy After Deleted Sex Toy Post
  • Skate’s $35 Dead Space Skin Upsets Fans
  • Silent Hill f has a hidden Easter egg that calls back to one of the most iconic horror game themes of all time
  • This Indie Game Punishes You For Skipping Its Cutscenes
  • Here are our Xbox Game Pass games for October

Recent Posts

  • Doja Cat Fortnite Account Takeover Gets Messy After Deleted Sex Toy Post

    October 9, 2025
  • Skate’s $35 Dead Space Skin Upsets Fans

    October 8, 2025
  • Silent Hill f has a hidden Easter egg that calls back to one of the most iconic horror game themes of all time

    October 8, 2025
  • This Indie Game Punishes You For Skipping Its Cutscenes

    October 8, 2025
  • Here are our Xbox Game Pass games for October

    October 8, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

About me

Welcome to Laughinghyena.io, your ultimate destination for the latest in blockchain gaming and gaming products. We’re passionate about the future of gaming, where decentralized technology empowers players to own, trade, and thrive in virtual worlds.

Recent Posts

  • Doja Cat Fortnite Account Takeover Gets Messy After Deleted Sex Toy Post

    October 9, 2025
  • Skate’s $35 Dead Space Skin Upsets Fans

    October 8, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

@2025 laughinghyena- All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Pro


Back To Top
Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close