Does Your Internet Provider Know That You're Using a VPN?

July 2, 2022

Using a VPN provides easy access to region-locked content and keeps creepy trackers at bay. But Facebook and Google aren’t the only ones collecting your data—right under your nose, your internet service provider is doing the same dang thing.

Thankfully, a VPN can protect you from your ISP. But can your service provider tell that you’re using a VPN, and if so, what does it see? Check our top story to learn more.

Other Highlights:

• T-Mobile just retired all of Sprint’s networks. What does that mean for customers?
• The exciting Hummer EV faces a huge problem that should have buyers worried.
• We reviewed Vizio’s massive P-Series Quantum X TV. It’s super heavy, but it’s also heaven.
• … and more!

-Andrew

We often use VPNs to obscure our identity online. This opens the door to region-locked content, and more importantly, it hides our activity from companies who collect and sell private data. There’s just one awkward fact to consider; your internet service provider (ISP) also collects private data, and it knows that you’re using a VPN. Read More »

July sees the beginnings of several tech icons. From the births of portable music and two beloved video game characters to the founding of two tech industry behemoths, find out what happened below. Read More »

In theory, an 85-inch TV shouldn’t impress me all that much. I have a 100-inch screen in my basement and a 120-inch screen in my living room. But from the moment I put Vizio’s 85-inch P-Series Quantum X P85QX-J01 TV on my wall, I haven’t been able to stop looking at it. It’s just so dang good. Read More »

It took a long time, but Sprint’s awful LTE network is finally retired. That leaves zero Sprint networks in operation, as T-Mobile shut down the provider’s ancient 3G CDMA network earlier this year. If you’re a long-time Sprint customer and your phone’s acting up, it’s time to upgrade or ask T-Mobile for a new SIM card. Read More »

GMC started filling pre-orders and shipping its impressively powerful Hummer EV late last year. So many people bought one that the company closed the reservation list, and it’s sold out until 2024. But GMC has a big problem that should worry buyers—it’s only building 12 Hummer electric trucks per day. Read More »

If you want to be more prepared during a power outage or travel light during camping trips, look no further than this solar-powered inflatable lantern from MPOWERD. Full disclosure, I own several of these Luci lights, and they’re absolutely amazing and simple to use.

The lantern is under an inch thick when not in use, so it’s super portable and lightweight. One side has solar panels that quickly recharge the built-in battery. Then, inflate the lantern, and it extends to 5-inches tall. Turn it on and let all 10 LEDs light up camp, your tent, a cabin, or even strap it to your pack while going up a hiking trail at sundown. You can choose between low beam, high, or a flashing SOS mode. Just buy one, and you can thank me later.

These vehicles are autonomous, with no humans inside in case anything goes wrong, and that’s exactly what happened. According to TechCrunch, images of the situation quickly appeared all over Twitter and Reddit, with users quick to make jokes about robots coming to take over the human resistance. Read More »

Mental health hasn’t always been a mainstream topic. Fortunately, humans are always finding ways to expand our knowledge with new techniques to treat what ails us. Mobile games are an especially interesting way to cope with mental health illnesses and add an overall mood boost. Read More »

LEGO has unveiled its third Ideas creation so far this year, the new LEGO Ideas Jazz Quartet set. Music lovers will enjoy building the 1,600-piece set and four different Jazz band members and their instruments. Read More »

In what can only be described as a pleasant surprise, Apple is running a huge promotion on its streaming boxes. New purchases of an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD come with a $50 Apple Gift Card, which you can use to buy media, apps, subscriptions, or new Apple products. Read More »

Thanks to the 2H22 update, installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account is nearly impossible. This update patches some of the easiest workarounds for Microsoft’s silly requirement, and it even forces Pro users to type in a username and password. But you can still avoid this nonsense using Rufus, an open-source formatting utility. Read More »

Do you ever get the urge to buy an old brand name like RadioShack and use its lifeless corpse to sell cryptocurrency? Oh, me neither. But that’s exactly what’s happening today. Retail Ecommerce Ventures, an unregulated investment company owned by Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr, is preparing to launch RADIO token. Read More »

The Nintendo Switch is quickly on the way to being the most successful console of all time. This is thanks in large part to an excellent catalog of games, both exclusive and third-party. Here are some of our favorites as of 2022. Read More »