Apps
6 free VPN apps for Android and iOS
If you’re connecting to a public Wi-Fi, it’s best to use a virtual private network or VPN to mask your IP address and avoid security risks. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted “tunnel” over the internet between your device and any website or app you are trying to access.
There are paid VPN apps if you badly need one especially during travel, but there are also free-to-use apps for those quick internet sessions. Here are six free VPNs for your phones and tablets:
Betternet

Betternet is one of the transparent free VPN apps available because they are open to how they make a profit. It maintains its free model by showing video ads and sponsored apps, which is acceptable. It also has a simple, one-touch interface. It has a paid version available if you want a faster and more reliable connection, too.
OpenVPN Connect

If you want an open source VPN app, then OpenVPN Connect is for you. This app requires a little more knowledge than usual but you can configure a number of advanced settings in the app. Keep in mind that you’ll need to have an OpenVPN server yourself in order to use this application.
Opera VPN

Opera VPN is one of the newer and better VPN apps available. It’s free but it doesn’t come with annoying ads, plus it has additional security features. The app is pretty basic though, but it’ll do fine when you want to keep your phone safe from public Wi-Fi spots in airports or malls.
Turbo VPN

If you want a really popular free VPN proxy client, there’s Turbo VPN. It’s really prevalent among users, especially on Android devices, thanks to its access to nine servers, unlimited bandwidth, and zero restrictions. The app does include ads, but that’s no surprise. It’s also simple and easy to use.
VPN Robot

VPN Robot is one of the newer apps you can download. It’s free with ads, but there’s no paid subscription if you want to get rid of them. It’s also pretty simple to use and has a number of servers from different continents.
Yoga VPN

Yoga VPN features a one-touch connect interface and offers unlimited bandwidth, unlimited time, and more. It also provides a DNS proxy to prevent DNS leaks. The app has a lot of proxy servers in different regions. It’s free, but you need to earn points (watch ads, etc.) to unlock specific locations.
SEE MORE: 12 lightweight versions of your favorite Android apps
[irp posts=”25740″ name=”12 lightweight versions of your favorite Android apps”]
Apps
Apple Creator Studio: Creative apps bundled into single subscription
All the tools you need, one payment
Apple has officially streamlined its popular creative apps into one single subscription suite with the introduction of Apple Creator Studio.
The collection includes some of the most useful apps for today’s creators: Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage.
New AI features and premium content in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers also make the Apple Creator Studio an exciting subscription suite. Freeform will eventually be added to the lineup.
The groundbreaking collection is designed to put studio-grade power into the hands of everyone. It builds on the essential role Apple devices play in the lives of millions of creators worldwide.
The apps included cover video editing, music making, creative imaging, and visual productivity to give modern creators the features and capabilities they need.
Final Cut Pro introduces exceptional new video editing tools and intelligent features for Mac and iPad.
For the first time, Pixelmator Pro is also coming to iPad with a uniquely crafted experience optimized for touch and Apple Pencil.
Logic Pro, meanwhile, for Mac and iPad introduces more intelligent features like Synth Player and Chord ID.
Apple Creator Studio will be available on the App Store beginning January 29. In the Philippines, the rates are PhP 399 a month or PhP 3,990 annually.
There is also a free one-month trial which includes access to:
- Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro on Mac and iPad
- Motion, Compressor, and MainStage on Mac
- Intelligent features and premium content for Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and later Freeform for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
College students and educators can subscribe for a discounted price of PhP 149 per month or PhP 1,490 per year.
Apps
Apple gives up on making AI, inks a deal with Gemini to power Siri
Gemini gets another feather in its cap.
In the not-too-long-ago past, the biggest names of the tech industry competed to build their own AI software. Now, though some brands are still on the hunt, it’s easier to name certain software that have more successfully drowned users in a flood of AI-powered features. Today, Google gets another win by adding Apple’s Siri to its Gemini cap.
In the past, Apple peddled Apple Intelligence, an upcoming AI-powered system to compete against the giants of the industry. However, much like other features from other brands, Apple Intelligence came out half baked with features still lacking months after the initial launch.
Now, Apple has signed a deal with Google to use Gemini for a revamped Siri. The former plans to launch a new version of Siri later this year. Because of the deal, the voice assistant will start using Gemini as a foundation for its own services. Currently, Samsung’s Galaxy AI already uses Gemini.
Formerly a battleground between so many competing brands, it’s now looking like a battle between two major companies: Google and OpenAI. Google now has a huge grip, though. Both Samsung and Apple are no slouches when it comes to owning market share in the world’s smartphones.
Now, as consumers, Apple’s deal probably doesn’t mean much besides the continued influx of features that add little to no value to a smartphone.
SEE ALSO: Google paid Samsung a lot of money to install Gemini on Galaxy
Apps
Microsoft continues to shove Copilot where it’s not wanted
This time, it’s reportedly coming to File Explorer.
If you look at a modern keyboard, you’ll find that the Copilot button is the cleanest one on the entire panel because no one ever willingly presses it. And yet, Microsoft still believes in the feature’s value. To show their odd commitment, the company is reportedly adding Copilot to File Explorer.
According to @phantomofearth from X (via Windows Central), a new Windows 11 preview build will add a button beside File Explorer’s navigation menu. Currently, the button is invisible and doesn’t do anything. However, the report says that the feature is tied to something called “Chat with Copilot.” It’s becoming clear that the system aims to add the AI software right inside the file organization app.
Besides revealing the potential addition of the egregious feature inside File Explorer, @phantomofearth also added mock-ups of a desktop with Copilot right on the taskbar, hinting at a potential nightmare of the feature lording itself over where it’s not wanted.
Thankfully, the preview build doesn’t always represent a final version of the system. There’s still a chance that Microsoft will not add the AI to the File Explorer.
As of late, Microsoft has received a lot of flak for persistently pushing Copilot onto users, regardless of how they feel about the feature. The company is also facing criticisms in the background for being a major proponent of AI data centers in the United States, which, in turn, have caused the prices of tech to skyrocket this year.
SEE ALSO: Dell admits AI PCs were a mistake
-
Reviews2 weeks agoPOCO M8 Pro review: Goin’ loco over this POCO
-
News1 week agoInfinix NOTE Edge debuts: High-end features for accessible pricing
-
Reviews2 weeks agoRedmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G review: The midrange fashion piece
-
Reviews2 weeks agoMijia Smart Audio Glasses review: Immerse yourself in the music
-
Features2 weeks agoCan the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G Survive?
-
News2 weeks agoREDMI Note 15 Series unveiled: Price, availability in the Philippines
-
CES 20262 weeks agoSpotlight: ASUS Zenbook at CES 2026
-
Reviews6 days agoHONOR X9d 5G review: Tougher, more long-lasting and optimized

