
Wireless usage spikes in 2025, networks strain
This Is Important Because: The data highlights a growing dependency on wireless networks, especially among younger users, pushing carriers to their limits. As streaming becomes ubiquitous, networks face increased strain, leading to more dropped calls and slower load times. This study, based on 27,528 customer responses from July to December 2024, shows carriers must adapt to meet rising demands. We've previously noted 5G's role in reducing issues, but the latest data suggests even 5G struggles under heavy loads.
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Why I Should Care? If you're streaming or gaming on the go, network hiccups could disrupt your experience. The increase in problems—two more per 100 uses—means you might face more buffering or dropped connections. Choosing a carrier like Verizon or T-Mobile, depending on your region, could improve reliability.
OK, What's Next? Carriers need to bolster infrastructure, especially mid-band 5G, to handle data-heavy tasks. Consumers should monitor carrier performance in their region and consider switching if issues persist. For more, check J.D. Power's full report or Digital Trends' coverage on 5G advancements.
FYI: A 2024 study from the Journal of Behavioral Addictions links heavy phone use—over six hours daily—to increased anxiety and depression, especially in Gen Z and Gen Y. Social media and gaming, key drivers of the 40-minute usage spike, correlate with reduced attention spans and sleep issues. The study, based on 5,000 young adults, suggests mindful usage and screen-time limits to mitigate risks as wireless dependency grows.

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The Verge
7 minutes ago
- The Verge
OnePlus Nord 5 review: selfie-centric midranger
The OnePlus Nord 5 does exactly what the company's Nord phones have always done: deliver strong specs at a relatively low price. It's one of the more powerful phones at this price point and should easily outstrip Samsung and Google's more expensive alternatives. This is a function-over-form phone, one where the key selling points are a powerful processor and long battery life, which are the boring mainstays that tend to matter the most in midrange models like this. The problem for the Nord 5 is that other midrange phones in the markets where it's available — including Europe and India, but not the US — offer even faster chipsets and bigger batteries, leaving the new OnePlus phone a little stranded and reliant on an above-average selfie camera to help it stand out. 7 Verge Score Performance sits at the heart of the Nord 5 sales pitch. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 chipset was designed for more expensive phones than this, albeit when it launched a little over a year ago. Combined with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage in the base £399 / €449 (around $530) model, and 12GB RAM and 512GB storage for £100 / €100 (around $125) more, it offers potent specs for the price. That lends itself well to gaming, which explains why OnePlus has opted for a display that's big, bright, and fast: a 6.81-inch OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. I'm still skeptical about such high refresh rates in phones — few games are ever going to break past 120fps anyway. OnePlus says it's repositioned the antennae to perform better when the phone's held in landscape mode for gaming, though manufacturers have been touting that sort of work for years. Battery is the other half of the performance equation, and the 5,200mAh capacity here is good, too. I spent my first week with the phone traveling (which is how I discovered one annoyance: there's no eSIM support), which is always demanding on power, and never felt much battery anxiety. It'll last a day comfortably, and about halfway into a second, but I think you'd struggle to make a full two days without a top-up. The 80W wired charging delivers a full charge in 45 minutes, including bypass charging that powers the phone directly, without overcharging the battery, if you wanted to keep it plugged in during long gaming sessions. The major concession to price is that there's no wireless charging. The problem is that for all that power, this isn't the most capable phone at this price point. The Poco F7 is slightly cheaper than the Nord 5 and comes with a better chipset, bigger battery, and faster charging. The OnePlus phone wins on refresh rate, but that's hardly enough to make up for being comfortably less powerful elsewhere, meaning the F7 is still likely to hit higher frame rates during demanding games. Anyone looking for gaming performance first and foremost will likely be drawn to the F7, so what can the Nord 5 offer elsewhere to make up the difference? The most unique element of the hardware is the Plus Key, a new button that replaces OnePlus' traditional Alert Slider. This is a customizable key that, by default, does the same thing the Alert Slider did — it lets you cycle between ring, vibrate, and silent modes. But it can also be set to open the camera, turn on the flashlight, take a screenshot, and more. It's not fully customizable, though, so you can't set it to open any app or trigger custom functions. The Plus Key can also be used to take a screenshot and add it to Mind Space, an AI tool that analyzes images to summarize them, create reminders, or generate calendar events. It's remarkably similar to Nothing's Essential Space, which does almost the same thing — also using a dedicated hardware key — but unlike Nothing's version, you can't add voice notes to give the AI more information, get summaries of longer audio recordings, or even open Mind Space itself using the Plus Key, so OnePlus' take on the software is more basic. There's little else to complain about on the software side. The Nord 5 ships running OxygenOS 15, based on Android 15, and will get a respectable (but certainly not category-leading) four years of major OS updates and six years of security support. One extra bonus is easy wireless file-sharing between the phone and a Windows PC, Mac, iPad, or iPhone, though you'll need to install the O Plus Connect software on the other device — and sadly, there's no support for the full Mac remote control found on the OnePlus Pad 3. OnePlus has made an unusual choice by prioritizing the phone's selfie camera, which features a 50-megapixel sensor that's larger than the average selfie cam. I'm not a natural selfie-taker, but the results are good and packed with detail. They're not markedly better than rivals in normal lighting, but that's because most phone cameras now handle daylight comfortably. The portrait mode is the only small weak point, struggling to separate the strands of my hair most of the time. But this camera comes into its own at night: the large sensor and fast f/2.0 aperture helping the Nord 5 to capture impressive detail in the dark, when most other selfie cameras fall apart. If you need a phone to capture you and your crew on nights out and at dimly lit dinners, this might be the one. The main 50-megapixel rear camera is good but not great. It struggles with fast-moving subjects like pets and kids, and you'll need a steady hand to get great shots at night, but that's all typical for phones at this price. Colors tend to be a little oversaturated and artificial from this lens; the 8-megapixel ultrawide is more subdued but loses much more detail in shadowy spots. The Nord 5 faces stiff competition on both sides. You could spend less for more power with the Poco F7 or spend £100 / €100 (around $125) more for Google's Pixel 9A for comfortably better cameras, tougher water resistance, and more years of software support. The Nord 5 isn't a bad phone. But it's unclear what its unique selling point is. OnePlus has leaned into power and performance, but it has been outplayed by Poco. The Pixel 9A, while more expensive, beats it on camera and design. Even its dedicated AI button is done better elsewhere, for less, in the Nothing Phone 3A. The Nord 5's best hope for finding an audience is its selfie camera, which is better than any other phone around it, at least in low light. But as selling points go, that feels like a minor one. Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It's impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit 'agree' to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don't read and definitely can't negotiate. To use the OnePlus Nord 5, you must agree to: There are many optional agreements. Here are just a few: Final tally: there are six mandatory agreements and at least 10 optional ones. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Dominic Preston Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Mobile Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All OnePlus Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Phone Reviews Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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Bloomberg
36 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
BlackRock's Rick Rieder: I Think Rates Can Come Down
BlackRock CIO of Global Fixed Income Rick Rieder sees a resilient US economy driven by a strong service sector, robust equity market techniclas, and moderating inflation. He warns, however, that the long end of the yield curve faces headwinds from rising debt issuance. Still, Rieder is bullish on transformative innovation, particularly AI, automation, and data-driven business models, which he believes mark the most exciting investment period in decades. (Source: Bloomberg)


CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Here's How to Extend Your Wi-Fi Outdoors This Summer
For most of us, the Wi-Fi signal usually ends at the back door. If that includes you, your laptop, projector or big-screen TV might be unable to connect to the internet for a big sporting event or a movie night outside. You can move your router as close to your yard or front porch as your Ethernet cable will take you, but that won't always solve the problem. CNET With the increasing number of outdoor smart devices -- including lights, security cameras and garage door openers -- you need to be able to extend your Wi-Fi outside and beyond your home's exterior walls. That can be tricky, but with the right hardware, it'll be no time before you're streaming video while enjoying your garden, or posting pics to social media from your front yard. (For more Wi-Fi tips, check out why your router may be in the wrong spot and take a look at our home internet cheat sheet.) To extend your Wi-Fi range outside, try a weather-resistant device Most options our CNET writers have explored over the years don't require drilling holes or running new wiring outdoors. Still, getting reliable, fast Wi-Fi outdoors may take an initial investment. Setting it up the right way may cost more initially but it will require little maintenance and give you great coverage in the long run. Using a Wi-Fi device meant to be left outside may be your best bet. There aren't many cheap options so you'll have to decide which setup will work best for your home. An outdoor Wi-Fi extender -- sometimes called a wireless access point or wireless repeater -- is the most straightforward option because it's the only solution that involves installing hardware outside. Many of these devices are enterprise-grade but some manufacturers have consumer-grade outdoor extenders, too. These devices are made to be exposed to the elements year-round and have hardware capable of communicating with your router wirelessly to give you great Wi-Fi coverage outside your home. Locating local internet providers The first step is to find an extender that's compatible with your current router, or you can buy a new router and extender to upgrade your entire network. There aren't a ton of wireless extenders designed for the outdoors, but a few notable manufacturers are Netgear, Ubiquiti, EnGenius and Hawking. Next, check the packaging's ingress protection rating and the temperature range the device can withstand. The IP rating defines the device's weather-resistance, mainly against dust and water. The highest rating is IP69, which means it's totally protected against dust and can withstand long periods of immersion underwater. This indoor/outdoor access point is barely larger than a soda can -- and certainly less conspicuous. Ubiquiti Another option that's a little more of a complicated outdoor access point -- like the Access Point U6 Mesh from Ubiquiti -- allows you to set separate modes for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. The setup is slightly more advanced, but you don't have to drill holes or run new cables. You set your 5GHz band to wireless bridge mode and the 2.4GHz band to access point mode. That makes your 5GHz band a dedicated backhaul link to the router and allows your outdoor devices to connect via 2.4GHz. This setup limits your speed a bit, but you should still be able to take full advantage of your 2.4GHz bandwidth and the additional range that comes with it. A brand-new option, released in May, is the Omada EAP772-Outdoor, a Wi-Fi 7 outdoor access point made by TP-Link. It's geared toward businesses -- as evidenced by its $250 price -- but you could effectively use it for your home's outdoor patio or front porch. It has an IP68-rated weatherproof enclosure, so it should be durable for outside service, and it's also future-proof, with the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology. (Note that TP-Link is currently under investigation by the US government for ties to Chinese cyberattacks and could potentially be banned this year.) Indoor mesh Wi-Fi systems are easier, but also pricier Another option is to take advantage of an indoor mesh Wi-Fi system. These usually come with one router and one or two satellite units and can cover up to 5,000 square feet. The most recent data from the US Census Bureau shows that 50% of American homes are between 1,800 and 2,999 square feet, and an additional 27% are 1,799 square feet and less. The bottom line is that most of us don't have homes as big as 5,000 square feet, so with the right placement, you will get decent coverage outdoors with a mesh system. You may sacrifice a little speed or coverage indoors by moving the satellite units, but most of the best mesh systems are expandable and can add additional units. Each satellite unit needs only an electrical outlet to plug in the power adapter. No Ethernet cable is required. To extend your Wi-Fi outside, place the mesh router central in your home and put the satellite unit, or units, as close to the exterior as possible. There is a limit to how far apart you can place the units. For example, Asus support recommends placing each one within 10 to 15 meters (approximately 33 to 50 feet) of the other units. Linksys advised one of our writers that its indoor, three-piece Velop mesh system can help with outdoor coverage. Each unit can cover about 2,000 square feet so if you place one of the units 5 to 10 feet from an exterior concrete wall, your outdoor coverage can improve. Everyone's home environment is different so your results may vary. Your best bet is to place the satellite unit near a window or door. The Linksys Velop mesh system can cover up to 6,000 square feet, including extending Wi-Fi outside, depending on placement and your environment. Linksys There are more potential problems with this setup, though. Generally, most mesh satellites link directly back to the router, not to the closest satellite and then back to the router. This means you won't be able to wirelessly daisy chain them in sequence to stretch your signal in one direction. This is part of the reason it is best to place your router central in your home. Also, your exterior walls still will interfere with and weaken your signal, especially on 5GHz. You may have to play around with the location to figure out which spot will work best for outdoor coverage in your environment. If you aren't familiar with Wi-Fi signals, they are measured in decibel-milliwatts. The signal reading will be negative, so closer to zero is better. You want a signal between -60dBm and -30dBm (which is best). That's your sweet spot. Your signal is near nonexistent if you see something around -80dBm or -90dBm or lower. Eero 6 Plus is an affordable mesh option to help extend Wi-Fi range outside. Ry Crist/CNET The price of mesh systems has begun to decline but they can still be quite expensive. Still, you shouldn't need to spend more than a few hundred dollars for a decent, up-to-date system. For instance, Amazon's Eero 6 Plus performed well in our tests and the three-piece system can cover up to 4,500 square feet for about $225. You might be tempted to leave an indoor router or satellite unit in a covered area outside or a weatherproofed enclosure. This may work in the short term but the risk factors are high. The device could overheat or freeze. Humidity is also a factor, as well as foreign objects like dust and insects, which can clog up the device's vents. Not to mention that leaving an indoor device outside will void your warranty. Indoor range extenders are cheaper, but less reliable for extending Wi-Fi outside You can replicate the mesh setup mentioned above with a regular router combined with indoor Wi-Fi range extenders or repeaters. This option is a little more affordable, with the extenders taking the place of the mesh satellite units. This approach's setup is slightly more complicated but you shouldn't have much trouble following the quick start guide included with the extender. Many newer devices, such as the well-tested D-Link EaglePro AI, are designed to work with different routers. D-Link's EaglePro AI is compatible with most routers. Chris Monroe/CNET Remember, most wireless extenders will cut your Wi-Fi in half because they receive the wireless signal and then rebroadcast it using the same radio on the same channel. Expect your speeds to be slower when connected to an extender instead of the router. One way around this is to use a tri-band extender with an extra 5GHz network that can act as a dedicated link to your router. This will help you get the maximum bandwidth out of the extender. Remember that many routers also work as extenders so another option is to buy a new router and use your old one as a wired or wireless extender. Check your current router to see if it can function as a wireless access point or extender. A new router will most likely give you better coverage, including outdoors, so using the old router as an extender could give you the extra boost in Wi-Fi coverage that you need. Between the two setups, the mesh system's big advantage over the router plus extenders is that the mesh devices create a single network so you don't have to reconnect to Wi-Fi when you move from room to room or outdoors. In general, mesh systems are designed so that your phone or laptop will automatically connect to the closest mesh unit without issue. When you have an extender, you have two networks, one for the router and one for the extender, which you may need to switch between when you move around. Plus, having two networks could cause interference with each other, especially on 2.4GHz. Powerline adapters may be your last resort for extending Wi-Fi outside One inexpensive option is using powerline adapters, which use your existing in-wall electrical wiring to extend your signal. You can plug some into an outdoor electrical socket but you'll be hard-pressed to find an affordable one that's weather-resistant. An indoor powerline adapter can also overheat if you plug it into a covered outlet outdoors. A temporary solution would be to use an indoor Wi-Fi powerline adapter, such as the Zyxel Powerline series, which you plug into an indoor outlet near where you need better coverage. Your range outdoors won't be great, but it should improve your current setup. What's the bottom line? The simplest option to extend Wi-Fi outside is with a mesh system and additional satellite units. This should give you a few hundred square feet of coverage outside your home. Mesh systems can be expensive, but the setup is usually easy for novice users. Theoretically, the best option would be to use an outdoor extender, but only a few consumer-rated products are available. TP-Link also offers two outdoor units -- the Deco X50-Outdoor, which is certified water- and dust-proof, and the Omada EAP772-Outdoor. We haven't had a chance to test these units, but we will update this post as soon as we do.