Oracle appears to have named two new presidents
The company filed two filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission listing cloud boss Clay Magouyrk and head of industries Michael Sicilia as "president." The forms don't explicitly mention a promotion, but the executives haven't been previously listed as "presidents," according to a person familiar with the matter.
The executives, according to that person, are considered part of a succession plan for Larry Ellison. Ellison is Oracle's cofounder and former CEO who now serves as chief technology officer and executive chairman.
Oracle CEO Safra Catz was previously a co-president along with the late Mark Hurd. They shared the title until both were promoted to co-CEOs in 2014 when Ellison stepped back. Hurd died in 2019, and while Ellison considered possible successors, he opted for Catz to remain the company's sole CEO.
Magouyrk is a former Amazon software development engineer who joined Oracle as an individual contributor in 2014. He quickly impressed Ellison and Catz with his ability to deliver results quickly, leading to his rapid ascent through the ranks to preside over Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. His leadership style has at times been controversial.
Sicilia is the executive vice president of Oracle Industries. He's the executive who has been leading Oracle's takeover of Cerner.
The executives will help lead Oracle as it gains traction in the cloud-computing market. Oracle shares hit a record high this week after beating analyst estimates and raising its revenue forecast.
Piper Sandler analysts wrote in a note after the earnings release that the company "has entered an entirely new wave of enterprise popularity that it has not seen since the Internet era in the late '90s."
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Should You Buy or Rent Your Router? The Wrong Choice Set Me Back Nearly $1,000
I've been writing about the internet for six years, and for most of them, I carried around a shameful secret: I rented a Wi-Fi router from Xfinity. Even though I've always advised readers to buy their own equipment, my rented modem and router worked fine. But all that time, in the back of my mind, I knew it was a waste of money. A monthly charge of $15 for internet equipment doesn't seem too bad when you're first signing up for internet, but after a few years of paying that monthly fee, you'll quickly rack up hundreds of dollars for a cost you could have avoided. When I looked through my old bills and added up the cost of renting internet equipment, I found I spent $873 on Xfinity's equipment fees over those six years. Buying your router and modem may seem like a hefty upfront cost, but it will likely pay for itself in the first year. With the money I've spent renting Xfinity equipment, I could've bought the most advanced router CNET's ever tested and then bought another as a backup. I could've doubled the internet speed I was getting. I could've booked a flight to Oslo. I was finally ready to enter the world of modem and router ownership. Locating local internet providers As satisfied as I was with my Xfinity gear, owning your own equipment is almost always the better option. You'll often get better performance -- my upload speeds increased by more than 2,000%. As I said, it'll usually pay for itself within the first year or two. The average internet bill in the US comes in at $78 per month -- and that's before you add the extra taxes and fees, which you should be able to see on your ISP's broadband nutrition label. Some of these are unavoidable, but equipment rental fees don't fall into that category. You might be perfectly content to pay a bit extra for the convenience of not having to buy and set up your own equipment. But if you're looking to save money in the long run and are comfortable purchasing and managing your own gear, it's a far better deal to shell out for your own router and modem. You may also be able to take advantage of any low-income discounts available in your state if you qualify. Here's what I've learned about making the switch from rented equipment to my own, and here's how you can make a similar change as painless as possible. How to choose the right modem and router The best internet is the internet you never notice, and I can't remember the last time my connection went out or I saw a buffering wheel in my home. And this is all with a device from 2017 that Xfinity describes as an "old Wireless Gateway with limited speeds and functionality." This goes to show how much the type of internet user you are has to do with what kind of equipment you need. I live in a 750-square-foot apartment, and my internet needs are mostly limited to video calls and TV streaming. If you live in a larger home with multiple floors, the same router likely won't cut it. Similarly, activities like online gaming hinge on split-second reactions. If this instantaneous responsiveness is important to you, it's probably worth investing in a gaming router that minimizes lag. Wi-Fi routers run the gamut from entry-level models like the TP-Link AC1200 for $30 to ultra-advanced mesh systems like the Netgear Orbi 970 Series for $1,500. To test each Wi-Fi router, CNET runs three speed tests in five different rooms in our testing facility, logging results for download speed, upload speed and latency. That process is repeated six times, accounting for variations in network performance at different times of the day. Ry Crist/CNET After consulting our picks for the best Wi-Fi routers, I decided to go with a budget pick: the TP-Link Archer AX21, of which my former CNET colleague and router connoisseur Ry Crist wrote, "It's nothing fancy, but it offered near flawless performance for small- to medium-size homes in our tests, and it's a cinch to setup." I get only 200Mbps through my Xfinity plan, so the 700Mbps speed the TP-Link hits at close range is more than enough juice and only cost $85 when I bought it. (Several government agencies have since opened investigations into TP-Link for ties to Chinese cyberattacks. But I don't have any plans to replace my TP-Link router just yet.) A cable modem like the Hitron CODA connects your home to your internet provider through a coaxial cable. Hitron Do you need to buy a modem? Depending on your internet connection, you may need to purchase a cable modem in addition to your router. 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It supports download speeds up to only 867Mbps, but that's still far more than my Xfinity plan. How to set up your new modem and router Ordering the equipment is the easy part; the ordeal of setting up third-party equipment is what keeps many customers on the hook for years. The process is largely the same whether you're starting service fresh with a new provider or swapping out old equipment. Here's everything you'll need to do. 1. Activate your new modem with your ISP The modem is the piece of equipment that brings the internet to your home through a coaxial cable connected to your internet provider's network. Before it can work, ISPs need to tie your specific modem to your account. If you're replacing old equipment, they will also turn this off as they activate the new modem. ISPs do this by logging your MAC (media access control) number, which can be found on the bottom of the modem. You can typically do this through your internet provider's app, in a live chat or by calling a customer service number. 2. Connect the coax cable to your modem After your new modem's MAC address is registered with your ISP, you'll be prompted to connect your modem to the cable outlet in your wall and plug it into a power outlet. You may have to wait up to 5 minutes, and your modem's lights will tell you when it's receiving the internet signal. Once the indicator lights are on, you're ready to set up your wireless router. This TP-Link router offers wireless access to your modem's connection with the web (hence the antennas). Ry Crist/CNET 3. Set up your Wi-Fi router Each Wi-Fi router has its own setup process, so you'll want to follow the instructions provided. In the case of the TP-Link Archer AX21, that meant unplugging the modem's power, connecting the modem to the router's WAN port via an Ethernet cable, powering on the modem and then plugging the router into a power outlet. From there, I set up my new network through the TP-Link app. That's the short version. There's a lot more to consider when setting up a wireless router, including choosing the optimal location, setting up parental controls and protecting your privacy. For my purposes, though, I was ready to start testing out my new internet connection. Speed comparison: Which setup is fastest? I wanted to see how my new modem and router would compare with my old equipment, so I ran speed tests before and after I was connected: one from my desk next to the router and one from the furthest corner of my apartment (regrettably, the bathroom). My old modem and router returned 164/5Mbps speeds from my desk and 143/5Mbps from the bathroom -- not bad for an internet plan that advertises 200/10Mbps speeds. But the speeds with my new equipment were eye-popping: 237/118Mbps at both my desk and my bathroom. I didn't just save money by purchasing my own equipment -- I'm actually getting a significant speed boost, too. Joe Supan / CNET I have no idea why my new equipment picked up 10 times the upload speeds of my old one. I subscribe to Xfinity's Connect More plan, which is supposed to get only 10Mbps upload speeds. In 2022, Xfinity announced that it was increasing upload speeds on my plan to 100Mbps -- but only for customers who pay for its $25-per-month xFi Complete equipment. Apparently, I'm reaping those same benefits with my new modem and router. My best guess is that the upgrade from a DOCSIS 3.0 to a 3.1 modem is the main reason for the jump in upload speeds. How to save yourself some headaches I eventually got my modem and router set up properly, but I made plenty of mistakes along the way. Here's what I would do differently: Buy your modem and router on day one. Moving is a pain, and no one wants to make their to-do list even longer, but this is one task where the extra effort pays off (nearly a thousand dollars in my case). A technician Use your ISP's list of compatible modems. Routers aren't tied to specific providers, but if you have to purchase your own modem, you'll need to make sure that it works with your ISP. Don't cut corners here. I searched Amazon for a modem that said it was compatible with Xfinity and ended up having to return it a week -- and several hours of phone calls -- later. Your provider should have a page where it lists all the modems that it works with -- don't stray from this. Pay for only the speed you need. Internet equipment is expensive, and there's no reason to pay for a modem certified for 2,000Mbps when you're getting only 200Mbps with your plan. The same goes for routers -- you don't need to pay top dollar for a gaming router with exceptional latency if you're just streaming TV and scrolling the internet. My final thoughts Setting up a new modem and router is not fun, but it's absolutely worth it. My internet speeds have dramatically improved, and I'm paying significantly less for them. I'm saving $15 per month on equipment, and somewhere along the line, an Xfinity agent bumped my plan price down for the following year. My monthly bill went from $78.54 to $50. That's far more than I expected to save, and my new equipment paid for itself within the first six months. My only regret is that I didn't make the leap sooner.
CNET
an hour ago
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The Hidden Cost of the Internet: Why the Web's Environmental Impact Matters Now More Than Ever
Diagnosing the environmental sustainability of the internet might seem, at first, like trying to figure out where the molecules of water in your morning cup of coffee originated. Water is constantly evolving, cycling through our environments and often carrying the secrets of the places it last passed through. The internet, in all its complexity, appears to operate in a similar fashion. Every time we log online, we step foot into an incredibly intricate stream of data, often cycled, reused and ever-changing. While the internet can be defined (though I will not attempt to do that just yet), its environmental impact is only slightly easier to trace than water molecules. When we power up our laptops, reach for our phones first thing in the morning, or join a Zoom call, we're using electrical energy, not just physical or mental energy. Powering the internet requires a lot of consistent energy, as does keeping cell towers functional, running data centers, sourcing raw materials and manufacturing those materials into the devices we use daily. Locating local internet providers Despite the constant need for energy, the internet has historically had a relatively minimal environmental impact. But that has all changed very quickly in the past decade. Our lives are constantly mediated through the internet. Whether we like it or not, the internet often powers our homes and appliances, allows us to make doctor's appointments and pay our bills. However, our reliance on the internet should come with an understanding of the environmental impact of the technology that fuels it, especially the innovations introduced in recent years. Understanding the environmental impact of the technology we use daily will help us make better decisions about the tech we invest in. So, to the question at hand: What is the environmental impact of the internet? I'm sorry to have to give you the ever-frustrating answer: 'It depends.' Because it does, it really does. How you get online makes a difference, as does your internet usage habits, how often you use AI, how many devices you have and so on. But it's still worth understanding how internet networks affect the Earth, especially as we consume more and more data. Before I fully dive into this, I think it's important to understand what we mean when we say 'the internet' and what we mean when we say 'environmental impact.' Measuring environmental impact: 30-second version Getty Images There are a couple of ways to measure environmental impact, though, like trying to trace water droplets in the water cycle, those measurements can quickly become dizzying. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions (which can be further subdivided into specific categories), we also have to consider water consumption, air pollution, natural resource consumption, energy consumption, waste generation and ecosystem degradation. For the purpose of this article, I'll be looking at the environmental costs holistically for two reasons: 1) There's limited data on the environmental impact of internet technology and 2) I don't have the time, honestly, to go into detail with each category, nor the space, as my editors are already begging me to shorten this piece. The internet, explained: Extremely abridged version Getty Images The internet, or broadband, can be understood as the vast interconnected network of data centers, devices and routers, tethered together by an assortment of cables, frequency bands and radio signals. This combined category of what we call 'the internet' is tucked into an even broader category known as the Information and Communication Technology sector. The term ICT comprises most communication devices and technologies, like radio and television, but also extends to analog technology. Edward Oughton, a professor of geographic data science and spatial computing at George Mason University, writes that 'the ICT sector accounts for 3.6% of global carbon dioxide emissions' in his paper on broadband sustainability. 'It's growing very fast,' Oughton told me of the ICT's environmental impact. 'We still have to connect an extra 2 billion, maybe 3 billion people worldwide to the internet. So all of that's going to include devices, energy consumption, new networks to be built and, obviously, additional data center capacity.' Factoring the supply chain into consideration magnifies the environmental impact considerably, as the supply chain typically includes mining for rare materials, chip manufacturing and transportation of those materials. To that point, Apple reports that 99% of its water consumption comes solely from the supply side of its business. Still, technology, AI and the internet do have the potential to improve the sustainability of ICT and many other industries. In fact, some policy researchers even argue that telecom policy is climate policy. 'ICT has the potential to reduce [global] greenhouse gas emissions by almost 20%,' Joe Rowsell, telecommunication policy expert and Telus's director of regulatory affairs, told me, echoing the main ideas in Rowsell's recent policy paper. 'It's not so frequently thought that ICT and telecom are the foundation of what a lot of industries do,' Rowsell said. 'Climate policy makers and decision makers should pay some attention to it.' To better understand how the internet affects the Earth, let's take a closer look at how each major internet connection type fares environmentally. Internet connection types and how we get online matters If you've kept up with CNET's broadband team for a while, you know by now that there's more than one way to get online at home -- and our favorite way is through fiber internet. But despite the preference for fiber (and I'll get into why most broadband experts prefer it in a bit), the reality is that where we live determines the kind of internet connection we'll get. We are limited by which internet service providers actually cover our area, and if you live in a rural, remote or hard-to-reach area, you likely won't get to sign up for fiber internet. In fact, according to the latest data from the FCC, 51% of US households do not have access to fiber internet. That means fiber internet isn't always a realistic option for rural communities. Thanks to new technologies in broadband, we can reach remote households with fixed wireless internet, like satellite internet or 5G home internet. Both technologies have soared in popularity recently, with Starlink and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet standing a notch above industry competition. However, fixed wireless internet has higher associated energy costs. And, as in the case of Starlink's flock of 7,000 (and counting!) LEO satellites, those costs can heavily impact our Earth's atmosphere and natural resources. Understanding how each type of internet technology affects the Earth is key to understanding our internet habits' ecological footprint. Let's get into it. Fiber Getty Images Generally speaking, fiber is the most energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable internet connection type. That is because of the glass (though sometimes plastic) fibers spliced into cables. "Nothing's as good as fiber, because once you've got it in the ground,' Oughton said, 'it's these photons traveling in glass. So it's much lower power." Fiber-optic cables have extremely low operational emissions and can last for a long time, making them an obvious choice for reducing money and environmental costs in the long term. The Fiber Broadband Association commissioned a study examining the environmental benefits of using a fiber network. The study found that 'the carbon footprint of fiber broadband networks is lower than hybrid fiber coax [cable] networks on every sustainability metric,' including associated costs for materials and operational use. Additionally, even though the initial deployment of the fiber-optic network may disturb ecosystems or incrementally increase carbon emissions, the study also found that after six years of use, those emissions drop considerably and pay off over time. "When you put in fiber, you're putting in the critical infrastructure for the next century…' Gary Bolton, president of the Fiber Broadband Association, told me. 'This passive optical network will last a century.' Cable and DSL Getty Images Most households got online using cable and DSL legacy networks until the introduction of faster technologies like fiber. Both are associated with a much higher energy consumption rate than fiber, largely due to the use of copper wires. Cable internet relies on coaxial cables, typically made of solid or woven copper wire covered in sheathings and occasionally enriched with fiber. While cable internet is much faster and more reliable than DSL internet, the technology is still not as fast as fiber. Those cables simply don't have the same bandwidth capacity as fiber-optic cables and don't perform as well over distances, which equals higher attenuation or loss of signal strength. While fiber cables require splitters and amplifiers to transmit data over long distances, those splitters are not always powered. That's not the case with cable. "Those [cable] splitters have to be powered, and then the amplifiers for the coax to repeat the signal have to be powered," Bolton said. The FBA study found that fiber internet reduces power consumption and carbon emissions by 93% to 96% compared to two common types of cable internet (hybrid-fiber cables and DOCSIS 4.0). DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, is an even worse offender than cable and often can't deliver speeds higher than 50 to 100 megabits per second. 'Copper is pretty greenhouse gas emission intensive relative to fiber and relative to cable,' Rowsell said, echoing other industry experts. The slower speeds and energy inefficiencies have led a lot of subscribers to migrate from DSL to other technologies like satellite internet, if available. Plus, many ISPs are moving toward shutting down DSL services entirely. AT&T announced in December of 2024 that it planned to retire DSL completely, citing the technology as an 'energy hog' that is difficult to maintain. 5G internet Stefan Pinter 5G internet is an increasingly popular alternative to wired internet, and it's a technology that only continues to improve in efficiency. While 5G is a common alternative to fiber in remote or hard-to-reach places, 5G is associated with higher energy costs for the same amount of transmitted data. Since 5G relies on frequency bands instead of direct cable transmission, there's more network congestion and signal loss risk, especially over long distances. As a result, 5G requires more energy, and 5G towers often require diesel generators for backup energy supply. Oughton's paper, published in July 2025, highlights the high energy usage of 4G and 5G internet in developing Asia and notes that rural households use more energy overall than urban ones. "Whenever you look at these systems and we talk about increasing broadband capacity, whether it's of a satellite network or of a mobile network,' Oughton said, 'you're always increasing the energy and emissions when you increase that capacity." The spectral efficiency of 5G internet (or how much data we can reasonably transmit over those frequency bands) is a key consideration for its effectiveness and staying power. When the FCC opened up the 6GHz band in 2020 to be used in the latest Wi-Fi standards, it also presented an opportunity for mobile carriers to expand and improve their services, "Delivering the connectivity, of course, is absolutely important,' said Alex Roytblat, the vice president of regulatory affairs at the Wi-Fi Alliance. 'But then, distributing that connectivity is very much like plumbing. You can deliver lots of water, but if you only have a faucet that can trickle down, then you're not getting the benefit." For the Wi-Fi Alliance and ISPs using spectrum to deliver internet, making even more unlicensed spectrum available is an essential solution. Doing so might be the key to delivering 5G internet more efficiently and allowing Wi-Fi channels to operate without crowding. "If the spectrum auctions are delayed relative to international standards, you're four years behind being able to deploy connectivity and 5G connectivity in urban areas," said Rowsell. Satellite internetLike 5G internet, low Earth orbit satellites revolutionized internet accessibility in ways we're still trying to keep up with. The strength of satellite internet is its wide, encompassing coverage of multiple terrains. You don't need any cords, cables or established infrastructure to set up the internet: Just a clear view of the sky and a good place for your receiving satellite dish. Like all fixed wireless technology, satellites are subject to the whims of the weather and, in some cases, require clearing trees or structures for a good signal. But otherwise, it's relatively easy to set up anywhere you go, and Starlink's LEO satellites ensure that you get much faster speeds than what you'd get from legacy satellite providers, like Viasat and Hughesnet, which use higher-orbiting GEO satellites. But there is a catch to the technology: To transmit the strongest signal and offer the most connectivity, you need a lot of LEO satellites in the sky, and those satellites create a lot of emissions. 'Compared to terrestrial mobile broadband, LEO is approximately eight times higher per rural subscriber, or six times higher per remote subscriber, in the baseline emissions scenario,' Oughton and three professors wrote in a paper on LEO megaconstellations in May 2024. GEO satellites, which orbit 35,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface, are generally larger than LEO satellites and follow the same orbit of the Earth. LEO satellites, which are much closer to the Earth's surface, require more satellites for more coverage. 'The issue of GHG emissions has not been a concern for satellite broadband until the emergence of LEO systems,' wrote researchers from UNSW Sydney in a paper from 2020. LEO satellites also have much shorter lifespans than GEO satellites, meaning that a massive fleet of satellites is required to offer broad coverage, and that fleet has to be periodically replaced with new satellites. The rocket emissions for those satellites are incurred even if the satellites aren't used, Oughton told me. The rate of rocket launches has grown exponentially in recent years, with 2024 setting the mark for the highest number of attempted launches in a year at 259. Of those 259 launches, 134 belonged solely to SpaceX. In his in-depth article on the sustainability of Starlink satellites, my CNET colleague Joe Supan notes that recent samples of the stratosphere from 2023 already showed a changed composition due to rocket emissions. As Starlink and other competitors enter the LEO satellite broadband space, rocket launch emissions and pollution will only increase, posing a greater risk to our ozone. 'It looks like those LEO constellations are here to stay, whereas a few years ago, we were very much skeptical about whether they were going to,' Oughton told me, referring to the recent shift in BEAD funding toward a satellite-first approach. Data centers, AI and the environment Getty Images When you search for 'coffee shops near me' on Google or Safari, you tap a data center with servers that store the information you seek. It happens in seconds, almost instantaneously. Data centers are central to the internet's environmental impact. While they consume a lot of electrical energy, massive amounts of water and have harmful pollutants, those levels have been relatively stable in the past decade. But you really can't talk about the internet without talking about AI, in the same way that you can't Google something without an AI overview. AI has quickly become such a part of our online worlds, and that integration is key to understanding its environmental impact. The advent of AI has changed how we use the internet, and the AI data centers powering those large language models consume energy at an increasingly alarming rate. Not only are tremendous amounts of water required for cooling these data centers, but the greenhouse gases and pollutants emitted by AI data centers running at full tilt are much more significant than the emissions or pollutants associated with standard data centers. Berkeley Lab, which offers the most comprehensive and detailed glimpse into US data center usage, predicts that by 2028, hyperscale and colocation data centers will account for over 90% of server energy consumption, 'primarily driven by AI workloads.' "If you look at the general or regular cloud services or internet services, the power for each rack of the server is probably five kilowatts, or below 10 kilowatts,' said Shaolai Ren, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside. 'But a rack of AI servers could be anywhere between 20 to 30, and even 100 kilowatt power.' The high energy consumption is primarily due to the power required to generate data, not just retrieve it, like a standard data center server. 'To make sure the delay is small enough, they need to over-provision their servers,' Ren explained. Since AI servers run much hotter than a typical server, they require much more water for cooling. In 2023, Google's data centers consumed over 23 billion liters of freshwater for cooling its servers; for context, that's just one billion liters shy of PepsiCo.'s reported overall freshwater consumption for the same year. 'The total annual on-site water consumption by US data centers in 2028 could double or even quadruple the 2023 level, reaching approximately 150 to 280 billion liters and further stressing the water infrastructures,' the 2024 Berkeley Lab report stated. AI's environmental impact has been a topic of increasing concern for researchers like Ren and Mohammad Islam, a computer science and engineering professor at the University of Texas, Arlington, who co-authored a paper on 'making AI less thirsty.' 'GPT-3 needs to 'drink' (i.e., consume) a 500ml bottle of water for roughly 10 to 50 medium-length responses, depending on when and where it is deployed,' Ren and Islam's paper reports. For Ren and Islam, the 'when and where' is vital to understanding AI's growing environmental impact: Water and carbon footprints sometimes have an inverse relationship, and working toward sustainability requires a holistic understanding. "You could have a location that consumes a lot of water, but it has very clean energy,' Ren said. 'For example, let's say we build a data center in Arizona using nuclear power, then we have no carbon emissions, but we still need a lot of water." Water consumption impacts change with the time of day and the location of the data centers. Fortunately, both metrics are relatively straightforward to consider when building or running a data center. While it's unrealistic to move data centers after they're built, considering colder climates when creating a new data center is an easy way to reduce water cooling usage. To that point, tech companies are increasingly shifting toward opening data centers in colder climates, like Canada, North Dakota or Norway. "Data center workloads are very flexible,' Ren said. 'You can move the workflows to different places to capture more efficient locations or efficient hours." Air pollution is also a consideration in developing AI data centers, which Ren classifies as a 'hidden toll of AI' in his paper written with other researchers from UC Riverside and Caltech. 'The overall public health costs of US data centers could rival or even exceed those of on-road emissions of the largest US states, such as California,' the paper states. As noted in Ren and Islam's paper on AI's water consumption, air pollution is not an isolated issue. Particles emitted from one AI data center may immediately impact the surrounding population and nearby places where the pollutants travel. Elon Musk's construction of a data center in South Memphis is a strong example: The data center runs on methane gas and emits far more air pollutants than data centers using clean or even electrical energy. While Musk's Memphis data center may not consume much water, the emissions and air pollutants are a growing concern. Additionally, local regulators and civil rights officials have come forward, asserting that the data center doesn't have the proper Clean Air Act Permits. One step toward AI sustainability, according to researchers like Ren and Islam and industry-experts like Markus Kasanmascheff, who has been reporting on tech and Microsoft for over a decade, is transparency. "There's no discussion about this, because it's the shiny new thing, and it's cool, and it's evolving,' Kasanmascheff said. 'So people shy away from this, and the impact is very abstract." Looking ahead The internet and AI aren't going away anytime soon, and as we continue to bridge the broadband divide in the US and countries lacking access, millions more will get online in the coming years. Trying to understand our individual environmental impact in the face of much larger industry emissions and water usage, like the ones that shape the internet, may seem overwhelming. Those effects are primarily out of one's control, especially if you live in a rural area where you don't have access to fiber internet. There are solutions to making the internet more sustainable. Oughton and other researchers tout 'infrastructure sharing' and a 'multi-technology last-mile approach' as a means of making 5G towers more efficient in developing countries. Again, deploying internet technology is a potential solution for creating global, sustainable solutions to the industry's growing environmental impact. But that expansion will require, at the very least, more regulation and transparent reporting on emissions and water usage. "Regulation is not just a stick, it's a carrot,' Rowsell said, 'and it can encourage you to innovate in ways that match the regulation." Rowsell told me that regulation also needs to come with ways to minimize greenwashing. Carbon offsetting, for example, is often touted as a solution to high carbon emissions. So is water replenishment in water-scarce areas -- Meta, for instance, reports that it restored 1.5 billion gallons of water to high and medium water stress regions in 2024. While these efforts are a positive step in the right direction, they don't fully address the issue of carbon emissions and water consumption. 'They should actually focus more on finding ways to run their system better,' Islam said. "The number one [recommendation] is, again, be more transparent,' Islam told me. 'Large companies like OpenAI, Microsoft and Facebook should disclose their energy consumption in data centers and associated water consumption." In the meantime, understanding how the internet affects the environment is one step toward making better, conscious choices about the technologies we use every day.
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
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We asked 4 VPN experts which VPNs they use – and the results surprised us
VPNs are a crucial tool for protecting online privacy. They encrypt your internet traffic and keep it safe and hidden from hackers and third-parties. The best VPNs are packed full of features, perfect companions for streaming, gaming, and travel, and are a lifeline for those living under internet censorship. But certain VPNs suit certain people better, and our in-depth, user-focused testing reflects that. We rate NordVPN as our number one VPN overall, but it might not be the VPN for you – our range of guides and reviews can help you pick which VPN suits you best. The Tom's Guide VPN team writes about VPNs all day, but which ones do they actually use? We asked the team which VPNs they personally use and why, plus their favorite free VPNs, and any predictions they had for the future of the VPN industry. Let's see what they picked. NordVPN: the best VPN overallAs a team, we rate NordVPN as the best VPN for most people. It's capable of exceeding 900 Mbps and can unblock all major streaming services, with servers in over 7,000 servers worldwide. Post-quantum encryption is supported on all platforms and there's protection for 10 devices on one plan. More expensive plans include Threat Protection Pro, NordPass, and even up to $1 million in cyber insurance. The 2-year deal starts at $3.39 per month ($81.36 up front before tax). There's a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. For a limited time, NordVPN is offering free Amazon vouchers on certain plans, "Other VPNs have certain specialties that make them a better choice for some people. If you find one that suits you better, by all means, use it. As an all-purpose VPN to use every day, though? NordVPN gets my vote." As VPN Editor at Tom's Guide, I look after all our in-house testing of dozens of VPNs, good and bad. This testing informs all of our rankings in our guides, over which I have god-like dominion – and I wield NordVPN as my sceptre. If you go by our numbers, it's the best VPN going. Although I have a heck of a lot of VPNs installed on my devices – the bounteous blessing/monstrous curse of heading up the VPN team – NordVPN is the one I reach for without thinking. It's easy to use, but also doesn't feel like a toy, which is how I find some of the simpler VPNs come across. It's fast. I've not once had a connection drop in regular usage. Threat Protection Pro also gives extra peace of mind should I head to a corner of the internet less well-traveled. Of course, picking NordVPN as your favorite VPN is a bit like choosing The Beatles as your favorite musician, or mac and cheese as your favorite meal. The inner hipster decries it as the easy answer – but there's a reason that answer is easy. Other VPNs have certain specialties that absolutely make them a better choice for some people. If you find one that suits you better, by all means, use it. As an all-purpose VPN to use every day, though? NordVPN gets my vote. If you don't fancy paying for a VPN – I get it, times are hard for all of us – there are a few to choose from. For simplicity, PrivadoVPN Free is a great choice. If you're an expert, Windscribe Free has tons of extras. If you want unlimited data, Proton VPN Free offers a great free plan, too. I've also been asked to make some predictions on what to look out for in the world of VPN in the future. My crystal ball is currently being serviced, but I can say with some conviction that I see AI making its way into the personal privacy world sooner rather than later. It's unlikely to be anything LLM-based – although we've seen some providers ditch human support staff in favor of AI chatbots – but rather intelligent threat protection models. This will have a much greater impact on bundled tools like malware protection than VPN technology itself. After all, there's not much to change with "encrypt and send data through a secure server." But, when you look at the success of powerful enterprise cybersecurity tools powered by AI from the likes of Darktrace, it only seems a matter of time before this trickles down to the everyday user. "Proton VPN is just as fast as other well-known VPN providers like Surfshark and NordVPN, which is a real bonus when it comes to streaming. Speaking of, I've never run into any issues when using it to stream content, no matter which platform I'm using." In all transparency, I have multiple different VPN providers on my phone and laptop, as I use both of them to test out said VPN providers for our reviews and buying guides. However, if I need a VPN for personal use, I turn to Proton VPN. I first started using Proton VPN over a year ago as I was writing a review on it and wanted to get some good hands-on experience. However, I've continued to use it in my day-to-day life to give my online protection a bit of a boost, as well as to access content that is unavailable within the UK. I really like its NetShield features, which I have set to block malware, ads and trackers. Unlike other ad blockers I've used in the past, it hasn't been detected by any platforms yet, which is a major plus. However, it does still allow ads to play on YouTube. This is standard for most VPNs with built-in ad blockers, but it's still a little frustrating. It's just as fast as other well-known VPN providers like Surfshark and NordVPN, which is a real bonus when it comes to streaming. Speaking of, I've never run into any issues when using it to stream content, no matter which streaming platform I'm using. Something that has really impressed me, though, is Proton VPN's willingness to adapt and change. There were a few things I didn't like about Proton VPN when I first wrote that review, including its apps feeling cluttered, and its iPhone app being slightly confusing to navigate. Proton VPN has addressed both of these issues with its new redesigned interfaces for Android, iOS and Windows. I also just really like its aesthetic – I think the black and purple looks really cool (although that may be the ex-emo kid in me speaking). If I had one bone to pick with Proton VPN, it would be the price. Prices tend to be around $3.59 per month for a two-year subscription (or roughly $86 upfront for 24 months' coverage) making Proton VPN one of the more expensive VPNs on the market. Its basic subscription does come with some great features that aren't generally included as standard for other VPNs (for example ad, malware and tracker blocking), but if you're on a strict budget it might not be right for you. While Proton VPN does have a free option, it just doesn't suit me for what I use a VPN for, which is primarily streaming (though I'd definitely recommend it if your main VPN use is simply encrypting your online traffic). In terms of free VPNs, my favourite is Windscribe Free. It's almost as powerful as the paid version and has a majority of the same features with none of the cost, and even supports streaming, which is pretty rare for free VPNs. I enjoy it that much, I recently asked if it's really worth upgrading from Windscribe Free. One thing I'm finding really exciting in the VPN industry is the development of quantum-resistant algorithms. While Q-Day – the colloquial term for the day quantum computers are able to crack the traditional algorithms we use to encrypt everything from online banking to messenger apps to VPN connections – is likely far in the future, it's still great to see VPNs taking steps to protect against it. It makes sense, too – while so many industries will be impacted by Q-Day if/when it happens, the VPN industry has a huge amount to lose, especially for those who use VPNs to get around internet restrictions put in place by their governments. Not a huge amount of VPNs currently offer quantum-resistant encryption, but many are currently working on and developing their own algorithms for the post-quantum world. It'll be interesting to see what this new future of security will look like. Proton VPN: the best VPN for privacyIf privacy is what you're looking for, Proton VPN may be for you. The Swiss-based provider prioritizes privacy and is a verified no-logging VPN. It boats over 13,000 servers worldwide, and it owns a majority of them. It's super fast and great for streaming, plus has a wide array of features and can protect up to 10 devices on one plan. The 2-year deal works out at $3.59 per month ($86.11 up front) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. "I picked up a two-year Surfshark subscription (with four months free) for just under $60 back in 2022. I was so happy with the service that I renewed my subscription last year." Having tested dozens of VPNs over the years, I think I may have finally settled on one that I really like. Though I started out using NordVPN to get around region blocks while living in Korea, I switched to ExpressVPN when I moved back to the US, before settling on Surfshark a few years ago. Black Friday is a great time to buy presents for the holidays but it's also the perfect time to grab a VPN subscription at a heavily discounted price. For instance, I picked up a two-year Surfshark subscription (with four months free) for just under $60 back in 2022. I was so happy with the service that I renewed my subscription last year. After trying out all of the big VPNs and quite a few of the smaller, lesser-known ones too, I really like Surfshark's Windows app, as it has a very clean user interface complete with dark mode. It's frequently updated too, but new versions of the app are quick and easy to install. Plus, I don't feel annoyed by update requests when there is a newer version of the Surfshark app available. As someone who covers cybersecurity, I've given up on free VPN apps. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some good and reputable ones out there. However, I've written so many stories on fake VPN apps over the years that I prefer not to risk it. By grabbing a great deal on Black Friday, I can get a paid VPN for only a few bucks a month which is well worth the price as opposed to taking a gamble on a free VPN that will likely come with device and data limits. I used to primarily use a VPN to get around region blocked websites in Korea but these days, I often use one for work. Switching to a server in another country really helps when trying to track down product pricing for instance. Besides that though, like a first aid kit or a pair of jumper cables for your car, a VPN is something I always want to have at the ready in case of an emergency. Surfshark: the best cheap VPNIf you're looking for a super fast VPN on a budget, look no further than Surfshark. Its speeds of 950 Mbps+ is the fastest we've seen in our testing. It's also a big reason we rate it as the best streaming VPN. It sits at #2 on our overall best VPN list, its apps are easy-to-use adn you can protect an unlimted number of devices on one plan. Its servers and range of features can't quite match its competitors but this is a small negative in a sea of positives. You can get 27 months of protection for $2.19 per month ($59.13 up front before tax). There's also a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. "Outside of work, I don't use a VPN for streaming, gaming, or torrenting. Protecting my privacy is what's important to me, and that's why I choose Proton VPN." Proton VPN is my VPN of choice. I use all the major providers as part of my job, but Proton VPN is the one for me. It's fast and has a wide array of features, servers, and customizable options. Its UI has undergone a big redesign, and I'm a huge fan of it. It's sleek, clean, and I have no trouble using it. But this isn't why it's my VPN of choice. Proton VPN's mission stands out to me. It actively campaigns for a free and open internet and has a host of dedicated anti-censorship features, specifically designed for those living under internet restrictions. There are Secure Core servers which route your VPN through two servers rather than one. Guest Mode means Android users don't even have to create a Proton VPN account to sign-up, the app icon can be hidden, and the Stealth protocol has been specifically designed to bypass censorship. The non-profit Proton Foundation is now Proton's main shareholder, putting people before profit. The Proton VPN Observatory monitors Proton VPN spikes around the world, and recently CEO Andy Yen said Proton would rather leave Switzerland than put its users at risk. Many providers also share these values, but Proton VPN goes above and beyond – all while being one of the most private VPNs. Outside of work, I don't use a VPN for streaming, gaming, or torrenting. Protecting my privacy is what's important to me, and that's why I choose Proton VPN. I don't really have a need for a free VPN, but if I ever do, Proton VPN Free would be my free VPN of choice. It's one of the best free VPNs and follows the same high standards of privacy and security as its paid counterpart. Its unlimited data really stands out and its lack of streaming support doesn't impact me. To add even more strings to Proton's bow, I find the whole Proton ecosystem brilliant. I'm a frequent user of Proton VPN, Proton Mail, Proton Pass, and Proton Drive. I want to take control of my data and break free from Google – Proton lets me do that. Being a news writer I cover every VPN development and new feature. What has really stood out to me in recent months is the launch of Obscura VPN and its partnership with Mullvad VPN. Both are privacy-focused providers and collect little to no information about users. I have a rather big soft spot for Mullvad, while Obscura VPN is one of the new kids on the block. The two providers offer a double hop VPN service, meaning your internet traffic goes through two servers rather than one. One is controlled by Obscura VPN and one by Mullvad, with neither seeing your full journey. I'd love to see more initiatives like this and I'm excited to see how Obscura VPN develops in the future. All of the VPNs discussed here feature in our best VPN guide. Any one of them will be a great choice, but they all offer something different. VPNs are a personal choice and, as we mentioned in the introduction, certain VPNs are suited to certain people – and not everyone needs one. There's very little that separates these providers and users have different priorities. This could be price, privacy options, streaming capabilities, or the number of devices a VPN can protect. Subscribing to a reputable, private, and secure VPN provider is what's most important, and the Tom's Guide VPN team is here to help you do that. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
