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My T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Experience: 5 Things I Love and a Few I Don't

Albuquerque, New Mexico: home of green chiles, 300 days of sunshine, the International Balloon Fiesta... and achingly slow internet. Of the top 100 cities in the US, Albuquerque ranks 85th, according to data from Ookla. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, the same company that owns CNET.) Home internet was a two-horse race in Albuquerque for years: CenturyLink DSL and Xfinity cable. I spent decades on DSL, watching my internet speed tests march slowly up to a maximum of 20 megabits per se

The Internet Archive modernizes its GeoCities GIF search engine

The Internet Archive made it easier to search for '90s-era GIFs. GifCities contains millions of animations from the decade of flannel shirts and Soup Nazis. The GIFs were pulled from old GeoCities webpages, which (mostly) bit the dust in 2009. The new version of GifCities is much easier to search. You can now search semantically, based on the animation's content. In other words, it's much more likely to bring up the topic or scene you're looking for by describing it. In GifCities' old version,

Best Internet Providers in Boulder, Colorado

I grew up just north of Boulder, Colorado, so I may be biased, but I consider it one of the country's most unique and beautiful cities. Boulder has much to offer, from its exciting college football team, the Colorado Buffaloes, to its gorgeous trails and mountains. Beyond the sights and sports, it also stands out for the speed of its internet connections relative to the rest of the state. Boulder residents can expect median download speeds of approximately 319 megabits per second, according to

Design Patterns for Securing LLM Agents Against Prompt Injections

Design Patterns for Securing LLM Agents against Prompt Injections This new paper by 11 authors from organizations including IBM, Invariant Labs, ETH Zurich, Google and Microsoft is an excellent addition to the literature on prompt injection and LLM security. In this work, we describe a number of design patterns for LLM agents that significantly mitigate the risk of prompt injections. These design patterns constrain the actions of agents to explicitly prevent them from solving arbitrary tasks.

What Is Cellular Internet And Is It A Reliable Broadband Connection?

The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index highlights that for the first time ever, a non-fiber internet provider, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, matched in score with AT&T Fiber. In other words, customers are just as happy with a cellular internet service over a wired one through fiber. Cellular internet doesn't deliver fast speeds in comparison to fiber. However, it could still be a lifeline for disconnected communities in rural areas. According to the latest Pew Research Cent

Best Fiber Internet Providers in Your Area

Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Coverage in the Midwest, South and California 300 - 5,000 Mbps $55 - $250 per month Check with AT&T Fiber Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (833) 579-0031 Coverage in the Mid-Atlantic and New England 300 - 2,000 Mbps $50 - $120 per month Check with Verizon Fios Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (888) 461-3204 Coverage in 29 states from CA to CT 500 - 5,000 Mbps

Best Internet Providers in Columbus, Ohio

What is the best internet provider in Columbus? CNET's broadband experts recommend AT&T Fiber as the best internet service provider in Columbus, Ohio. It's not hard to see why: the ISP has reasonable pricing, ranging from $55 to $245, as well as the fastest speeds in the area with 2 and 5 gigabits, respectively. However, its biggest pitfall is that its geographic reach isn't 100% -- so those not in the region will need to look elsewhere. But there are plenty of great alternatives, such as Spect

Best Internet Providers in Portland, Oregon

What is the best internet provider in Portland? If you’re looking for reliable internet in Portland, Xfinity is CNET’s top pick. It covers over 99% of the city, offers flexible, no-contract plans, and has a wide range of speed tiers to fit different needs. But even if Xfinity doesn’t reach your address, there are still plenty of solid alternatives, including Quantum Fiber, Starlink and T-Mobile Home Internet. Budget-conscious shoppers can also look to Ziply Fiber for affordable options. Xfinit

Best Internet Providers in Bend, Oregon

What is the best internet provider in Bend? Bend may lack variety in internet providers, but after careful research, CNET believes TDS Broadband is the top choice in Bend, Oregon. It offers the fastest speeds in the area, reliable service and a range of plans to fit different needs. If your need for speed is a bit more moderate, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a solid backup choice, thanks to its affordability. The Rely Home Internet plan gets you speeds up to 318Mbps for $40 a month ($35 when bu

Best Internet Providers in Los Angeles, California

What is the best internet provider in Los Angeles? CNET’s top internet provider recommendation for Los Angeles is AT&T Fiber. With 78% coverage across the city, it stands out for delivering solid median download speeds, no contracts and included equipment which is a rare combination for fiber internet. It’s the best blend of performance and reliability for most Angelenos. If you’re looking to spend less and happen to live in Frontier’s service area, its $30 fiber plan with symmetrical 200Mbps

Best Internet Providers in Washington, DC

What is the best internet provider in Washington, DC? Whether you've lived in Washington, DC for a while or are moving into the area, there are plenty of choices to explore. The three that stand out are Xfinity, Astound Broadband and Verizon Fios -- although wireless internet from regional ISPs like Starry Internet, DC Access and T-Mobile's 5G are also a good shout. But which comes out on top? CNET recommends Verizon Fios as the best internet provider in Washington, DC -- namely for its top sp

I Think Fiber Is the Gold Standard of Internet. But Here's Why I Can't Always Recommend It

You've probably heard about fiber internet by now; it's often touted as the "gold standard" of broadband by policymakers, experts and internet users alike. Plus, the Fiber Broadband Association estimates that a little over 76 million homes have made the switch to a fiber internet connection, representing a growth of 13% in the past year. If you've ever struggled with slow speeds or outages while using cable, 5G, satellite or (God forbid) DSL internet, you've probably considered switching intern

Google overhauls internal learning platform to focus on AI, 'business priorities'

Google is overhauling a popular internal learning platform to focus on teaching employees how to use modern artificial intelligence tools in their daily work routines, CNBC has learned. Grow, as the learning service is called, was previously filled with a wide array of courses, ranging from teaching Google employees how to build products, use 3D printers, help with their personal finance or even how to solve a Rubik's cube. Those offerings have all been replaced primarily by AI-related courses.

Android 16’s Desktop Mode transforms your Pixel phone into a PC, and here’s how you can try it now

TL;DR Google is developing a DeX-like desktop mode for Android phones, and you can try it out now on supported Pixel devices with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2. This feature projects a desktop-like environment with a taskbar and freeform windows to an external display, while the phone screen remains usable. The desktop mode experience requires a Pixel 8 or newer, the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, and an external display. One of the most exciting pieces of Android news from last month’s Google I/O dev

Best Internet Providers in San Diego, California

What is the best internet provider in San Diego? AT&T Fiber is CNET's top pick for the best internet service provider in San Diego. It offers plans that start at $55 a month and go up to $245. AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet in the area with speeds of up to 5,000Mbps. However, it doesn't service everywhere in America's Finest City, but there are plenty of strong alternatives such as Cox, Spectrum and T-Mobile. If you're on the lookout for cheap internet, T-Mobile Home Internet and Veriz

Best Internet Providers in North Carolina

CNET’s broadband experts are here to help you find the right internet provider and plan for your needs. We've done the work, and whether you want the fastest speeds or the most budget-friendly option, we've found something for everyone. After reviewing the available providers, our experts selected Spectrum as the best internet service provider in North Carolina for its fast speeds, widespread availability and reasonable pricing. The cable giant services a lot of addresses in the state, but if yo

Best Internet Providers in Port St. Lucie, Florida

What is the best internet provider in Port St. Lucie? Whether you're looking for the fastest speeds or the most affordable plans for your next internet service provider in Port St. Lucie, CNET's broadband team has done the hard work for you and found the best options. According to our experts, Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Port St. Lucie for most households. It offers wide coverage and competitive prices for home broadband in Port St. Lucie, making it a reliable and affordabl

Best Internet Providers in Massachusetts

What is the best internet service provider in Massachusetts? According to CNET, Xfinity is the best internet provider in Massachusetts, thanks to its solid speeds, competitive pricing and reliability. However, Xfinity isn’t available in every part of the state and you have more options to choose from. For residents in eastern Massachusetts, Verizon Fios is a strong alternative, offering fast speeds at reasonable rates. In rural areas, local fiber networks may provide better service. If afforda

Best Internet Providers in Naperville, Illinois

What is the best internet provider in Naperville? Xfinity is CNET’s top choice for the best internet service provider in Naperville. We've picked it as the top option for most households in the area because it offers a ton of different plans and solid availability. Xfinity's plans start at $35 a month for 150Mbps and go up to $95 for the 2,000Mbps plan. If you're outside the coverage area of Xfinity, you can consider Astound, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G. Looking for the cheapest internet plans in

Most People Still Aren’t Happy With Their Internet, but It’s Not All Bad

The American Customer Satisfaction Index released its annual survey, based on over 25,000 customer interviews, revealing how we really feel about our internet service providers. The good news for ISPs -- things are trending up. Overall, ISPs scored 71 on the ACSI's 100-point scale -- an increase of three points over 2023 and the highest score since the ACSI started measuring ISPs in 2013. The not-so-good news? Internet service providers still rank at the bottom of the index, just ahead of subscr

Black Basta ransomware gang's internal chat logs leak online

An unknown leaker has released what they claim to be an archive of internal Matrix chat logs belonging to the Black Basta ransomware operation. ExploitWhispers, the individual who previously uploaded the stolen messages to the MEGA file-sharing platform, which are now removed, has uploaded it to a dedicated Telegram channel. It's not yet clear if ExploitWhispers is a security researcher who gained access to the gang's internal chat server or a disgruntled member. While they never shared the r

Five Kinds of Nondeterminism

February 19, 2025 Five Kinds of Nondeterminism Or four kinds, or six kinds, I'm not picky about how you count them No newsletter next week, I'm teaching a TLA+ workshop. Speaking of which: I spend a lot of time thinking about formal methods (and TLA+ specifically) because it's where the source of almost all my revenue. But I don't share most of the details because 90% of my readers don't use FM and never will. I think it's more interesting to talk about ideas from FM that would be useful to

Most People Still Aren't Happy With Their Internet, But It's Not All Bad

The American Customer Satisfaction Index released its annual survey, based on over 25,000 customer interviews, revealing how we really feel about our internet service providers. The good news for ISPs -- things are trending up. Overall, ISPs scored 71 on the ACSI's 100-point scale -- an increase of three points over 2023 and the highest score since the ACSI started measuring ISPs in 2013. The not-so-good news? Internet service providers still rank at the bottom of the index, just ahead of subscr

Obscura VPN – Privacy that's more than a promise

Unlike VPNs with a “no-logs” policy, Obscura is provably private by design. Even “no-logs” VPNs see both your identity and your internet activity, meaning you have to blindly trust their pinky-promise for privacy. This is exactly why some privacy-conscious folks will tell you not to use a VPN at all. Obscura is different – we never see your decrypted internet packets. It’s simply impossible for us to log your internet activity, even if we were compelled to, or if our servers were compromised.

Best Internet Providers in Miami Beach, Florida

What is the best internet provider in Miami Beach? CNET's top choice for the best internet service provider in Miami Beach is Breezeline. The ISP offers affordable plans, fast speeds and wide converage. What more could you need? With plans that start at just $20 a month, there's something for everyone. If Breezeline doesn't offer coverage in your area, AT&T Fiber is an excellent alternative. AT&T Fiber offers speeds up to 2,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps, providing ultra-fast internet for users who nee

Best Internet Providers in Minneapolis, Minnesota

What is the best internet provider in Minneapolis? Xfinity is CNET's top pick for the best internet service provider for most Minneapolis households thanks to its wide selection of plans and solid coverage throughout the area. Whether you need fast speeds for gaming and streaming or an affordable connection for everyday home usage, Xfinity's wide range of plans has options for everyone. It offers competitive prices and reliable customer support as well, making Xfinity a solid overall choice. I

Best Internet Providers in Lima, Ohio

What is the best internet provider in Lima, Ohio? CNET recommends Spectrum as the best internet provider in Lima, Ohio. This cable internet network covers 92% of the city and offers the most affordable plans in the area, starting at $25 a month for the 50Mbps plan. While the service isn't perfect due to significant price increases after the first year, it remains a straightforward option for fast and reliable internet in Lima. Brightspeed is the fastest internet provider in Lima, followed by T

Best Internet Providers in Las Vegas, Nevada

What is the best internet provider in Las Vegas? CNET ranks Cox as the top internet service provider in Las Vegas, thanks to its extensive coverage and variety of plans. If you don't have access to Cox or simply want to try other options, Quantum Fiber is a solid alternative. For those without access to either, Verizon or T-Mobile’s fixed wireless options may work (starting from $35), though they typically offer slower speeds. For budget-conscious shoppers, Quantum Fiber plans start at $50 a m

Best Internet Providers in Maryland

What is the best internet provider in Maryland? Looking for high speed internet in Maryland? You’re in luck. Maryland has some of the fastest internet speeds of any state, and most residents have access to at least one fiber provider. CNET recommends Verizon Fios as the best internet service provider in Maryland for most households. It offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, plus unlimited data and affordable pricing. Verizon Fios covers most of Maryland's main metro areas. Just keep in