Wi-Fi hotspots come in handy when you want to check your emails, social media accounts, or even bank account while on the go. The good thing is that they are free and readily available—you can find them in restaurants, coffee shops, and airports among other public places. The bad thing is that by connecting to these networks, you risk leaving your log in trails behind even after disconnecting from the network. Also, your internet traffic becomes exposed to cybercriminals on the same network, making your emails, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets among others vulnerable to hacking.
So, what can you do? After all, the internet can’t be ignored considering all the benefits it brings to both companies and individuals. We just need to be vigilant when using any network that we can’t control and one of the best ways to ensure we stay safe and secure is by using a VPN.
A VPN creates a communication “tunnel” from your gadget to the internet and conceals your sensitive data through a process called encryption.
HP and ExpressVPN Partnership
One of the most exciting news that has been going around the internet is that of HP announcing a partnership with ExpressVPN to bring high-value, consumer-grade security VPN solutions to some of its products. This partnership will kick off with a select number of HP products getting preinstalled with the ExpressVPN software, starting with the new Spectre x360 13 laptops. However, HP plans to roll out the integration to more of its devices soon.
According to sources, this arrangement is not your ordinary “load-and-forget” OEM software collaboration which is usually considered bloatware. Rather, it is a profound product integration that took months of hard work from both HP and ExpressVPN to finalize, including a thorough security review process.
Users of the Spectre x360 13 laptop will get a free 30-day trial period where they will be given access to the numerous ExpressVPN apps. The end of the trial period will see users subscribe to longer-term subscriptions or opt-out of the subscription if they don’t find it a good fit.
Why the Partnership is Important
HP decided to team up with ExpressVPN after the realization that most of its PC consumers use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks without really considering the many threats they are exposing themselves to.
The ExpressVPN software comes already preinstalled on the selected laptops, so that means users won’t have to go through the trouble of installing it themselves. What’s more, those who don’t know what a VPN is will get the first-hand experience of using one for free before they decide to buy a subscription.
With more threats coming up by the day, companies must look for ways to protect their customers. By making this move, both HP and ExpressVPN have demonstrated just how much VPNs are vital in achieving internet security. It’s a good thing that ExpressVPN plans to have more of these partnerships in the near future. We can only hope that other tech companies follow HP’s example and consider such alliances that will heighten the security of their devices.
