If your TV and broadband bills are making you wince each month, you might want to check out a limited-time offer from Sky. The telecoms and telly provider is currently dishing out a duo of bundles at the ‘lowest ever’ price with those signing up getting TV, broadband, premium channels and Netflix from just £35 per month.

It’s a tempting price, but you will need to make some changes to cash in. Sky’s plans now include a Stream box rather than Sky Q. That means all content is beamed to the screen using the internet rather than a standard satellite dish.

SEE THE SKY DEAL HERE

Watching via the web is becoming more popular with Sky pushing most of its new customers over to this way of bingeing on content. There are some benefits of Stream including simple set-up, full access to live and on-demand shows plus it comes with easy access to all of the most popular services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+.

Want to know more about Sky Stream? Read our full Sky Stream review.

If you think you are happy to ditch the dish and try something new, then you need to act fast, with Sky confirming that the deals will end on Wednesday, May 14.

Here’s what is on offer from Sky this week.

Essential TV & Full Fibre 300 broadband
PRICE: £35 – lowest ever
INCLUDES: Sky Stream box, Sky Atlantic, Netflix and 300Mbps broadband
CONTRACT: 24 months
SEE THE DEAL HERE

Ultimate TV & Full Fibre 300 broadband
PRICE: £39 – lowest ever
INCLUDES: Sky Stream box, Sky Atlantic plus more premium channels such as Sky Max, Netflix and 300Mbps broadband
CONTRACT: 24 months
SEE THE DEAL HERE

Of course, if you don’t want to sign up for a long-term contract then there are other streaming options that are free including Freely. This platform launched last year and comes built into a swathe of new TVs. Just like Sky Stream, Freely uses the web to beam shows, movies and sports to the screen and doesn’t need an aerial.

The team behind the service has also just announced a major update, which has added more manufacturers to the list of those making Freely screens, along with a bunch of bonus upgrades.

These include easier ways to find things to watch, along with a new backwards TV guide that lets you go back in time and watch shows that have already aired.

Owning an Android phone is a portal to a veritable universe of near-limitless applications, with choices of different social media, photography, banking, creative and entertainment options extending into literally millions of different apps.

According to a new report, that number was just too many. App analytics firm Appfigures has released new research that claims since the start of 2024 to now, Google has cut the number of apps available on the Google Play Store from 3.4 million down to 1.8 million, a 47 percent decrease.

This means the apps are no longer available to download, but these banned apps won’t be automatically deleted if you have them on your phone. It’s best to go and check your phone now and make sure you fully trust every app you have installed.

As reported by TechCrunch, Appfigures said this dramatic culling of approximately 1.6 million Android apps – a mind-boggling number – is largely down to quality control. Google is considered to have more lax rules for app developers to get their creations onto the Google Play Store compared to the Apple App Store, thus resulting in millions more Android apps being available over the past few years.

Apple’s iOS App Store currently hosts 1.64 million apps, only slightly more than the amount that were totally cut from Android.

In July 2024, Google raised the minimum quality requirements for apps to enter the Store, and promised to remove those already there that did not meet the standard, which has evidently now taken place.

At the time, Google said it would remove apps it felt had “limited functionality and content”, which appears to have applied to millions of the things.

Google said it would “ensure apps can meet the uplifted standards for the Play catalog and engage users through quality functionality” going forward.

If you own an Android phone you may have been overwhelmed by search results on the Play Store. Searching for popular apps and games often surfaces reams of little-known apps with poor design, stuffed with ads or efforts to get you to pay to play.

Google also confirmed to TechCrunch it has upped the number of human reviewers of apps to try and ensure apps aren’t trying to defraud Android users, plus said it had recently prevented 2.36 million “policy-violating” apps from being uploaded to the Play Store, a number that shines a light on the level of dodgy apps people are trying to get you to download.

It’s a reminder to think twice before installing an app. Even though Google is wanting it known it has culled the Play Store of some of the worst offenders, it has been relatively easy for these apps to make it past Google’s old quality control measures and, presumably, downloaded on people’s Android phones and tablets.

Even if you think that the app you’re about to download is safe to use, it’s best to double check before using it and do a bit of online research if you suspect it could be up to no good.

All WhatsApp users – and those who send texts via other platforms – are, once again, being urged to watch out for worrying scams. It seems that cyber crooks are continuing to use the infamous “Hi mum” attack in a bid to steal money from unsuspecting users. If you’ve never heard of this scam before, it’s easy to see why some are being caught out. The threat usually starts with a text that simply says, “Hi, mum” or “Hi dad”.

Once the victim responds, the online thieves then attempt to trick them into handing over money by pretending to be a family member who’s in trouble.

It may sound far-fetched, but millions of pounds have been handed to hackers using this tactic, which is designed to feel trustworthy. 

The follow-up texts that are sent pile on the pressure, often saying the situation is urgent to get people to act before they can think twice.

Action Fraud recently reported that over £220,000 was lost in the UK alone between 2023 and 2025 to  ‘Hi Mum’ attacks.

“Scammers aren’t hacking devices, they’re hacking emotions,” Luis Corrons, Security Evangelist at Norton explained.

“These ‘Hi Mum’ messages weaponise trust, urgency and love. And that makes them more dangerous than any malware. This scam works not because parents are careless, but because they care.

“When you get a message from your child saying they’re in trouble, your first instinct is to help. Scammers know that and exploit it.”

To add to the concern, it appears AI is now being used as well to create voice messages that sound just like the family member in need. These are then used by the scammers to increase the chances of an attack being successful.

Explaining more, Chris Ainsley, Santander’s head of fraud risk management, said: “We’re hearing of instances where AI voice impersonation technology is being used to create WhatsApp and SMS voice notes, making the scam seem ever more realistic.

“If you’re ever asked for money out of the blue on any social or communication platform, verify the request by picking up the phone.”

Now, experts at security firm Norton have provided five vital tips on how you can protect yourself from these attacks.

If you are worried about the ‘Hi mum’ attack, here are some ways to avoid becoming the next victim.

• Contact them in person: Reach out to your child using the number you already know. This can quickly reveal whether something is off.

• Be careful with generic language: If a message starts with “Hi Mum” or “Hi Dad” and sounds impersonal or unlike your child’s usual tone, be cautious.

• Question financial emergencies: Emotional pressure is common in these scams. Stay calm and verify the situation before making any decisions.

• Consider a safe word: Agree on a word with your family that can be used to confirm identity in urgent situations.

• Stay up to date: Learn about emerging scams and make sure your phone is protected with trusted security software.