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Ad blockers are browser extensions that modify the web pages you visit to remove intrusive advertisements and other irritating notifications.

Most ad blockers are free, and work by filtering out any web traffic originating from a giant list of domain names associated with advertisers, and can even be used to avoid seeing pre-roll ads on YouTube and Twitch, as well as promoted posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Browsers already block the worst types of malicious advertising things like the spammy pop-up windows that plagued the early internet but to completely obliterate all forms of digital advertising you need a dedicated ad blocker fighting your corner.

Some ad blockers come with privacy tools built in, which not only prevent ads appearing on the sites you visit, but stop advertisers keeping tabs on your browsing habits. If youve ever Googled a pair of shoes only to have that same pair of shoes follow you around the internet like a lost puppy, youll be familiar with how this kind of tracking works.

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Theres also an ethical consideration to make before using an ad blocker. Free websites rely on advertising revenue to make money and pay staff, which is why most ad blockers now allow you to show some non-intrusive ads and to whitelist the sites you want to continue supporting.

Which ad blocker is best for you depends mostly on which browser you use and how much control you want to have over what you do and dont see. Some ad blockers work across most browsers, while others are specifically designed for a single platform.

The best ad blockers for 2021 are:

(uBlock Origin)

Best: Free ad blocker

The best ad blocker is also a free ad blocker. Describing itself as a wide-spectrum content blocker, uBlock Origin has a low-memory footprint so doesnt hog your computers resources while its swatting ads.

Open-source and cross-platform, the blocker has extensions available for all the main browsers, with the exception of Safari. It utilises many of the same filters used by other ad blockers in this list and so reliably vaporises most forms of advertising, but if theres anything on a page you dont like the look of, you can right click to manually scrub it out.

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(1Blocker)

Best: For Safari

The best way to block ads on iPhone, iPad and Mac, 1Blocker integrates with Safari and offers a suite of tools to block trackers, malicious advertising, pre-roll commercials, adult content and the absolute worst part of the internet comment sections.

It costs $2.99 to upgrade to the full version, but the free version does a decent job of decluttering your browsing experience on Apple devices. With the pro version you can fine-tune which parts of the internet you want to see, but the free version simply blocks all common or garden advertising.

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(AdBlock)

Best: For YouTube

The most popular ad-blocking extension for Chrome and Safari, AdBlock can be fine-tuned to only show acceptable advertisements that meet a certain quality standard, arent intrusive and dont block the content youre trying to read.

You can dial down the strength of the ad blocker until youre comfortable with the amount of consumerism happening on your screen, or crank it way up and block every pixel that looks like it might have the slightest intention of selling you something.

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(AdGuard)

Best: For Windows

A standalone app rather than a browser extension, AdGuard can be installed on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices to block intrusive advertising and malware on a system-wide level. It comes with a slew of other privacy tools and parental controls to help make browsing the web a little safer and a lot less cluttered.

Unlike the rest of the ad blockers in our list, AdGuard charges a monthly fee. The basic plan costs 1.99 per month and covers three devices. If youre only interested in the ad-blocking functionality or only plan on blocking in-browser advertising, wed recommend a free alternative.

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(AdBlock Plus)

Best: For Android

Adblock Plus, or APB, has been around for years and, confusingly, has absolutely nothing to do with the similarly named AdBlock. The browser extension has a straightforward user interface and simple content controls to help you whitelist sites or filter out only the most annoying varieties of ads.

Adblock Plus pioneered the acceptable ads scheme, which allowed non-intrusive and respectful ads to continue to be shown to users. In 2012 Adblock Plus drew controversy when it was found to be charging a fee to large advertisers for inclusion on this whitelist.

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(Privacy Badger)

Best: For privacy

Primarily a privacy tool, Privacy Badger is designed to block the invisible third-party scripts and social media widgets that ignore your do not track settings to monitor you as you move around the web. It just so happens that most of these nefarious trackers happen to be embedded inside regular advertisements, which makes Privacy Badger an incidental but highly effective ad blocker.

Used in conjunction with uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger provides a holistic ad-blocking experience. It doesnt need any tinkering with either, unless you want to fine tune any of the individual trackers youre happy to allow through. Any useful widgets, such as comment boxes and tweet buttons, can be unlocked again with a single click.

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(Wipr)

Best: For Mac

Apple updated how extensions worked in Safari 13, which broke almost every existing ad-blocking extension and left users of Apples browser rudely exposed to everything from discounted Thorpe Park tickets to urgent solicitations to top up on rinse aid.

Since then Safari has had a complete overhaul, fixing extensions again. But when all other ad blockers were unavailable, Wipr stepped up to become the swatter-in-chief of unwanted browser commercials on Mac and iOS. Frequently updated filters and a low-memory footprint make this the go-to ad blocker for many Safari users today.

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(Stands Fair Adblocker)

Best: For ethical ad blocking

Positioning itself as an ethical ad blocker, Fair AdBlocker only targets the most irritating types of advertising by default: things like autoplaying video ads, ads that balloon in size when you mouse over them, and ads that cover up the actual content you came to the site to see.

Non-intrusive, respectful advertising is still allowed to appear on websites, and websites you like can be whitelisted entirely, generating the revenue many sites need to stay free and in business.

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(Cookie Notice Blocker)

Best: For blocking cookie notices

Well give an honourable mention to this Chrome extension for blocking cookie notices, which are perhaps the most frustrating aspect of using the internet today. New data protection rules make it unlawful for companies to use third-party cookies to track your online behaviour without your consent. But rather than stop doing it, those companies instead bombard users with questionnaire-length permission forms.

Cookie Notice Blocker does a decent job of blocking most of these notices, and doesnt give your consent to be tracked by third-party advertising trackers. It also blocks pop-ups asking you to subscribe to newsletters or allow notifications.

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Ad blocker FAQs

What is an ad blocker?

An ad blocker is a piece of software that modifies the web pages you visit to remove intrusive advertisements, invisible trackers and other irritating notifications. Most come in the form of free browser add-ons and run quietly in the background as you browse the internet.

Ad blockers typically work by referencing a large list of constantly updating domain names related to advertisers, and preventing web traffic from those domain names reaching your web browser.

Are ad blockers legal?

Yes, ad blockers are legal. Just as youre free to mute your television or go make a cup of tea during an ad break, youve no legal obligation to pay attention to any advertising online, and youre free to use software to manipulate what does and doesnt appear on your own screen.

You could argue that theres a moral obligation to accept the inconvenience of advertising as the cost of accessing otherwise free news and information online. We wont open that can of worms, but if the thought of your favourite websites losing revenue keeps you awake at night, most ad blockers allow you to whitelist certain domains.

You may be breaking the terms of service if you block ads on sites like YouTube, but to date no enforcement has ever been made against an individual user for using an ad blocker. Instead, large websites direct their efforts towards identifying and circumventing ad blockers en masse. Others place their content behind paywalls or a subscription model.

Are ad blockers safe?

Many ad blockers are not safe. You should be particularly careful when searching online for ad blockers and other free software, as the internet is rife with malicious adware and dodgy browser extensions with confusingly similar names to legitimate ad blockers. Even in this list there are two almost identically named extensions AdBlock and Adblock Plus which have nothing to do with one another, but are both authentic browser add-ons.

Read more: The best free VPNs for browsing the web safely and securely

An ad blocker needs to be able to read whats on your screen in order to remove ads, so if you end up installing something sketchy, you could be opening up your machine to some serious vulnerabilities. Always check that youre at the correct URL, that the connection is secure (indicated by the closed padlock next to the URL), and that the extension youre installing has lots of users and reviews.

Legitimate ad blockers any of the extensions you install by clicking the above links are safe to use and wont harm your computer.

Do ad blockers really work?

Yes, ad blockers work. Theyre best at removing static advertising like banner ads and autoplaying videos, but theyre also able to block more complex types of advertising, such as pop-up boxes, pre-roll ads, promoted Tweets and interstitial ads (the type that slips in between two slides of a slideshow, for example).

Most can get rid of those weird clickbait links about laser eye surgery and hot singles in your area that appear at the end of many news articles, making browsing the internet more pleasant and for those who arent as experienced online a lot more safe.

The verdict: Best ad blocker

If youre a Chrome user, right now the best ad blocker is uBlock Origin. It's free, uncomplicated and easy to tailor to your personal preferences. Pair it with Privacy Badger for the most private browsing experience you can get without using a VPN.

For blocking ads on Android wed recommend AdBlock Plus extension to the Firefox mobile browser. We would always advise against rooting your phone or enabling side-loaded apps to install any ad blocking software on mobile, as this makes your phone way less secure.

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Best ad blockers: Get rid of cookie notices and annoying pop-ups in Chrome, Android, Safari and more - The Independent

At 26, Andrea Fletcher has already worked for Google , Apple and Roblox . She says her career in software engineering really began with a childhood love of logic puzzles that involve math and patterns. Then, as a senior in high school, thanks to a gentle nudge from her dad, she opted to take a computer-science elective over art.

Ms. Fletcher loved coding and problem solving. Today, as a full-stack software engineer at Roblox, the online platform where 43 million people build and play games every day, she gets to do both.

The Wall Street Journal recently spoke with Ms. Fletcher from her parents home in Atlanta, where shes been working remotely for the past year. Heres her story, edited and condensed for clarity.

My dad is the one I can thank for getting me into computer engineering. Senior year of high school, I needed to take an AP class, and I was going to do AP art. He was like, Try computer science.

I had never touched computer programming before, and I fell in love with it. Its very satisfying. You make a change, you see the output. Because of my positive experience in that class, I decided to major in it.

Read the original:
From Google to Roblox, How One Young Tech Worker Is Building Her Dream Career - The Wall Street Journal

TAP CEO Colin Ferguson says: The fleet sectors have tried to recruit their way out of the driver shortage for many years, but this is not a complete solution.

However, while they wait for government to decide whether to intervene, there is something fleets can do now, today, which will significantly reduce their driver deficit.

Trade and industry bodies across all fleet sectors have been urging government to address the driver shortage for several years, but say it is now critical due to:

- The loss of EU drivers due to Brexit and Covid19

- The lack of test provision during 2020

- The introduction of IR35 self-employment rules which deterred agency drivers

- A bottleneck in HGV driver medicals

These factors have coincided to create a perfect storm for many service and freight sectors who are also experiencing extremely high demand as the economy rebounds from lockdown.

An acute shortage of HGV drivers is suctioning drivers from the van and Class 2 rigid workforce, as the vocational Class 1 drivers can command higher levels of pay.

Big brands such as Tesco and Haribo have recently told the national press this is affecting their businesses; and several councils have also appealed for drivers to fulfil vital civic functions.

Optimising the fleet assets industry already has must be the first step to solving the driver crisis, says Ferguson. Fleet optimisation is a win-win for industry, he says, bringing greater productivity, lower costs and a reduction in emissions.

TAP has demonstrated with many of its fleet customers that optimisation typically results in better asset utilisation of up to 30 per cent. This was validated when the company won an Innovation in Cost Reduction award for its technology at the Great British Fleet Awards recently.

Fleets can implement the huge and proven savings from optimisation by taking on more work, or they can reduce their fleet needs by making each vehicle and journey more productive. Either way they are more profitable and more efficient.

Fleet optimisation also meets wider social and political concerns as by reducing the number of vehicles required for service visits or deliveries, it helps to reduce congestion, and improve air quality.

TAPs award-winning platform is one of the most advanced fleet optimisation solutions available, capable of optimising fleet application, identify the most suitable applications and fastest ROI for electric vehicles, and prioritise operator requirements. The software is available as Pay As You Go, software as service, or can be integrated into other commercial fleet offerings.

"Our PAYG model starts at as little as 99p per vehicle day and reduces to 49p for a longer-term contract. This allows fleets to undertake completely risk-free trials, Ferguson says. They could run an entire fleet pilot for less money than the cost of recruiting a single driver.

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Route optimisation: The missing piece of the driver shortage solution - The Scotsman

In good news for Brits concerned about hitting roaming caps the next time they visit the EU, the UK has sorted out that particular issue in a post-Brexit trade deal with Norway, Iceland, and, er, Liechtenstein.

The deal, which was announced in June, is good news for exporters of Scotch whisky and cheesy favourites such as Cheddar, Caerphilly, and Wensleydale.

We doubt the mobile reception is great, but it's very beautiful

In return, lower import tariffs on shrimps, prawns, and white fish could see prices for posh sandwiches and canaps reduced while fish-and-chip shops now have a more predictable supply. According to fishing trade mag Intrafish, the UK is "by far Norway's largest market for frozen haddock fillets, which the British use in their fish and chips."

"We have given on cheese, but we got a little more on fish," Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg told Reuters last month.

UK.gov, meanwhile, was back to its favourite pastime of chopping "red tape".

"The deal's cutting-edge digital provisions mean we're slashing red tape [and] making it easier than ever for our businesses to export across borders. Electronic documents, contracts and signatures will result in less paperwork, saving British firms time and money," chirped a government statement.

What's more: "Under the deal it will be possible to cap the charges mobile operators are allowed to charge each other for international mobile roaming, a world-first in an FTA, keeping costs low for holiday makers and business travellers in Norway and Iceland."

Liechtenstein, one of Europe's smallest countries with an area of just 160km2 (62 square miles), has for some reason been omitted from the list. We suspect it is because the Liechtenstein mobile phone system is attached to Switzerland, with many contracts subject to the Swiss legislation.

While we wait to hear back from the Department for International Trade to see what they have to say, travellers are already looking to book their getaways.

According to a study last year, when Liechtenstein isn't getting mistakenly invaded by Switzerland it topped global broadband league tables with mean download speeds of 229.98Mbps light years ahead of the 37.82Mbps registered in the UK. You can also walk its length in six hours.

For whale watchers, what could be more exhilarating than a trip to Norway to see the gentle giants in their element. And if you're really lucky, you could spot a Russian-trained Beluga whale sporting a St Petersburg-made camera harness begging for food as it carries out covert missions.

And if getting all hot and steamy is your thing, then a trip to the Mount Fagradalsfjall volcano which has been dormant for some 6,000 years before it burped into life earlier this year could make a lovely romantic weekend break.

Read more:
OK, you're paying data charges in the EU, but you can still roam free in, er, Iceland - The Register

An employee of the Internet company Facebook walks through the courtyard of the company campus in Menlo Park, California.

Christoph Dernbach | picture alliance | Getty Images

When Wall Street analysts take a more bullish stance on a particular stock, it could mean that the name is undervalued and has room to run.

The stocks mentioned in this article have either received a bullish coverage initiation or a significant price target boost from analysts with a proven track record of success.

TipRanks' analyst forecasting service works to pinpoint the Street's best-performing analysts, or the pros with the highest success rate and average return per rating. These metrics factor in the number of ratings published by each analyst.

Wall Street's best-performing analysts have turned more bullish on these five stocks.

According to Needham analyst Scott Berg, Thryv Holdings is "Thryv-ing in the hot marketing software space." As such, the top analyst initiated coverage with a Buy rating and set a $42 price target. This implies that shares could gain 31% over the next 12 months.

"Thryv competes in the Marketing Software space, which on its own, can support significant long-term growth, we believe," Berg said. He added, "Thryv's long-term product strategy is rooted in the large segment for Marketing Software, which Gartner estimates had over $16 billion of total spend in 2019 growing at 20.7% per year."

What makes the company an industry stand-out? The analyst points to its legacy Marketing Services segment, which includes the Yellow Pages brand.

"We think the legacy business represents a large, cash-generating, low-cost, customer acquisition channel that assures steady demand from established companies seeking more modern marketing solutions," Berg said.

Additionally, Thryv recently released ThryvPay, its integrated payment solution that makes it possible for small and medium-sizedbusinesses to accept credit card and ACH payments through its platform or through a dedicated mobile app.

This new product, in Berg's opinion, is "not fully discounted by the current share price," with the analyst noting that the "payments opportunity is large and adds model optionality."

Berg also highlights the fact that the company's key software as a service metrics have gotten stronger over the past few quarters, which he believes could "translate to accelerated revenue growth from a pandemic trough." Thryv also started working on new go-to-market channels at the end of last year, and this has already had a positive effect on lead generation and pipeline growth.

Berg is the eighth best-performing analyst on Wall Street, thanks to his stellar 77% success rate and 33.9% average return per rating.

Two monopoly lawsuits filed by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of states that sought to break up Facebook have just been dismissed. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg believes that the FTC didn't "clearly define the market" and argues that its claims about Facebook's share of the market were "too speculative and conclusory to go forward."

Boasberg also noted, "Although the court does not agree with all of Facebook's contentions here, it ultimately concurs that the agency's complaint is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed."

Following this development, Bank of America Securities analyst Justin Post reiterated a Buy rating on the social media company. In a further bullish signal, the analyst boosted the price target from $390 to $400, putting the upside potential at 14%.

Expounding on his even more optimistic approach, Post said, "While we would expect the FTC/states to refile, given the prep time that undoubtedly went into the original filing, we see this ruling as an important reminder of the challenges the government faces in establishing that Facebook (or its large-cap peers) have illegal monopolies."

After multiple calls with legal experts, Post thinks the likelihood that Facebook will be broken up is very low, based on not only history but also precedent. "We view this dismissal as a positive step based on: 1) highlights the hurdles U.S. antitrust enforcers face in trying to break up tech companies, and 2) a noticeable change from continued negative regulatory news over the last year," he commented.

That being said, the court's decision is "a small win in a long battle," as laws surrounding the antitrust environment could be changed by both Congress and the EU.

Although the new privacy protections for Apple's iOS 14 fueled some investor concern as it will require apps to request permission to track users, Post remains unfazed. "Though increasing adoption of iOS 14.5 poses the risk of a bigger revenue impact in 3Q, we continue to think FB has strong ability to capitalize on shopping this year, and the Street will likely stay optimistic on several under-monetized and under-valued FB assets (Messenger, WhatsApp, Watch, Reels, AR/VR) to drive growth post-2021," the analyst stated.

With a 76% success rate and 30.2% average return per rating, Post scores the #38 spot on TipRanks' list.

Roper Technologies develops software and engineered products for a range of end-markets including health care, transportation, commercial construction, food, energy, water, education, as well as academic research.

For Oppenheimer's Christopher Glynn, the company's long-term growth story appears strong, with the analyst stating that the runway is "still attractive." Even more optimistic about Roper's prospects, the five-star analyst bumped up the price target from $505 to $560 (16% upside potential) in addition to reiterating a Buy rating.

Glynn commented, "We see continued headroom for ROP shares, noting: (1) strong +hsd organic outlook Q2Q4 2021, supported by all four segments and key underlying divisions; (2) rapid debt reduction (post Vertafore/other bolt-ons) yielding to renewed acquisition pipeline execution out of 2021; and (3) overall competitive differentiation and gross margin profiles across the enterprise."

In the first quarter of 2021, Roper paid down roughly $500 million in debt, which brought net debt/EBITDA down from 4.7x to 4.2x sequentially. So, if ROP allocates all free cash flow for deals in 2022-2023, Glynn estimates approximately 2.5x PF net leverage for YE23. Additionally, the analyst thinks "greater deal flow/3.5x-plus leverage would likely support ~$1.00-plus free cash flow per share."

It should also be noted that adjusted EPS rose 18% on 20%-plus EBITDA, with organic top-line growth landing at -1%.

"The Q2 2021 organic comparison eases to (3)%/Q2 2020 from +4%/Q1 2020, and, coupled with various markets positioned to improve sequentially (at stages during 2021; TransCore, Neptune, Deltek, CBORD, iTradeNetwork, Process & Industrial), should afford a high quality path relative to guidance for $14.7515.00 adjusted EPS," Glynn said.

What's more, along with raw accretion, Glynn believes the deals "work well long-term" for Roper. With this in mind, he forecasts 6% EBITDA [compound annual growth rate] for both Neptune and TransCore, which are two of the company's larger anchor deals from the early 2000s.

Given Glynn's 69% success rate and 20.5% average return per rating, he is one of the top 170 analysts tracked by TipRanks.

Cohu just scored a thumbs up from Rosenblatt Securities analyst Scott Graham, thanks to multiple top-line catalysts. In addition to initiating coverage at Buy, the analyst put a $65 price target on the stock, suggesting 88% upside potential.

Graham acknowledges that concerns related to mix have "restrained the stock and reduced its valuation relative to peers." However, he believes that Cohu will outperform over the next year due to "high quality earnings growth and a building cash balance/acquisition opportunity."

The firm tells clients that the semiconductor space is in a "Mother of All Cycles" period, as a result of "continuing penetration of AI in major semi sub-sectors." Based on the firm's estimates, this cycle could last through 2023 and beyond.

"We believe COHU, with the Auto and Industrial markets having turned up, is now on this train. We expect COHU's sales to continue to benefit from this backdrop and its targeted strategies which seek to tap faster-growth niches and seculars in its markets," Graham noted.

The analyst highlights the fact that COHU's sales are correlated to Wafer Fabrication Equipment capex, which is set to rise 20% to 30% this year. Given current trade estimates, this market is currently valued at $70 billion-plus, with it poised to reach $100 billion in the next five years. On top of this, the company's SOC test segment is "in a market benefiting from increasing IC content in devices/applications, namely smartphones, autos, industrial and compute," according to Graham.

When it comes to Cohu's strategy, the company is taking a "targeted" approach, in Graham's opinion. Not only is Cohu scaling its semi test sales, but it is also increasing its penetration of the auto space and boosting its contractor attachment rates, which the analyst believes could fuel an improvement in margins.

As for recurring revenues, Graham sees this as an "undervalued aspect of the stock's valuation" because although they might grow at a slower pace than systems sales, they are "more resilient in down cycles and have higher margins than systems sales."

Currently, Graham is tracking a 69% success rate and 14.9% average return per rating.

Even with 50% sales growth for CY21E "in some of the most desirable, duopolistic large total addressable market ($70 billion-plus) markets in semis," Bank of America Securities analyst Vivek Arya points out that Advanced Micro Devices has lagged its peers in the space year-to-date. That being said, the analyst still has high hopes for the company's growth prospects.

To this end, Arya not only kept a Buy rating on the semiconductor player but also gave the price target a lift, with the figure moving from $110 to $120 (33% upside potential).

Arya points to three catalysts that could propel shares higher including a possible product push-out from Intel (INTC) as well as the recent Google endorsement, which could lead to a breakout for AMD's data center segment.

When comparing AMD's Milan and Intel's Ice Lake, Arya tells investors that the former's offering is superior in terms of both single and multi-thread workloads and "Arm-based cloud instances in scale-out workloads where Arm historically had an edge."

Expounding on this, Arya stated, "This clear outperformance should allay competitive fears, especially as AMD next-gen 5nm products ramp in 2022 while media reports now suggest INTC 10nm Sapphire Rapids is not expected until Q2 2022 with TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor) 5nm equivalent products (INTC 7nm) not until at least 2023. AMD is already seeing results with accelerated server share in Q1 2021."

Additionally, AMD's share of the supercomputing market has increased by more than 2x in the last six months, and 5x in the last year, which shows "AMD's improved competitiveness in HPC, a strong leading indicator for future cloud/enterprise momentum," in Arya's opinion.

He added, "Even more notable, AMD now powers three of the top ten supercomputers, the same number as INTC for first time ever."

Looking at the valuation, Arya calls it "compelling" at "just 6x CY22 EV/sales for 25%-plus sales growth from 2020- 2023E." This reflects a significant discount to other infotech companies.

Arya's 70% success rate and 28.1% average return per rating support his #83 ranking on TipRanks' list of best-performing analysts.

Link:
Wall Street's top analysts have turned more bullish on these stocks - CNBC