News

NETGEAR’s Orbi 970 Routers Offer Powerful Wi-Fi 7 Connectivity

The company’s popular mesh system has received a significant performance boost, offering 10,000 square feet of coverage and speeds of 27 Gbps.

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2024

Joanna Melki

NETGEAR

In an era of increasing internet connectivity and the rise of bandwidth-sucking applications such as 4K streaming and online gaming; faster Wi-Fi speeds, reduced latency, and enhanced capacity are becoming paramount.

Good news then, as NETGEAR has recently revamped its renowned Orbi 970 Mesh Wi-Fi router series to deliver unparalleled Wi-Fi 7 performance, boasting speeds of up to 27 Gbps, alongside a fresh, sleek new design. The inclusion of 12 high-performance, 360-degree Quad-Band antennas extends coverage up to a sizable 10,000 square feet from a 3-pack of Orbis. In addition, the mesh network can accommodate the simultaneous connection of up to 200 devices, with a Smart Connect feature selecting the optimal Wi-Fi band for each.

In terms of wired connections, the router is equipped with a 10 Gig internet port, along with one 10 Gig and four 2.5 Gig Ethernet ports, enabling some of the highest network speeds currently available.

netgear orbi 970 wi-fi 7 routers

In addition to the design and performance overhaul, the Orbi package also includes one year of NETGEAR Armor, Powered by Bitdefender 2, adding an automatic layer of security for all connected devices. Unlike conventional antivirus software products, NETGEAR Armor is integrated into the router as a comprehensive security solution, monitoring internet traffic and safeguarding computers, security cameras, baby monitors, and other IoT devices while alerting users to external threats and suspicious outbound activities.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

Finally, the upgraded Orbi 970 Series incorporates NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls, offering easy management of children’s online time across their connected devices and helping to foster healthy online habits for the entire family. Basic functionalities are free, but a subscription fee follows a 30-day trial period for access to the Premium Plan.

NETGEAR’s Orbi products are available in stores now, or directly from their official website.

News

YouTube Rolls Out Supervised Children’s Accounts Across MENA

An industry-first feed timer lets parents cap Shorts scrolling. Access can also be switched off entirely ahead of exam season.

Published

11 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Dana Saadeh

YouTube

YouTube has launched supervised kid accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, giving parents a way to hand their children the main YouTube app without handing over all of it. Announced in Dubai on July 2, the accounts are built directly into the platform rather than the standalone YouTube Kids app, and are aimed at families who feel a child has outgrown the curated library but isn’t ready for the open feed.

Parents can choose from three content settings, each broadly aligned with international content ratings. Explore covers educational videos, tutorials, arts and crafts, and dance. Explore More adds gaming and live streams. Most of YouTube opens up almost everything except videos rated 18+ or deemed inappropriate for supervised accounts.

The standout tool is an industry-first Shorts feed timer, which lets parents set daily limits on short-form scrolling. Set it to zero and Shorts disappears altogether – a lever YouTube suggests parents might pull ahead of exam season. Other protections are on by default for all users under 18: “Take a Break” and “Bedtime” reminders, no personalized ad targeting, autoplay switched off, and no ability to upload videos or write comments. The accounts are optional, and parents can end supervision at any time.

The kid accounts join supervised teen accounts already available across the region, which notify parents by email when a teenager uploads a video or starts a live stream.

“YouTube has been a huge part of families’ lives across this region for over 20 years,” said Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube Middle East and North Africa, citing Kantar research showing 95% of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree YouTube has top content in education and learning.

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“It’s essential that we protect young people in – not from – the digital world,” added Garth Graham, YouTube’s head of health.

The new settings are rolling out gradually across the MENA, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Iraq. The latest features can be set up through Family Center in the YouTube app or via Google Family Link.