All posts tagged: BuiltIn

Windows has a built-in auto-cleanup tool — but its default settings are almost useless

Windows has a built-in auto-cleanup tool — but its default settings are almost useless

Published by skeptic

We’ve all been there: the disk space is running low on our Windows PC and we’ve got failed updates, inability to install new software, and even sluggish performance. The tool that we should all be running is built right into Windows: Storage Sense. TUcked away in Settings, Storage Sense is made to automatically clear out junk files before they become a problem, but the problem is, it’s not configured well on its own. Storage Sense’s cleanup schedule defaults to triggering only when your disk is nearly full. It also ignores your Downloads folder entirely, and it doesn’t even deal with data you keep in the cloud. By the time it finally kicks in, you’re already impacted. Changing three settings takes only a couple of minutes and will turn this tool into the ikind of background maintenance system it should have been from the start. Related I cleaned 200GB of hidden junk using a Windows tool no one talks about A quick storage scan revealed 200GB of junk Windows completely overlooked. What Storage Sense actually does …

I found Windows’ built-in crash history tool — it goes back years and I had no idea it existed

I found Windows’ built-in crash history tool — it goes back years and I had no idea it existed

Published by skeptic

Last week, my Windows laptop started acting up. During an intense gaming session, out of nowhere, my entire PC restarted. When I started looking into this matter, I found that some apps were quietly closing in the background, without any reason. I went through the event logs on Windows Event Viewer, but the cryptic codes made me feel like I was trying to read an ancient language. Thanks to my habit of researching stuff on the internet, I came across a secret tool that Windows was hiding. There is a hidden tool that tracks every crash, failed update, and all software hiccups your laptop has experienced. It has weeks, months, and even years’ worth of records, and it is called Windows Reliability Monitor. Here’s how to use it. Related I finally disabled these Windows services and my PC is happier for it Your PC might be secretly working harder than you are, and not always in ways that benefit you. You don’t need to install anything This effective troubleshooting tool is just a command away …

5 classic Windows apps I uninstalled after finding Windows has them built-in

5 classic Windows apps I uninstalled after finding Windows has them built-in

Published by skeptic

Windows has evolved a lot over the years, and it’s no longer the barebone OS you think it is. I don’t blame you though. For the longest time, I also assumed my PC needed third-party apps for extracting files, managing storage, and even taking proper screenshots. But that’s no longer the case. Windows now has capabilities that make some of the most popular, decade-old apps feel unnecessary. Utilities like 7-Zip, CCleaner, Lightshot, and Ditto are no longer must-haves because Windows can handle a lot of these tasks on its own. 7-Zip Once a necessity, but not anymore Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required For years, 7-Zip used to be one of those utilities you had to install right after setting up your PC. It was the only reliable way to extract downloaded ZIP files and compress anything you wanted to send. But Windows’ built-in file extraction is now more than capable. You can right-click any file or folder and select Compress to ZIP to create an archive in seconds. Extracting files is just …

I stopped using three productivity apps after discovering this built-in Windows tool

I stopped using three productivity apps after discovering this built-in Windows tool

Published by skeptic

For everyday workflows, I use a focus timer, a quick world clock, and a countdown tool. I don’t even remember when I started this habit, but over the years, this productivity setup has helped me complete tasks efficiently. I never expected any built-in Windows tool would replace them, but that changed the day I opened the Windows Clock app. I’ve always considered the Windows Clock app boring, but it seems that while I kept it closed for years, Microsoft has been working hard to make it a real productivity tool. The focus timer I didn’t expect to replace Windows Clock’s Focus Sessions quietly handled it Microsoft finally found a way to make the Windows Clock’s Focus Sessions fit seamlessly into my workflow. This feature uses the Pomodoro Technique. Once I set my session length, typically between 10 and 240 minutes, it automatically creates break times when my sessions are long. The tool does not stick to a rigid 25-minute break pattern — rigid patterns train you to slow down to match the clock, not speed …

I stripped out my router’s built-in features and rebuilt them with Docker

I stripped out my router’s built-in features and rebuilt them with Docker

Published by skeptic

Modern routers love to brag about ad blocking, smart DNS, traffic control, security layers, AI-this, and cloud-that. If I give it another firmware update, it’ll probably start offering life-coaching services. And for a while, I bought into all that. I let my router run most of my home network like some overconfident middle manager who just discovered dashboards. It “optimized traffic.” It “protected devices.” It made decisions I never explicitly asked for. It also randomly broke things: websites timing out for no reason, DNS slowing down like it needed a vape break, and devices behaving differently depending on what corner of the crib they were in, as if my Wi-Fi suddenly developed moods. Every time I opened the settings, everything looked fine. Because, of course, it did. That’s when I realized something slightly awkward. I had no idea what my own network was actually doing. So I did the only reasonable thing and turned all of it off. I stopped trusting my router When “it just works” slowly stops working Pankil Shah/MakeUseOf Credit: Pankil Shah/MakeUseOf It didn’t …

This built-in Windows feature tells you how much life your hard drive has left

This built-in Windows feature tells you how much life your hard drive has left

Published by skeptic

I find hard drives fascinating: the way they store data on a magnetic platter, how the voice coil actuator moves the read/write head across the platter while a spindle motor keeps the platter spinning. Oh, and the read/write head never actually touches the platter, but floats nanometers above it. They’re also a relatively cheap way to store large amounts of data compared to SSDs. The only thing is that there’s no telling how long a typical hard drive will last. Some drives can last 10 years, while others may not even cross the 2-year mark. Add to that, early signs of a failing hard drive typically include performance degradation like slow reads, stutter, and long load times, which we often blame on bloatware, startup apps, or bad Windows updates; later, you may notice physical symptoms like consistent clicking or grinding noises from mechanical issues. But what if I told you there’s actually a way to predict hard drive failure way before the symptoms become noticeable? Enter Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology, or S.M.A.R.T. for short. …

Perplexity Launches Comet AI Browser for iPhone With Built-In Assistant

Perplexity Launches Comet AI Browser for iPhone With Built-In Assistant

Published by skeptic

Perplexity today expanded its Comet browser to iOS, making its AI Comet Assistant available to iPhone users. The Comet browser for iOS has many of the same features as the Comet browser for the desktop, including a voice mode for speaking questions and a hybrid search experience, but it does lack extensions. Comet offers standard search results like you might expect from any web search, but the added Comet Assistant is able to provide more in-depth answers and complete tasks. Comet supports Perplexity’s Deep Research feature that’s able to ingest information from multiple web sources and provide quick, useful summaries. The Comet Assistant can also complete web-based tasks, like summarizing emails, searching for products, comparing prices across websites, and more. With the new iOS app, Comet works across different devices, so users can start a search on one device and pick it up on another. Perplexity does collect browsing and search history from Comet to create ad-targeting profiles to serve ads to users. Comet was priced at $200 per month when it first launched last …

It’s time to admit your router’s built-in firewall isn’t enough – here’s what is

It’s time to admit your router’s built-in firewall isn’t enough – here’s what is

Published by skeptic

ZDNET’s key takeaways A compact, easy-to-use firewall/router Can be powered through USB-C, so it’s highly portable The hardware isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I’ve been working with computer networks for over 30 years (yep, three whole decades; sheesh, where did the time go?), and I know my TCP/IP from my UDP, and my NAT from my VLAN. But the thing is, when it comes to my home network, I do the absolute bare minimum.  Seriously, the last router I installed was plugged in, had its Wi-Fi password set, and that was it. Ever since that day-one setup, the router has been sitting there on the sidelines, quietly doing its thing.  Also: I stuck this power station in a freezer to test its subzero claims – here’s how it held up I know I should go through the settings to make sure everything is OK, but I don’t. It’s too much of a hassle, and most domestic networking hardware is so fragile and flaky that it’s easy to …

Substack launches a built-in recording studio

Substack launches a built-in recording studio

Published by skeptic

Publishing platform Substack is continuing to invest in video content as it launches the Substack Recording Studio, a built-in mechanism for creators to pre-record and publish videos. The studio, which is only available on the desktop, can support solo videos as well as conversations with up to two guests. Creators can add custom watermarks to their videos and share their screen with co-hosts. Once the recording is over, Substack auto-generates clips and thumbnails for sharing. “Until now, creating video on Substack meant going live, or stitching together a separate stack of tools: a recording platform, a way to create and distribute clips, and something to design a thumbnail,” the company shared in a blog post. “Substack Studio brings all of those tools into one place.” The post also notes that creators who have used audio or video on Substack in the past 90 days have grown revenue 50% faster than creators who haven’t. Though Substack is predominantly known as a newsletter platform, the company has been showing a keen interest in video over the last few …

This smart router with a built-in VPN is the travel gadget I didn’t know I needed

This $30 smart router with a built-in VPN is the travel gadget I didn’t know I needed

Published by skeptic

GL.iNet Mango GL-MT300N-V2 pros and cons Pros Compact and can be powered with USB Offers several ways to get an internet connection when traveling Built-in VPN support is a great way to create a secure network when out and about. Cons Uses microUSB for power rather than USB-C The “getting started” guide only skims the surface of what this device can do User interface can be a bit slow at times. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I thought that having a mobile hotspot built into my smartphone would put an end to needing a travel router. After all, it works great when I’m in the UK. I get fast internet speeds, and it’s a super reliable way to connect my devices when I’m away from home or the office. But that’s not the case everywhere. Here in the UK, the rules for telecommunications providers are set by Ofcom (the Office of Communications), and they’re pretty simple — your hotspot should work like your phone. No limitations, no nonsense. But when I’m not …