All posts tagged: setting

I tested every Roku audio-output setting, and “Auto” wasn’t the best choice

I tested every Roku audio-output setting, and “Auto” wasn’t the best choice

Published by skeptic

My Roku Streaming Stick 4K has sat on Auto since the day I plugged it into my LG OLED. I never questioned it because Auto sounds like the setting a company chooses when its engineers have already solved the problem for you. Besides, with all the free Roku content, why would I second-guess a default? And then it happened. During a movie, half a conversation disappeared during a fight scene, and I had to rewind twice to catch what I’d missed. A few nights after that, a swell in a soundtrack on another film turned into something closer to static — loud enough that my significant other asked what that noise was from the kitchen. I’d never actually looked at what audio options (and many others) the Streaming Stick 4K had. Turns out there are more than I expected. I picked three clips I already knew, like the dialogue scene, the one that clipped, and a bass-heavy one, and ran each through every setting to see what changed. Related I turned off one Roku setting …

I turned off one Windows setting and my USB devices stopped randomly disconnecting

I turned off one Windows setting and my USB devices stopped randomly disconnecting

Published by skeptic

I often connect a lot of USB devices at the same time to my laptop while working. USB hub, mouse, keyboard, external drive, you name it. But I noticed that my mouse and sometimes my USB hub would randomly disconnect even though they were still plugged in. I knew it wasn’t a cable problem because the issue was too inconsistent to be one. Meanwhile, I reinstalled Windows 11 on my laptop a while ago, and I’d never experienced anything like this before the reinstall. Apparently, before reinstalling Windows, I had disabled the USB battery-saving feature that can cause this kind of behavior. But you know once you reinstall Windows, everything goes back to its default settings, so the feature was turned back on. Related I turned on Windows 11’s hidden “Ultimate Performance” mode and the boost is insane The temperatures are also about to go insane. USB power-saving feature is helpful when Windows gets it right Windows can temporarily reduce power to inactive USB devices Amir Bohlooli / MUO Windows’ USB power-saving feature lets it …

I changed one Chrome setting and got gigabytes of RAM back without closing my tabs

I changed one Chrome setting and got gigabytes of RAM back without closing my tabs

Published by skeptic

I have a confession, and it’s not exactly flattering: I’m a digital hoarder. At any given moment, my browser is basically a timeline of my week, with unfinished drafts, three different inboxes, several YouTube videos, a half-read tutorial from the weekend, and at least one “temporary” research tab that has somehow survived for days. For years, that habit came with a pretty obvious tax. My laptop fans would start auditioning for airport duty, while Task Manager looked like evidence from a crime scene. Chrome was usually sitting near the top, with its various processes collectively chewing through 8GB, 10GB, or sometimes even more RAM if I had enough tabs and web apps open. I had no intention of becoming a disciplined tab closer, so I changed Chrome instead. The setting is called Memory Saver, and it has completely changed how I keep dozens of tabs open without letting them eat the rest of my system alive. Related I opened the same 10 tabs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave — this one uses the least …

Turning off one Windows setting made Search feel like it’s supposed to

Turning off one Windows setting made Search feel like it’s supposed to

Published by skeptic

Windows Search used to be very simple and efficient. You search for something, Windows searches your local storage, and it returns a result. But for some reason, Microsoft decided Windows Search needed to search the internet alongside your local storage whenever you searched for something. Some people may find this feature helpful (I doubt anyone did), but I didn’t like it at all. The whole thing made Search feel slower because, obviously, searching the internet every time you type something takes additional resources. I stopped using Windows Search for a long time because of this and switched to an alternative search app. But it turns out you can disable Search’s ability to access the internet with a few Registry tweaks. Once I did that, Windows Search became much closer to what I wanted it to be in the first place. Related I changed these Windows Search settings and it finally stopped fighting me Windows search is fixable. Windows Search feels sluggish when it looks online Searching for a local file shouldn’t feel like using a …

Windows can do much more once you enable this one BIOS setting

Windows can do much more once you enable this one BIOS setting

Published by skeptic

Your PC is much more capable than its default settings suggest. Some of these settings are hidden in the BIOS menu, and changing them can unlock a significant performance boost. Other settings are more functional and unlock capabilities beyond a simple performance increase. One specific option your system can benefit from is virtualization in the BIOS menu, helping create another virtual PC inside your current one. Related Virtual hard disks are my favorite hidden feature in Windows 11: Here’s why Virtual hard disks don’t create free storage—but they’re still incredibly useful. What this BIOS setting actually does How one PC learns to act like several, each thinking it has full resources Virtualization creates a separate environment within the computer itself. Simply put, it means making your PC act like multiple different machines at once. In this setup, each virtual machine runs with its own resources borrowed from the host device: CPU, RAM, storage, bandwidth, and anything else required to run a system. You can run more than one virtual machine inside Windows, but be mindful …

Your DNS setting matters more in 2026 for reasons beyond speed

Your DNS setting matters more in 2026 for reasons beyond speed

Published by skeptic

For years, the usual advice around changing your Domain Name System (DNS) resolver was to switch to Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 or Google’s 8.8.8.8, so you might get slightly faster or more reliable lookups. More recent comparisons have shown that the bigger difference between Google DNS and Cloudflare DNS isn’t raw speed, but speed was usually the easiest reason to care. In 2026, DNS sits much closer to the privacy side of the web. Newer technologies can hide information that HTTPS used to leave exposed, but those protections work best when your DNS lookups are protected too. Your DNS settings now affect who can see the domains you look up, which encrypted DNS options you can use, what gets filtered, and how much you benefit from newer privacy features such as Encrypted Client Hello. Related I turned off three browser defaults, and my ISP suddenly couldn’t track my web history anymore It only takes a few switches and your privacy goes through the roof. HTTPS is finally hiding one of its oldest leaks ECH fixes a problem …

I Dream of Jeannie star Barbara Eden, 95, drops out of film festival due to ‘sudden illness’

I Dream of Jeannie star Barbara Eden, 95, drops out of film festival due to ‘sudden illness’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Barbara Eden has pulled out of an appearance at a Los Angeles film festival due to a “sudden illness.” The 95-year-old actor, famed for her titular role in the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, was scheduled to receive a legacy award at the Cinecon Classic Film Festival on Saturday, but canceled her appearance at the last minute. “We’re sorry to share that, due to a sudden illness, Barbara Eden will no longer be able to appear in person at Cinecon tonight,” event organizers announced in a Facebook post. “Barbara is deeply regretful that she had to cancel at the last minute, as she had been very much looking forward to seeing everyone and celebrating with us,” they continued. “We know how many of …

John Malkovich, 72, gives update on potential retirement from Hollywood

John Malkovich, 72, gives update on potential retirement from Hollywood

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter John Malkovich has played down rumors that he might be planning to step back from Hollywood. The storied actor, 72, is currently at the Venice Film Festival with Wild Horse Nine, the latest film from Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri filmmaker Martin McDonagh. While speaking to the press at the festival, Malkovich was asked about his future plans and, per People, responded: “As far as what I want to do — carry on. I mean, I’m pretty much doing, and I’ve been doing what I love my whole life, and I plan to carry on doing that.” He added: “I don’t plan to retire because I think they will retire me when it’s time. That seems to be the natural course of things.” The much-anticipated Wild Horse Nine sees Malkovich star opposite Sam Rockwell, who won an Oscar for his work …

JBL’s Cove speakers want to make setting up dynamic multiroom audio a two-minute job

JBL’s Cove speakers want to make setting up dynamic multiroom audio a two-minute job

Published by Jenni Sidey

Sign Up For Goods 🛍️ Product news, reviews, and must-have deals. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. In a NoHo loft in late August, JBL revealed its new Cove whole-home audio system. In this fully staged Manhattan apartment, three Wi-Fi speakers—the M1, P1, and X1—occupied kitchen counters, credenzas, bookshelves, and bedside tables. From Bad Bunny at the sink and Tiësto on the couch to Marvin Gaye by the fireplace and Al Green in some armchairs, Jesse Coyer, Sr. Manager, National Account Sales & Training, HARMAN Consumer Audio, demoed speaker setup and scale. The walkthrough’s throughline was clear: Cove offers expandable multiroom audio without the need for a custom installer or control system. [Disclosure: JBL provided travel accommodations during the creation of this story.] According to Coyer, the Cove series is being introduced to JBL’s lineup more as a progression than a pivot. It’s not meant …

Man charged after setting himself ablaze in Google’s NYC office building

Man charged after setting himself ablaze in Google’s NYC office building

Published by Sam Flores

A 63-year-old man set himself on fire Friday afternoon in the lobby of a lower Manhattan building that houses Google’s New York offices — in an incident police say appears to have no clear motive. John Butch, of Brooklyn, walked into the lobby of 315 Hudson Street at around 3 p.m. and set himself ablaze, according to police. He was taken to a nearby hospital with a burn unit in stable condition. No one else at the scene was injured. Butch was charged with criminal mischief, arson and reckless endangerment. Police have not disclosed a motive, and it remains unclear whether Butch intended to target Google specifically. In a statement, Google suggested it did not believe it was the intended target. “While the individual appeared to be seeking access to another tenant’s space in the building, we remain in close contact with local authorities,” the statement said. “We are grateful to first responders.” The recently renovated Hudson Square building also houses a Sweetgreen and a Joe & The Juice on its ground floor. Source link