All posts tagged: Sooner

This is the self-hosted DNS server I wish someone had told me about sooner

This is the self-hosted DNS server I wish someone had told me about sooner

Published by skeptic

If you’ve been looking into self-hosted software, it won’t take you long to realize that you can self-host just about anything. From self-hosted Notion alternatives to file storage servers that can run even on Android, the self-hosting world is full of hidden gems that can change the way you work. And they can also change the way you approach your online privacy. Using a DNS-level blocker like Pi-hole, AdGuard, and more is a great way to protect your privacy and get a hold of who your devices are talking to. All self-hosted DNS servers you can find online are great at one thing or the other, but the Technitium DNS server is something I wish I had known about sooner. Related I set up Pi-hole on my home network, and the internet feels like a completely different place The many benefits of hosting your own DNS server and the control it gives you over your network. The DNS server I wish I’d found earlier Technitium deserves way more attention Technitium DNS Server is a free, …

Solid-state EV batteries are coming sooner than expected

Solid-state EV batteries are coming sooner than expected

Published by skeptic

After achieving a breakthrough earlier this week, Greater Bay Technology said it aims to launch the world’s first mass-producible all-solid-state battery this year. China ramps up solid-state EV battery production Greater Bay Technology (GBT) is a battery manufacturer backed by China’s GAC Group. The battery startup focuses on developing ultra-fast charging and solid-state batteries. It even set the world record for the “fastest charging technology for electric vehicles” in 2024 with its Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) batteries, which recharged from 0% to 80% in just 7.5 minutes. On Monday, the company announced it had hit another major milestone, with its first A-sample all-solid-state battery cells rolling off the production line. Advertisement – scroll for more content The A-sample battery cells contain no liquid electrolyte and successfully passed needle penetration, extrusion, and thermal shock tests without a fire or explosion. GBT said the breakthrough enables all-solid-state EV batteries to move from the lab to industrialization as it aims to begin mass production in 2026. According to Chinese news outlet, NE-Time, GBT aims to launch the “world’s first …

There are Android brightness settings past the slider that I wish someone had told me about sooner

There are Android brightness settings past the slider that I wish someone had told me about sooner

Published by skeptic

Brightness is a smartphone display spec that seems to change every single year. The screen size, resolution, and refresh rate go unchanged for multiple smartphone generations, but manufacturers often give the maximum brightness a bump yearly to make you feel like you’re getting something new. It’s not a pointless upgrade — brightness is crucial to enjoying your phone daily. You want a phone that’s bright enough to maintain visibility outdoors, and can avoid thermal throttling under load. Conversely, you want a phone that can dim the display enough to protect your eyes in a dark room. Peak brightness is just one part of finding the best viewing experience for your Android phone. Software plays a major role, and I’m not talking about the brightness slider in the quick settings panel. There are deeper display and accessibility settings you need to know about, plus a clever way to reset wonky automatic brightness habits. If you’re not using them, you’re missing out on a better way to control your Android phone’s screen brightness. This setting makes your …

Claim sooner rather than later, experts urge, after £7.5bn car loan compensation scheme launched | Motor finance

Claim sooner rather than later, experts urge, after £7.5bn car loan compensation scheme launched | Motor finance

Published by Sam Flores

Complain now to be at the front of the queue. That is the message from the City regulator and the consumer champion Martin Lewis as a scheme gets under way to pay out about £7.5bn in total to millions of motorists mis-sold car loans. More information emerged this week about how much money the different categories of people might get and how it will all work after Monday’s announcement that an industry-wide compensation scheme for victims of the UK’s car finance scandal is definitely going ahead. Here are five main takeaways: Technically it’s two schemes. The plan was always for a single compensation scheme, but this week it emerged that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has set up two. Scheme 1 covers older motor finance agreements, those taken out between 6 April 2007 and 31 March 2014; scheme 2 is for more recent ones, those taken out between 1 April 2014 and 1 November 2024. As they are broadly similar, the FCA is generally referring to them collectively as “the scheme”. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) …

This is the ad-free news app setup I wish I used sooner

This is the ad-free news app setup I wish I used sooner

Published by skeptic

Before I log in for the day and start typing away, I like to check the news to see what’s going on in the world. Regardless of the news organization I’m using, the number of videos, audio, and pop-up ads that inundate my screen can be maddening. If severe weather is on the way, or there’s something major happening in my area, I don’t need to see ads for Bob’s Discount Furniture before I know if my house is about to get blown away. That’s when I discovered a beautiful, Material-based open-source news application that lets me view what I want, when I want it. It may be a little boring to look at, but rather than getting overstimulated at the start of the day, I can just look at the news. Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that make life better. Read You is fully open-source It’s being updated fairly frequently, so new features are in the pipeline Credit: Shaun Cichacki/MUO As with many of the greatest applications currently installed on my PC or Android devices, …

Windows 11 has been getting better in secret — 6 features I wish I’d found sooner

Windows 11 has been getting better in secret — 6 features I wish I’d found sooner

Published by skeptic

Microsoft quietly released the Windows 11 25H2 update with changes that are actually useful for everyday users, instead of the usual AI bloat. The update brought a more customizable Start menu, a battery indicator that now shows remaining charge on the taskbar, along with improvements to the Photos app and more control over privacy settings. These are all surface-level changes that are easy to notice. However, buried in the same update, Microsoft has included a set of quality-of-life features that I wish I’d found sooner, because they are so good. AI actions Right-click AI tools that are actually worth using image credit – self captured (Tashreef Shareef) – No Attribution Required I’m not a fan of Microsoft pushing Copilot and AI into every corner of Windows 11. But AI actions in File Explorer are one of those rare cases where the AI integration actually makes sense. Instead of opening a separate app to remove a background from an image or summarize a document, you can now right-click a file and access these tools directly from …

I separated my 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and I should have done it sooner

I separated my 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and I should have done it sooner

Published by skeptic

After switching from my local cable provider to Starlink, I saw an opportunity to reexamine my home network. New hardware, new service, a time to do things right. I quickly discovered that my 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands shared the same network name, so devices connected to either band, not necessarily the best one. The fix took about 10 minutes in my router’s app, and the improvement was immediately noticeable. I wish I’d done it sooner. Related I Use These Tricks to Get the Fastest Internet From My Router This is how I get faster speeds without upgrading my internet plan. 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz Wi-Fi: What’s the difference? Why using both bands matters for home network performance Credit:  Antonio Guillem/khaleddesigner/Shutterstock Modern routers use two radio frequencies: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Each has strengths and drawbacks, which is why merging them can hurt your network. The 2.4GHz band has been around longer and offers a better range. Its lower frequency means the signal travels farther and passes through walls more easily. That sounds great, and it is, …

I wish I’d used this free tool to debloat Windows 11 sooner

I wish I’d used this free tool to debloat Windows 11 sooner

Published by skeptic

Lately, I’ve been increasingly frustrated with how many apps on my Windows PC continue running in the background even when I’m not actively using them. Many of these programs consume system resources, using up RAM and running background processes that slowly chip away at performance. Over time, this started to affect how responsive my machine felt. Everything took longer, and apps became slower. That’s when I decided to look into debloating tools. They help identify unnecessary background apps, startup programs and bundled software that keep running on your system without adding much value. Disabling or removing them can free up system resources, making your PC feel faster and lighter. After trying a few options, I finally came across one that worked surprisingly well. It helped cut down on unnecessary processes and reduced the strain on my system. Looking back, it’s the kind of tool I wish I had discovered much earlier, because it made my PC feel more responsive without needing any hardware upgrades. Related This open-source app nukes Windows bloat and the performance boost …

I started using a self-hostable AI research app and I should have sooner

I started using a self-hostable AI research app and I should have sooner

Published by skeptic

While NotebookLM is an amazing research tool, and there are some great prompts that can make it even more powerful, I’ve always felt like it was a bit too much for my needs, even if that sounds like an unpopular opinion. I wanted something that sits in the middle, not as minimal as the ChatGPT website, but not as heavy or structured as NotebookLM. That’s when I started exploring Khoj, (which translates to “discovery” in English). After spending some time with it, I genuinely feel like I’ve found that perfect middle ground I was looking for. Related One of NotebookLM’s most useful features is now available on Android Video Overviews make it easier than ever to absorb information NotebookLM is brilliant, but I like this more Firstly, there are two ways to use Khoj AI. You can either use the website, where the free tier has access to basic models like Gemini Flash 3, or you can self-host and bring your own model. To get started, I would recommend that you try out the website …

I finally ditched Outlook for this Windows email client and I should have sooner

I finally ditched Outlook for this Windows email client and I should have sooner

Published by skeptic

Ever since Microsoft deprecated its Mail app, I have been trying different email clients to find a true replacement. I tested several popular email apps, including eM Client, Mailspring, Spark, and a few others, but the one that stood out the most was Thunderbird. It’s a free, open-source app from Mozilla that handles multiple accounts smoothly, stays fast, respects my privacy, and gives me control over how everything works. It almost feels like one of those apps that should ship with Windows. OS Android, Windows, Linux & Mac Price model Free (open-source) A unified inbox that makes everything easier to manage One inbox to rule them all Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required Opening an email client in my browser is easy enough, but one of the biggest reasons I like using Thunderbird is its unified inbox. You can enable it by selecting Folder modes > Unified Folders. It brings emails from all your accounts in an organized space, which means you don’t have to open multiple browser tabs and switch between them …