All posts tagged: Swapped

I swapped Chrome for its de-Googled twin on my Galaxy Z Fold 8, but one thing made me hesitate

I swapped Chrome for its de-Googled twin on my Galaxy Z Fold 8, but one thing made me hesitate

Published by skeptic

Chrome sends what I type in the address bar straight to Google before I even hit enter, so when I heard about Cromite, a Chromium fork that strips that connection out and blocks ads and trackers by default, I gave it a week on my new Galaxy Z Fold 8 to see if ditching Chrome was actually worth it. What gave me pause, however, was the fact that it lags a few versions behind Chrome proper. Samsung’s One UI 9 changed how Android handles sideloaded apps, too, so I also wanted to see how installing an APK that wasn’t Google official would work on my phone. Along the way I checked whether the built-in ad blocking genuinely speeds up browsing, whether losing Google account sync is as annoying as it sounds, and whether the update lag matters enough to talk myself out of it. Related I tried every major Android browser, and the one I kept wasn’t Chrome, Firefox, or Opera The Android browser nobody recommends, but should. What I ended up testing How Cromite …

I swapped my app grid for a T9 keypad and my Android is faster than ever

I swapped my app grid for a T9 keypad and my Android is faster than ever

Published by skeptic

I am game when it comes to customizing my Android phone. I love trying out new launchers and other productivity tools that are otherwise not available by default on my Samsung Galaxy phone. In the past, I gave a launcher a shot that helped me save some battery, and I also got my hands on an open-source app thatlets you search your entire Android phone from one bar. However, most launchers don’t fix the problem of clutter, and you end up staring at a wall of icons; it’s just differently styled. This time around, I replaced my launcher with a T9 keypad and changed the way I locate and open apps on my phone. Related I Finally Found an Android Launcher Worth Switching To Stock feels outdated next to this launcher. Key Launcher brings back Nokia brick keypad Turning your old flip phone’s trick into a home screen Credit: Isaac Smith/Unsplash If you have ever seen a phone with a keypad, you would know the struggle we used to face when texting. We had to type …

I swapped my Samsung’s Google search bar for this and I love it

I swapped my Samsung’s Google search bar for this and I love it

Published by skeptic

The Google search bar is a staple of Android phones, so when I got my S26, I never really questioned it. I could open apps without digging through the app drawer, run quick web searches, and even jump into Google Lens when needed. But once I swapped it out for Samsung’s Finder, I realized how much I’d been missing. Finder doesn’t limit me to just apps and web searches. I can look up content inside apps, pull up contacts, jump straight into settings, and even find documents directly. Having used it for a week, it’s hard to believe this isn’t the default experience. Related 5 features I disable on Samsung phones before I do anything else Stop your Galaxy phone from tracking, interrupting, and slowing you down. The Google search bar is pretty limited It lacks depth Pankil Shah / MakeUseOfCredit: Pankil Shah / MakeUseOf For something that sits front and center on your home screen, the Google search bar feels quite basic. It looks clean and familiar, sure, but it doesn’t do all that much. …

I swapped walking for swimming and it’s helped me fall in love with cardio and build full-body strength

I swapped walking for swimming and it’s helped me fall in love with cardio and build full-body strength

Published by Jenni Sidey

Apart from cooling off in the sea on holiday or lounging at my local lido in summer, swimming never really interested me. However, I recently spent two weeks on the south coast of Sri Lanka, where I stayed in a villa with a pool. With temperatures regularly reaching over 100℉, it felt wrong not to be in said pool as much as possible—especially as the heat also made walking, which I usually like to do, more difficult. Instead of walking, I decided to start swimming lengths of the 25-meter pool. I started with 20 lengths and found that I enjoyed it, so I challenged myself to do 30, then 40. By the end of the trip, I was doing up to 60 lengths per day. Article continues below You may like I’ve found swimming to be meditative and relaxing, and it’s quickly become my favorite way to do cardio, as I don’t enjoy running and get bored of cycling. Below, I’ve shared some of the reasons I’ve come to love swimming, along with some of …

How Paris swapped cars for bikes – and transformed its streets | Paris

How Paris swapped cars for bikes – and transformed its streets | Paris

Published by Sam Flores

When Corentin Roudaut moved to Paris 10 years ago, he was too scared to cycle. The IT developer had biked everywhere as a student in Rennes but felt overwhelmed by the bustling French capital. Cars were everywhere. Cyclists had almost no protection. But once authorities carved out space for a segregated bike lane on Boulevard Voltaire near his home in the 11th arrondissement, Roudaut returned to the two-wheel commute and did not look back. He now volunteers with Paris en Selle, a cycling campaign group, and has watched with wonder as the city has shaken off its car-centric reputation. “It was a process that started slow and really accelerated in the last 10 years,” Roudaut said. “At least in some parts of the city, we have a [cycle] network that is starting to be safe and pretty much complete.” Paris has embarked on a grand transformation since Anne Hidalgo became mayor in 2014, planting 155,000 trees, adding several hundred kilometres of bike lanes, pedestrianising 300 school streets and banning cars from the banks of the …

Glendale homeowner swapped his lawn for California native plants

Glendale homeowner swapped his lawn for California native plants

Published by Sam Flores

Water-hungry lawns are symbols of Los Angeles’ past. In this series, we spotlight yards with alternative, low-water landscaping built for the future. When Christopher Smee welcomes visitors to his Glendale garden, he enjoys giving what his friends jokingly call “the botanical tour.” “Would you like to walk through the native chaparral?” he asks, pointing out the California native plants in his front yard: a multi-trunk toyon, bright orange California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), lantern-shaped Bladderpod (Cleomella arborea) with yellow flowers that bloom most of the year, purple Arroyo lupines (Lupinus succulentus), fragrant Allen Chickering Sage (Salvia ‘Allen Chickering’), and tall, silvery white sage (Salvia apiana) at the center. “I love the majesty and structure of the white sage,” he says, pointing out the dried branches he leaves for the birds. “I love the color, and when I learned about its importance to the Indigenous community, I felt it should be at the center of the garden.” Before: Christopher Smee’s Glendale home when it had Bermuda grass and nonnative plants. (Christopher Smee) After: Smee’s garden today. Like …

I swapped dumbbell chest presses for resistance band chest presses for two weeks and my shoulder pain instantly improved

I swapped dumbbell chest presses for resistance band chest presses for two weeks and my shoulder pain instantly improved

Published by Jenni Sidey

Returning to exercise after childbirth has been a challenge. I knew that improving my endurance would be tough, but I thought I might keep my strength levels up by continuing to train throughout pregnancy. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. A weaker upper body, plus some nagging shoulder pain, means my usual supine dumbbell chest presses have felt particularly hard. Article continues below You may like I decided to try using a resistance band to perform a standing press instead. It’s a method that I’ve previously had success with, swapping dumbbell rows for resistance band rows. Here’s what happened when I made the same switch with my chest presses for two weeks. How to do a resistance band chest press Sets: 1-3 Reps: 15 You’ll need: a moderately-heavy resistance band and a secure anchor point, like a stair railing, or a door if your resistance band comes with a door anchor attachment. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. How to do it: Loop the band around the …

I swapped my daily driver Linux distro again — and this time it’s sticking

I swapped my daily driver Linux distro again — and this time it’s sticking

Published by skeptic

I have a confession that will shock absolutely nobody: I distro-hop. Not recklessly, not every weekend, but with the quiet curiosity of someone who has broken just enough systems to know better and still does it anyway. For quite a while, Fedora Linux held the daily driver crown on my main machine. It is polished, forward-thinking, and generally behaves like it has its life together. But daily driving an operating system is not just about technical excellence. It is about how the system feels after weeks of real work. After another round of “I am just testing this quickly” energy, I found myself back on Linux Mint. This time, though, something unusual happened. I stopped looking for the next exit ramp. Fedora did a lot right, but the friction never fully disappeared Small daily annoyances matter more than headline features Afam Onyimadu / MUO Let me start by being fair. Fedora is excellent. Hardware support was strong on my setup, performance was snappy, and the project clearly knows where it wants to go. If you …