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How to Run a Full Linux Desktop in a Browser Tab on Your Chromebook

    Crouton is the best way to run Linux alongside Chrome OS on your Chromebook. Now it’s even better — you can run that Linux desktop in a browser tab. This isn’t official Google software, but the extension itself was created by David Schneider, Crouton developer and Google employee. It’s as close as you’re going to get! How It Works This method requires a full Crouton installation. The Linux system isn’t actually running in a browser tab. It’s running on your Chromebook’s system as it is with Crouton. The browser tab just provides a “window” to that Linux desktop so you don’t have to switch back and forth with keyboard shortcuts. It’s a bit like VNC or another remote-desktop solution — but better. The browser tab runs software that connects to the desktop Linux system running in the background and makes it available to you in a typical Chrome OS window. This still requires the usual Crouton installation process — it jus...

Block Ads in All Your Android Apps Without Root or Extra Battery Drain

If you're in the market for a non-root ad-blocker, developer Julian Klode has an app that you'll definitely want to check out. It uses Android's VPN system in a similar manner to alternative apps like NetGuard and AdGuard, but it's got a new twist that should save lots of battery life in the process. Unlike its competitors, Klode's ad-blocking app works at the DNS level, meaning that it only filters traffic for a brief moment when connections are first made, which is where all of the battery saving comes into play. To top that off, it's completely free and open-source, so it's an instant contender for best no-root ad-blocker. Requirements   Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher "Unknown sources" enabled  Step 1 Install DNS66 The app that will block all ads on your non-rooted device without excess battery drain is called DNS66, and it's available for free on the F-Droid Repository. This site is a trusted home for free and open-source Android ...

How to Skip the Wait and Upgrade Your Nexus to Android Nougat Now

  Android Nougat is here, but it’s rolling out to Nexus devices slowly. If you still haven’t gotten the upgrade notification, here’s a little trick to upgrade sooner. My Nexus 5X hadn’t gotten the update notification today, but after performing these simple steps, I’m up and running Android 7.0 with no hassle. You don’t even need an unlocked bootloader. It turns out, users enrolled in the Android Beta program are getting priority with this update. If you aren’t in the beta program, though, you can enroll now–and if the update has started to roll out for your device, you’ll get the final version of Nougat right away. When it’s done installing, you can just unenroll from the beta program without any consequences. (Hat tip to -TheReal- on Reddit and @jmcountryman on Twitter for pointing this out!) This only works for Nexus devices that are currently slated to get the update, which means Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and Nexus 9, as well as the N...

How to Fix the Most Annoying Things in Windows 10

Windows 10 is great, but it has its issues. Here's how to fix them. Windows 10 is probably the best edition of Microsoft's venerable operating system. But Redmond has never made an entirely perfect OS. As much as we like Windows 10—and we really do like it a lot—it's got problems. Thankfully, a number of them are easily corrected. Here's our look at a few of them, and the steps you can take to rectify the problems so the OS doesn't drive you up the Windows wallpaper. 1. Stop Auto Reboots Windows 10 updates are regular and seemingly never-ending, and pretty much out of the user's control (unless you turn off updates altogether, which is a bad idea). What's worse: if you don't reboot your PC after an update, Windows 10 eventually takes it upon itself to reboot for you. That's a good way to lose data in open apps. You can take advantage of a feature called Active Hours, which lets you schedule a time for reboots. But ...

Jailbreaking Explained: What You Need to Know About Jailbreaking iPhones and iPads

iPhones and iPads are locked-down devices. You can only install apps Apple has approved, and you can’t tweak the underlying system like you could on a Windows, Mac, or Linux system. Jailbreaking is the act of escaping this figurative “jail.” Apple doesn’t like jailbreaking, and they go out of their way to make it more difficult. The jailbreaking community and Apple are engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse. Jailbreakers work to make jailbreaking possible before Apple blocks their latest tricks. What is Jailbreaking? Jailbreaking is different from rooting and unlocking, but it’s similar. Like many other modern devices, iOS devices like iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches come locked-down. You don’t have access to the entire device’s file system in the same way you have low-level access on a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Apple has this “Administrator” or “Root user” access on your device, not you. Jailbreaking is the act of gaining full access to a...

How to minimize Internet data usage in Windows 10

Ever wondered where’s your data vanishing post the upgrade to Windows 10? Well, if you are held up in an area with limited modem speed you are bound to face such issues. If you have noticed that Windows 10 loves to feast on data, in no time would you see them disappearing strangely. Even though we can set the connection to “Metered” the data still fast diminished without any clue. Wondering what’s leading to this heavy internet usage? Want to find out what’s causing your data to disappear? Today we will not only guide you through how to set your connection as “Metered” under the settings, but will also show you how to limit Windows 10 data. Tips to Save your Data Consumption on Windows 10 OS Select “Metered” as your Data Connection Changing your data connection to “Metered” under the Settings is one of the most basic steps in order to send a signal to the Windows 10 that will restrict massive updates and self-regulating app downloads. In order to change the setting to “Mete...

How to Find Your Lost or Stolen Android Phone

You’re having a night out. With dinner down the hatch, you’re walking down the street with your sweetheart to the next destination. You reach into your pocket to pull out your phone, when that feeling hits the pit of your stomach: your phone is missing. Did you leave it at the restaurant? Or maybe at home? Did someone steal it? Your mind races. You have no idea. Fortunately, there are some things you can do in this situation to hopefully get your phone back. How to Find Your Phone From Your Computer There’s a good chance you’ve stumbled across this article after having lost your phone, so instead of telling you what you should’ve done before losing it, let’s get right to it: you want to know what to do right now. The good news is that you can quickly find your missing handset with Google’s Android Device Manager, even if you don’t have the app installed. Grab your computer (if you don’t have your computer, see the next section), connect to the internet, open Chrome, a...