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Your computer probably isn't dying
How to find what's actually dragging it down before you spend a cent, plus the Edge add-ons that turned on their users.
Joel Folgner
IT Manager, consultant, and tech curator based in Molalla, Oregon. I’m Joel Folgner, and I created Fresh From Cache to distill the noise of the tech industry into clear, practical insights.
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Freeze your credit before someone else uses it
Breach notices arrive constantly, and most people answer with credit monitoring. A freeze is the free step that stops new accounts in your name before they open, and almost nobody sets it up.
News
Windows 11's new rewind button works, but it is not a backup
Windows 11's new Point-in-Time Restore can roll your PC back to yesterday. It is handy, but it is not a backup.
News
Google is changing how Android apps get installed.
A countdown clock says your Android phone is about to be locked down. Here is what Google's new app verification actually changes, and what it does not.
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Why rebooting your router works, and when it won't
Restarting the router clears out clutter and starts every connection fresh. That fixes most home internet hiccups. When a reboot doesn't work, here's what to do.
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Your browser can block trackers and scam sites. The strongest settings just aren't on by default.
Your browser can block trackers and warn you off scam sites. In Chrome the strongest settings are off by default; in Edge they are turned down. Five minutes fixes both.
Blog
The apps I'd recommend aren't the ones I use most
My most-used apps are mostly work, not what I'd recommend. This is the short list for a normal person's phone, and the ones worth deleting.
News
You can finally hide your phone number on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is finally letting you hide your phone number behind a username. Here's what that actually protects, and what it doesn't.
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Your computer feels slow. Here's what to do.
Most "slow computer" problems aren't the computer at all. This is how to find what's really slowing it down, and fix it for free or close to it, on a Windows PC.
newsletter
The pop-up scam just got raided
Police seized the servers behind it. Plus encrypted texts between iPhone and Android, and a five-minute phone setup worth doing before the long weekend.
News
Microsoft pulls Edge extensions due to malware
Microsoft pulled 119 Edge add-ons that worked for years, then turned on their users. Time to clean out the extensions you forgot you had.
Blog
How Much Water Does AI Really Use?
A single AI prompt uses far less water than the headlines suggest, somewhere between five drops and a few tablespoons. The fight worth having is about where these data centers get built, often in the driest places in the country.