How-To Geek - 10 Tips to Speed Up an Android Phone

April 25, 2023

Did You Know?

There are no remaining confirmed descendants of the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln; his last descendant, great-grandson Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, died on December 24, 1985.

Happy Tuesday! General Motors is discontinuing the cheapest electric car available in the US, which isn’t great. Meanwhile, the first test build of Kodi 21 “Omega” is now available, AMD has new chips for handheld gaming PCs, and Google is working on more settings for Chrome’s Memory Saver.

Finally, there’s a new mini PC from Beelink that costs under $350, with a new Intel Core i3 CPU and 16 GB RAM.

– Corbin

If you’ve had your Android device for a while, you’ve probably noticed some lag that wasn’t there before. Apps load slower; menus take a bit longer to show up. This is pretty normal—but you don’t have to live with it. Read More »

if you like Baby Yoda and Star Wars, then you should check out this smartwatch band and the rest of the collection at MobyFox. Don't have an Apple Watch? Don't sweat it! MobyFox offers bands for both Samsung and Android watches as well.

More PC games than ever allow players to choose between DirectX 12 and Vulkan. But it isn’t always obvious what the difference is, nor which one will provide the best gaming experience. The answers aren’t completely straightforward, but we’ll tell you what you need to know. Read More »

Telehealth is a booming industry servicing millions of patients as a convenient alternative to waiting in a crowded office for a simple prescription or opinion. While common for general health questions, the service has expanded into dentistry with companies like Quip supporting low-cost teledentistry. The new virtual service is a built-in feature of Quip’s handy app (for iPhone and Android), allowing patients to connect with real dentists without a trip to the office. Read More »

Are you ever lying in bed, looking at your phone, then it slips out of your hand and hits you square in the face? Embarrassment and pain aside, there’s an easy solution to that problem—a Popsocket.

These helpful little phone mounts attach to the back of your phone or phone case with adhesive. All you need to do is hold your phone by the Popsocket itself, and you won’t be dropping your device anymore (in bed or otherwise). Add on the fact that you can prop your phone up with the Popsocket, and this is a great $15 investment.

We’re gathered here to mourn the loss of one of the most affordable EVs. As GM rethinks and tweaks its EV strategy, there was one major casualty — the Chevrolet Bolt is dead, as GM is discontinuing its production. Read More »

Buying a Wi-Fi router, like purchasing a new smartphone, computer, or other sophisticated devices, goes much smoother if you know what to look for and avoid. Here are some common mistakes you don’t want to make when shopping for a new Wi-Fi router. Read More »

Google added a Memory Saver feature to the Chrome browser back in February, which hibernates background tabs after a certain amount of time. Chrome might soon give you more control over how the feature works. Read More »

The Steam Deck kicked off a new trend for gaming PCs in the form of handheld game consoles. Now, AMD has announced a new range of chips that are dedicated solely to these kinds of handhelds. Read More »

Hey Google voice commands let you do all kinds of things, like getting the current weather information to finding flights to a specific destination—all without touching your device. Here, we list some of the useful commands that you can use with Google Assistant on your phone, tablet, or hub. Read More »

Kodi, the popular media player and media center interface formerly known as XBMC, released version 20 earlier this year. Now the first test build of Kodi 21 is available, nicknamed “Omega.” Read More »

The selection of movies on Amazon Prime Video can be daunting, especially when it comes to the highly variable action genre. Here are 10 reliably entertaining action movies that you can stream on Amazon Prime Video. Read More »

Roku OS is one of the simplest and most popular smart TV platforms. However, picking the right set can be difficult with so many Roku televisions on the market. Read More »

KeePassXC is one of the best password managers out there, known for its (intentional) lack of cloud-syncing. But just because it’s offline doesn’t mean it’s light on functionality. Here are some handy extras that will enhance your security and overall experience of KeePassXC. Read More »

If you’re an AT&T internet, television, or wireless subscriber, your default account settings allow AT&T to collect and sell your personal data, including web browsing data, to advertisers. Here’s how to opt out. Read More »

Learning simple tricks that give you a productivity boost throughout the day can be fun and rewarding. Sometimes productivity hacks that work for one person won’t for another, and half the fun is figuring out what works best for you. Read More »

Gardening is much more than planting seeds in some dirt and hoping something will grow. Certain garden layouts and planting methods won’t work for every yard, and it can be discouraging to think you can’t grow what you want due to your living situation. Read More »

A soundbar will immediately improve the sound quality and clarity of your TV. But if you want to enjoy movies, shows, and games to their fullest, a standalone soundbar won’t cut it—you need to add a subwoofer to the mix. It’s the only way to get deep bass and a true theatrical sound. Read More »

You probably haven’t noticed, but typically, there are posted safety rules at your local gas station that include not walking away from your car, not smoking, or even not using a cell phone while pumping gas. But what about turning off your car? Read More »

If you’re getting into streaming, the money required for a top-tier setup can be intimidating. Fortunately, you don’t need to start with the best of the best. You can do plenty well with a budget setup like the NZXT Capsule Mini and NZXT Mini Boom Arm, which cost less than a single pro-level mic. Read More »

Audacity is probably one of the best free tools for audio editing out there. With its latest version, version 3.3, it’s getting even better with several additions — more importantly, the inclusion of more live, real-time filters. Read More »

AMD just released a new range of Ryzen 7000 processors earlier this year with 3D V-Cache, providing even more performance. However, the new CPUs aren’t just faster: they’re also burning up. Read More »

There’s no shortage of mini PCs, from the M2 Mac Mini to the new Intel NUC 13 Pro. Beelink has released yet another option: the EQ12 Pro desktop computer. It’s available now for under $350. Read More »

Google Authenticator used to be a popular option for using two-factor authentication codes on mobile devices, but apps like Authy and 1Password are much better options now. Google is trying to change that by fixing Authenticator’s primary limitation. Read More »

There are a greater number of smart thermostats on the market than ever before, and one of the selling points is that they will save you money. But will they? Here are some key things to consider. Read More »

Proper audio design can be challenging, given how much stuff we cram into our homes. Sound waves are dynamic signals that bounce all over the place, so picking the ideal spot for your speakers can be quite the trial. Sonos gives you a hands-off approach to this task with its Trueplay feature. Read More »