Long gone, but now back… sort of. :)
ReadyBoost is a storage technology available in Windows 10 that lets you enhance PC performance by using ordinary USB flash drives as fast disk caches. Debuting in Vista, ReadyBoost was once cutting-edge technology. But does it still make sense with today’s PCs? That’s the main topic of my column in this week’s AskWoody Plus newsletter. My…
(Answer requested by Prapat Saxena) I disagree with the premise of your question. Most charging is by USB these days. When USB 1 came out in 1996, it supported 5 volt/0.5amp charging; 2.5 watts. Today’s newest USB charging supports up to 20 volts/5 amps; 100 watts. And there are now wireless charging options, too. I’d…
(Question submitted anonymously.) Full question: “If someone ran all his anti-virus software but can’t get a weird bug removed off his PC that opens a bunch of tabs and takes pictures, what should he do next?” “Someone?” You asking “for a friend?” 😉 You mention “opening tabs” so I’m guessing you mean your friend’s browser…
(Answer requested by Benjamin Woods) There are three main drains: The Screen, with three major subcategories: brightness, pixel density (e.g. HD, FHD, 4K, etc.), and refresh rate. In all cases, lower settings yield better battery life. The Radios — voice, cellular data (3G/4G/5G, etc.), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, etc. — all consume power; sometimes even when…
(Questioner requested anonymity) On Li-ion consumer devices, “0% battery” doesn’t mean “no energy” but rather “no energy available for anything except to wait for the next recharge.” That’s because Li-ion batteries require careful regulation of volts, amps, and temperature. The charging circuits need to save the last few percent of battery for themselves, so those…
The note from “K.A.” was confessional and a bit anguished: “Today I hit my laptop because I got angry and I’m stupid. The screen glitched and it just rebooted. It went back to work just fine, but I’m paranoid. Did I cause damage? It’s an old Acer.” The four tools you’ll need to find and…
Earlier this week, Microsoft released the semi-annual refresh of Windows 10, this one dubbed “2004,” meaning it was finished last month, 2020-04. So far, I’ve updated four PCs, including my primary-use, personal system. All have gone smoothly, with nary a hiccup. Microsoft’s install routines seem to be getting better at picking up existing software, too….
(Answer requested by Shreya Mehta) In sleep mode (sometimes called suspend), your PC goes into a low-power state, consuming just enough electricity to keep the RAM contents intact; to monitor for system events (such as a key- or mouse-click, or closing the lid on a laptop); and to run similar low-power processes. The major advantage of standard sleep…
(Answer requested by Lilly Vugheen) Android smartphones keep a spare copy of the operating system on hand, stored in protected files. These files are what’s used to rebuild the system after a factory reset, or a root. Rare but virulent Android “xHelper” malware can break into and alter the protected files. So, when you reset…
My column in this week’s ASKWOODY PLUS* newsletter discusses wired Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi security; provides information on Win10’s built-in “packet-sniffer” tool for examining raw network traffic; and discusses whether you can install Win10 via USB from an Android phone. Also in this week’s ASKWOODY PLUS* newsletter: WINDOWS 10: Cheap Windows 10 product keys — Are they…
