Computer Tricks and Secrets

Almost everyone has a Facebook account, but very few people actually dive into the complex settings panels to protect their digital footprints. As a developer who understands how web tracking works, I am highly sensitive to how social media platforms collect, aggregate, and monetize user data. Over the years, I have audited my own account settings multiple times. In this guide, I am sharing the five hidden Facebook settings and safeguards I use daily to block background tracking, audit third-party data shares, and protect my profile. 1. Block Background Web Tracking Many users do not realize that Facebook tracks their activity across other websites and apps even when they are logged out. They do this via the Facebook Pixel embedded in millions of sites. To stop this tracking, I isolate my social media session. I use browser containers like Firefox's Facebook Container extension or extensions like Facebook Disconnect . These tools prevent Facebook from correlating my exter...

When I first started diving into Android customization, the appeal of rooting was obvious. I wanted complete control over my hardware: removing carrier-installed bloatware, backing up full system partitions, and running root-only root managers. Back then, many tutorials recommended "one-click" software like OneClickRoot. Having spent years modifying mobile operating systems and flashing ROMs, I want to share my honest experience with automated tools, explain why they are obsolete on modern Android builds, and detail the safest methods to root your device today. What is Android Rooting and Why Do It? By default, Android isolates users from modifying system files to keep the system secure. Rooting is the process of gaining superuser access to the operating system's root directory. For me, the primary benefits have always been: Uninstalling Carrier Bloatware: Deleting heavy system apps that ship pre-installed on retail phones to free up internal storage. Com...

It is hard to believe that a full decade has passed since 2016. Back then, I was keeping detailed design notes on mobile hardware and tracking the transition from Nvidia's GTX 800 series to their desktop-class mobile architectures. Recently, while reorganizing my workshop, I pulled out one of my old gaming laptops from that era. In this retro review, I am taking a nostalgic look back at the top gaming laptops of 2016, checking how their specifications hold up today, and sharing my personal hardware tips for repurposing them in 2026. The Top 3 Beasts of 2016 Looking through the ranks, three specific models defined the premium tier of mobile gaming a decade ago: 1. MSI GT80 2QD Titan If budget was no obstacle, the GT80 Titan was the ultimate dream machine. It was less of a laptop and more of a portable desktop, weighing a massive 9.9 pounds. It featured a fully mechanical keyboard built directly into the base and dual GTX 980M graphics in SLI. In 2026, this machine is a c...

When I started building my first web directories and putting together my personal portfolio at fineanmol.github.io, I quickly realized that launching a site is only half the battle. Getting real people to visit, read your articles, and engage with your work requires a consistent strategy. Over the last few years of managing my own web projects, I have tested countless digital marketing tools. Many of them were complete wastes of time, but a select few became essential parts of my daily routine. In this post, I am sharing the ten tools that have helped me scale my reach, organize my SEO campaigns, and automate repetitive tasks. 1. The Genesis Framework (WordPress Theme Engine) As a developer, I cannot stand bloated code. If a theme takes three seconds just to load basic styling, it is going to hurt your search ranking. That is why I built my main self-hosted sites on the Genesis Framework. It is a highly optimized parent theme for WordPress that handles schema markup natively a...

I absolutely hate throwing away good hardware. Recently, while organizing my desk, I found my old Android smartphone sitting in a drawer. Most manufacturers drop software support after just two or three years, leaving perfectly functional devices running outdated operating systems and vulnerable to security exploits. Instead of letting it become electronic waste, I decided to flash custom firmware to revive it. In this guide, I am sharing how I successfully updated my old phone to Android 14 using LineageOS, the modern successor to the legendary CyanogenMod project. The Evolution from CyanogenMod to LineageOS If you have been in the Android customization scene for a while, you definitely remember CyanogenMod. It was the king of custom ROMs, providing speed and clean features that stock software lacked. When that project shut down, developers rallied to launch LineageOS. Built on the same open-source philosophy, LineageOS provides a clean, bloat-free Android experience. For my ...

Short answer: you do not need a cracked copy of IcoFX to make good Windows or Mac icons. IcoFX has a paid license and a trial, and if you would rather not pay, GIMP plus a free online ICO converter does everything most people need. I removed the old patch and download links from this post because cracked installers are a common malware vector. What IcoFX is good at IcoFX is a dedicated icon and cursor editor for Windows. It creates icons up to 768x768 for Windows and 1024x1024 for macOS, converts between the two, edits static and animated cursors, and batch-processes files. If you make icons often, the official IcoFX license is genuinely worth it and supports the developer. My free icon-making workflow 1. Design at 256x256 in GIMP GIMP is a free, open-source image editor. I design the icon on a transparent background at 256x256 so it stays crisp when scaled down. 2. Export to ICO GIMP can export directly to .ico with multiple sizes packed in. For quick one-offs I use a re...

Short answer: you do not need an Office 2010 crack or a KMS activator in 2026. Microsoft gives you Word, Excel and PowerPoint free in the browser, there is a paid Microsoft 365 subscription when you need the desktop apps, and LibreOffice is a full free alternative. I removed the old activator and crack links because those tools are a well-known malware risk and violate the license. Option 1: Office on the web, completely free Sign in with a free Microsoft account at office.com and you get the online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote at no cost. For everyday documents and spreadsheets this is all I need on a secondary machine. Option 2: Microsoft 365, when the desktop apps earn their keep If you live in Excel or need the full desktop features offline, the Microsoft 365 subscription is the legitimate route and includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage. I keep it on my main PC for that reason. Option 3: LibreOffice, free and offline LibreOffice is a free, open-source ...