Tech updates from around the web

I squeezed 15% more gaming performance out of Windows without upgrading anything

I installed this app and finally made my Pixel 11's useless LED array worth having

I turned off Gmail's side panels and stopped getting sidetracked by everything else

PC gaming’s anti-cheat problem is getting ridiculous and Linux players are paying the price

I rebuilt the same Excel report every month for 3 years — Power Query turned it into one refresh button

This ridiculously fast Windows file manager is free for now, but it won’t stay that way

Chrome for Android just added the customization I've wanted for years

Ryobi's two incompatible battery systems finally share one charger

I saw a surprising amount of E Ink at IFA 2026, and these are the ones I need ASAP

I switched from Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 to Quad9 9.9.9.9, and speed wasn't the reason

I replaced Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with free apps, and I don't miss Microsoft 365

Stop paying for these 5 apps, their free open-source rivals are just as good