Keep what you have working.
Troubleshooting, longevity and security-support answers for people who don't want to upgrade — researched, sourced, and dated.
Phone charging slowly: causes ranked by likelihood
Slow charging is usually the cable or the adapter, not the battery. The causes ranked by how often they are actually to blame, and the quick fixes for each.
Read the full guide →What to look for in a phone if you keep them a long time
If you keep phones for years, update longevity beats every other spec. What to prioritise, which phones promise the most, and the two-year rule for anything cheaper.
Buy WellHow to buy a laptop that lasts five years
Most people don't need a new laptop. If you genuinely do, the specs and build qualities that buy five years — and the one rule that rules out half the market.
SettingsReducing mobile data use, meaningfully
Where your mobile data actually goes, and the settings that cut it without crippling your phone — including the hidden iPhone toggle that causes surprise overages.
SettingsWindows settings that actually improve performance
The Windows 11 settings that genuinely speed things up on modest hardware — and an honest note on which ones barely matter on a modern PC.
SettingsAndroid settings worth changing on a new phone
The handful of Android settings worth changing on day one — for privacy, battery and security — without wading through hundreds of menus.
Stay SafeWhat to do after a data breach notice
A breach notice isn't a crisis if you act in the right order. The steps that actually protect you, and the one (freezing credit) most people don't need.
These devices no longer receive security updates. If you own one, our tracker explains your options.
Troubleshooting
The single most likely fix, first. Then everything else, ranked.
Make It LastLongevity & repair
What actually fails, when, and whether repair beats replace.
Stay SafeSecurity basics
Router checks, backups, breach response — without the scaremongering.
SettingsGetting more from it
The settings worth changing to keep an older device usable.
Buy WellBuying advice
Only when buying is the answer. Nothing with under two years of support.
ReferenceSupport Tracker
End-of-support dates for 50 devices, maintained and sourced.