MakeUseOf

Stop tolerating GNOME's limitations — here are 5 Linux desktops that give you real control

Jorge Aguilar — Wed, 06 May 2026 23:00:20 GMT

You don't have to stick to GNOME if you don't want to. There are plenty of desktop environments, or those close to it, to switch to from GNOME that offer much more freedom. Some people prefer more control and power over what happens on their computers. Just keep in mind that if you're new, you probably shouldn't be messing with advanced changes unless you're okay with bricking your desktop or laptop.

Google's AI search just got a lot more useful — but make sure to vet those "experts"

Dave Schafer — Wed, 06 May 2026 22:43:53 GMT

Google's AI search features have been more than a little controversial, but they're also rather useful — as long as you check your sources. On May 6, Google announced several improvements to AI Overviews and AI Mode that should make the tools even better.

I switched back to wired Android Auto and stopped worrying about connection drops entirely

Shimul Sood — Wed, 06 May 2026 22:00:19 GMT

A few months ago, I was genuinely excited to switch to a wireless Android Auto dongle. My experience with a wired connection hadn’t been great. Yes, it was cheaper and more practical, but dealing with cables every single time got annoying. So going wireless felt like the obvious upgrade, and at first, it really did feel like one. But that excitement didn’t last very long.

You don’t need a powerful PC to run the biggest open models anymore — thanks to Nvidia

Raghav Sethi — Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:18 GMT

I have been getting really into local LLMs lately, and I've even built my own local AI server. The problem is that it is an extremely expensive hobby, and I do not have thousands of dollars in hardware lying around to scratch that itch properly.

Samsung Browser does 3 things Chrome can't, and one of them will save you gigabytes of RAM

Brandon Miniman — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:00:18 GMT

If you're ignoring the built-in browser on your Samsung, you're missing out. Like many, I usually ignore the Samsung Browser (which is now available on Windows), which is preloaded on every Samsung Galaxy phone, and just install Chrome, but you should stop doing that.

Stop running five separate apps when this open-source alternative does it all

Shaun Cichacki — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:00:18 GMT

Working from home requires constant communication, and with constant communication comes a ton of different communication apps. Slack, Asana, Discord, and anything in between are typically open from at least 9 to 5 throughout the workday, and paging through native apps can get a little annoying after a while. That's why I went on a search to consolidate them, and walked away with a fantastic solution.

Samsung's sidebar launcher is gone — but this app replaced it with something I actually prefer

Jack Mitchell — Wed, 06 May 2026 19:30:19 GMT

Having used a Samsung phone exclusively for the last three years, it was time for a replacement, and when faced with a choice of upgrades, I realized how much I missed my trusty old Pixel. Unlike Samsung, Google builds both the hardware and the Android operating system, and I remember the user experience feeling more seamless, minimalist, and built for purpose.

You’re probably using paste wrong in Excel

Yadullah Abidi — Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:19 GMT

Everyone knows how to copy and paste. Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V have become muscle memory for just about anyone who uses a computer at this point. However, the default paste is kind of a blunt instrument, especially in Excel, where the data you're pasting can be taken in many different contexts.

The best storage upgrade is still the one people avoid

Yadullah Abidi — Wed, 06 May 2026 18:30:17 GMT

Seeing storage warnings is a ritual that plays out for all of us, regardless of whether it's our phones, computers, external storage drives, or cloud storage. But every single time the dreaded storage almost full message pops up, we do the easy thing. Buying a bigger storage drive, subscribing to more cloud storage, or plugging in yet another hard drive is easy; managing the existing data you're hoarding isn't.

I replaced my productivity apps with what Pixel already had built in — and I haven't looked back

Rob LeFebvre — Wed, 06 May 2026 18:00:18 GMT

When I'm out and about with my Pixel 9, I tend to deal with the built-in software as too basic. I've used a ton of apps for things like meeting transcriptions, song identification, spam calls, and other stuff that either require a download or even a fee in some cases. However, as I've been looking at Google's quarterly feature drops, I realized that maybe I didn't have to keep finding apps: much of what I need is already on the Pixel.