Information Technology

Why is my Fire TV running so slow?That’s a complex question to answer. It could be the age of your device. Older hardware might struggle to load the latest apps and services. But it could also be a combination of outdated software, too many background processes, and accumulated temporary files. All these things can make your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick lag. Fortunately, the tips above address most of these problems. Are there any other Fire TV features I can disable?Amazon’s Fire TV has a surprising amount of “features” running in the background — many of which you might never use. These processes eat up system resources and can slow things down. Turning off the ones you don’t need can speed up performance and tighten your privacy a bit. For instance, hold down the Home button on your remote to open the quick menu. Go to Settings > Applications > Prime Photos and toggle off Allow guest connections and Access Prime Photos (if you don’t use Prime Photos). Also: Slow Fire TV? This 30-second fix made my system run like new againWhile still under Applications, select Appstore and disable Automatic Updates (you can update apps manually later). Also in Appstore, you can optionally turn off In-app Purchases. Then select GameCircle (if you don’t game on your Fire TV) and toggle off Share your GameCircle Nickname and Whispersync for Games. Each item you disable frees up a little extra memory and CPU overhead, which adds up over time — especially on older devices with limited RAM. How often should I restart my Fire TV?If you leave your Fire TV device powered on for long stretches at a time, a weekly restart is a good rule of thumb. Will clearing cache or uninstalling apps delete my data?Clearing cache will remove temporary files, not your logins or saved preferences. Uninstalling apps does remove any data specific to that app, but most streaming services store your watch history and preferences in the cloud, so you won’t lose purchases or profiles. You will need to log back into an app if you choose to delete it from your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick. Do I really need to disable data monitoring and autoplay?Disabling data monitoring and autoplay doesn’t affect your ability to watch shows or use apps — it just stops your Fire TV from constantly tracking data usage or playing auto-preview videos, which reduces background load. When should I consider a factory reset?As I mentioned above, a factory reset is a last resort. If you’ve been using your Fire TV for years and it’s still unbearably slow after trying every other tip, it’s worth a shot. It erases everything you’ve installed and customized and gives you a fresh start. Also: Your car’s USB port is seriously underutilized: 5 features you’re not taking advantage ofAll these tweaks, or even just a combination of some of them, will help you reclaim the speed you once enjoyed on your Fire TV. Let me know which in the comments worked for you and if there are others I missed and should consider trying. Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has officially launched with a starting price of $1,099 With a bigger cover screen, thinner form factor, and improved battery life, it is Samsung’s best take yet on the foldable To better compete in the foldable market, it could use […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSometimes, the bells and whistles of the iPhone Pro and Plus may be overwhelming, and possibly out of budget. However, Apple released the iPhone 16e this spring, which introduced a simpler iPhone at a more affordable price. Also: You can get an iPhone 16 Pro from T-Mobile for free – with no trade-in requiredRight now, T-Mobile is offering a deal where you can get the iPhone 16e for free More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWireless charging is about to get a lot faster.The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), an open standards development group of more than 300 members who work together to ensure compatibility between wireless chargers and power sources, announced a new, faster standard for wireless charging today: Qi2 25W.Also: The best wireless chargers: Expert testedQi2 25W will deliver nearly 70% more power than the original 15W Qi2, which launched in November, 2023.The new standard will be available on iPhones and “major Android smartphones.” The WPC says 13 devices, receivers, and transmitters completed Qi2 25W certification testing in a limited launch last week, and several hundred are waiting to be tested. Presumably, that includes phones, chargers, and power banks. Within a year of Qi2 15W’s introduction, more than 1.5 billion certified Qi2 transmitters and receivers were in the market worldwide. More

Motorola Moto G Power (2025) <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Motorola’s Moto G Power is currently on sale for $299 on Amazon. It boasts multi-day battery life, a 6.8-inch Full HD+ screen, and decent performance for a mid-range phone. However, its similarities to the base Moto G may not be enough to convince people to pay […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Soundpeats Air5 Pro earbuds are available on Amazon for $60 for a limited time. The Air5 Pro earbuds offer dynamic lows, crisp highs, and smooth mids that make any genre of music sound good The battery life isn’t as good as other earbuds in this price range. –> Sound clarity […] More

MR.Cole_Photographer/Getty Historically, building an app required an intimate understanding of the intricacies of writing code. Thanks to AI, those days are over. Google unveiled Opal, an experimental tool out of Google Labs that allows developers to create apps using natural language prompts and interactive visual aids, Thursday. Opal harnesses a suite of Google’s proprietary AI […] More

Form Smart Swim 2 Pro <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available for $329, with the premium subscription for $119/year or $15/month. The included solution keeps the goggles fog free, and the annual subscription provides extensive training and analysis features. Peripheral visibility is limited, the glasses are rather expensive, and […] More