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I Daily Drove the Asus ROG Xbox Ally for a Month — It’s the Best Windows Handheld

I Daily Drove the Asus ROG Xbox Ally for a Month — It’s the Best Windows Handheld

Tech-news

It’s safe to say that the gaming handheld market in India is in its infancy. We don’t have the luxury of the brands the West or China enjoys, and after trying my hand at the Steam Deck on a recent foreign trip, it made me plenty sad. So, when rumors started circulating about a potential collaboration between Asus and Xbox to make a handheld, it got me really excited because the Taiwanese maker brings most of its products to India. And I was right, Asus recently introduced the regular Xbox Ally at a price of INR 69,990. For the money, you get a custom-built Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB internal storage.

I’ve read plenty of reviews from my tech journalist friends from the US, saying its price isn’t what an Xbox-branded console should cost. But the truth is, if you live anywhere outside North America—which a lot of us do—consoles aren’t really cheap. They cost significantly more, and when you factor in that other Windows handhelds cost the same, if not more, the regular ROG Xbox Ally becomes a solid option. Couple that with a fresh layer of custom Xbox software, and the console’s value becomes more apparent. But should you invest in one? To find out, I called Asus, got the Xbox Ally for review, and used it as my daily gaming machine while covering a series of events across the country.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally Review

Hisan Kidwai

Summary

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally is for the people who are frequently on the go, but still want to play the games they love. Its performance is really good, the FullHD 120Hz display is bright, the ergonomics and design are the best in business, and even the Xbox full-screen experience is a really good step in making Windows handhelds feel more like a console. Windows 11 also unlocks a whole new experience, transforming the Ally into a full PC that can be used for work and emulation.

ROG Xbox Ally: Specs

Display 7-inch FHD, 16:9, 120Hz refresh rate IPS panel
Dimensions 11.5 x 4.8 x 2 inches
Weight 670 g
CPU AMD Ryzen Z2 A
RAM 16GB LPDDR5
Storage 512GB SSD
Wireless connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C, 1x microSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
Price $599/INR 69,990

Design & Hardware

Even though my experience with handhelds isn’t extensive, I do really like what Asus and Xbox have cooked up with the Ally. Make no mistake, the Ally is made of plastic, but it feels sturdy. There’s no chassis flex, and given my extensive travel with the device in my backpack without a carrying case, it can handle just about everything. The white color (exclusive to the regular Ally) is a real head-turner. I was constantly asked about it by strangers at the airport and while playing at a cafe. The only gripe I have about the white color is the fact that it gets dirty. Any crumbs you have on your fingers will automatically be applied to the Ally. So, don’t forget the cleaning cloth.

Too many handheld consoles chase that small and thin form factor and end up compromising on comfort, which is the backbone of any handheld experience. Fortunately, for the new Ally, the good news continues in the comfort department. The grips that Asus incorporated make it the most comfortable gaming handheld by a long shot. Sure, it does weigh more than the Steam Deck at 670 g, but everything feels thought out in the sense that all buttons are exactly where your fingers would naturally rest. And you don’t have to perform that awkward gymnastics with your fingers to reach anything.

On top, the regular Xbox Ally houses a couple of USB-C ports (both of which can be used for charging), an SD card reader, a headphone/microphone combo jack, volume controls, and a power button that doubles as the fingerprint scanner. The more expensive Ally X swaps out the regular USB-C ports for ones that support USB 4.

Controls & Haptics

Close up of the controllers on the Xbox Ally

Controls are what make or break any console experience. If you can’t control your in-game character, the whole experience falls off a cliff. Fortunately, the Xbox Ally doesn’t suffer from any of that. It’s essentially an Xbox controller attached to a display, in the sense that it contains two thumbsticks, ABXY buttons, a D-Pad, shoulder triggers, and a couple of extra buttons on the back. All of which gives the console a sense of familiarity. The thumbsticks, while not Hall Effect, are snappy and accurate and have held up well during my travels. The D-Pad buttons are clicky and responsive, and the ABXY buttons have tactile feedback. The shoulder triggers are Hall Effect and are plenty accurate, which translates to a really nice gaming experience.

The couple of extra paddles on the back can be customized using the Armoury Crate app. The app also lets you remap regular buttons. To make the experience more immersive, the Ally includes haptics that sync with the game and provide rumble. While I wouldn’t call it the most impressive haptic motor, certainly not to the level of PS5’s controllers, they do a decent job of improving the overall gaming experience. Beyond that, I was hugely impressed by the speakers, which pack a real punch in terms of bass and provide a really decent multimedia experience.

Display

A person holding the ROG Xbox Ally and opened YouTube

One thing that Asus hasn’t changed from the previous Ally is the display, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. You still get the same 7-inch Full HD IPS panel that supports a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. While I’d have loved to see an OLED panel, the glossy IPS keeps color looking pretty for the most part. I measured 96% coverage of the sRGB color space, while DCI-P3 numbers were around 74%. Since nobody is editing videos on a display like this, the coverage is pretty decent. Unfortunately, as a consequence of the glossy texture, the panel is very prone to fingerprints, so you’ll be carrying a microfiber cloth everywhere.

When I first started using the ROG Ally in brighter environments, the brightness seemed a bit off. Like the panel wasn’t bright enough. Fortunately, I soon discovered that a Windows setting that dims brightness on battery power was enabled. After disabling it, the experience was a lot better. I measured a peak brightness of over 450 nits, which is really decent but just about gaming everywhere. The variable refresh rate also pays huge dividends in certain games, and I didn’t experience any tearing.

Software & Performance

Armoury Crate tab opened in the ROG Ally

The first question I had when Asus unveiled its collaboration with Xbox was how they did it. How can they prevent Windows from creeping with its unnecessary fluff and ruining the console experience? And did they succeed? Well, the answer is both yes and no. The Xbox Full Screen Experience is what drives everything. It’s the main selling point of the Xbox Ally, and I love it. When you power up the device, it boots directly into the Xbox launcher, so you don’t have to deal with Windows. Since the OS is very resource-hungry, which is super precious on a handheld, the launcher also restricts any Windows activity.

Sure, you can switch to Windows mode with a single button press, but if you don’t want it, Windows will never appear. And that’s what every other Windows handheld lacks. Clicking the Xbox button on the console brings up a neat menu of all your games (even the ones installed from third-party launchers), along with settings to adjust sound and brightness, an Xbox Social menu to invite friends, and the Gaming Copilot. Beyond that, there’s also an Armoury Crate tab that handles all the performance metrics. You can cycle between the different performance modes, enable game overlay of the stats, change resolution, set frame limiter, and a lot more. My point is that everything is thought about.

Windows is still Windows

GTA V controller glitch in ROG Ally

Like a coin, there’s another side to this story as well. The Xbox gaming experience isn’t perfect. Games sometimes don’t recognize the controls and instead display keyboard options. While clicking the Xbox button did solve this problem, it’s not what comes to mind first. You might know how to do it, but someone who hasn’t played around with PCs before might not. I also ran into a unique issue: even after buying Xbox Game Pass, I couldn’t access EA games. Typically, EA games are included in Game Pass, but for some reason, it took a week for the EA Play app to recognize that I have the subscription. Beyond that, if you open the Windows version and then launch the Xbox launcher, you’ll need to restart the device to achieve optimal performance. Otherwise, Windows will continue to run in the background.

As much as I’ve ranted about Windows, it has its perks. For starters, it unlocks a whole world of games, including emulation, which would work amazingly with the controls. Plus, the Ally can be a PC, too. Just connect it with a monitor, and voila, your handheld is a workstation capable of handling any everyday task. Speaking of being a PC, I also ran a series of benchmarks to see where the new AMD Ryzen Z2 A stands. The Ally scored 1,171 in Geekbench’s single-core test and 4,398 in the multi-core test, putting it right on par with the likes of the Steam Deck OLED.

How Does It Game?

A person playing GTA V

Time to address the elephant in the room, and perhaps the only reason anyone would buy a device like this: gaming. The Ally houses the AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, coupled with integrated RDNA 2 architecture graphics. And the performance will ultimately depend on the type of games you play. I tried pretty much the entire library there is. In demanding titles like Cyberpunk and Starfield, you’ll ideally be running the game at 720p, with low to medium settings. In Cyberpunk 2077, the Ally managed to push to around 40 fps, while Starfield was above the 30 fps threshold. I also tried AMD’s FSR 2.1, and there was a noticeable increase in the frames. Though some people don’t like these generated frames, so your mileage may vary.

Forza Motorsport benchmark at medium to high settings
Forza Motorsport Benchmark at Medium/High settings

Being more sensible and turning over to titles like GTA 5 Enhanced Edition, I had a lot more fun. The graphics settings were set to medium/high, and I easily got over 40 fps, sometimes even 60 fps, while playing online. The good news continues with titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Motorsport, F1 2024, and Injustice, where, once again, the Ally easily managed to hit the sweet spot of 40-45 FPS on medium settings. It’s possible to get up to 60 fps with the console, but I prefer more detail. In lighter titles like Real Cricket and Rematch, the frame rates were always over 60.

Since the Ally is an Xbox console, you can also stream games. Streaming capabilities are included with the premium tier of Game Pass. I compared my GTA Online experience between the two, and given the strong internet connection, it was really decent. Of course, you obviously can’t expect to play first-person shooters, but for story games, it’s fine.

Battery Life

Battery life stats of the ROG Ally

One of the big differentiators between the regular Ally and the Ally X, apart from the processor, is the battery. The normal Ally houses a 60W cell, while the X gets a beefier 80W battery. In retrospect, the Ally’s battery life is about what you’d expect. When running GTA V online from 100%, the console lasted me about 2 and a half hours before shutting down.

It is important to note that the brightness was set to maximum and the performance mode was Turbo (the highest tier). Turning the brightness and performance modes down a notch helped me cross that 3-hour threshold. Charging is handled by a 65W fast charger that can fully charge the battery from 0% to 100% in just over an hour.

Verdict

Console on a red chair

At INR 69,990, the ROG Xbox Ally is certainly a niche product. It’s for people who are frequently on the go, but still want to play the games they love. And luckily, that happens to be me. As a tech journalist, I travel regularly, which means long waits at airports, and for those times, the Ally proved to be a lifesaver. Its performance is really good, the FullHD 120Hz display is bright, the ergonomics and design are the best in business, and even the Xbox full-screen experience is a really good step in making Windows handhelds feel more like a console. Windows 11 also unlocks a whole new experience, transforming the Ally into a full PC that can be used for work and emulation.

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Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox.

1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically

How To Stop Spam from Cluttering Your Gmail Inbox? Most Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox. 1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords. Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email. 2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain. Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc. 3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox. This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively. 4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam. To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images. 5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically. 6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future. 7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email. Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox. #Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail

Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords.

Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email.

2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders

block entire domain to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain.

Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc.

3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources

Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox.

This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively.

4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam.

To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images.

5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading

Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically.

6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future.

7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address

A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email.

Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox.

#Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail">How To Stop Spam from Cluttering Your Gmail Inbox? Most Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox. 1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords. Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email. 2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain. Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc. 3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox. This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively. 4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam. To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images. 5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically. 6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future. 7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email. Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox. #Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail

users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox.

1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically

How To Stop Spam from Cluttering Your Gmail Inbox? Most Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox. 1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords. Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email. 2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain. Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc. 3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox. This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively. 4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam. To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images. 5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically. 6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future. 7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email. Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox. #Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail

Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords.

Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email.

2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders

block entire domain to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain.

Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc.

3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources

Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox.

This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively.

4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam.

To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images.

5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading

Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically.

6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future.

7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address

A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email.

Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox.

#Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail">How To Stop Spam from Cluttering Your Gmail Inbox?

Most Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox.

1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically

How To Stop Spam from Cluttering Your Gmail Inbox? Most Gmail users deal with a constant flow of spam, promotions, and unnecessary updates every day. Even after trying to unsubscribe or block certain senders, unwanted messages often continue to appear. Some don’t even offer a proper way to opt out. Instead of dealing with each email individually, using the right settings and filters can make a big difference. Here are different ways to stop spam from taking over your Gmail inbox. 1. Use Gmail Filters to Manage Emails Automatically Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords. Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email. 2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain. Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc. 3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox. This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively. 4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam. To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images. 5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically. 6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future. 7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email. Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox. #Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail

Filters are highly effective in addressing recurring spam problems in Gmail accounts. Rather than constantly deleting similar emails, filters can automatically treat specific messages based on the sender’s identity or specific keywords.

Filters can be created directly from an email. Simply open the message, click the three-dot menu, and select “Filter messages like this.” After that, choose what action Gmail should take, such as deleting or organizing the email.

2. Block Entire Domains Instead of Single Senders

block entire domain to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Some individuals still use multiple versions of their addresses when sending email messages. The problem is that simple blocking is ineffective, since the same individual will continue to send new emails. To address this issue, it may be better to block all emails from a specific domain.

Just like filters, one can do the following to block these emails. Type the domain in Google’s Gmail search tab, click on “filter,” and then proceed to choose actions such as deleting the email, marking it as spam, etc.

3. Use Email Aliases to Track Spam Sources

Gmail allows the use of aliases by adding a “+” sign to an existing email address. These variations can be used while signing up on different websites, while still keeping everything in one inbox.

This makes it easier to track where spam is coming from. If unwanted emails start appearing on a specific alias, the source can be identified and then filtered or blocked more effectively.

4. Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Most suspicious emails include tracking components that activate when the recipient opens them. These are typically invisible pictures that indicate whether the recipient has viewed the message, hence increasing the likelihood of receiving more spam.

To prevent this, one should refrain from opening any strange-looking emails, such as those from unknown sources or with funny subject lines. Such emails can either be disposed of immediately or filtered through other means. One can use Gmail’s settings to request permission to view external images.

5. Turn Off Automatic Image Loading

Images inside marketing emails are often used to track activity. As soon as an email opens and the images load, it confirms to the sender that the email address is active. To stop this, automatic image loading can be disabled in Gmail. After enabling the setting to ask before showing images, tracking images will no longer load automatically.

6. Report Spam Instead of Just Deleting

report spam to Stop Spam from Taking Over Your Gmail

Removing spam by deleting emails is only a short-term fix. It clears space but doesn’t prevent new spam from arriving. Using the “Report Spam” option is more effective. It helps Gmail understand which emails are unwanted and improves its filtering system over time, reducing similar spam in the future.

7. Limit Use of Primary Email Address

A primary email address can quickly become overloaded if it is used everywhere. Over time, it gets shared across many platforms, leading to more promotional and spam emails. To avoid such inconvenience, one should use their primary email address only for essential accounts and, in other cases, use a secondary email.

Although spam cannot be entirely eliminated from a user’s life, it is possible to control its impact using certain tactics. Simple things like filtering, reporting spam, and reducing the number of emails you receive will significantly help you manage your inbox.

#Stop #Spam #Cluttering #Gmail #InboxGmail
You know those little ADT security signs? You know, the ADT logo-emblazoned yard signs or stickers you find in front of houses or slapped on a window by the front door. Well, ADT is rethinking them: today, the home security company announced the ADT Live Light, a light-up version of its logo yard sign that will—you guessed it—shine when your ADT alarm system has been tripped. 

Besides being a visual indicator for your neighbors that something is amiss, ADT says the Live Light could be useful in helping first responders identify which house is yours. It would also serve the same purpose as the stickers and yard signs that came before it: letting would-be intruders know that they risk triggering an alarm by messing with your stuff. And while it can activate automatically, you can also turn it on using the ADT+ app if you want.

The Live Light is wireless and powered by three included AAA lithium batteries. It’s IP65-rated, meaning it should be dust-proof and resistant to water jets from any direction, and should operate in temperatures ranging from 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Both good things if you’re expecting people to leave their light-up sign out in the elements year-round (although those of us in the Midwest might want to bring it in for a couple of months in the winter). The sign itself is 10 x 10 inches tall and 1.75 inches thick, and goes into the ground with a 21-inch stake, although it can also be wall-mounted. 

The Live Light requires a $25-per-month ADT Professional Monitoring subscription and costs $50, including professional installation. There’s no option to install it yourself; ADT requires that one of its own installers carry out what doesn’t strike me as a terribly complicated procedure. (But what do I know? I’m just a little ol’ country technology reporter.)

Images showing the ADT My Safety feature in the ADT+ app.
© ADT

ADT also announced a new ADT+ app feature called My Safety. My Safety extends ADT’s subscriber service beyond your house by letting you do things like set a check-in timer that, if missed, will prompt ADT to contact emergency services for you. It also offers the manual options of speaking or texting with ADT agents, or setting an “Emergency Phrase” that lets you speak a custom phrase to summon help—that is, ADT will again contact emergency services for you. The company says subscribers will be able to use that last feature even if their phone isn’t in their hand, and I’ve asked exactly how that works.

For the My Safety feature, there’s no call history, and for subscriptions with multiple people on them, only the person who initiates a call with ADT monitoring will be able to see status, activity, alerts, and notifications. It’s nice to see the company has thought of that—it can be important for victims of abuse to be able to discreetly seek help. An ADT representative told Gizmodo via email that the ADT+ app update with My Safety is available now for all subscribers in the U.S., except in Milwaukee, WI.

#ADTs #Big #Idea #LightUp #ADT #Sign #YardADT,apps,Home security,Smart Home">ADT’s New Big Idea Is a Light-Up ADT Sign for Your Yard You know those little ADT security signs? You know, the ADT logo-emblazoned yard signs or stickers you find in front of houses or slapped on a window by the front door. Well, ADT is rethinking them: today, the home security company announced the ADT Live Light, a light-up version of its logo yard sign that will—you guessed it—shine when your ADT alarm system has been tripped.  Besides being a visual indicator for your neighbors that something is amiss, ADT says the Live Light could be useful in helping first responders identify which house is yours. It would also serve the same purpose as the stickers and yard signs that came before it: letting would-be intruders know that they risk triggering an alarm by messing with your stuff. And while it can activate automatically, you can also turn it on using the ADT+ app if you want. © ADT © ADT The Live Light is wireless and powered by three included AAA lithium batteries. It’s IP65-rated, meaning it should be dust-proof and resistant to water jets from any direction, and should operate in temperatures ranging from 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Both good things if you’re expecting people to leave their light-up sign out in the elements year-round (although those of us in the Midwest might want to bring it in for a couple of months in the winter). The sign itself is 10 x 10 inches tall and 1.75 inches thick, and goes into the ground with a 21-inch stake, although it can also be wall-mounted.  The Live Light requires a -per-month ADT Professional Monitoring subscription and costs , including professional installation. There’s no option to install it yourself; ADT requires that one of its own installers carry out what doesn’t strike me as a terribly complicated procedure. (But what do I know? I’m just a little ol’ country technology reporter.) © ADT ADT also announced a new ADT+ app feature called My Safety. My Safety extends ADT’s subscriber service beyond your house by letting you do things like set a check-in timer that, if missed, will prompt ADT to contact emergency services for you. It also offers the manual options of speaking or texting with ADT agents, or setting an “Emergency Phrase” that lets you speak a custom phrase to summon help—that is, ADT will again contact emergency services for you. The company says subscribers will be able to use that last feature even if their phone isn’t in their hand, and I’ve asked exactly how that works. For the My Safety feature, there’s no call history, and for subscriptions with multiple people on them, only the person who initiates a call with ADT monitoring will be able to see status, activity, alerts, and notifications. It’s nice to see the company has thought of that—it can be important for victims of abuse to be able to discreetly seek help. An ADT representative told Gizmodo via email that the ADT+ app update with My Safety is available now for all subscribers in the U.S., except in Milwaukee, WI. #ADTs #Big #Idea #LightUp #ADT #Sign #YardADT,apps,Home security,Smart Home

ADT Live Light, a light-up version of its logo yard sign that will—you guessed it—shine when your ADT alarm system has been tripped. 

Besides being a visual indicator for your neighbors that something is amiss, ADT says the Live Light could be useful in helping first responders identify which house is yours. It would also serve the same purpose as the stickers and yard signs that came before it: letting would-be intruders know that they risk triggering an alarm by messing with your stuff. And while it can activate automatically, you can also turn it on using the ADT+ app if you want.

The Live Light is wireless and powered by three included AAA lithium batteries. It’s IP65-rated, meaning it should be dust-proof and resistant to water jets from any direction, and should operate in temperatures ranging from 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Both good things if you’re expecting people to leave their light-up sign out in the elements year-round (although those of us in the Midwest might want to bring it in for a couple of months in the winter). The sign itself is 10 x 10 inches tall and 1.75 inches thick, and goes into the ground with a 21-inch stake, although it can also be wall-mounted. 

The Live Light requires a $25-per-month ADT Professional Monitoring subscription and costs $50, including professional installation. There’s no option to install it yourself; ADT requires that one of its own installers carry out what doesn’t strike me as a terribly complicated procedure. (But what do I know? I’m just a little ol’ country technology reporter.)

Images showing the ADT My Safety feature in the ADT+ app.
© ADT

ADT also announced a new ADT+ app feature called My Safety. My Safety extends ADT’s subscriber service beyond your house by letting you do things like set a check-in timer that, if missed, will prompt ADT to contact emergency services for you. It also offers the manual options of speaking or texting with ADT agents, or setting an “Emergency Phrase” that lets you speak a custom phrase to summon help—that is, ADT will again contact emergency services for you. The company says subscribers will be able to use that last feature even if their phone isn’t in their hand, and I’ve asked exactly how that works.

For the My Safety feature, there’s no call history, and for subscriptions with multiple people on them, only the person who initiates a call with ADT monitoring will be able to see status, activity, alerts, and notifications. It’s nice to see the company has thought of that—it can be important for victims of abuse to be able to discreetly seek help. An ADT representative told Gizmodo via email that the ADT+ app update with My Safety is available now for all subscribers in the U.S., except in Milwaukee, WI.

#ADTs #Big #Idea #LightUp #ADT #Sign #YardADT,apps,Home security,Smart Home">ADT’s New Big Idea Is a Light-Up ADT Sign for Your Yard

You know those little ADT security signs? You know, the ADT logo-emblazoned yard signs or stickers you find in front of houses or slapped on a window by the front door. Well, ADT is rethinking them: today, the home security company announced the ADT Live Light, a light-up version of its logo yard sign that will—you guessed it—shine when your ADT alarm system has been tripped. 

Besides being a visual indicator for your neighbors that something is amiss, ADT says the Live Light could be useful in helping first responders identify which house is yours. It would also serve the same purpose as the stickers and yard signs that came before it: letting would-be intruders know that they risk triggering an alarm by messing with your stuff. And while it can activate automatically, you can also turn it on using the ADT+ app if you want.

The Live Light is wireless and powered by three included AAA lithium batteries. It’s IP65-rated, meaning it should be dust-proof and resistant to water jets from any direction, and should operate in temperatures ranging from 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Both good things if you’re expecting people to leave their light-up sign out in the elements year-round (although those of us in the Midwest might want to bring it in for a couple of months in the winter). The sign itself is 10 x 10 inches tall and 1.75 inches thick, and goes into the ground with a 21-inch stake, although it can also be wall-mounted. 

The Live Light requires a $25-per-month ADT Professional Monitoring subscription and costs $50, including professional installation. There’s no option to install it yourself; ADT requires that one of its own installers carry out what doesn’t strike me as a terribly complicated procedure. (But what do I know? I’m just a little ol’ country technology reporter.)

Images showing the ADT My Safety feature in the ADT+ app.
© ADT

ADT also announced a new ADT+ app feature called My Safety. My Safety extends ADT’s subscriber service beyond your house by letting you do things like set a check-in timer that, if missed, will prompt ADT to contact emergency services for you. It also offers the manual options of speaking or texting with ADT agents, or setting an “Emergency Phrase” that lets you speak a custom phrase to summon help—that is, ADT will again contact emergency services for you. The company says subscribers will be able to use that last feature even if their phone isn’t in their hand, and I’ve asked exactly how that works.

For the My Safety feature, there’s no call history, and for subscriptions with multiple people on them, only the person who initiates a call with ADT monitoring will be able to see status, activity, alerts, and notifications. It’s nice to see the company has thought of that—it can be important for victims of abuse to be able to discreetly seek help. An ADT representative told Gizmodo via email that the ADT+ app update with My Safety is available now for all subscribers in the U.S., except in Milwaukee, WI.

#ADTs #Big #Idea #LightUp #ADT #Sign #YardADT,apps,Home security,Smart Home

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