Advisorator Free: Firefox’s tracker killer

Firefox’s tracker killer

Jared Newman
|
March 30, 2021

Hey folks! You’re reading the free version of Advisorator, providing a tip and a deal in your inbox each week. Become a member to get in-depth feature articles, extra tips, more deals, and personalized advice from me.

Mozilla just came up with a compelling new reason to use Firefox, at least for private browsing. With a new feature called SmartBlock, Firefox essentially spoofs the tracking scripts that websites use while following you around the web, allowing those sites to function properly even when their trackers don’t. The result should be faster browsing and more privacy, all without the page load issues you sometimes encounter with third-party blockers like uBlock Origin.

By default, SmartBlock is only enabled if you’re browsing in a private window, since some websites might still break while the feature is enabled. But if you’re feeling bold and want it to run it in all your browser windows, just hit the Firefox’s menu button, then select Options and click Privacy & Security. From this menu, set your tracking protection level to “Strict.”

To disable these protections for individual sites that aren’t working properly, you can always tap the Shield icon at the top-left of your address bar and toggle off the “Enhanced Tracking Protections” slider.

Spend wisely

Amazon’s latest Echo Show 10 smart display is on sale for the first time, dropping to $210 instead of the usual $250. As with previous Echo Shows, the screen lets you watch videos, make video calls, view photos that you’ve stored with Amazon, and get visual responses to your Alexa queries. But unlike previous models, this one has a swiveling screen that automatically follows you around the room as you talk to it. Amazon also has a bunch of other Alexa devices on sale, including the Echo Dot with Clock for $45 and the Echo Show 8 for $75.

In this week’s full issue of Advisorator, I wrote about why I still can’t replace my laptop with an iPad, plus OnePlus’ new phones, an anti-robocalling milestone, an easier way to make Spotify playlists, and more. Sign up for a free trial, and I’ll send you the latest issue!

   

More info, please

Thanks for reading! If you’re enjoying these tips, please take a minute to tell a friend about Advisorator, or let me know how I can make this newsletter better.

Until next week,

Jared