How-To Geek

The Raspberry Pi isn't designed to be used as a powerful, central home server, but if you're careful about what apps you run, they can be a valuable addition in any self-hosting setup. These are six apps that run constantly on my Raspberry Pi.

A lot of NAS builders, especially those using old-school mechanical drives, also tend to add an "SSD cache" to their units in an attempt to improve performance.

Setting up a fresh Linux system and getting it ready for your work can sometimes be a tedious time sink. It's why I have this 5-step approach to making it as fast as I can.

The base models of many Android phones, including the Pixel 10, come with 128GB of storage. To get more, you have to add as much as $100 onto the bill. Having enough storage on your phone is more important than ever, but it's not because of all those photos you're taking.

One of the best things about Jellyfin is how flexible it is. You can customize it to look just about any way you want, and the community around Jellyfin has made some stellar skins for that purpose. One of the best ones broke for me, but I found an even better replacement.

Defragmenting your drive, or defragging, used to be routine basic maintenance. But as our computers have evolved, so has the need to defrag.

It's easy to fall into the trap of assuming that the default security settings for your smart home are the best way to keep your smart home protected. The problem is that these settings are often weak or publicly known. In many cases, you can make your smart home much more secure by changing the default settings.

This March, Netflix is bringing a fresh roster of thrilling movies and shows to your screen. From the return of an iconic TV character to the introduction of new characters, this month, you can expect to add some exciting films to your watchlist.

The thought of downsizing a team to just a few—or even just one—sounds like a dream. Why have a team of hundreds when a team of dozens with AI can do the same job? This whole idea of the “10x developer” is dangerous and there’s no good outcome to it.

One way to impress a 3D printing skeptic is to show them some of the more impressive prints you have made. Few examples inspire wonder quite as much as those that use the print-in-place technique for more complex elements.

Spend any amount of time browsing the internet, and you will inevitably run into a site that demands you prove you're not a robot. It might ask you to click or slide a button, solve a puzzle, mark things on the road, or even play a little game. Is it impossible for robots to pass those tests? It's not. Why are we keeping robots off the internet in the first place?

It feels like every consumer security camera requires you to pay a hefty subscription price to get the most out of it. I've recently been testing the Reolink floodlight and camera combo, and I've got to say, being able to access a full suite of awesome features without a subscription is a big deal.

March has that in-between energy where it's not quite spring, not quite winter, but somehow you're already ready for a new comfort watch or something fresh and unique. HBO Max makes the choice harder—in a good way—because its library is basically a cavern of eldless possibilities.

Say “luxury SUV” and names like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi usually come to mind. But in 2026, you don’t have to sign up for a luxury-brand payment to get something that feels properly upscale and genuinely fun to drive.

As March arrives, HBO Max wants one thing from you, and that’s to be down to fooling around with all its new content debuting this month. The streaming platform kicks things off with two new series—one a salacious thriller turned mystery and the other a half-hour comedy show featuring Steve Carell. We’ll also see a new season of Lisa Kudrow’s comedy series, two new movie debuts, and two new documentaries.

For decades, Toyota and Honda have dominated conversations about automotive reliability, setting the global benchmark for long-term dependability. Their reputations have become so ingrained that few buyers even consider looking elsewhere when reliability tops the priority list. But recent industry data suggests a surprising shift. One American automaker is now outperforming both Japanese giants in overall dependability rankings.

Some weeks can feel like a veritable buffet of things to do and places to go—too many tabs open, too many boxes to check, and you feel like you're piling it all on one plate. Apple TV can feel like that sometimes, which is why I'm here to cut the fat.

When a relative recently told me that they back up their files on a simple USB stick, I was floored. And yes, it was just the one; no 3-2-1 rule here. And yes, of course, some of those files were important.

Thanks to the internet, it’s incredibly easy to open an app and immediately get a detailed weather report. But what you might not realize is that your phone has some precise weather instruments of its own. Most phones have a barometer inside, and it’s more useful than you might think.

In an era where cars are becoming more complex and packed with new technology, long-term reliability is becoming harder to guarantee. Yet one luxury sedan continues to stand above the rest, earning top marks for dependability in a market where breakdowns and costly repairs are increasingly common. The 2026 Lexus IS 350 has emerged as the most reliable new car currently on sale, outperforming both mainstream and premium rivals.