How-To Geek

I'm a big believer in giving old devices a second life — especially if it means I can avoid buying something new. That's exactly what I was able to do with an Android tablet I hadn't touched in a couple of years. Now, it's a Wacom-like drawing pad for my computer, and it was incredibly easy to do.

Bosch makes tools that everyone, from DIYers to masonry or woodworkers, can appreciate. We're all familiar with its popular 18V lineup and older, but robust wired tools like impact wrenches, but that's not all the company has to offer that you'll love. In fact, there are several niche tools that make jobs easier than ever.

While Microsoft spent years focusing on performance and reliability in Windows 10 and 11, many users wanted features and customizations they didn’t get. Updates rarely included user requests and feedback unless they involved issues that required attention, like non-functioning devices, BSODs, memory leaks, unresponsive apps, security loopholes, and other frustrating problems. Some major release updates included improvements here and there, or new features like Cortana or Start Menu changes, but Microsoft often built them the way it wanted.

An old ISP of mine tried to make me pay them $1,000 when I wanted to leave. The connection died something like 50 times a day. So, forgive me for being blunt, but giving ISPs even more money than necessary sounds wild to me.

There is no denying that we're heading towards a future ruled by electric vehicles. Their dominance in the market might have waned in the last year, but the growth is still undeniably there. One of the biggest downsides to climbing on the EV bandwagon, though, is the idea of sitting and waiting for your car to charge back up again, especially when you're in the middle of a long road trip.

Scope creep usually happens to projects, not note-taking apps. But when I switched from OneNote to open-source Joplin, it gradually took on more of my work. I'm not complaining. These days, I use it to write, organize, and keep everything in sync across my devices.

3D printing opens up all sorts of possibilities for making a vast range of objects, but there are some glaring limitations as a result of material choice. While CNC machines and metal 3D printers pave the way for weightier industrial prints, the rest of us need to be a bit more inventive when it comes to adding weight to our creations.

Are you looking for the easiest way to launch a file server for either internal or external access? Copyparty is what you’ve been looking for. With the ability to launch with zero configuration, Copyparty gets you a file server up and running in seconds.

Have you ever wondered whether a free Android app is worth downloading? Maybe you're wondering what the app actually does or how it differs from others. In any case, the Play Store provides a decent amount of information on each app, organized into sections like ‘About this game/app,’ ‘Data safety,’ ‘Ratings and reviews,’ and ‘App support.’ But is that good enough? It can sometimes be hard to find what you’re looking for, especially in the About section, where you’ll find the developer’s app description and information.

You might think that Milwaukee's M12 lineup is only for DIYers or woodworkers—and those people can definitely benefit from Milwaukee's compact tools. But, did you know that it's also an ideal power tool line for electronics and single-board computer hobbyists? Here's why you should check out Milwaukee's M12 lineup for your next electronics DIY project.

CachyOS has taken the Linux world by storm lately. It’s currently one of the most popular Linux distros, and for good reason — it’s fast, polished, and, most importantly, reliable. I’ve used it myself, and I can see why so many people, especially Linux gamers, are fans of it. That said, if I were building a Linux gaming system, I’d choose Bazzite over CachyOS, and it boils down to one key reason.

Wi-Fi 8 is coming, just like Wi-Fi 7 was before it. And it promises us the sun, the moon, and the stars in terms of performance. Faster speeds. Lower latency. Better reliability. And sure, I'm sure it can deliver all of that. But, as this Reddit meme makes quite clear, can Wi-Fi 8 ever match the power of a good ol' Ethernet cable?

Docker Desktop is the default way to run containers on a Mac, but it is not the only one. Colima, a free open-source runtime driven entirely from the terminal, offers a lighter and more configurable alternative. Here is what it is, how it compares, and who should switch.

In 2019, during my school days, I was introduced to the world of smart wearables. The Honor Band 5 was my first smartwatch — I still remember how niche it felt to wear tech among students back then. It offered a solid two-week battery life. Ever since, I have associated smartwatches with devices that don't require frequent charging, until my recent stint with Samsung's flagship Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Ryobi tools strike a balance between cost and competence that weekend warriors love. That said, they’re not without their problems, and it pays to know what you’re getting yourself into before you invest in the ecosystem.

Picking a tool platform is almost more difficult than picking what house to buy. For some reason, it feels very permanent. However, two tool platforms can definitely coexist. I run both Milwaukee's M12 and Ryobi's 18V ONE+ platform in my workshop, and this is how I make the distinction of which tools I use for what job.

I use Android Auto every day, and honestly, I keep coming back to the same apps. Google Maps for directions, Spotify for music, and WhatsApp for those last-minute messages. It works, but there’s more to Android Auto than the apps I open out of habit.

The great thing about ESP32 projects is that often someone else has done all the hard work for you. For example, if you've always wanted a desktop weather display that can tell when you're in the room, then this project can provide everything you need to build your own.

Google TVs come packed with some pretty smart tools. Part of the appeal is that they obviously come loaded with built-in connectivity features, access to many apps, and integration with your Google account. Unfortunately, this all comes with a major drawback, with your Google TV tracking your behavior and collecting tons of information about you.

The '90s and the '00s were one of a kind, and this isn't just my millennial nostalgia peeking through here. In the tech world, they were most certainly special, because they were filled with bold, brave, often useless innovations that may have crashed and burned, but will be remembered longer than the same-y laptops and smartphones we get every year now.