How-To Geek

If you're like me, you don't like unnecessary friction when trying to accomplish tasks on your Linux PC. The following desktop software is so useful to me, I want them to be running when I start using my computer so that I don't have to manually launch them.

You don’t need to email files to yourself or text yourself notes just to sync them between devices. There’s a better way to wirelessly share data between your phone and computer. I’ll show you two ways to do exactly that. In addition to sharing text and files, you will also get quality of life features. For instance, you can have your phone’s notifications sent directly to your PC, answer texts without picking up the phone, and even control the phone’s media playback using a Windows PC.

When was the last time you upgraded your Wi-Fi router? If you can't remember because you've had your router for many years, there's a good chance that it's time for an upgrade.

I love organizing my workstation, and my PC gaming setup isn’t immune to getting 3D printed upgrades. From keeping my graphics card from sagging to organizing my USB drives and even holding my controller, here are my top four 3D prints that took my setup to the next level.

The first time I gave money to a Linux project felt weird. I'd been playing with one distro or another for a while, never quite figuring it out. Then Ubuntu Linux launched just as I started college, and because we all had bad internet, they sent me an installation disc for free.

Over time, hidden junk files and old drivers clog up Windows systems, slowing them down, and even introducing security vulnerabilities. That’s why it’s a good idea to ‘spring-clean' your computer every once in a while. Clearing away old junk files will speed up your computer and free up disk space at the same time. I’ll show you two ways you can do this.

I probably spend way too much money on gadgets, but if there’s one thing that makes me not want it, it's a battery compartment meant for disposable batteries. No matter how good the tool is, if it isn’t rechargeable, I'm not interested and you probably shouldn't be either.

The numbers on Linux installations are finally starting to show some life, and despite what some people might say, it's not all down to just one or two major moves. But, undeniably, the rise of Linux gaming has something to do with it.

If you’ve been searching for a sporty, fun-to-drive hatchback that won’t break the bank, the used market has a surprising standout. One Japanese-built sports hatchback has become a steal, offering sharp handling, peppy performance, and stylish looks, all at a price far below what you’d expect for its driving experience.

Android phones are remarkably more secure than they used to be, but Google is holding back on you. There’s a lesser-known feature that’s off by default, and enabling it is an easy way to get a serious security boost.

Modern PCs can set you back by a considerable amount, so it makes sense to protect your hardware from heat and excessive voltage. Over the past few years, there’s been a noticeable rise in CPU failures linked to overvolting on default motherboard settings. What’s causing this, and is there a way to prevent it?

I recently got into microcontrollers—and by recently, I mean last week. Thanks to the help of Google’s new Antigravity IDE, an Arduino R4 WiFi, and a 7-color e-paper display, I was able to get an e-ink photo frame built in less than a week.

We evolved from chisels on stone to typewriters and keyboards—but every step still tethered us to a place. Will the next evolution in writing technology finally set us free? I’m a professional writer, and here’s how I walk and talk to write entire articles.

Smart lighting is the gateway drug of the smart home, but replacing all the bulbs in my home would be a non-starter. We just built our home, and the ceiling is filled with recessed lighting. Fortunately, there was a way to add intelligence to my bulbs without swapping out a single one, and I saved a bunch of money in the process.

All of my most recent wireless keyboards have built-in lithium batteries. At first, this seemed like a step-up, but it turns out that when we're talking about peripherals, there are plenty of reasons to prefer good old removable AA batteries.

Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with wall-mounted dashboards and control panels in their smart homes? These displays can take the form of touchscreens with controls or E-Ink panels that just display information about your home. For most, the usefulness of such a project is severely limited.

The FORMULATEXT function is often dismissed because it merely transforms a formula into text. However, that raw text is exactly what makes it so valuable. So, stop thinking of it as a one-trick pony—it's the perfect tool for auditing, input control, and logic validation.

BitLocker is the most common way to encrypt your Windows PC to protect it against data theft in the event that someone steals your PC, but it isn't the only option. If your PC doesn't have BitLocker and you want something more fully-featured than Device Encryption, VeraCrypt is probably the tool for you.

Another year, another long list of changes to Windows that "nudge" you into making choices or adopting behaviors that aren't in your interest. At some point, it really feels like Windows stopped existing to make the actual users of PCs happier, and now serve a different master. I think these changes are the most worrying.

You've heard that the world's infrastructure runs on Linux, and how important Free and Open Source (FOSS) software is to just about all the technology we enjoy every day, but there are some (to bring out the old cliché) unsung heroes of FOSS without which your stuff just wouldn't work—and you should at least know their names.