How-To Geek
Your MQTT broker might be public (here's how to tell)
Some popular recent Home Assistant posts on Reddit revealed that the smart home of someone living in Miami Gardens was exposed to the internet. Other people could turn off their lights and even rename their devices. This was all due to their MQTT broker being public and unsecured.
Bentley turns Spanish mountain into bespoke luxury with Bentayga Artenara Edition
A decade after the Bentayga first entered the ultra-luxury SUV segment, Bentley is returning to the model's geographic roots. The British automaker has announced the 2027 Bentayga Artenara Edition, a design-led variant inspired by Artenara, the highest village in Gran Canaria, which overlooks the Roque Bentayga peak that gave the SUV its name in 2015.
3 Paramount+ movies you must watch this week (March 9 - 15)
If you’re the kind of movie lover who actually enjoys bouncing between genres and appreciates the kind of classics that still hit even after you’ve seen them a dozen times, then Paramount+ has a deep well you can draw from for days.
This Toyota sedan delivers Mercedes-level luxury without the price
Luxury cars have always been a tricky buy. They’re often expensive to keep running once the warranty ends, and their resale values can drop fast thanks to complicated tech and questionable long-term reliability.
Why a laptop with a dead screen is the ultimate homelab starter kit
Laptops aren't as powerful as regular desktop PCs, but they can still be quite capable. If you have a laptop with a busted screen, these are 5 great ways to put it back to use and keep it out of the landfill.
3 tense Netflix thrillers to watch this week (March 9-15)
The start of a new week on Netflix means there are several high-profile movies now streaming on the service. The one with the most buzz is War Machine, a new action movie starring Reacher's Alan Ritchson. The sci-fi thriller is about a group of soldiers who face an otherworldly threat that crash-lands on Earth. With Ritchson at the helm, War Machine is a fast-moving action movie that packs a punch.
The excellent Ghostty terminal app just got an upgrade on Linux and Mac
Your Mac or Linux machine might already have a terminal emulator, but replacements like Ghostty can give you more features and extensive customization options. Ghostty version 1.3 has now arrived with improvements to searching, clipboard, macOS integration, and much more.
7 tips to keep your smartphone in top shape for years
If you've purchased a new smartphone, you're probably planning to use it for a few years. Obviously, you'd like to keep it running like new for as long as possible. I recommend following these tips to keep your smartphone in top shape.
How to sideload apps on the Nvidia Shield TV
The Nvidia Shield TV is arguably the most powerful streaming box on the market, but the Play Store can feel a bit limited. The good news is that, as an Android TV device, it can run most Android apps. You just have to know how to get them on your Shield. That’s where sideloading comes in.
5 classic Prime Video movies to watch this week (March 9 - March 15)
I’m feeling nostalgic this week, so we’re headed back to the 20th century to explore some of my favorite classic movies that are newly released this month on Amazon Prime Video. They became classics not because of their stars or directors but because of their timeless ability to explore universal human experiences and leave a lasting cultural impact on viewers.
The weird reason a cheap Android TV box might be the best Raspberry Pi alternative
Whether you're a seasoned tinkerer with a drawer full of SBCs or a newcomer building your first low-cost project, the market for new Raspberry Pis has never been more frustratingly expensive. Fortunately, an ultra-cheap alternative is likely sitting in your junk drawer or a local thrift store for just a few bucks—I'm talking about the humble Android TV box.
Stop wasting money on a NAS: Why an Intel mini PC or a simple DAS is all you actually need
A NAS enclosure is often considered the go-to solution for backups and media servers. However, there's actually very little reason to spend hundreds of dollars on an expensive NAS if you don't plan to use it to its full potential.
I ditched these 6 popular apps to take back control of my phone
I can say, without qualms, that I love my smartphone. These words didn't come easily to me. For years, I loathed this device. I wish my family members didn't pressure me to own one. But I've since taken steps to reclaim this device that for so long didn't feel like my own. That starts with doing away with many of the most popular apps.
Toyota’s fastest-growing SUV isn’t the RAV4
For years, the Toyota RAV4 has been the default pick if you wanted a compact Toyota SUV. It was still the brand’s bestseller in 2025—but it’s no longer the fastest-growing one.
Scripts are the Home Assistant feature you can't afford to ignore
Home Assistant is such powerful smart home software that it's easy to miss some of its most useful features. If you're not using scripts in Home Assistant, then it's time to start.
Proxmox isn't just for NAS devices: Here's how I use it on my desktop PC
You normally run Proxmox on a server or a NAS, not as your desktop operating system or in a virtual machine. To my surprise, both worked better than I expected. This is what I found.
Visual Studio Code is switching to faster releases, starting with v1.111
For the last few years, Visual Studio Code has delivered new major updates each month. Now, those updates will arrive once a week, and the first weekly update has some helpful changes to AI agents.
This Calibre fork fixed everything I hated about the original app
Calibre is the undisputed leader in ebook management because it's incredibly powerful, handling every file format, removing DRM, converting files, and scraping detailed metadata better than anything else out there. However, this power comes with a price; you get a bloated, outdated, desktop-first interface that feels like it belongs in the early 2000s despite giving into the AI trend.
These 5 incredible laser engraving projects cost me less than $10 each
I've been in the laser engraving world for nearly half a decade, having spent most of that time teaching others how to use their machines. In that time I've come across a few projects that are both beginner-friendly and great sellers for me. Here are five incredibly easy (yet awesome) laser engraving projects that cost me less than $10 (and some cost less than $1).
3 open-source Windows networking apps I can't live without
Most of the devices we use today are constantly connected to the internet, and usually, we know very little about what they're doing. Whether you're a self-hosting enthusiast looking to pick up a few new helpful tools or someone that just wants to make their PC a little more secure, here are three great Windows networking apps to get you started.


