How-To Geek

Summer is officially here, and Netflix has plenty of interesting Originals lined up to keep your watchlist full for the season. Whether you're looking for a feel-good romance or a comedy with a chaotic plot, the streamer is rolling out a variety of new films for its summer slate.

Fast charging has transformed the way we use our smartphones. Instead of waiting hours for your battery to fill up, many phones can now charge from nearly empty to 50% in as little as 15 minutes. So why does it sometimes feel like it's taking forever to charge your phone?

If you want to experiment with new software, host a home service, or try a new operating system without risking your main PC, running Linux in a virtual machine is the safest way to do it. It gives you a sandbox where you can break things without worrying about the repercussions, or lets you isolate whatever is running on that VM from your other services.

After trying several public transport integrations and messing around with YAML configurations, I finally added reliable transit information to my Home Assistant dashboard.

Excel is great at crunching numbers, but its standard charts can feel a little dull. So when I stumbled across a Microsoft 365 add-in called People Graph, I had to try it. Within minutes, it was turning ordinary spreadsheet data into infographic-style visuals that looked far more polished than I'd expected—and it barely required any setup at all.

I love the Google Pixel 10a for the camera quality it delivers, but I'll freely admit the official $499 price is off-putting for what's ultimately a warmed-up 9a. Thankfully, that isn't an issue at the moment — Amazon is selling the Pixel 10a for $100 off during Prime Day 2026, making this budget phone much easier to justify.

Hybrid cars have come a long way from being niche economy machines bought only by early adopters. Today, they're everywhere—from family SUVs to luxury sedans—and for plenty of drivers, they've become the sweet spot between gas-powered cars and full EVs.

Prime Day is full of discounts across all categories, but maker hobbies are especially benefited by the discounts and deals. 3D printing is seeing a number of fantastic sales across all categories, from the printers themselves to filaments, tools, and more. Here are the best Prime Day 3D printing deals that I've found so far.

The owner's manual is one of the most useful documents you have and one of the most underutilized aspects of car ownership. Tucked in the glovebox from the day you drive off the lot, it covers maintenance schedules, tire inflation specs, fuel requirements, and warranty terms that can directly affect what you spend over time.

AI is not ready to take over people's jobs, despite the propaganda you hear. It's simply not smart. However, it is a highly advanced generative tool, and with the right approach, you can leverage it where it's strong. I cover how you should use Claude to get the most out of it.

Well, the dragons officially landed on HBO Max last Sunday, and if your social feeds look anything like mine, they’re currently boiling over with Targaryens. But nobody can live on dragon fire alone—sometimes you need a palate cleanser, something the family can watch, or a documentary to feed your brain. Happily, HBO Max still has a few tricks up its sleeve for June, with exactly that kind of content.

If you bought some new Ryobi tools during Memorial Day or Father's Day sales events but need more battery packs, we have some good news. Don't try shopping on Amazon for Prime Day, and instead, head to Home Depot, where the hardware store has all sorts of deals you won't want to miss.

Ever wanted to leave your phone at home when you head out on a run? You can — and there are plenty of things your Google Pixel Watch can do offline, even when your phone is left behind. From navigation to safety, there are several features that will still work on your smartwatch, without relying on your mobile. Here are a few things you may not know your Pixel Watch can do all on its own.

If you've been looking at starting a homelab, but have been waiting for the perfect time, Prime Day is it. There are so many great homelab deals out there for Prime Day to explore. From discounted NAS servers to mini PCs and even networking gear, here are the homelab deals that stood out to me on Prime Day 2026.

Many of us have dreamed of running Linux on all the things, including our TVs. A decade ago, Ubuntu TV promised to make this a reality. What happened, and are would-be Linux TV viewers out of luck?

Windows 11 has improved dramatically since it was first released, mostly because Microsoft has slowly implemented changes based on user feedback. Despite those gains, there are still some glaring issues I have with the Windows 11. Luckily, they can be fixed with a few easy registry tweaks.

Luxury SUVs have become bigger, more powerful, and more technologically advanced than ever before, but they have also become incredibly expensive. It isn't unusual for a well-equipped midsize model to command a price tag that pushes deep into premium territory, leaving many buyers wondering whether the badge on the hood justifies the extra cost.

Now's a good time to get a smartwatch. Amazon is selling my favorite smartwatch for Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, for $218 as part of its Prime Day 2026 sale—that's about $140 off the official price, and an easy decision.

Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to upgrade your tech setup, and if your iPad is your go-to device for work, school, or creative projects, ESR has some particularly compelling deals worth checking out.

Amazon Fire TVs are great until you start to notice the slowdown. Amazon sells televisions and Fire TV Sticks by the thousands. Along with sticks, they all come with these ads that seem to make everything slower. However, you don't need to deal with the lag; you just need to know what settings to turn off.