How-To Geek

Are you still using Thingiverse to find models for your 3D printer? It’s time to upgrade your 3D model search engine with these three sites that are better in just about every way.

Are you tired of untangling cables and chargers just to plug your phone or tablet in? I was, and I decided to finally do something about it. After adding retractable cables to my arsenal, I realized this was the upgrade I had been needing, and there's no going back for me.

For years, buying a luxury SUV meant paying a premium for the badge as much as the vehicle itself. If you wanted a quieter cabin, better materials, and the latest technology, brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Cadillac were the obvious destination.

Kevin Hart has become one of Netflix's most valuable stars. His latest comedy movie, 72 Hours, quickly shot to No. 1 on Netflix, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Perhaps one of these thrillers will surge into the Top 10 this week.

Your private chats with Anthropic's Claude might be very public. Searchers have discovered that many Claude conversations are searchable in Google, some of them containing sensitive information.

Automakers have made infotainment a major selling point, and during a test drive, dealers are quick to point out the size of the screen, the built-in apps, the voice controls, and all the connected features packed into the dashboard. I understand why. Technology helps make a car feel newer and more advanced, especially when two models are otherwise difficult to separate.

Your router is one of the most important devices you use regularly, but unless you purchase a prosumer router, you probably can't do that much with them. The firmware is locked down, security updates are issued on someone else's timetable, and they often have remote management features enabled that you can't get rid of.

You might not have to go with SpaceX's Starlink to get full satellite service on your phone. Amazon has requested approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch satellites for a Leo Direct-to-Device service with deployment starting in 2028.

Subcompact SUVs have become one of the hottest segments in the market as buyers look for affordable, practical vehicles that keep ownership costs in check. The Toyota Corolla Cross has long been a default choice thanks to its reputation for reliability, but the competition has caught up quickly, with newer rivals offering more space, technology, and refinement for similar money.

It's the last week of the month, and theaters are packed thanks to The Odyssey and soon-to-be-released Spider-Man: Brand New Day. At home, the major streamers are releasing a slew of movies before the calendar turns to August. The best new movie to hit streaming this week—and my top selection—happens to be one of the most shocking movies of the year. It stars two A-list actors and hails from A24. Need I say more?

QR codes are one of those things that became so normal so fast that most people stopped thinking about them entirely. You see a square, you point your phone at it, and you go wherever it sends you. That's normally how it works. That automatic trust is exactly what makes them worth understanding better. That blind trust is a big issue, and you need to break the habit.

I can’t believe we’re already knee-deep in summer listings with another month of premieres and library additions. Paramount+ has released its August lineup, and while it features a massive lineup of live sports, there is also a stacked lineup of TV and movies hitting the service.

Even old and tiny SSDs can find a new job if you give them the chance to, and in this economy, it's much better to get creative than to open up your wallet.

Software is one of the easiest business expenses to underestimate. Between Windows, Microsoft Office, VPNs, and creative tools, costs can add up quickly, especially for small businesses and freelancers.

These are some of my trusty community plugins Obsidian that I use daily on my phone and my computer. For readers who don't know, Obsidian is a markdown app where you can take notes, build knowledge libraries, draft and publish your writing, etc. You can use it vanilla too, but it's missing some critical features out of the box, which I patch with open-source plugins developed by the Obsidian community.

This week on Amazon Prime Video, we continue to explore some of the platform’s critically acclaimed movies. From gripping true stories to searing character studies, each of our selections pulls you into its authentic world and, at just the right time, releases you with its indelible impression, showcasing its cinematic commitment.

We all use our phones for navigation when we need to get from one place to another, and that includes places we probably should know how to get to on our own. As a result, I have started using contact integration in Google Maps whenever I visit family and friends. It's so much easier than typing.

I use local LLMs on a daily basis, but in my personal setup, they're only really useful for a limited selection of tasks. I wanted to see how a local LLM could handle everyday tasks. My most powerful device for running LLMs is my M2 MacBook Air with only 8GB of RAM, so while more powerful hardware could do much more, these results should broadly match what you can do on similar hardware.

The motherboard is the most important component in your PC. It's the massive PCB (Printed Circuit Board) that literally brings all of your components together. It allows your components to communicate with one another, and it contains the firmware that your computer needs to start up before the operating system takes over.

You may be in a rush to replace or get new power tools, but you really shouldn't try to buy everything you can. Manufacturers tend to add in things that help you pick their kits. It's better to just grab all the tools you need as extra additions. It's like buying your loyalty to a battery platform because you should never buy off brand, and everything else follows from that one decision.