How-To Geek

Syndicate content
We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions.
Updated: 1 hour 7 min ago

When storage hijacked the motherboard: The forgotten history of the RAM-slot SSD

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 19:00

DIMM SSDs are one of those oddities that almost look fake at a glance if you're not familiar with them. They take up a RAM slot, but depending on the design, they might behave like a normal SATA SSD or a persistent memory module that sits much closer to DRAM than a conventional drive does.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 niche Milwaukee power tools (and what they're used for)

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 18:45

Fans of Milwaukee and those red power tools know that the company actually makes a little bit of everything. Milwaukee is wildly popular thanks to its capable tools, specialty offerings, and a steady flow of new tools each year. You probably own the basics, but here are a few niche Milwaukee tools you might actually want, along with what they're used for.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don't panic over new Linux exploits: How to check if your PC is affected in under 5 minutes

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 18:30

Every other month a new Linux vulnerability appears in the news and a CVE number starts circulating. If you use Linux, the reaction is predictable: "Am I vulnerable?" Before assuming the worst, take five minutes and actually check whether your PC is affected.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Here's how I turned my old Android phone into a PC performance dashboard

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 18:00

PC gamers love keeping an eye on their CPU, GPU, and other resource usage and temperatures during intense gaming sessions. While a secondary monitor can handle this easily, I prefer to turn mine off completely so it doesn’t distract me while I game.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Home Assistant isn't just for privacy: 4 practical reasons to build a fully local smart home

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 17:45

Home Assistant is a free and open-source smart home platform that operates entirely on a device on your local network, making it the go-to recommendation for any smart home enthusiast that's concerned about privacy—but there are many other reasons to choose a local smart home hub that isn't operating in the cloud.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Microsoft has lost the plot: 5 Windows "features" nobody asked for

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 17:30

Windows 11, Microsoft's newest operating system, got people excited at first because of its fresh look and modern features. However, as the software has been around longer, a clear trend of unfriendly design choices, really pushy ways to make money, and a plain lack of concern for your privacy have emerged. This growing list of unnecessary features shows the worst examples of how Microsoft is making the experience worse just to benefit its own corporate interests.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Everything leaving HBO Max in March

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 17:15

While March is heating up on HBO Max with several noteworthy new shows and movies, it’s also time to say goodbye to everything leaving the platform this month. Though most of the titles leaving are movies, there are some documentaries and shows in there that you’ll definitely want to see.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 3 best Apple TV shows to binge-watch this week (March 16 - 22)

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 17:00

While we wait eagerly for some of the new upcoming series coming to Apple TV, including new seasons of For All Mankind (March 27), Your Friends and Neighbors (April 3), and Criminal Record (April 22), there are some solid shows to while away the weeks.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I refuse to buy another Windows PC

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 16:58

I grew up using Windows and laptops. Now, both of those feel like things of the past. While I can't say for sure that I'm done with laptops, if I do get another one someday, I know it won't come with Windows.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Smart home lag isn't normal—here's how to fix it

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 16:00

The idea of a modern smart home can sometimes be better than the reality. This generally happens when you treat it as a simple 'plug-and-play' gadget rather than the infrastructure of your home. You might have thought that kind of sluggishness was just part of the deal, but you can fix this by changing the way your devices operate.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This "weird" Ryobi tool solved the most annoying problem in my garage

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 15:45

All the different power tool brands produce a ton of excellent tools, especially Ryobi, which makes a little bit of everything. Every once in a while, you'll stumble onto some weird, obscure item that you never knew you needed. That's exactly what happened to me late last year at Home Depot, and that tool ended up solving one of my biggest workshop woes.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 ways to practice Python without following a tutorial

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 15:30

If you're learning python, chances are you started with tutorials–and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. They give you a solid foundation and help you get familiar with the basics. But at some point, you can get stuck in an endless loop of tutorial hell, this cycle limits real progress without you noticing. I'm now two years in, I've made enough mistakes to know which habits actually make you better. Here are the ones worth your time.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I asked ChatGPT which AI was best and it recommended Claude

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 15:15

There's been an online trend of people ditching their ChatGPT subscriptions in the wake of OpenAI's deal with the Department of War. I've used ChatGPT for years and have always been reluctant to change, but it felt like the right time, so I asked ChatGPT which AI was the best for my needs. The answer surprised me.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 myths about CDs we need to leave in the past

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 15:00

As we move further and further away from the heydays of the audio CD, things are getting a little muddled. Perhaps it wouldn't matter so much if physical media like vinyl, CDs, and cassettes were making a niche comeback among certain groups of people.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The one thing I do before (almost) every 3D print

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 14:45

Failed 3D prints can be disheartening, but there are some things you can do to improve your chances of success. Printing with dry filament is a good starter, but even the driest of filaments can come undone if your build plate isn’t prepped correctly.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 plugins that instantly fixed my biggest Calibre complaints

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 14:30

Calibre is a fantastic piece of software for people who love reading books digitally—which is something I started doing last year and plan to continue this year. However, there are some core functions of Calibre that I had to supplement through plugins, so here are the four plugins that fixed my biggest complaints with Calibre.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bridgerton season 5: Everything we know about the popular Netflix TV show

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 14:15

While it feels like ages until we return to the Ton for a new season of Bridgerton, we’re already looking ahead to season 5 of the Netflix series. As one of the returning shows to watch on Netflix this year, people have been fawning over Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha), but now that season 4 has concluded, we have to start thinking about what’s next.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to make your Samsung Galaxy to look more like a Pixel device

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 14:00

Are you a Samsung user secretly jealous of the clean Pixel look? Do you find yourself tired of One UI's heavy personality? Well, it turns out you can get surprisingly close to a Pixel software experience while sticking to your trusty Samsung hardware. And the best part is that it’ll only require a couple of apps and a few minutes of tweaking.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A 3-year-old Mustang Mach-E is already $10,000 cheaper than new

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 13:45

Electric vehicles have experienced some of the fastest depreciation rates in the modern auto market, driven by rapid technological advances and shifting consumer demand. Models that once commanded premium prices are now appearing on the used market with surprisingly steep discounts. In some cases, buyers can save thousands of dollars simply by opting for a lightly used example instead of buying new.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenClaw isn't the only Raspberry Pi AI tool—here are 4 others you can try this week

Sun, 03/15/2026 - 13:00

Everyone is excited about OpenClaw and how it's possible to turn one (or more) of your Raspberry Pis into AI agents that can autonomously work even when you're not directing them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

eXTReMe Tracker