How-To Geek
Spotify doubles down on messaging with group chats
Spotify is probably far from the first app you think about when it comes to messaging, but it was added last year as an easier way to share content with friends. Now, the service is expanding on that with the ability to create group chats.
Luxury you wouldn’t expect: This Toyota beats a Lexus
Mainstream cars are stepping up, and some interiors are starting to feel downright luxurious. Prices are creeping higher too, sometimes rivaling actual luxury rides.
From Ghostbusters to Spider-Man: 3 iconic movies filmed in New York City
What is the formula for the ideal New York City movie? For starters, the movie should be filmed in New York City. That sounds obvious, but you would be surprised to learn how many movies use other cities as a stand-in for NYC. Not every scene has to be filmed in New York City, considering many interior scenes are shot on a sound stage. At the very least, there should be some action captured in the busy streets of the Big Apple.
5 annoying Gmail features you can turn off
Gmail is one of Google’s oldest apps, and it might be the most widely used. Tons of features have been added over the years. The good news is that many of these things can be turned off—if you can find them in the messy settings.
9 things to do when you get a new Android phone
Got a shiny new Android phone? Take some time to make these nine quick changes—they'll let you hit the ground running with a smooth, reliable Android experience.
I wore a smart ring for a month—here's why I prefer it to a smartwatch
I’ve had a smartwatch on my wrist for over a decade. That's why I’ve been very skeptical of smart rings, but I recently decided to give one a fair shot. My opinion has changed, though maybe not how you’d expect.
Google TV voice controls are amazing—but I’m tired of repeating myself
There's nothing worse than having to dig around the couch cushions or delay your Netflix binge session because you can't find the remote. It's a common problem we're all familiar with, which is why I absolutely love the hands-free voice controls on my 85-inch TCL with Google TV. Well, when the voice controls actually work.
Forget XLOOKUP: Why FILTER is better for extracting Excel data
Excel's XLOOKUP is great for finding a needle in a haystack, but what if you want all the needles? While XLOOKUP stops at the first match, the FILTER function is built for the dynamic array era, allowing you to pull entire lists of data with a single, elegant formula.
Bait-and-Switch: Why you can't trust SSD reviews anymore
Not all SSDs are the same. And depending on the brand, this might even be true for different SSD units sold on the same retail listing.
Xtra's Atto is a pocket-sized 4K camera for hands-free creation
Wearable cameras have become a practical option for creators capturing daily life, travel moments, and POV footage without holding a phone or carrying a full-size camera. When filming is part of the experience rather than the focus, hands-free recording can make content feel more natural and less staged.
Xtra Atto brings a pocket-sized 4K camera to hands-free creation
Wearable cameras have become a practical option for creators capturing daily life, travel moments, and POV footage without holding a phone or carrying a full-size camera. When filming is part of the experience rather than the focus, hands-free recording can make content feel more natural and less staged.
Your favorite phone was not as good as you remember
They just don’t make them how they used to. Older phones had microSD card slots, removable batteries, and were actually designed to fit in a human hand. Even as companies started to do away with all of that, phones were still exciting. They were innovating, and it wasn’t yet settled how smartphones would end up. Yet no matter how fondly we think back to some of our favorite phones from yesterday—they were not as good as we tell ourselves.
Stop wrestling with text in Excel: These 8 tools are game-changers
Excel handles numbers beautifully, but it's frustratingly picky about text. When you treat cells like a Word doc, like manually typing units or ignoring hidden spaces, you're onto a loser. Here's how to handle text in Excel without ruining your spreadsheet's logic.
I used to avoid the Linux terminal. Here’s the path that fixed it
Have you recently switched to Linux? Or are you one of the hardcore, anti-terminal users? I've seen plenty of loathing for the terminal these past few years, but I think it comes from a place of misunderstanding. New users view it as an insurmountable mountain of commands, but it's far simpler than that. If you're keen on moving forward, I have four key steps to guide you.
This is the real reason Windows keeps getting features no one asked for
How often have you reacted to recent Windows feature updates with "who asked for this?" It seems like every time we learn about new and upcoming features for Windows, AI-based or not, that's a question we have to ask because it's far from obvious. It's something I've been thinking about recently, and I have some glimmer of a theory.
Avoid The Pitt for now and binge this groundbreaking medical drama instead
Relax, I’m not saying The Pitt is unworthy in any way or that you should avoid it completely. I’m saying it makes for a more impactful, obsessive, and heightened watch if you let the season build so you can binge it. You want that full 15-hour effect—trust me.
Tired of Windows' clunky built-in screenshot and screen recording tools? Try These 3 Faster Alternatives
In my role as a writer and editor, I work with images, screenshots, and screen recordings every single workday. They’re not an occasional task or something I fire up once a month. They’re part of how I research, explain, and communicate ideas. When capture tools slow me down or add friction, it shows up immediately in my workflow.
I’ve written Python for years, and I install these 5 tools on every new PC
It's easy to get fixated on huge Python frameworks and complex libraries. A lot of developers miss how much better their daily coding could be if they just used smaller, targeted utilities that make the experience simpler.
4 Home Assistant actions you should be using in your automations
Home Assistant has come a long way since the days when all your automations had to be written in YAML. These days, you can build automations in the automation editor without seeing a single line of code. With so many actions to choose from in the automation editor, it's easy to miss some of the most useful ones.
This affordable used Japanese SUV is as reliable as any Toyota
If reliability is at the top of your shopping list but you don’t want to pay near-new prices for a Toyota, the used SUV market has a surprising alternative. One affordable Japanese crossover has earned a reputation for dependability that rivals, even matches, what many buyers expect from Toyota’s storied reliability. That makes it a standout choice for budget-minded drivers who want years of trouble-free ownership without sacrificing practicality.


