How-To Geek

My time with a Samsung Galaxy phone was mostly positive—it was the first device I'd owned that had received more than a few Android updates. However, when it was time to upgrade, I ended up going with a Google Pixel 10 Pro instead of another Samsung handset, and these Pixel-exclusive features were a major reason why.

Did you know that your internet service provider can very likely see every website you visit? Scary, I know, but the fix for that is actually easier than you think. Here's how to make your network safer with just one change—your DNS server.

Vehicle dashboards today are essentially software hubs that manage everyday comforts like climate control, navigation, and entertainment. These advanced features, while attractive to many car buyers, pose a long-term challenge because software evolves much faster than automotive hardware. While a vehicle’s body and structure may last for decades, its infotainment systems can become obsolete within a few short years.

I've been homelabbing for years, and except for my "main server" and a few Raspberry Pis, most of the equipment I use is second-hand, or devices that I literally pulled out of dumpsters or recycle bins. Despite the state I found them in, much of that "e-waste" has been put to productive use in my homelab. It just took a bit of tinkering and careful software selection to make it worthwhile.

Hybrid SUVs have become the default recommendation for anyone looking to save money at the pump. With more automakers embracing electrification, buyers are being told that adding a battery is the only way to achieve impressive fuel economy. While hybrids undoubtedly deliver excellent efficiency, they also tend to carry a higher purchase price.

You might not have to wait much longer if you want the roomier Tesla Model Y L to drive your family around. Tesla is reportedly set to bring the larger, three-row Model Y variant to the U.S. and Canada in late summer.

3D printers are not simple machines. Even though a good modern printer is reliable and produces great results without much effort, it only takes one or two small things to go awry to ruin your prints. Tracking down the exact reason a print went wrong can be maddening, and sometimes it's a transient issue, which has only accelerated my balding, I fear.

Prime Video has a remarkable collection of cinema’s most celebrated movies. IMDb’s Top 250 is the closest thing the internet has to a canon of great films. The list is crowdsourced and updated continuously, as it proves the movie has earned long-term audience attention. However, not all those movies land on the same streaming platform. Netflix has several hits, and Max has others. Some are stuck behind a rented paywall.

Prime Day is one of the best times of year to invest in smart home tech, and SwitchBot's 2026 lineup gives you plenty of reasons to pay attention. From June 23 to 26, the brand is offering discounts on a range of its most popular devices, including automated window coverings and AI-powered door locks.

The Steam Machine has been revealed in its final retail form, and we know what the price is. At a starting price of $1,049, it's much more expensive than the PlayStation 5 Pro, yet the base model is less capacious than a standard PlayStation 5. The PS5 also comes with a controller, whereas with the Steam Machine you still need to add the price of a controller to your budget.

I love a good podcast, but there are so many available that it can be hard to know what to listen to next. I decided to build my own podcast server using a Raspberry Pi, which would automatically download the latest episodes of my favorite podcasts.

I've been using Raycast for Windows since shortly after the public beta launched last November, and I still think it's a good program. It gave Windows the kind of fast app launcher and command bar experience I'd been missing, especially when I wanted to open apps, jump into actions, or avoid digging through menus. For a while, it felt like one of those small utilities I'd automatically install on every Windows PC I used.

Sports cars have become increasingly complicated over the last decade. More power, more technology, and endless performance metrics have pushed many modern machines into territory that feels inaccessible, both financially and emotionally. As prices continue to climb, the idea of an affordable driver's car seems to be disappearing.

As our phones have become more powerful, they have evolved into much more than devices for making calls. However, just because our phones can do something does not mean they are the best tool for the job. As someone who turned an old Android phone into a dashcam, I can say that I regret doing it and will be switching back to a dedicated dash camera.

Most of the time when you press Shift it is just to capitalize a letter or word, but it also gives you access to dozens of different shortcuts in Windows 11 that can speed up your workflow.

Are you still looking at walls of Home Assistant notifications instead of a nice summary? What about your Home Assistant voice commands—do they work how you want? It's easier (and cheaper) to integrate AI with your smart home than you might think.

There’s just so much to do in Summer, and a lot of it happens outdoors under the blazing sun, which makes adequate hydration both important and easy to overlook. After all, if you’re having fun, who remembers to drink?

You may have heard of ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory before, but have the impression that this special type of RAM is only meant for workstations and data center servers.

Over the course of the years, a recurring cloud storage subscription can easily cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. And what does that subscription fee get you? A finite amount of storage and convenient access whenever you want it.

Polylactic acid, or PLA for short, is the world’s favorite 3D printing material. It’s cheap, easy to work with, and relatively safe to be around. Unfortunately, it also has undesirable properties that make it unsuitable for all use cases.