How-To Geek

Amazon is rolling out a serious, tough new policy designed to block illegal streaming apps sideloaded onto its Fire TV Stick devices. This is an intense move by Amazon to fight piracy, among other things, but this clampdown is slated to apply to all Fire TV devices and sticks.

Linux users love to talk about how much faster their systems are compared to Windows, and you might wonder what kind of performance boosts they're actually talking about. I decided to do a few of my own tests to get some answers.

Homebrew, the popular package manager for macOS and Linux, just released its big 5.0 update. The new version has faster downloads, improved hardware support, and an important security change for Mac software.

Lexus has long built its reputation on one key trait, unmatched reliability. Year after year, the brand continues to top dependability studies and owner satisfaction surveys, and nowhere is that legacy more evident than in its SUV lineup. From compact crossovers to three-row family haulers, Lexus offers a model for nearly every type of driver, all backed by bulletproof engineering.

Google Pixel phones are popular due to their clean, smooth, and customizable software experience, but there's room for improvement. While Material 3 Expressive makes these phones more customizable than ever, one of my biggest complaints is the at-a-glance widget. It's a non-removable "feature" inside the Pixel launcher.

I understand if you don't subscribe to MGM+. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard of it. The streaming service, now owned by Amazon, doesn't have the extensive catalog or popularity of something like Netflix. Plus, there are only so many subscriptions one person can have!

Windows 11 now has native support for third-party passkey managers. The November 2025 security update is adding this in. This should bring an end to the disjointed feeling that Passkeys used to have if you weren't fully using Microsoft’s built-in tools.

Look anywhere online, and you'll see discussions about how streaming services are ruining the cinema experience and negatively impacting movie theaters. And while I agree with many of those points, there's more to it than that. This new generation of endless content available to stream at a moment's notice ruined movies and TV in more ways than you realize.

ChatGPT has become the poster child for artificial intelligence and large language models everywhere, but if you want something more specialized, or you want something you can guarantee is private, it isn't your only option.

There are ways to use the Python programming language on a typical Android device, iPhone, or iPad, but with fewer features available than Python on most desktop computers. Thankfully, you can still get the full Python experience on those devices—you just need a Raspberry Pi or other low-power server on the same network.

People are traveling more and more. According to UN Tourism (World Tourism Barometer), in 2024, more than 1.4 billion people traveled abroad, almost as many as before the pandemic. Those who are vacationing to relax and freelancers are among them. However, with the revival of tourism, the risks of falling prey to fraudsters while traveling have made a comeback, too.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade takes the brand’s largest SUV to the next level with a hybrid setup that boosts both performance and efficiency. It’s not just about horsepower or fuel numbers, but about a ride that feels smoother, quieter, and more responsive in everyday driving.

Although Android still receives major updates every year, they’re nowhere near as transformative as those from the early days of the OS. One of the biggest milestones was Android Lollipop, which began rolling out via OTA updates on November 12, 2014. Let’s take a look at everything that made this update so special.

With so many menus to dig through, getting a document to look decent in Microsoft Word can feel like a chore. I used to find formatting tedious, but after learning a few features and shortcuts, it became effortless. If formatting feels like a struggle, here’s how to do it faster and with less effort.

I am mainly a Linux user, but sometimes I have to return to Windows for work or gaming. Whenever I do, I notice that Windows hasn’t evolved in any meaningful way since I first used it. Compared to Linux, it feels like it’s stuck in time. Let me explain what I mean.

I’m not the only person concerned about my data being exploited in the hands of data-broker sites. Incogni seeks to give users an easy way to remove said data from over 420 public and private data brokers. I found the service useful, but not without its weak points.

The X-Files was how I learned what a "conspiracy theory" was, as I sat glued to the screen in the '90s as a child who probably shouldn't have been watching this show at all. Yet, even to my young and un-jaded eyes, it was clear that this was a much more premium bit of programming than the alternatives at the time.

There are lots of gadgets that have the word "Pro" tacked onto the end of their name, especially phones and tablets, which is fine, I guess. However, when it comes to laptops "professional" used to mean something, and modern "pro" laptops don't live up to the spirit of that meaning.

The big concern with internet-connected smart home devices is that they could be turned off one day. That’s exactly what happened last month to the 1st and 2nd gen Nest Thermostat. Google pulled the plug, stripping these otherwise perfectly functional devices of their original functionality. Thankfully, the open source community has once again come through with a workaround.

Apple announced its M5 processor and the products it features with a whimper rather than a bang, which would lead the casual observer to think this is just another iterative improvement.