How-To Geek

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We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions.
Updated: 17 min ago

Google Pixel 10a arrives with great hardware upgrades, no price increase

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 16:01

Google's Pixel A-series has been a great choice for anyone wanting an affordable Android phone that doesn't compromise on camera performance or software support. The Pixel 10a has now arrived, and it carries on that tradition with a few helpful enhancements.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The amazing Windows 10 feature that Microsoft wants you to forget

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 15:30

Windows 10 had a powerful productivity tool that functioned as a literal time machine for your computer. It was known as Windows Timeline, and it is suspiciously similar to another feature that would come much later, which is not as good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your '100% Health' SSD score is a trap: The hidden signs of silent data corruption

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 15:00

SSDs have a lot of behind-the-scenes error correction. That's fantastic, but it also means they can fail at 100% health, and you'll be none the wiser.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Microsoft keeps canceling and reviving this unpopular Windows feature

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 14:30

Microsoft has a really long and complicated history with things like desktop widgets and dynamic tiles. This feature, which the company keeps canceling, renaming, and then aggressively bringing back, has become a persistent, annoying part of the Windows environment. We really have to ask why this feature keeps coming back, even though users consistently ignore or outright reject it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 spiffing British shows you need to watch on Netflix

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 14:15

British TV has spawned some of the biggest shows in the US. Popular shows, including The Office and House of Cards, are based on successful British shows that have been remade for the US audience. You don't need to wait for the remake, however; Netflix has a wide selection of current British shows that you should be watching.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid gets the ownership basics almost perfect

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 14:00

Hybrids are having a real moment right now, especially as the early EV hype has cooled off for a lot of U.S. buyers. For plenty of drivers, they’ve become the sweet spot between fuel savings, price, and everyday usability.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How learning a "dead language" can make you a better programmer

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 13:30

Programming languages pop up, morph, and disappear constantly, so spending your valuable time mastering a dead language probably sounds completely ridiculous. However, it's actually one of the best ways to understand programming without the regular trial and error.

Categories: IT General, Technology

You bought smart bulbs for all the wrong reasons (and so did I)

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 13:00

A smart bulb was the first smart home device I ever bought, and before long, I had multiple smart bulbs all around my home. It took one of my smart bulbs dying to make me realize what I'd been doing wrong from the start.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to use the BYCOL function in Microsoft Excel

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 12:30

BYCOL is the ultimate tool for scalable column math in Excel. By replacing dozens of individual formulas with one "brain" cell, you eliminate the risk of manual errors and broken ranges. It's the fastest way to upgrade a fragile spreadsheet into a future-proof, automated dashboard.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Logitech MX Master 4 review: Just the right upgrades

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 12:00

Going into this review, I thought the Logitech MX Master 4 was going to be yet another minor upgrade over the previous generation. I was wrong, and in a way that I never expected—one single button. Here’s why I think the MX Master 4 might be worth upgrading to because of one small update that changed my entire workflow.

Categories: IT General, Technology

New cars are so expensive that a six-figure salary barely cuts it

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 22:30

The price of a new car in the United States has climbed so high that even households earning six figures can struggle to afford one without stretching their budget. With the average new vehicle sticker price hovering around the $50,000 mark, and many popular SUVs, electrified models, and luxury-trim variants pushing past $55,000 or more, what used to feel like a comfortable middle-class purchase now often feels out of reach for many buyers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Glen Powell's underappreciated Stephen King movie is now a streaming success

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 22:00

Hollywood loves a good Stephen King book. There have been over 90 feature-length movies based on King's works, with several of his books getting multiple adaptations, including The Running Man. Written under King's pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Running Man is a dystopian adventure where one man enters a deadly game show to win money. There have been two movie adaptations of The Running Man: the 1987 film with Arnold Schwarzenegger and the 2025 version with Glen Powell, with the latter climbing the streaming charts.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The big Google I/O 2026 event finally has a date

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 21:48

Google I/O is one of Google’s major annual events, with announcements for Android, Google services, Chromebooks, smart home devices, and (occasionally) Pixel hardware. Now, we have a date for the 2026 event.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 'Backup Complete' trap: Why your external drive is secretly full of corrupted files

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 21:30

If you're regular about your file backups, you're already miles ahead of most of my friends and relatives, so well done. But are you sure you're not trusting those backups a little too much?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning movie returns to theaters ahead of The Odyssey

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 21:15

Three years after Christopher Nolan's epic movie first opened in theaters, Oppenheimer is returning to cinemas next month for a special rerelease.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Fire TV is about to look different

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:09

Fire TV devices are finally getting an overhauled home screen, with easier navigation and faster performance. The update was announced back in January, and it’s now rolling out to TVs.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Home fails at things it once could do, and Google admits it

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:07

Google Home smart speakers used to be the clear-cut winners in the virtual assistant device category. However, if you’ve been using Nest smart home devices recently, you’ve probably noticed a significant drop in quality. This has been happening to a lot of people for a long time, and the company knows it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How I transformed a house into a smart home for my older parents

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:00

Getting older can sometimes limit our ability to do basic tasks like turning on a lamp behind the couch or going down a flight of stairs to lock the door. Smart devices can make those tasks more accessible even to older adults with new limitations, so I put them to good use to help my parents.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I bought an iPad, but I still reach for my old Android tablet—here’s why

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:00

Did you buy a new iPad and wonder what to do with your old Android tablet? Or are you finding that your new iPad isn’t a solid replacement for it? I’ve been there—and here’s how I use both my old Android tablet and my new iPad Air M2 side by side.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The biggest smart home mistake beginners make (and most never fix)

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 19:30

Smart homes let you control your devices remotely, but the true power comes from automation. Having your lights turn on when you walk into a room beats having to pull out your phone or tap a button on a dashboard. It's easy to fall into the trap of creating automations with the wrong focus, however.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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