How-To Geek

It feels like we never reminisce like we used to, but the past was clearly better in many ways. There are some 1990s gadgets that were so awesome or ahead of their time that they still put current tech to shame.

The dream of "one cable to rule them all" is finally a reality, and dozens of devices are better off because of it. USB-C gave us permission to own fewer single-use cables than we used to, and it opened the door to interesting functionality that would otherwise be impossible, like running data, power, and video between a single port on a laptop and a monitor.

For $150, you can walk into most brick-and-mortar stores and buy an inexpensive soundbar that sounds like a tin can, or you can start assembling a real 5.1 from the basic pieces.

Everyone from Instagram influencers to big-name CEOs seems to be saying the same thing: AI is going to be the end of SaaS (Software as a Service). And while I’d love a world with fewer subscriptions, when I look around, I see quite the opposite. If anything, more software subscriptions are popping up every year, often at absurdly inflated prices.

Being caught empty-handed on the side of the road is a situation no one wants to experience. I'm the type of person who likes to be prepared, so I keep a little travel toolkit in my truck. Additionally, two Ryobi tools are usually in my vehicle and come along for every ride.

In the early days of Android, it seemed like every other week we'd see a completely brand-new phone from an established tech giant. Everyone was taking a stab at it.

Cloud-connected robot vacuums can be convenient, but they aren't always great for your privacy. They can collect detailed information about your home, including floor plans, cleaning habits, and even camera footage, and send it to third-party servers. The good news is that open-source projects can help you use your robot vacuum without relying on the cloud.

If you're trying to revive an old laptop, the standard advice is "install Linux." Usually, that means you'll install Linux Mint first. In some cases, that works. However, on really old or low-power devices, even Mint is too demanding.

Mesh Wi-Fi systems are fantastic, and they beat Wi-Fi extenders by a mile. Each node scatters Wi-Fi throughout your house, giving you a stable connection that you don't have to worry about. It's one of the best ways to get rid of dead zones, at least.

One of the best things about Microsoft 365 is how its apps can work together. Loop can talk to Teams, Lists can talk to Power Automate, and Word can talk to Outlook. But when I thought about the cross-app connections I use most—and the ones that save me the most time—I noticed something: they all involve Excel.

Smartphone keyboards introduced us to a brand new way to type: swiping. Why tap every letter when you can just slide your finger over them? It's become a standard feature in nearly every Android keyboard app, and it's my preferred method. I wanted to know if it's actually faster.

After four months of letting a robot lawn mower manage my grass through crazy weather, hot summer months, objects in the yard, and daily wear, was it worth it? Is the grass really greener on the other side? The convenience is fantastic, but it's not without its quirks. While I absolutely love it, and it saves my weekend, I have thoughts.

Linux ships with plenty of tools for watching what your computer is doing, which is all nice and great, but most feel dated. btop, an open source tool, offers a complete, interactive view of your processor, memory, disks, network, and processes, all inside the terminal. Here is what it is and whether it deserves a spot on your system.

About 10 years ago, my wife and I bought a little farm down in Florida. We dreamed of having more privacy and plenty of room for our dogs to run around. We knew going into it that maintaining a property that large would be a lot of work, but we were excited about the possibilities. Prior to that, the homes we owned had postage-stamp-sized yards. All I really needed to get the job done was a lawn mower, a weed whacker, and a hedge trimmer. Suddenly, I had a lot more yard work to do along with a house and barn to maintain.

The sweaters and jackets are out of storage, the furnace is rumbling, and Netflix's October slate of TV shows is heating up, with returning hits like The Diplomat on the way, as well as some anticipated new documentaries.

Formatting an SSD seems like the obvious thing to do if you want to sell it, give it away, or even just give it a new job doing something else. I'm not here to dispute that, but I think that many people are unaware that formatting isn't the 100% fail-proof solution some think it is.

Most people assume the cable that ships with a flagship phone is built to match the phone's actual capabilities. That's a reasonable assumption since it comes straight from the manufacturer, and most companies don't want to look bad if they want repeat customers. Samsung spent years developing fast charging technology that cuts charge times significantly, and you probably wouldn't guess that the cable in the box is what's holding it back.

When your PC starts to lag, it is normal to start searching the web for solutions only to be met with a deluge of apps that promise to "speed up your PC" and "optimize Windows" with a single click.

Ryobi's 18V and 40V tools are extremely popular with homeowners and DIYers, and for good reason. I'm a huge fan myself and have been buying Ryobi tools for more than 20 years. However, not every tool is a winner, and there are a few Ryobi tools I regret buying. If you're wandering through Home Depot, here are a few to avoid and what to buy instead.

There’s something ridiculous about how much I trust Google Maps while driving. I’ll be in an unfamiliar part of town, approaching a road I’ve never seen before, and somehow I’m expected to believe a tiny blue arrow knows exactly where I should go. Most of the time, I just follow it and hope I don’t end up making a last-second turn.