How-To Geek

Keeping your computer free of digital clutter is an important part of maintenance, while also making sure you always have space for new files and programs. Here are some simple commands that will let you clean up your Ubuntu system from the terminal, no GUI required—well, with one exception.

I’ve used Netflix for years, and more than once I've found myself staring at the home screen wondering what happened. Rows full of shows I'd never watch, genres I barely touch, and recommendations that felt like they belonged to someone else entirely. For a while, I chalked it up to "the algorithm being weird." But the more it happened, the more I realized something else was going on.

I have installed Linux on enough laptops, workstations, and hand me down machines to notice a pattern. Most breakage is boring and predictable (most, not all of it). A bad update, a cluttered system, a misbehaving startup service, or a missing backup are usually the real cause. After watching myself repeat the same recovery steps for years, I eventually built a routine that keeps my systems steady and quiet.

3D printers don’t come with everything you need to get started or maintain the hobby. In addition to some filament, you’ll want to get your hands on a few extra tools and add-ons to set you up for success.

We know the NAND in our SSDs can vary, so logically, you might've wondered whether you can actually grab the best grade of NAND there is—SLC and, at second place, MLC. Yet, it seems to be impossible.

Laptops are the most popular type of PC in the world, and Windows is the most popular laptop operating system. Which means that if Linux is ever going to become a dominant desktop operating system, it will have to make serious inroads into the laptop market.

Windows security has improved over the years. Microsoft Defender is competent, SmartScreen does real work behind the scenes, and most modern threats aren’t slipping through the cracks the way they once did. Even so, I still don’t consider a Windows install “finished” once setup is complete. Not on my own machines, and definitely not on the PCs I manage for my family. Security, at least the way I approach it, isn’t a box you check. It’s a baseline you build. I’ve written before about why you can’t just install a password manager and assume you’re safe. That’s one layer, and an important one, but it’s not the whole picture.

HDMI has become the vanilla flavor of the display connection world, so you'd be excused for not following how the technology has developed from the early days of "HD Ready" 720p signals. Modern HDMI cables carry an immense amount of data, which can be a real challenge to transmit over copper wires—so why not ditch them?

Creating backups of my files has always been a hassle for me, and I've lost a lot of data on multiple occasions because of it. Turns out it's because I was working hard instead of smart. Instead of copy-pasting folders between my PC and external drive, I could just use a tool that sends over only the file changes. It takes seconds to back up files with this approach and I can do it by running a single command.

I don't even want to think about the amount of time that I've put into Home Assistant. It's been years in the making, and losing all that effort would be heartbreaking. I take regular backups, but even this may not be enough to keep my Home Assistant instance safe.

With a seemingly endless selection available, it might feel overwhelming to pick the right Linux distro. However, you don't need to fret over every single detail before making your choice. As long as you know what makes one Linux distribution different from another, there are only three things you need to consider.

Paramount+ is definitely a streaming service with a library big enough to make browsing its catalog for a movie to watch feel productive and indecisive at the same time. You didn't sign up for a scavenger hunt, but we did—challenge accepted.

Netflix on a weeknight is a classic trap. You open the app on the hunt for a movie to watch, and soon 30 minutes go by and you're still reading blurbs like you're doing homework. Well, school's out.

SMART monitoring tools can tell you whether your SSD is at 100% health or dipping below that, but they can't prove that the files already stored on your NAS are still correct. That's how you end up with a seemingly healthy array and folders upon folders of broken files.

Home Assistant is smart home software that's designed to put local control and privacy first. For the most part, it's very good at doing so, but if you use Home Assistant to send notifications to your phone, those notifications may not be as private as you might believe.

Game of Thronesredefined the landscape of television. George R.R. Martin'snovels provided the inspiration for HBO's most-watched show of all time. From its blockbuster nature and epic scope to its shocking plot twists and strong character development, Game of Thrones became appointment television during its eight-season run. House of the Dragon, the show's first spin-off, is very similar to its predecessor, but with more dragons. Game of Thrones' second spin-off,A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has taken a different but effective approach to Martin's universe.

You might not know that Microsoft has a full-featured task management tool, like Asana, Trello, Motion, and AirTable. It's called Microsoft Planner, and even though it's getting a new design and more features, you still can't use it.

If you’re trying to keep fuel costs down without diving headfirst into full EV life, hybrids are where a lot of smart buyers are landing. EV momentum has cooled lately, while hybrids keep gaining ground, now making up about 22 percent of new vehicle sales in the U.S., according to federal data.

You've probably connected smart devices like fridges, toothbrushes, light bulbs, TVs, and internet-connected CCTV cameras to your home Wi-Fi without a second thought. But do you know what they're up to? Most of the time, they're just idly waiting for your command. Sometimes, they're up to no good.

It’s no secret that the Apple Watch is widely considered the best smartwatch for iPhone owners. That doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everyone’s needs, nor is it the only game in town. Whether you’re after longer battery life, greater durability, or a lower price, you have options that aren’t an Apple Watch.