How-To Geek

It's fair to say that streaming has completely revolutionized the way that many of us consume media. While streaming offers convenience, there are some key reasons why owning physical media is still superior.

If you have kids, you'll know how too much screen time can seem to affect your kids' mood and behavior. During the school year, limiting their screen time is fairly easy to do as they're not at home for most of the day. During the summer break, the kids are at home a lot more, so I built a chore tracker for my kids that rewards them with screen time.

Google Pixel phones are not exactly renowned for having a huge selection of features—the downside to minimalism. That’s why I was recently surprised to find a suite of diagnostic tools in the settings. These tools can be helpful for troubleshooting and determining the health of your device.

I stopped using portable applications for a long time. Between cloud storage, web apps, modern package managers, and the ever-growing number of regular apps you can download and install, they just didn't seem all that necessary. That changed when I ran into a situation with a friend's laptop where the operating system was so badly messed up that nothing would work correctly, including internet connectivity. All the cloud apps and installers in the world couldn't help. So, I went home and put together a toolkit to repair any PC I might encounter.

An over-the-air, or OTA, update is any software fix or feature update an automaker sends to a car wirelessly, through a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, the same way a phone downloads a new app or security patch. The car downloads the code, installs it while parked, and comes back online running something different than it did the night before, all without a trip to a dealership.

The PC market is a hot mess right now, with GPUs priced at up to $5,000 and 32GB of RAM going for, at minimum, $400 (DDR5). It's not a good time to buy ... well, basically anything, including SSDs and RAM (obviously). But this is when unexpected purchases start making more sense.

While I like messing around in Linux, it's not my daily-driver operating system. I tend to use it for specialized projects, or when I have no other choice, such as using a Linux Netbook in college, or with handheld gaming systems that work best with Linux for various reasons.

Cable management is not a fun task. I’m not talking about routing cables under your desk in a satisfying way; I mean literally organizing a box of loose cables. Rubber bands? Velcro straps? I’ve tried them both, but the best method I’ve found is an incredibly simple 3D print.

As a writer, programmer, and Linux enthusiast, I often tend to make my workflow use the mouse as rarely as possible. Windows being my primary workstation, I've been trying to use the keyboard more and more, so I don't have to reach for the mouse.

Reviewing the Pixel 11 Pro felt like watching the classic rock movie This IsSpinal Tap, where guitarist Nigel Tufnel proudly shows off a custom guitar amplifier with volume knobs marked up to 11 instead of 10. When asked why it's better, he explains that it gives you "one louder" for that extra push over the cliff.

With rare exception, I start my day by skimming a handful of RSS feeds specific to my interests and my work. Then, if any of them are relevant to a work project, I paste them into a document so I can reference them later.

BMW's latest electric SUV shows just how far the automotive industry has pushed its touchscreen obsession. Its enormous infotainment display doesn't just handle navigation and entertainment. It replaces many of the physical controls drivers once used without taking their eyes off the road. BMW says the shift reflects changing preferences among younger buyers, but the result feels less intuitive rather than more advanced.

For years, Android users have been sneaking into the Developer Options to make their phones feel faster—this article is not about that. I found a different, less “hacky” setting that sped up my Pixel phone, and I didn’t expect it to matter as much as it did.

Cyberdecks have been wildly popular with DIY enthusiasts for a good reason: you can build a portable computer that does what your usual PC can't, often with more style and a lower price. Raspberry Pi is eager to hop on the trend, and has just shared a tutorial that teaches you how to build a cyberdeck from scratch.

Your car's 12V outlet is probably one of its most overlooked features. While many drivers only use it for an old-fashioned cigarette lighter or a phone charger, it can power a surprisingly wide range of useful accessories, from dash cameras and tire inflators to portable coolers, vacuum cleaners, and even heated blankets.

Perplexity originally made its name as an AI search engine, but it also has a product called Computer.

Don't hate me for saying this, but summer is on its last legs. But if you must stay inside for some binge-watching, you could do worse than HBO Max. While the service is basking in the green glow of its chart-topping, 93%-rated Lanterns, U.S. subscribers still have some new and new-ish things to watch.

Chevrolet introduced the High Country trim for the 2014 Silverado, giving the truck a touch of rugged luxury, complete with its signature chrome trim and saddle-brown leather. Since then, Chevrolet has added the High Country to four other models in the lineup, including the Tahoe, Suburban, Traverse, and Silverado HD. Now the High Country nameplate is getting what is arguably its most visible redesign yet, and Chevrolet is introducing it on an SUV before anything else.

Not too long ago, seeing only 30% battery left on your status bar meant your phone was basically as good as dead. In fact, that's still a reality for many people with fairly new phones. However, ever since I upgraded to a phone with a silicon-carbon battery, I've been leaving the house with a third of my battery left without a hint of anxiety. Let me explain why.

With the RAM-pocalypse wreaking havoc on the PC hardware market, I'll be honest, we're sort of running out of things we can actually buy. It's not that stuff isn't on the shelves; it is. It's just that most people can't actually afford any of it.