How-To Geek

Plex is the go-to app for most users with a large home media library. But not everyone actually needs it. If you just want to watch shows or movies on the big screen, your TV might already have the tools you need.

If you're a Ryobi owner, you probably have a good collection of its lime-green 18V ONE+ power tools. With more than 350 products that run on the same battery, it's often all you need. But when you're battling weeds, fighting an overgrown lawn, or trying to finish jobs quickly while outside in the heat, Ryobi's 40V platform is the better choice.

Apple AirTags have changed the game for anyone who constantly misplaces their keys or wallets. Almost every major brand now offers its own alternative, from the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 to the Motorola Moto Tag.

Apple recently released the latest phone in its "e" series, the iPhone 17e. Unlike the "SE" line that came before it, this one seems to be on track for annual updates. However, for a variety of reasons, the "e" series is far less compelling—and it shouldn't exist.

There would be many more programmers in the world if not for the fact that programming is hard, and you need to spend a lot of time learning, practicing, and testing your code.

New models of smartphones get released on a constant churn, and even if you don't upgrade every year, it's a safe bet that your current phone is not your first. The chances are that you have some old phones lying around your home. The same is probably true of other devices such as tablets and e-readers.

You might have heard the idiom about the guy with his feet in a freezer and his head in an oven: on average, he's perfectly comfortable. In Excel, we do this with our data every day. Averages are great summaries, but they can quietly sabotage your decisions.

For years, I used a gas generator as backup power during outages, whether they were expected or unexpected blackouts. I recently replaced the gas generator with a battery-powered one. While both serve the same purpose, the battery-powered generator proved to be a true upgrade.

Ignoring the Applied Steps pane in the Power Query editor means you're stuck in a loop of trial and error. That's how you end up with a bloated workflow that turns a five-minute cleanup into an afternoon chore. You don't need to learn any code to fix this—you just need to learn how to manipulate your existing steps.

Luxury buyers usually expect a calm, cushy ride as part of the deal. For years, European SUVs have set the benchmark, leaning on sophisticated suspension setups to deliver that smooth, planted feel.

One of the main reasons I bought my first 4K TV was to watch nature and science documentaries. Watching animals in the jungle, the desert, or the depths of the ocean is one of the most obvious places you could see that 4K difference.

The best thing about Linux is that it has something for everyone. Want a system that just works with minimal effort? You have options. Want to surgically customize every single aspect of your operating system, so it feels less like an appliance and more like a craft project? You have options. The trick is to figure out which distros are meant for you, and which aren't.

If you own an old Nook eReader and don't know what to do with it, I've got a few suggestions. Since it runs Android, you can root it, install custom software and give it a new lease of life as an eReader, or repurpose it into an e-ink dashboard.

I've been running Linux on a laptop for several years now, and I even bought one that came with Linux preinstalled. I need Windows for barely anything anymore, but that didn't happen without some effort and hard-learned lessons.

Early March always feels like the week when things start to lighten up—new month energy combined with warmer climes on the horizon. It also comes with a swath of renewed movies on Paramount+. When you’re ready to unwind, there's plenty to pick from ... maybe too much. So let us throw a few ideas your way this week.

The skyrocketing prices for flash memory have already affected RAM sticks, SSDs, laptops, pre-built PC desktops, phones, and many other devices. Now, you can add the OrangePi Neo to the list—a handheld gaming PC using Linux that was supposed to be released soon.

March is here, which means a fresh month (and a fresh batch of movies) has landed on Netflix, which is perfect timing if your watchlist needs a little spring cleaning. There's only one problem: with that huge library, getting lost in the endless scroll. We're here to help with that.

The hybrid SUV race is still being led by the usual suspects. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid continue to dominate thanks to loyal buyers and massive dealer networks that keep them comfortably on top.

Like most people, the last optical drive I had in my computer was a plain old DVD writer. I just never saw the point of a PC Blu-ray drive. In many ways, I think it's a small miracle that you can still readily buy a Blu-ray drive for PC today.

The versatility of thrillers is their greatest strength. These tense movies come in various shapes and sizes. Some are lengthy political thrillers where the dialogue creates suspense and drives the story. Other thrillers rely on action and feature heroic performances that turn actors into stars. Because of its large library, Netflix is one of the best streamers to watch thrillers.