How-To Geek

The team behind Home Assistant is best known for its incredible free and open-source smart home software, but the same team has also produced some hardware products. Nabu Casa, the commercial company set up by the creators of Home Assistant, currently sells a handful of products, including a dedicated Home Assistant hub and a prototype of a local smart speaker.

Honda’s upcoming sports coupe is easily one of the most anticipated new models of the decade, but early buyers may face a reality that takes some of the excitement out of the equation. With demand already high and supply expected to be limited at launch, shoppers can expect steep prices that push this sleek performance coupe far beyond its projected MSRP.

I used to travel quite a bit, hopping between cities for work or squeezing in a vacation or two each year. These days, between family life and a busy workload, I do not get out on the road nearly as much. When I do, I want the trip to be as smooth and stress-free as possible, and that starts with having the right apps on my phone.

If you want a holiday gift that blends smart home convenience with pure seasonal comfort, the SwitchBot Candle Warmer Lamp is a standout pick. It’s designed to elevate any space with soft light and customizable fragrance, and it just happens to be the world’s first smart candle warmer lamp with Matter-over-WiFi support. That alone makes it perfect for smart home fans, candle lovers, and anyone who wants their home to feel more inviting this winter.

HBO Max has announced what’s leaving their platform in December, and while I’m sad to see some titles go, there’s still plenty of time to watch these gems while you still can. From reality TV shows and original documentaries to film franchises like Superman, along with a lot of Justice Leaguecontent, there’s lots to keep you busy. Oh, and don't miss out on seeing Christmas classics like Elf and A Christmas Story before they’re gone!

If you’re shopping for a comfortable, upscale SUV without luxury-brand pricing, one Nissan model stands out as an unexpected gem. Despite wearing a mainstream badge, this midsize SUV delivers cabin quality, ride comfort, and premium features that rival what you’d expect from an Infiniti, at a far more attainable price point.

FreeBSD, the open-source operating system, just released a new major update. FreeBSD 15 includes overhauled package management, new versions of utilities like OpenZFS and OpenSSL, and the end of support for most 32-bit hardware.

PC builders love installing the latest and shiniest CPUs in their systems. This is generally a good thing, as current-generation chips typically deliver excellent performance at a reasonable cost. And they won’t bottleneck your graphics card in games—unlike some older chips that have aged like fine milk.

MSI just announced the MS-CF20 V2.0, an ATX motherboard intended for industrial settings and other embedded electronics. That unusual market segment calls for an unusual mix of connectivity, including a total of four 2.5G Ethernet ports.

My Raspberry Pi 500+ has finally been delivered, but I kept the order brief so I could keep the cost down. In spite of my attempts at being frugal, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t toyed with the idea of throwing a few more items on the order.

Linux usage on Steam has officially hit an all-time high, reaching 3.2% market share according to the Steam Survey results for November 2025. This is fantastic news for the open-source community, and it shows that the momentum driven by Valve’s hardware strategy isn't slowing down at all.

Python 3.14 was released back in October, but a few bugs managed to push through the big release, and a few other changes weren't ready for prime time. A new minor update has now arrived as Python 3.14.1, with its own pile of bug fixes and a few new features.

Since Android Jelly Bean in 2012, Google has released one major version update each year. That’s changing with Android 16, as the company is shifting away from a single, massive annual release to more frequent feature rollouts. The most recent Android 16 release starts today.

When you look at the huge world of software development that's always changing, choosing a code editor is probably the most personal and important choice a developer makes. VS Code is a great place to start, but it has so many limitations and issues with privacy that you may end up looking for alternatives.

The Zig Programming Language is officially quitting GitHub and moving its main repository over to Codeberg. The reasoning is a collapse in engineering quality and an aggressive push toward artificial intelligence tools. It is the most direct shot at Copilot from a developer I've seen in some time.

The recent streaming season has produced some must-see entertainment, and Hulu plays host to some of the year's best shows. These fresh shows are sure to pique your interest and result in some interesting conversations around the water cooler.

Homebrew, the package manager for macOS and Linux, just got a handy new feature in the latest v5.0.4 update. Brewfile install scripts are now more like a one-stop shop for installing software, as Flatpaks are now supported alongside Brew packages, Mac App Store Apps, and other packages.

Amazon has officially started testing an ultra-fast delivery service that promises to get essential items to your door in 30 minutes or less in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia. It seems like this is to compete with DoorDash and Instacart by bringing back a super speedy delivery model.

I was not eager to make mobile payments by tapping my phone against a terminal, but once I started, I quickly stopped reaching for my wallet. Now I no longer reach for my phone, either. There’s an even faster way to pay that has led me to increasingly keep my phone in my pocket.

Progress bars are everywhere, but we hardly ever give them a second thought. They have a little bit of mystery to them though. You might have noticed that downloads or file transfers sometimes get stuck at 99%. At times, they jump or stall. Sometimes they even fail at 99%. It happens because progress bars always lie, a little bit.