How-To Geek

Most of us spend several hours per day looking at screens, be it our phones or our PCs. If your work involves sitting at a computer, it'll be even more. If you're going to sink that much time into looking at something, do yourself a favor and don't cheap out—your eyes will thank you. Here are a few features I consider essential in any new monitor I purchase.

There’s something extra fun about finding out that a movie, TV show, or book takes place in a location you’re familiar with. Maybe you've wondered how many pieces of media have taken place in your area, or any other place in the world. There’s a website for that.

Right now, you can snag the brand-new Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch with the incredibly powerful M4 chip for just $800 on Amazon or on Best Buy's website. That's a massive 20% discount from its original price of $1,000. This is a surprisingly low price for a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip.

Marvel Studios has finally tackled the trickiest superhero ensemble with Fantastic Four: First Steps. The long-awaited film brings the superhuman abilities of the Fantastic family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe—from Mr. Fantastic's stretchy limbs to Johnny Storm's fiery powers. But the comic book heroes haven’t had the best time in terms of movies, having attempted three different casts that ended up being a mess.

Electric vehicles are no longer just city cruisers or commuter cars—they’re quickly becoming the go-to choice for families across the U.S., even with the slight dip in Q2 2025 sales. From compact crossovers to rugged haulers, automakers are all-in on making EVs the new norm across every segment.

Craving a little dystopian sci-fi or some too-crazy-to-be-a-true-story financial comedy to help get you through your work week? OK, how about a Ben Stiller dodgeball classic, or an Oscar-sweeping dark dramedy? All this and many more movies are available on Hulu.

I know how difficult it can be to decide what to watch on Netflix, so why not let me save you the endless scrolling? As someone who's seen more movies than I can count, I'm confident I can guide you well.

If you want to add a splash of style or fun to your yard, patio, or walkway, Govee's latest Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights are an easy way to get it done. Compared to previous models, these Clear Bulb lights are more elegant, and while they're certainly charming, they're also expensive and have a few of the usual drawbacks.

I switched to Windows 11 shortly after it was released, since I’ve always been an early adopted of new tech. Some of the most jarring things about Windows 11 have been fixed, but many of them are still going to be splash of cold water in the face if you’re coming from Windows 10.

When you think of audio files, you probably think of MP3 files. The format is so popular that an entire generation of hardware bears the name: MP3 players. Despite their enduring popularity, it is time for MP3s to be retired.

Google's suite of cloud applications, including Google Keep, are extremely convenient. However, if you value privacy and the ability to customize your experience, there is a better option out there.

Linux is all about customization, whether you need the most basic, command-line-only operating system, or a fully-fledged desktop ready to throw down with Windows and macOS. These are a few of the best apps you can install on Linux.

I want to like Windows. It’s great for gaming and handles CAD software fantastically. But, for over a decade, I never seriously considered it as my primary OS—until two years ago. Now, after giving it another shot, I’m back on macOS... just like always.

Some of the best games from the 80s and 90s ran on DOS, but due to architecture changes, are completely unavailable on modern operating systems. This is how I play them today, and how you can too.

I have long wished I could hide the status bar on my phone. You know, that row of icons going across the top of the screen? Well, it turns out I can, and so can you—if you also happen to have a Samsung Galaxy phone.

I'm a big fan of gamified learning. That led me to try out a popular Linux learning game: OverTheWire. What started as a quick curiosity turned into hours of addictive puzzle-solving, terminal wizardry, and the kind of “aha!” moments you only get when you figure something out for real.

Millions of adults miss out on the recommended 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye every night. And over time, that sleep debt can mess with everything from your mood to your immune system. But the good news? With the right app, you can better understand your nighttime habits, pinpoint what’s hurting your sleep, and make changes that actually work.

When I started building a smart home, my Samsung Frame TV served as the hub that connected everything together. Now the brains of home is a tiny box that controls everything locally instead of relying on the cloud. It’s called Home Assistant Green, and it’s the single best investment I’ve made in my smart home.

I always felt uneasy when someone asked to see my phone, as all my private WhatsApp chats were there, wide open. Luckily, I explored a feature that allowed me to lock the entire WhatsApp app on my phone as well as on my desktop.

Everyone knows that PC airflow is important. If you don't keep your thermals low, your components might overheat. If that happens, your performance will drop. But the advice about airflow that gets repeated online often comes without any context. The truth is, a lot of airflow tips are baseless.