How-To Geek

My homelab runs a lot of my house. My smart home, media streaming, photo library, and dozens of smaller apps are spread across two computers running Proxmox. As far as I could tell, everything was healthy, but to make sure, I asked Claude to access both devices and look for problems without changing anything. It found some serious issues that I'd missed for months because none of them had broken anything that I could see.

I have an extra Android Auto Wireless adapter with a USB-C to USB adapter. Since I recently upgraded to a different one, I figured I could make some use of the adapter portion of it. What better way to do that than hook random stuff up to my phone and tablet and see what works? So I tested basically every USB device I had with my phone and tablet. My benchmark for most of these tests is how well a device works, whether it has any input lag, and how long I can use it before it drains my battery.

Fall is here, and if your yard is starting to become overgrown by leaves, having a proper leaf blower that can actually handle heavier debris, like dry clippings on your driveway, can make getting yard chores done a lot easier. Ryobi's 40V HP Cordless Leaf Blower Bundle delivers all the power you need, and then some, as it has enough power to blast through damp leaves and even compacted grass, all without the need of straining over a pull start—or the hassle of mixing fuel. Right now, you can grab this complete kit (which includes a battery and charger) from The Home Depot and save 20% off an already affordable price.

Your car will soon know more about you. Google is rolling out Personal Intelligence in Gemini to both Android Auto and cars with Google built-in, giving your ride details that can save you time.

With the arrival of the next-generation, AI-focused Googlebooks, it's natural to wonder how the Chromebooks that have been around for over a decade compare, and if it's still worth considering one over a new Googlebook. Optimized for artificial intelligence, with native Android integration and new cross-device services, Googlebooks promise to be the future of Google laptops, but that doesn't mean they're the best choice right now.

Despite its age, the Wii Remote can still be a useful device. It includes Bluetooth connectivity, motion sensors, an infrared camera, and multiple physical buttons. These features make it a great option for interacting with your smart home, and there are a few ways that you may be able to get your Wii Remote to control Home Assistant.

Your carrier sees a lot more than you think it does, and it's all because everything you do is being logged. Before any of the encryption you're used to seeing kicks in, your phone has already sent your carrier a plain-text record of every site you're trying to reach. That happens constantly, in the background, for every app on your device, not just your browser.

You’ve just bought a new SSD and want to put it to the test, so you grab a large zip file and copy it between your two drives. Monitoring the transfer speed in real time seems like a straightforward way to see how fast your new SSD is.

Professional and amateur photographers need the best equipment to take incredible photos and videos. Nikon's Z8 is an excellent choice for any job, and you can now get it for $1,000 off in a bundle that includes all the accessories you'll need for a shoot.

Streaming has made watching movies incredibly convenient, but that convenience comes at a higher cost than just the rising subscription fees. Movies can disappear from services, or the available versions can change. I decided to build a small permanent library of movies I don't trust streaming services with.

The code on the internet that is doing the heaviest lifting only came to be because a person thought it up and made it open source. The internet isn't a massive, well-staffed operation, as much as it may seem to be. In a lot of places, it's a single developer with a bug tracker and no salary. They do it for the love of programming, but that shows you how fragile the internet actually is.

You might have to rethink your plans if you share your Spotify account with friends. Spotify has tightened Premium Family and Duo plan validation to help ensure you're sharing only with the people in your home.

Driving around with Android Auto should feel more like listening to Majel Barrett’sStar Trek: TNG computer voice, giving you directions and handling tasks lightning fast. Instead, we got a dodgy Gemini integration over the past few months. My experience with it was a bit bizarre, to say the least. I also felt like it was a bit more dangerous and distracting. So I tried a little experiment: ditching Android Auto voice control for Google Home routine commands.

Sitting at your desk for extended periods can take its toll, but if your work is at your desk, it’s the norm. But sitting at a desk doesn’t have to compromise your comfort or wellness, not with a whole mess of ergonomic chairs at your fingertips. Ergonomic desk chairs, generally speaking, naturally support your whole body to improve posture and reduce overall discomfort. Finding the right chair for the job can be a challenge, though. That’s where HBADA comes in.

I don't consider myself a Linux veteran just yet, but there are probably tons of you who do. Remember your awkward Linux beginner phase, though?

Hackers are exploiting security flaws in your Plex Media Server, turning it into a tool for mining cryptocurrency and routing other people’s internet traffic. Users who haven’t updated their Plex servers and are still running a version older than 1.43.3.10861 are affected. The flaw is nicknamed Plex2Shell, which allows hackers to take control of the server over the internet without a password.

Robot vacuums are supposed to save you time by keeping your house clean, so they shouldn’t require additional work on your part. Thankfully, a 3D printer can help solve some of the most common problems people encounter with robot vacuums.

I have long been intrigued by locally-run AI models, but I've never had the hardware to do it—until now. The Cephalon Lucy Max is a small cube-shaped mini PC and NAS combo that delivers AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip with 128GB of RAM, and it's actually capable of running some pretty impressive local models. So impressive that it almost got me to ditch my cloud AI subscription.

Milwaukee batteries are actually quite versatile. While you might think they can only run power tools, you can actually do a whole lot more with them. Here are six genuinely odd (yet super useful) things that you can definitely power with Milwaukee batteries—and one that you probably shouldn't do.

It's now easier to support your favorite podcasts beyond listening to ads. Spotify is launching Memberships, or paid podcast subscriptions, that can provide perks to loyal listeners.