How-To Geek

Chances are that if you don't have a flash drive within arm's reach as you read this, you at least know where to find one in less than five minutes. I bought my first flash drive in 2002, and I've never been without at least one ever since. We've left so many different storage devices behind—floppies, CDs, DVDs, and, to some extent, mechanical hard drives, but even in 2025, the flash drive is still plenty relevant.

Whether you're an aspiring mechanic or prefer to do-it-yourself, having the right tools for the job makes all the difference in the world. A quick 30-minute auto repair can quickly turn into an hours-long process, which is why I've put together a list of Milwaukee tools perfect for at-home car repairs.

Can't find your personal media on the Plex home screen? The same thing happened to me after Plex rolled out its redesign, and although it took me a while to deal with the problem, it turns out that the fix is actually pretty straightforward.

This was another busy week in tech news, with Home Assistant revealing a new adapter for Thread and Matter support, Google making its own Visual Studio Code competitor, AirDrop coming to Android phones, and much more. Here are the biggest stories you might have missed.

If you recently set up a dual boot configuration with Windows and Linux, you might have run into the same problem I did: Windows not showing up as an option in the GRUB menu. I'll show you how I solved it (and the technical reason behind it).

Microsoft Excel isn't just for work. In fact, by leveraging just three single, powerful formulas, I use the popular spreadsheet software at home to track warranties, manage my budget, and ensure I never forget a birthday. Thanks to Excel, I've ditched my chaotic life for one that's highly organized.

Forget the dull, sensible sedan — for under $30,000, you can step into a twin-turbo V-6 sedan that delivers far more excitement for the money. Once positioned as a premium performance model, it has now become one of the best-kept secrets on the used market, offering serious power and refinement at a price most shoppers wouldn’t expect.

Microsoft's next update for Notepad will bring native table support and streaming results for its built-in AI text features. This is a significant move that continues to push the classic text editor away from its simple, lightweight roots, which isn't where you'd want it to go.

The Google Photos editing update earlier this year received a mixed reception, but one of the biggest things I noticed was the removal of a feature I used a lot: perspective correction. I was worried it was gone forever, but thankfully, it looks like Google is quietly working to bring it back.

The advent of HDR has been a game changer for image quality when it comes to televisions. Console gamers, in particular, have enjoyed incredibly vibrant, high-contrast imagery which goes a long way to making up for a lack of overall GPU power. With the right TV, games (and movies) can be jaw-dropping on a TV.

While you might think to plug your desktop or smart home hub into your router’s Ethernet port, there’s a lot more to hardware for internet.

A big concern in this new and fancy AI era is taking proper care of the stuff we actually give to AI models. These days, training AI models with your input is typically an opt-in thing—mostly because governments already had a say in it. Google, however, is apparently taking the liberty to train Gemini using your Gmail account. And you actually need to opt out.

Hybrid technology is no longer just for Prius-level models. In 2025, some of the most affordable new hybrids are well within reach for budget-conscious buyers. Thanks to improvements in hybrid systems and strong competition between automakers, there’s now an impressive selection of lightly priced, fuel-efficient vehicles.

No version of Windows is perfect for everyone, and Windows 11 has attracted more controversy than most. Windows isn't quite as flexible as Linux if you want to customize your experience, but you can get close if you're willing to dive in a bit.

The weekend is here, which for many means chilling out with a good movie or show. Sometimes you want a big popcorn blockbuster, sure. But other times you want the real stuff—the human stories, the mysteries, the weird and funny stuff that only reality can conjure. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you're in luck because Prime Video, as it turns out, has loads of documentary movies and series.

Documentaries have a fantastic way of gripping us with reality that's more gripping, fascinating, and intense than anything scripted. When life pulls back the curtain, you get deep and surprising perspectives, personalities, and surprises that you just can't make up.

Google Chat is rolling out a fantastic new feature that lets you preview unread messages right from the left-hand navigation menu. Now, you can quickly look through your messages without having to commit to reading them fully and marking them as such.

CPU coolers are one of those components that PC builders love to splurge on to keep their expensive silicon cool and happy. However, the simple truth is that liquid cooling is well beyond what's necessary for most people.

Sometimes, the only cure for a long week of brain-frying work is a good, loud laugh. No need to think, just grab a snack and let your funny bone do the rest. Netflix, as it turns out, has quite a selection of reliably funny movies, the kind that range from classic absurdist flicks to smarter, even action-packed comedies.

Google has officially started showing sponsored ads within its Gemini-powered AI Mode search results. This is something we all knew was coming eventually, but seeing the ads roll out into the official build shows that it's finally coming.