How-To Geek

There is a quiet assumption that if you choose Xfce, you have made peace with a certain aesthetic. Functional, stable, slightly frozen in time. It works, it does not surprise you, and it does not try to look like anything else, and much like others, I also accepted it. Then I started making small, almost trivial changes, and something odd happened. The desktop stopped feeling like a compromise and started feeling intentional.

You might not have to worry that a shady Android app will steal contacts or constantly share your whereabouts for much longer. Google is introducing features and policies that will limit how apps request contact and location information.

Remember TeraCopy? This utility software was quite famous back in the Windows 7 era and offered a better way to move files between locations than Windows Explorer. You might be surprised to know that the tool still exists; in fact, I still prefer it over what we have in Windows 11.

Desktop PCs are super upgradeable—that's one of their biggest perks. But if there's one upgrade that feels like a chore and actually is a chore, it's the processor.

Streaming binges come in different forms. Sometimes, you want a show that you can finish in one sitting or over the weekend. It's usually a limited series or single-season show with eight or fewer episodes. I enjoy watching those shows when I can't commit to something with multiple seasons.

Usually, if you want to send ADB commands to your phone, you'll connect it to your PC (either via Wi-Fi or a USB cable) and use the terminal. However, if you don't have a computer nearby, it's possible to run ADB commands on your Android phone—this is the easiest way I've found.

Hosting a party, whether it’s a barn-burner or just a handful of friends over for a few, is all about mastering the atmosphere. Music is key, obviously, but what about that big, black wasted rectangle of space reflecting back at your guests? Don’t drape that dolphin-patterned sarong you got in the Bahamas over it, put a movie on in the background instead.

A new Plex update has been released for Android and iPhone, and it has fixed a couple of recent annoyances. Plex users have been facing several issues on the “Manage Favorite Channels” screen lately, and the new update claims to have finally fixed some of them.

It will soon be easier to charge your EV while you grab your morning coffee or afternoon slushie. Circle K has teamed up with Ionna, the charging alliance formed by eight major car makers, to widen access to fast EV chargers at its U.S. convenience stores.

While your average mini PC is anything but a gaming beast, you can transform it into a decently beefy gaming rig by connecting an external GPU (eGPU). While Thunderbolt and USB4 are the most popular ways to do this, you can get much better performance if the mini PC in question features an OCuLink port, even compared to the latest and greatest Thunderbolt version, Thunderbolt 5.

Years ago, it was just commonplace to pull your ISP-provided router out of the network and put your own in its place. These days, that’s actually not as common because most ISPs actually stepped it up and started providing solid routers, and I’m glad they finally did.

There’s seemingly a new Onn 4K Pro streaming box version coming soon. The latest version will reportedly offer Google Gemini support and a design revamp after a slight price bump.

If you want to announce to the world that you’ve arrived, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is one of the best ways to do it.

Setting up a smart TV is tedious, but it isn't complicated. You plug it in, turn it on, connect it to Wi-Fi, and sign in to your accounts. Right from the beginning, you've made your first mistake—I know I did.

Smart thermostats are a great way to save money. They give you control over your heating, allowing you to change the target temperature based on the time of day or turn off the heating when you're away from home. While my smart thermostat was saving me money, I was still using more energy than I needed to.

Do you spend most of your time in the terminal? Are you always on the lookout to improve your terminal-fu? If you're like me, you love learning new ways to solve problems, because they introduce concepts you never imagined before. I have five one-liner terminal commands that solve common issues, and perhaps they'll introduce new concepts to you, too.

Amazon is renewing its push into your living room by releasing two affordable smart home devices, including its answer to Samsung's popular The Frame TV.

If you've been ignoring the Copilot icon on your task bar, you're actually closer to Microsoft's own disclaimers than its marketing. From unreliable Excel functions to terms of service that claim the AI is for "entertainment," it's time to see the truth: Copilot is a distraction you don't need.

Your NAS is, a lot of the time, the kind of device that you normally keep out of sight as you only hook up to it over a network. Whatever you do, though, don't think the perfect "out of sight" place is a closet. Let me explain.