How-To Geek

Large language models entered the mainstream when OpenAI wrapped one in a chat window and called it ChatGPT. The interface was so intuitive that everyone copied it, and it's still how most people think about AI: you type a question, you get an answer. But a lot has changed since then.

USB-C has been a game changer for electronics like phones, laptops, and other small devices, but the same isn't true for desktop PCs. After going through the trouble of adding a USB-C port to my slightly-older PC, I've only used it a handful of times, and I frequently find myself wondering if it was worth the fuss.

Samsung has dominated foldable phones for years, but it's conceding one of its thrones to Motorola with the Galaxy Z Flip 8. It's not just that this is a mostly warmed-over design with a higher price tag. It's that Samsung has ditched the "budget" FE model right as Razr phones have become more compelling than ever, often at a lower cost. If I want a clamshell foldable phone in the modern era, I go with Moto.

In case you've been living under a proverbial rock (or have a life, I guess), you're probably aware of the vocal backlash Sony is experiencing right now after it announced the date for the end of new PlayStation 5 game disc production.

While many people think Linux performs better than Windows, it depends on the distribution. Some of them have system requirements that rival modern versions of Windows. These distros are lean and mean. They're great for fast modern machines or wringing more use of out of older computers.

Are you looking for some ways to tinker with your Bambu Lab 3D printer? You're in luck! Even though Bambu has made some functions a bit harder to access, there's actually a lot of ways to tinker with your Bambu Lab 3D printer, and here are three of my favorite projects.

Powering Android Auto is one of the most demanding things your phone does. Sometimes you can even keep your phone plugged in and still find that the battery level drops during a long drive. However, with these changes to your setup, you can minimize battery drain and make sure you've still got a decent amount of power left when you reach your destination.

Rather than carry a USB drive with me everywhere, I tried switching to a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, a high-capacity microSD card, and a short cable. Instead of a physical disk, I now carry a tiny file server that literally fits in my pocket. For roughly the same price as a flash drive, you can build a tool that is far more interesting.

Docker changed how developers build and distribute applications. It made containers approachable, introduced a simple workflow, and created an ecosystem that became the default for modern software development. For years, installing Docker was for me the first step after setting up a Linux workstation or server.

USB-C was meant to be the one technology to rule them all, but it's turned into a bit of a mess, and thanks to the stubborn USB-A connector sticking around for 30 years so far, fully embracing the USB-C standard has been harder than it should be.

If you're comfortable uploading your photos to Google servers, Google Photos is the only photo editing software you need. But if you're not all that trusting of Google, or you're tired of having to buy more storage for your photos, there's another photo editing tool available for your phone that provides most—if not all—of the tools you need to break free of your Google Photos dependence.

ESP32 boards are incredibly versatile. They're small and relatively cheap, and I use them for a wide variety of purposes in my smart home. The problem is that a bare ESP32 board doesn't look great dangling off the back of a power cable. A Home Assistant user has found a neat and elegant way to hide them away.

Working with a sluggish computer is a grind. With automated functions, servers, self-hosting, Docker containers, and all the files I download on a daily basis, I often forget to keep my digital space tidy. I noticed something was chewing up my Linux box's performance in a way I never experienced when I used Windows. I wanted to find out why, so I did a deep dive into cleaning up my computer using a mix of system tools and third-party software, and a bit of help from Claude.

Not every award-winning movie demands a three-hour time commitment. Your watchlist grows longer than your leisure time. Short films are the fix nobody talks about. Netflix’s library is quietly stocked with Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated titles. The Academy’s short categories—animated, live action, and documentary—routinely produce work that’s as sharp, well-crafted, and gut-punching as anything for Best Picture, minus the runtime.

Did you just get a UV printer? I did, and I've already been making and working on selling things that I've made. UV printers are insane machines, and they deliver the ability to make almost anything your mind can imagine. Here are some of the first projects that I designed and made with my UV printer, along with what I am selling them for, or what I plan to list them for.

Most PC upgrades feel like a big project because you're reading reviews, checking compatibility, maybe cracking open a case or watching a tutorial before anything actually changes. However, you don't need to spend very much to get what you need. I've bought most of the cheap accessories below more than once, which tells you something about how well they hold up.

There's a tiny box in the top-left corner of every Excel worksheet that many users overlook. Some have never clicked it, while others know it's there but don't do anything with it. Either way, they're missing one of Excel's quickest productivity tools.

Frustrated with Windows and considering switching to Linux? Struggling to make up your mind because of the good and bad things you hear about making the switch? Well, I’ve used both OSes for over a decade, and here are my five crucial truths about making the switch that rarely get mentioned.

It's an important weekend for Peter Parker fans with the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters. With the popular superhero on the minds of many, this is the perfect time to watch your favorite Spider-Man movies on streaming.

Your 3D printer’s nozzle is the last thing that melted filament touches before it becomes a 3D-printed object. Different printers come with different nozzles, and you can replace or swap these out as you see fit.