How-To Geek

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We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions.
Updated: 1 min 50 sec ago

Sony's weird new earbuds don't actually go in your ears

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 17:00

Sony led the charge for “open” earbuds with the weird donut-hole LinkBuds a few years ago, and we’ve seen more creative interpretations from other companies since. Now, Sony is borrowing a design from its competitors with the new LinkBuds Clip.

Categories: IT General, Technology

System76's COSMIC desktop environment just fixed a bunch of problems

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 16:58

System76 released version 1.0.3 of its fresh, Rust-based COSMIC desktop environment this week, bringing with it several fixes and improvements for Linux fans running it. In particular, the file browser is getting some essential features.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Cheaper YouTube TV plans are coming soon

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 16:51

YouTube TV is kicking off the new year with a couple of features that are long overdue. The first is a much-needed expansion of the excellent “Multiview” feature, and the second marks a return to the original promise of streaming live TV services.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Yahoo, AOL, and Yahoo Mail are all having outages right now

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 16:32

Do you still use email services like Yahoo! Mail and AOL? If so, they're probably not working, and you're not alone. Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, and AOL are all having a nationwide outage right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

DeWALT 20V Max, XR, and ATOMIC tools: What's the difference?

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 16:30

DeWALT is a popular brand among enthusiasts and professionals thanks to its wide array of tools, with more arriving all the time. If you have a few DeWALT 20V tools and battery packs and go to buy another tool, you'll see models like the 20V MAX, XR, and Atomic—but what does that actually mean?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Please stop buying vinyl when CDs exist

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 16:00

Vinyl records are one of those nostalgic technologies that everyone loves, and they've recently seen a resurgence of popularity. However, if you're looking for quality—especially if you're using a modern amplifier—there is a cheaper, better option.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Replace your Microsoft 365 subscription with these 5 free open-source apps

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 15:30

Microsoft 365 is not the only suite around, and it doesn't have the best tools on the market. Yet, many professionals, students, and casual users are completely tied to it. However, before you commit to another payment cycle, it's smart to hit the brakes and seriously look at alternatives that are free, open source, and may work better.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 10 massive outages prove just how easily the internet can go dark

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 15:00

Internet outages are incredibly disruptive in our modern world. We don’t realize just how much is actually connected until everything goes down. While massive outages are uncommon, they do happen—here are 10 of the worst.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I’m tired of "Microslop": The 4 settings I change to make Windows usable again

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 14:32

Recently, some in the computer geek community have started referring to Microsoft and its products as "Microslop". Partly alluding to the company pushing its AI technology everywhere (i.e. AI "slop") and partly because of the perceived degradation of Windows and all other products from the formerly glorious software company in Redmond.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This $30k Kia hatchback outshines most rivals in fun and practicality

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 14:15

The 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback is like the playful cousin of the K4 Sedan—a bit sportier, a bit more compact, but still full of personality.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 Linux myths I believed until I used it daily

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 14:00

Computing is always changing, but few operating systems have as much cultural baggage and conflicting stories surrounding them as Linux does. If you're used to those proprietary software ecosystems, hearing the word probably brings up a bunch of old ideas. These assumptions rely on outdated information, hearsay, or plain misunderstandings.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Bash redirection trick replaces echo ... | command

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 13:30

Bash—and other Linux shells—support powerful command plumbing using features like redirection. You may be used to the most basic type of input redirection but, as is often the case, Linux has more depth than meets the eye.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop buying USB sticks: An M.2 SSD in a $15 case is infinitely better

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 13:00

Just 10 years ago, thumb drives were commonplace everywhere. You probably carried one around in your keys, or you had one in your backpack. Things have changed a lot, though.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 silent Excel spreadsheet killers (and how you can stop them)

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 12:30

Your Excel spreadsheet might be lying to you. No, it's not a conspiracy—it's just a collection of common, invisible killers that bypass error checks and ruin your reporting. So, let's hunt down these silent traps and fix them for good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Antigravity A1 Drone review: An easy-to-fly 8K 360-degree camera

Wed, 01/21/2026 - 12:00

The Antigravity A1 isn't just another drone, but a flying invisibility cloak for an 8K 360-degree camera. While established brands focus on better flying, Antigravity focuses on better seeing, though that vision comes with a steep price and some limitations.

Categories: IT General, Technology

My favorite Raspberry Pi feature is too often overlooked

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 23:00

Raspberry Pi single-board computers are awesome for so many reasons—they're low-power, extremely capable, and have small footprints. I love all those things about my Raspberry Pi, but my favorite feature is one that I don’t hear talked about nearly often enough.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 years later, polarizing true crime movie with a shocking murder is now a streaming hit

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 22:57

True crime might be Netflix's most consistent genre in terms of hit rate. True-crime documentaries, including The Perfect Neighbor and Amy Bradley Is Missing, dominated the Netflix algorithm last year. The sentiment also includes scripted true crime, and Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story is the latest hit for the streamer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Feeling burned out? Honda’s latest reveal speaks directly to that

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 22:30

A FlexJobs survey in August 2025 found that even though most employees have paid time off, almost one-quarter didn’t take a single vacation day. Meanwhile, our inboxes can often feel like a mess, as the average person receives over 100 e-mails a day.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The funniest medical drama ever made is about to return

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 22:00

2026's television slate has no shortage of familiar faces returning to our screens. Not only will series such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Boys take us back to fantastical realms, but grounded series like The Pitt will return to shine a light on the struggles that the real heroes in our world face.

Categories: IT General, Technology

2026’s most fuel-efficient Toyota could save hundreds at the pump

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 21:01

If you’re after a car that won’t leave you stranded and won’t guzzle gas, this Toyota hybrid has you covered.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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