How-To Geek

We have two Windows gaming laptops in the house, and both of them are hooked up to TVs. For the most part, this works well, but even though the laptops and TVs are all different brands and models, I keep getting stability issues using a direct HDMI connection.

Obsidian is one of my favorite apps. I use it to build Knowledge Bases, write articles, take notes, and learn as much as I can. It's pretty versatile. It works well, but I don't pay for a premium subscription. Instead, I will either email my notes in MD (Markdown) format to myself, transfer them directly from the device via USB, or sync them using Syncthing inside Termux and a special folder on my desktop computer. But that seems like a lot of work to merely sync some files. So, I found two excellent alternatives that let you self-host your syncing without an insane workaround like mine.

Most people don't go out of their way to get Android Auto — it's simply a perk in the vehicle they decided to buy. However, not all of us drive around with big screens built into our dashboards. Thankfully, you can probably add Android Auto to devices you already own.

Overheating tools can really slow you down, and you might be to blame. Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons your brightly-colored bargain of a drill might be running hot and what you can do about it.

I love USB-C, but I also hate USB-C. We're in a weird relationship. But one label is the most frustrating of all — wattage. You see, it's entirely possible to have a USB-C cable that charges your device at 240W, but only moves data at 480Mb/s, so here's what you should look for instead.

You probably won't find many people who chose a Pixel phone for privacy reasons. Reputation aside, Pixel phones actually do have some great privacy features. However, you have to take the good with the bad.

Fall is the perfect time for DIY projects. It's not too hot, but not too cold, and as long as you have the right tool for the job, you'll be able to power through those hard tasks easier than ever. Whether you're new to the Ryobi ecosystem or have been buying for years, here are some of the best tools you'll need to level up your DIY game.

If you took last week's Paramount+ movie recommendations for a spin, you might be interested to know that Tuner and The Get Out are still holding at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on Paramount+ for U.S. subscribers. But, sitting in the top spot during this last week of September is a ridiculously hilarious gang of idiots who've made a long career out of doing really, really dumb stuff. Jackass: Best and Last is their swan song, and it's my top pick this week.

I've spent the past few weeks using the Asustor Lockerstor 2 Gen2+ NAS, and it is definitely a different experience than I'm used to. Focusing more on security and enterprise-grade features, this NAS is a great fit for small/medium businesses or enthusiasts, but it might not be the right choice for someone just starting out with homelabbing or self-hosting.

Excel tables don't exactly sound exciting. You select some data, press Ctrl+T, and Excel gives you a nicely formatted block with distinct headers and banded rows. Very professional; very Excel. If that's all you think tables are for, I wouldn't blame you. I've been using Excel for decades, and even I sometimes take tables for granted. But the real benefit is what happens next.

Samsung Galaxy phones are packed with exclusive features, controls, and a slew of pre-installed apps. So many, in fact, that they're sometimes all categorized as bloatware. It's easy to ignore the dozens of apps on your phone right out of the box, but many of Samsung's apps are great alternatives to Google's.

If you have multiple PCs or consoles at home or host LAN gaming parties like me, LanCache might be the magical setup you didn’t know you needed. I’ve recommended LanCache to small offices, gaming cafés, and even to friends who gave each of their kids a separate Xbox.

Keeping your home or dwelling safe and protected is easier than ever with the massive popularity of smart doorbells and indoor cameras. Ring continues to be one of the industry leaders and as tech and AI evolve, these units are becoming more and more affordable, and right now, you can pick up one of the brand's bestselling bundles from Best Buy for some insane savings—and its $80 off, too.

Plex is simple to install and use, and it performs marvelously. One thing that drives new users crazy though, is trying to access media on external USB drives. Here’s the easy way.

Samsung Galaxy Watches are pretty capable devices with good hardware. With Wear OS, they also have solid software support. Google Play Store access makes customization and functionality virtually limitless. Samsung has done a good job giving users plenty of solid apps by default, but if you are like me, you won’t settle for the default offerings.

I knew this day would come, but my GPU is finally struggling to run new games within its 8GB of VRAM, even at lower settings and resolutions. This is not inherently a problem, things do move on after all. But, it couldn't have happened at a worse time.

October is barreling toward us and will arrive at the end of the week, and with it comes a brand new swath of catalog movies on October 1, including all five Twilight movies, three Psycho films, The Devil Wears Prada, and a couple of great ones I'll fill you in on below, so keep reading.

Wired earbuds are suddenly trendy, and Bose wants to seize the moment by launching its Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds. In theory, they offer the best features of true wireless earbuds without the hassles of Bluetooth connections or charging.

Ubuntu's minimum system requirements—6GB of RAM and 25GB of storage space—are modest compared to Windows, but if you're working with an older PC, even that may be too much. If you've ever tried running the current release of Ubuntu on an old netbook or Optiplex, you've experienced it first hand.

I love to drive. Driving is my safe place when I want to disconnect from the world for a while. No one asking me where something is, no one asking what’s for dinner, just me, my car, and whatever playlist I’ve decided to play for the hundredth time. So, of course, I use Google Maps more than I’d like to admit.