How-To Geek

Syndicate content
We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions.
Updated: 31 min 30 sec ago

Plex Pass is 40% off for Black Friday

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 17:13

Plex is a great way to organize and stream your own media library, and Plex Pass gives you access to features like hardware transcoding, downloads, and remote streaming. Now is the best time of the year to upgrade to Plex Pass, as Plex's annual Black Friday discounts are finally live.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 genuinely good Netflix movies to watch this week (November 24 - 30)

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 16:39

It's Thanksgiving week, which means it's a perfect time to watch some movies on Netflix. There's nothing better than sitting back and putting on a good flick after a hectic day, whether you've been entertaining guests or eating too much food. The tricky part is deciding what to watch.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Japanese crossover outperforms all competitors in reliability

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 16:30

The 2026 Lexus NX is turning heads—and numbers. Not only is it the best-selling luxury crossover of 2025, but it also claims the runner-up spot for all luxury vehicles, just behind its bigger sibling, the Lexus RX. So, what’s driving all this hype?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Please stop using your monitor as a USB hub

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 16:15

Having USB ports built directly into your monitor is awesome. They’re in a convenient spot, making it easier to plug in things near the monitor, like light bars or frequently used USB devices such as controllers and flash drives. However, most people aren’t aware of the limitations of monitor USB ports and think they can use them like any other USB port.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best value SUVs under $40,000 you can buy in 2025

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 14:15

Finding a well-rounded SUV under $40,000 in 2025 is easier said than done. Prices keep climbing, feature lists vary wildly, and true long-term value isn’t always obvious on the spec sheet. Yet with the right research, buyers can still land a model that offers strong performance, solid reliability, and meaningful everyday practicality, without straining their budget.

Categories: IT General, Technology

8 classic Windows screensavers from the 1990s you can still use today

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 13:30

The 1990s were the heyday of Windows screensavers. Back then, Windows was teeming with brilliant screensavers that kept CRT monitors of the time in good working order. Today, screensavers are largely forgotten, but many classic ones still work on modern Windows PCs.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 quick steps to prepare your Netflix account for Thanksgiving guests

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 13:00

It's Thanksgiving week in the US. If you're hosting friends and family, hopefully you've already got the food planned. However, one thing you may have overlooked is the entertainment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

8 Linux shell tricks that completely change how commands work

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 12:30

The shell is the unsung hero of your Linux experience. Sitting between you and the programs your operating system runs, the shell is a user interface and a programming language rolled into one.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why a portable Linux install is my favorite troubleshooting tool

Mon, 11/24/2025 - 00:00

Computers are everywhere, and unfortunately, they're not quite as reliable as I'd like, given how integral they are to our day-to-day lives. I always carry a portable Linux installation on a flash drive because it gives me ways to troubleshoot almost any computer I encounter—even if the hard drive is completely dead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I bought a VR headset for productivity, not games

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 22:00

Galaxy XR is the most expensive computer I’ve ever purchased, but it felt justifiable—not as a gaming machine, but for work. I wanted this headset not just because I write about Android, but because it’s the kind of workspace I can easily see myself writing in.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Another airline just had a data leak

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 20:31

Airline breaches are pretty bad, because while you might not fly every day, airlines keep a trove of info on you, especially if you enroll in their frequent flyer programs. This is not an US airline, but if you've ever flown to Spain, you might want to keep reading.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Mechanical keyboard build & buying guide: Everything you need to know

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 20:30

If your friends and tech YouTubers have finally convinced you to upgrade to a mechanical keyboard, but you don't know where to start, you've come to the right place. In this guide, I'll cover everything you need to know before getting your first mechanical keyboard in the simplest way possible. Let's get started.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I 3D printed these 3 tools to make Arduino projects easier

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 20:00

The Arduino has long been a staple of the maker community. Longer than 3D printing has been as popular as it is, in fact. So, with both being mainstream, I decided to marry the two together to make my life a little easier.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I disable almost every Windows startup app. These two are worth keeping

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 19:52

Windows startup bloat is real, and it’s one of those problems you don’t notice until your PC starts feeling slower than it should. Every other app seems to sneak its way into your startup list, quietly running in the background and chewing up resources for no good reason. Over the years, I’ve gotten into the habit of shutting almost all of them off. It keeps my system feeling snappy, and honestly, most apps just don’t need to be running the second Windows loads up.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Insider tips for buying used phones safely

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 19:30

It’s been years since the last time I purchased a new phone. I buy mine second-hand, and I haven’t had any bad luck yet. Here’s what I look for to make sure each purchase is legit.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These are the Home Assistant integrations and add-ons I can't live without

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 19:00

I've been using Home Assistant for several years as the heart of my smart home. The software is so powerful thanks to an enormous collection of integrations and add-ons that allow you to connect almost any smart home device or service that you could think of. I use multiple add-ons and integrations in Home Assistant, but there are some I simply couldn't live without.

Categories: IT General, Technology

It’s November 1987: Here’s what the Stranger Things crew are watching

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 18:30

The final season of the hit sci-fi horror series Stranger Thingsis nearly upon us, and it teases one last epic adventure. Since season five is set in the fall of 1987, I thought it would be fun to take you on and take you back in time to explore what the Stranger Things characters might have been watching.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Steam Machine will fail if Valve repeats this Steam Deck mistake

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 18:15

The Valve Steam Machine could be the single most important thing to happen to PC gaming in decades. However, the success of Valve’s first in-house desktop relies on how Valve chooses to distribute the Steam Machine. Will they make the right choice?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Listening to podcasts at 1.5x speed doesn't make me a monster

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 18:00

I'll hold my hands up and admit it: I listen to podcasts at 1.5x speed. To some people, this makes me a monster. However, I've not found any downsides to listening to podcasts at faster speeds, and there are plenty of upsides.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to clean your speakers

Sun, 11/23/2025 - 17:30

You wipe your TV screen and dust your keyboard and other electronics, but I’m willing to bet that it’s been a minute since you cleaned your speakers. No one would fault you for that—whether they’re tiny desktop speakers, inconspicuous bookshelves, or gorgeous tower speakers that blend seamlessly into your home’s decor, we tend to pay more attention to how they sound rather than how they look.

Categories: IT General, Technology

eXTReMe Tracker