How-To Geek
This is the real reason why TV audio has gotten so bad
Watching a new show and constantly changing the volume is one of those small issues that has only gotten worse. Loud action scenes blast you back in your seat, then someone starts talking, and you can't make out a word. Sometimes, the show was badly mixed, but that's not always the case. The usual issue is a combination of things that started long before the content ever reached your TV, and it may be the reason you can’t hear the dialogue.
This 290-HP sedan costs less than you'd expect
Performance sedans aren't as easy to find as they used to be. As SUVs continue to dominate showroom floors, the few that remain have become increasingly expensive, with many now starting well north of $40,000.
Build a custom Home Assistant dashboard for under $20 (or find one free in your junk drawer)
A Home Assistant dashboard can be a useful way to see key information about your smart home or even to control your smart home devices. You can spend a small fortune setting up a large, high-end wall-mounted dashboard, but you don't have to break the bank. There are plenty of ways to build your own Home Assistant dashboard for under $20.
Google Maps' autoplay videos waste your time—turn them off before your next drive
Google Maps is one of the most convenient apps, and we use it so much that it's easy to ignore or overlook some of its more frustrating aspects. A prime example is all the autoplaying videos when you look up a restaurant in Maps, then click through to the results. Here's how to put the brakes on those videos.
Your hard drive's health check is lying to you
You might think that a brand new HDD is the safest it's ever going to be, but that's not true. Worse yet, just like an SSD can fail at 100% health, an HDD can fail without showing any SMART errors whatsoever.
I ditched smart bulbs years ago, but this one feature pulled me back in
I have always had a rocky relationship with smart bulbs. I never really saw much benefit beyond the initial novelty, which wore off rather quickly.
These 5 open-source apps are Windows-only, and Linux users are missing out
When you hear "open source" it's natural to immediately think of Linux, but what software license an application uses has nothing to do with which operating system it runs on.
Temporary location access is Android 17's best privacy feature nobody's using yet
Android 17 is the year’s big version update, but it’s admittedly not the most exciting one we’ve seen in recent years. That’s not to say there’s been nothing useful added, though. One of the quieter new features will make location access a much more locked-down permission.
Why I don’t trust Windows copy for big files—and what I use instead now
Copying around a couple of small files, like screenshots or documents, is, for the most part, normally fine. They’re normally small files, and you won’t have much trouble moving them around. The problem, however, comes when you actually have to move around a file that’s several gigabytes in size, or worse, several of them—using the regular tools meant for that purpose, your PC will be struggling.
I ditched my eero router for UniFi, and the best feature didn't cost me a dime
While UniFi used to be seen as an SMB or enterprise-only networking option, it has increasingly become a more consumer-friendly networking platform. Here are four features that make UniFi a real alternative to Amazon's eero platform.
This open-source Lightroom alternative processes RAW files locally and never asks for a subscription
Lightroom is still the go-to editor for many people who shoot RAW photos. But it comes with an expensive subscription and the desktop version feels increasingly neglected in favor of its cloud-based companion. If you’d rather keep your files on your own computer instead of syncing everything online, darktable is one of the best free alternatives.
The Raspberry Pi still crushes an ESP32 at these 5 things
ESP32 boards have become a popular choice for hobbyist projects and smart home sensors. For many projects, they can be a better choice than a Raspberry Pi, since they're cheaper, use less power, and are still very capable. For some things, however, the Raspberry Pi still wins.
How Lindows almost destroyed Microsoft's Windows trademark
Ever since Linux distributions gained a cult following among computer users in the '90s, they dreamed of overtaking Windows as the most widely used desktop OS. One company tried to do it by creating a distro that was as Windows-like as possible. This effort, Lindows, attracted the ire of Microsoft, but a trademark lawsuit almost backfired on the software giant.
3 new Paramount+ movies to watch this week (July 13-19)
There are two basic ways to decide what movie you want to watch on Paramount+ (or any streaming service, for that matter) on the spot, remote in hand, as you thumb through its massive library, or with some careful research and (hopefully) with the help of expertly informed and Rotten Tomatoes-vetted recommendation lists, just like this one. The latter, however, won't explain how a 27%-rated comedy ended up in the streamer's Most Watched lineup.
These Buick SUVs undercut the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA by thousands
Buick has spent the better part of a decade retooling its lineup and reputation, moving away from its dated image and toward near-luxury territory. Upscale interior materials, a more confident design language, and the addition of the range-topping Avenir trim across its lineup have all played a part in what has become an important and necessary shift for Buick.
Windows 11's search box is finally getting rid of ads—here's how to remove them
Microsoft is acting further on its promise to fix some of Windows 11's worst annoyances. The company is rolling out changes in the Windows Insider Experimental channel that promise a less cluttered search box that largely eliminates ads, although you'll need to tweak settings to get the best results.
3 brilliant Netflix movies to get you through the week (July 13-19)
Netflix subscribers in the U.S. have had their hands full lately, between the thriller I Will Find You locking down the No. 1 spot on the TV side for a second straight week, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender fighting its way up the charts, and a whole swath of new movies hitting the service that we’re still working our way through.
Waze now lets you report road updates like a human being
Waze just made it easier to warn fellow drivers of road snarls. An update to the Google-owned app on Android and iPhone uses Gemini for a host of new features, including more natural reporting for road conditions and map updates.
Paramount and Warner Bros. merger faces massive lawsuit—here’s what it means for streaming
Paramount's bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery just hit a roadblock that could have a lasting impact on your choices in streaming services and content. An alliance of 12 state attorneys general has sued to block the merger over competitive concerns.
Todoist is not the best task management app—this one does so much more
I love trying out productivity apps, but it's not often that I come across new gems. One app that has impressed me with its diverse feature set has snuck its way into being my regular task manager. It replaced Todoist, and I'm not looking back.


