How-To Geek

Luxury sedans aren't exactly known for being cheap, but there's a big difference between an expensive car and an expensive car that keeps getting more expensive as you add the features you actually want. That's where the BMW 5 Series can start to sting.

WLED lets you control multiple LED strips at a time using a single microcontroller. It’s accessible in that you can flash the firmware with a web browser, and minimal soldering is necessary. WLED can be controlled with a browser or a web app, and it even integrates natively with Home Assistant.

For years, I only used Google Calendar for the bare minimum—adding events, getting reminders, and moving on. It got the job done, but I would still end up forgetting errands and juggling separate apps for tasks and reminders. So I decided to figure out why Google Calendar is often referred to as a productivity powerhouse, and I immediately realized how much I’d been missing.

It's August, and Prime Video has released its schedule for new and returning shows this month. Like many action fans, I'm looking forward to the return of Reacher, which premieres next week. Alan Ritchson has done an amazing job playing Lee Child's creation, and I pray the show continues for many seasons to come.

If you rely on Google Drive to seamlessly back up your computer's photos, you'll need to find an alternative very soon. Google is warning that it will end support for automatic syncing between Drive desktop backups and Photos on August 10, 2026.

Windows has supported a huge software ecosystem for decades, but only a small number of apps have truly changed how people use their PCs. The best ones didn't simply do one job well. They solved problems Windows handled poorly, made everyday tasks easier, and became the kind of software people installed on every new computer.

Some Home Assistant projects serve a clear purpose and offer a tangible benefit. There are plenty of other projects that aren't strictly necessary but are still worth doing simply because they're insanely cool. If you're looking for a project that's more fun than functional, then you're in the right place.

Home internet in the new millennium was still on the road to regular internet use. Wi-Fi existed, but routers were expensive and confusing enough that most families never bothered. When Nintendo launched its online service for the DS, the company needed a way to give everyone the internet. Luckily, the company made a USB that was pretty revolutionary and cheap enough to be common.

For years, I assumed Google Maps always chose the fastest route to my destination. It wasn't until I noticed it repeatedly steering me away from quicker roads that I discovered one small setting was prioritizing fuel savings over speed. Turning it off has helped me avoid giving up small chunks of time that quietly add up over the course of a year.

Smartphones are so much more than just phones now. When you take the iPhone 17 Pro out on the trail, it's your camera, your GPS, and your lifeline if something goes wrong. That's a lot riding on one device, and a cheap or subpar phone case can jeopardize your device’s integrity should the worst happen. Bringing it into the back country can be even more of a gamble if your case isn't ready for an accidental drop.

One of the best things about the ESP32 and similar microcontrollers is the price. They only cost a few dollars each and can be put to good use in all manner of projects, from simple guides you follow along to complex projects you plan over weeks or months.

Android Auto has built-in automations called “shortcuts.” If this is news to you, I’m not surprised—they’re not very good. Thankfully, it’s possible to create much more useful automations with a great app called MacroDroid. That’s exactly what I did.

Putting a home lab together doesn't have to be expensive or take up a lot of space. Over the years, I've managed to collect, scavenge, and re-purpose old devices to the point where I can run most of my projects without spending a dime. Today, I'll tell you about my scavenged setup and the most important apps I run on it.

I currently own several GPUs—including two RTX 50-series GPUs—that have damaged display outputs. As strange as it seems, I actually purchased these "broken" cards without any thought to repairing them. And while that may sound counterproductive, there is actually a simple reason: I only use them for compute.

If you're like me, you spend a lot of time watching YouTube in order to learn as much as you can about your hobbies. For me, that includes videos about 3D printing, which is a technology that fascinates me and I want to know as much as possible about it.

Nearly a century ago, Bugatti built a chassis that lived two separate lives. The Type 57 underpinned the Type 57G and Type 57C, cars nicknamed "Tank" for their enclosed, slab-sided bodywork that looked more like an armored vehicle than anything else on a 1930s starting grid. The shape helped them win Le Mans outright in 1937 and 1939, at a time when most competitors were still betting on raw power instead of aerodynamics.

Windows is teeming with useful tools that Microsoft, for one reason or another, doesn't talk about or promote. Worse still, many of them are tucked away in places where hardly anyone would think to look, even though they can be indispensable for troubleshooting various Windows issues. One of them is Reliability Monitor, which has been part of Windows for almost two decades.

Between work and my own hobbies, I basically always need access to a PC. So, after a recent power outage, I decided to repurpose an old Raspberry Pi and an Anker Power Station to work as a small backup Linux desktop in an emergency.

The best Excel formulas are the ones that explain themselves. That's why I use named ranges whenever I can. Creating them one by one, though, feels like unnecessary admin—especially in larger spreadsheets. Since discovering Ctrl+Shift+F3, it's become one of my most-used Excel shortcuts.

The streaming services are coming out strong to start the month with new and returning shows. Prime Video has a new teen drama, and no, it's not The Summer I Turned Pretty. Instead, it's a refreshing entry into a crowded teen drama field, and it happens to be my top show to watch this weekend.