How-To Geek

Vivid outdoor lighting is one of the best ways to kick off the holiday season. There's something about those bright lights and flashing colors that create a festive atmosphere and put a smile on people's faces. Be the first to light up the block with 42% off the Litsoul 600FT Permanent Outdoor Lights.

Whether you’ve got a budget PC build or a top-of-the-line gaming or productivity beast, your favorite machine likely has some untapped potential you can unlock by tweaking one component or another.

When compared to the likes of Samsung and LG, the typical Google TV system can hardly be called "bloated," but there are still aspects of the default Google TV or Android TV experience that could do with a trim.

I spend a lot of time in Excel, but some of my favorite Excel workflows barely happen inside Excel at all. One spreadsheet became an interactive map. One reporting workbook now pulls in new files whenever I refresh it. Some Excel problems now get solved with a quick conversation with ChatGPT before I even open the workbook.

Bluetooth is getting a significant upgrade that could make everyday wireless devices faster and more capable. The Bluetooth SIG is adopting its new High Data Throughput (HDT) feature, which raises the top speed of Bluetooth LE from 2 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps. That’s nearly four times faster, and speed isn’t the only improvement. Bluetooth HDT is also designed to move more information while using power efficiently and keep connections reliable.

Pixel Watch owners enjoy a beautiful, circular Wear OS smartwatch with a stunning UI, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Google uses proprietary connectors instead of the universal quick-release ones, so you can only use specific bands with Pixel Watches. First-party bands sell for unholy prices, especially the metal options, which narrows the selection even further. It really grinds my gears.

Netflix has a diverse lineup of documentaries coming this month, covering everything from Hollywood careers and iconic photography to a high-profile criminal case. And as the year comes to an end, you don't want to miss out on these interesting stories.

Ryobi's versatile Lithium Project Kit removes the stress of home DIY projects, technical jobs, and school assignments, with a range of handy tools to help you work fast and efficiently. You'll save time and money if you get it now at a massive 61% off with a Home Depot deal.

Task Manager is much more than just a tool for monitoring system performance and force-closing unresponsive apps or ones that are slowing down your Windows PC. It's actually a versatile utility you can use to track down, manage, and disable startup apps, monitor services running on your PC, and even check on suspicious Windows apps and services that may be doing some shady stuff behind your back. The catch is that the tools needed for sleuthing are tucked away, but enabling them is effortless.

Node-RED is a visual programming tool that allows you to create complex automations without having to write code. It can be used for everything from industrial applications to controlling escape room experiences, but it can also be a really powerful tool for your smart home.

To paraphrase the great Dr. Peter Venkman, most people probably think about running two GPUs from different manufacturers at the same time, on the same computer as "... dogs and cats living together ... MASS HYSTERIA!"

I got tired of my Apple TV not turning my TV on through CEC, and I really didn’t want to connect my TCL Fire TV to the internet. So, I decided to take things back a few decades and use an IR emitter in a new way—through Home Assistant. Now that Home Assistant has better infrared support, all it took was a $10 ESP32 board and a few small components, and my TV was smart without any internet access required.

It's amazing to see how far AI tools have come. From text to code to images, and now even animations and graphics. Anthropic has been pushing Claude into visual work since it launched Claude Design back in April 2026, and in October, it made animation official with Claude Motion.

Milwaukee’s M12 series tools are perfect for small jobs: they weigh less, deliver plenty of power, and offer easy maneuverability. I don’t know about you, but less fatigue, more control, and better precision sure sound good to me. It makes total sense that M12 tools are perfect for small jobs, and they’re easy to carry around due to their compact, lightweight designs. 18+ volts doesn’t always mean more power. It’s all in the design and less about voltage. Here are 5 great 12-volt Milwaukee tools to add to your equipment arsenal.

Are you tired of giving Google tons of your hard-earned money while also giving them the ability to mine your information and photos? Kicking Google Photos to the curb and picking up a cheap NAS is definitely the right way to go if that describes you.

Our phones can do so much, but how much you’re willing to do depends a great deal on how much you can see on-screen and how quickly you can switch between apps. Galaxy phones come with more multitasking options than other brands, but one of the most useful ways to juggle more than one app is disabled by default. Fortunately, it’s not too hard to turn on.

When it comes to cordless power tools, you have several excellent options to choose from. But did you know that most brands are manufactured or owned by just a handful of companies? If you're a Milwaukee owner who constantly pokes fun at Ryobi tools, slow your roll, because both brands come from one large parent company named TTI, and they aren't the only ones.

After years of testing Windows performance claims that often amounted to little more than marketing, I wasn't expecting Windows 11 26H2 to feel much different. Microsoft says the update delivers "a Windows experience that's up to 20% more responsive," so I compared Windows 11 before and after upgrading my 16GB ASUS laptop. I didn't think I'd notice much difference, but several of my tests turned up more than I expected.

I already own a dedicated travel router, and it does a pretty good job of connecting my devices to unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks when I am away from home. However, I wanted something that gave me more control over my network and made accessing my homelab easier while traveling. I already use Tailscale and Headscale across several devices, so experimenting with them on a Raspberry Pi seemed like a natural next step.

Running Unraid gives you plenty of ways to expand your home server beyond file storage and media streaming. Every month, new apps show up in the Community Applications catalog, bringing new ways to use your server.