How-To Geek

Performance sedans rarely deliver everything in one package. German rivals offer incredible speed and technology but can become expensive to own over time, while many Japanese alternatives prioritize reliability at the expense of outright excitement.

Tom Holland has cemented himself as one of Hollywood's leading stars under the age of 35. After becoming a child star in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End, Holland transitioned into movies, where he slowly became a reliable supporting actor in several films. In 2015, Holland's life changed when Marvel cast him to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU.

Mercedes-Benz is ready to release an EV edition of one of its most popular cars. The automaker has introduced a redesigned GLA for 2027 that includes a pure electric model alongside hybrids.

Hybrid SUVs dominate the conversation whenever fuel economy comes up, but they're no longer the only way to keep running costs under control. Advances in turbocharging, engine efficiency, and lightweight platforms mean there are now several crossovers that comfortably clear the 30 MPG mark without any form of electrification.

The TV is by far the biggest screen in my home. I have smaller screens all around the house that I use to display useful information, but the 49-inch screen in the living room is mostly going to waste. I decided to build a custom TV dashboard that could be displayed on the TV when we weren't watching anything.

When a laptop starts showing its age, the usual advice is to install Linux to make it faster. While that certainly helps, there’s an even better approach to stop thinking of it as your everyday computer. Instead, turn it into a Linux appliance.

SUVs have become the default recommendation for family buyers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the smartest choice. For many households, the extra cost, weight, and fuel consumption simply don't deliver enough real-world benefits to justify moving away from a traditional sedan.

I could bore you with yet another “everything costs more these days” rant, but for those of us who love technology, high prices are nothing new. It’s always been hard for me to justify the full retail price of a brand new smartphone or laptop—so I don’t pay it. I’ve been buying used tech for years, and it’s never let me down.

Self-hosting is both an entertaining hobby if you like computers, and a reasonable way to save a few dollars if you swap out your subscription services for something you host yourself. It does come with a bit of risk, however, if you put your self-hosted services online so they're accessible from the internet. I was curious about what kind of attacks my server was getting, so I set up a honeypot to see what happened.

When it comes to laptops, Windows on Arm seems to be taking center stage lately. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 is right in the middle of Windows on Arm, with the Snapdragon X2 Plus processor in tow. I was surprised at just how performant this mid-range laptop is, and actually think it's a better buy than its more expensive Snapdragon X2 Elite brothers.

Plug-in hybrids offer a unique middle ground between conventional hybrids and fully electric vehicles. They allow drivers to complete many daily trips using electric power while keeping the convenience of a gasoline engine for longer journeys.

I use Excel for pretty much everything. So when I wanted to keep track of the 2026 FIFA World Cup stadiums, my first instinct was to open a spreadsheet and start building a list. The problem was that a table full of addresses didn't give me a clear picture of where those venues actually were.

I subscribed to YouTube Premium for one reason: an ad-free viewing experience. After all, it’s the biggest selling point of the popular video-sharing platform. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was paying every month without using half of what I’m actually getting.

The idea that you need a luxury badge to enjoy a genuinely premium SUV is starting to feel outdated. Mainstream models have closed the gap with better cabins, more technology, and a stronger focus on everyday comfort.

The Google Pixel 6, the first Pixel phone to ship with Google's Tensor chip, will celebrate its fifth birthday soon. That means with Android 17, the Pixel 6 has received its final major Android update, and official support is coming to an end. If you're still rocking one, it's finally time to start thinking about an upgrade.

Docker Compose is one of the most popular tools in the homelabber's software arsenal, and for good reason. You get one YAML file and run one command (docker compose up), and your service will usually magically start running.

The best NAS I've ever used wasn't the one that I picked up off a shelf. It was the one I cobbled together from old desktop hard drives, an old gaming PC, and a small SSD for a boot drive. It has run for years without a single hitch and beats even expensive modern NASes in most ways that matter.

In a straight comparison between Jellyfin and Plex, there's one clear winner. Jellyfin is open source, totally free with no premium tier, has no account requirement, and has almost everything Plex users need, along with greater customization. For the average person, the day-to-day experience is what really matters, putting Plex above Jellyfin.

I've been using Linux on and off for over 20 years at this point, I'd dual-boot for a few months, or always have a Linux VM or two spooled up on my Windows PC to keep abreast of the latest state of open-source operating systems. The first time I used Linux as my daily driver OS was during my postgraduate studies, where the little netbook I took to class could only handle Linux and not Windows.

Want to buy more tools this year? If you're a fan of Makita, you know the company regularly releases new items to bolster its inventory, including a slew of new tools over the last month. Whether you need a new drill, pellet saw, blowers, or other items, here are some exciting new Makita tools worth considering.