How-To Geek

As much as I like Wear OS, I have to admit the platform has always had one weakness: watch faces. The Galaxy Watch and Pixel Watch have nice built-in options, but venture into the Play Store to look for more, and it’s not easy to find good ones. Allow me to make some suggestions.

Sometimes, you get an idea in your head, and it doesn’t work out as you expect. I thought NFC tags would be an easy, affordable way to set up some cool smart home automations around my house. Boy, was I wrong.

The way I read varies from day to day. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a physical book. Other times, I love to listen to my audiobooks. But most of the time, I tend to lean towards my e-books. And that often involves my Kindle.

I'm mainly a Windows user, but I've always kept one foot in Linux. For years, that meant having at least one laptop set up to dual-boot Windows and Linux, just in case I needed a real Linux environment for a specific project, experiment, or troubleshooting job. I still use Linux that way in other places, too. Zorin OS and Linux Mint are great for keeping older Windows PCs useful long after Windows itself starts feeling too heavy for them.

We live in an attention economy, and that can make it difficult to concentrate. Writing is something that demands attention, but so too are the devices we choose to write on.

If you've got a messy Excel spreadsheet with invalid values, blank entries, duplicates, or other problems, you might think you have to spend hours cleaning it up. You can use Python to automate these steps instead. Here's how.

Want to start leveling up your terminal skills? The Linux command line has a wealth of flexible commands for file management. Learn how to use the most common ones for your everyday tasks.

New cars have become so expensive that the gap between mainstream and luxury models barely feels real anymore. A fully-loaded family sedan now comes packed with the kind of comfort, tech, and refinement that used to be reserved for premium badges only.

My Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 was unlike anything I had ever used before—a fully capable PC that fit in my pocket, unfolded into a tablet, and became a desktop when connected to a monitor. Unfortunately, Samsung has made a series of decisions that have increasingly put me off from using the phone and inspired me to seek out something else.

A few years ago, I bought a Beelink SEi8 mini PC, and it has turned out to be one of those pieces of hardware I appreciate more over time. It's not my main desktop, and I'm not pretending it's some tiny workstation that can chew through video edits or high-end gaming. Most of the time, it runs as a media PC and lightweight server for things like Plex and a handful of other apps. But that's exactly why I like it. It does the jobs I actually need it to do without taking up much space, making much noise, or feeling like another full-size computer I have to manage.

Convertibles may not dominate today’s automotive market, but they still deliver something that SUVs and crossovers simply can’t replicate. In a world where most new vehicles prioritize practicality over personality, a drop-top remains one of the purest ways to enjoy driving. Whether it’s a scenic coastal cruise or a spirited back-road run, few vehicles make summer driving feel as special.

Do you love the convenience of wireless earbuds but hate the intrusive feeling of having silicone tips shoved deep into your ear canals? Or perhaps you avoid wearing them because you can't hear your surroundings. Either way, open-ear earbuds could finally be the solution you've been looking for.

Pixel phones are known for their cameras, but the stock camera app isn’t perfect. The image processing is quite heavy, and there’s little manual control if you want to experiment. I recently started using Open Camera, a free open-source alternative, and I'm now getting even more from my Pixel's camera.

“Yes, Chef!”

Compact cars have become smarter, more efficient, and more comfortable than ever before, but many of them have also become a little dull. In the pursuit of fuel economy and everyday practicality, a lot of affordable sedans and hatchbacks have lost the sense of fun that enthusiasts still crave. For drivers who actually enjoy being behind the wheel, finding a compact car with genuine personality has become surprisingly difficult.

Are you just using your router for Wi-Fi? Well, it actually does a lot more than that. Here's everything else your Wi-Fi router can do.

Planning a road trip this summer? Despite high gas prices, millions will still hit the road. The real question: what will they be driving?

If you've started mentally tallying up your software subscriptions and wincing a little, you're probably overdue for a cleanup. The good news is that the open-source ecosystem has quietly become really good—good enough that some apps outright beat their paid alternatives. Last year, I switched to these six free, open-source apps, and they saved me nearly a grand without forcing me to compromise.

I adore E-Ink technology and there has never been a more exciting time to be a fan. New devices offering distinct ways to experience this paper-like technology are dropping all the time.

Memorial Day is more than just the unofficial start to summer. It serves as a day of remembrance for those brave soldiers who died serving in the United States military. These courageous individuals loved their country so much that they were willing to sacrifice their lives for it.