How-To Geek

Have you been looking at Home Assistant dashboards, thinking they’d be nice to have? Well, what if I told you that you very likely already own the hardware to build one with zero added cost? Here’s everything you need to know about building your own Home Assistant dashboard.

I store most of my documents in the cloud, but not everything is stored there. So, when I wanted to factory reset my MacBook, I turned to my homelab for backing up my Apple computer. Here’s how I did it, and why I think you should utilize your hardware in the same way.

Microsoft just quietly pulled the plug on one of Windows Media Player’s oldest and most loved features. If you still enjoy digitizing your compact discs into digital files, you may have recently noticed a major problem.

Back in the day, every single Android phone had an SD card slot. Expandable storage was as common as 3.5mm jacks. Nowadays, though, only a select few, mostly budget, phones come with one. But now's the perfect time for phone brands to bring it back. Here's why.

With the launch of Google's long-awaited Apple Find My competitor back in 2024, item trackers have become even more popular. Many of them have been pretty basic, but the most interesting trackers we’ve ever seen were just announced at CES.

The sports sedan world is full of loud personalities—big badges, aggressive styling, and constant reminders of why they matter. The Genesis G70 doesn’t play that game.

Are you ready for another round of Raspberry Pi projects to tackle after the first full week of the year? Here are three fun projects that will test your skills in soldering, configuring, and customizing.

The new year is here, which means you're one step closer to the films, shows, and documentaries that are scheduled for streaming. Netflix has a string of exciting titles slated to release in 2026, and is kicking off its run with a promising winter roster.

The new year brings new promises, and, as tradition dictates, new resolutions that we all hope to keep beyond the first week of January. But if you find it difficult to stick to your habits, all hope is not lost. Every year, I try out apps that can help me stick to my New Year's resolutions and build good habits—here are my top picks for 2026.

Has Google's Antigravity left you feeling indifferent? You're not alone. I've also become tired of the AI hype train. Perhaps you recall the blockchain fad? While the idea was positive, the execution felt like non-stop solicitation. The hype can induce anxiety and a fear of missing out, but are we really missing out? Here are five reasons Antigravity doesn't do it for me.

Founded in 1996, Edifier has established a strong reputation in the audio industry, consistently delivering high-quality technology designed for a diverse range of audiences. The company has earned multiple awards for its exceptional speakers and other audio products, including CES Innovation Awards, iF Design Awards, and more.

Insurance costs are one of the biggest, and most overlooked, expenses of vehicle ownership, and in 2026, one Japanese SUV stands out for offering the lowest average insurance rates of any new model. For budget-minded buyers, that can translate to hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars saved over the life of the vehicle, making it a remarkably affordable choice beyond its sticker price.

The ChromeOS Files app isn’t just a place to browse downloads. It’s the control center for everything your Chromebook stores, syncs, and touches. Local files, Google Drive, Android app data, and Linux files all funnel through here. If you don’t understand how Chromebook storage actually works, you’re already using it wrong.

When it’s time to make your way through town during rush hour traffic or head off on a road trip, which mapping app do you use? Back in the day, I’d say Google Maps, but these days my first choice is Apple’s pack-in.

A new year has begun, and we all start off with great intentions. If you've promised yourself that you're going to do more with Home Assistant this year, you may be facing the common issue of not knowing what to automate next. Here are three Home Assistant projects you might want to take on this weekend.

I love the weekend because it's a great time to test out Linux distros and applications. This week, I've come across some software I think will be useful to someone out there, including a document converter tool, a headphone controller, and a brew timer.

Paramount+ has been in a fantastic groove for series that are great to binge over a weekend (or a few weekdays)—perfect if you want to be hooked quickly and just keep going.

We use Excel every day, but we rarely appreciate the sheer scale of its dominance. Excel isn't just a spreadsheet—it's a global phenomenon that has survived every major shift in tech history. Here's why this familiar, 40-year-old green icon still sits on our task bars today.

If Windows is your operating system of choice, you probably know about a few keyboard shortcuts that include the Windows key. The fact of the matter is that the Windows key is probably the most useful key on the entire keyboard.

I had used Windows since its XP days, and most of my life I stuck with it. Occasionally, I would dual-boot with a Linux distribution, but I always went back to Windows. About three years ago, I deleted Windows off my work computer and permanently switched to Linux. Here's how that decision slowly reshaped my tech habits.