How-To Geek

There are a lot of things Windows 11 has been criticized for, but some of the big problems are with seemingly basic features. Even years after they were implemented, these four Windows features are still giving me trouble.

Windows collects quite a bit more data about your browsing habits than you might expect, and between the operating system itself, optional programs and settings, and bad habits, there are dozens of different ways your browsing history can leak.

Do you remember how graphics cards used to be fun? And no, I don't just mean that they used to have mind-blowing specs and huge gen-on-gen performance gains. I mean when their designs were actually fun. And mildly horrifying, but that's another thing entirely.

Every smart home is a work in progress, though some aspects need a little more attention than others. The reality is that your smart home probably has a few problems that you can solve right now, and others that you can at least acknowledge and start to fix.

When enthusiasts talk about smartphone displays, there’s a long list of specs to obsess over. While resolution was and still remains the headline feature everyone cares about, there’s a different spec that makes the biggest difference day to day—yet it doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves. Of course, I’m talking about refresh rate.

I finally got tired of not having my photo library properly backed up and decided to do something about it—deploy SyncThing. This free and open source backup tool keeps my entire photo library neatly backed up to my storage server without me having to lift a finger or spend a dime, and here’s how I did it.

If you were an early adopter of the smart speaker revolution, chances are there's an older model of the Amazon Echo lying in a drawer, especially if you ditched the brand. This device isn't just a paperweight; it's a powerful piece of hardware that's underutilized. Don't sell your spares for pennies or toss them out, instead use them as dedicated smart home tools to solves everyday household problems.

Terminal multiplexers like screen or tmux are invaluable if you're working on a PC over SSH or sitting in front of one that only has a command-line interface. Despite its age, screen is always my first choice. This is why.

I like a good escapist fiction show or movie to remove me from reality from time to time, or most of the time, really. But when reality often proves wilder and stranger than fiction, it's even more compelling. A good documentary or docuseries can transport you and teach you something new you didn't know.

3D printing can feel wasteful. Every discarded bit of filament you throw away costs you money, and over time, these off-cuts can add up. Though necessary to ensure overhanging elements print correctly, supports can be a major source of 3D printing waste.

An operating system is only as good as the apps it runs. Linux has been able to challenge proprietary systems because it can deliver some "killer apps." Here are some of the best applications, both on servers and on the desktop, that have grown up alongside Linux.

A second Ethernet port is fairly common among NAS devices. Even affordable options usually come with two ports, often 2.5GbE or faster. While you could spend a lifetime without touching the second port, there’s a breadth of useful features that open up once you plug a network cable into it.

Linux has more than a dozen different desktop environments available, and a big part of what differentiates distros is how they choose to customize those desktop environments. POP!_OS used GNOME for most of its history, but in late 2025, they released an entirely new desktop environment called COSMIC.

Kernel version numbers in Linux are famously arbitrary. Linus Torvalds changes the major digit when the minor number feels too big. However, version 7.0 is shaping up to be a substantial release, solving some decade-old annoyances and making the kernel future-ready. Here’s a quick look at everything you should know about Linux kernel 7.0.

From 1978 to 1987, Subaru sold a fun little pickup truck that was quirky right down to its name, BRAT. And while the name may conjure up images of Bart Simpson or Dennis the Menace, it was just an acronym for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter. Subaru marketed it as a “Fun in the Sun” vehicle with “On-Demand” 4WD and a pair of rear-facing jump seats in the bed.

Network Attached Storage (NAS) has really changed how we handle storage. It's moved from being just a specialized tool for big businesses to a key part of a home that you can build from a laptop. However, a lot of people treat these advanced machines like any other appliance you just set up and then forget about. They tuck them away in closets or under desks without really thinking about the physics that make them operate. Since mechanical hard drives are high-precision instruments that work with tiny tolerances, how long they last completely depends on how stable their environment is and how specific their hardware setup is.

This weekend on Prime Video, we’re diving into three shows that are flat-out alluring. Their deeply developed, relatable characters combine with engaging emotional storylines built around a unique premise, with unpredictable twists and strong, morally challenging worlds to foster something truly special and completely enticing.

Android Auto is essential if you want to access your phone from your car's infotainment system without ever having to glance at the screen. But as convenient as it is, all those notifications that keep popping up while you're driving are more than a little annoying—they can also be a dangerous distraction.

Seeing your real-time location on a map isn’t very useful if the map doesn’t show you where to go. This is especially true when it comes to walking and hiking trails, which aren’t usually visible in Google Maps. Matchy Maps fixes this by bringing physical maps into the digital world.