How-To Geek

Have you ever noticed a game on your phone that you don't remember downloading? Have you ever updated your Android phone, only to find a dozen new apps you didn't ask for? If you want to stop this from happening, there are a few things you can try.

Today, portable storage media are common. External SSDs, microSD cards, USB sticks—we all have one (or several) of those. They're no longer seen as revolutionary products, but the Zip drive was one … for a time.

I've gotten a lot of use out of open source projects over the years. Eventually, I decided I wanted to give back. What can you do though when you've never coded an app or have money to contribute? It turns out, a lot.

Once you start a Jellyfin server and give it your personal media collection, you can start streaming it just like you would a regular streaming service. It doesn't cost a dime, and unlike competitors Plex and Emby, it's totally open source. Here's how to get started.

My friends think I’m crazy—and honestly, that’s nothing new. But in August 2024, I made a decision that still blows their minds.

The digital world is messy, noisy, and occasionally hostile, and I've tried to stay at least a little security-conscious as more of my life has moved online. For a long time, that meant using a password manager and calling it a day. Strong, unique passwords everywhere felt like the finish line. The problem is that threats have changed, and habits haven't always kept up. These days, relying on a password manager alone is a lot like locking your front door while leaving the windows open.

Do you spend most of your time in the terminal? If you do, you’ve probably encountered the classic find, grep, and cat commands when searching for files. However, I find these awkward to use and think they could be a lot better, and I have a command that delivers a much more advanced search experience.

Ever stare at your task list and feel completely paralyzed, not knowing where to start? Tired of productivity apps that add more complexity instead of actually helping you get things done? Well, here’s a free and open-source app that helped me finally beat procrastination.

Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and many websites might have the latest emoji, but Windows 11 still hasn't caught up. Thankfully, that might finally change soon, as Microsoft is once again testing Emoji 16.0 support.

The days of ChatGPT being an ad-free experience are coming to an end. OpenAI is starting to roll out advertisements to free ChatGPT accounts, and people on the cheaper Go subscription plan will also see them.

Looking for a good movie or three to watch this week? I've learned to underestimate Paramount+ when it comes to its library of movies, with the massive studio having so many in its catalog. Combine that with the ones it licenses, and you get quite the dilemma—what to watch.

Netflix's new crop of movies for February has come with a handful of must-see gems to make your work week sail by a bit smoother, so let's get right to it, shall we?

If your vehicle was manufactured from about 2016 onward, it might have a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Around that time, automakers started embedding Wi-Fi hotspots in their vehicles and offering trial subscriptions after purchase, similar to how they do with SiriusXM. Manufacturers like Chevrolet were among the first to heavily promote “4G LTE connectivity,” especially across its Silverado lineup, where new owners could connect up to seven devices.

Last month, YouTube TV announced that cheaper “genre-specific” packages would be coming soon. However, it didn’t share the pricing or any information about the actual channel bundles. The first batch of packages has finally been revealed, and they might not be as cheap as you expected.

It wasn't long ago where the phrase "integrated GPU" would evoke a rolling of the eyes and flashbacks to performance levels that struggled to even power dragging a windows across the screen. However, if you haven't been paying attention, you might have missed that iGPUs have been improving by leaps and bounds.

The glory days of SATA SSDs are well and truly gone by now. These drives, stuck between an HDD and a much faster NVMe SSD, don't have much to offer that the other two don't cover.

Self-hosting is becoming more popular by the day. If your friends have finally convinced you to get a NAS (they’re good friends, by the way), maybe it’s time to take the plunge.

The messaging app Discord says it will start requiring people to verify their age with identity documents, face scans, even in regions where age checking is not legally required. The change is planned for next month.

DeWalt is known for its bright yellow drills, high-torque impact drivers, and powerful reciprocating saws, the heavy-duty gear essential for construction and carpentry. However, just focusing on its core power tools means you're missing out on where the brand has expanded.

If you’ve noticed a Wi-Fi signal blind spot in a corner of your home, you’ve probably thought about buying a Wi-Fi repeater to fix it. But did you know that the old Android phone sitting in your drawer could actually help bridge the gap? It’s a super-easy way to extend connectivity without spending a cent.