How-To Geek

Picking between the 2025 Kia K4 and K5 can feel like choosing between siblings—same family, but very different personalities.

There's an overwhelming number of file managers on the Google Play Store, but a good chunk of those are riddled with ads, proprietary, or both. File managers have access to the entire user file system, so you want to be sure you can trust them with all your data. Here are four open-source, privacy-friendly file managers you can try.

Home Assistant and Nabu Casa released the ZBT-2 adapter back in November, which adds Zigbee, Thread, and Matter to any Home Assistant server. Now you can buy one right on Amazon.

In general, most Chromebooks (especially modern ones) are whisper-quiet. So it can be a little surprising to hear the fans on your laptop spin up. In particular when there's no obvious reason for it. The good news is that sometimes a laptop needs extra cooling and it doesn't mean something is wrong. In some cases, you do however need to do something about it.

Building a gaming PC, or even buying a prebuilt, isn't a cheap proposition these days. With such a large expense, it doesn't make sense to leave performance on the table when all it takes are a few minutes to change some settings in your BIOS to get the most out of your system. Here are three that I always adjust with every new PC I build.

This year, I've been trying to purge subscriptions that I don't really need. I've managed to replace a lot of my paid subscriptions with free alternatives that can do the same job. I've kept hold of my Home Assistant Cloud subscription, however, and there are plenty of good reasons why.

Apple’s smart home ecosystem is opening up, slowly. AirPlay, iCloud, and Apple Music were once limited exclusively to Apple devices, but that’s no longer the case. The next app that the company needs to open up is Apple Home, bringing its surprisingly robust smart home ecosystem to Android and more.

What is a phone? It's no mystery that the devices we call "phones" today are not primarily used for phone calls. And now that I’ve purchased a smartwatch that can also place calls, isn’t that, too, also a phone?

There are several reasons why you might prefer using web apps over desktop apps. You don't need to install anything, you can access the apps from anywhere, and it doesn't matter which operating system you're using. Many web apps offer a very similar experience to the desktop versions, but here are some desktop apps that are simply better.

Shoppers hunting for a dependable used SUV in 2025 are increasingly turning to one standout Japanese hybrid that has earned a reputation for almost never needing repairs. While many five-year-old models start showing their age with mounting maintenance costs, this hybrid consistently proves itself as one of the most worry-free options on the market. Its blend of efficiency, durability, and low running costs makes it a top pick for drivers who want long-term value without sacrificing daily usability.

I love the Christmas season, especially nostalgic callbacks to Christmases past. Up until this year, I'd limited my decorating to just my house, but I came across a throwback animated decoration for Linux desktops I couldn't help but install.

Google forking VS Code was a very significant change, and there weren’t many signs that this was coming. When Google, a company that has championed and contributed to open source projects like Visual Studio Code, chooses to fork the application and build its own parallel app, it demands attention.

The introduction of Spotify Wrapped back in 2016 made the concept of an end-of-year app-usage review go viral. Since then, many other apps have jumped on the bandwagon. One app that doesn't have its own "Wrapped" yet is ChatGPT. Thanks to a genius idea posted on LinkedIn, I got ChatGPT to create my own ChatGPT Wrapped 2025, and it's incredibly easy to do.

In Microsoft Excel, you can convert your data into many types of charts. However, frustratingly, there's no option for a standard timeline chart. To get over this hurdle, I use a basic line chart to create a dynamic, professional timeline in 10 minutes. Here's how you can too.

Python is one of the most popular languages for developing AI and computer vision projects. With the power of OpenCV and face detection libraries, you can build smart systems that can make decisions and accomplish tasks. Let's build a system that sends an alert upon detecting a face.

The Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 10 has a stunning design and delivers immense power and sizable RAM alongside a beautiful 18-inch display. However, a few surprising flaws mean it isn’t quite the slam-dunk gaming laptop I expected.

I’ve had dual USB-C/A flash drives for many years—they’re nothing new. However, when I got the PNY Duo Link V3, it changed how I used dual flash drives.

If you're tempted by a Lexus NX but keep wondering if there's something roomier, cheaper, and still just as relaxing, the Toyota Crown Signia is the twist you probably didn’t see coming. It delivers an easygoing kind of luxury that feels more “effortlessly cool” than “trying too hard.”

The popular Notepad++ text editor has been hijacked to spread malware, due to a security vulnerability in the app's update mechanism. If you have the app installed, make sure you have the latest version to stay safe.

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking a Chromebook is "simple" and is only suitable for kids at school, not serious work. Yet, ChromeOS has grown into a rather mature operating system, and there are plenty of features that can supercharge your productivity or expand your options hidden under the surface of that user-friendly interface.