How-To Geek

The Windows desktop is iconic. Some of the backgrounds, the green rolling hills featured in Windows XP, have even become a bit of a meme. However, I do one thing very differently: I have completely removed all desktop icons from my desktop.

Have you noticed how cluttered and obnoxious the web is at times? For example, cookie banners and blinding white themes are a constant barrage of annoyance and distraction. Thankfully, modern web extensions solve many of those problems, but there are a few essentials that I can't live without.

When Valve released the Steam Deck gaming handheld, the comparisons to the Nintendo Switch were unavoidable, and the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 has reignited those discussions. I’m here to tell you that the Steam Deck is not a better Switch or Switch 2, because they aren’t really doing the same thing.

In a segment dominated by European and Japanese brands, one American luxury SUV quietly delivers style, comfort, and technology that rivals the best. Often overlooked, it’s a hidden gem for buyers seeking upscale refinement without the usual luxury price tag.

Another week in the Android world is behind us, and this one was just as eventful as any other. Both Chrome and Firefox for Android received some privacy-focused updates, it's looking like the Pixel 10 is finally going to get a highly-requested feature, and One UI 8 continues to roll out.

We navigate most modern phones entirely by swiping our fingers across their displays—but in Android’s early days, all phones came with buttons under the screen. One of these once prominent keys has utterly disappeared, its role no longer a core part of how we navigate our phones.

Before streaming, entertainment was all about finding the right thing to watch on TV. And nothing brought the entire family together like a sitcom with great characters and lighthearted humor.

Looking forward to the second season of a particularly famous Netflix show, or craving something new and fresh? Netflix will have you spoiled with its new and upcoming releases for August. Whether you're a thriller fan or a laid-back sitcom lover, there's something for everyone this month.

Are you confused by the hundreds of Linux distributions out there? Do you want to know how they compare to and differ from one another so you can make a better decision? Well, I just tested 10 of the most popular Linux distros, and here's my personal ranking of all of them!

If you worked in tech in the early 2000s, The IT Crowd was one of those shows that really captured the nostalgia of both the era and what life was like before Slack and the interconnected workplace we live in today.

If you own a home, power outages, occasional or otherwise, are a way of life. The Anker SOLIX F3000 Portable Power Station provides a home backup for short-term power outages, but is versatile enough, and just portable enough, for so much more.

Is your backlog of games not quite long enough? Lucky you, since we have three more indie games to add to your library. This month we’ve got a retro-inspired driving game, a laid-back but dark city-builder, and the best new survival crafter of the last few years.

Over the last few weeks, Microsoft has focused on improving automation, compatibility, and productivity in Excel for Windows, Mac, and the web. Here are five new features to look out for this month.

You can program without programming tools, and integrated development environments (IDEs) are popular among developers. I take a different approach. I treat my Linux system, with its array of programming tools, as an IDE in itself.

Google’s link shortener used to be an incredibly popular service, but the ability to create links was turned off in 2018. Google said all links would stop working this year, and even though the company is partially reversing course, many links across the web will still become broken.

Are you using a laptop as a desktop? That’s been my life for years, but after a recent experiment, I actually think that having a dedicated desktop is worth it—even with how great and powerful modern laptops are.

Lossless audio has become one of the buzziest terms in the world of music streaming. Apple Music offers it, as do Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and others. It’s positioned as a big leap in audio fidelity—a way to hear your favorite tracks the way artists and engineers intended.

KDE developers have announced that you can now test KDE Linux, a completely new Linux distribution currently in a "pre-alpha" phase. It's big news for KDE enthusiasts like myself, as it's meant to be a pure KDE Plasma experience free from the meddling of third-party distro developers.

Some crossovers focus on comfort, while others chase performance, but few manage to deliver both in perfect balance. This luxury compact SUV offers a driving experience that’s as engaging as it is refined, making every trip feel like more than just a commute.

Reddit is planning to unify its traditional site search and "Reddit Answers" AI tool, and give it more prominent placement in the site and mobile apps. The company is hoping to become more of a first destination for information searches, instead of Google or other search engines standing in the way.