How-To Geek

It's frustrating moment when an important, low-power device like a TV remote or a tracking tag starts acting up for no clear reason. It might respond slowly, lose its connection, or flash a low battery warning, even after you've put in a new battery.

The Toyota RAV4 has become the default answer for buyers looking for a dependable compact SUV. Its reputation for reliability, strong resale value, and everyday practicality makes it one of the safest choices in the segment. But for drivers who want something that feels a little more distinctive, sticking with the obvious option isn’t always the best move.

Most people who own two or more PCs put the more powerful one on their desk and relegate the weaker one to server duty. From personal experience, though, I’ve found doing the opposite has far more practical benefits. Here are five reasons I turned my powerful machine into a home server and use a weaker one as my daily driver.

The most popular Android phones are big—it’s just a fact. Most of us have giant screens in our pockets, but most of us don’t have giant hands. Thankfully, there are some tools at your disposal that can make it easier to use your phone without needing a two-handed grip.

People everywhere use Android Auto for its excellent traffic and navigation tools, streaming music, and more. And while it has some pretty good voice commands that help you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, I'm not a fan. As a result, I've started messing with powerful automations and home screen shortcuts, and here are a few you'll absolutely love.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC has become one of the default choices in the compact luxury SUV segment, offering the prestige, comfort, and polish buyers expect from a premium badge. But in 2026, that badge alone is no longer enough to guarantee the best experience. One Korean rival is making a strong case that luxury and driving enjoyment can come from somewhere unexpected.

Excel mastery is a slow-burn obsession. You start by color-coding cells, but soon you're living in the Power Query Editor and building automated pipelines. It's a steep learning curve, but you might be higher up than you think. To see how much of a nerd you've become, here are the five levels.

While you might think having one drill, sander, or router is totally fine, you really should have multiple. Not every power tool needs a twin, but there are a handful that definitely do. Here are four power tools that I own multiples of, and why I think you should too.

I'm pretty deep in the Roku ecosystem at this point. Between multiple Roku TVs and a couple of media PCs, it's what I use every day for streaming. In fact, this is the second time I've written about Roku in recent weeks. Last time, I focused on features most people never touch. This time, I'm going in the opposite direction and looking at something I care about a lot more: privacy.

Hybrid. It is a word that used to be almost synonymous with the Toyota Prius, and because of that, car enthusiasts treated hybrids like pariahs. When the first-generation Prius debuted in the United States about 25 years ago, it changed the world. It was one of the first mass-produced hybrid cars ever made, boasting an EPA-estimated 41 mpg combined rating and setting the benchmark for the eco-conscious car buyer.

The Raspberry Pi first rose to prominence as an educational tool before it was catapulted into the mainstream by hobbyists. Several hardware revisions later, this single-board computer has its own actively-maintained operating system and features prominently as the go-to pint-sized project computer.

Do you spend most of your time in the terminal, or are you trying to learn? Bash is very mature, and it packs a lot of hidden features. Today, I have seven command-line tricks that will save you time typing and editing.

I'm on the record saying the Oscars are my favorite awards show in pop culture. For me, it's like watching a championship game in sports. You better believe I'm filling out a ballot to see if I can predict the night's biggest upsets, though I missed on Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor at the 2026 Oscars.

The sportswagon or shooting brake is (normally) the calling card of European premium and luxury brands. Historically, this style of vehicle was designed to carry a gentleman’s party and their gear, essentially merging the sleek styling of a sports car with the extended cargo space of a wagon. In modern terms, it describes a vehicle that prioritizes an athletic silhouette and interior comfort while still offering the utility of a traditional SUV or crossover.

The Netflix machine never stops. The streaming giant continues to release hit movies that capture a massive audience. The latest example is Apex, a riveting thriller that premiered on April 24. Apex is our top movie of the week to watch on Netflix in the U.S. because of its gripping premise and massive star power.

Every so often, a background or supporting character does such a good job at stealing scenes from the stars of a show or movie that Hollywood has no choice but to take notice. And sometimes, they're given the chance to shine in their own spinoff. We know the success stories (Frasier Crane and Saul Goodman come to mind) and the flops (Joey, we had such high hopes), but bit players have been proving their worth at the top of the marquee for decades, often shining brighter than their original incarnations.

Physically carrying media between computers, known as "sneakernet," is one of the oldest "networking" protocols in that it lets me share files between machines. Despite the availability of cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, I still use sneakernet in some situations.

Microsoft’s free productivity suite for Windows power users has never sat still for long. After introducing a dockable command palette last month, the company is back with PowerToys 0.99, and this time, it might be the most feature-packed release in recent months. This version brings two brand-new utilities along with refinements to the existing features. From better monitor management to smarter window controls, this version update is worth looking at.

Android Auto is the same Android that's running on your phone, but with a very limited interface. That's the point, of course, but you'd be surprised by how many Android apps are actually supported by Android Auto. Here are four apps you might typically think of as phone apps, but work as full-fledged Android Auto apps as well.

Reliability has always been a big deal in the U.S. car market because for most people, a car isn’t a luxury—it’s how daily life actually happens. With long distances and limited public transport in many areas, drivers need something they can trust without constantly worrying about breakdowns or expensive surprises.