News that Geeks Care About

How to Change the Default Shell to Bash on macOS Catalina

With macOS Catalina, Apple is now using Zsh as the default shell. We love Zsh, but the trusty old Bash shell is still included with macOS, and you can quickly switch back to Bash if you prefer.

Chris Hoffman 3d ago

How Windows 10’s “Reset This PC” Has Gotten More Powerful

The “Reset This PC” feature has been around since Windows 8, but it’s changed a lot since then. Microsoft keeps making it better and better, and it’s easy to miss all the improvements. Cloud Download i...

Where Are iTunes Features in macOS Catalina?

With macOS Catalina, iTunes is gone once and for all. Music, videos, and podcasts have new apps, and Finder now handles syncing and device backups. Here’s what you need to know in a post-iTunes world....

Tim Brookes 4d ago

What’s New in Ubuntu 19.10 “Eoan Ermine,” Available Now

Ubuntu 19.10 “Eoan Ermine” boasts an upgraded Linux kernel along with faster boot times, updated themes, and experimental ZFS file system support. Whether or not you upgrade, Ermine shows what to expect from Ubun...

How Chrome’s “Tab Freezing” Will Save CPU and Battery

Google is working on a new “Tab Freeze” feature for Chrome, which will pause (freeze) tabs you’re not using. That means lower CPU usage, a faster browser, and longer battery life on a laptop or convertible....

Is Your Old Router Still Getting Security Updates?

Security researchers from Fortinet recently discovered security holes in some D-Link routers. Many of these routers are still sold online, but D-Link no longer manufactures them and won’t patch them. So how do you tell ...

Windows 10 Is Getting Built-In Support for Network Cameras

Network cameras have existed since before the Wyze Cam and Nest Cam. They send their data over your local network rather than relying on a cloud service. Now, Insider builds of Windows 10 20H1 have built-in support for these...

Chris Hoffman Oct 10th

How to Use Your iPad as an External Mac Display With Sidecar

The new Sidecar feature in macOS Catalina extends your Mac’s display to your iPad. With it, you can use your iPad as a secondary monitor or as a mirrored display that works with Apple Pencil and accessories like a mouse and...

Khamosh Pathak Oct 10th

How Windows 7’s “Extended Security Updates” Will Work

Windows 7 isn’t long for this world. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft ends “extended support” for Windows 7, and it will stop getting security updates. But there’s a way around it: Paying for “Exte...

Windows 10’s Phone Calls Will Support All Android 7+ Phones

Microsoft announced Calls on stage at a Samsung event in August, but this feature is coming for all phones with Android 7 or newer. Part of the Your Phone app, “Calling” is now rolling out to Windows Insiders....

Chris Hoffman Oct 8th

What Is Patch Tuesday for Windows, and When Is It?

Microsoft’s “Patch Tuesday” occurs on the second Tuesday of each month. This is the day when, like clockwork, Microsoft releases large update packages for Windows 10, Windows 7, Microsoft Office, and its oth...

Chris Hoffman Oct 8th

How to Disable Interactive Pop-Up Ads on Your Roku TV

Roku TVs are now displaying pop-up advertisements over commercials on live TV. Whether you’re watching cable TV or free OTA channels via an antenna, you’ll see an occasional Roku advertisement above a commercial. ...

Chris Hoffman Oct 7th

What’s New in macOS 10.15 Catalina, Available Now

Apple’s macOS Catalina arrives today, October 7. This free upgrade lets you use your iPad as a second display, draw with an Apple Pencil in Mac apps, and run more iPad apps on your Mac.

How to Copy and Back Up Files To External Storage on iPhone and iPad

Thanks to iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, it’s finally easy to deal with external storage on the iPhone and iPad. You can connect USB flash drives and SD cards to copy and back up your data. Here’s how you do it....

Khamosh Pathak Oct 7th

How to Automatically Delete Your YouTube History

Google now offers a tool that automatically deletes your search and activity history from YouTube. By default, your data is stored forever, but it can be wiped from Google’s servers every 3 or 18 months....

Justin Duino Oct 4th

What Is “Mixed Content,” and Why Is Chrome Blocking It?

Google Chrome already blocks some types of “mixed content” on the web. Now, Google announced it’s getting even more serious: Starting in early 2020, Chrome will block all mixed content by default, breaking s...

Just Updated to iOS 13? Change These Eight Settings Now

Did you know you can now reject all unknown calls on your iPhone to block telemarketing and scam phone calls? This is just one of the useful new settings Apple included in September’s iOS 13 update for iPhones and iPads...

How to Create a Local Account While Setting Up Windows 10

Windows 10 tries its hardest to make you use a Microsoft account. The option was already hidden, but now it’s not even offered on Windows 10 Home while you’re connected to the internet. Here’s how to create ...

Chris Hoffman Oct 2nd

What Is Windows 10X, and How Is It Different?

Windows 10X is a new edition of Windows 10 designed for dual-screen devices like Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Neo, which will be available for the 2020 holiday season next year. It offers a customized interface for thes...

Chris Hoffman Oct 2nd

How to Delete Apps on an iPhone or iPad With iOS 13

Apple changed the way your iPhone and iPad’s home screen works in iOS 13. Now, when you long-press an app’s icon, you’ll first see a contextual menu rather than the usual jiggling icons with “x” ...

Chris Hoffman Oct 2nd

How to Edit Any Web Page in Chrome (or Any Browser)

Web pages are just documents your web browser displays. But what if you could type directly on any web page to modify it? You can, and you don’t need a browser extension—it’s a feature built into every moder...

Chris Hoffman Oct 2nd

Google Announces Maps Incognito Mode and More Privacy Controls

Today, Google is announcing a plethora of new privacy and security features: Incognito Mode for Google Maps, auto-deletion of your YouTube history, voice privacy controls in Google Assistant, and Password Checkup built into G...

Chris Hoffman Oct 2nd

Confirmed: Windows 10 Setup Now Prevents Local Account Creation

Windows 10 Home now forces you to sign in with a Microsoft account—unless you disconnect from the internet first. Microsoft has always wanted you to sign in with a Microsoft account, but now it’s going even furthe...

How to Disable the Apple Watch’s Always-On Display

Early Apple Watch models lacked one significant feature: an always-on display. That changed with the Series 5, which includes a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) display. The option shouldn’t affect the Appl...

Justin Duino Oct 1st

Is the Mac Pro Overpriced Compared to a PC?

Apple’s Mac Pro will be made in the USA with a starting price of $6,000. You get a pretty sweet machine for that price, but how close could you get to the power of the Mac Pro if you tried to build a Windows version you...