May 5, 2022

Did You Know?

The phrase “acid test”, used to indicate something is a rigorous measure of quality, as in “This flight will be the acid test for our new design.”, finds its roots in a literal test wherein acid is used to check gold samples (as metals of lesser value and purity are dissolved faster than pure gold).

Today is the 30th anniversary of Wolfenstein 3D. The game shocked the world with its immersive first-person experience on home PCs—and with its graphic violence.

We spoke to industry luminaries John Carmack, John Romero, and Tom Hall for more insights about Wolfenstein 3D’s development process at id Software and its legacy. Give it a read—it’s fascinating stuff.

-Chris

Read more at howtogeek.com

Thirty years ago today, id Software released Wolfenstein 3D, a thrilling first-person shooter game set during World War II. It broke new ground for action-based PC games and continued a string of growing successes for id Software. With help from John Carmack, John Romero, and Tom Hall, we’ll take a look at what made it special. Read More »

The ability to “Undo” the last thing you typed is something we take for granted on PCs. The iPhone also happens to have a handy undo gesture—and, if you use a Samsung Galaxy phone, you do too. Read More »

Working from home has become wildly popular over the past few years, but it has also introduced us to challenges we hadn’t considered. Pets, projects around the house, random distractions on the internet — all serve to deter focus and hamper productivity. Can a suite of work-focused apps help you get back on track? We’ll discuss how to stay productive while working from home with Setapp, a popular subscription service with more than 200 incredible apps for Mac. Read More »

Chromebooks don’t have the same options for hardware as traditional PCs, and more recently, many of the best Chromebooks have been behind on new processors. That’s now changing, with the introduction of AMD Ryzen 5000 C-Series chips for Chrome OS computers. Read More »

Curved monitors aren’t curved for a stylistic choice. They provide valuable benefits such as a wider field of view and wider display resolutions. However, they won’t benefit everyone. Let’s discuss whether curved monitors are right for you. Read More »

Buying a budget smartwatch can feel daunting given the sheer number of options from both popular and relatively unknown brands. But we’re here to help. Here are our handpicked recommendations for the best budget smartwatches. Read More »

Linux-powered network services are on the rise, and as a networking professional or infrastructure engineer, you need the skills and expertise to harness their power. ‌Linux for Networking Professionals will teach you everything from setting up basic network configurations, to implementing security protocols, to running system diagnostics, and more. Download your free copy today.

The availability of electric car charging stations is a valid concern for those looking to switch from gas cars. Luckily, there are lots of websites and apps that make finding a charging station near you — and what it’ll cost if you have to pay — very easy. Read More »

Microsoft Excel is a full-featured, commonly used spreadsheet application, but it’s not perfect. Its longtime rival Google Sheets offers features that Excel does not, including many helpful functions. Let’s take a look! Read More »

Software and game preservation is an increasingly important topic, and the best way to keep software accessible for future generations is by releasing the original source code. That’s exactly what just happened for Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, originally released in 1995. Read More »

Coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs are well aware that, sometimes, that morning cup doesn’t sit right. One change could make all the difference, though. Read More »

When it comes to selling a home, there are a few things nearly everyone knows can increase the selling price. For example, you can upgrade fixtures or spruce up the lawn. However, there’s another exterior detail you might be forgetting. Read More »

It’s definitely a seller’s market in real estate right now, so it’s no wonder that many people have been considering putting their property up for sale. But when it comes to getting even more of a return on your investment, is there a “best time” to sell? Read More »

When you’ve got a PC completely infected with viruses, sometimes it’s best to reboot into a rescue disc and run a full virus scan from there. Here’s how to use the Avira Rescue System to clean an infected PC. Read More »

Universal Flash Storage, or UFS for short, is the storage technology used by many smartphones and other devices. Samsung has now unveiled its implementation of UFS 4.0, a faster upgraded version that might appear in your next phone or tablet. Read More »

While we can’t promise you the wisdom of the Jedi on this May Fourth, you can at least pretend your Midichlorian count is off the charts as you direct your brand new robot vacuum around the house without lifting a finger. Find a slew of discounts on Roborock vacuums, plus iPads, a Wi-Fi mesh system, and plenty more in this week’s How-To Geek Deals. Read More »

If you’ve made a mistake while typing on an iPhone—or you accidentally deleted a bunch of text—you might wonder: Can you undo it? The answer is usually yes, and there are at least four different ways to do it. Here’s how. Read More »