Explainers Articles - How-To Geek

You’ve secured your computer with strong disk encryption and security software. It’s safe—as long as you keep it within eyesight. But, once an attacker has physical access to your computer, all bets are off. Meet the “evil …

What Is the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Project xCloud)?

Play the latest AAA titles in high definition on the go with nothing more than an Android device and a stable internet connection. Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate makes it all possible with a library of more than 150 game…

Joshalynne Finch 4d ago

Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S: Which Should You Buy?

Microsoft will launch two new consoles Nov. 10, 2020. Should you get the chunky Xbox Series X, or the much smaller (and cheaper) Series S? Let’s take a look at the differences, and which is the better buy….

Tim Brookes 5d ago

No one wants to build a new PC if, in a month or so, some super-awesome component is going to roll out, or prices are going to drop significantly. So, is 2020 a good time? Yes, but waiting until October is a good idea—espec…

IBM’s OS/2 operating system, first released in 1987, occupies a strange place in PC lore. If you were around back then, you probably heard that it was once better than Windows, yet few people used it. So, what was the deal wi…

Want a new TV, but confused by the barrage of acronyms and jargon manufacturers love? One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether you want a traditional light-emitting diode (LED) model, or a set that features…

Building a new PC is fun, exciting, and . . . expensive. After you’ve built a few desktops, all those new boxes of Corsair, NVIDIA, and Intel gear can lose their luster—especially after you tally up the bill….

On Sept. 13, 2000, Apple released Mac OS X Public Beta, the first public release of OS X to include the Dock. It was also the first to feature the unprecedented eye candy that was the Aqua interface. It marked the beginning o…

With next-gen consoles arriving by the end of 2020 and NVIDIA’s RTX 30 series of graphics cards cresting the horizon, HDMI 2.1 is looking more critical than ever. Does this mean you have to upgrade your TV to take advantage o…

What’s the Difference Between a Megabit and Megabyte?

Despite the fact that they’re similar words with similar abbreviations, megabits (Mb) and megabytes (MB) are different units of measurement. Here’s what they measure, and when they’re used.

Vann Vicente Sep 11th

What Is Edge Computing, and Why Does It Matter?

Matthew Hughes Sep 10th

OLED displays are beautiful to look at and expensive, but you might be surprised to learn they can suffer from “burn-in” or permanent image retention. How prevalent is this issue, and should you worry about it?…

The mirrorless camera was originally heralded as the smaller, lighter, more convenient alternative to the DSLR. However, if you look at the latest mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, and (to a lesser extent) Sony, that hasn…

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Windows 95, and people have a lot to say about it. My favorite part of Windows 95 was an infamous program called Microsoft Bob. It was a massive failure, but I loved it anyway….

With next-generation consoles right around the corner, and ultra-high-definition HDR content in plentiful supply, 2020 is a great time to buy a new TV. Before you do, though, here are six mistakes to avoid….

Should You Use a Lens Adapter with a Mirrorless Camera?

Mirrorless cameras aren’t the future, they’re the present. If you’re switching from an older DSLR, though, the obvious thing to do is just buy an adapter so you can keep using your old gear.

Harry Guinness Sep 3rd

When reading about cyber-security, you’ll probably see talk about “air-gapped” computer systems. It’s a technical name for a simple concept: A computer system that’s physically isolated from potentially dangerous networks. Or…

Sometimes, you might take what you think is a great photo with your smartphone, only to see afterward it’s all blurry. If that’s happening to you a lot, let’s take a look at what might be causing it….

These days, social media gets all the attention, but the Bulletin Board System (BBS), a relic from a kinder, gentler time in computer communications, persists. Each BBS is its own retro-flavored community with messages, text-…

Software updates can be annoying. They take time to install, move (or remove) features you use—and sometimes they even break things. Still, we recommend updating (and upgrading) your software whenever possible. The internet…

Can Zoom Hosts Really See All Your Private Messages?

Viral social media posts are alleging that Zoom’s private messages aren’t really private—if you’re chatting privately during a Zoom meeting, the host can see your entire conversation. Is that true? Well, not exactly….

Chris Hoffman Aug 26th

What Is In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) on a Camera?

In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is one of the headline features of mirrorless cameras, like the Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R6, Nikon Z7, and Sony A7 III. But what is it, how is it different from other kinds of image stabiliza…

Harry Guinness Aug 24th

Zoom, like a lot of camera specs, is a bit more complicated than advertising campaigns would have you believe. Smartphone manufacturers like Samsung are now boasting 10x, 50x, or even 100x zoom. But is this even possible? Le…

You don’t hear much about Internet Relay Chat (IRC) these days because social media and Slack have stolen some of its thunder. However, it’s far from dead! In fact, 2020 might be the best time to join (or rejoin) the text-bas…

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