Explainers Articles - How-To Geek

What Is “System Idle Process,” and Why Is It Using So Much CPU?

Have you ever opened up Task Manager and noticed the System Idle Process is using 90% or more of your CPU? Contrary to what you might think, that’s not a bad thing. Here’s what that process actually does....

Brady Gavin 17h ago

What Are Algorithms, and Why Do They Make People Uncomfortable?

We live in a world where computers are only vaguely understood, even though they permeate every moment of our lives. But there is one area of computer science where anyone can understand the basics of what’s going on. T...

What is G Suite, Anyway?

G Suite is a collection of enterprise-based products—like Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and so on—offered by Google via a monthly subscription platform to help streamline your business. But what’s the differen...

Brady Gavin 2d ago

Forget Inbox Zero: Use OHIO to Triage Your Emails Instead

Email is neither dead nor obsolete. It is, in fact, increasing by 10+ billion emails per day and too many of those will end up in your inbox. Here’s how to get a grip and not let them overwhelm you....

Why Can’t You Use a TV as a Monitor?

Televisions and computer monitors are similar and use mostly the same technology to drive the panels. You can usually use a TV with your computer, but they’re made for a different market and aren’t the same as mon...

Anthony Heddings 3d ago

What is RAT Malware, and Why Is It So Dangerous?

A Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is a type of malware that allows hackers to monitor and control your computer or network. But how does a RAT work, why do hackers use them, and how do you avoid them?

How Much Internet Speed Do You Really Need?

Internet service providers always want to sell you a faster connection. But forget marketing: How much speed do you really need? The answer is more complicated than you might expect. Higher speed tiers aren’t always wor...

When Can Headphones and Earbuds Damage Your Hearing?

Conversations about headphone-induced hearing loss have faded away, but headphones and earbuds still pose a serious risk to your ears. How loud is too loud, and how do you protect your ears without giving up music?...

What Is a Time of Flight (ToF) Camera, and Why Does My Phone Have One?

More and more manufacturers are bragging that their phones have Time of Flight (ToF) cameras. But what are ToF cameras, how do they work, and why would you want one in your smartphone?

How the Internet Killed April Fools’ Day (and Why It Needs to Stop)

April Fools’ Day used to be fun, but no longer. It’s a day of cringe-worthy jokes, fake press releases, and bad pranks that break services like Gmail. Everyone should follow Microsoft’s valiant lead and put ...

What’s the Difference Between My Photo Stream and iCloud Photos?

Keeping your family photos safe from device failure is the primary reason backups exist. iCloud claims to back up all your photos “in the cloud,” but the way it works varies depending on what settings you have ena...

Anthony Heddings Mar 29th

Hearing Loss: How Loud is Too Loud?

While conversations about earbud-induced hearing loss have mostly faded away, people are becoming seriously concerned that volume levels at work, in restaurants, and on the street can cause permanent hearing loss. So, how lou...

Which Processes Can You Safely Quit in Activity Monitor on a Mac?

MacOS’s Activity Monitor will give you a list of all the apps you’re running, which is useful for closing down CPU-hungry processes. But it also throws in a bunch of system process, some of which may not be safe t...

Anthony Heddings Mar 20th

How to Pack Your Electronics for Air Travel

Vacations prove to be a great opportunity to use your electronics away from home. But just this year, the US government banned lithium-ion batteries from checked bags. So, just how are you supposed to pack that laptop?...

What Is the Mirai Botnet, and How Can I Protect My Devices?

First discovered in 2016, the Mirai botnet took over an unprecedented number of devices and dealt massive damage to the internet. Now it’s back and more dangerous than ever.

How to Start Your Own Game Server

While you could host a game server on your PC, sometimes it’s more convenient to have a cloud server running 24/7. Game server hosting can be surprisingly cheap, especially if you’re just looking to play with a fe...

Anthony Heddings Mar 15th

What is maftask, and Why is it Running on my Mac?

Maftask is a helper process for Mac Auto Fixer, a very common adware program. It claims to clean up your Mac from viruses but will insert ads into your browser and run itself on startup.

Anthony Heddings Mar 14th

What Does Amazon’s “Project Zero” Anti-Counterfeiting Plan Mean for You?

Amazon’s Project Zero is the company’s first real attempt to remove all counterfeit listings from the Amazon marketplace. But how does Project Zero work, and how will it affect customers like you?...

How to Tell if Your MacBook Is Charging

Forgetting to charge your MacBook properly overnight can leave you with a headache in the morning. And if you’re troubleshooting a broken MacBook, checking if it’s able to charge is one way to rule out battery iss...

Anthony Heddings Mar 12th

How to Get New Office 365 Features Up to Six Months Sooner

If you’re an early adopter who wants to get everything new as quickly as possible, you can change your Office 365 release schedule to get “targeted release” versions of the Office 365 apps (if you think it&#...

Rob Woodgate Mar 11th

What Is an XLR Microphone, And Why Would I Want One?

Recently, microphone maker Blue announced a $100 professional studio microphone, the Ember. So the question arose: What is this XLR thing, and how do I use it? Let’s talk about what XLR is and why you might want to use ...

How (and Why) to Run Portable Versions of Windows

If you frequently travel but don’t want to lug a laptop, or regularly work with computers missing applications you need you should consider portable Windows. With portable Windows, you have less to carry, and all your p...

ASTC 3.0 Explained: Broadcast TV Is Coming to Your Phone

A new era of free TV is on the horizon, and it promises to bring 4K TV to your phone over-the-air. The FCC began the transition to this new format, called ATSC 3.0, on March 5th, 2018.

Why Does Windows 10 Update So Much?

Microsoft says Windows 10 is a “service,” and the company updates it frequently with security patches, bug fixes, and new features. Updates normally happen automatically in the background, so let’s demystify...

Chris Hoffman Mar 4th

How Are CPUs Actually Made?

While the way CPUs work may seem like magic, it’s the result of decades of clever engineering. As transistors—the building blocks of any microchip—shrink to microscopic scales, the way they are produced grow...