Explainers Articles - How-To Geek

Opera GX: What Is a “Gaming Browser,” Anyway?

Opera just released “Opera GX” and advertises it as the world’s first gaming browser. Beyond the gaming-inspired theme and Razer Chroma integration, there’s a very interesting CPU and RAM limiter featu...

Chris Hoffman 4d ago

How to Stop People from Stealing Your Packages

Is your home being targeted by porch pirates? Maybe it’s time to fight back. Luckily, you can protect your packages through a few simple steps, ranging from proper delivery instructions to in-home delivery options....

Why Do Streaming Services Charge Extra for HD and 4K?

Most streaming services offer SD and HD video at different price points. But with the availability of 4K, is this price disparity fair? Should streaming services treat different video resolutions like different products?...

Why Windows 10 Says Your Wi-Fi Network “Isn’t Secure”

Windows 10 now warns you that a Wi-Fi network “isn’t secure” when it’s using “an older security standard that’s being phased out.” Windows 10 is warning you about WEP and TKIP. Here&#...

Josh Hendrickson Jun 6th

How Worried Should You Be About the Health Risks of 5G?

By now, you may have seen articles on Facebook or alternative health websites. The gist: 5G is a dangerous escalation of traditional cellular technology, one packed with higher energy radiation that delivers potential damagin...

How iOS 13 Will Save Your iPhone’s Battery (by Not Fully Charging It)

Lithium-ion batteries, like those in iPhones, have a longer usable life if you don’t charge above 80%. But, to last the day, you probably want a full charge. With iOS 13, Apple may give you the best of both worlds....

Josh Hendrickson Jun 4th

iPadOS Will Almost Make Your iPad a Real Computer

If you’ve used an iPad, you know that they’re missing a lot of critical features people use on computers. Support for mice and external storage devices, a proper desktop browser, and better multitasking—thes...

What to Do When Selling Your Smarthome

Selling a home is a time of many choices: what to keep, throw out, and what to leave. If you have a smarthome, you need to consider what you do with your tech before putting your house on the market.

4 Reasons Why Pirated Videos Can Look Like Crap

So you’ve just settled down with a loved one, some popcorn, and an illegally downloaded movie. But, like the other movies you’ve pirated, it looks like crap. Why do so many pirated videos look so bad?...

What Are Hardware Drivers, and Why Do They Cause So Many Problems?

If you’ve experienced a computer crash, a hardware driver may have been the cause. These are pieces of software that your computer’s operating system uses to talk to its hardware. Every operating system—from...

Why Do New Electronics Have a Weird Smell?

So, you’ve cracked open that new phone or laptop, only to be greeted by a familiar, plastic smell. Where does this strange “new electronics smell” come from, and why does it disappear over time?...

Andrew Heinzman May 24th

Do iPhone “Security” Apps Actually Do Anything?

Apple won’t allow “antivirus” apps in the App Store, but there are many “security” apps available. For example, Norton Mobile Security costs $14.99 per year, and Lookout Premium costs $29.99 per ...

What Are Esports, and Why Do People Watch Them?

In the next few years, competitive gaming will become a multi-billion dollar industry, and it could even come to the 2024 Paris Olympics. But what are Esports, and why are people watching gaming tournaments instead of footba...

Andrew Heinzman May 23rd

The State of VR Headsets in 2019: What Should You Buy?

In the last three years, virtual reality hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. Even so, 2019 is shaping up to be VR’s best year ever, with new headsets that might have cracked the code on what gamers need....

Do Video Streaming Services Care If You Share Your Account?

Do you feel like a rogue bandit every time you log in to a friend’s streaming account? If you do, you probably shouldn’t feel that way. Streaming services don’t care about account sharing....

How to Build Your Own Futuristic Smart Mirror

A smart mirror can show your calendar, weather, and news like something out of a sci-fi movie. Powered by a Raspberry Pi, you can build your own with some simple tools and hardware.

Only New CPUs Can Truly Fix ZombieLoad and Spectre

Current CPUs have design flaws. Spectre exposed them, but attacks like Foreshadow and now ZombieLoad exploit similar weaknesses. These “speculative execution” flaws can only truly be fixed by buying a new CPU wit...

What Is Inbox Zero, and How Can You Achieve It?

Inbox Zero is a staple of digital productivity advice. “Achieving Inbox Zero” is the knowledge worker’s equivalent of “reaching enlightenment.” But Inbox Zero doesn’t mean having an empty i...

Why Netflix Doesn’t Care If You Share Your Account

With Netflix’s yearly price hikes and severe lack of sitcoms, account sharing can look a lot more appealing than a monthly subscription fee. But how does Netflix feel about account sharing, and why hasn’t the comp...

Is it Safe To Preview Your Email?

In the early 2000s, many security professionals advised disabling your email client’s preview function. Simply previewing an email could be dangerous! This is no longer good advice. With a modern email client, you can p...

Rob Woodgate May 10th

What Is Windows 10 IoT, and When Would You Want to Use It?

Microsoft offers Windows 10 in nine separate editions, ranging from Home to Enterprise to Server. Windows 10 IoT (Internet of Things) is the edition you’re least likely to own but also one you’ve probably used mo...

Is It Bad to Have Your Desktop PC on the Floor?

Despite the name, a desktop PC doesn’t have to be on a desk. That huge tower PC would fit nicely on the floor, sure. But you should think about ventilation and dust so that your gaming PC doesn’t overheat....

What Are Critical Alerts on iPhone and iPad, and How Do I Enable Them?

Critical alerts are notifications that appear even when your iPhone or iPad is in Do Not Disturb mode or silenced. These include notifications with crucial information about weather emergencies or important health alerts fro...

Adam Doud May 3rd

Amazon’s Choice: Who Chooses It, and How Does It Work?

Amazon’s Choice is a fantastic little program, and it’s probably informed a handful of your purchases. But have you ever stopped to ask who chooses Amazon’s Choice, or how the program works behind the scenes...

What is an OTA Box, and How Does it Enhance Free TV?

Cutting the cord and switching to over the air (OTA) TV can be difficult, especially if cable TV’s DVR functionality has pampered you. Thankfully, a simple OTA box can make your free TV experience more akin to cable....