You Should Store Files on Your Desktop, Here's Why

February 16, 2023

Did You Know?

Snake venom is composed of amino acids and toxic only if it enters the blood stream; if you were to drink venom it would simply be broken down in your digestive system with no ill effect.

Happy Thursday! Plex is rolling out a “skip credits” button powered by machine learning, and a new update for Xbox consoles aims to reduce carbon emissions and your home’s power bill. Also, there’s a new version of Geekbench available, so you can test your devices and see how they all stack up in performance.

– Corbin

People are passionate about how the desktop on your PC or Mac should look. Show someone a cluttered desktop full of files and you’ll probably hear a repulsed gasp. Don’t feel bad about storing files on the desktop. Everyone should do it. Read More »

While traditional phone companies steadily raise their rates, budget-minded homeowners are finding better, more affordable phone service using VoIP. With Voiply, you can make unlimited HD calls in the US, Canada, and 50+ countries while keeping your number and all landline features like E911, Caller Name ID, Call Waiting, and Call Blocking. New customers get a free Voiply Adapter and free shipping. Plans start at just $8.95/month with one free month of service when you use the promo code howtogeekpromo at signup. Check for coverage at your address.

Have you just noticed your battery is draining unusually fast? Did you wake up one morning to find your Mac had drained overnight? One of the biggest benefits of a MacBook is its portability without the worry of plugging in. If yours is showing excessive power drain, here’s what to do. Read More »

Valentine’s Day might be gone, but if you’re a Minecraft player, you’ll soon see even more pink in your worlds. The newest Minecraft update is adding a whole new biome that’s really, really pink. Read More »

Is your phone charging slow, even with a good wall charger? Your USB-C cable may be to blame. Thankfully, it’s not too expensive to get a new charging cable, and if you opt for the Spigen DuraSync 3-in-1 Cable, you’ll be able to charge all your devices with it.

Spigen’s cable, currently on sale for $15, has USB-C, Lightning, and MicroUSB adapters, covering all the major charging ports in one convenient wire. It’s also Quick Charge 3.0 compatible, so you won’t be waiting forever for your devices to get charged up.

Bose really wants you to take its high-quality audio on your next outdoor excursion with the SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker, now on sale for $129 ($20 off) until end of day today (February 16). Designed to stream Bose’s signature crystal clear, booming sound, the SoundLink Flex is a compact way to enjoy your favorite music everywhere you go. Read More »

There are so many features built into your iPhone that it can be easy to overlook some of the more useful ones. But these tricks can make using your iPhone simpler, faster, and more pleasant, so they’re worth a second glance. Read More »

Most modern game consoles have some level of always-on functionality, allowing them to download critical game and software updates in the background. Microsoft is rolling out an Xbox update that aims to make always-on connectivity less expensive. Read More »

When crafting a resume or building a personal website, you may wonder if your Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, or Gmail address doesn’t look professional enough. Depending on who you are and what you’re doing, it may in fact be time for an email upgrade. Read More »

Plex already has a button to skip the intro of a TV show, similar to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, but powered with machine learning. Now you can even skip the credits, too. Read More »

Documentaries are one of the hottest genres on Netflix, so it can be tough to wade through the sheer number of educational and informative options to find something to watch. To help you find a good watch, here are 10 of the top documentaries streaming right now on Netflix. Read More »

Looking for a new Android phone for cheap? We’ve got your back! Whether you want an excellent camera, fantastic performance, a long-lasting battery, or a bit of everything, we’ve rounded up a list of the best budget Android phones we think you’ll love. Read More »

Network-attached storage (NAS) is an excellent option for quickly accessing files across multiple devices. Whether you run a business or need versatility for your home office, here are the best NAS hard drives money can buy. Read More »

Your IP address is like your public ID on the internet. Any time you do anything on the internet, your IP address lets servers know where to send back information you’ve requested. Many sites log these addresses, effectively spying on you, usually to deliver you more personalized ads to get you to spend more money. For some people, this is a significant issue, and there are ways to hide your IP address. Read More »

Amazon’s Kindle devices have become synonymous with eReaders, and the name “Kindle” has become a household term. But why did Amazon choose the name Kindle for their eReader devices? Does it have anything to do with burning things? Read More »

We’ve all applied a little too much deodorant on a hot summer day and ended up with those unfortunate underarm stains. They can be difficult to get out, but not impossible. Read More »

Cleaning can be overwhelming, and let’s be honest, when things get overwhelming, it’s easy to just let them fall by the wayside. With cleaning, though, that’s not a great coping mechanism. But there’s a way to hack your way into a non-overwhelming cleaning routine. Read More »

Maybe you’ve broken your doom-scrolling habit, and if so, good for you. Some of us, however, are still guilty. But there might be a way to get all of the news you need without diving into a pit of despair. Read More »

If you’re a fan of the series You on Netflix, you’ve probably already finished binging the first part of Season 4. While you wait to find out what happens to Joe, get your fix by reading some novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat just like every episode of You. Here are some of our favorite dark, creepy thrillers. Read More »

Microsoft released a new Bing Chat AI, complete with personality, quirkiness, and rules to prevent it from going crazy. In just a short morning working with the AI, I managed to get it to break every rule, go insane, and fall in love with me. Microsoft tried to stop me, but I did it again. Read More »

Coffee shops are full of people working hard and studying. If you work remotely, you might be one of them. With the fresh smell of coffee and the chill ambiance, you might wonder: are you really more productive at a coffee shop? Read More »

When it comes to network-attached storage (NAS) devices, the AmberPro by LatticeWork is an excellent investment. With its ancillary cloud features, router, and remote-access capabilities, even Google Drive and Dropbox diehards will have a hard time saying no to this private backup server.  Read More »

Geekbench is one of the most popular benchmarking tools, allowing you to test how different computers, tablets, and phones stack up in computing performance. Now there’s a brand new version available. Read More »

Many modern science fiction movies tend to use the veneer of science fiction as a way to plug plotholes or feature elaborate explosions and action. There’s always a time-travel portal to stand in as the deus ex machina, and some advanced robot or alien who only seems interested in killing everyone. Read More »

This week’s deals are all about gamers! From monitors, to controllers, to high-powered internal and externals SSDs, we’ve got everything both new and veteran gamers need to get their rigs up and running. Even better, most of the items in today’s weekly roundup are down to their lowest prices ever! Read More »