How-To Geek

Windows is losing an entire generation of PC users to Linux, Apple, and Google

Jon Fingas — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:00:13 GMT

Microsoft's downfall in the 2000s and 2010s is well-known. The company's obsession with PCs left it blind to the rise of smartphones, reducing it to one player in a larger computing world. Windows still dominates the computer on your desk, but not the one in your pocket.

These 5 immutable Linux distros solve problems Windows users don’t even know they have

Bobby Jack — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:30:13 GMT

It can be tricky to get your head around the concept of an “immutable” operating system; if you don’t care too much for nuance, you can think of it as simply more secure and more stable.

Don’t bring a gaming desktop to college until you read this

Sydney Butler — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:00:13 GMT

If you're a PC gamer gearing up to start your college journey, you're looking at your desktop gaming tower and trying to decide whether it's a good idea to take it with you. If you're going to be living in the dormitories, you might want to think twice about that.

This discontinued 276-HP hot crossover is now cheaper than a new Corolla

Tyler Dupont — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:45:13 GMT

You don't have to spend sports-car money to get genuinely exciting performance, especially if you're willing to shop the used market. Depreciation has turned some overlooked performance cars into surprisingly affordable bargains, and one particularly unusual crossover now costs less than many basic new compact cars. Despite its practical shape, it packs enough power to deliver seriously quick acceleration and the kind of driving character that's increasingly rare.

These forgotten operating systems were decades ahead of their time

David Delony — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:30:13 GMT

While Windows, Mac, and maybe Linux are the dominant OSes today, there are others that never made it. Here are some of my favorite OSes that never had a chance in the marketplace.

Your phone number isn't private—here are 6 ways it's been leaked

Steve Larner — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:00:13 GMT

As technology continues to evolve, I take privacy very seriously, especially given growing concerns about identity theft and data collection policies. My phone number is also part of that identity profile, which means yours is too. Sure, I can control which apps I download and who I give my number to, but many things require my smartphone's number.

I thought this 2026 Genesis GV60 would blow me away—it's just another EV

Carl Anthony — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:45:13 GMT

I had higher hopes for the 2026 Genesis GV60 Performance AWD when the automaker recently loaned me one for a week here in Detroit. It was a sharp-looking vehicle that's for sure, finished in Uyuni White over a Sky Blue and Prussian interior, with all the hallmarks of a luxurious electric SUV listed on the window sticker.

I stopped planning trips on my phone and started using Google Maps on desktop—it’s way faster

Andy Betts — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:30:13 GMT

Google Maps feels like an app that's perfectly suited to a phone, but with its growing number of features, it's becoming increasingly cluttered. I recently switched to using my laptop whenever I wanted to plot a route in Google Maps. It turns out it's so much better.

Why Gigabit Ethernet is no longer enough for the modern home

Sydney Butler — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:15:13 GMT

So you've finally got gigabit broadband and Ethernet and Wi-Fi to match. Just a few years ago, this would be an impossible dream, but it's becoming the norm for more and more people. Now, at last, you can stop worrying about how fast your home network is and relax—just kidding!

I ran the same photo through 3 Android camera apps to find the one that looks the most natural

David J. Buck — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:00:13 GMT

I'm sick of the poor quality, occasionally poor photos my phone's default camera app produces. While some of this is 100% a skill issue (I'm a hobbyist photographer at best), I sometimes feel like my photos just don't look as good as I'd like. So I tested a few camera apps to see which one took the best-quality photos.