Software

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KitchenOwl mobile app opened and displaying grocery items.
These 4 open-source apps solved problems I didn't think software could fix

Hidden gems like these are why I love open-source so much.

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Notepad with How to Geek intro note resting on desk next to sticky notes and pen holder.
3 brilliant free, open-source (FOSS) apps students should try this weekend (Aug 14–16)

Free, open-source software that does more for your studies than most paid apps.

EarTrupet visible above the notification area showing different volume controls
EarTrumpet fixed my Windows volume controls by bringing every setting to the surface

A sleek volume overhaul surfaces per app sliders and instant device switching in a compact, uncluttered pop-up.

Nvidia GeForce Now game streaming on a Linux laptop
Nvidia just made gaming on Linux a whole lot easier

The cloud game service has also lower lag and higher frame rates.

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LibreOffice Calc open to a blank spreadsheet on a laptop.
Stop paying for Adobe, Microsoft, or Mathematica—these free open-source alternatives will get you through college

Discover budget-friendly apps that handle symbolic math, image edits, document compatibility, and video editing so you can focus on coursework.

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Remaining Google Drive storage on a Google Pixel 10a
Google hopes you won't notice these 4 things wasting your Google Drive storage

There's no money in deleting files

KeePassXC open on a computer screen, with several online accounts listed in the database.
3 self-hosted password managers every privacy enthusiast should try in 2026

If you're considering self-hosting your password manager, you ought to check these three options.

Audiobookshelf, Nextcloud, and Jellyfin open in a three-split Zen browser window.
4 Docker containers I'm setting up before the new school year

I ditched Google Drive and Trello for these 4 Docker containers before the new school year.

Mailspring, Portmaster, LM Studio, Syncthing, Zen browser, brave browser, Super Productivity, KDE Connect, running on a Windows 11 PC.
8 underrated free apps I always install on all my PCs

Some useful apps fly under the radar, but installing them can completely change how you use your computer.

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KOAssistant AI Assistant menu on Kindle showing options including Explain ELI5 Translate Summarize and X-Ray.
This free KOReader plugin is the best reason to jailbreak your Kindle

AI on a Kindle is surprisingly good.

Laptop showing Excel worksheet in the background and Power Pivot Diagram View in the foreground showing relationships between three tables.
I replaced hundreds of Excel lookup formulas with this single tool

I was drowning in XLOOKUP formulas, but Power Pivot gave me a cleaner way to build reports.

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A keyboard with a Copilot logo on every key.
I turned every key on my keyboard into a Copilot button and survived a full workday

Microsoft wanted a Copilot key, so I gave it 100 of them.

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Laptop screen showing an Excel table with various formats applied.
5 Excel formatting tools I use in every spreadsheet I create

From reusable styles to smarter number formats, these Excel tools help create cleaner and more useful spreadsheets.

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A GEEKOM A5 mini PC being held in a person's hand.
ChatGPT and Gemini are overcomplicating your homelab—here's how to stop it

Not all help is the right help.

Laptop screen showing an offline Kanban board made using ChatGPT.
I asked Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot to build a project management app—the winner surprised me

All three assistants created usable offline tools, but one stood out with smarter decisions and thoughtful extras.

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A closeup of a black and white cat image being edited in PenPot.
Penpot vs. Canva: Why I switched to a self-hosted alternative

I compared Canva and PenPot for design work and I have a few good reasons to stick to the open-source one.

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A Pixel 10 on a table with the Claude Logo open.
Claude now watermarks your generated text for instant detection

It could discourage slop, but privacy is an issue.

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Laptop screen showing Gmail in a web browser with a filter being applied.
I spent years organizing Gmail the hard way. Filters changed everything

Changing a few Gmail settings can clean up years of emails and create an inbox that manages itself.

Close up of a green and yellow gaming laptop RGB keyboard
5 excellent local LLM projects you can run for free on a slow laptop

As long as you keep it simple, even a slow laptop can run AI.

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An image with a laptop on a countertop next to a stack a books and an apple. The laptop is running AutoCAD..
Students can get these 4 expensive apps for free

Being a student can unlock free access to Microsoft 365, professional design tools, coding software, and other premium apps.

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