Quick Links Home Assistant is powerful open-source home automation software that allows you to control a huge number of different smart home devices, regardless of which smart home ecosystem they’re designed to work with. You can use it to create powerful automations to make your smart home do almost anything you can think of. To get started, you need a platform on which to run the Home Assistant software. If you’re thinking about giving Home Assistant a try, or want to upgrade from your current setup, there are plenty of devices you’re able to use....

Summary Using a smartphone on a tripod is nothing new. However, whenMagSafe mounting was introduced to iPhone, it completely changed mobile photography and videography for me. MagSafe Makes It Easy to Attach a Tripod A MagSafe tripod mount will allow you to use the magnets built into your iPhone (ora Qi2-enabled smartphone) to mount and dismount your device. I use theMoment Pro Tripod mount for MagSafe, but any MagSafe mount will work just the same...

You don’t have to wait for Labor Day deals to save big on some of the best tech available this summer. We’re already seeing lucrative discounts on items like the Google Pixel 8 Pro, 4K TVs in time for football, iPads, smart home gear, and other back-to-school items. iPad Mini (2021, 6th Gen) The iPad Mini is more compact than a typical iPad or iPad Pro, but it can still easily handle gaming, media streaming, video chats, and much more....

Summary 2024 was a year of many spectacular aurora displays, and this is set to continue into 2025, thanks to a peak in the Sun’s solar activity. What Is a Solar Activity Peak? The Sun reaches a peak of activity—also known as a solar maximum—every 11 years or so. This peak results in more sunspots appearing on our star’s surface than during any other period, as well as an increase in the number and intensity of coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—large jets of energetic and magnetized plasma erupting from the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere....

I’d bet that when you think about Outlook, you think of using it for your work emails or maybe your Microsoft personal accounts. I used to think of Outlook the same way until I added my Gmail accounts to Outlook and discovered a number of great features. It’s Easy To Send Emails From Different Email Accounts One of the first features I discovered was how easy it was to send a new email message from different email addresses....

Apple is infamous for redesigning its phones, computers, and tablets on a regular basis, sometimes to a detriment. However, there’s one Apple product that has stuck around for over a decade without a substantial makeover: the humble Mac Mini. The Forever Mini Apple introduced thefirst Mac miniin 2005 as a compact budget desktop computer, without the integrated screen found in the iMac series. It packed a 1.25GHz or 1.42GHz PowerPC G4 processor, a 40GB hard drive, an (AMD) ATI Radeon 9200 GPU, FireWire and USB connectivity, and a DVD drive into a sleek package....

Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 in October 2025, leaving the millions of PCs that can’t run Windows 11 with an outdated and insecure operating system. Google wants people to try something different: install ChromeOS and turn the PC into a Chromebook. Google has offeredChrome OS Flexfor a few years now (formerly known as Neverware CloudReady), which is a modified version of ChromeOS that can be installed on traditional x86-based PCs....

Quick Links Summary Windows 12 will likely be released in late 2024. Codenamed “Next Valley,” Microsoft has already revealed a prototype desktop redesign. We also expect changes to the lock screen and notification center, as well as AI integration throughout the operating system. Microsoft is reportedly working on a new version of Windows to replaceWindows 11. In fact, Microsoft has already shown off a prototype new Windows desktop design that could be part of Windows 12 “Next Valley....

Quick Links Spotify recently removed lyrics from its basic free plan—a feature that had been available for two years. If you’re frustrated about that, don’t worry! There are plenty of other music streaming services out there that still let you sing along. Let’s dive into the best free music streaming services that still offer lyrics support. Why Lyrics Are Important For A Streaming Music Service There are countless times I’ve tried singing along to music without the right lyrics....

Are you using Kubuntu Linux, or another distribution with KDE Plasma, and you want to take full advantage of the powerful features it has to offer? Put these keyboard shortcuts into practice and you’ll be moving so fast you’ll forget the mouse exists. 10Meta+V: Open Clipboard History If you press Meta+V on Kubuntu, it’ll open a history of everything you’ve recently copied. You can use the arrow keys to cycle through the entries and then hit Enter to bring it put it back on the clipboard so you can paste it again....

Quick Links Technology and how we use it has changed a lot over the years. However, despite the rapid advancements, traces of older tech still linger in our modern devices in the form of icons. Whether it’s your smartphone, video game console, laptop, or desktop PC, or even your smart TV, the digital world is filled with visual callbacks to the past. Younger generations might not recognize the origins of these symbols, but many of us remember the real devices they’re based on....

Summary If you’re like me, you probably find Windows 11 a disappointment, and you feel more like a resource for Microsoft than its customer. Linux can help you escape, and here’s why particularly Linux Mint is the Windows 11 replacement you’ve been looking for. 4Linux Mint Will Feel Familiar Linux Mintis an operating system (OS) that was spun off from Ubuntu; where Ubuntu has a more Mac-like feel, Linux feels more like Windows (something I go into in my article comparingLinux Mint versus Ubuntu)....

Quick Links Netflix is the video streaming service that first brought the concept into the mainstream. Despite the growing number of competitors, many of us still have a Netflix subscription. If you do, there are some hidden features in Netflix that you may be unaware of. 9Hide Shows From Your Netflix Account Are you getting worried that your partner is obsessed with true crime shows about how to commit the perfect murder?...