In the past, computers made all sorts of mechanical and electronic noises as a normal part of how they worked, but there are some noises a modern computer should never make. If you hear any one of these, pay attention! 1Whine: Sometimes Benign, Sometimes Not A high-pitched whine can be the equivalent of your computer saying, “I’m stressed out!” Usually, this is a symptom ofcoil whine, which happens when electrical components vibrate under load....

Quick Links 4K monitors are some of the highest resolution monitors you’re able to buy for a desktop setup, and that means you’re usually going to pay quite a premium! So is it worth it? The money that goes to extra pixels could go to other aspects of a monitor that can matter even more in the greater scheme of things. Which means you have to think carefully about whether what you need the monitor to do relies on those (approximately) eight million pixels being there....

Quick Links Even after using Microsoft Word for over a decade, I only discovered some of its features recently. These hidden gems now streamline my workflow and save me time—I just wish I had found them sooner! Whether you’re new to Word or a pro, here are some features you should familiarize yourself with. 1Smart Lookup Smart Lookup is a built-in research tool in Word that I wish I’d known about back in college....

Quick Links Google Docs is a versatile tool that simplifies document creation, editing, and sharing. However, to fully leverage its potential, you have to go beyond the basics and learn the useful features that boost your workflow. If you’re new to Google Docs, here are some key features to familiarize yourself with. 1Show Word Count While Typing If you’re a professional or student who needs to monitor word count closely, enabling the live word count display in Google Docs can be very useful....

Quick Links Millions of people rememberWindows 7fondly, but speak ofWindows 8and you get mostly scowls in response. What went wrong with Windows 8 and does it really deserve the disastrous reputation it has? What Went So Wrong? It was the year 2012. Windows 7 was going strong after the trainwreck that wasWindows Vista, and for the most part, people actually liked Windows 7 a lot. And that was good for Microsoft....

ASUS isn’t well known for its wearable devices, but it has sneakily released two feature-packed fitness trackers. The latest is the VivoWatch 6 AERO, which the company claims is the “world’s first” smart wristband that can detect blood pressure and electrocardiogram–but is that true? TheVivoWatch 6 AEROis the successor to theVivoWatch 5 AERO, which was released in 2023. That fitness band also boasted a “world’s first” for detecting pulse transit time....

Quick Links Do EVs have the same cultural hobby appeal of gas-powered cars? Will tomorrow’s enthusiasts be able to modify and tune EVs like they could internal combustion engines? Is the EV the End of Automotive Tuning? Ever since Ford’s assembly line brought motoring to the masses, automotive enthusiasts have been modifying their cars to go faster and compete against others in legal (and illegal) races. The internal combustion engine (ICE) has a long and storied history of modification, ranging from weight reduction to revolutionary technology such asoverhead valve conversionsand electronic fuel injection....

When summer heats up, you want a solution that will cool you down but not overburden your electric bill.July AC can do exactly that, but there’s more to this advanced window-unit air conditioner that’s sure to catch your attention. No matter where you live, chances are you deal with a sweltering spell that calls for a solution that’s functional but not quite as energy-intensive as a home AC unit. The window air conditioner is a cost-efficient, reliable means of lowering a room’s temperature during those unforgivably hot months....

Quick Links Summary DDR5 is objectively better than DDR4 on average, and DDR5 is doubtless the memory standard you’ll one day have in your computer. However, its current pricing and relatively small real-world performance increase don’t yet warrant an upgrade. DDR5is the latest and greatest memory standard that promises to be better than DDR4 in almost every way, but does that mean you should throw your DDR4 in the trash and rush out to buy DDR5?...

Devolver Digital, the indie game publisher known for its often quirky, offbeat titles, recently releasedits annual investor presentation. Spanning 32 slides, the report offers a comprehensive overview of the company’s 2024 results. Perhaps the most attention-grabbing detail is a ranked breakdown of Devolver’s top-performing franchises by lifetime revenue—a rare look behind the curtain that outsiders aren’t always privy to. The publisher also shared some interesting revelations about how it plans to approach its business strategy moving forward....

Quick Links In the music world, vinyl records get a lot of attention when it comes to physical media. Sales for vinyl records have been on the rise for years, and now the same thing is starting to happen with cassette tapes. The resurgence of vinyl records has been so strong that it’s not really even a “trend” anymore. In 2021, people spent more on vinyl than CDsfor the first time since 1986....

Quick Links Out of the box, any of the Meta Quest headsets are perfectly usable. However, that experience could always be better, and if you apply the right hardware and software tweaks you’ll elevate your Quest experience to new heights. Here are some of my favorite tips. 1Get an Alternative Strap The strap that ships with the various Quest headsets is geared more towards portability than comfort. If you want to take your quest with you everywhere, especially if you don’t want to use a large carry case, then I actually suggest sticking with the original strap....

Summary Do you know how fast your internet connection is? Depending on which service you use, you could get vastly different results. So how can you know for sure, and does it matter? Different Speed Tests Report Different Results There are plenty of internet speed test services to choose from, withSpeedtest.net,Fast.com, andCloudFlarebeing some of the most well-known options. Your internet service provider might even have its own speed test service....