Hacks & Workarounds

Claude and ChatGPT both fail at annotating screenshots

Excel randomization: generate test data in seconds

3 open-source apps good enough to replace Google Photos, Plex, Chrome

Zed vs VS Code: the Rust editor that feels instant

10 SUVs under $40K that actually deliver value in 2026

7 smart home devices hiding useful features you already own

3 new Paramount+ movies to stream this week (June 15-21)

3 Netflix movies worth your time this week (June 15-21)

Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini: One user's verdict after months

5 Pixel 10 Pro settings that drain your battery overnight

5 Windows 11 Settings That Kill Your PC Speed

Windows 11 feels sluggish even on capable hardware because several default settings drain resources silently. A few quick changes to startup apps, visual effects, and power profiles can restore the speed you had on Windows 10.

3 Netflix Thrillers Worth Streaming This Week

Netflix's June 15-21 lineup features a gripping documentary that's topped global charts for a month, a clever 2018 screenlife thriller, and a shark survival movie perfect for summer viewing. Here's what to queue up this week.

5 Travel Gadgets Under $50 That Solve Real Problems

A tech journalist who logs thousands of air miles annually shares five affordable gadgets that address the most common travel frustrations. From USB-A cables for in-flight charging to vacuum bags for carry-on space, these picks prioritize function over flash.

Why Open-Source Office Suites Still Lose to Microsoft 365

A month-long test of LibreOffice, OnlyOffice, and other open-source productivity tools reveals where free alternatives shine and where they still fall short. The verdict: document compatibility and collaboration features remain deal-breakers for most professionals.

Why One Compromised Device Can Take Down Your Home Network

Most people build home networks for speed, but security researcher Monica J. White argues the real question is what happens when things fail. Her approach treats every smart device as a potential threat, using network segmentation to contain breaches before they spread.

5 New Movies to Stream This Week on Netflix and Prime Video

From the A24 thriller Babygirl to a new SpongeBob adventure, streaming platforms are stacking their June lineup with diverse releases. Here are the five films worth your time between June 15-21.

AI Automation Suggester: Let AI Design Your Home Assistant Rules

A free HACS integration called AI Automation Suggester scans your Home Assistant setup and generates ready-to-use automation ideas. It connects to cloud AI services like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Groq, or runs locally via Ollama, to analyze your devices and suggest automations you might not have considered.

5 Prime Video Movies Worth Watching This Week (June 15-21)

Amazon Prime Video adds five films this week spanning crime drama, horror comedy, and sports classics. The standout is a Michael Mann period piece starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale that delivers gritty Depression-era action without the usual sepia nostalgia.

TeraBox's Free 1TB Storage Has Hidden Costs Worth Knowing

TeraBox offers a genuine terabyte of free cloud storage, dwarfing Google Drive's 15GB and Dropbox's 2GB. But the tradeoffs include aggressive ads, speed throttling, a 4GB file size cap, and privacy concerns tied to its Baidu ownership. One user deleted the account within 24 hours.

How One Prompt Turns Claude Into a Project Management System

A tech journalist built a working project management setup using Claude's native capabilities and a custom prompt. The approach bypasses traditional PM tools by treating a local Markdown file as the single source of truth while letting the AI handle coordination across apps.

PhotonCamera: An Open-Source App That Rivals Pixel Quality

For Android users who flash custom ROMs, losing access to Google's legendary camera processing has always been a painful trade-off. PhotonCamera, a fully open-source camera app, finally delivers HDR and multi-frame stacking that approaches stock Pixel quality.

Linux vs Windows for Self-Hosting: Which OS Wins in 2026?

With Windows 10 support ending and 400-500 million PCs becoming obsolete, the self-hosting community has largely settled on Linux as the default server OS. A headless Linux server idles at 200-400MB of RAM compared to several gigabytes for Windows, making it the only practical choice for repurposed hardware.

Krita AI Diffusion vs Photoshop Generative Fill: A Free Alternative

Adobe's Generative Fill comes with subscription fees, credit limits, and cloud compression. The Krita AI Diffusion plugin runs the same underlying tech on your local GPU for free. One user tested both and found the quality identical.

4 Hulu Comedies Worth Watching in June 2026

Hulu's comedy library includes both classics and new originals for June. From Adam Sandler's Big Daddy to the original Toy Story, here are four picks to queue up this month.