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Hacks & Workarounds

1192 articles

All articles tagged Hacks & Workarounds.

Ratty Turns Your Terminal Into a 3D Workspace

A new Rust-based terminal emulator called Ratty uses GPU rendering to embed 3D models directly into your command line. Built on the Bevy game engine, it treats the terminal as spatial environment rather than a text buffer.

Huma Shazia·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

How to Get Alexa+ Conversation Features Free in Home Assistant

Amazon's $20/month Alexa+ subscription adds LLM-powered conversations to your smart home. Home Assistant users can build the same capability for free using Google Gemini, OpenAI, or fully local models. Here's how to set it up and what you gain by skipping the subscription.

Manaal Khan·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

How Windows 11 Virtual Desktops Replace a Second Monitor

A four-finger trackpad swipe in Windows 11 unlocks virtual desktops that mimic multi-monitor setups. For laptop users working from coffee shops or airports, this gesture eliminates the need for portable displays while keeping multiple workspaces organized.

Manaal Khan·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

5 Netflix Movies Worth Rewatching in 2026

Netflix's shift toward quality over quantity has put rewatchable library content front and center. From action thrillers like Extraction to comfort classics like Chef, these five films prove that the best streaming value often comes from movies you've already seen.

Manaal Khan·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

10 Google Keep Features You Probably Haven't Found Yet

Google Keep has been around for over a decade, downloaded more than 500 million times on Android alone. But even longtime users miss features buried beneath its simple sticky-note interface. Here are 10 that can change how you use the app.

Huma Shazia·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

Anthropic Releases Fable 5: You Have 10 Days to Try It

Anthropic has quietly released Fable 5, a Mythos-level Claude model that outperforms existing AI benchmarks. The catch: paid subscribers only have until June 22 to access it before it moves to a restricted credit system.

Manaal Khan·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

3 Claude Privacy Settings You Should Change Right Now

Claude's default settings enable location tracking and model training with your data. A quick trip to Settings can lock down your conversations and stop Anthropic from using them to improve future AI models.

Huma Shazia·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

3 Paid iPhone Apps Apple Quietly Made Obsolete

Apple has quietly built free replacements for common paid subscriptions directly into iOS. Password managers, document scanners, and cloud photo storage now have native alternatives that most users don't know about.

Huma Shazia·10 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

3 Open-Source Operating Systems Beyond Linux Worth Trying

Linux dominates open-source computing, but it's not the only option. A tech journalist shares three alternatives: /e/OS for degoogled mobile, FreeBSD for Unix purists, and a third option for those wanting freedom without the Linux ecosystem.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

11 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Films Coming in 2026 Worth Watching

From Steven Spielberg's original alien-contact thriller Disclosure Day to Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday, the second half of 2026 is packed with genre films. Here's a rundown of the movies that should be on your calendar.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

How to Find Real Music on YouTube Amid AI Slop

AI-generated music and thumbnails now flood YouTube's study and chill-out playlists, making it harder to find human-made content. A practical guide to spotting synthetic tracks and supporting actual artists.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

4 Things That Control Your USB-C Speed (and How to Check)

That USB-C port on your laptop could run anywhere from 480Mbps to 120Gbps. The connector shape tells you nothing about actual speed. Here's what actually determines your USB-C performance and how to verify it on Windows and macOS.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 Claude Skills That Actually Matter After Testing 100

A How-To Geek journalist tested over 100 of the most popular Claude skills and narrowed them down to six essentials. The findings reveal that most skills target coders, leaving knowledge workers to wade through a catalog of 1.5 million entries. Here's what's worth your time.

Manaal Khan·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Why I Stopped Using Alexa for My Smart Home

After years of using Amazon Echo devices, one tech journalist switched to local control. The reasons highlight fundamental problems with cloud-dependent smart home systems that affect reliability, privacy, and user control.

Manaal Khan·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·4 min

SpaceSniffer: The 9MB Portable Tool That Finds Hidden Storage Hogs

SpaceSniffer is a free, portable Windows utility that visualizes disk usage through an interactive treemap. At just 9MB, it runs directly from a USB drive and shows exactly which files and folders are eating your storage space.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

Apple Intelligence Requires 12GB RAM: Full Mac Compatibility List

Apple's WWDC 2026 revealed that advanced AI features in macOS 27 Golden Gate will require Macs with M3 chips and 12GB of unified memory. While older Apple Silicon Macs will run the OS, the full Siri AI experience is reserved for newer hardware.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 Home Assistant Add-Ons That Make Smart Homes Actually Smart

Home Assistant's app ecosystem (formerly called add-ons) extends the platform with powerful capabilities from offline voice assistants to network file sharing. These six apps transform a basic Home Assistant installation into a privacy-focused, fully-featured smart home hub.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Why the Galaxy S26 Ultra Isn't Worth the Upgrade

A veteran Samsung reviewer returned his Galaxy S26 Ultra after weeks of use, citing ergonomic problems, camera wobble, and incremental upgrades that don't justify the flagship price. The phone's size and design choices are creating real usability issues.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 Milwaukee Tools Under $150 Worth Buying Right Now

Milwaukee's M12 and M18 tool lines offer professional-grade performance without a professional-grade price tag. A new Home Depot sale brings the M12 drill combo kit to $149, making it an ideal starting point for homeowners building out their first serious toolbox.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Why ReviOS Became My Default Windows 11 Installation

A tech writer explains why he stopped using stock Windows 11 and switched to ReviOS, a modified configuration that strips out bloatware, telemetry, and Microsoft's persistent nudges. The trade-off: no automatic security updates.

Manaal Khan·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

5 Raspberry Pi Alternatives That Cost Half the Price

Raspberry Pi prices have climbed past $200 for some models, pushing hobbyists toward cheaper single-board computers. Orange Pi, Libre Computer, and other boards now deliver comparable performance at a fraction of the cost, though software support varies.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·4 min

3 Netflix Movies to Watch This Week: June 8-14

Netflix's latest weekly picks include an animated retelling of David vs. Goliath, a classic 90s thriller, and a beloved sports drama. Here's what's worth streaming through June 14.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·4 min

Windows 11 Finally Lets You Disable Bing in Search

Microsoft is adding an option to turn off web search results in Windows 11's Start menu. The change appears in recent Insider previews after years of user complaints about Bing cluttering local file searches.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·4 min

Why Quick Tap Made Me Ditch Phone Cases After 10 Years

A long-time phone case user explains why Google Pixel's Quick Tap gesture convinced him to go caseless. The feature's back-tap detection works best without bulky protection, forcing a trade-off between convenience and safety.

Huma Shazia·9 Jun 2026