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Hacks & Workarounds

1187 articles

All articles tagged Hacks & Workarounds.

How to Read Linux Command Usage Guides Without Confusion

Linux commands tell you how to use them, but only if you know how to ask. This guide breaks down the cryptic syntax of man pages and usage output into plain English, so you stop guessing and start controlling the terminal.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·7 min

How to Run 70B LLMs Free Using Kaggle's Hidden GPU Tier

Google's Kaggle platform offers 30 hours of free dual-GPU compute weekly, enough to run massive open-source models like Llama 3 70B. By combining Jupyter notebooks with secure tunneling, developers can create private API endpoints without spending a dollar on hardware.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

WriterDeck: A DIY Device for Distraction-Free Writing

Tired of notifications and browser tabs hijacking your focus? A writerDeck is a purpose-built device that does one thing: lets you write. Whether you build one from scratch, repurpose old hardware, or strip down a laptop, the goal is eliminating digital distractions.

Huma Shazia·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·7 min

How a Tiny Embedding Model Fixed My Local LLM Setup

Running local LLMs? The biggest bottleneck isn't model size. It's stuffing entire documents into the context window. An embedding model paired with RAG retrieves only what matters, cutting token use by 40% and keeping inference fast.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Python Cleans Excel Data in Seconds: Here's How

Manual data cleaning in Excel wastes hours on tasks Python handles in seconds. Using the pandas library, you can automate removing blanks, duplicates, and errors from messy spreadsheets. This guide walks through the setup and core techniques.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·8 min

10 Linux Commands That Handle Your Everyday File Tasks

The command line remains the fastest way to manage files on Linux. These ten commands form the foundation for navigating directories, copying files, searching content, and automating repetitive tasks.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Why Samsung's Foldables Lost a Longtime Fan

A tech enthusiast explains why he's leaving Samsung's foldable lineup after years of loyalty. The culprit: Samsung's increasing reliance on Google integration and AI gimmicks while competitors push hardware innovation.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

Open Camera: A Manual Alternative to Pixel's Stock App

Google Pixel phones have impressive cameras, but their stock app offers limited manual control and heavy image processing. Open Camera, a free open-source alternative with over 100 million downloads, gives photographers granular control over ISO, shutter speed, and RAW capture while producing more natural-looking images.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Razr Plus 2026 vs Galaxy Z Flip 7: Which Flip Phone Wins?

Motorola's new Razr Plus 2026 arrives at the same $1,099 price as Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7, but with a larger battery, faster charging, and better cover screen app support. The tradeoff? A three-year-old Snapdragon processor that raises questions about long-term value.

Manaal Khan·24 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

Box Drive vs OneDrive: A Free Alternative Worth Trying

OneDrive's 5GB free tier pushes users toward a $99/year subscription. Box Drive offers 10GB free and integrates with your local file system the same way. Here's what works and what doesn't.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 BIOS Settings Most PC Builders Skip

A new PC build often underperforms out of the box because key BIOS settings remain at conservative defaults. These six tweaks unlock the performance you paid for, no hardware upgrades required.

Huma Shazia·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·7 min

5 Forgotten Luxury Sedans That Shine on Summer Road Trips

Modern SUVs dominate American highways, but overlooked luxury sedans from the late 2010s offer superior comfort at a fraction of their original cost. These five vehicles combine plush seating, quiet cabins, and highway stability that make them ideal for cross-country travel.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

E-Ink Devices Go Beyond eReaders: Phones, Tablets, and Monitors

E-Ink technology has expanded far beyond Kindle-style book readers into smartphones, Android tablets, and desktop monitors. New devices like the Minimal Phone and Boox Palma 2 offer paper-like screens that reduce eye strain and phone addiction, while color E-Ink tablets now run full Android with Play Store access.

Huma Shazia·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

5 Netflix War Movies Worth Your Time This Memorial Day

Netflix offers a solid lineup of war films for Memorial Day viewing. From Denzel Washington's Oscar-winning turn in Glory to Spike Lee's Vietnam treasure hunt Da 5 Bloods, these picks balance combat action with genuine character study.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

Why DVDs Still Belong in Your Homelab Backup Strategy

Hard drives fail. SSDs lose data when unpowered. Cloud providers can lock you out. A growing homelab movement is turning to optical media as the ultimate cold storage solution, and the math actually makes sense.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

4 Crime Dramas That Hit Harder After The Sopranos

The Sopranos didn't just change television. It created a blueprint for morally complex storytelling that made every crime drama after it richer. Here are four series that benefit from watching Tony Soprano's journey first.

Huma Shazia·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

5 EVs That Beat the Minivan for Summer Road Trips

With gas prices near record highs and EV charging infrastructure now mature, electric vehicles make practical sense for family road trips. This guide matches five EVs to five trip types, from the 512-mile Lucid Air to the rugged Rivian R1S.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

5 Milwaukee Tools Worth Waiting for This Summer

Milwaukee announced over 150 new products for 2026, but several standouts still haven't shipped. Here's what's coming in June and July that mechanics and contractors should keep on their radar.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 TV Cliffhangers From the 2000s That Never Got Resolved

Some of the best TV shows of the 21st century ended abruptly, leaving fans without closure. From My Name Is Earl to Santa Clarita Diet, these six series left major plot threads dangling when networks pulled the plug.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

3 Waze Features That Work Better on Android Auto

Waze's community-driven navigation shines brighter when moved from your phone to your car's dashboard. Voice reporting, larger hazard alerts, and streamlined rerouting all benefit from Android Auto's bigger screen and safer interface.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

6 Jailbroken Kindle Plugins That Replace Amazon's Software

A veteran Kindle hacker shares six free plugins that transform a jailbroken Kindle into a more capable device. From the open-source KOReader to Pomodoro timers, these community-built tools offer features Amazon never shipped.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

12 Apple Watch Tricks That Power Users Swear By

Most Apple Watch owners use maybe 20% of what the device can do. A decade-long user shares the hidden gestures, shortcuts, and settings that transform the Watch from a notification repeater into a genuine productivity tool.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·5 min

How to Turn Your Obsidian Vault Into an Automatic Project Tracker

The free Dataview plugin transforms Obsidian's local Markdown files into a queryable database. One user built a project dashboard that eliminated twenty-minute note hunts. Here's how to set it up.

Huma Shazia·23 May 2026

Hacks & Workarounds·6 min

7 Places to Put Smart Buttons in Your Home

Smart buttons are the overlooked solution to voice assistant frustration and app fatigue. These physical remotes work instantly, function offline, and can be placed exactly where you need them. Here's where they belong.

Manaal Khan·23 May 2026