Quick Links While online shopping has made it convenient to purchase from anywhere, it has also opened the door for scammers to target unsuspecting users with fake websites. To protect your personal information and finances, watch out for warning signs that can help you spot and avoid fraudulent websites. 6Look for Irregularities in the URL Scammers often try to imitate legitimate websites by using URLs that closely resemble the original website but contain subtle differences....

If you’re considering deploying Pi-hole like I did, don’t be like me and learn only after the fact that some things will stop working. Let me help you out and show you what you should be prepared for. As Pi-hole functions primarily as a content blocker, it’s great at blocking access to certain domains. However, sometimes that blocked access can result in some services or websites not functioning properly. 7When Your Pi-hole Server Goes Down, Your Whole Network Goes Down I originally ran Pi-hole several years ago, but quickly stopped because my network kept going down....

Quick Links An organized workspace boosts productivity, focus, and creativity. However, tangled cables often disrupt tidiness. You can transform this chaotic cord maze into a neat, orderly system with strategiccable managementmethods. Here are some easy ways to keep things neat. Cable Organizers and Holders Cable organizers and holders should be your first line of defense. These simple tools, like cable clips and cable management boxes, can help secure loose cables and prevent them from tangling....

Quick Links Whenever I need some sunshine and a warm breeze I reach for the free music app Poolsuite FM. Even though it can’t change the weather outside, its curated summer sounds instantly transport me to a warmer climate. Finding Nostalgia Through Music This streaming music app isn’t new, but I think it still classifies as under-the-radar.Poolsuite FMstarted its life under the name Poolside FM as a simple way to inject carefree summer vibes into the middle of winter, but it’s grown into much more than that....

Apple’s introduction of the A17 Pro system-on-chip sees Apple’s chip production move to a newer, smaller process and adds a new GPU core to boot. So what’s the real-world implication of this change? What is the A16 Bionic? The A16 Bionic is a system-on-chip introduced by Apple in September 2022 with the launch of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Like past chips, the A16 Bionic uses 64-bit ARM-based architecture (likeApple Silicon, but unliketraditional x86 PC processors)....

Summary Microsoft is pushing its “no console required” marketing campaign pretty hard, and Amazon even sells a bundle that includes an Amazon Fire Stick, a controller, and a Game Pass voucher. However, before you jump in on this Xbox streaming deal, consider the Xbox Series S instead. I really think the negative opinions of the Series S are alittle overblown, and although Ican’t really recommend the Series Sin broad terms anymore, when compared to this Xbox streaming arrangement, there are a few reasons picking up the plucky little console that could make a lot of sense....

Quick Links Summary Experts recommend grounding yourself before handling electronics like your PC components. It’s not required—there’s a good chance you won’t damage components even if you zap them with static electricity. However, an anti-static wristband provides extra protection and is inexpensive and easy to use. In manybuilding guides, you’ve probably been advised that you should use an “anti-static wrist strap” before starting the build process. But is this really necessary?...

Summary Since Apple discontinued its beloved MagSafe Duo charger, companies have been chasing a similar style of portable iPhone and Apple Watch charger.Belkin’s 2-in-1 Charging Travel Padgets all the basics right, including accommodating StandBy mode. The biggest consideration is that it’s not as minimal as Apple’s past charger or even the sleekest option available now. Belkin 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Travel Pad Conveniently fast charge two devices simultaneously (iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods) using Qi2....

There’s nothing worse than finally finding a nearby EV charging station on a road trip, only to realize it’s broken or out of service. ChargePoint, one of the largest electric vehicle charging networks, just announced a new initiative and Operations Center it hopes will help reach nearly 100% EV charger reliability. ChargePoint is doubling down with a significant investment in its EV charger technology to improve the driver (customer) charging experience, find and fix problems with stations, better train technicians, and keep its more than 243,000 chargers up and running with fewer issues....

With modern home tech making maintaining smart homes a breeze, you may think automated cleaning devices can’t get any better. Dreameinvites you to reimagine and rethink with its all-new X50 Ultra robot vacuum. This revolutionary cleaning bot sports the ProLeap™ system with a wheeled design to navigate your home like never before. Advanced cleaning tech and innovations remove all messes and the toughest stains, pick up 100% pet and human hair, and the all-in-one dock keeps the robot clean and always ready for use....

The mobile carrier Google Fi is now 10 years old, and Google is celebrating with a new unlimited plan for $35 per month, eSIMs for data-only devices, and helpful updates to its other plans. Google Fiis the mobile carrier owned and operated by Google, previously known as Project Fi. It previously used a combination of T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular for the best possible coverage, but now it’spowered exclusively by T-Mobile’s nationwide network....

Summary The Google Pixel 9a is finally here as Google’s cheapest smartphone. It’s pretty nice since it packsmostof the punch that the Pixel 9 series has, and it has the same SoC and pretty good cameras. It’s increasingly looking like Google might have cut more corners than you’d think, though. Some of the cost-cutting measures in Google’s Pixel 9a have become increasingly evident over the course of the past few days since the phone was first announced....

Summary For years, iPhone and iPad owners were unable to change their default app settings. But times have changed, and Apple has loosened its grip with a bit of pressure from the courts for good measure. Here’s how to change app defaults, and some ideas of what to replace them with. You can change default apps via a neat little menu that was introduced in theiOS 18.2 update. Make sure you’ve got the update installed then head to Settings > Apps > Default Apps at the top of the screen....