Pocket-lint - Lists

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:00:17 GMT

Keeping a Mac or Windows PC running for a long time can be challenging. It's not as complicated as it used to be -- as anyone who remembers life before SSDs and the internet can tell you -- but at the least, there are basic software maintenance tasks, and repairing or upgrading hardware inevitably becomes difficult, if not impossible. You'll be lucky to own a computer that has parts available for a full decade.

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Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:00:16 GMT

To avoid any controversy, I don't have a problem with budget laptops just because they're cheap, or because they don't have the best specs on the market. I'm a believer in using the right tool for the job -- but also in money well-spent, regardless of how wealthy you are. There's no sense dropping $2,000 on a laptop if you won't be handling anything more complex than web browsing and emails. For that, an iPad or Android tablet is probably enough.

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Mon, 15 Dec 2025 04:15:29 GMT

I often take screenshots of webpages and the Windows apps I test for work, and sometimes need to record my screen for instructional videos. Until recently, the built-in Windows Snipping Tool was my go-to app because it's a useful Windows 11 feature that gets the job done with basic screen capture and recording.

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Sun, 14 Dec 2025 15:00:16 GMT

I haven't bought a new car in years, and I most likely never will again. It does not mean I buy clunkers, or ancient wrecks. I know what kind of car I want -- in my case, a compact SUV -- and I look for one that is two to three years old, with acceptable mileage. My last two were ex-rental cars, and I bought them from reputable dealers. I know I'll get a better price buying privately, but the dealers I know feel less risky, and the hassle factor is much lower. But if you are confident, by all means buy privately.

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Sun, 14 Dec 2025 14:00:17 GMT

Heat is the enemy for many electronics, but especially for modern PCs. They're complex beasts with many parts, and excessive heat in just one area can cause a computer to crash, assuming a component doesn't fail permanently. It's almost a miracle that PCs run at all, given how many apps are designed to push their performance to the limit. You can thank decades of work by engineers for getting us to a point of stability.

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025 16:00:15 GMT

Viewing PDF files in my browser or with Acrobat Reader is a piece of cake, but editing them is always an issue. I either have to pay for software I'll hardly use or scour the internet for sketchy PDF converter websites with questionable functionality.

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:00:15 GMT

I'm a big believer in doing things efficiently, no matter how big your budget is for a project. One of my main hobbies is weightlifting, for example, and I don't bother with most supplements -- I find that caffeine, creatine, and whey powder are all I need. Similarly, while I love riding PEVs, I'd rather invest in a rugged and reliable one than something with a lot of frivolous add-ons.

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Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:34:07 GMT

There are plenty of streaming devices to choose from -- Roku, Apple TV, Google TV, and more -- but my favorite is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. I have it connected to my LG C5, and it has made streaming on my TV much better, especially since I find LG's webOS home screen a bit of a mess.

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Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:00:15 GMT

This is dating myself, but I remember when keeping a PC running was entirely a do-it-yourself affair. Before Windows 95, there was an unspoken assumption that you were technically inclined -- as a kid, I remember having to mess with IRQ settings and memory managers just to get some of my games to run properly.

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Thu, 11 Dec 2025 03:01:16 GMT

Picture this: I'm sitting down to watch some football over the weekend and, as the game is going on, there is a distinct blur on the TV. It's happening multiple times every few minutes and it's incredibly noticeable. It looks as though the game is lagging behind, which is a big problem when you're trying to enjoy live sports.

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