I tested Gemini, Claude, and Lumo for my taxes — and one made a costly mistake
…I did enjoy the benefits of Excel's dark mode, but without a Microsoft 365 subscription I can't use the desktop app — and I don't want to subscribe to an…
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I built an offline research system, and cloud AI doesn't feel necessary anymore
…Cloud AI requires transmitting sensitive data to third-party servers, which raises concerns about things like potential unauthorized access and data residency issues, especially concerning health and financial information. This is why…
My favorite alternative to OneNote isn’t Notion or Obsidian: It’s something way cooler and productive
…UpNote solves mobile friction beautifully through its dedicated widget and quick note feature. Let’s go over the pricing as well. Unlike other subscription-based note-taking apps, UpNote offers a lifetime…
The cheapest smart home automation I ever set up cost me less than a dollar
…A hub, a smart speaker, a few bulbs, a sensor or two , maybe a subscription somewhere in the stack, and at that point, it's transformed from a simple upgrade to a…
Self-hosting freed me from the OS lock-in trap (and made my devices clutter-free)
…After all, self-hosted services not only helped me escape from the clutches of enshittified cloud platforms, but they also don’t shove premium subscriptions down my throat. Plus, setting up (and…
I ditched Flighty for this self-hosted flight tracker, and the $60 a year savings is just the bonus
…60 a year and giving me complete control over my travel data. What's not to like? 4 self-hosted apps that changed how I manage my finances I haven't gone…
I stopped buying smart home gadgets and started building them for a fraction of the price
…Besides, Home Assistant and ESPHome aren’t sunsetting any of their features or suddenly introducing subscriptions. My first ESP32 project with a reed switch worked for several weeks before I repurposed the…
This browser-based emulator is the easiest way I've found to play retro games
…The free version of Afterplay is limited to two manual saves and two autosaves per game and lacks a built-in cheat database and shaders. A premium $25-a-year subscription gives…
The best new Home Assistant feature in 2026 isn't AI, it's a 433MHz transmitter
…There's also a significant financial and environmental victory as well. To make traditional motorized blinds smart, consumer brands expect you to pull down your functional units and spend $300+ per window…
A $65 handheld emulator beats anything Nintendo currently sells for retro gaming
…Previously, he was Pocket-lint's Editor-in-Chief, the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian tech publication MobileSyrup , and earlier in his career, he worked as the technology editor at the Financial…