My smart home was a mess until I gave it a brain
Yash Patel Apr 4, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Beginning his professional journey in the tech industry in 2018, Yash spent over three years as a Software Engineer. After that, he shifted…
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Don't waste money on SSD caching—here's why a full SSD upgrade matters for gaming
…The HDD would store all the data, and an SSD cache would act as a speedy in-between to handle loading data for games, software, and other tasks. It sounds excellent on…
Your soundbar won't talk to your TV, and manufacturers act like that's normal
…They avoid certain apps because one streaming box behaves better than the TV’s built-in software. They memorize the exact sequence of remote presses needed to wake the whole chain up…
I finally found a use for NotebookLM that isn't research
…of consumer tech journalism experience to the table, with bylines at Android Police and iPhoneHacks. He's written about everything from UI and UX changes across various apps to emerging software and…
The FCC's router ban could make these router brands a risky bet in the future
…Right off the bat, this means that almost every single router brand you've heard of or used over the past decade will be affected, since even the largest American consumer-facing…
I replaced Google's apps with these 7 open-source alternatives, and I'm never going back
Megan Ellis May 8, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT Megan is a Software Writer at XDA Developers who has been writing about consumer technology since 2016. With a postgraduate degree in New…
Ubuntu just showed Microsoft how to add AI without the mess
…eke out a win for the consumer, and one of them is a transparent, open-source approach. Linux has always lived off open-source software, and Ubuntu will handle AI with the…
Microsoft should be terrified of SteamOS, even if Windows owns the Steam charts
…The latest Steam Hardware & Software Survey revealed as much, with Windows 11 and Windows 10 continuing to show overwhelming dominance in the OS department. Over 93% of Steam users use Windows 11…
I switched from pfSense to OPNsense, and I'm happy with the upgrade
…ve never had any deal-breaking issues with my pfSense instance, I’m not very fond of the former’s stance on open-source software. pfSense’s weird licensing shenanigans have always…
I never configure a home firewall without these three rules, and they stop the attacks most people don't know are happening
…I like to stop threats before they become an issue, and set up this trio of rules and tools as a first step. They stop traffic coming from known bad actors, reduce…