Hardware Archives

When I'm given the choice of sparkling water or flat, I always go for the sparkling. Of course I always like Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper though I've cut down my consumption as I've gotten older. Having a way to make my own sparkling beverages at home is definitely...

I've had a dog or two for most of my life. My current furball suffers from pretty bad separation anxiety. This has led to a few crazy situations when I've been away. One place she feels very safe is in her crate, though leaving her in the crate for more than a few...

Buying a smartphone can be very expensive. It is even possible the phone could cost more than a good laptop. For that reason, it is important you have some sort of case to protect your investment. There are plenty of inexpensive options that provide basic...

I don't know about all of you, but I spend a fair amount of time in tough environments. It can often be hot, water is involved and there is no shortage of sand and dust. None of those conditions are typically kind to computer equipment. Today we'll look at a...

I haven't written much about graphics cards in the last couple of years. While they are a very important part of having a powerful computer, it was extremely expensive to buy them. Today I'm going to dip my toe back into the graphics card waters even though the...

I've got multiple types of headphones and most of the time the ones I use are wired. Maybe that's why I'm never jumped into the wireless earbud arena. Since I'm not sure how much I'd truly use them, I'm thinking my best bet may be to choose an inexpensive set. If I...

I don't know about all of you, but I print far less now than I did in past years. There are times when I don't print anything in a given month. The same could be said for scanning and copying. Therefore my needs for a printer (scanner and copier) lean towards...

If you have a newer vehicle, it is quite possible it includes some USB ports so you can charge your phone and/or other devices. While I have ports in my vehicle, they tend to overheat and stop working after a short charge. Basically they are worthless to me....

Recently I went on a weekend road trip and it involved going through some areas where phone service is weak or non-existent. This meant my phone battery was using power a lot more than normal. That's when I pulled out something I found in my Christmas stocking. It...

I've had a video doorbell for nearly four years and it has been incredibly helpful to me. That said, I don't use the video all that often. More important is that it truly notifies me when someone is at my door. Having it connecting to an app on my phone allows...

One computer component I write about often is storage. We all need it and our needs grow over time. It is also important we can quickly access that storage. Today I'll explore the latest SSD drive that gives you a lot of room and speed for a very reasonable price....

A lot of people consider landline phones to be dead. Maybe I'm the exception as I have two unique landlines. One way or the other, you need phones connected to those landlines to get something out of them. Today I'll look at some relatively inexpensive phone...

We're now almost a third of the way through the year and I still have some Christmas lights up in my living room. Why? Because they provide a nice amount of lighting when watching a movie. That is, just enough light but not too much that it distracts from the...

I can't remember when I first installed a front panel dashboard on one of my computers. It was many years ago. Today we'll look at an inexpensive way for you to add one to your computer. I'll include an Amazon link if you want to purchase and I can earn a puny...

My personal battery is drained today. First the fiber optic cable providing Internet to my community was cut and thus we were cut off for more than ten hours. Then I watched my Kansas Jayhawks pull off an epic comeback to win a National Championship in college...

For me, there are two purposes a computer case should perform. First, it needs to support all the internal components and keep air flowing over them. Second, it should look darned good! Today we'll look at a case that does that at a reasonable price. I'll be...

More and more people are working from home or at least working remotely. This combined with power of laptops continuing to increase has created a market for portable laptop desks. The needs of users can vary widely so I haven't selected a single answer, but instead...

I talk about one type of product often, surge protectors, because it never seems like I can get enough of them. In addition, they have added USB ports over the years to handle more and more ways to power your devices. Yes, the one described today will be linked to...

Keeping your business (or personal) data secure is of utmost importance. If you lose it, what is the value of that loss? We each have a different answer, but it can be a huge number. I know that backing up data is often an afterthought for users and I'm working on...

If we roll back the clock a few years, only a limited number of users needed a good microphone in their arsenal. Now nearly every user has a need, even if just for Zoom and other video calls. Today we'll look at a microphone that can improve the sound you send out...

A few years back I wrote about the awesome ORIA Precision Screwdriver Kit in Screwdriver Toolkit Has Everything Needed for Electronics Gear. Today I'm writing a quick post as a follow-up because there is a huge discount on this set right now. If you don't already...

When I built my last computer, I decided not to have a standalone sound card. I knew that I could always add one later if I felt it necessary. Lately I've been considering adding one so I figured it was time to find a choice should I decide to get one. Yes, there...

You have have read the title and only thought of taking selfies. While I've taken a handful of them, I'm not a fan. This idea came about because of hummingbirds. There was a nest above my reach. I knew it had eggs, but didn't know any more than that. So how could I...

Over the last few years, manufacturers have removed the headphone jack from almost all mobile phones. I may not be in the majority, but I have chosen not to get one of the newer phones because I have the last revision that still has a headphone jack. Not just...