Summary When talking about Linux desktop distributions, two names inevitably come up: Ubuntu and Kubuntu. They sound very similar, and for good reason, but your experience using either is different in some significant ways. I’ve daily-driven both desktop Ubuntu and Kubuntu for months at a time, totaling close to two years in combination. While I prefer Kubuntu, I find both worthy alternatives to Windows or macOS, the most conventional operating systems for desktop computers and laptops....

Quick Links The year is 2024. Smartphones are not a new or novel concept—everyone has one. Yet, Apple, Samsung, Google, and many other companies are releasing new phones every year. That’s what they tell us, at least. Your eyes may tell a different story. For those of us who witnessed the incredible explosion of smartphone popularity in the early 2000s, it’s hard to believe we’re nearly two decades removed from the original iPhone announcement....

Some Windows laptops now have a dedicated Copilot keyboard key, as part of Microsoft’s big push for AI features. Here’s how it works, and how you can remap it if you want. What’s Copilot and the Copilot Key? Windows Copilotis the AI chat assistant included with Windows 11. You can ask for help with general knowledge questions, coding, information on the web, and other resources. It can also generate images using Microsoft Designer....

Quick Links Summary An iPhone feature called Stolen Device Protection makes it more difficult for phone thieves to access critical settings and functions, even if they know your passcode. Let’s take a look at how to set it up and how it works. What Is iPhone Stolen Device Protection? The iPhone’s Stolen Device Protection is essentially a fail-safe feature that prevents thieves from wiping your iPhone or accessing your personal information, including your Apple ID, even if they found out your passcode....

Quick Links Samsung is about to host one of the most anticipated launch events of the year. At the mid-year Galaxy Unpacked event on July 10, the company is rumored to unveil the next generation of foldables, a brand-new wearable ring, new smartwatches, and wireless earbuds. Let’s take a closer look! How to Watch the Galaxy Unpacked Event on July 10? To watch theGalaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, July 10, at 9 AM ET, which will take place in Paris, users can tune into the live stream on the company’sofficial YouTube channel....

Quick Links Summary The biggest highlight of Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 lineup is Galaxy AI, a set of generative AI tools that brings features like live translation, generative photo editing, and more. Thankfully, Samsung isn’t restricting the AI magic to its latest phones. If you’re rocking last year’s Galaxy flagship, you’re in luck. Galaxy AI is Coming to These Samsung Phones Samsung has set a lofty goal to bringGalaxy AIto 100 million Galaxy devices this year....

Summary If you’ve looked at astronaut photos and wondered why they are wearing sunglasses in some, there are some very good reasons for it. While sunglasses are not always needed, including when astronauts don a spacesuit, space shades are far from a fashion accessory. They Need Protection From Intense Solar Radiation As the sun is essentially a massive, natural fusion reactor, the light coming from it is a vast spectrum of electromagnetic radiation....

Summary If you run a Pi-Hole server, you probably, like me, have experienced downtime when updating or rebooting the server. To fix this, I started running two Pi-Hole instances. Here’s how I did it, and how I keep them in sync, too. Why Run Two Pi-Hole Instances? I first tried Pi-Hole a few years ago, and it was nice as a content blocker and DNS manager. However, whenever I had to do maintenance to the machine it was on, my entire network would go down....

Quick Links The Qt file manager called QtFM has great features, such as storing custom commands so you don’t need to open a Linux terminal window to run them. The only drawback is getting it installed. Let’s look at what makes this file browser special and how you can (maybe) try it out. What Makes QtFM a Great Linux File Manager Anyone using agraphical desktop environmentuses afile manager. On Linux, there are lots to choose from....

One of the most striking things about Linux is the sheer number of terminal emulators available. There are dozens, each offering different features, philosophies, and levels of customization. This naturally leads to the question:Why are there so many choices? 5Historical Evolution of Linux Terminals The origins of terminal emulators date back tothe early days of Unix. In the 1960s and 1970s, users interacted with computers using physical teletype (TTY) machines and later video terminals such as the VT100....

Quick Links 5G is the latest and (supposedly) greatest wireless standard. With speeds that can sometimes rival home internet, you may be wondering if using5Gmeans you’ll burn through even more data. But is that actually true? Let’s find out. The first smartphone with 5G—theSamsung Galaxy S20—was released in March 2020. Since then, we’ve seen a huge number ofsmartphones and other devices with 5G support. Faster internet speeds are great, but is it worth it if you use more data in the process?...

Managing your preferred default application for web browsing, playing videos, or other tasks can be difficult on Windows, especially when Windows itself keeps resetting your options. That might be less of a problem in the future. There are a few ways that Windows applications can set themselves as the default application for certain links or files, and add themselves to the taskbar. The process can be confusing, especially when some applications try to set themselves as the default without your knowledge, and when Windows tends to reset the defaults after updating....

Black Friday is a treasure trove of deals, but also a prime target for cybercriminals to steal sensitive information. Use these tips to stay secure, whether you’re grabbing deals on your computer, phone, or tablet. 1Only Shop on Secure Websites Stick to reputable online stores you know and trust. Before entering any payment details, check that the website address starts with “https://”, which means your connection to the site is secure—though, importantly,HTTPS isn’t a guarantee that the site itself is safeto shop on....