I haven’t used a wired mouse in half a decade, and I don’t miss it at all. Considering the state of the mouse market, which is dominated by wireless models, and the fact that even budget wireless mice perform as well as their wired brethren, I don’t see myself using a wired mouse ever again. Budget Wireless Mice Are as Affordable as Wired Models My last wired mouse was aLogitech G203, a staple of the budget gaming mouse market that remains as popular as ever despite its advanced age, for good reason....

Summary The challenge of video games is a huge part of the appeal, but there are some players who only consider the hardest difficulty level even worth their time. That’s definitely not me, and in fact, I’d go as far as saying that starting your games on “hard” might make gaming less enjoyable overall. Here’s why I play on the default difficulty setting when starting a new game. Normal Is (Normally) the Intended Experience Games are built around a specific balanced difficulty level....

Google Drive is a go-to solution for storing files and accessing them anywhere, but it’s not immune to hiccups. If your phone refuses to sync those important files just when you need them, it can make you want to throw away your phone (don’t do that). The good news? Most of these issues are easy to troubleshoot. Check Your Internet Connection Drive can’t work its magic without a stable connection. A weak or spotty connection is one of the most common reasons syncing stalls....

Quick Links After years of jumping between Google Pay and Google Wallet, the company finally settled on Google Wallet as its one-stop destination for everything from contactless payments to digital IDs. Here are some of its helpful features to make your life easier. 10A Digital ID for TSA Checkpoints If you often fly domestically,Google Wallet’s digital ID featurecan be pretty helpful. It works at select TSA checkpoints in the US right now, but the number is gradually increasing....

Quick Links Summary There are many games for Android with controller support, but they aren’t easy to find. Google Play doesn’t offer a filter to help you search, either in the app or on the web. What is a mobile game-lover with a physical controller to do? MiniReviewis the kind of app that makes gamers breathe a sign of relief and wonder why doesn’t Google put this much effort into curating the software in its store....

Quick Links When the lights go out at home, checking to see if you flipped a breaker is always a good idea. But during a full power outage, things can turn from a minor disruption into a complete emergency. Here are some of the best gadgets to buy before your next power outage, whether it’s a rolling blackout or something worse from summer storms. Power outages typically don’t last all that long, but depending on where you live, you could experience days-long stretches without power....

I really like to break up my work week by watching a movie or two, so I’m always on the hunt for something good.Hulucan be hit or miss (as can any streaming service), but in the end I always find a handful of blockbusters and more hidden gems, like the five I’ve collected below. In this week’s roundup we’ve got extraterrestrials, we’ve got dancing (of the dirty and ballet varieties), and a box of chocolates....

Did you know Python has several hidden easter eggs? Turns out, your favorite programming language isn’t just helpful for building applications, but also some quality humor. Let’s find some of the best ones. 5Hello World If you’ve ever written code in any language, it’s highly likely your first program was to print “Hello World” on the console. You can do that in Python with a line of code. However, there’s a more sophisticated way to do this....

Quick Links Both Sony and Microsoft have now produced flagship gaming consoles with no optical disc drive, though in Sony’s case you still have the option to add one later. It might seem like a good idea to save some money and skip the drive, but if you do there’s a good chance you’ll end up regretting it at some point. You might say that you never use the drive in your console, so why pay for one?...

Quick Links Smartphones are practically extensions of our hands—it’s easy to lose track of how much time we actually spend on them. How do you know when it’s more than just a habit and starts veering into addiction territory? Let’s take a look at some signs that might ring a little too true. 1You Experience Anxiety When Your Phone Is Not Within Reach Our phones are essential tools these days. They keep us connected to friends, work, the news, and, yes, funny videos....

Quick Links You don’t need a console for gaming fun.Amazon Lunalets you play games with only your computer, an internet connection, and a supported controller. There are many reasons to consider joining the Amazon Luna universe—and why you might want to stay away. Firstintroduced by invitation only in October 2020, Amazon Luna officially went live in the United States in March 2022. The cloud gaming service, whichAmazon Web Servicespower, provides an ever-changing small list of select games for Amazon Prime customers....

As we put the wraps on 2024, it’s time to take a look back at some of the major stories and trends that graced Android, the world’s most dominant mobile operating system over the course of the year. 1The Year of AI-Powered Phones TheSamsung Galaxy S24series kicked off 2024 not with exciting new Android features or revolutionary hardware but withGalaxy AI.Samsung marketed these as AI phones, and it would hardly be the only phone maker to do so....

Summary I was disappointed when Apple announced zero updates for the iPad’s Stage Manager feature at WWDC24. I wanted iPadOS 18 to turn my iPad into a multitasking beast, but Stage Manager continues to put off power users and confuse everyone else. Fixing Stage Manager shouldn’t be too hard at this point. 3 Stage Manager Fixes Apple Should Make Whenever I want touse Stage Manager, I’m reminded of its limitations. With Apple’s recent focus on catching up to its rivals regarding AI, no wonder it neglected Stage Manager....