I've been self-hosting all kinds of services in my homelab for years. There's something satisfying about having complete control over your data, choosing your own software, and not relying on third-party providers. But over time, I realized that installing a service is the easy part — maintaining it is where the real commitment begins.

The actual proposition of the Steam Machine is incredibly appealing. A SteamOS box that delivers 4K gaming at 60 FPS to the couch is a solid premise, but that premise has to be backed up in both the performance and the price. The Steam Machine does neither of those things.

When I first started using PowerToys a couple of years ago, I was immediately drawn to PowerToys Run because it addressed a couple of glaring issues I had with Windows Search. I didn't have to deal with the cluttered Start menu or accidentally clicking web results. And since I was already used to Spotlight on my MacBook, PowerToys Run felt oddly familiar even though it was mostly just a launcher. I know some Windows users have wanted an Alfred alternative for years, and PowerToys Run has always been too basic for that comparison.

E Ink technology (or general ePaper) is one of my favorite things right now. I love it when technology tries to do something that's very niche, but very useful for the particular crowd it's aimed at, and these displays serve a specific purpose very well.

Smart home devices are already pretty handy thanks to their remote management tools, and voice assistants push their convenience to the next level. Google Home and Alexa+ are among the most common voice assistants in smart home setups, but despite their inherent benefits, I avoid them like the plague these days.

For years, budget 3D printers were mostly judged by the obvious things. We looked at speed, auto bed leveling, input shaping, app support, enclosure options, and whether the machine could print a respectable first model without rattling the whole desk. Those things still matter, and I’m not going to pretend they don’t. But lately, the build plate has started to feel like the part of the spec sheet that quietly changes the whole experience.

I have used a Fire TV Stick for over three years and have rarely had any issues. It was undoubtedly one of the best budget upgrades for my not-so-smart TV. But that doesn't mean that it was a completely seamless experience either. There were a few frustrations I had to deal with for the longest time, and the Fire TV remote was the biggest.

VS Code is still the safe choice, but it no longer feels like the most exciting one. But 2026 feels like the first time its alternatives are not just trying to copy it, they are trying to replace the way I think about writing code.

Look, I thought we all had an agreement. We would allow companies to make the most powerful artificial intelligence in the history of mankind, and in exchange, we would absolutely, definitely not give them robot bodies to control. We've all seen Terminator, right? We know how that usually goes.

The Kuxiu D5 keeps Qi-compatible phones cool while also charging a watch and earbuds. Despite my initial skepticism, I'm now sold on wireless Qi chargers that add integrated fans to keep your phone cool while charging. I figured they'd be too loud, or too weak, or too gimmicky, but I'm a convert after spending a week with the new $59.99 Kuxiu D5 Qi2.2 charging dock. Its active cooling system has kept my phone from heating up, unlike every other Qi charger I've tried. Good thing, given my own history with an overheating phone.Last year I fried the logic board on my titanium iPhone 15 Pro. I was on a sweltering train and trying to edit a 4K video on my phone, which was charging from a magnetically attached Qi power bank. Oof, …Read the full story at The Verge.

Ultrawide monitors aren't for everyone, but it's the best way to get the most screen real estate in a compact footprint. While there are lots of choices, we think Samsung makes some of the best if you're looking for something higher-end. Naturally, this generally means paying higher prices, unless you're able to find a good deal.

I've burned through a frankly embarrassing number of AI coding tools this year, along with an even bigger heap of tokens. Along the way, I fell hard on the side of terminal-agents, wired up to a local LLM or two to help me limit my token burn. I've built agentic workflows that code and test without me, but I have to admit that sometimes I like the feel of a more traditional IDE.