November is typically a very hectic time of year for gaming. Not only do lots of games sell during Black Friday, but the final barrage of games hoping to launch before that shopping-spree window also comes out. This year is no different, as there are several new games to look forward to across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 this month.

My Linux journey started many years ago, and it got off to a really rocky start. I was just beginning to learn how computer hardware went together, and in the process of reviving an old rig that had belonged to my dad, I installed Ubuntu on it. I had no idea what I was doing outside of the GUI, so naturally, I made a ton of mistakes, eventually got frustrated, and proceeded not to touch it again for years.

Google’s NotebookLM is many things. It’s not just a study buddy for stressed-out students or a research assistant for academics. It’s surprisingly flexible, and honestly, half the fun is figuring out creative ways to use it.

Home Assistant and other platforms can provide control over an array of smart devices, including plugs, lights, sensors, and more. However, automating these tasks with various triggers and actions can be quite cumbersome, even within Home Assistant itself. This is why I needed to automate the entire home lab with a self-hosted workflow engine, to help make my life considerably easier while allowing me to create some truly awesome results. YAML can get complicated fast, especially when filling files with lines of code.

Developers of all scale work with APIs all day long. Whether building APIs, debugging them, or integrating them into an existing project. You've probably come across APIs when trying to connect multiple self-hosted tools as well. Now, I'm no expert, but my previous experience with using Postman for API testing has been anything but easy. The feature set is complex, and while Postman can accomplish a lot, it can be overkill for users with simpler needs.

Over the last 20 years, I've used everything from dial-up and DSL to fiber connections on my PCs, even when my motherboard had Wi-Fi support. In 2025, using a wireless connection on my PC isn't terrible or anything, but it just can't compete with a wired connection. Despite Wi-Fi 6E being commonplace now, Ethernet has some unassailable advantages over Wi-Fi. That's why I always make it a point to install a direct connection from my router to my PC, even if it becomes a logistical nightmare.

Gaming laptops comprise a pretty decent subset of the laptop market, and while they do work out of the box as complete gaming PCs, laptop keyboards often get hot while gaming. Which makes a wired or wireless controller a must for most owners of gaming laptops.

If you've got to work from home on a laptop for any period of time, there are a few inconveniences built into the laptop experience that make a hybrid work environment somewhat lacking. While there are a number of laptop accessories you can buy and home office upgrades you can snag to make working off your laptop easier, the one small change I made to my home office that really made a difference was a simple USB-C adapter.

HP's OmniBook 7 Aero is an ultra-light, 13-inch laptop that weighs under 2.2 pounds depending on your configuration. It's a laptop light enough that you might think it's just a display sample if you pick it up, and yet it's a fully functional PC. The OmniBook 7 Aero's lightweight recycled aluminum chassis contains the power of an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 APU, and thus meets the Copilot+ requirements for enhanced AI features.

When life gives you a new handheld gaming PC, you'll eventually want to connect it to a monitor and use it as a desktop. Sure, you might primarily use your handheld as the gods intended, and game on the go, but what about when you're at home? Sure, you can still use it in handheld mode, but it's a full PC — why not use it for more than just playing Hades II on your commute to work?

Let’s be honest, it’s time to move on from TeamViewer for remote access. Once dominant, it’s showing its age while the open-source contenders have caught up fast. These modern alternatives are faster, more flexible, and customizable. Additionally, you won’t feel the pinch in your wallet with subscriptions and restrictive licensing terms.

It still surprises me that gaming in 4K isn't more popular in 2025 than it is. Sure, 4K gaming has often been the dream, but back in 2016 when I bought my first proper gaming laptop, I got a 4K panel thinking it would quickly become the default.