I use Ubuntu as a test system, mainly for trying self-hosted apps that may bring my Raspberry Pi Zero to its knees. When you work with self-hosted apps, you tend to monitor their resource usage and fix problematic processes and services. Previously, Ubuntu’s default resource monitor, System Monitor, was my go-to tool. However, it had its fair share of pain points, ranging from a less configurable graph design to limited component graphs and missing service management options.

It took me longer than I’d like to admit to realize that not all AI tools are created equal. Some excel at digging up information, while others shine at helping you make sense of it. I’ve always been very picky about the AI tools I use. When I find one that works well for me, I cling to it and obsessively explore every feature until I’m using it to its full potential. For me, this truly happened when I discovered Google was testing an AI-powered personalized research assistant in Labs called NotebookLM (codenamed Project Tailwind back then).

There's no limit to how long one could talk about fantastic yet forgotten classics from generations past. Whether it's your PS1 gems or SNES-era greats, we could always go on and on about unforgettable games that made our childhood selves feel some kind of way, and how we wish we could see them in modern avatars.

Though I’ve been using NotebookLM since it was still an experimental Google Labs project, back when there was no guarantee it would ever launch widely, my usage was pretty limited at first. For the longest time, I only relied on NotebookLM for studying. It was the perfect revision companion and quickly became the only tool I depended on for learning new concepts, testing my knowledge before exams, and basically my secret to staying ahead without burning out.

Whether you are a student, a business owner, an entrepreneur, or a normal consumer, you need a reliable cloud solution to sync files and media across devices. I have tried everything – from popular solutions like OneDrive and Google Drive to self-hosted tools like Nextcloud. However, they all felt limiting in one way or the other. I wanted a solution that doesn’t compromise on speed, privacy, control, and features, and that’s when I stumbled upon an open-source powerhouse called Seafile and haven’t looked back.

With Windows 10 falling out of support in mid-October, people have been preparing for the occasion. Some are planning to use Microsoft's extended support plans to get an extra year for their PC, while others will change operating systems. Some of the latter group will force Windows 11 on their computer, while others will use an alternative operating system, such as Linux.

AOL dial-up is ending on September 30th according to a statement posted on the company’s website. It marks the end of the service that was synonymous with the internet for many since its launch in 1991. “AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,” reads the statement by the Yahoo-owned company. “This service will no longer be available in AOL plans. As a result, on September 30, 2025 this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued.”You might be surprised that the service was still operating. I’m not. At last count, a 2019 US census estimated that 265,000 people in the United States were still using dial-up internet, just a few years after I wrote this:As a septuagenarian, my father’s story was typical of long-time AOL dial-up subscribers. His subscription was a security blanket. He was sure he didn’t need the dial-up component, but he didn’t want to risk losing access to his stock portfolio, investor forums, and email. His setup worked, and he could afford to keep paying the subscription he had dutifully paid for over a decade. With my help, we were able to migrate everything he used on AOL to the ad-supported and open internet that was already being delivered into his house via the broadband component of his cable package. Even after things were fully mirrored, he still felt trepidation when the time came to pick up the phone and terminate his dial-up account (despite AOL’s best attempt to obscure and complicate the procedure). Months later he told me he felt silly for letting the ruse go on for so long.Reading that now and I’m struck to think that the end of AOL dial-up arrives at the same time as Google Zero and the end of the ad-supported internet.

When it comes to multimedia interfaces, HDMI has reigned supreme for over two decades. Who wouldn't want a sleek, all-in-one connector that carries audio, video, and networking? It was originally made as a replacement for the myriad of display standards available in the early 2000s, and while it certainly has its benefits over those and other modern display standards, my own frustrations have been building for years, and now, I can say I'm finally ready to walk away from HDMI entirely.

Most of us are familiar with the tiny blinking LEDs on Ethernet ports, which quietly indicate network activity. They are functional, but not particularly eye-catching. Corebb, a creative maker, decided Wi-Fi deserved the same kind of real-time visual indicator, only more artistic and immersive. The result is a custom-built mood light using an ESP32 microcontroller to translate Wi-Fi activity into colorful, dynamic light patterns.

My first encounter with a lightweight, CLI-focused Raspberry Pi operating system was the official one. I installed the Raspberry Pi Lite 64-bit edition on my Pi Zero 2W and started building small self-hosted projects. It was frustrating to use the CLI, but I grew somewhat accustomed to it because the desktop edition lagged beyond my patience. Over time, I discovered other lightweight operating systems like Armbian or DietPi, which have great tools, support, and a responsive community that can help with problems.

People really love their cozy games. Whenever a promising new title comes around, people are queuing up around the digital block, waiting for its release. Well, it seems that one game in particular has really resonated with the community; it only just released on August 7th and has already received over 700 reviews, with a 95% positive rating.

PCIe add-in cards used to be a necessity. Decades ago, motherboards only came with very basic features, and you'd have to fill in the gaps with various PCIe devices. As time has gone on, though, that's changed. Most motherboards incorporate those features into the board itself, leaving a bunch of empty PCIe slots sitting below your GPU.