Tag Archives: system

Thanks to podcasts, TikTok, Twitch and all the other things my dad has never heard of, it seems like everyone needs some sort of microphone these days. I’ve always been partial to the modest little lavalier mic — you can clip it to your shirt or collar, and it’s barely visible on video but sounds …

Wires are one of the last remaining mundane hassles of the tech world. Not all gadgets come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so every once in a while I have to haul out an old fashioned cable to connect two devices — like plugging headphones into the home theater AV so I can watch Raised by Wolves quietly late at night. …

Lots and lots of classrooms will be virtual this fall, meaning it might be time to rethink the “ideal” laptop for students. I usually recommend a 13.3-inch screen, which makes for a lighter, more portable machine, but portability isn’t necessarily the driving requirement anymore. Maybe it makes more sense to have a bigger screen, a wider keyboard and other comfort …

It doesn’t matter what kind of TV you have: If you’re relying on the integrated speakers, your sound system is terrible. That’s why you can’t understand dialogue and all the music and sound effects sound like they’re played through a transistor radio. The best thing you can do to upgrade your home theater audio is to add a soundbar — …

Has your once shiny and speedy Mac lost a bit of speed? If you are seeing the spinning beach ball more frequently as your Mac struggles to keep up, then it’s time to perform a bit of maintenance to put a little pep back in its step.  In a previous version of this article, I recommended that you replace your …

Whenever Apple trots out new hardware — as it did most recently with the new 13-inch MacBook Pro earlier this month — it’s only natural to look at your old hardware and think, “Time for an upgrade!” Just one problem: You’re not made of money. And you already sank a hefty chunk of it into your current MacBook.  So what’s …

No matter how large a hard drive or solid-state drive you have in your PC or laptop, there will come a time when you run out of space. If you’re bumping up against your PC’s physical storage limit, here are some quick tricks you can use to reclaim a couple of gigabytes’ worth of storage space. These options will take …

Editor’s note: In recognition of World Password Day, CNET is republishing a selection of our stories on improving and replacing passwords. Even though the tech industry is working on better alternatives to passwords, you’re going to be using them for an awfully long time. Some of the advice you’ve heard over the last couple of decades is outdated. Here’s a …

Have you used your iPhone’s dark mode setting yet? If not, you should. Not only is it easier on your eyes, especially if you often use your phone in a dimly lit room, but using dark mode actually saves battery life, according to Google. Apple first added a system-wide dark mode with the release of iOS 13 last year, converting the …

Was it only a month ago that Sam’s Club had its November One Day Sale to whet our appetite for Black Friday? My, how time flies. We’re lining up for final approach to the holidays now, so Sam’s Club is back with a one-day sale this Saturday, Dec. 14. Stores open at 7 a.m. local time and details of the …