Apple Apple proudly advertises that its latest and greatest Mac models come with a T2 security chip, but what does it do? And, more importantly, does a T2 chip create more problems than it solves? What Is a T2 Security Chip? The T2 is Apple’s second-generation “security chip.” It combines several hardware controllers into a […]
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Benj Edwards In the 1980s and ’90s, many IBM PC clones included a button on the case labeled “Turbo” that actually slowed down your PC when you pressed it. We explore why it was necessary, what it did, and who put it there in the first place. Attack of the Speedy Clones The first IBM […]
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Benj Edwards In a world where rapidly changing technology feels increasingly disposable, one thing remains constant in my computer setup: my 34-year-old IBM 101-key Enhanced Keyboard, commonly known as the Model M. Here’s why I’ll never give up its clicky keys and ideal layout. Origins of the Model M An IBM patent diagram of the […]
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Microsoft Teraflops: they’re all anyone wants to talk about when the upcoming Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 consoles are mentioned. This is because Microsoft and Sony are bragging about big performance boosts thanks, in part, to an increase in teraflops. Consoles vs. PCs: The Beasts in the Den The Xbox Series X GPU is based on AMD’s […]
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Although modern routers handle most functions automatically, some applications will require you to manually forward a port to that application or device. Fortunately, it’s really simple to do if you know where to look. What Is Port Forwarding? There are plenty of projects we’ve covered that use your computer as a server for other devices. When […]
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Apple’s iPhones run the iOS operating system, while iPads run iPadOS—based on iOS. You can find the installed software version and upgrade to the latest iOS right from your Settings app if Apple still supports your device. The Latest Major Version is iOS 13 The latest major version of Apple’s iOS operating system is iOS […]
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Video doorbells are the most important smarthome device you can buy. Smart light bulbs may be flashy, but—when properly integrated—a video doorbell will become something you can’t live without. They’re incredibly reasonable, too, costing just $99 to $199. If you could only have one smarthome device, you should make it a video doorbell—assuming you can […]
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Corsair MMO or MOBA mice are made for games that use a lot of buttons. These mice practically give you an extra keyboard. And you can rebind those keys to whatever you want, including hotkeys and macros. We’ll be using the Corsair Scimitar as an example in this guide, as it’s inexpensive ($59.99) and has […]
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Talaj/Shutterstock Finding the fastest USB connection used to be easy: choose USB 3.0 instead of 2.0. But now, you’ll need to know the difference between USB 3.2 Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 2×2—and what various types of “SuperSpeed” mean, too. USB Naming Used to Be Simple kontrymphoto/Shutterstock Once upon a time, USB came in […]
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Willy Barton/Shutterstock.com If you’ve just bought a new TV, you might be wondering why everything you watch feels eerily sped up and smooth, like you’re watching a live broadcast all the time. You’re not imagining things: Your TV might be suffering from Motion Smoothing. What is Motion Smoothing, and How Does it Work? Every TV […]
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