How-to

Smart thermostats, smoke detectors, door locks and appliances have gone mainstream and are finding their way into more homes than ever. What sometimes gets lost in the list of cool things those smart devices can do is that they are connected. Without an Internet connection, most of them fizzle. Poor Wi-Fi means a poor user experience and for many people, their wireless router is the weak link in the smart equation. In this post, I’ll review the network and computer essentials for a smart home that lives up to the billing.

I’m one of the few people I know who enjoys grocery shopping. For me, it’s a challenge finding new and interesting products, getting the best price on those things I buy all the time, and saving money at the checkout. And because groceries make up a sizable chunk of my monthly spending budget, I like to save money on them as often as I can. Read on and I’ll share some tips that will have you saving on your grocery bill like a pro.

There will come a time when a new PC is in your future. Maybe it’s your first, or maybe you’re moving on from an older computer that just didn’t make sense to upgrade. Making the decision to buy a new PC is one thing, but picking the right one? That’s a lot tougher, especially when you begin to wade through all the specs and promotional material. Don’t make your choice based on who has the best marketing department. I’ll help you to choose your next PC like a pro, so you end up with a computer you’re happy with.

Buying a fancy surround audio system doesn’t mean anything if it’s not set up correctly!

Flash can be a pretty unflattering style of lighting, and yet there are pros who use it successfully all the time. Today we’re going to look at some of the different ways you can use flash to make amazing photographs.

Many of us have an older PC or laptop kicking around that simply isn’t cutting it. The easy solution is to buy a new one. But there’s a cost to doing that and it isn’t always necessary. A relatively small investment in parts, software and labour can often make an old computer run like new. It may not be quite so fast as the current crop of PCs, but you can make it zippy enough that using it is enjoyable again. And if you still have an eye on an upgrade to a new model, you’ll have a nice machine to pass down to someone else. Here’s how to boost performance on an old PC or laptop like a pro.

One of the reasons why I struggle with bad food choices is because I always wait until the last minute to start cooking, and then I’m completely starving before I finally get to eat. But I’ve found the solution to this issue, and it’s all thanks to my slow cooker.

  Wearables are fun devices for keeping track of your fitness and activity levels. But did you know they can also come in handy at your next doctor’s visit? Here are some ways how. 

Chances are you own a smartphone or a tablet—perhaps both. And if you do, you probably realize that you are carrying a very valuable piece of gear with you. They don’t just give these things away … You may not realize just how fragile these devices are, but when you think about it they have at least one entire side that’s a sheet of glass and the electronics within are sensitive to dust, moisture and physical shocks. Then there’s the data on your mobile device which often includes digital photos, your web browsing history, e-mail, instant messages and passwords. That thing is a ticking time bomb! However, if you protect your tablet or smartphone like a pro, you can make the most of it on the go—like it was meant to be used— without losing sleep. Here’s how to do it.  

One of the main reasons we buy cameras is to take photographs of people, i.e. portraits. This week I’m going to give you some tips and ideas to push you further and help you make portraits that you’ll be proud to hang on your walls.