How to fix low mic volume on MSI and other PCs
My wife's MSI GE75 Raider 10SE laptop recently had a quirky audio issue: the mic volume was really, really low. It didn't matter if she used the integrated mic, or an external one. I set out to solve the problem, and determined that it wasn't faulty hardware. Instead,...
Why electric vehicles burn so well
Electric cars, e-bikes, e-scooters: they all use lithium-based batteries, and they all seem to burn very well. While many agencies and officials claim traditional cars are at higher risk of bursting into flames, we don't seem to hear so much about them in the news....
USB: Which cable should I use?
There are more flavors of USB than ice cream. With so many gizmos, different USB cables, and chargers, how do you know which one is best? Which one gives you the fastest data transfer? More importantly, how do you charge all your devices as quickly as possible -...
SHORT: End-to-end encryption’s fatal flaw
End-to-end encryption is supposed to be ultra-safe. Unfortunately, it's not. Even though it sounds good on paper, the way E2EE is coded and used can make all the difference between security and epic data leaks. In less than 60s: YouTube:...
SHORT: End-to-End Encryption Explained
Ever wondered what the big deal with end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is? There are 2 main types of encryption. One means the central server is a "man in the middle", and the other means the server is just a relay of sorts. Check out this 58-second explanation of E2EE:...
Are messaging apps REALLY secure?
Person 1: My messenging app is more secure. Person 2: No, MINE is! Person 3: No way, I ONLY use Signal - it's the most secure! Okay, y'all are fired. What if I told you that NONE of the messaging apps you use are really, truly secure? Sound crazy? Well, it is. The...
Explorer STILL won’t refresh? Use Brute Force…
One year ago, I said this: "If you’re having trouble with files/folders not appearing until you refresh the folder view with a tap on F5, then you’ve been hit by the dreaded Explorer Doesn’t Refresh Automatically bug Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to fix. Behold: Three...
How to Activate Windows or Office permanently in 30 seconds
Using Microsoft software can be quite an adventure. It's especially fun when your previously activated copy of Windows or Office decides to de-activate itself! Sometimes, the usual official routes of re-activation are useful. Other times, not so much... Isn't there a...
AI is full of sh*t!
AI is being pushed from every direction. There's only one problem: it tends to "hallucinate". What does that actually mean? Well, it means that AI likes to literally make stuff up... sort of like a pathological human being. Fun for the whole family, right? YouTube:...
Thunderbird 128 Nebula: Better than ever!
About a month ago, Thunderbird 128: Nebula was released! I know, I didn't know about it either. I just finally got it automagically last week. Chances are, so did the rest of you - after the Tbird team fixed all the bugs. In any case, Thunderbird 128 looks the same,...
Artificial Stupidity: Your amazing AI future
When you imagine your future with the amazing technology of AI, chances are it doesn't look like what's happening today. In fact, it's not even close. If you're sick of hearing about AI while lamenting the lack of actual, cool uses for it, you're not alone. On top of...
Skip ‘Add your Microsoft Account’ during upgrades or installs
Windows 11 is okay - except when it comes time to do a big update or install it from scratch. In both cases, MS has decided to force you to log in to Windows using your Microsoft account. Wouldn't it be nice if you could skip this step? Fortunately, you can! Where did...
SHOCKER: CrowdStrike global IT outage caused by… CrowdStrike!
In my earlier video, Global IT Outage: What it means for you, I discussed the outage caused by CrowdStrike's wonky update. Since the publication of that video, I've read a fair load of nonsense. It's Microsoft's fault! It's the European Union's fault! It's the fault...
A REAL fix for low mic volume!
Connecting a mic to your PC is pretty essential for good quality sound. So what do you do when your mic level is suddenly too low? After going through the usual fixes for mix problems - just in case - I explain what's probably going on with your mic and how to fix it...
SHORT: Missing boot drive
You finally upgrade your motherboard and processor, but you can’t boot. In fact, you can’t even see your harddrive in the BIOS or the OS installer. What the heck is going on? Well, the explanation gets hairy… But thankfully, there are two solutions, and one of them is...
SHORT: CrowdStrike has a secret…
In addition to global IT outages, CrowdStrike is involved in political nonsense. Surprise, surprise... I'll give you a hint: Russia, Russia, Russia!!! Another hint: Orange Man Bad! In less than a minute: https://youtube.com/shorts/uuJ-s573Fc8 You can watch the...