Fix: PDF thumbnails not showing
Who doesn't love PDFs? Unfortunately, far too often you won't see a thumbnail of a PDF file's first page. Instead, you'll see a generic PDF icon. This has been a known issue for YEARS, and it boggles my mind that even Adobe can't manage to fix the problem. But now,...
How to convert your WSL 1 virtual machine to WSL 2
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is super-handy. It lets you run various flavors of linux semi-natively in Windows. The problem comes when you started with WSL 1, and you do something wild like try to upgrade node/npm to version 24 or newer. You get weird errors...
Fix: Google Assistant keeps popping up
That Google Assistant is driving you nuts when you accidentally long-press the home button or navigation handle on your Android smartphone? Turn the dang thing OFF! Just two quick settings to check and you never have to see it again... Fix it fast:...
My vote for Best Charger of 2026
UGREEN - the company that brought you the World's Cutest USB Charger - has done it again. Their Nexode product line includes a USB charger with an integrated, retractable USB type C cable. It's not an original idea, but it IS a sturdy, capable device that feels solid...
Make your Linux gizmos appear on a Windows Network
Ah, Windows networking... It sucks. Chances are, you've got some linuxy gizmos like a NAS or local linux server for media or whatever. And chances are, it does NOT show up in Network in the file Explorer. Fortunately, this is the easiest thing in the world to fix -...
Finally, LANscanner works (FAST) on Windows 11!
Way back in early 2009, I wrote a post entitled: How to Determine the Master Browser in a Windows Workgroup Since then, quite a number of people have downloaded and used my little LANscanner program for displaying the IP addies, MAC addies, workgroup, and Master...
How to upgrade your Synology DiskStation NAS the Easy Way
Every NAS has its day, but eventually they get old. This happened to me recently. My trusty old DS416 got an update to DSM 7.4 - but the upgrade notes said that this would be the last upgrade my device will get. Since upgrades to DSM (and DSM itself) are one of the...
iPhones aren’t as safe as you think
If I say "Apple", no doubt you think "security". Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, you might even be making it EASIER for the bad guys to spy on you if you use an iPhone. In any case, the cat's out of the bag - and it's all thanks to US...
Fix: Remove Now Brief button from lockscreen
On Samsung smartphones, you may have a new friend: the dreaded Now Brief button. It's right near the fingerprint reader and deliberately placed so that when you try unlock your phone, OOPS! You open Now Brief instead. SIGH... Here's how to turn it OFF!! YouTube:...
Fix: No more AI crap in your browser!
These days, web browsers are no longer just browsers. There’s AI everywhere, ads popping up on the new tab page (and elsewhere), tracking metrics sent back home, and so on. Wouldn’t it be nice if your browser was just, well, a simple WEB BROWSER again?? Watch and...
Linux world shaken by nasty bugs
When you hear the word "linux", you probably think of nerds hidden away in a cramped office, managing all the servers that make our high-tech modern world actually go. You probably also associate "linux" with "security". Unfortunately, recent events have shown that...
TekTalk 3: Palantir, AI, and the Reality behind the hype
Palantir’s got a manifesto for conquering the world (including you and me). AI is super-awesome, but it’s stealing jobs even though it often doesn’t work - at all. And of course the economy is just fine and we’re Epic Winning... even though we can’t afford fuel and...
IPv8: The future of the Internet looks bright
Recently, the IETF revealed a new proposal for how the internet works: IPv8 But hang on, you say, didn't they introduce IPv6 to fix the limited number of IP addresses? Why yes, they did... 20 years ago! Unfortunately, IPv6 is overly complicated, and requires updating...
Why does Good AI go Bad?
There are a lot of AI Doom stories going around. You know, "SkyNet is coming!" and that sort of thing. It makes for great headlines, especially for AI-centered companies that are having a really hard time actually making a profit. So, ARE we all gonna die? I dunno -...
The Great Tech Reset: Follow the Money!
This week on TekTalk, we talk turkey. Er, tech. Um, REAL tech. While much of the world is obsessed with AI, there is a quiet tech revolution happening in the background. The results of this shift in tech dominance will create waves across the world for decades to...
TekTalk: Is 2026 the Year of Agentic AI?
No. But the Why and How are interesting... Join Scottie and Toño for Episode 1 of a new show: TekTalk! We discuss agentic AI and the general state of tech these days. Let us know in the comments if you'd like more shows, how we can improve, or if we should just give...