Tips

If you’re the owner of a new digital SLR or mirrorless camera you can improve your photography instantly by using different photo lenses. However, while there’s an almost endless supply of options to buy, it isn’t always obvious what lens to use to get the shot you want. Here are five common camera lenses, what

We take a look at a bunch of new features on popular services, the Disney+ Europe launch, Android apps on Windows, lowering your rent, how to scan old photos, print your own board games, and more… Really Useful Podcast Season 4 Episode 12 Shownotes This week’s Really Useful Podcast features Christian Cawley and Megan Ellis

Did you know that most of the images, music, and other content on the internet are not free to reuse for your own purposes? In most cases, unless you have permission to use a piece of media, doing so is illegal. This is where the Creative Commons license comes in. The system allows creators to

Wireless internet is one of the quietest developments in the broadband world, yet millions of people depend on it every day. So, what is wireless internet and how does it work? Let’s explore this relatively-unknown technology and how it helps people. How Does Wireless Internet Work? [embedded content] You may be confused about why we

You hopefully aren’t wondering how to destroy a laptop so that you can actively ruin your machine. But it’s a good idea to know the most common sources of laptop damage so you can keep yours as long as possible. Because we carry laptops around more than a desktop computer, they’re more prone to accidents

In a world where your kettle can be connected to the internet, why is voting still done on paper? While voting from the comfort of your own home seems appealing, there are electronic voting pros and cons that have to be considered first. Let’s take a look at what electronic voting is and if it

TV audio used to be inevitably muddy and low quality unless you were willing to spend big bucks and plenty of time installing a full stereo system. But these days, you can improve your TV audio quickly and easily by installing a soundbar. We’ll explain the advantages that a soundbar offers. And we’ll give you

Christian Cawley and Ben Stegner bring you a host of tips, tricks, and news that matters to everyone in the tech podcast for technophobes. This week, we learn about Britbox’s UK launch, YouTube’s homepage redesign, and Netflix’s “skip politics” options. There’s also an early look at Google’s Stadia gaming platform, some recommended videos, and our

WhatsApp groups are excellent for keeping in touch with friends and family, or with people who share similar interests. However, anyone could add you to WhatsApp groups without your permission, which does get annoying really soon. When WhatsApp has nice features such the ability to send a link inviting you to join a group, why

Instagram is one of the most popular social networks in the world. While there’s a lot to like about the social network, it still lacks certain features that some people would like to use. One of these is the ability to track who’s unfollowed our account. Unfollowing someone is a very personal choice and if

Google is pushing civilization closer to quantum computing, a development which will change computing and most likely, the world. A Google-developed quantum computer, called Sycamore, solved a problem in seconds that would take a “normal” supercomputer 10,000 years. Is the age of quantum computing upon us? Has Google achieved “quantum supremacy?” And what does quantum

Your computer’s operating system may or may not be designed with security in mind, but without ongoing software updates, your computer is vulnerable. How do operating systems handle sending out these updates and which approaches are the most secure? Why Do We Need Software Updates? There are three key reasons software updates are important. New

If you’re not a frequent social media user, you might find some of its terms confusing. One of these being “social media handle”. In this article we take a look at social media handles, explaining what they are, how to pick one, and how websites use them. What Is a Social Media Handle? A social

Can you read this line? Or is there a splash from a sneeze, or a greasy fingermark in the way? Perhaps another portion of your screen is dirty. The chances are that you don’t clean your screen often enough. In fact, we’re willing to bet that you’ve been putting it off for a while… Cleaning

Not every home has a fast internet connection. If you’ve just moved into a new flat, or live in a rural area, you may be missing broadband internet. Until you can arrange for an engineer to visit, you’re stuck without internet. Unless, of course, you can use your smartphone. Android and iPhone devices feature a

Want to know more about the Spotify Kids app, how to keep your children safe online using a Chromebook, or find more space on your iPhone or iPad? The Really Useful Podcast is here to help you with these points and more. Hosts Christian Cawley and Gavin Phillips walk you through everything you want to

Over the past few months, WhatsApp has rolled out a bunch of new updates for both Android and iOS. One of these new updates lets you add a fingerprint lock to WhatsApp. This means that you can’t access WhatsApp chats without unlocking the app via a fingerprint saved on the phone. Of course, you need

Running software is a virtual machine (VM) is a great way to try apps designed for a different operating system. VM technology is widely used these days across a range of applications, from servers to desktop computers. But while setting up a VM on your computer might be straightforward, performance is always an issue. Here

Internet acronyms help you save effort by not having to type out common phrases all the time. But if you’re not in the know, they end up being more confusing than anything. That’s certainly the case with the TLDR acronym, as many have wondered what TLDR is. We’ll teach you everything you should know about

In this week’s packed show, Christian Cawley and James Frew cover everything from the Apple TV app on Amazon Fire Sticks to Halloween movies. On the way, free VPNs, record players, giant squids, reducing smartphone use, managing the Screen Time feature on macOS, and the latest installment of Christian’s Samsung tablet repair. Is it fixed?

Every day, thousands of people turn to the Tor network to enhance their internet privacy. From paranoid web-users to people living under a dictatorship, these users utilize onion routing to keep their browsing habits a secret. But what is “Tor,” and how does onion routing protect people from prying eyes? What Is “Tor”? “Tor” refers

When you make the leap to a digital SLR or mirrorless camera, you’re faced with the choice of continuing to snap your photos as JPEGs or switching to RAW files instead. But which is best to use? In this article we pit RAW vs JPEG to find out. What Is a RAW File? Image Credit:

After playing a game on Steam, you may earn a Trading Card. If you’re wondering what Steam Trading Cards are, what you can do with them, and how to collect them all, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to make real money from Steam Trading Cards—and while you won’t earn quite enough to

It’s hard to believe, but the PlayStation 4 launched all the way back in 2013. To jog your memory, Sony launched the PS4 in the same year as Battlefield 4, BioShock Infinite, and Grand Theft Auto V. Thus, it’s about time for a new console generation to begin, and Sony has started to release details

At one point or another, all laptop users find themselves pondering the same question: is it bad to leave your laptop plugged in all the time? Turns out, the answer isn’t entirely straightforward. So let’s take a look. Know Your Laptop Battery There are two main types of battery used in laptops: lithium-ion and lithium-polymer.

It’s time for your weekly dose of tech news made easy with the Really Useful Podcast, the tech podcast for technophobes. This time, Disney+ content announced, how to revive your Mac, top conspiracy websites, and Amazon Price Trackers ahead of Black Friday. Join Christian Cawley and Ben Stegner as they guide you through the latest

How many times have you opened up a new computer, phone, or external drive, only to be shocked when you realize it doesn’t have as much storage space as it said on the box? That 512GB SSD might actually only hold 477GB, or your 64GB iPhone might only have room for 56GB of files. There

As we move into the future, the prospect of AI-driven systems becomes more appealing. Artificial Intelligence will help us make decisions, power our smart cities, and—unfortunately—infect our computers with nasty strains of malware. Let’s explore what the future of AI means for malware. What Is AI in Malware? When we use the term “AI-driven malware,”

Wireless data sharing has made rapid strides over the past few years. Thanks to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, data can be moved from one device to another with little effort Windows 10 boasts of Wi-Fi Direct, a wireless connectivity system that helps to effortlessly hook devices up. Want to move data from PC to laptop?

It’s hard to not imagine hackers as hooded, shady figures typing away on unintelligible code in a dark room. But not all hackers are malicious. Some are even working for the benefit of humanity under the umbrella of “ethical hacking.” Are these hackers operating legally? And if so, how do they keep things above the