‘Hardware’ articles

Rollerblade wheels are a great upgrade for your office chair

Rollerblade-style wheels don’t resist movement and help you stay slightly less inactive while spending hours in your office chair.

The projector lamp trap

Projector bulbs have a limited life-time, and getting hold of them can be difficult. Here are my experience from owning three projectors over the last decade.

I replaced the aging battery on my MacBook Pro

The battery on my seven-year-old MacBook Pro 15″ had begun to swell and replacing it myself was way cheaper than via an authorized dealer.

Don’t super glue heatsinks to your Raspberry Pi

Super glue is heat-insulating and shouldn’t be used to attach an aluminum heatsink to thermal hotspots on your Raspberry Pi. Use thermal glue/pads instead.

Intel: replace thermal compound “every few years”

Your computer’s thermal compound (paste/grease) is slowly displaced by the “push-out” effect. It must be replaced periodically to maintain high performance.

Review: Beurer TL20 daylight therapy lamp

A daylight therapy lamp is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Here’s my review of the new Beurer TL20 that fits perfectly under a computer screen.

Linux on Lenovo ThinkPad T14: great except the webcam/mic

Lenovo continues its tradition of excellent Linux hardware support on the ThinkPad T14. Except minor issues with the built-in webcams and microphone.

Fretted M.2 connector cause difficult-to-diagnose performance slowdown

A fretted PCIe M.2 connector between the mainboard and an M.2 SATA SSD drive caused intermittent and difficult-to-diagnose Windows 10 performance problems.

The $10 LensPen Hurricane Blower vs a $1 air puffer

Comparing a cheap air puffer to a brand-name model. You get what you pay for, even when it comes to a simple product like an air puffer/blower.

Look for EU’s new QR code to know your new TV and monitor’s longevity

The new energy-efficiency labels contain information on how long products will receive software and firmware updates, spare parts availability, and support.

What keyboard form factor is ergonomically right for you

How to measure what PC keyboard form factor (full-size, TKL, 60%, etc.) allow you to maintain a good ergonomic posture (for both gaming and typing).

Long-lived image retention issue on Philips 276E8VJSB monitor

My new 4K monitor, the 27″ Philips 276E8VJSB, has image retention (“burn-in”/“ghosting”) issues that can last for weeks and months.

Normalize fridge temperatures by installing a PC fan

I installed a 120 cm 12-volt PC-fan in my aging Electrolux combo fridge-freezer. The upgrade cut its power-bill by 29 % and more stable temperatures.

Feitian MultiPass recall highlights need to use multiple security keys

The recall of the Feitian MultiPass FIDO security key demonstrates why you always should use multiple security key products from different vendors.

Choosing a monitor: 4K, 1440p, ultra wide, or what?

Where do you even begin to choose from the overwhelming number of monitor options on the market?

Tor router-maker InvizBox chases VPN subscriptions down rabbit hole

InvizBox wants some of that sweet VPN subscription service revenue. Abandons Tor Onion network anonymity in favor of a more lucrative venture.

Firefox, Security Keys, U2F, and Google Advanced Protection

How to use U2F security keys with Firefox and Google’s Advanced Account Protection.

The tiny NFC area on the Nokia 7 Plus

The Nokia 7 Plus has an unusually small NFC contact area and it’s located in an unusual place.

Re-review of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro laptop/tablet hybrid 3 years later

The battery is dead, performance is terrible, and Lenovo abandoned its drivers. My Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro 1370 didn’t stand up to the test of time.

Linux on Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 (5th generation)

My experiences running Linux on the fifth-generation Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1. All but the GPS and fingerprint reader worked out of the box.

The many problems with the Logitech G403

Let’s just say Logitech’s G403 gaming mouse hardware, firmware, and the companion software has some design flaws.

Roomba app notifications are unhelpful and miss the point

The iRobot Home app sends too many app notifications, and they’re not the notifications I’d want to receive from my vacuum cleaner.

Difference between TP-Link RE650 and RE500? Firmware limits.

The TP-Link RE650 and RE500 are rated for different network speeds, but they’re really the same device.

Charge devices faster with a new USB 3.1 Type-C controller

How upgrading the USB 3.1 PCIe controller on my mainboard let my devices quick-charge over USB 3.1 from my PC.

Review: Delock USB-C volt-/ammeter

A review of the Delock USB-C volt-/ammeter used to measure the power going through a USB Type-C connector.

Postmortem re-review of the Sense sleep monitoring system

The Sense sleep monitoring system from Hello Inc. was discontinued and its cloud services put to sleep.

Fedora specific tweaks for Raspberry Pi

Optimize your Fedora installation to run on the Raspberry Pi.

Internet connected devices should be sold with best before dates

How do you know how long devices will receive software updates? Clearly labeled expiration dates on packaging may be the answer.

Review: Neato D3 Connected robot vacuum

The D3 Connected is the only robotic vacuum cleaner I’ve had that damaged itself the first week and that sees “ghost furniture”.

Review of the Ethernet Adapter for Google Chromecast

An Ethernet connection is usually the more reliable and faster than Wi-Fi, and the Chromecast Ethernet Adapter is no exception.

Review of Lenovo IdeaCentre Stick 300

Lenovo’s contender to the stick-PC market runs Windows 10 but doesn’t even have enough storage space to perform upgrades. Linux may be the better option.