Lifestyle

MUO is your guide to modern tech. Learn how to make use of the tech and gadgets around you, and discover cool stuff on the internet.

Cloud storage is convenient, but I'm not trusting it with my unencrypted files anymore.

If you sync files on your PC to cloud storage, you're probably aware of the privacy risks involved. Services like Google Drive and OneDrive have access to everything you upload unless you encrypt it first. That's where an encryption tool like Cryptomator comes in. It's a free, open-source tool that creates encrypted vaults on your PC before anything gets synced.

These overlooked crime documentaries will hit harder than any fictional crime show possibly could.

I love a compelling fictional crime show just as much as the next person, especially a good slow-burn thriller with a gripping overarching story. It's a good way to indulge in something serious without the consequence of coming to terms with real-life atrocities. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy throwing on a true-crime documentary and learning about the actual horrors that go on in the world.

This simple trick allows me to take high-resolution screenshots on any 1080p monitor.

I write articles about tech, and clear screenshots make all the difference when showing people how to use software or highlight a specific feature. The problem is that I still use a 1080p monitor. Whenever I zoom in to emphasize a small window or button, the resolution drops, the image looks fuzzy, and any text becomes nearly impossible to read. I don't really watch or play 4K games on my PC, so I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a 4K monitor just to capture better screenshots.

The easiest way to take screenshots on a Samsung.

Snapping a screenshot on a phone sounds easy, right? But on my Samsung phone, it rarely felt that way. The Side key and Volume Down combo required two hands and precise timing, and I'd sometimes lock the screen or lower the volume by mistake. Even the palm-swipe motion wasn't much better. It tended to miss the swipe, especially when the screen was smudged or slightly wet.

These adult animated shows are breaking the mold and proving cartoons aren't just for kids.

There is still this weird stigma against animation when it comes to certain viewer demographics that it's only a medium for children. And while you could make the argument that a lot of animated films released in theaters are definitely targeted toward kids, it's not an inherent thing. Directors like Guillermo del Toro have pushed back against this narrative—at least when it comes to films—with his dark take on Pinocchio. He's also helming the non-animated Frankenstein, one of the sci-fi movies in 2025 you can't afford to miss.

Going fully open source offers freedom, but real-life use reveals friction, upkeep, and unexpected limitations daily.

I believe open source is the way to go. It takes control from big tech and puts it back in your hands. From building my sync system without Google Drive or OneDrive to replacing Google services with open source alternatives, I've consciously made a shift to using open source.

Samsung's most underrated productivity app is now even better than ever.

Samsung has some excellent alternatives to Google Apps, including the Samsung Keyboard, Notes, Gallery, and Calendar apps. However, the native Reminder app is one productivity tool I’ve used on and off but could never fully commit to.

Supercharge your smart TV with these must-have free Kodi add-ons.

My smart TV felt somewhat limited right out of the box, but after installing Kodi, the open-source media center, my TV has become the perfect, personalized, flexible entertainment hub. Kodi lets you stream, organize, and access just about any type of content imaginable via a library of add-ons or dedicated apps that significantly expand your TV's capabilities.If you own an Android TV, you can download Kodi for free from the Google Play Store. Alternatively, you can do as I did and install it on an external streaming device, such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick. I was amazed at the sheer volume of useful add-ons to choose from, and over time, some have become indispensable, having transformed the way I use my TV.

Unlock the full potential of your Roku device with these game-changing tricks.

I'm still in the early days of my adventures with Roku, as I've only recently started properly utilizing my smart television in the ways it was designed for. I've mentioned this, but I've been using my Xbox Series X for most of my streaming and all-purpose tech needs, which has meant mostly ignoring Roku. But I recently realized the error of my ways, thanks to discovering just how many apps and features Roku has that a console just can't match up to.

What do an open-source Windows clone, a 50MB Linux distro, and an operating system built entirely in Rust have in common?

I'm no stranger to weird operating systems. I've run Tails from a USB stick (an OS that blew the lid off the NSA) and installed a 50 MB operating system to revive a decade-old PC. And I thought I'd seen it all.