Epson printers have had a nasty little issue for years. Some models will abruptly brick, even if they seem to be working fine, because the ink pads are supposedly too saturated. Epson has endured bad publicity the past few weeks as users, websites, and right-to-repair activists condemned the company for designing its printers to eventually stop functioning, highlighting just how big of a problem printers continue to be in the fight for the right to repair . According to the Fight to Repair newsletter, Epson printers—including the L360, L130, L220, L310, L365, and potentially others—may suddenly display a message saying that they have reached the end of their service life and then stop printing. Epson told The Verge this week that this is because saturated ink pads could leak ink throughout the devices. Until this week, Epson's support page about the message said : At some point, the product will reach a condition where either satisfactory print quality cannot be … [Read more...] about Epson’s bricked printers highlight the industry’s repairability problem
Caterpillar 3406e service repair manual downloadable
iFixit gives modular Fairphone 2 a rare 10 out of 10 for repairability [Updated]
Further Reading Fairphone 2 hands-on: Modular phones are finally here iFixit's teardowns are handy disassembly guides, and they're great for confirming just what hardware is included inside our gadgets, but most recent consumer electronics don't fare well when it comes time for the site to assign a repairability score. Today's smartphones are typically held together with proprietary screws and a lot of glue, and while there are obvious user-facing benefits to this manufacturing approach, it tends to make the gadgets harder to open, upgrade, and repair. That's not the case for the Fairphone 2, an Android phone built by a Dutch startup that makes repairability and serviceability one of its primary features. iFixit has torn down the phone using just human hands and a Phillips-head screwdriver, and has given the phone a rare 10 out of 10 on its repairability scale because of how easy it is for users to open and fix. The battery and the screen—two components that will most need … [Read more...] about iFixit gives modular Fairphone 2 a rare 10 out of 10 for repairability [Updated]
The Best Wi-Fi Routers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look For in a Router in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Wi-Fi Router: Asus AX6000 (RT-AX88U) Best Budget Router: TP-Link Archer AX3000 (AX50) Best Cheap Router Under $100: TP-Link Archer AC1900 (A8) Best Gaming Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Best Mesh Router: Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 (XT8) Best Budget Mesh Router: TP-Link Deco X20 Best Modem Router Combo: NETGEAR Nighthawk CAX80 Best VPN Router: ExpressVPN Aircove Best Travel Router: TP-Link AC750 Best Wi-Fi 6E Router: Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 Update, 06/22/2022: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and we’ve updated our best VPN router pick with the ExpressVPN Aircove. What to Look For in a Router in 2023 We think Wi-Fi 6 is extremely important when picking a Wi-Fi router for 2022. While Wi-Fi 7 has been announced, the new protocol won’t be available until 2023, so Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are what you should look for in a router now. If you’re buying a new router, … [Read more...] about The Best Wi-Fi Routers of 2023
The Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers of 2023
Table of Contents What to Look for in a Smart Sprinkler Controller in 2023 Frequently Asked Questions Best Smart Sprinkler Controller Overall: Rachio 3 16-Zone Controller Best Budget Smart Sprinkler Controller: Orbit B-hyve 4-Zone Controller Best Hose-Based Smart Sprinkler Controller: Orbit B-hyve Hose Faucet Timer Best Touch-Screen Smart Sprinkler Controller: HUNTER HC-600i Hydrawise Best Smart Sprinkler Controller for HomeKit: Eve Aqua Update, 01/12/2023: We’ve reviewed our recommendations and have updated our picks for the best budget and best touch-screen smart sprinkler controllers. What to Look for in a Smart Sprinkler Controller in 2023 A smart sprinkler controller makes it easy for you to manage your lawn. They’re capable of far more than just turning on or off your sprinklers with the press of a button, with controllers having a variety of features you can take advantage of. Convenience and ease of use are the first factors you’ll want to … [Read more...] about The Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers of 2023
Best Raspberry Pi distros in 2023
The Best Raspberry Pi distros cater for retro gaming fans and HTPC enthusiasts. Believe it or not, the Raspberry Pi is almost ten years old. In this relatively short period the Pi has ushered in a new revolution in computing that stretches far beyond its original remit which was to promote basic computer science education in schools. There have been several Pi developments over the past few years. The Pi Zero (opens in new tab) was released in 2015, and the Pi and its 'essentials' kit is available for a very cheap price. The Pi Zero W was added to the Zero family in February 2017, featuring a 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM and support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with accessories. The latest addition to the family is the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (opens in new tab) that now features a quad-core 1.5Ghz processor. Unlike previous iterations of the single board computer (SBC), there are now three variants of the Raspberry Pi 4; with 2GB, 4GB and 8GB of RAM. This opens up the device to … [Read more...] about Best Raspberry Pi distros in 2023
What Is Dynamic DNS (DDNS), and How Do You Set It Up?
Dynamic DNS is a useful service that allows you to use a fixed and memorable address for your home network even when your ISP changes your home network's IP address. You can often set up DDNS on your router. You can also run a DDNS client on one of your devices, like a computer, a NAS, or a Raspberry Pi. Your home internet connection has a numeric IP address that changes over time. Dynamic DNS (DDNS) lets you assign an easy-to-remember address so you, your friends, and your family can access your home network with a simple website-like name. Table of Contents What Is Dynamic DNS (DDNS)? Why Would I Want to Use Dynamic DNS? What Do I Need to Use Dynamic DNS? Selecting a Dynamic DNS Provider Selecting a Dynamic DNS Update Method How to Update Your Dynamic DNS Automatically Frequently Asked Questions About Dynamic DNS What Is Dynamic DNS (DDNS)? To understand Dynamic DNS, you must first be familiar with plain old DNS and its basic function. DNS, or … [Read more...] about What Is Dynamic DNS (DDNS), and How Do You Set It Up?
Best lightweight Linux distros of 2023
The best lightweight Linux distro can make it simple and easy to revive older hardware and even replace your current operating system. As a result, they have become too bloated for older machines. Without a healthy dollop of system memory and an extra core or two, these distros may not deliver the best performance. Thankfully, there are many lightweight distros, trimmed and tweaked by expert hands, which can be used to breathe new life into older hardware. The lightweight distros in this guide are fully capable of reviving older hardware and can even function as a replacement of your current operating system, if you're willing to adjust to their way of working and install extra apps as necessary. We’ve tested the Linux distros below extensively and looked at factors like the hardware requirements, documentation, simplicity of configuration and maintenance, custom apps that come with it, and support for multi booting. We also considered whether the distros made it easy … [Read more...] about Best lightweight Linux distros of 2023
The best turntables 2023: best record players for any budget
Editor's note: January 2023 The vinyl renaissance has meant even more great turntable options are available. Take our current top pick, the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo: it's so good it'll give your goosebumps goosebumps. If your budget doesn't quite stretch to the Pro-ject, that's not a problem: as the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT demonstrates, you can get serious sound without having to spend serious amounts of money. Matthew Bolton, Managing Editor - Entertainment One of the best turntables will transform your music, making it smoother, richer and injecting some of that authentic analog style into your favorite tracks. Many of the top record players you can buy today are packed with the latest audio tech, delivering impressive sound and unlocking details you might never have fully noticed or appreciated before. Many of the best turntables also come with a range of modern features, like USB ports – some even have Sonos-certified compatibility – which are essential if … [Read more...] about The best turntables 2023: best record players for any budget
Wirelessly Sync / Share Your Music Collection with Any Mobile Phone
Have an iPhone or Android phone and a music collection too large to sync to it? Want to share your library with friends? Here’s how to sync your library with your smartphone over the internet, or stream it in any browser. How We’ll Accomplish This Subsonic is a powerful little cross-platform solution to these problems and more—it’s an open source media streamer that is based on both Java and donations, so it’s a cross-platform solution that is free for basic usage utilizing the web interface. Note: In this guide we’re going to be showcasing two mobile clients which use the Subsonic API which is NOT free. You’ll get a 30-day window to try out the setup, after which you’ll be required to make a minimum €10 donation, which will give you access to all the clients including an Adobe AIR client, and a few bonuses, like removing the ad from the web interface, free future upgrades, and a yourname.subsonic.org server address. If you choose to not donate, you can continue using … [Read more...] about Wirelessly Sync / Share Your Music Collection with Any Mobile Phone
Best Microsoft Office alternatives of 2023: Free, paid, online mobile office suites
(opens in new tab) Google Workspace : Collaboration + productivity apps (opens in new tab) There are many different office software suites but Google Workspace formerly known as G Suite remains the original cloud one and one of the best business office suites, offering a huge range of features and functionality that rivals can't match. Try it free for 14 days (opens in new tab) . The best Microsoft Office alternatives provide a simple way to use office software without needing a subscription. Microsoft Office remains the most popular productivity suite for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more - whether as a download software package, or as the cloud-based Microsoft 365 suite - through powerful apps such as Word , Excel , PowerPoint , Publisher , Access , Outlook , and more. However, a range of alternative competitors have become increasingly attractive, not least because of more price-competitive licensing fees, and some are free to … [Read more...] about Best Microsoft Office alternatives of 2023: Free, paid, online mobile office suites