# Geek With Laptop

> Practical laptop guides, kept honest: how-tos with exact steps, care and safety advice, evergreen buying guides, and an honest archive of 2008 to 2013 posts.

Edited by Marcus Hale (https://geekwithlaptop.com/about/editor/). 50 guides and retrospectives. Every guide leads with a quick answer and ends with linked sources. No affiliate links, no advertising, no cookies; visits are counted only with privacy-first, cookieless aggregate analytics. Relaunched 2026 under new editorial ownership; the archive covers the 2008 to 2013 site.

## Newest guides
- [How to Prove When a File Was Created](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/prove-when-a-file-was-created/)
- [How to Check Whether a File Has Been Altered](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-if-a-file-was-altered/)
- [Local Backups as an Authorship Record](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/local-backups-as-evidence/)
- [How to Transcribe Audio Offline on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/transcribe-audio-offline/)
- [NPU Laptops Explained: What an AI PC Really Does](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/npu-laptops-explained/)
- [How to Turn Off Built-In AI Features on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/turn-off-ai-features/)
- [How to Check a Photo's Metadata Before Sharing It](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-image-metadata/)
- [Choosing a Laptop for Writing in the AI Era](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/laptop-for-writers/)
- [How to Check an Image's Content Credentials (C2PA)](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-content-credentials/)
- [Flagged by an AI Detector? How to Show Your Writing Process](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/show-writing-process-after-ai-flag/)
- [How to Disclose AI Writing Help at School and Work](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/disclose-ai-writing-help/)
- [AI Text Watermarking Explained: What It Can and Cannot Prove](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/ai-text-watermarking-explained/)
- [Plagiarism Checkers vs AI Detectors: How to Read Both Reports](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/plagiarism-checker-vs-ai-detector/)

## Your Laptop as the Authorship Record (https://geekwithlaptop.com/authorship-record/)
How a laptop already records who wrote what and when: version history, file dates, backups, Content Credentials and disclosure, in the order to read them.
- [How to Keep Version History of Your Drafts](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/keep-draft-version-history/): Turn on version history for your drafts in common word processors, cloud documents and plain files, so you can show how a piece of writing developed.
- [How to Prove When a File Was Created](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/prove-when-a-file-was-created/): Prove when a file was created with Windows and Mac timestamps, document properties, EXIF dates, version history and backups, and which dates survive a copy.
- [How to Check Whether a File Has Been Altered](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-if-a-file-was-altered/): Check if a file has been altered: compare SHA-256 hashes on Windows, Mac and Linux, run a document compare, read edit metadata and see what a mismatch proves.
- [Local Backups as an Authorship Record](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/local-backups-as-evidence/): How File History, Time Machine and a dated drive keep backups as proof of authorship: read snapshot dates, set retention, and show a snapshot to a reviewer.
- [How to Check a Photo's Metadata Before Sharing It](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-image-metadata/): Check what a photo or screenshot reveals before you share it: view EXIF and GPS location on Windows, Mac and Linux, then strip what you want to keep private.
- [How to Check an Image's Content Credentials (C2PA)](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-content-credentials/): Check whether an image carries Content Credentials (C2PA) from your laptop, read the signed history it shows, and learn what a result does and does not prove.
- [Flagged by an AI Detector? How to Show Your Writing Process](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/show-writing-process-after-ai-flag/): Your writing was flagged as AI? Gather version history, drafts and notes, present them calmly, and learn what a fair reviewer looks for in a writing record.
- [How to Disclose AI Writing Help at School and Work](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/disclose-ai-writing-help/): Find the AI policy that applies to you, say clearly what help you used, and cite generative AI in APA or MLA style, with sample disclosure wording to adapt.
- [How AI Writing Detectors Work, and How to Read a Score](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/ai-writing-detectors-explained/): What AI writing detectors actually measure, why they produce false positives, how to read a score sensibly, and what to do if your own writing is flagged.
- [AI Text Watermarking Explained: What It Can and Cannot Prove](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/ai-text-watermarking-explained/): How statistical watermarks in AI text work, what a watermark test can and cannot prove, why editing weakens the signal, and how far deployment has got so far.
- [Plagiarism Checkers vs AI Detectors: How to Read Both Reports](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/plagiarism-checker-vs-ai-detector/): What plagiarism checkers and AI detectors actually compare, why their results often disagree, and how to read a similarity report and AI score side by side.

## Laptop How-To Guides (https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/)
Step-by-step laptop how-to guides: connect a laptop to a TV, take a screenshot, recover a Windows password, run AI tools offline. Exact paths, tested fixes.
- [How to Connect a Laptop to a TV](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/connect-laptop-to-tv/): Step-by-step guide to connecting a laptop to a TV with HDMI, USB-C or wirelessly, plus fixes for no sound, black borders and a blank screen.
  Sources: https://www.hdmi.org/resource/cables ; https://www.displayport.org/displayport-over-usb-c/ ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-multiple-monitors-in-windows-329c6962-5a4d-b481-7baa-bec9671f728a ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/108928
- [How to Print Screen on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/print-screen-on-laptop/): Every way to take a screenshot on a laptop: the Print Screen key, Fn combinations, the Snipping Tool, macOS shortcuts and what to do when the key fails.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-to-capture-screenshots-00246869-1843-655f-f220-97299b865f6b ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/102646 ; https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/10474268
- [Forgot Your Windows Password? How to Get Back In](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/recover-windows-password/): Locked out of your own laptop? How to reset a forgotten Windows password for Microsoft and local accounts, use a reset disk, or reinstall keeping files.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/reset-a-forgotten-microsoft-account-password-eff4f067-5042-c1a3-fe72-b04d60556c37 ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-or-reset-your-windows-password-8271d17c-9f9e-443f-835a-8318c8f68b9c ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/find-your-bitlocker-recovery-key-6b71ad27-0b89-ea08-f143-056f5ab347d6
- [How to Run an AI Writing Assistant Offline on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/run-ai-writing-assistant-offline/): Set up an AI writing assistant that runs entirely on your laptop: pick a model runner, choose a model that fits, test it offline and keep drafts local.
  Sources: https://lmstudio.ai/docs/app/offline ; https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/gguf ; https://jan.ai/docs
- [How to Keep Version History of Your Drafts](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/keep-draft-version-history/): Turn on version history for your drafts in common word processors, cloud documents and plain files, so you can show how a piece of writing developed.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/view-previous-versions-of-office-files-5c1e076f-a9c9-41b8-8ace-f77b9642e2c2 ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/view-and-restore-past-versions-of-documents-mh40710/mac ; https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-What-is-Git%3F ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/backup-and-restore-with-file-history
- [How AI Writing Detectors Work, and How to Read a Score](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/ai-writing-detectors-explained/): What AI writing detectors actually measure, why they produce false positives, how to read a score sensibly, and what to do if your own writing is flagged.
  Sources: https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.15666 ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.02819 ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.11156 ; https://www.vanderbilt.edu/brightspace/2023/08/16/guidance-on-ai-detection-and-why-were-disabling-turnitins-ai-detector/
- [How to Transcribe Audio Offline on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/transcribe-audio-offline/): Transcribe interviews and lectures on your own laptop with local speech-to-text: what hardware you need, how to check accuracy, and how to keep audio private.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows/use-live-captions-to-better-understand-audio ; https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/10538231?hl=en ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.04356
- [How to Turn Off Built-In AI Features on a Laptop](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/turn-off-ai-features/): Find and switch off the built-in AI features and optional data sharing in Windows, macOS, Chrome and ChromeOS, with exact settings paths and what each does.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/privacy-and-control-over-your-recall-experience ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/diagnostics-feedback-and-privacy-in-windows-28808a2b-a31b-dd73-dcd3-4559a5199319 ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/intro-to-apple-intelligence-mchl46361784/mac ; https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/16961953?hl=en
- [How to Check a Photo's Metadata Before Sharing It](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-image-metadata/): Check what a photo or screenshot reveals before you share it: view EXIF and GPS location on Windows, Mac and Linux, then strip what you want to keep private.
  Sources: https://exiftool.org/ ; https://exiftool.org/TagNames/GPS.html ; https://support.apple.com/guide/personal-safety/manage-location-metadata-in-photos-ips0d7a5df82/web ; https://www.iptc.org/standards/photo-metadata/
- [How to Check an Image's Content Credentials (C2PA)](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-content-credentials/): Check whether an image carries Content Credentials (C2PA) from your laptop, read the signed history it shows, and learn what a result does and does not prove.
  Sources: https://spec.c2pa.org/specifications/specifications/2.4/explainer/Explainer.html ; https://c2pa.org/ ; https://contentcredentials.org/verify ; https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ai/NIST.AI.100-4.pdf
- [Flagged by an AI Detector? How to Show Your Writing Process](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/show-writing-process-after-ai-flag/): Your writing was flagged as AI? Gather version history, drafts and notes, present them calmly, and learn what a fair reviewer looks for in a writing record.
  Sources: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843?hl=en ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-a-previous-version-of-a-file-stored-in-onedrive-159cad6d-d76e-4981-88ef-de6e96c93893 ; https://mitsloanedtech.mit.edu/ai/teach/ai-detectors-dont-work/
- [How to Disclose AI Writing Help at School and Work](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/disclose-ai-writing-help/): Find the AI policy that applies to you, say clearly what help you used, and cite generative AI in APA or MLA style, with sample disclosure wording to adapt.
  Sources: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/cite-generative-ai-references ; https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai-updated-revised/ ; https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/Documentation/faq0422.html
- [AI Text Watermarking Explained: What It Can and Cannot Prove](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/ai-text-watermarking-explained/): How statistical watermarks in AI text work, what a watermark test can and cannot prove, why editing weakens the signal, and how far deployment has got so far.
  Sources: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.10226 ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.04634 ; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08025-4 ; https://www.nist.gov/publications/reducing-risks-posed-synthetic-content-overview-technical-approaches-digital-content
- [Plagiarism Checkers vs AI Detectors: How to Read Both Reports](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/plagiarism-checker-vs-ai-detector/): What plagiarism checkers and AI detectors actually compare, why their results often disagree, and how to read a similarity report and AI score side by side.
  Sources: https://www.crossref.org/services/similarity-check/ ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.15666 ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.02819
- [How to Prove When a File Was Created](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/prove-when-a-file-was-created/): Prove when a file was created with Windows and Mac timestamps, document properties, EXIF dates, version history and backups, and which dates survive a copy.
  Sources: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/file-times ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/view-or-change-the-properties-for-an-office-file-21d604c2-481e-4379-8e54-1dd4622c6b75 ; https://exiftool.org/TagNames/EXIF.html ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/back-up-files-mh35860/mac
- [How to Check Whether a File Has Been Altered](https://geekwithlaptop.com/how-to/check-if-a-file-was-altered/): Check if a file has been altered: compare SHA-256 hashes on Windows, Mac and Linux, run a document compare, read edit metadata and see what a mismatch proves.
  Sources: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/certutil ; https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/180-4/upd1/final ; https://spec.c2pa.org/specifications/specifications/2.4/explainer/Explainer.html ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/view-or-change-the-properties-for-an-office-file-21d604c2-481e-4379-8e54-1dd4622c6b75

## Laptop Care and Maintenance Guides (https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/)
How to look after a laptop: cleaning the screen and keyboard, heat and safety, posture, battery life, and backups that survive theft or a dead drive.
- [How to Clean a Laptop Screen Properly](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/clean-laptop-screen/): How to clean a laptop screen without streaks or damage: what to use, what never to use (glass cleaner, paper towels, alcohol), plus keyboard and vents.
  Sources: https://support.apple.com/en-us/103258 ; https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/how-to-clean-laptop-screen/ ; https://www.hp.com/us-en/tech-takes/laptops/maintenance/how-to-clean-your-laptop.html ; https://www.dell.com/en-us/blog/how-to-clean-a-computer-screen-safely/
- [Laptop Overheating, Radiation and Safety: What the Evidence Says](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/laptop-heat-and-safety/): Why laptops overheat, how hot is too hot, whether laptop radiation is a real risk, why some batteries caught fire, and habits that keep a laptop cool.
  Sources: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/erythema-ab-igne ; https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-electromagnetic-fields ; https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/sony-recalls-notebook-computer-batteries-due-to-previous-fires ; https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3246
- [Laptop Posture: How to Use a Laptop Without Wrecking Your Neck](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/laptop-posture/): Laptop ergonomics explained: why a laptop makes you choose between neck and wrists, the stand plus keyboard fix, and what to do on a sofa or a train.
  Sources: https://www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/positions ; https://www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/components/monitors ; https://www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/components/keyboards
- [Laptop Backup: The 3-2-1 Rule and the Data Losses That Taught It](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/backup-and-data-loss/): How to back up a laptop so theft, a spill or a dead drive costs an afternoon, not everything: the 3-2-1 rule, built-in tools, and sync versus backup.
  Sources: https://support.apple.com/en-us/104984 ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/backup-and-restore-with-file-history ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/device-encryption-in-windows-cf7e2b6f-3e70-4882-9532-18633605b7df ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/protect-data-on-your-mac-with-filevault-mh11785/mac
- [Laptop Battery Life: How to Make a Battery Last Longer](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/laptop-battery-care/): How laptop batteries age, whether to keep a laptop plugged in, the charge limits that extend battery life, and the settings that make each charge last longer.
  Sources: https://www.apple.com/batteries/maximizing-performance/ ; https://www.apple.com/batteries/why-lithium-ion/ ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/102338 ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/battery-saving-tips-for-windows-a850d64d-ee8e-c8d2-6c75-8ffe6ea3ea99
- [AI Writing Tools and Your Laptop: What Leaves the Machine](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/ai-tools-and-laptop-privacy/): What happens to your text when you use AI writing tools on a laptop: cloud assistants, extensions, built-in features and local models, plus a checklist.
  Sources: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/187443 ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/security/view-your-data-on-the-privacy-dashboard ; https://lmstudio.ai/docs/app/offline
- [Local Backups as an Authorship Record](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-care/local-backups-as-evidence/): How File History, Time Machine and a dated drive keep backups as proof of authorship: read snapshot dates, set retention, and show a snapshot to a reviewer.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/backup-and-restore-with-file-history ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/back-up-files-mh35860/mac ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/104984 ; https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/86/final

## Laptop Buying Guide: How to Choose a Laptop (https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/)
An evergreen laptop buying guide: how to compare spec sheets, choose a size, pick a gaming laptop, find a disc drive, and what replaced the netbook.
- [How to Compare Laptops: Reading a Spec Sheet Properly](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/compare-laptops/): A practical method for comparing laptops: the six specs that decide the experience, the ones that are marketing, and a comparison table you can copy.
  Sources: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000097596/processors/intel-core-ultra-processors.html ; https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications ; https://www.usb.org/usb-charger-pd ; https://www.displayport.org/displayport-over-usb-c/
- [Gaming Laptop Buying Guide: What Actually Matters](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/gaming-laptops/): How to choose a gaming laptop: graphics chip power limits, screen refresh rate, cooling and noise, memory, and buying so it is still good in three years.
  Sources: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/geforce-rtx-40-series-laptop-power-and-efficiency/ ; https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/laptops/50-series/ ; https://vesa.org/featured-articles/vesa-launches-industrys-first-open-standard-and-logo-program-for-pc-monitor-and-laptop-display-variable-refresh-rate-performance-for-gaming-and-media-playback/ ; https://www.hdmi.org/spec21sub/variablerefreshrate
- [Laptops With a CD or DVD Drive: What Your Options Are Now](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/laptop-with-cd-drive/): Few new laptops include an optical drive. Where they still exist, when an external USB DVD or Blu-ray drive is the better answer, and how to rip old discs.
  Sources: https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/SP/nistspecialpublication500-252.pdf ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/burn-and-rip-cds-235021d5-e1c7-8616-4efd-4f4965fe6b91 ; https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/create-a-disk-image-dskutl11888/mac
- [Laptop Size and Weight Guide: 13, 14, 15 or 17 Inches?](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/laptop-size-and-weight/): How to choose a laptop screen size and weight: what 13, 14, 15 and 17 inch classes are good for, the battery and keyboard trade-offs, and a decision table.
  Sources: https://mohai.org/collections-and-research/search/collections/2010.Computer.Osborne1/ ; https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8094436/osborne-1-portable-computer ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/111867
- [Small Laptops: What Replaced the Netbook and What to Buy Instead](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/netbooks-and-small-laptops/): Netbooks sold in tens of millions from 2008 to 2011, then vanished. Why they died, what a small cheap laptop looks like now, and how to choose a good one.
  Sources: https://www.theregister.com/2009/06/19/oems_cant_brand_windows_7_starter_desktop ; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/have-windows-7-starter-on-your-netbook-heres-how-to-change-the-desktop/ ; https://www.technologyreview.com/2011/05/16/194682/a-25-computer-thats-built-to-inspire/ ; https://www.theregister.com/2011/05/06/david_braben_raspberry_pi/
- [Home Wi-Fi Router Buying Guide (and When to Flash Custom Firmware)](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/wireless-routers/): How to choose a home Wi-Fi router: Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 explained, mesh versus a single router, day-one settings, and what became of flashing DD-WRT.
  Sources: https://www.wi-fi.org/wi-fi-macphy ; https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/802.11be/7516/ ; https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/security ; https://lists.openwrt.org/pipermail/openwrt-announce/2026-June/000088.html
- [Laptop Specs for Running AI Models Locally](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/laptop-for-local-ai/): What a laptop needs to run AI writing models locally: memory size and bandwidth, graphics memory, NPUs, storage and cooling, with a sizing table.
  Sources: https://support.apple.com/en-us/121553 ; https://www.micron.com/products/memory/lpddr-components/lpddr5x ; https://huggingface.co/docs/transformers/main/en/quantization/overview ; https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.14314
- [NPU Laptops Explained: What an AI PC Really Does](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/npu-laptops-explained/): What the NPU in an AI PC laptop actually does, what TOPS figures mean, which features run on it, and which AI tasks still need the graphics chip or the cloud.
  Sources: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/copilot-pc-hardware-requirements-35782169-6eab-4d63-a5c5-c498c3037364 ; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/npu-devices/ ; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/ai-features/windows-studio-effects ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlfc0d4779/mac
- [Choosing a Laptop for Writing in the AI Era](https://geekwithlaptop.com/laptop-buying-guide/laptop-for-writers/): What a writer needs from a laptop now: a keyboard for long sessions, a screen for text, real battery life, offline tools and automatic draft history.
  Sources: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843?hl=en ; https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2375012?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop ; https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac

## WordPress Plugins and Themes from Geek With Laptop (https://geekwithlaptop.com/projects/)
The WordPress projects from the original Geek With Laptop: the SRG Clean Archives plugin, Desk Mess and Autumn Forest themes, and what to use now.
- [SRG Clean Archives: The WordPress Archive Plugin, Then and Now](https://geekwithlaptop.com/projects/clean-archives/): What the SRG Clean Archives WordPress plugin did, how it rendered a compact monthly archive page, why it is retired, and how to get the same result today.
  Sources: https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/query-loop-block/ ; https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/archives-block/ ; https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-basics/best-practices/ ; https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/details
- [Desk Mess: The Free WordPress Theme, Documented](https://geekwithlaptop.com/projects/desk-mess-wordpress-theme/): Desk Mess was a free 2009 WordPress theme styled as a wooden desk. What it looked like, why it spread, its mirrored descendant, and how to get the look now.
  Sources: https://wordpress.org/themes/desk-mess-mirrored/ ; https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/core-concepts/global-settings-and-styles/ ; https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/background-attachment ; https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/transform-function/rotate
- [Autumn Forest: A Seasonal Free WordPress Theme From 2009](https://geekwithlaptop.com/projects/autumn-forest-wordpress-theme/): Autumn Forest was a free seasonal WordPress theme with a forest photo header. What it was, what seasonal themes taught, and how to do a seasonal look now.
  Sources: https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/global-settings-and-styles/style-variations/ ; https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/cover-block/ ; https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/getting-started/what-is-a-theme/ ; https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/php-compatibility-and-wordpress-versions/

## From the Archive: Tech News 2008 to 2013, Revisited (https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/)
Retrospectives on the tech news, commentary and viral posts this site published from 2008 to 2013: what each reported, what happened next, and why it matters.
- [LG Electronics and Its Mexican Plants: The 2009 Reorganisation, Revisited](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/lg-electronics-mexico-plants/): In 2009 this site reported LG Electronics reorganising and shutting plants in Mexico. What was reported, what LG's Mexican footprint looks like since.
  Sources: https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/18703/lg-reorganizes-facilities,-increases-investment-in-mexico ; https://www.twice.com/product/lg-streamlines-mexican-manufacturing-operations-39539 ; https://www.promexicoindustry.com/en/article/lg-electronics-unveils-100-million-plan-in-tamaulipas-expands-production-lines ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Electronics
- [20 Optical Illusions That Will Have You Stumped (Rebuilt)](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/20-optical-illusions/): The classic optical illusions from this site's 2009 viral post, redrawn as clean vector graphics with an explanation of why each one fools your eyes.
  Sources: https://michaelbach.de/ot/lum-adelsonCheckShadow/ ; https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/rotsnakee.html ; https://www.illusionsindex.org/i/rotating-snakes ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCller-Lyer_illusion
- [9 Ways to Hack Your Brain to Think Faster: What Held Up](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/brain-hacks-think-faster/): The 2010 brain hacks, brain teasers and brain myths posts revisited against research: which habits sharpen thinking, which were myths, and brain training.
  Sources: https://longevity.stanford.edu/a-consensus-on-the-brain-training-industry-from-the-scientific-community-2/ ; https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2016/01/lumosity-pay-2-million-settle-ftc-deceptive-advertising-charges-its-brain-training-program ; https://doi.org/10.1038/365611a0 ; https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation
- [Please Rob Me: The 2010 Site That Warned About Location Oversharing](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/please-rob-me/): In February 2010 a site called Please Rob Me republished public check-ins as empty homes. Why it caused outrage and how location sharing changed after.
  Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/17/please-rob-me-makes-foursquare-super-useful-for-burglars/ ; https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/18/foursquare-please-rob-me ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/102515
- [Toshiba Qosmio X500: The 18-Inch Gaming Laptop, Revisited](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/toshiba-qosmio-x500/): Toshiba's Qosmio X500 was an 18.4 inch red-and-black gaming laptop from 2009. What made it notable, the colour-changing T750, and what became of Toshiba.
  Sources: https://us.dynabook.com/pressrelease/101724 ; https://www.global.toshiba/ww/news/corporate/2020/08/pr0401.html ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshiba_Qosmio ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook_Inc.
- [What If You Spoke Like You Commented? Internet Comment Culture Since 2010](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/what-if-you-spoke-like-you-commented/): A 2010 post imagined people talking the way they comment online. What happened to comment sections since, why publishers closed them, and what research says.
  Sources: https://arxiv.org/abs/1702.01119 ; https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments/ ; https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-discussion-screen/
- [Concept Gadgets of 2010: The Spider PC, Eye-Controlled Laptops and the First Quantum Computer for Sale](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/concept-gadgets-2010/): The concept devices this site covered around 2010: a spider computer, a bicycle phone charger, an eye-controlled laptop, and the first quantum computer sold.
  Sources: https://news.cision.com/tobii-ab/r/tobii-unveils-the-world-s-first-eye-controlled-laptop,c550419 ; https://techcrunch.com/2010/06/03/nokia-throws-down-a-e15-bike-cell-phone-charger/ ; https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/parma-shanghai-15-000-km-without-driver ; https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-commercial-quantum-computer-sold/
- [Facebook in 2011: Video Calling and Payments Between Friends, Revisited](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/facebook-2011-payments-video-chat/): In 2011 this site covered Facebook adding video calling and planning payments between friends. What launched, what took years, and how both look now.
  Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2011/07/06/facebook-launches-skype-powered-video-calling/ ; https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/07/06/137651635/facebooks-awesome-announcement-video-calling ; https://about.fb.com/news/2015/03/send-money-to-friends-in-messenger/ ; https://www.w3.org/TR/webrtc/
- [GPS Rescue Stories: When a Satellite Fix Saved Someone, and What to Carry Now](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/gps-rescue-stories/): This site's 2009 post collected GPS rescue stories. How satellite positioning has saved lives, how the kit changed, and what to carry beyond phone coverage.
  Sources: https://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en/2-uncategorised/177-meosar-system ; https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ ; https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/faqs/ ; https://support.apple.com/en-us/101573
- [3D Screens in 2010: Health Warnings, Glasses-Free Laptops and Why It Faded](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/3d-screens-2010/): The 2010 3D display boom revisited: a maker's health warning about 3D TV, glasses-free 3D laptops, a 3D all-in-one PC, and why 3D left the living room.
  Sources: https://abcnews.com/Technology/samsung-warns-tv-health-concerns/story?id=10395409 ; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/samsung-dont-watch-3d-tv-while-youre-drunk/ ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_television
- [Android vs iOS in 2011: App Sales Worries, Market Share and the Honeycomb Source Fight](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/android-vs-ios-2011/): In 2011 Google admitted Android app sales disappointed, iOS lost share to Android, and Honeycomb source was withheld. What it meant and how it played out.
  Sources: https://appleinsider.com/articles/11/01/26/google_not_happy_with_slow_android_app_sales.html ; https://www.engadget.com/2011-04-06-android-chief-andy-rubin-tackles-open-source-qualms-head-on-say.html ; https://source.android.com/docs/setup/about ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Honeycomb
- [Acer in 2009: Overtaking Dell and the Budget Notebooks That Did It](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/acer-laptops-2009/): In 2009 Acer passed Dell to become the second-largest PC maker on cheap notebooks and netbooks. The models involved, and how the ranking moved since.
  Sources: https://www.computerworld.com/article/1444506/acer-storms-up-on-lagging-dell-in-2009-pc-market.html ; https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/acer-ranked-second-in-global-pc-market ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_Inc. ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook
- [Apple in 2012: Liquidmetal Rumours, iPhone 5 Prices, the iPad Mini and Apple Maps](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/apple-iphone-ipad-2012/): This site's 2012 Apple coverage revisited: the Liquidmetal iPhone rumour, unlocked iPhone 5 prices, the iPad adoption claim, iPad mini in Brazil, Apple Maps.
  Sources: https://appleinsider.com/articles/10/08/17/liquidmetal_created_sim_ejector_tool_for_apples_iphone_ipad ; https://appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/31/liquidmetal_technologies_filing_outlines_its_20_million_agreement_with_apple ; https://9to5mac.com/2012/11/29/apple-now-offering-unlocked-iphone-5-online-starting-at-649-for-16gb/ ; https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/28/tim-cook-apologizes-for-apple-maps-points-to-competitive-alternatives/
- [Tablets and E-Readers in 2010: Sony's Tablet, MeeGo, the Kindle Controversy and a Better Bookmark](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/tablets-and-ereaders-2010/): The first tablet wave revisited: Sony's tablets, the MeeGo WeTab and Nokia N9, the Kindle remote-deletion controversy, and the e-reader backlash bookmark.
  Sources: https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/sony-europe/pressreleases/sony-confirms-launch-dates-for-sony-tablet-s-and-sony-tablet-p-1028966 ; https://www.engadget.com/2011-06-20-nokias-n9-official-a-plastic-slab-of-meego-coming-later-this-y.html ; https://www.fsf.org/news/amazon-apologizes ; https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/23/amazons-bezos-apologizes-for-the-stupid-and-thoughtless-kindle-incident
- [The Commodore 64x: When the C64 Came Back as a Real PC](https://geekwithlaptop.com/archive/commodore-64-comeback/): In 2011 Commodore USA sold a modern PC inside a replica Commodore 64 case. What the C64x was, why the company vanished, and how the retro revival differed.
  Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/30-years-later-remember-the-commodore-64/ ; https://retrogames.biz/products/thec64/ ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64x ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_USA

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