Chris Pollette is the former tech editor for HowStuffWorks.com and the original co-host of the TechStuff podcast. He's written many articles on technology subjects as diverse as VPNs, Bluetooth and LEDs.
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This person of diverse interests also invented the cowcatcher device for trains and held a distinguished mathematics professorship at the University of Cambridge.
The QWERTY keyboard dates all the way back to the first typewriters. Why are the keys arranged this way, rather than alphabetically?
Magnets produce magnetic fields and attract metals like iron, nickel and cobalt. They're used in all sorts of applications but how are they made and how do they work?
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Thanks to the Faraday cage, we can control electricity and make it safer for our computers, cars and other inventions.
Nearly everything you use to run your computer or enhance its performance is either part of the motherboard or plugs into it. But what does it actually do?
Fiber-optic lines have revolutionized phone calls, cable TV and the internet. It's a really cool technology that enables the long-distance transmission of data in light signals, and is used in many more ways than you think.
A Google engineer made headlines for claiming that an AI called LaMDA had become sentient or conscious. While many AI scientists disagreed, what would it take for an AI to ever become sentient?
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The legend of the samurai continues to permeate our culture, with countless movies and TV shows dedicated to the subject. How much of what we know about the samurai is truth and how much is myth?
How can you check the version of Android on your tablet, and how do you update it? We have some simple steps.
A robot and a human being are made up of the same basic components. And with each passing decade, robots become more lifelike. Find out how robots operate and the marvelous things they're already doing.
By Tom Harris & Chris Pollette
Wireless mesh networks promise to deliver high-speed Internet connectivity anywhere, anytime. Find out when you would use them.
By Chris Pollette & Dave Roos
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Is anyone watching you now? If you have Bluetooth enabled on your smartphone, someone might know exactly where you are.
The microprocessor determines the processing power available for any application you run. Without it, there is no computer. Learn all about this amazing, ever-shrinking technology that makes your computer compute.
Whether they're sorting out scrap metal or helping us unlock the secrets of the universe, electromagnets are pretty nifty devices. What's so great about magnetism on demand? We'll electrify you with the details.
Yes, it's still around. Second Life is a 3D virtual world where you can live in a castle, fly to dance clubs and change your appearance with a click of your mouse. So what's up with it now?
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Electronic books have been out for years, though none of them met with much success — until the Amazon Kindle. What's so special about this little device?
The capacitor plays a crucial role in electronics. It stores electrons for when they're needed most, dumping a huge charge instead of a steady flow. How does it do it?
There is no great divide between Mac and Windows operating systems, thanks to Boot Camp. What does it take to install Windows on an Apple computer, and how does Boot Camp help you do it?
Chromecast is a tiny TV dongle that promises to bring you streaming media controlled via your mobile device. Can it compete with the rest of the streaming media market?
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Streaming video and audio have come a very long way since it was first introduced in the 1990s. In fact, millions of people have gotten rid of cable and rely on streaming only for entertainment.
Now almost anyone can be a disc jockey, talk show host or recording artist. Find out what tools you need to record and receive podcasts and see what industry analysts have to say about the future of podcasting.
Mac or PC? It's a question almost everybody has an opinion about. Or, are you wondering what the difference is? We've broken down these computers to reveal their strengths and weaknesses.
You're typing along on your laptop when, all of a sudden, your computer fades to black. What's causing your black screen and how do you fix it?
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You want to share what's on your screen with someone on email or through social media. But how do you do it? Microsoft Windows has several easy ways.
More people are using virtual private networks to establish secure communication over the internet, protecting their private information and allowing remote employees to connect to the private corporate networks.
By Jeff Tyson, Chris Pollette & Stephanie Crawford