Tom Li

Canada

PR manager at North American Ecosystem Institute. Former journalist at IT World Canada. Opinions are my own.

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Articles

6 reasons it's so hard to leave Microsoft 365 for a free alternative

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Try as you may to leave it, Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office) is like an ex you keep coming back to. You don’t like the way it claws at your wallet, but it is also invaluable for productivity. While there’s no shortage of Microsoft 365 alternatives — many of which we’ve covered — most people seem to have difficulty moving away from it. Some reasons may be obvious, others are less so. Also, here is a disclaimer before we dive in.
How to turn a Raspberry Pi into a retro gaming machine you can take anywhere

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Related
3 best hypervisors for home use

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

VMWare Workstation Pro is the best all-arounder for home users for its stellar performance and compatibility. Oracle VirtualBox is an excellent alternative. Microsoft Hyper-V has the best performance and security, but it's only available on Windows. Though best known for their use in the enterprise, virtual machines, running on hypervisors, have their place on home PCs, too.
5 productivity timer apps that go beyond Pomodoro

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

First created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique is used all around the world to beat procrastination. It suggests that working for 25 minutes, followed by a short 5-minute break, helps the mind stay on task. After 40 years, Pomodoro has evolved from a simple kitchen timer to various digital apps. There are now innumerable options to choose from, each with features that overlap with competitors but never fully replace them.
What are the difference between containers and virtual machines?

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Virtual machines and containers are both tools frequently used by developers to develop, test, and deploy software. On paper, they share many similarities: both run within a host operating system, allowing multiple applications to operate on the same hardware. They’re transferable between systems, provide isolation between applications and hosts, and can be easily set up. However, they’re really designed for totally different purposes. Here are a few ways containers and virtual machines differ.
Should you use a self-hosted search engine?

2 months ago | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Self-hosting a full search engine is borderline impossible for any one person. Most "self-hosted" search engines are metasearch engines that aggregate results or are based on P2P networks. Their search results are less accurate and reliable than Google. There are many privacy-focused alternatives to Google that are far more reliable and user-friendly than self-hosted search engines.
5 reasons to buy a Windows mini PC over Apple's Mac Mini

Feb 5, 2025 | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Even die-hard PC fans will agree that the 2024 Mac Mini is the mini system to beat right now. Packing Apple’s M4 silicon in an enclosure the size of a dinner plate, it chews through light to medium creative workloads in near silence. Best of all, it starts at just $799, making it a fantastic choice for both a home PC and a budget content creation rig. But that doesn’t mean Windows mini PCs are irrelevant.
4 Reasons You Should Get a Raspberry Pi Over an Arduino

Feb 3, 2025 | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Arduino and Raspberry Pi are two staples in the DIY electronics community. Both are affordable, flexible, and supported by dedicated teams, thorough documentation, and a vibrant community. While neither replaces the other, a Raspberry Pi has clear advantages over Arduino in certain situations. Here are four situations where the Raspberry Pi outshines the Arduino. Over the years, both Raspberry Pi and Arduino have released products that sort of overlap with one another.
Adobe Lightroom vs Darktable: Which one should you use?

Jan 22, 2025 | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Photography plays a huge part in my writing career and personal life. For the majority of my photo editing needs, Adobe Lightroom Classic has long been my go-to software for projects large and small. It’s the juggernaut of the industry, known for its excellent features and great support. What’s not to love? Its subscription fee, however, can be a pain. At the time of writing, Adobe Lightroom, along with 1TB of Adobe cloud storage, costs $12 per month or $120 per year.
How to send a secure email in Microsoft Outlook

Jan 7, 2025 | xda-developers.com | Tom Li

Software and Services When sending important information over email, such as financial statements, health records, or legal documents, it’s critical to keep them safe from prying eyes. If you’re a user of Microsoft Outlook, then you’re in luck! The popular email client has several ways of beefing up the security of your messages, one of them being encryption. To be clear, Outlook already encrypts the connection between the sender’s and recipient’s email providers by default. However, the...