5 step guide to making your smart home work for you
Tens of years ago, the idea of having a ‘smart home’ was just a dream. We’d seen it on television and in movies, but no one had the technology to make it a reality. Fast-forward to today, when technologies like Apple HomeKit, LightwaveRF, Philips Hue, Alexa and more have made it possible for individuals and
Should you buy a Tesla Model Y without ultrasonic sensors (USS) before Tesla Vision is finished?
Tesla has been making waves in the automotive industry for years now, and the Tesla Model Y, is no exception. The Model Y is a mid-size SUV that offers a range of features and performance that make it an attractive option for those looking for a reliable and efficient electric vehicle. However, one of the
Become a keyboard ninja: a comprehensive guide to Mac and Windows keyboard shortcuts
Have you ever wished you could type faster without having to look at your keyboard? Or maybe you just want to make your work process more efficient? If so, then this blog post is for you. We’ll cover all the keyboard shortcuts that you need to know to become a real keyboard ninja in both
How to find your wi-fi password on your iPhone/iPad
If you’ve forgotten the password for your WiFi network on an iOS device running iOS 16 or later, there are a few different ways you can try to recover it. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find your WiFi password on your iPhone and/or iPad. How to find your wi-fi password when connected to
How much does it cost to run a smart home?
A smart home can be a convenient and energy efficient way to control and automate various aspects of your home. However, it’s important to understand the potential costs involved in setting up and running a smart home. First, the initial cost of purchasing and installing smart home technology can vary depending on the specific products
Remote Desktop – Too many passwords
If you’re using the Microsoft Remote Desktop client and see the ‘Too many passwords’ warning, then please consider not saving your passwords, as it’s not considered secure, but if you have to, then this is how to resolve this. Increase the number of remote desktop passwords you can save BEFORE YOU PROCEED, PLEASE NOTE THAT
How to enable the battery percentage in the top status bar
Good news, if you’ve missed having the battery percentage on your iPhone’s status bar, well Apple have brought it back in iOS 16, for the iPhone 11 Pro, 12, 12 Pro, 13, 13 Pro, 14 and 14 Pro. It’s rumoured that it will come to the iPhone 13 mini in iOS 16.1. Enabling the battery
Download photos from Rightmove using PowerShell [updated]
Whether you are interested in buying, or selling, property via Rightmove, you might want to download the images. Now sure, you can do this one-by-one, by right clicking on each photo (when viewed full screen) and choose to copy/save the photos, but that’s a very manual task, which will take you time. This type of
Installing UniFi network controller in a Docker container on a Raspberry Pi
If you have UniFi devices, but don’t have one that runs the network controller software, you can install it in a docker container on a Raspberry Pi. This process should be pretty similar, regardless of the device, so long as you have Docker installed, but this image is specifically designed for the Raspberry Pi. Prerequisites
How to create a webhook in Microsoft Teams
If you’re reading this, then you already know how useful Microsoft Teams is, and there numerous ways to expand how you use it. One way is with add-on via the in app store, another is adding an email address to a Team channel, and another is using webhooks to post to Teams channels. An example
Count duplicate rows in Power BI using DAX
If you’re working with data in Power BI and would like to count how many duplicates there are, the below example will help you. Let’s start with the table structure. For this example, lets says we want to see how many people have the same first name, and the data looks like this: EmployeeID FirstName
Setting up a Windows Sandbox on Windows 11
If you need to test something, but don’t want to risk changing or damaging your existing Windows installation, then you can utilise something called Windows Sandbox. This basically creates an isolated sandbox machine, which is automatically disposed of when you’re done with it. To get started, follow the below guide: Windows Sandbox Requirements For Windows
Group values in ranges in Power BI using DAX
If you have a column containing numeric values in your Power BI report, depending on the graph, it can sometimes be too much and produce some messy graphs, like the below: To make this look better, you might want to group the data into ranges instead, to make it easier to read. For example, if
PowerShell – loop through files using wildcards in the filenames
If you need to work with multiple files (e.g. log files) and want to identify them by using wildcards, you can take the below approach: 1 Identify the folder to work in, and add it to a variable. You can use .\ to use the current folder, or put a full path (e.g. C:\temp) 2
What to do when your Škoda Enyaq is unable get online
If you have a Škoda Enyaq iV, and have experienced difficulties with the infotainment system connecting to the internet, perhaps with a message saying ‘unable to load connection status’ or if you cannot disable private mode, then the below will help you to reset the modem. It’s annoying that this has to be done, but
Replacement umbrella for the Škoda Enyaq
Unfortunately, Škoda, for cost saving reasons (I presume), chose to only provide one umbrella in the new Škoda Enyaq iV. They provide one for the driver, but not the passenger. Personally, I think the umbrella they provide is pretty poor quality and weak, but it does work. Either way, if you need to buy another,
Why does my Škoda Enyaq key flash red?
Have you noticed that the key for your Škoda Enyaq flashes? In fact, this might not be limited to the Enyaq, it could also extend to other cars built by Audi, Škoda and VW. The reason for this, is to improve security. The key flashes to let you know that it’s within range of the
How to enable high beam assist on your Škoda Enyaq headlights
If you don’t have the matrix light package, and would like to enable the auto high beams on your Škoda Enyaq iV, then you can, by following this guide. WARNING Although I’ve taken the time to share this information with you, any changes you make are at your own risk! I accept no responsibility for
How to enable auto day/night maps on the Škoda Enyaq sat nav
If the sat nav in your Škoda Enyaq is displaying the maps with a day view (shown below), even at night, you might find that too bright. I know I do. It’s easy to change it to either permanent night mode, or as I’ve selected, auto. Just follow the below steps: 1) Go to the
How to adjust the reversing camera brightness on the Škoda Enyaq iV
Unfortunately, the reversing lights and reversing camera on the Škoda Enyaq aren’t as good as you would want, well not when there is no street lighting, as the camera doesn’t have night vision. When you first put the Enyaq into reverse, at night, with no street lighting, the reversing camera is very dark and it’s
How to left align the Windows 11 taskbar
If you have recently moved/upgraded to Windows 11, and miss the left aligned taskbar from Windows 10, then the good news is that you can left align it by following the below steps: 1) Right click on an empty space on the taskbar, and select ‘Taskbar settings’ 2) Expand the section called ‘Taskbar behaviours’ 3)
How to track your new Škoda on the cargo ships
Ordinarily, when you order a new car, you know how long it will take, and are most likely happy to wait. However, you might be impatient, like I was after waiting an additional two months due to the chip shortages that everyone is experiencing this year (2021). In my experience, the approach that Škoda take
How many people drive a new car before the buyer does?
If you’re lucky enough to be able to buy a brand new car, you’ll know that it feels good knowing that you’re the first person, and possibly the only person, to drive it. However, if you really think about it, you’re not, although those before you, are for a very specific purpose, and for a
How to use your Sky Q box(es) as Wi-Fi repeaters
If you have Sky Q, you might be surprised to hear that you can use your Sky Q box(es) as Wi-Fi repeaters, even if you don’t have Sky broadband. To set it up, follow the below steps: 1) Go to Settings > Setup > Network > Advanced settings 2) Select ‘Wi-Fi hotspots’, and then ‘Turn
Sky Q shortcuts, tips and tricks [updated]
Are you new to Sky Q, or finding some every day functionality slow and clunky? If so, then the below shortcuts, tips and tricks should prove useful. 1) Quickly access your recordings To access your recordings, simply click the ‘Sky’ logo at the top of your remote control. It’s not necessarily obvious that it’s a
Škoda order/build status codes
If you’ve ordered a new Škoda and are confused by the number status codes, then you might find the below useful: Status code Description 00 Assigned to factory, no production week scheduled 10 Production week assigned to the vehicle, but could change 20 Production week confirmed / in production (has still been known to change)
iPhone/ipad – list apps alphabetically
Have you ever wanted to view all of your iPhone and/or iPad apps alphabetically? I hadn’t, but I stumbled accross this and thought it might be useful to some people. Here’s how to do it: 1) From your home screen, keep swiping right until you get to your ‘App Library’, as shown below. 2) Now
Why does the Škoda Enyaq iV have rear drum brakes?
I’ve ordered a Škoda Enyaq iV, and although I noticed it had drum breaks when I test drove one, I didn’t really give it much more thoughts on the day. However, I now find myself thinking about it quite a bit, whist I wait for the car to be built, especially as I see others
Ordering a Pod Point Home EV Charger [updated]
I’ve decided to do my bit for the environment, and my wallet, and make the move to an EV (Electric Vehicle), and I thought I’d share my experiences with you, as I go through the transition. I’ve opted for a Skoda Enyaq iV, and their recommended home charger is Pod Point. Now there are many
£90 Octopus Energy credit when you buy a new VW, Audi or Skoda
If you have, or are buying and EV (Electric Vehicle), then it’ll be worth you looking at a tariff that will helps you to save some money by charging your vehicle in the early hours of the morning (00:30-04:30 for Octopus Energy). Edit: I believe this offer has expired, so please consider using this link