Chris Hoffman
Contributing since August, 2010
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2888articles
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About Chris Hoffman
Chris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times---and that's just here at How-To Geek.
With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, IDG's PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf. Beyond the web, his work has appeared in the print edition of The New York Times (September 9, 2019) and in PCWorld's print magazines, specifically in the August 2013 and July 2013 editions, where his story was on the cover. He also wrote the USA's most-saved article of 2021, according to Pocket.
Chris was a PCWorld columnist for two years. He founded PCWorld's "World Beyond Windows" column, which covered the latest developments in open-source operating systems like Linux and Chrome OS. Beyond the column, he wrote about everything from Windows to tech travel tips.
The news he's broken has been covered by outlets like the BBC, The Verge, Slate, Gizmodo, Engadget, TechCrunch, Digital Trends, ZDNet, The Next Web, and Techmeme. Instructional tutorials he's written have been linked to by organizations like The New York Times, Wirecutter, Lifehacker, the BBC, CNET, Ars Technica, and John Gruber's Daring Fireball. His roundups of new features in Windows 10 updates have been called "the most detailed, useful Windows version previews of anyone on the web" and covered by prominent Windows journalists like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley on TWiT's Windows Weekly. His work has even appeared on the front page of Reddit.
Articles he's written have been used as a source for everything from books like Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff, media theory professor at the City University of New York's Queens College and CNN contributor, to university textbooks and even late-night TV shows like Comedy Central's @midnight with Chris Hardwick.
Starting in 2015, Chris attended the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for five years running. At CES 2018, he broke the news about Kodak's "KashMiner" Bitcoin mining scheme with a viral tweet. A wave of negative publicity ensued, with coverage on BuzzFeed News, CNBC, the BBC, and TechCrunch. The company's project was later reportedly shut down by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In addition to his extensive writing experience, Chris has been interviewed as a technology expert on TV news and radio shows. He gave advice on dark web scans on Miami's NBC 6, discussed Windows XP's demise on WGN-TV's Midday News in Chicago, and shared his CES experiences on WJR-AM's Guy Gordon Show in Detroit.
Chris also ran MakeUseOf's email newsletter for two years. Nearly 400,000 subscribers received the newsletter complete with a handwritten tip every day.
Latest Articles
What is "Beamforming" on a Wireless Router?
Modern wireless routers often promise "beamforming" technology for improving your Wi-Fi reception and reducing interference.
What is DNS Cache Poisoning?
DNS cache poisoning, also known as DNS spoofing, is a type of attack that exploits vulnerabilities in the domain name system (DNS) to divert Internet traffic away from legitimate servers and towards fake ones.
What Are Dual-Band and Tri-Band Routers?
Many modern wireless routers are already dual-band, and now router companies are launching tri-band routers.
Why It's Good That Your Computer's RAM Is Full
Is Windows, Linux, Android, or another operating system using a lot of RAM? Don’t panic! Modern operating systems use RAM as a file cache to speed things up.
What Does a Firewall Actually Do?
You’ve probably heard that firewalls are an important security protection, but do you know why that is? Many people don’t, if references to firewalls in TV shows, movies, and other forms of popular media are any indication.
What's the Difference Between Linux and BSD?
Both Linux and the BSDs are free and open-source, Unix-like operating systems.
Why Deleted Files Can Be Recovered, and How You Can Prevent It
When you a delete a file, it isn't really erased -- it continues existing on your hard drive, even after you empty it from the Recycle Bin.
The Linux Directory Structure, Explained
If you're coming from Windows, the Linux file system structure can seem particularly alien.
How to Play Any Game in VR With SteamVR's Desktop Theater Mode
Whether you have an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, you can take advantage of SteamVR.
10 Features Only Available in Windows 10 Enterprise (and Education)
You can upgrade to the Professional edition of Windows 10 to get advanced features like BitLocker encryption, but many features aren't available to normal Windows users.
Why Does My iPhone's Screen Keep Turning On?
Ever since the iOS 10 update, you'll notice something new about your iPhone: The screen seems to turn itself on randomly.
How to Quickly Launch a Bash Shell From Windows 10's File Explorer
Launch Bash on Windows 10 and it will automatically open to your UNIX account's home folder.
How to Power Cycle Your Gadgets To Fix Freezes and Other Problems
Have you ever had a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or any other electronic gadget become unresponsive? The surefire way to recover from the freeze – assuming it’s not a hardware problem – is by power-cycling the gadget.
How to Reset Your iPhone or iPad, Even if it Won't Boot
You can easily reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to factory default settings.
What to Do If You Forget Your iPhone or iPad's Passcode
Can't sign into your iPhone or iPad anymore? If you've forgotten the PIN and haven't set up Touch ID on a modern iPhone or iPad, you'll need to reset your phone or tablet to regain access.
How to Speed Up Your Solid-State Drive by Re-Aligning Its Partitions
If you've migrated your operating system from a mechanical hard drive to a solid-state drive, the partitions may not be properly aligned.
Why Is Cortana Still Running in the Background After You Disable It?
Disable Cortana, and Windows 10 will switch to using local search for everything.
How to Enable, Optimize, and Tweak NVIDIA G-Sync
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card and monitor that both support NVIDIA G-Sync, you can use it to eliminate screen tearing and make the games you play look better.