No-one really wants to make a New Year's resolution, so this year we recommend committing to a tech resolution instead. These friendlier commitments aren't about self-improvement, giving up indulgences or hitting gyms – instead, they're little projects to help fortify you against the looming threat of January. And best of all, they all involve tech.
We polled the TechRadar team and our many contributors to find out what tech resolutions they'll be making for 2024 – and the results are below. The ideas vary wildly, from an in-depth plan to get back into Blu-rays to another writer's vow to restore their family's old photos using Photoshop.
For every laudable commitment to rediscovering comics on tablets or becoming a board games super-nerd, there are more sensible resolutions too – including one writer's explanation of how they're finally sorting out their passwords nightmare, plus another's plan to save money in 2024 with some nifty Chrome extensions.
Whichever part of your tech life needs some attention or a shot of new year's enthusiasm, you'll find some valuable advice and ideas on how to fix it below. And if it all goes wrong, you can always blame the gadgets...
1. 2024 is the year I feed my OLED TV with 4K Blu-rays, and you should too
Yes, the best streaming services are convenient, user-friendly and offer impressive image quality at times. But they still have notable weaknesses – and we're not just talking about movies vanishing from catalogues or downloads disappearing from your account.
Read about why TechRadar's Matt Bolton (Managing Editor, Entertainment) has decided to bring 4K Blu-Rays back into his life in 2024 – and why you should consider doing the same, particularly given how easy it is to find second-hand bargains.
- Read the full story: 2024 is the year I feed my OLED TV with 4K Blu-rays, and you should too
2. I’ve had enough of password frustrations – here’s how I’m finally fixing them in 2024
Passwords aren't fun – in fact, they're now positively infuriating if you don't have them under control.
TechRadar contributor Darren Allen has finally snapped and made a grand plan to tame them in 2024. You can benefit from his wisdom and research in this round-up, covering everything from his pick of the best password managers to his plan to embrace biometrics.
- Read the full story: I’ve had enough of password frustrations – here’s how I’m finally fixing them in 2024
3. I'm a Photoshop pro – here's how to restore your old family photos in 2024
Photo editing software has become ridiculously good in the age of generative AI – and one of the benefits is how easy it now is to restore old photos that are either low-resolution, damaged, lacking in color, or a combination of the above.
TechRadar contributor Chris Rowlands gives you a step-by-step tour to restoring those old family photos in this guide, covering everything from scanning them with your phone to retouching those blemishes. If you don't subscribe to Photoshop, there are also some tips on how to do it for free with online tools, too.
- Read the full story: I'm a Photoshop pro – here's how to restore your old family photos this Christmas
4. Escaping the algorithm – 5 new ways I'm planning to discover movies and music this year
Sometimes it feels like you're trapped in a feedback loop of the same movie, TV and music recommendations, all unimaginatively served up by an apparently all-knowing algorithm. How do you break free and go off piste?
TechRadar contributor David Nield has been wondering the same thing and has made this plan to discover the untrodden streaming worlds that Netflix and Spotify tend to ignore. Read about the podcasts, newsletters, subreddits, iPad magazines and more that could help you join him in 2024.
- Read the full story: Escaping the algorithm – 5 new ways I'm planning to discover movies and music this year
5. How to start using ChatGPT in 2024 – 7 tips for beginners
The internet loves nothing more than telling you how far you're falling behind by not using ChatGPT. But what if you've been really busy doing other stuff in 2023?
Don't worry – if your New Year's resolution is to get up to speed with AI chatbots, we've made the perfect place for you to start. Our beginner's guide to ChatGPT will tell you how to write more effective prompts, make custom instructions and much more.
- Read the full story: How to use ChatGPT – 7 tips for beginners
6. I’m ditching Spotify for Tidal in 2024 – here’s why you should too
TechRadar contributor, and former What Hi Fi? staffer, Verity Burns has been a loyal Spotify subscriber for nearly 15 years. So why is her tech resolution to switch to Tidal in 2024?
As with any long-term relationship, it's complicated – but you can find out why Tidal now holds such allure for music fans, and why it could make sense for you to switch, in this helpful breakdown of music streaming in 2024.
- Read the full story: I’m ditching Spotify for Tidal in 2024 – here’s why you should too
7. In 2024 I’m using my cheap tablet to rediscover my love of comic books
After an eight-year break from his X-Men and Spider-Man addiction, TechRadar's Senior Staff Writer Hamish Hector is reinvigorating his long-held love for comics in 2024 – with the help of a cheap, trusty Lenovo tablet.
Read about how Marvel Unlimited is going to fuel his comic book needs in 2024 and why the broader lesson of his project is that tech doesn’t need to be perfect, just perfect for you.
- Read the full story: In 2024 I’m using my cheap tablet to rediscover my love of comic books
8. Why it's a great time to buy second-hand camera lenses – plus our top picks
It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that only that new piece of impossibly expensive mirrorless glass can take your photography to new heights. But these days, second-hand lenses offer incredible value – and in this guide we show you how to navigate the minefield to land some bargains.
Whether you prefer wide-angle, telephoto or zoom lenses, our guide takes you through the best places to buy used lenses, the important things to check, and which lenses are offering particularly good value right now for Canon, Nikon and Sony fans.
- Read the full story: Why it's a great time to buy second-hand camera lenses – plus our top picks
9. I’m finally going to use these Chrome extensions to save me money in 2024
It's shaping up to be another financially-trying year for many of us. But rather than staring dolefully at mushrooming bills, TechRadar contributor Darren Allen has resolved to find ways to claw back a little cash – and one of those things is harnessing the power of Chrome extensions.
Sure, they may not make you a millionaire, but the many shopping assistants, voucher finders and price-watching tools available now can certainly help you make some decent savings – and this guide rounds up some of the best Chrome extensions for doing just that.
- Read the full story: I’m finally going to use these Chrome extensions to save me money in 2024
10. 5 ways I'll be using my Apple Watch to run my life in 2024
The Apple Watch is probably best-known for its fitness tracking, but did you know about its impressive range of other life-helping skills?
TechRadar contributor and Apple expert Lloyd Coombes does – and he's written about the ones he'll be using maintain maintain good habits and keep his life running smoothly 2024. If you got an Apple Watch for Christmas, this is a fine primer on some of the smartwatch's lesser-known talents.
- Read the full story: 5 ways I'll be using my Apple Watch to run my life in 2024
11. I'm a huge board games fan – here are the 7 best ones to help you survive January
In our book, a new year's resolution can be as simple as finding a way to get through the harsh realities of January – and there are few better ways of doing that than by pretending the Christmas holidays haven't ended with some brilliant board games.
Some call it denial, others a wholly necessary response to the least fun month of the year – and TechRadar's Hamish Hector (our resident board game fanatic) is firmly in the latter camp. Join him as he takes you on an uplifting tour around the finest board games you can buy right now.
- Read the full story: I'm a huge board games fan – here are the 7 best ones to help you survive January
12. 5 ways I'm using tech to survive January and romanticize my life in 2024
If board games aren't up your street, there are other emergency ways to help you survive January. TechRadar contributor and author Becca Caddy, who's literally written the book on how to live peacefully with your tech (see Screen Time), explains how she'll be using gadgets to 'romanticize' her life in 2024.
Whether you fancy starting a digital journal, experimenting with soundscapes or basking in finely-tuned smart lights, put aside some time to leaf through her ideas – before heading out for a phone-free walk through a forest.
- Read the full story: 5 ways I'm using tech to survive January and romanticize my life in 2024
13. How to make your home theater setup sing in 2024 with a few simple tweaks
Sometimes, a new year's resolution is best spent on your favorite piece of tech. So if your own life is perfectly calibrated and singing beautifully (if so, please tell us how) it's time to make sure your home theater is doing the same in 2024 with these handy tips.
TechRadar contributor and former What Hi Fi? staffer Verity Burns tells you how to do everything from perfecting your TV settings (including which modes to avoid), fine-tuning your speaker placement, and arranging your room for the best audio and visual experience. What a way to see in the new year.
- Read the full guide: How to make your home theater setup sing in 2024 with a few simple tweaks
14. New year, new music – here are 7 ways I’m super-charging Spotify in 2024
While some TechRadar writers are ditching Spotify for Tidal, others are going in the other direction and fully embracing Spotify's music discovery powers. Rowan Davies, TechRadar's Editorial Associate and Apprentice Writer, is doing just that and has revealed his seven-stage plan for escaping musical echo chambers and finding hidden gems in 2024.
Rowan has the Spotify Wrapped stats to back up his credentials – 48,650 minutes of listening in 2023, including 1,633 artists across 71 genres. We're also talking about a Beyonce top 0.01%-er and a former music editor here – so if you're looking to become a Spotify power user in 2024, this is the place to start.
- Read the full story: New year, new music – here are 7 ways I’m super-charging Spotify in 2024
