Home Office Setup & Equipment

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We might not live in a Jetsons-like future with robot maids and flying cars, but we do have the technology to transform our standard houses into futuristic smart homes. There are some very compelling reasons to do that, including having more control over your environment, increased automation for repeated tasks, and even improved security. But smart homes—and the devices that comprise them—have one enormous downside: privacy. Smart home devices work by allowing access over a network, and as a result, every single smart device in your home, from the lock on your door to the light bulbs in your fixtures, is a potential weak …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I've been a fan of Ultimate Ears (UE) outdoor speakers since I first got the Megaboom 3 back in 2018, and I'm still using it as my personal go-to portable speaker. The Megaboom 4 is its newer version, which came out last year, but it's already 32% off, bringing its price down to $135.44 (originally $199.99). This is the lowest price it has reached according to price-tracking tools, and it's cheaper than the Megaboom 3. Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 Protection: Wa…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Chances are good that if you've ever owned an e-reader, it was one of the many varieties of the Amazon Kindle. But though the Kindle is the most ubiquitous e-reader, that doesn't mean it's the best—nor does it mean that other companies haven't bettered Amazon at the game it more or less invented. One of the most interesting competitors in the space is Onyx International, a Chinese company that has been producing innovative e-readers for more than a decade under the brand name Boox, often including new features (like color e-ink displays) years before Amazon brought them to the Kindle. Though Boox makes my own favorite e-b…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Do you want to haul out your fridge every time you clean under it? I'm not strong or motivated enough to do all that. Frankly, I'm lazy enough to avoid even moving shelving or furniture unless I absolutely have to. This trick from TikTok allows you to clean under larger pieces—and while you'll still have to yank them out at some point, you can extend the amount of time between your feats of manual labor. Grab a sponge and a spatulaI saw this video on the Washy Wash account a few days ago. In just 14 seconds, it shows how you can easily clean under heavy furniture and appliances with only a sponge and a spatula. …

While they will never have the name recognition of the Amazon Kindle, e-ink devices from Chinese tech company Onyx International—sold under the slightly silly "Boox" brand name—are gaining a cult following in the U.S. I've reviewed three of its e-readers and digital notebooks over the past year, and I'm a huge fan. And if you're reading this article, you probably are too (or soon will be). I love Boox devices not only because they're well built and full-featured (though if you want more of my thoughts there, check out my assessments of the Boox Palma, Note Max, and Note Air 4C). I also can't get enough of their customizability. Nothing makes me crazier than trying to do s…

There comes a point every winter when you have to rally together your arsenal of hot liquid meals. If you have enough recipes—all your hot soups, stews, stoups, and chunky sauces—they can get you through to spring. Much to the chagrin of my friends, I call this Hot Bean Season. One of my favorite meals that fits this category is my Dutch oven beans and sausage. It’s utterly simple, completely satisfying, and you need absolutely no fancy cooking skills to make it. The reason I come back to this meal again and again is because it uses the Screw It method of cooking—just dump everything in the pot. Well, the initial sausage searing is a must for flavor, but I consider that s…

One of the annoying things about using PowerShell in Windows, if you're used to Linux, is having to run it as an admin in order to make system changes. The simplest way to do this is right-clicking the application in the start menu and clicking "Run as administrator," which isn't exactly elegant. It's particularly frustrating because most Linux distributions fixed this a long time ago: the sudo command. Basically, on Linux, if you need to run a single command as an administrator you can just put "sudo" at the beginning and run it—you're asked for an administrator password and the process runs. It's such a useful feature that it even inspired one of the most famous XKCD co…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. QLED TVs are a step above budget LEDs and a step below premium OLEDs. One example is the 65-inch QLED Samsung TV Q60CB, which sits at a surprising price of $492.68 (originally $947.99) after a nearly 50% discount. This is the lowest price this TV has been since its release according to price tracking tools.ok! SAMSUNG 65" Class Q60CB QLED 4K Smart TV Screen size: 65 in, Platform: Tizen Resolution: 4K, Display: QLED, Refresh rate: 60 Hz, Aspect: 16:9 …

Paying more and getting less seems to be standard operating procedure these days. Certainly that’s what Microsoft 365 (the fancy new name for Microsoft Office) users are about to experience, as the service's included VPN is being dropped as of February 28. According to a support note on the Microsoft site, the company “routinely evaluate[s] the usage and effectiveness of our features” and has decided that the VPN is no longer a necessary part of Microsoft 365. As VPNs go, it was only OKIn truth, it’s not a major loss. Microsoft’s VPN came with a 50GB monthly data limit and didn’t allow you to trick your browser into thinking you were elsewhere in the world, making it arg…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. There are many options these days for smart products to keep our lives organized, like the Skylight Calendar and the Hearth Display, but they often come at a high price and with subscription fees. If you're looking for a cheaper smart display option that is subscription-free, consider the 2021 Amazon Echo Show 15, which is $179.99 (originally $279.99) on Woot, its lowest price yet, according to price-tracking tools. The device itself is new but it comes without a remote—but it's not completely necessary, since it's a touchscreen. (Remember, Woot on…

Artificial intelligence may be threatening to take your job, but the tech can also help you find a new one, Google thinks: It's just rolled out a new AI-powered tool called "Career Dreamer," which leverages AI algorithms to help you identify roles that are suited to your skills and experience. Google says it's worked with groups including students, recent graduates, adult learners seeking a career change, and veterans to help develop the tool. It's part of the wider "Grow with Google" portal, which offers a variety of tools and guides for job seekers and businesses—many of which involve some form of AI. …

I gave up wearing an Apple Watch about three marathons ago. Fitness watches are fantastic tools for most runners, but they're not for me—especially when I'm not training for a specific race. It turns out that, for me, there's a distinct freedom in running without a training plan. After years of following structured programs with specific paces, distances, and workout types, I've learned to appreciate the art of intuitive running—letting my body guide the way rather than my watch. The joy of watchless runningThe decision to ditch my running watch was a conscious one. No more obsessing over pace, distance, or heart rate. Instead, I've developed a deeper connection with my …

There are times when eggs are non-negotiable in a recipe—like egg drop soup or quiche—but when eggs play a minor role, then why not use a replacement? Egg wash is a prime example. Using it adds color and shine to finished baked goods like dinner rolls and pies, but when eggs are selling at a premium price, it’s hard to justify using an egg wash at all. Finding a good egg wash alternative isn’t only useful for saving a buck, but it can be a handy back-up even when eggs are plentiful. There’s always the occasion where you just ran out, or you have folks coming over that are on egg-free diets. After some browsing on the internet, butter, mayo, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup,…

Are you ready to pay for Amazon Alexa? With the addition of AI to the assistant, Amazon thinks you are. Announced in a closed-doors meeting with press and business partners today, Amazon’s Alexa+ is bringing AI to the familiar digital assistant, plus a new $20/month price tag. The secret? If you have Prime, you’ll get access to it at no extra charge. Credit: Amazon As with standard Alexa, the assistant is built around vocal prompts, but is designed to be more conversational and personalized, and will supposedly be able to act …

Saving your passwords in your browser—like Chrome or Firefox—provides an easy way to access logins when you need them on websites, and having a safe place to keep strong, unique passwords is better than, well, not. However, browser password managers aren't necessarily the most secure nor the most convenient for filling password or payment fields in apps, nor do they come with features included with third-party password management tools, like encrypted storage or dark web monitoring. If you're transitioning away from your browser's password manager or simply want to remove credentials you no longer use, here's how to delete saved passwords in the most popular browsers. Ho…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Today, I'm throwing a lot of spring cleaning content at you, from checklists that can help you remember every spot that needs sprucing up, to suggestions for products that can make it all easier, but I am just one person who, for better or worse, cleans my house in a specific way. To make this series on spring cleaning more comprehensive, I decided to ask some pros for their advice and share expert tips I've received. Speed up drying time on your laundryWhen you're reading through my spring cleaning checklists today, you'll notice that the step-by-step guide for each room starts by suggesting you put the linens, fabrics, …

Rumors suggest that Apple is working on ways to make the iPad more like a Mac with iPadOS 19. While the company won't be bringing macOS to the iPad (as much as I'd love that to be the case) there could be upgrades that transform the tablet experience more into a desktop computing experience. The thing is, it isn't just the iPad that appears to be getting desktop features—the iPhone might be getting in on the fun, too. In a post covering the iPadOS 19 rumors, leaker Majin Bu had this to say about the iPhone: "iOS 19 isn’t being left behind. Source say that iPhones with USB-C will support external displays, offering a [Stage Manager-like] interface. While not a full desktop…

Breaking news: Apple has another update for you to install. While it seems like there's always a new update for us Apple users to install on our devices, this one is quite important to prioritize. That's because it's not a simple feature update, changing the software you're used to. Instead, it's a security patch, fixing issues with iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple OSes that, left unpatched, leaves you vulnerable to hacking. Security patches vs. software updatesSome platforms separate security patches and software updates as two distinct processes. Not Apple. Usually, the company couples security patches and software updates together, which creates some interesting si…

This week, there has been a lot of chatter in the weirder parts of the online world about the supposed discovery of a hidden complex of underground chambers beneath the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. It seems a team of researchers announced they'd used SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) to reveal a number of underground buildings beneath the Khafre Pyramid. This discovery could offer proof the ancient Egyptian civilization was far more advanced than is generally believed, and possessed technology that rivals our own. It could change everything we think we know about humanity itself! In other words, big if true. Spoiler: It's not true though. All signs point to the “discov…

With the April 15 deadline right around the corner, you want to ensure you're taking advantage of all the deductions you can. Andy Phillips, Vice President of H&R Block’s Tax Institute, says his tax experts are getting plenty of questions from filers looking to maximize every deduction available to them. I wrote about some wacky and unexpected tax deductions last week, but what about the most common ones that filers just don't fully understand? From gig worker perks to retirement contributions, here are the tax deductions every filer needs to know. Retirement contributions and traditional IRA deductions Phillips says that if you contribute to a tax-advantaged traditio…

We are less than two weeks away from the 95th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto, the ice-caked, rocky sphere orbiting around 3.7 billion miles from the sun. To mark the occasion, The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Pluto was discovered, is hosting its sixth annual "I Heart Pluto" festival. But should they? Is Pluto even a planet? According to a recent YouGov poll, 35% of Americans think Pluto is not a planet. It's something else, according to them. But they are all wrong—kind of. To get to the bottom of Pluto's planet status, I tracked down planetary scientist Dr. Will Grundy—who you might recognize from academic papers like "Measurement of D/H and 13…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I am always down to try a new social app (a face I have made so, so clear), especially when it involves sharing photos. And the trendy photo-sharing app of the the moment is Yope (available on iOS and Android). Launched in September 2024, it currently has 2.2 million monthly active users and 800,000 daily active users, many of whom are in the investor-coveted Gen Z demographic. I am not a part of Gen Z, but as of today, I am one of the millions of people who used the app this month. It's fun and all, but I'm not sure I'll make it into that 800,000+ cohort of daily users. Here's why, and what you need to know about Yope. S…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I love Kindle e-readers, and have been using them since the first Kindle Paperwhite came out in 2012. One thing I've been looking forward to since I first had one in my hands is the color version. It finally came out in November with the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, which is on sale for $229.99 (originally $279.99), the lowest price it has been since its release, according to price-tracking tools. Right now, you can also get it with three months of free Kindle Unlimited (it'll auto-renew unless you cancel it), and if you're a Prime Member, yo…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In 2023, I decided to update my Apple Watch after consistently failing to wear my Series 4 for a number of years. I sold that one on Poshmark and began looking at newer models to find one with enough features to convince me to actually wear it. I opted to get a Series 8, although the Series 9 had just been released, as I was buying two: one for my mom and one for myself. As it turns out, that was a great decision. If you're searching for a new wearable or considering upgrading yours, you might also be wondering which of the older Apple Watch models is still useful today. My Series 8 is holding up beautifully three years af…