Home Office Setup & Equipment

When we lift weights, do yoga, or perform exercises of any kind, there’s often an instructor chiming in to tell us to “engage our core.” But what does that really mean? It turns out there are two different ways of doing it and they produce opposite results, so it’s important to know which one you need to work on to accomplish your fitness goals. Here are the two ways, why they're different, and how to know which one you should do. Method 1: Pull your belly button to your spineThis one is probably familiar if you’ve ever done pilates or physical therapy. You’re told to pull your belly button toward your spine, or to think of “hollowing” or “drawing in” your stomach muscl…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. My house has precisely one outdoor area, which makes it precious. It’s the only spot where we can hang out outside without actually leaving. Since I’m a dedicated introvert who enjoys fake conversations with his cats more than real conversations with people, that’s incredibly important. As a result, I put a lot of time into keeping the deck comfortable and in good repair. A few years ago, I replaced some of the composite decking with new pieces that didn’t quite match the original color, so I painted the decking to keep things uniform. This past winter was pretty rough on the deck, though, which was starting to look a litt…

iPhones and Macs work together seamlessly in all kinds of ways, whether you want to control your Apple phone from your Mac or use it as a webcam. Apple calls this suite of features Continuity, and it extends to iPads and Apple Watches too—so if you stay inside the Apple ecosystem you're guaranteed to get devices that play nicely together. Features like those offered by Apple Continuity aren't quite as easy for Google, Samsung, and Microsoft to implement, but everyone who isn't Apple is busy trying to improve the cross-device experience. Pixels and Chromebooks now offer several useful integrations, as do Samsung Galaxy phones and Galaxy Book laptops. Those Samsung features…

When you post something on the internet, you cede a measure of control to anyone who might happen upon it. Photos, videos, text, audio recordings: all of this content can be downloaded or screenshot, and repurposed in whatever way another user wishes. That's the risk of posting online. The thing is, you might not assume the platform you're posting to would go out of its way to help other users repurpose your content—but that's exactly what TikTok is currently doing with its new AI "remixes" feature. What are TikTok's AI "remixes?"AI remixes are meant to be a kind of meme-creation tool. According to CNET, remixes allow TikTok users to create a custom image generated from…

For members of the always-online generations, reality is hanging by a very thin thread. Core youth values like authenticity and "keeping it real" are confusing concepts to people raised in an environment where almost nothing can be counted on and anything can be faked. Every viral video could be a stealth advertising campaign. Every breakout band, an industry plant. Whether it's meat mountains at Arby's, or vérité video of cheater's antics, this week we're looking into all-encompassing scams. But at least you can bank on Scientology speed-runs as legit, and take comfort in the realness of a ball of red hot metal. What is Rod Wave's Arby's Takeover?Arby's is a fast food ch…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Earlier this month, T-Mobile started offering free iPhone 17s to new customers (they still are)—and now, they're offering a $200 prepaid Mastercard for a limited time for anyone who brings their unlocked device and phone number and switches to them. Here are the details you need to know. Starts at $50/mo with AutoPay for 1 phone line. Essentials Pla…

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. No matter how new or how well-built, every house needs work or maintenance on a regular basis. You can pay professionals to do it all, of course, but if you’re looking to save a little money (or just want to learn and be in control of your home maintenance fate), there are plenty of home repair jobs that can be DIY’d. If you’re a beginner who’s just getting started on DIY maintenance and repair, however, you should watch out for some easy and common mistakes inexperienced DIYers make. While some of these mistakes will be obvious the moment you make them, it’s also easy to get through an entire project and experience superf…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Every smart ring calls itself an activity tracker these days; they’ll all report your steps, calories, and workout times. But I take my smart ring off when I go to the gym, and I would never recommend one for somebody who is looking for a dedicated fitness tracker. Let’s have a little chat about why. Oura Ring 4 - Black - Size 10 - Size Before You Buy $349.00 at Amazon …

The Opera you're using today is obviously a very different browser from the one it was decades ago. Perhaps the most significant change is that it's a Chromium-based browser, which means you can install Chrome extensions to fill any features you may be missing. That said, the browser still retains its core philosophy of shipping useful integrated features—even if those options aren't always obvious. From bypassing unskippable YouTube ads to using a built-in volume booster for every tab, here are the best Opera hacks you should know about: Use "Early Bird" to try experimental features before releaseIf you live on the bleeding edge of tech, you can use Opera's "Early Bird" …

I am obsessed with the "Conversate" app in my Even Realities G2 smart glasses. Overall, the glasses are sci-fi cool—they project a small, monochrome HUD in front of your eyes but look like normal glasses—but Conversate is essential. The AI-driven productivity tool is designed for work meetings but it's fun in social settings too, and you can use it to scam free drinks from bartenders. Use Conversate and never take notes in a meeting againIf you've ever left a work meeting thinking, "wait, am I supposed to file the TPS reports, or is it Gary's week?" consider Conversate. I don't multi-task well, so listening while taking notes can be difficult. Conversate solves that prob…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. There's nothing sweeter than listening to your favorite album or watching your favorite movie with pristine audio. And if you're a true audiophile, few brands approach the quality Sonos can offer. Right now, Sonos is offering major discounts in the lead-up to Amazon's Big Spring Sale, and the Sonos Beam G2 + Sub Mini combo in particular stands out; it's currently $749, a 25% drop from the $998 list price and the lowest price it yet reached, according to price tracking tools. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Two years ago, I reluctantly inherited a cat. The cat is both mine and not mine: Sky belongs to my daughter, who owns her in the way a pet can "belong" to a minor while an adult operates silently in the background, managing its costs and responsibilities. Chalking it up as an opportunity to teach my kid new skills, I rarely feed Sky, brush her coat, or clean her litter box. Instead, I chose the worse task of incessantly reminding a teenager to do them. If you have a cat, you're likely familiar with the challenges that come from a dirty litter box. And if you have a teenager, you know how frequently they can resist complet…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Think smart lighting is limited to basic bulbs and LED strips? Govee proves otherwise with its unique, space-saving take on floor lamp smart lighting that actually brightens an entire room rather than acting as accent lighting. Available in three different colors, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 does everything from play music to set the mood—and right now, it's at its lowest price ever ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, dropping 25% to $119.99 (originally $159.99). Govee Floor Lamp 2 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. As part of an early Amazon Big Spring Sale deal, you can get the Apple iPad (11th Gen, 2025) with wifi and cellular capability for $651 (originally $799)–its lowest price ever, according to price trackers. Available in four colors, this capable tablet won a PCMag Best of the Year Award in 2025. 2025 Apple iPad - 11-inch (A16) $651.20 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Samsung’s 65-inch S95F OLED TV is now down to $2,199.99 from $2,997.99—just a couple of dollars shy of its lowest tracked price, according to price trackers. That discount makes a difference, but it is still a premium buy. If your budget is tighter, a refurbished unit from Amazon Renewed comes in at $1,926.22. The new unit includes free delivery to your room (you will need to handle setup yourself), and a one-month trial of Xbox Game Pass for new users, which adds some immediate value if you plan to use it for gaming. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The unlocked Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with 512GB of storage has dropped to $1,299 (originally $1,499), its lowest price so far, according to price-trackers. It is still a premium buy, but it is built for people who want one device to handle everything (for example, storing large photo libraries, recording video often, or using their phone for work tasks). Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Unlocked Android Smartphone, 512GB, Black …

Elon Musk's "X Corp" is back at it. The company's latest X-themed product is XChat, a messaging app built for X users to securely chat with one another. The app is currently available to preorder on the iOS App Store with an April 17 release date, and advertises itself as an end-to-end encrypted chat app free from ads or tracking. That sounds like a great pitch, especially if you're someone who frequently messages other X users. The problem is, the pitch doesn't seem entirely accurate. As Mashable's Jack Dawes highlights, XChat's app privacy policies are a bit out of alignment with its promises. If you scroll to the "App Privacy" section of XChat's App Store page, you'll…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Creatine is a rare thing in the world of workout supplements: It actually works, plus it’s cheap and safe. (Protein and caffeine are about the only other common supplements you can say that of.) If you’re trying to build muscle or lift the heaviest things around, you might want to get into the habit of taking creatine every day—but there are, of course, some caveats. What does creatine do?Creatine supplies quick energy in your muscles for short, intense bursts of power. You may have heard of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which stores energy in our cells. (One main reason you eat food: to be able to make ATP.) When our musc…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The CRKD Nitro Deck is down to $34.99 on Woot, which is a noticeable drop from its usual $59.99 and lower than its current price on Amazon. Price-trackers also suggest this is the lowest it has gone so far. Shipping is free with Prime, or $6 otherwise, and the deal is expected to run for about 12 days unless it sells out sooner. That said, Woot does not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or PO box addresses. CRKD Nitro Deck Handheld Deck for Nintendo Sw…

Nikkei Asia has some bad news for anyone hoping for RAM prices to fall anytime soon: The outlet reported on Friday that the global shortage of memory chips will likely continue until around 2027. According to Nikkei, U.S. and South Korean memory suppliers are raising DRAM production, but are only going to be able to meet about 60% of the demand. What's more, the current conflicts in the Middle East are making electricity and other relevant goods more expensive. Even Samsung, which is launching a fourth RAM plant this year, won't be at full-scale production until at least 2027, if not later. The memory crisis is ongoingPart of the problem is split production needs: Sam…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Smartphone cameras have come a long way, but the moment you start walking or moving around, even small shakes can show up in your footage. That’s where a phone gimbal like the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro comes in—it steadies your shots without turning filming into a whole production. And right now, its Ultimate Creator Bundle is down to $169.99 (from $199.99), which, according to price trackers, is the lowest it’s been so far. Insta360 Flow 2 Pro Ultimate Creator Bundle (Grey) …

Google Meet's "Take Notes for me" feature is one particularly useful implementation of AI. When you're on a video call, Gemini can dictate what's being said, offering summaries and highlights of the conversation. That way, your attention doesn't need to be split between the conversation at hand and writing down notes to remember key points later: You can just check the notes that are automatically generated as a Google Doc once the meeting is over. It's the kind of feature that sells me more on the whole "AI assistant" thing, rather than something trying to order me a coffee. Of course, video conferencing isn't the only time dictation can be useful. An in-person meet…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Google Pixel Watch 4 has only been out a short time, and it’s already seeing a notable price drop—the 45mm LTE version in matte black is currently down to $389.99 (originally $499.99), the lowest the watch has dropped so far, while the smaller 41mm LTE model is also $389.99, down from its usual $449.99. In other words, you’re getting the larger 45mm version for the price of the 41mm. Google Pixel Watch 4 45mm, LTE, matte black …