Home Office Setup & Equipment

As part of Mobile World Congress, happening this week in Barcelona, Google has teased that its Gemini AI is finally ready to see the world. Literally. Originally teased as Project Astra in May of last year, Google’s Gemini Live with Video and Gemini Live with Screenshare features each have a new trailer, showing how the search giant plans to catch up with ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode. Soon, Google One AI Premium subscribers will be able to share their phone screens and real-time video with Gemini, which the chatbot will then be able to use to answer questions. ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode got these features late last year, but it also requires you to shell out …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Cleaning can be overwhelming to everyone at some point—and creating a habit or schedule you'll actually stick to can be a big part of the problem. As is this case with other tasks like decluttering and organizing, though, one way to break through the procrastination is by finding the method that works best for you. Here are five of my favorites for you to try. The FlyLady technique, for stress-free cleaningThe FlyLady cleaning method, popularized by organizational guru Marla Cilley, is all about getting into a soothing, easy cleaning routine that won't stress you out. To tap into the usefulness of this method, break your h…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I used to buy cheap earbuds from random brands all the time, simply because I needed some earbuds that wouldn't give me a heart attack if (or when) I lost them or got them wet. If that sounds like your earbud-buying strategy, there's a great deal on a pair of budget earbuds that actually have pretty decent specs: the Anker Soundcore P20i. Right now, they're on sale for $19.99 (originally $39.99), the lowest price they have been according to price-checking tools. Soundcore by Anker P20i …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The TP-Link Tapo C402 is $19.99 on Woot for the next two days or until it sells out. If you're a Prime member, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll cost you an extra $6. TP-Link Tapo C402 $19.99 at Woot $49.99 Save $30.00 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The best snack holiday of the year is finally upon us, and while I hope everyone has their cocktail weenie plans figured out, I’d like to remind you that many other fillings rival the wee hot dog. One of my favorite things to wrap in a pastry blanket is a pickle, but this year I have a new obsession. It’s fry-able, grill-able, bake-able cheese, and it is absolutely incredible wrapped in pastry. How to make the best cheese in a blanketUnfortunately, mozzarella doesn't cut it here. Grilling cheese, also called frying cheese, is the best choice—it's a high-protein cheese that doesn’t completely liquify under heat. I tried wr…

One of Apple's best recent features is iPhone mirroring, which lets you control an iPhone from a Mac. Scrcpy is a free application for Linux, Windows, and macOS that does the same thing: It allows you to control your Android phone from a window on your computer. This application takes a bit to set up—it launches from the terminal or command prompt, for one thing, and it only works if you enable developer mode on your Android phone. Once you set it up, though, you can control your Android's screen from your computer, or even turn on a virtual screen so you can launch applications while your phone is off. To get started, you will need to install Scrcpy (which is just "scree…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When someone experienced uses a rowing machine, it’s almost a thing of beauty—a continuous rhythm, their entire body continuously moving back and forth as the numbers on the screen rise higher and higher. So why, when you get on, does using it immediately feel impossible, and also your back hurts? You probably have the settings wrong, and chances are your technique sucks too. Let's fix both of those. There is a learning curve to the rowing machine (also called an erg), but you can master it—probably more quickly than you think. It’s also common to note the damper setting and assume it works the same way as the resistance s…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. “But the holiday is made up!” you cry. “All holidays are made up,” I reply. “You need to get your partner a gift." No matter how badly you want to stick it to the Hallmark industrial complex, and no matter how much your loved one assures you they “really don’t want gifts,” the fact of the matter is that we’ve all been conditioned to feel the need to meet a bare minimum for romantic gift-giving every Feb. 14. And no, you’re not going to successfully overcome a lifetime of Valentine’s propaganda by deciding to stiff your partner on the gift front. Hallmark will neve…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon's Big Spring Sale is back for its second year, and while it doesn’t go as hard as Prime Day, there are still plenty of worthwhile discounts. It runs from March 25 to March 31, and the best part is you don’t need a Prime membership to shop. That said, Prime members do get access to deeper discounts, and if you’re not one, Amazon’s free 30-day trial lets you cash in on the best deals without any commitment. One of the discounts spotted is on the Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired), now down to $69.99 from $99.99—this is the lowest it's ever been, a…

Microsoft is officially shutting down Skype (RIP). Even if you haven't used the app in years, it's possible Skype was your introduction into modern video chats. The app made it easy to call friends and family via video no matter where in the world you all were. As long as you had a stable internet connection, you could Skype. Once Microsoft pulls the plug on Skype for good, legacy users will need a new platform to turn to. Microsoft will encourage you to switch to Teams, and you can. But there are better alternatives out there. The goal (and challenge) of choosing a video calling platform is to convince other people to join you. The last thing you want is to pick an app…

Oh, you’re here because you captured the image of someone’s Instagram Story and want to know if they’ll get a notification about the screenshot, à la Snapchat? We’ve all been there, but they’re not going to find out if you took a screenshot of their grid post or story, at least not through a notification. There are a few instances where an Instagram user might be made aware that you’re sharing their content, though, or at least filing it away for later. Here’s everything you need to know about taking screenshots, saving, and sharing in Instagram, so you can lurk in relative peace. Can you screenshot someone's Instagram Story or grid post?If you screenshot someone’s grid o…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Google Pixel 7 (5G, Unlocked) is down to $279.99 on Woot for the next three days, or until it sells out. That’s more than 50% off its original $599 price, making this a steal for anyone in need of a flagship phone at a mid-range cost. Google Pixel 7 (5G, Unlocked) $279.99 at Woot …

If you're an avid e-book reader or someone who has an extensive library of Kindle content, now is the time to back up your books. Starting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, readers will no longer be able to download Kindle e-books to a computer, where you can convert the file from Amazon's proprietary, Kindle-specific .AZW3 to a different format for a non-Kindle e-reader. Once this feature has been eliminated, Kindle e-books can only be transferred to a Kindle device via a wifi or cellular connection or accessed via the Kindle app or Kindle for web. While users who read primarily in the Kindle app or on a Kindle device may not miss this feature, its loss does make it impossible t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch Ultra last summer—it was marketed as competition for the Apple Watch Ultra, with an emphasis on outdoor and exercise features. Fast forward half a year after its release, and now you can get the Galaxy Watch Ultra starting at $409.06 (originally $649.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-checking tools. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 47mm LTE …

There is a moment every week dedicated to placing my face in front of my phone screen: my children's karate practice. While they are learning their kicks and punches, I mindlessly scroll through clickbait, videos, games, and social feeds to pass the time. While it gives me something to do, I don't feel good about it. Then I heard about WikiTok, which, as its name alludes to, is a web interface that combines TikTok and Wikipedia. Unlike traditional video-sharing platforms, WikiTok offers users a refreshing respite from the relentless algorithms that dominate our digital landscape. The web app delivers an article at random, with an engaging image filling the display. If som…

You might not be familiar with the phrase "peanut butter platform heels" but it apparently originates from a scientific experiment, where peanut butter was transformed into a diamond-like structure, under very high pressure—hence the "heels" reference. Except this never happened. The phrase is complete nonsense, but was given a definition and backstory by Google AI Overviews when asked by writer Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios, as per this Threads post (which contains some other amusing examples). The internet picked this up and ran with it. Apparently, "you can't lick a badger twice" means you can't trick someone twice (Bluesky), "a loose dog won't surf" means somethi…

Nintendo just wrapped up its long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, and the experience was almost surreal. The company has avoided talking about the console for so many years, and even after it shared an early preview a few months ago, it's still odd to see Nintendo walk us through the console in such depth. Mind games aside, it's finally official-official, and we now know a lot about Nintendo's upcoming console. The Direct didn't answer every question about its capabilities, but if you're interested in the hardware specs, here's everything there is to know right now. How powerful is the Switch 2?From games to accessories, there's a lot to get excited about with any new …

Dropping things on your foot and rating how much it hurts is a growing trend on TikTok. The meme's popularity may be indicative of something deep and troubling in youth culture. So, maybe, is injecting butterflies and turning goth. You be the judge. What is "Amialivecore?" On his substack "The Trend Report," Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick pulled together a ton of disparate cultural expressions among online youth to identify a style he calls "Amialivecore." Fitzpatrick posits that young people are subconsciously unsure if they are actually living human beings. I think he's onto something. My interpretation of the meaning of amialivecore: Since they were babies, young people's …

If you want to become a faster runner, you’ll probably end up doing a lot of speedwork on a track. Or if you live in a hilly place, you might wish you had a nice flat track to run on. But how do you find one that’s open to the public? Turns out it’s easier than you might think. Many public high school tracks are available for the community to use. Call local schoolsWord of mouth is your best option for finding the best local tracks; guaranteed there are tons of people in your community who know which schools have an open track. You can ask runners, ask parents (they'll know the schools pretty well), or cut out the middleman and call the school. I run on a local school tr…

By default, Google Photos now uses Gemini AI to search through your photo library. This is thanks to a new feature called Ask Photos that rolled out late last year. While this feature is great for locating specific photos, it's not as fast as the older search option, so it's not ideal for every search, especially more general ones. If you're tired of using Gemini's slower search in Google Photos for Android, there's a shortcut that helps you return to the classic search functionality. As spotted by 9to5Google, you can long-press the search button (which is labelled Ask and is located in the bottom-right corner) to use the classic, faster and AI-free search method instead.…

Not all apps are safe. It's why I always recommend downloading apps from official app stores, like the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, rather than a random website: Apple and Google both have policies to scan for malware and stop them before reaching app stores. But neither company is perfect, and apps infected with malware end up on official app marketplaces more often that we'd like to think. These apps usually pop up on the Play Store more than the App Store given that Apple is extremely strict, but that doesn't mean the App Store is impervious to malware—it definitely happens, and we've covered it before. In fact, researchers just found a batch of apps containing…

Considering how much work goes into buying a home, it’s surprising how many people view it as a temporary situation. The concept of the “property ladder”—buying a small, affordable “starter” house just to build equity and trade up to a larger home, and then doing it again until you’re living in some kind of mansion—makes people think of their homes as investments in their future instead of a place to live their lives. It’s true that buying a house can be a complex decision, and buyer’s remorse is a real situation that almost anyone can find themselves experiencing—and sometimes selling your home is the best decision you can make. But there are plenty of bad reasons to sel…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple has been top dog in the premium tablet space for years, and the iPad Pro with an M4 chip released last year solidified their dominance. If you've been waiting for a discount on the best-performing tablet you can get, take your pick from the available options: the 11-inch iPad Pro wifi and celular version is $1,099 (originally $1,199), the 13-inch iPad Pro wifi version is also $1,099 (originally $1,299), and the 13-inch wifi and cellular version is $1,299 (originally $1,499). These deals bring all versions down to the lowest prices these iPad m…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera is currently $129.99, down from $249.99, its lowest price ever, according to price trackers. Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Security Camera $129.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $120.00 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Every person's definition of funny is a little different, which is why it’s cool that Netflix has an impressive variety of movies representing a broad genre. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh, you can choose a smart, critically-acclaimed classic or a brainless comedy that critics hated. High-minded satire or expertly timed farts: Many of the best comedies blend highbrow and lowbrow, but, at the end of the day, the best comedy is the one that makes you laugh the most. Barbie (2023) The movie that absolutely slayed the zeitgeist in 2023 is also, perhaps surprisingly, a ton of fun. Greta Gerwig's Matt…