Home Office Setup & Equipment

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. After Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brought some exciting new tech products this January, older flagship models began to drop in price, and TVs were no exception. A Pro version of The Frame TV was introduced, which made the 2024 versions drop in price. Fast forward to April, and those prices have dropped further for some of the sizes. The 43-inch The Frame from 2024 is on sale for $797.99 (originally $997.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools. The biggest size, the 85-inch series, is seeing a record discount of $1,80…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Meta has made virtual reality (VR) accessible to many more people, offering good VR headsets for much cheaper than the competition. Right now, the 128GB Meta Quest 3S Batman: Arkham Shadow Bundle is on sale for $269 (originally $299.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools. You can double the storage for $369 (originally $399.99); that version has dropped to $350 in the past. The bundle includes the Batman game (with a list price of $49.99) and a three-month trial subscription to the Meta Quest+ service that's normally $7…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $1,399 (down from $1,899), this deal on the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) brings some high-end specs into a more accessible price range, especially considering it’s still $1,699 on Amazon. Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) $1,399.00 at Best Buy $1,899.00…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Though people talk about the auteur revolution of the 1970s, or the warm, populist glow of neon-soaked ‘80s movies, the 1990s were an incredibly assured time in filmmaking. Romantic comedies went deeper and darker; Black filmmakers were rising to the forefront and telling their own stories; and technology had advanced to the point that things that had never been possible before were suddenly up on the screen. Plus, it was still an era when a mega-blockbuster might be an Edwardian period drama set on a boat with not a single superhero in sight. Strange days, truly. What's Love Got to Do With It? (1993) I'm not the o…

A known data breach affecting a major insurance administrator may have compromised the personal information of nearly twice as many people as previously reported. A May 2024 cyberattack on Landmark Admin is believed to include at least 1.6 million people's data, according to an updated filing with the Maine attorney general's office. Landmark Admin is a Texas-based third-party administrator (TPA) for life insurance and annuity companies like Liberty Bankers Life and American Benefit Life, which offer policies nationwide. A TPA offers insurers support with accounting, regulatory reporting, reinsurance, and IT. That means that while you may not ever have dealt directly wit…

Until now, Xbox Game Pass has been sorely lacking in retro games. There are no titles for the original Xbox on the service, and only a scant few Xbox 360 games. There are a few games from earlier eras, like Goldeneye 007, but even those are rereleases. Since most older games don’t get that kind of treatment, they’re ultimately still few and far between on Xbox Game Pass. But now, finally, Microsoft is doing something to address this gap, bringing a new “Retro Classics” collection to its subscribers. While Activision might be better known these days for Call of Duty, back in the ‘80s, it got its start developing games for Atari consoles. When Microsoft’s merger with Activi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple users have Apple Watches, but it's not so simple for Android users. Depending if you have a Pixel or a Samsung phone, there's a smartwatch that will work seamlessly better with your phone. If you have a Samsung, there's no doubt that a Samsung Galaxy Watch is the option. For most people, that watch is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (and yes, it works with any Android phone). Right now, you can get it for $289.99 (originally $379.99), the lowest price it has been according to price tracking tools. Samsung Gal…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I typically hesitate to suggest making peanut butter in blenders, but the Vitamix Ascent X5 is the exception. It's the best blender I've ever tried, and you should definitely make nut butters with it. Not only is it the absolute fastest nut processor I’ve ever tested (under a minute in some cases), but the resulting peanut butter is incredibly smooth. Here’s how to make any nut butter in the Vitamix Ascent X5. How to use the nut butter function on the Vitamix1. Prepare the nuts, if neededI like to roast the nuts in the oven first, because I love the sweet, toasty flavor. To do it, spread out your nut of choice (I used waln…

The Nintendo Switch 2 is nearly here. If you managed to preorder Nintendo's much-hyped Switch successor, you'll be able to play new games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza starting June 5. In anticipation of the Switch 2's launch, Nintendo just rolled out a big new software update for its existing lineup of Switch consoles: the original Switch, the Switch OLED, and Switch Lite. This is version 20.0.0 of the Switch's software, and if you know anything about software, round numbers usually denote major updates. Version 20.0.0 isn't groundbreaking, by any means—this isn't Nintendo's iOS 19—but there are a number of significant changes and features to note here. P…

Several hit Paramount+ shows are returning with new seasons in May. The seventh installment of The Chi, Lena Waithe's drama about life on the South Side of Chicago, will premiere on May 16. Original crime series Criminal Minds: Evolution (May 8) is returning for its 18th season, along with season three of medical drama SkyMed (May 15), which follows medics and pilots flying air ambulances in Northern Canada, and season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (May 9). Paramount+ will also broadcast the American Music Awards (AMAs)—hosted by Jennifer Lopez—on May 26, along with a live studio show hosted by football star David Beckham. Beckham & Friends Live is an …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. While there was no question we'd be getting another Prime Day in 2025, now it's official: In a press release, Amazon has confirmed the return of what is sure to be biggest online sales event of the year. Here is everything we know so far about this year's sale. What is Prime Day?While Amazon holds several sales throughout the year (including its recent Big Spring Sale and last year's October Prime Big Deal Days),the summer sale is typically Amazon's biggest, most-hyped annual event. It's typically a two-day affair, with deals in virtually every category you can think of. Prime Day is usually when you can expect to see some…

App notifications need careful balancing across Android, iOS, Windows, and of course macOS. Too many of them and you're in a state of constant distraction; too few of them, and you risk missing out on something important that one of your programs is trying to tell you. macOS has you covered when it comes to finding the right balance for you, providing a full suite of controls for managing interruptions and staying up to date with your notifications. It doesn't take long to set up these notification options, and then once they're configured, you can use Focus modes for specific scenarios (like working or watching movies). Note that some individual apps come with their own …

AI isn't coming for your job. Probably? Look, it's complicated. And anyone who has ever played around with a chatbot has likely asked themselves, "This is what they want to replace a human with?" It's a valid concern, because generative AI chatbots like Google's Gemini aren't super useful. To my surprise, though, Gemini's Canvas feature can be. I will say up front, I'm coming at this as a generative AI skeptic, but I'm also not an AI doomer. There are some situations—like creating alt text for images to boost accessibility—where AI-based tools can come in handy. I prefer to find where tools can be genuinely useful, and ignore the noise. To that end, Gemini's Canvas is the…

Jonathan Goldstein’s Heavyweight, where he helps people confront things from their past, is one of the most beloved podcasts of all time. In 2023 when Spotify was making huge cuts, it was one of them. But earlier this year, Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries picked it back up, and episodes will be returning soon. If you want more Heavyweight-ish stuff now, this list of podcasts will keep you satisfied. They share Heavyweight’s ethos—curiosity, empathy, a sense of humor, and beautiful audio. Wiretap Credit: Wiretap Wiretap i…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Garmin is well-known among fitness smartwatch enthusiasts, and if you're a runner, the Forerunner 265 is the best option in the Garmin lineup. The Forerunner 265 is without question the best fitness watch for runners, according to Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki's review. While it's typically a costly smartwatch at $449.99, it's currently on sale for $349.99, which is the lowest price it has ever been, according to price tracking tools. (Both the 46 mm model and the smaller 42 mm model are on sale for the same price.) …

Whether you're filling a prescription, rebooking a flight, or asking a question about your taxes, it seems like the first line of defense between you and any sort of real human helper is a never-ending string of automated prompts. But not all questions can be answered by a computer—especially when it comes to your taxes. The IRS expects more than 140 million individual tax returns for 2024 to be filed this season, which has a deadline of April 15, 2025. That's a lot of taxpayers on hold. Over the past few years, the IRS has certainly made improvements on its phone service, as well as expanding online tools. Still, anyone who has tried calling the IRS knows it can seem i…

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 almost over, but there are still deals you can take advantage of, including this comprehensive list of tech deals from Lifehacker's associate tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt. If you're looking for a portable speaker, consider this one from Ultimate Ears, the Megaboom 4, currently $129.99 (originally $199.99)—that's the lowest price it has reached, according to price-tracking tools. Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 360-degree sound, is wate…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You can think of the Galaxy Buds series as Android's version of the AirPods. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are the open-ear version of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, both of which came out last summer. Right now, you can get the Galaxy Buds 3 for $99.99 (originally $179.99) directly from the Samsung website when choosing "no" under the Samsung trade-in credit. This is the lowest price these earbuds have been since their recent release, according to price-tracking tools. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Roborock is the maker of many fine robot vacuums (and vacuum/mop combos). They are so fine, in fact, that even when they're on sale, as many of them have been for the past few days during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, they can cost you several hundred dollars. One Roborock vacuum-and-mop combo, however, is really discounted right now: The Q7 Max is $189.99 (Amazon lists its regular price as $299.99 and the Roborock website shows the original price as a whopping $599.99). The Roborock Q7 Max specs Roborock Q7 Max Ro…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Garmin has launched a new feature in its Connect app (the companion app you use when you sync your watch to your phone). It’s called Garmin Trails, and it purports to help you find hiking trails near you. With a Connect+ subscription, you can even sync courses for those trails to your map-enabled watch. It sounds pretty great. Unfortunately, its selection of trails is pretty disappointing at launch—it doesn't even suggest I try out my own favorite trails. How to access Garmin TrailsYou don’t need a Connect+ subscription to search for trails, filter for features, and look at the routes and reviews of trail—all of that come…

Last year, Google released a niche feature in its experimental NotebookLM product that turned out to be a sleeper hit. You could upload any document to NotebookLM, and it would use AI to generate a two-person conversational podcast out of it. These aren't meant to be uploaded online for viewership, but for you to listen to as a learning ad. The idea is that there are times when it's easier to understand a concept when two people are just casually conversing about it. If that sounds appealing to you, good news: you no longer need to dive into the unfamiliar NotebookLM interface to try it out. Google's AI-generated podcasts, called Audio Overviews, are now available for fre…

With the April 15 tax deadline looming tomorrow, many Americans are rushing to complete their returns. Personally, my phone is blowing up with all my procrastinator friends asking last-minute questions. And good for them for making the deadline at all, no matter how frenzied. But what happens if you miss the deadline? The consequences vary dramatically depending on whether you simply file late or don't file at all. Let's take a look at what happens in either scenario, and what options you have if you're not ready to file by tomorrow. What happens if you file your taxes late?First off, it's important to clarify the difference between failure to file and failure to pay. Fa…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you’ve ever painted a room in your house or apartment, you know the pain of storing leftover paint. You pour the excess from the rolling pan into the paint can, you tap the lid back into place with a hammer, and you stick the old can somewhere out of the way, where you promptly forget about it. Then the day comes when you need to touch up the room or repaint it entirely, and you haul that old can out from its hiding place, only to discover that time has not been kind to your paint. If your old paint hasn’t aged well—it’s skinned over, chunky, or otherwise dubious—but you really don’t want to spend money on a fresh can j…

If you've got a Samsung phone, you've got an alternative, lightweight option for computing on the go: Galaxy handsets come with a desktop interface called DeX built right in, and depending on what you need to do, you might be able to use this mode in place of a laptop while on your travels. Essentially, you plug your Samsung phone into a TV or monitor, and Android shifts to look more like Windows or macOS. You're still using the same software and the same apps, but you get floating windows and easier multitasking. While a lot of the apps will stick to their mobile views, you can make use of apps such as Google Docs or Google Chrome to get work done while you're away from …