Home Office Setup & Equipment

When it comes to investing in (and maybe even splurging on!) running gear, nothing affects your running experience more than your shoes. Finding the perfect running shoes is about much more than style or brand preference—the right shoes are essential for performance, comfort, and injury prevention. But with countless options available for both men and women, choosing the perfect pair can feel overwhelming. Here's what you need to know to make an informed decision, as well as some shoe recommendations straight from the experts. Why the right shoe mattersAccording to Jessica Lyons-Quirk, director of footwear merchandising at Road Runner Sports, wearing proper footwear is c…

Saturday, March 8, was International Women's Day. March is a whole women's month, even if Google erased it from its calendar. So I'm taking a look at young women—and not in a creepy way. I want to know: what's up with young women? What are they about? What are their dreams? How are they feeling deep in their hearts? So I'm checking out Reddit's woman-centric corners, listening to Doechii and "Call her Daddy," and consulting some "coochie doctors." The state of young women in two subreddits To try to get some insight on young women between the ages of 18 and 25 or so, I took a look at some Reddit communities ostensibly made for, by, and about women. I started at Reddi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Amazon Echo Spot is one of four Alexa smart speakers you can get right now. It's between the older 5th-generation Echo Dot and the new Echo Dot Max. It's currently $44.99 (originally $79.99) after a 44% discount, the lowest price it has reached according to price tracking tools. Amazon Echo Spot (2024) $44.99 at Ama…

If you're going to go with Android rather than an iPhone for your smartphone, then Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy handsets are the two most high-profile options you've got. There are other Android phones worth considering—from the likes of OnePlus and Nothing, for example—but Google and Samsung are the most well-known. While the fundamental operating system on Pixel and Galaxy phones is the same, there are numerous differences between these two flavors of Android. They're not all obvious, though, unless you spend every day with these handsets, and that can make it tricky to decide whether you're better off going with Google or Samsung. As it happens, I use Pixel and Gala…

The winter sky has some brightly lit star patterns visible this month, including a triangle featuring Mars at one of its points, making it worthwhile to brave the winter temperatures for stargazing. These shapes aren't constellations, but asterisms: groups of stars that form recognizable patterns but that don't have official locations from the International Astronomical Union. The Big and Little Dippers are asterisms, for example, though their stars are part of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The Winter Triangle, which is especially visible now, is made up of the stars Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse, which are found within the constellations Canis Major…

Nintendo Switch 2 is officially coming to stores on June 5. In just over two months, you might have the opportunity to own Nintendo's newest (and most expensive) console and play the latest Switch 2 exclusives (Mario Kart World looks ridiculously fun), assuming you can snag one of them. Because if you want to boot up a Switch 2 on launch day, you'll almost certainly need to preorder it. Unless you're lucky enough to find a store that has extra consoles in stock, or there turns out to be exceptionally low demand (unlikely given eight years of building anticipation among the Nintendo faithful), these things are going to be a rare commodity. One option, of course, is to p…

Many people think the world is going to end in 2026. Man people think the world is going to end every year—maybe because the Bible said so, or The Simpsons said so—but this 2026-doomsday prediction seems to have a scientific basis. In a 1960 issue of Science magazine, Austrian scientist and polymath Heinz von Foerster detailed what he called the “Doomsday Equation,” a model he used to calculate the last day of civilization on earth. According to von Foerster (and probably Homer Simpson), The End is coming on Friday, November 13, 2026. Who is Heinz von Foerster? Foerster was not a crank. A pioneer in computer science, artificial intelligence, physics, biophysics, and oth…

Microsoft announced a plethora of Copilot upgrades at the start of the week, and we're now starting to see some of them roll out—to Windows Insiders, at least. The Copilot app for Windows has now been updated to support Copilot Vision and file search, so the AI bot is better able to interact with whatever's on your PC. Copilot Vision first appeared on the web last year, but it's new to the Windows app: It essentially lets the AI "see" what's happening on your computer, so you can ask it about websites you're viewing, or documents you're editing, or songs you're listening to, without having to take a screenshot or do any copying or pasting. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Your first day in the gym can be pretty intimidating. I remember spending a whole semester in one half of my university’s gym because the other room was, I don’t know, scary. And if you haven’t been to the gym in a while—or ever—you probably have questions. So let’s talk through the very, very basics. What is a gym even like inside?Hey, great question! There are different kinds of gyms, so there isn’t a single, universal answer. I’ll assume you’re going to what’s sometimes called a “commercial” gym, one that caters to a wide variety of people and has a selection of cardio machines, weight-training machines, and dumbbells.…

I keep looking for ways to free up storage space on my iPhone and on iCloud. I am a data hoarder who hates deleting things, but when I almost managed to fill up my 256GB iPhone, I knew I had a problem and began aggressively deleting unwanted data. However, photos takes up most of the storage on my iPhone, which has put me in a bit of a spot. I find it hard to delete old photos, but if I don't do that, I may eventually have to start paying a lot more for cloud storage to back up my data. If you're in the same boat as I am, the answer is simpler than you might think. Here are a few ways to delete photos and free up storage space on both your iPhone and on iCloud. Define w…

It took years of convincing before I finally started cooking with a Dutch oven, but once I started it quickly became my favorite pot to cook with. This dense and nearly indestructible pot is as versatile as it is beautiful to look at. The heavy cast iron allows for evenly distributed heat, and the glossy enameled surface is easy to clean. Plus they come in a rainbow of colors, which appeals to my need for whimsy in the kitchen. Contrary to what you might think, a good Dutch oven can be affordable too (for example, not $300). Read here for alternatives to the high-priced French brands. My brandless Dutch oven has been braising, baking, and frying for years and she has man…

Nintendo has never been known for high-performance hardware, but that certainly hasn't hurt its bottom line—especially in the Switch age. The company's decision to use more basic components for the Switch back in 2017 helped keep the console cheaper than any of its competitors. It's tough to get too hung up on the lack of 4K 60fps support when you can play the latest Zelda on a handheld that can cost less than $200. But lo, a new Switch is here, and with it, a new price. The Switch 2 is, indeed, a more powerful version of the Switch, and comes with a number of advantages: a larger 1080p HDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dock equipped with a fan to support 4K 60fps …

There are a lot of trends in generative AI right now. There are the reasoning models like OpenAI's o3, that "think" through each step of a problem before it answers. There are also "deep research" features that can compile information from across the web to generate reports for you. But perhaps the trend that is most "futuristic" of all is Voice Mode. This is the future 2013's Her promised: a chatbot that you can talk to like any other person. The chatbot doesn't say anything differently than it would if you were chatting over text; however, it responds in a "realistic" and "natural" voice, which could create the illusion that you're talking to a person, not a robot. I…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We travel for a wide variety of reasons—vacations, business, family obligations—and in a variety of different ways, but there’s one constant: The actual traveling can be hectic, stressful, and expensive. Considering Americans took nearly 2 billion trips in 2025 alone, that stress can be pretty epic. From planning to de-boarding, travel can be a challenge—that is, unless you know and utilize these hacks. There are a lot of travel hacks out there in the wild, many of them dubious, but when a hack actually works to lower your costs, increase your comfort, or simply solve an irritating problem, it’s kind of magical. Here ar…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Recently, a few spots on the hardwood floors in my house have become mysteriously slippery—so slippery that they're kind of dangerous. I really feel like my feet might go out from under me when I walk there, and there were a few close calls before I started avoiding them (or at least bracing myself to walk over them more carefully). This is no way to live, so I started looking into solutions, starting with the root cause. Why your wood floors are suddenly slipperyTurns out it’s not uncommon for hardwood floors to become spontaneously slippery, and it can happen for a variety of reasons. Wax or polish: If you apply any kin…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Valentine's Day is tomorrow. By this point, you should've already ordered your love a dozen roses. And of course, there are plenty of non-floral gift ideas that are perfect for the day of love, which I've rounded up for you here. But don't panic if you haven't found the perfect gift yet—or if you forgot about the holiday entirely. I've curated a selection of thoughtful, budget-friendly presents that prove you don't need to break the bank to show someone you care. Personalized photo gifts Transform your favorite memories into meaningful presents using same-day printing services at a local drugstore or big-box retailer. Cre…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you like to buy in bulk or just want one less thing to worry about during weekly errands, this sale might be worth the look: You can get a one-year membership to Sam's Club for $25 right now on StackSocial. It's half the usual price, but the catch is that it’s only for new members in the U.S. If you're eligible, though, the sale opens up access to warehouse prices on groceries, household staples, electronics, furniture, and even tires. It’s not just bulk cereal and 40-roll packs of paper towels anymore—there’s a surprising amount of variety on …

DuckDuckGo has been my default search engine for years. Its big selling point is that it doesn't track you nearly as much as Google does, but there's more to DuckDuckGo than that privacy claim. You can use DuckDuckGo to anonymously try AI chatbots (including ChatGPT and Claude), filter out AI-generated images from results, and shorten URLs without leaving the site. If you're using DuckDuckGo, try these 10 hacks to make the most of the search engine. Turn off AI features to simplify your search experience DuckDuckGo recently added a bunch of AI features, but, luckily, you can turn off most. To disable AI-related features in DuckDuckGo, go to the search engine's settings p…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Garmin announced a new fitness watch today, the Vivoactive 6. Its predecessor, the Vivoactive 5, is my pick for the best smartwatch to replace a Fitbit (beating out the Pixel Watch 3), and, if you ask me, it's the most underrated device in the Garmin lineup. The Vivoactive 6 is poised to be even better, adding a few new features, including a "smart wake" alarm and on-watch coaching for walking and strength training. The Vivoactive 6 will be available for preorder on April 4, with a suggested retail price of $299.99, the same initial price as the Vivoactive 5. (If you’re looking to save money by going with the older model,…

Firefox 138 is now publicly available worldwide, and this version brings full support for tab groups, profile management, a quick way to check the weather, and much more. These updates bring feature parity with other browsers and could prompt people to ditch Chrome and switch to Firefox. Here are all the new features in Firefox 138: Tab groups are now available more broadlyMozilla began the rollout of tab groups with Firefox 137, and the company says the feature is now available to almost all of its users across the world. Using tab groups, you can group similar tabs together to bring some semblance of organization to your open tabs. Creating a tab group is easy—just drag…

Mac users are spoiled when it comes to searching their computers. Macs have Spotlight search built-in, which they can use to open apps, search for files, perform calculations, and search the web. Windows has the Search Bar, but when you compare what they can do, it's not exactly the same. Now, though, there's a new tool called Command Palette, and it's a keyboard launcher designed specifically for developers and power users alike. It replaces a similar feature called PowerToys Run, and offers way more features, including the ability to run commands, search the web, search for files, and add custom bookmarks and global keyboard shortcuts. How to install and enable Command…

A new cyberattack is targeting Microsoft 365 users through Signal and WhatsApp messages, with hackers impersonating government officials in order to gain access to accounts. According to reporting from Bleeping Computer, bad actors—who are believed to be Russians pretending to be European political officials or diplomats—are contacting employees of organizations working on issues related to Ukraine and human rights. The end goal is to trick targets into clicking an OAuth phishing link leading them to authenticate their Microsoft 365 credentials. This scam, first discovered by cybersecurity firm Volexity, has focused specifically on organizations related to Ukraine, but …

Full-screen message effects are among the most fun-to-use features in iMessage, and now they're becoming a lot easier to use in Google Messages for Android, too. In the latest Google Messages beta, these full-screen effects will now automatically play for you (and your texting partner, if they're also on the beta) when you send them certain emoji in Google Messages for Android. That makes them a bit easier to use than Apple's version of this feature, which can only be triggered by certain phrases (eg: "Happy New Year"), or by long-pressing the send button and selecting the effect manually. Google had previously rolled out full-screen effects for certain phrases, but this…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. A quality set of tools is critical for most any DIY or home improvement project, and whether you’re doing home repairs or trying your hand at woodworking, cordless tools can make your project go much more smoothly—but the tradeoff comes in the investment required, especially as you’re just starting out. Right now, you can ease the pain a bit: Many Milwaukee cordless tools and accessories are currently on sale at Home Depot for more than 50% off, making it a good time to build out a new tool kit or expand your existing one. Cordless toolsCordless po…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Whether you just finished your big spring cleanup or you're waiting until the last minute, a robot vacuum can help you toward your mission of keeping a cleaner home. It can either keep the place tidy after you finish all the hard work, or help you whip your home into shape while you focus on other things. But for maximum results, you're going to need a good one. You can get a cheap robot vacuum that will do a decent job, or spend big bucks on a technological behemoth that can also mop your floors and even automatically clean. Today, during Amazon'…