Home Office Setup & Equipment

The most affordable iPhone, or the most affordable Pixel? Which one is right for you? Google's Pixel 9a comes in $100 cheaper than the iPhone 16e, and has many AI features and specs from its flagship big brother, the Pixel 9. And it's a similar story with the iPhone 16e. The Pixel 9a starts shipping in April, while the iPhone 16e is out already (and we've already compared it with Samsung's mid-range lineup). But, as always, the devil is in the details. Here's how Google's new Pixel 9a compares to the iPhone 16e. Design Credit: Apple …

Amazon hasn't yet released a full list of what's coming to Prime Video in June, but we do know what original titles are slated to premiere throughout the month. Prime original action comedy Deep Cover (June 12) has a stacked cast that includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, and Sean Bean. In the film, Howard plays an improv comedy teacher who recruits two of her students (played by Bloom and Mohammed) to infiltrate London's gangs by pretending to be criminals. Countdown (June 25) is a new crime thriller series from Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas. An LAPD detective is recruited to a secret task force to investigate the murder of a Departm…

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. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 is $299.99 on Amazon right now, reduced from its usual $399.99. Acer Chromebook Plus 514 $299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $100.00 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Hot on the heels of Oura’s AI Advisor, another app feature from the smart ring company is leaving beta and becoming available to all users: meal logging. But this isn’t just another calorie tracking app—Oura’s Meals feature provides feedback on what you’re eating and when, without judging you for how much. Oura Ring 4 $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg …

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. There’s something nostalgic about holding a printed photo in your hand, especially in a world full of scrolling and swiping. That’s probably why the Kodak Step Instant Smartphone Photo Printer has been getting so much attention—it's small enough to fit in a bag, quick enough to use on the go, and doesn’t rely on ink or toner. Right now, it’s down to $69.99 on StackSocial in black, white, or blue. And if awards matter to you, PCMag named it their Best Photo Printer of the Year for 2023 and gave it their Editor’s Choice stamp. Not bad for something ma…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. iOS 26 has been out for a few days now, and with it, a bunch of convenient little tweaks to how you use your phone. Not everything’s a keeper, and I’ve already written about how to disable the new Liquid Glass transparency effects or fix Dark Mode icons that appear tilted. Still, there are things to like about this update, even if you have to go out of your way to turn some of them on. After spending a couple nights tweaking iOS 26 to my preferences, here are my favorite new features in Apple’s latest ope…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are down to $47.99 on Woot right now—their lowest price to date, according to price trackers. That’s a solid $22 cheaper than Amazon’s current listing at $69.99. This deal is live for two weeks or until it sells out, and it comes with a 90-day Woot limited warranty. If you're a Prime member, you’ll get free shipping—otherwise, there’s a $6 shipping charge. Samsung Galaxy Buds FE …

Summer brings sunshine, vacations, outdoor concerts—and the inability to leave your house without accidentally spending 20 bucks. Your budget is never a truly fixed thing. It changes with the state of the economy (hello, tariffs), your paycheck, and even the changing of the seasons. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy all the summer season has to offer without the financial stress. Here are my hacks to create a practical summer budget that lets you make the most of these warmer months without breaking the bank. Plan around events, not calendar datesOne of the biggest summer budgeting mistakes is thinking in terms of months rather than specific activities. Instead of cre…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve been blending all your adult life in a subpar appliance, I’ve got great news for you. Vitamix is having a pretty massive Mother’s Day sale right now, and—bombshell here—you don’t technically have to be a mother to get one. (Dog mom, cat god-uncle, mother of none, it’s all good.) The Vitamix sale is happening right now and runs through May 17th, and it’s across retailers too. Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz. Container, Slate …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. When it comes to speakers, Sonos has the best reputation and the best companion app on the market. If you're interested in seeing what the hype is all about, it's a great time to test the waters, as Sono's entry-level speaker, the Sonos Roam 2, has reached a record low price, according to price tracking tools. The portable, waterproof device is on sale for $134 (originally $179) at Amazon, part of a small Sonos sale that also includes the a discount on the larger Sonos Move 2 (also currently at its lowest price ever). …

FX's highly acclaimed hit series The Bear returns to Hulu in June for its fourth season, picking up right after the events of season three, when Carmy received the Chicago Tribune's review of his fine-dining restaurant. The main cast—Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Ayo Edebiri, to name a few—are reprising their roles in pushing The Bear forward. All 10 episodes will drop on June 25. Call Her Alex (June 10) is a Hulu original docuseries following "Call Her Daddy" podcast host Alex Cooper in preparation for her first tour with a behind-the-scenes look at the events that shaped her journey. Similarly, Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything (June 23) uses archival fo…

It's always storm season somewhere, and recent disasters in the South and Midwest have left significant damage in their wake. Unfortunately, scammers strike when people are vulnerable. Some seemingly helpful individuals and organizations may be what the Better Business Bureau calls "storm chasers"—fraudsters who target homeowners impacted by severe weather or a natural disaster that causes damage and necessitates major repairs. How storm recovery scams workPost-storm home improvement scams can play out in a number of ways, but they usually start with an unsolicited phone call or knock on your door from a "contractor" offering to repair your home quickly and on the cheap.…

Buying a house has always been a stressful experience. It involves a lot of money for most people, and it’s where you’re going to live, the most meaningful space in your life. Finding the house that ticks all the financial, physical, and emotional boxes can be a challenge. And it’s a challenge that a lot of people fail: 82% of home buyers experience buyer’s remorse. House hunting should be relatively straightforward—you need X number of bedrooms, X amount of square footage, in this specific area, at this specific price, with this short list of features and amenities. But we often let our emotions mess us up, usually without even realizing it. Considering how much of your …

In the old days, we'd post our photos and videos on social media for the world to see. Right now, it's far more common to send these pictures and clips to friends and family through private chat groups—but what you might not have realized is that they get pretty heavily compressed along the way. There are many reasons for this: It means the files get sent faster, for example, and that the companies behind these messenger apps don't have to spend quite so much on cloud storage (imagine millions of images being sent by millions of users, all the time). However, the recipients of these photos and videos are missing out, and getting copies that are of a much lower quality. A …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Prior to September 2024, any Apple user interested in active noise-canceling (ANC) AirPods would've had to shell out $250 for the AirPods Pro. With the release of the ANC AirPods 4, the tech is much more affordable—and you can currently grab a pair of these $179 earbuds for $148.99. Meanwhile, Amazon is also selling Apple's more budget-friendly version of the AirPods 4 without ANC for $99.99, down from $129. Both of these prices mark record lows, according to price-tracking tools. While the discounts aren't mind-blowing, the fact we're seeing any pr…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Amazon Fire Max 11 feels like the grown-up version of the Fire Tablets that used to be just good enough. It's bigger, cleaner, and doesn’t stutter when you try to do more than scroll through a book or stream a show. Right now, you can grab a certified refurbished unit with 128GB of storage and no lock-screen ads for $139.99 (down from $239.99). And it’s not old tech, either—it came out last summer and earned PCMag’s Best Budget Tablet of the Year 2024. Like-New Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Health Connect app is expanding its "sharing data" function, allowing Android users to sync up their health information across multiple apps. The announcement came during Google's developer livestream at I/O 2025. Starting in June, Google says Health Connect will pick up Runna, Mi Fitness, and Garmin. Here's what you need to know. Wait, you couldn't sync your health data to Garmin before?Apparently not! My colleague Beth Skwarecki shared with me this screenshot of her Connected Apps screen in her Garmin settings on her iPhone, versus her husband's Android. As you can see, Apple Health is connected to Garmin on the iPho…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. This refurbished iPad 9th Gen (2021) in Space Gray, bundled with Beats Flex Wireless Headphones, is currently on sale for $224.99 (with free shipping!) on StackSocial, and for that price, it’s a great value. The iPad itself is listed with a Grade “A” rating, meaning it’s in near-mint condition with little to no visible wear—basically as good as new without the retail price tag. That said, its minimum battery health is 80%; and it's also wifi only, so no LTE connectivity, but that’s expected. Performance-wise, the A13 Bionic chip keeps things running…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $336 (down from its usual $449), the Sonos Move 2 is seeing its lowest price ever right now, according to price trackers. That makes it a bit easier to justify if you've been eyeing a portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t compromise on sound. Sonos Move 2 $336.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-p…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're tied into the Apple ecosystem and looking to upgrade your mouse or streamline your desk setup, Woot is offering a refurbished Apple Magic Mouse 2 for $49.99 for the next twelve days—or until it sells out. That’s a decent cut from its current $79.95 listing on Amazon. It's worth mentioning upfront that this is a refurbished unit, which means it might show minor signs of previous use, but it’s been inspected and approved to work properly. Woot throws in a 90-day limited warranty, and free shipping is available if you’re an Amazon Prime membe…

Remodeling your house can be an exciting experience. It can also be an expensive one, which is why a lot of homeowners opt to go the DIY route. But any DIY remodel can also be daunting, even if you’re relatively comfortable with home maintenance and repair tasks. Whether you’re contemplating a DIY remodel for the cost savings or because it’s a fun challenge, there are a lot of online tools that can make the planning and execution of your project a lot easier. The 10 apps below can help you find inspiration, identify furniture and other items that will support your vision, and even show you how to tackle the entire project, step-by-step. Best apps for DIY inspirationEvery …

It feels like a minor problem, I'll admit it. But you know when you check into a hotel and have to spend the next fifteen minutes connecting all your Apple devices to the network? Starting from your iPhone, then moving to your iPad, and then your Mac? Well, it looks like Apple understands your pain. According to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, iOS 19 will include a new feature that will automatically connect multiple devices to the same public Wi-Fi network after you log in with just one of them. That's convenient for a couple of reasons. Beyond just keeping you from having to cycle through all your devices, it can also reduce the amount of paperwork you have t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. There are a lot of fantastic settings to use on the Vitamix Ascent X5, but one of my favorites is the soup setting (the nut butter function is a close second). If you didn’t already know, it’s not just for blending already cooked soup. You can actually cook with the blender. It might take a moment to wrap your head around the idea, but personally, I had to see for myself to become fully convinced. Here’s how to do it. How can a blender cook soup?It turns out, if you have an engine powerful enough, you can create enough friction with the blender’s blades to heat up a few pints of liquid ingredients until it’s well into coo…