Home Office Setup & Equipment

If you’re like most people, you probably didn’t think a whole lot about tariffs before this year. And if you’re like most people, you’ve probably spent this year thinking a lot about tariffs—specifically, how they’re going to impact your life. Whether it’s worry over higher prices and empty store shelves or more generalized economic anxiety, these certainly are exciting times. And, like clockwork, we can add one more thing to worry about in relation to tariffs: Scams. Pivoting off the chaos and uncertainty everyone is experiencing around the on-again, off-again tariffs and their constantly shifting parameters, scammers have quickly assembled a few new attacks on your bank…

The term 'Mac power user' is a bit vague and almost sounds exclusionary, but I'm here to tell you that if you regularly use your Mac, you absolutely are a power user. You don't need to exclusively be using command line tools or keyboard shortcuts to be a power user. Even though I use my Mac all day, every single day, I keep discovering new shortcuts, awesome apps I'd never heard of, or just general tips that I hadn't come across until now. So, if that sounds like you, you absolutely are a Mac power user, and I'm here to share some tips that have helped me optimize my workflow over the past few years. From setting up automation routines to save time, to a faster way to lau…

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 meaning to add a security camera to your backyard, driveway, or any dimly lit spot around the house, the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera might be the kind of no-fuss solution that works. It’s battery powered, which makes it a standout for renters or anyone who doesn’t want to mess with wiring or hiring an electrician. And at $64.99 on Amazon—down from $129.98—it’s currently sitting at its lowest price to date (according to price-trackers), making it easier to justify trying out a new piece of tech without overcommitting. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Peloton's app and its fitness equipment have tons of options for workouts, but they can't do everything. If you track some of your workouts with other devices, like a Garmin watch or bike computer, they wouldn't show up in your Peloton workout history—until now. A new Garmin integration is rolling out, and here's how it works. How to link your Peloton and Garmin accountsThe new integration allows Peloton to import workouts from Garmin Connect. Garmin Connect is the name of the Garmin app, so this means workouts you do on a watch (say, your Forerunner 570) sync to the Garmin Connect app, and from there to Peloton. This doe…

While a lot of May gardening is dedicated to moving plants into the ground, there is still plenty of seeding to be done. Inside, I'm starting late-planted vegetables like cucumbers, and a second round of annual flowers, like stock and celosia. Outside, I'm beginning to direct seed vegetables like corn and beans, and annuals like sunflowers. It's important to remember to stay on top of your succession planting during this busy time. And finally, there's no better time to start, reseed, or overseed your eco lawn. Lawns A clover lawn before being cut Credi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon is already rolling out early Black Friday deals, and Google’s unlocked Pixel 9 just dropped to $499—a solid $300 off its original $799 price. Google Pixel 9 $499.00 at Amazon $799.00 Save $300.00 …

Your digestive system is a hugely important part of your body, and keeping it healthly is hugely important. Without good gut health, you might be in pain, or suffer embarrassing symptoms, or worse. But it does not follow that you need to load up on foods or products that promise to improve your gut health. Gut health, it turns out, is not a well-defined concept. That means it’s not always possible to tell whether it’s improving or whether you even have a problem with it in the first place. Two researchers from the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University wrote in a Lancet journal article and on the Conversation about the fact that gut health has become more of a market…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When I bought my first robot vacuum, I thought my floors would thereafter be effortlessly spotless—endlessly patrolled by a 24/7 custodian, with absolutely no work required on my part. Today, there are never less than three robot vacuum cleaners installed in my small home at any given time. And yet I am definitely not doing nothing to keep my floors clean. While I’m certainly doing less daily upkeep, I would not say my floors are spotless, nor that I have been alleviated of all floor-related housework. Here’s what I wish I’d known about what robot vacuums can and can't do, and how much human effort they require. …

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 thinking about picking up a family tablet for streaming, casual browsing, or giving the kids something budget-friendly to play on, the 2023 onn. 11" Tablet Pro is worth a look—especially at this price. It’s currently going for $74.99 as an open-box deal on StackSocial. For context, the same model is listed at $128.99 on Amazon. Open Box means it’s likely been handled or returned in-store, so while the packaging might not look brand new, the tablet itself has been verified to be in good working condition. The device runs Android 13 and…

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.…

Google I/O 2025 was chock full of announcements. The problem is, Google isn't always clear about which features are new, which have already been released, and which are coming out in the future. While there are plenty of features to look out for on the horizon, and a number still that you've been able to use for some time, there are brand new features Google rolled out immediately after announcing them. Here are all the Google I/O features you can check out right now—though some do require you to pay. Imagen 4 Credit: Google G…

LastPass has come under fire in recent years following a 2022 data breach that compromised user vaults. Despite the controversy, it remains a popular and user-friendly option for saving credentials. But you don't have to stick to LastPass' default setup: If LastPass is your password manager of choice, these are the best hacks to optimize your experience. Use vault identities to keep work and personal credentials separate If you have one LastPass account for both work and personal use, you can separate relevant items into sub-vaults. When you toggle between them, you'll see only the credentials relevant to that identity, and LastPass will suggest only those items for auto…

Back in February, we learned that Apple had plans to integrate AI assistants into CarPlay. The news came along with the first beta for iOS 26.4, though Apple didn't actually include a way for testers to try out the integration in the software. Instead, the company confirmed the news in its CarPlay Developers Guide, stating that "CarPlay voice-based conversational app" support would require iOS 26.4 at a minimum. Well, Apple launched iOS 26.4 last week, and while the update delivered a number of new features, none of them were AI chatbot integrations with CarPlay. The company even dropped the first beta for iOS 26.5 without including a mention of the upcoming feature. I'l…

Another Google tool is biting the dust: The company's dark web monitoring tool, launched in March 2023, will be shut down on Feb. 16. According to Google, feedback on the feature suggested it "didn't provide helpful next steps"—so while it alerted users when their data was out in the wild, it wasn't clear what to do about it. Now, Google is shifting its focus from the dark web monitoring tool to features like its online Security Check-Up and passkey protection. In other words, instead of flagging when your account credentials appear in a data breach, Google wants to make sure that your accounts stay safe even if a breach has occurred. There are reasons why you should be k…

Roku was one of the original names in streaming, and even with so many options now available from Amazon, Apple, Google and others, it remains one of the most popular options thanks to its affordable boxes and streaming sticks and widespread availability as an integrated operating system on some TV sets. The platform is speedy, simple, and supports just about every streaming app out there. If you've got a Roku or two in your life, you may not be using it to its full potential. These tips, hacks, and hidden features should help you go beyond the basic business of launching your streaming apps and get more out of your hardware, whether you've just unboxed your first Roku de…

When I switched to a Mac about a decade ago, I immediately fell in love with my MacBook's menu bar, and especially the various icons in its top-right corner. I've always enjoyed keeping useful menu bar apps there, such as clipboard managers, app launchers, or apps that update other apps. But unfortunately, if you've installed more than a few third-party apps on your MacBook, your menu bar might be pretty cluttered. It's nothing a quick clean-up can't fix, though, and now macOS ships with a few ways to help fix your messy menu bar. Remove apps from the menu bar …

The best PDF editor on your Mac is the app your Mac ships with. I'm talking about Preview, an app whose name hides its versatility. It can do a lot more than just opening different types of files. For PDFs, it's as good as most free PDF editors. Enable dark mode for easier reading Credit: Pranay Parab I suffer from migraines and to keep the headaches at bay, I use dark mode wherever I can. In macOS 26 Tahoe, Preview now allows you to enable dark mode for any PDF file, which means that I no longer need to deal with bright white…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re looking for premium noise-cancelling earbuds that perform well, charge wirelessly, and block out all background noise while remaining comfortable for long-term wear, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are currently $249 (originally $299) on Amazon, marking a 17% discount and bringing them down to their lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) …

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. Last year, I wrote that we should all be scared of Sora, OpenAI's AI video generator. Sora's initial rollout promised hyper-realistic videos that, while exciting to some, terrified me. While AI fans see a future of AI-generated movies and shows, I see a future where no one can tell what's real or fake. To me, the only destination for this technology is mass disinformation. In the year and a half since, these AI-generated videos haven't only become more realistic; they've also become more accessible, as compa…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. Amazon announced a new lineup of upgraded Kindle Scribe digital notebooks today, but I'm sure it's only a coincidence that it's also a great time to grab last year's model at a discount. Right now, the 2024 Amazon Kindle Scribe with 16 GB of storage is $300. That's 25% off, marking its lowest price ever, according to price trackers. With your purchase you also get three free months …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The 2nd-generation Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is currently 25% off, bringing its price down to $199.99 (originally $264.98)—that's its lowest price yet, according to price trackers. If you’re an Android user who happens to be in the market for a new tablet that won’t break the bank, this device might be a good fit for you. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite $199.99 …

Unlike the other big streamers, Tubi only has a handful of original shows, most of them imports (their original movie selection is much larger). That's not to say it's a wasteland for TV addicts: The streamer might actually have too many shows, a vast and sometimes wild catalog that spans decades. As the likes of Netflix and HBO Max have slimmed down their catalogues, Tubi is growing, offering a mix of established hits, underrated gems, and more obscure offerings. For the sheer breadth of material on offer, it has become the first place I look for anything outside the current zeitgeist—like the following 18 shows, an entirely non-comprehensive sampling of what Tubi has t…

I really like the iPhone's Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped cutout near the top of the device's screen. It's an aesthetically pleasing way to check your battery percentage, record voice notes, and control music playback, among many other things. Since many MacBooks have a display notch too, you can use an app to bring an iPhone-like Dynamic Island to your laptop. Doing this makes the cutout look like a useful design feature rather than an abrupt gap in the screen, and some apps even let you move the giant volume and brightness adjustment popups to the Dynamic Island. Alcove brings the Dynamic Island to your Mac …

As someone who's planning to buy the Nintendo Switch 2, I've had my eye on the accessories I'd need to get with the console. Since Super Mario Party Jamboree, which is getting some new mini-games in its Switch 2 port, is one of the games I'm very interested in, the Switch 2 Camera accessory caught my eye. After all, who doesn't want to make dramatic faces while playing with their friends? You can even use it for chat, too. However, I'm not sure I can justify spending $50 on an accessory that'll probably gather dust after I'm done with Mario Party. Fortunately, it looks like the Switch 2 Camera is not the only way to play camera-based games or video chat with your friends …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Bose makes speakers that have been dominating their space since their release—and when it comes to portable mid-size rugged speakers, the Bose New Soundlink Flex has been one of the best since its release in 2021, and is still very competitive three years later. Right now, you can get it for $119 (originally $149), the lowest price it has been according to price-tracking tools. Bose New SoundLink Flex Battery Life 12 Hours, Included Components USB-C, Is Wa…