Home Office Setup & Equipment

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. Study methods are usually all about what you can do in your own time to maximize what you learn and that's generally most important, but bringing someone else in to your process can be helpful if done correctly, too. That’s what Richard Feynman, a theoretical physicist, thought—at least in theory. According to many possibly apocryphal sources, the Nobel Prize-winner once said, “If you cannot explain something in simple terms, you don’t understand it. The best way to learn is to teach.” It’s entirely p…

If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you'll soon be able to send money to friends and family instantly simply by tapping your devices together. A new peer-to-peer payment feature transfers funds from debit cards in your Samsung Wallet to those stored in a recipient's digital wallet or their physical tap-to-pay card. The feature will be available to Samsung Wallet users in the U.S. later this month. How Samsung Wallet 'Tap to Transfer' worksSamsung's new "Tap to Transfer" feature utilizes NFC technology to connect to debit cards in any digital wallet, meaning you can send cash even if the recipient uses a different third-party app (like Apple Wallet or Google Wallet) or o…

Now more than ever, it's time to curb your online shopping habit. The The President administration's tariffs will hit American families hard, with estimates ranging from nearly $4,000 to almost $8,000 per household. With a general attitude of "recession indicators" all around us, one thing is clear: Times are tight. And as time goes on, your restrictive behavior can swing too far in the other direction, leading to something called “revenge spending.” If you’ve found yourself responding to tight times with overcompensatory spending, here’s what you can do to get your budget back on track. What is "revenge spending"?As the name suggests, revenge spending occurs when you th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 might've made headlines for their heart-rate monitoring feature, but that's actually their worst feature. These new earbuds, which came out in February, compete against the AirPods Pro 2, since they're normally the same price. Right now, though, you can get Beats' Powerbeats Pro 2 for $199.95 (originally $249.99) after their first major discount, according to price-tracking tools. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Noise Cancelling, Heart Rate…

They say no one actually uses their phones for phone calls anymore. That's not really true, though maybe the "Phone" app does get underused. Instead, many of us have turned to chat apps for our calls. FaceTime, WhatsApp, Messenger—these apps are now our go-to choices for getting in immediate touch with friends and family. (Not that I'm complaining: The call quality is usually better, anyway.) But one thing the Phone app—and traditional phone calls—have on these chat apps is voicemail. For decades, when you called someone and they didn't answer, you could "leave a message after the tone." That way, when the person saw they had a missed call, they didn't need to guess what…

Once again, there is a new feature available on Google's NotebookLM, the AI tool that functions like a personal assistant and only references material you provide for it. This one is a slide deck generator, which can be useful if you need to make a presentation in a hurry, but I've been using it a little differently to help myself retain new information. Generating a slide deck in NotebookLMFirst, you should know how to generate a deck. In case you're unfamiliar with NotebookLM, it's basically just like ChatGPT, but instead of pulling answers from the big, wide Internet, it only relies on PDFs, links, videos, and text you input as resources. This makes it the perfect too…

SoundSource, my preferred volume control app on the Mac, just got a major upgrade. The developer, Rogue Amoeba, recently released SoundSource 6 for Mac, which adds support for AirPlay devices, per-app equalizers, output device groups, and much more. It's an incredibly polished app packed with features, but my favorite feature is its ability to turn any random group of earbuds and speakers into a multi-room audio setup. Multi-room audio with SoundSource 6 Credit: Pranay Parab You can use SoundSource 6 to create a group of audi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’ve been tracking my sleep and recovery with the Oura ring for nearly five years now, and today I’ll share with you several of my favorite and most-overlooked features—including one feature you should turn off, and one feature you can use even if your subscription is expired. Oura Ring 4 $499.00 at Amazon …

Sometimes you need just a little bit more light during a video call, especially if you're in a dimly lit room. The latest macOS update (26.2) has a trick for this: you can use the edge of your screen as a ring light. The feature, which adds a rounded white rectangle to your screen, is called Edge Light. The rectangle takes up part of your screen but will become partially transparent if you move your mouse pointer into it, meaning you'll mostly be able to use your computer normally. You can use the feature by clicking the camera icon on the menu bar during a call and toggling on the Edge Light option. You can also adjust the brightness and the color of the edge light from …

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 …

The Google I/O 2025 keynote was all about Gemini and AI. But it's nice to see that the Chrome desktop browser got some new updates and features, too. While Gemini has been available in every web browser so far, until now, it's still very much just been a website. Meanwhile, over on Android, the Gemini app integrates deeply into the ecosystem. Thankfully for AI fanatics, it can now do that in Chrome, too. Plus, Google is adding some quality-of-life upgrades to the password management system, as the browser can now change your passwords for you, automating one of the most tedious but important security tasks there is. Gemini comes to Chrome on desktop Starting tomorrow, …

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a number of changes coming to its Windows Insider program—in fact, one could call it an overhaul. Despite being a beta program for Windows users interested in testing cutting-edge features, Microsoft is actually simplifying and streamlining the experience. Now, as highlighted by Bleeping Computer, the company is rolling out that updated experience—whether you're new to the Insider program, or you've been test-driving Windows this way for years. Microsoft is making Insider channels easier to understand The Windows Insider program is changing in three key ways. First, Microsoft is making the "channels" easier to understand. For the u…

It’s frustrating to follow fitness content online as a woman when so much of it feels like it is written for men. Likewise, it’s frustrating to work hard at a seemingly simple exercise like pushups and feel like you’re not getting anywhere. Some influencers have proposed a solution to both problems: a change in hand placement for pushups that is supposed to better complement women’s anatomy. I’m not buying it. See, I’ve been around fitness spaces (male-dominated and otherwise) long enough to have built a healthy skepticism around advice and products aimed solely at women. There’s a huge variation in strengths, weaknesses, and body proportions from one person to another,…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Google has been making these Nest thermostats ever since Google acquired Nest back in 2014, but for the first time, Apple or Alexa users can now add the thermostat to their Home app. I still use my first generation Google Nest at home and love the user experience. If you're looking for the latest iteration, the fourth-generation Google Nest Learning Thermostat came out in the summer of 2024, and it's down to a record low price of $219.99 (originally $279.99) according to price-tracking tools. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you've got an Android phone, there's a good chance it's either one of Google's Pixels or Samsung's Galaxies. Luckily, both the entire Pixel 9 lineup and every Samsung Galaxy S25 are discounted for Amazon's Big Spring Sale event. While Pixels are most well known for their exclusive software features and a unique camera bar, Samsung is instead a great choice for anyone prioritizing camera fidelity or raw performance. …

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 buying the best headphones at the best price, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is at the top of the list for active noise-canceling (ANC), while also excelling in other important categories. Right now, the Bose QuietComfort Ultras are $329 (originally $429), matching the lowest price they've ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Headphones with Spatial Audio, Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headp…

If you're unable or unwilling to upgrade to Windows 11 and you're running Microsoft Office (now known as Microsoft 365, of course), there's some good news: Support for Word, Excel, and the other Office apps is being extended for an extra three years beyond the end-of-life date for Windows 10 itself. The end-of-life date support for Windows 10—after which no further software updates or technical support will be offered by Microsoft—has been set for Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Support for Microsoft 365 apps will now go all the way up to Tuesday, October 10, 2028. That's as per an updated support document published by Microsoft and spotted by The Verge. Before now, there had …

You may have heard dumbbell exercises are better than barbell ones because they work more of your “stabilizers,” or that free weights are better than machines for the same reason. But what are stabilizer muscles? And do you really need specific exercises to train them? It turns out there are a lot of misconceptions around this term, so let me set things straight. What are stabilizer muscles?This is going to get fuzzy, because there isn’t really agreement on what stabilizer muscles even are. This 2014 study searched the literature for mentions of stabilizer muscles and attempted to put together a definition. Here’s what they came up with: "muscles that contribute to joint …

Managing your inbox is a never-ending task, which is why we should seek to simplify it as much as possible. When emails pile up, you start overthinking what you need to do—I know I do, anyway. But if you pare down your options to the most basic and straightforward ones, it'll help ease your decision paralysis and keep you on top of things. That's what the "four Ds," or the 4D method, does. It’s easy to remember and easy to implement, which makes it helpful for anyone who has a pile of emails to contend with every day. Here’s how to follow it. What is the 4D method of inbox management? This method of managing your overflowing inbox has been around quite a while and rests …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The only thing I didn’t love about the Mammotion Luba robot lawn mower I tested last summer was its size. It’s a hulking four-wheel-drive robot and I live in the city, where we don’t have huge lawns. Enter the Luba Mini, a halved version of the Luba meant for smaller lawns (and tighter budgets). In fact, if you paid attention this spring, miniaturized versions of some of my favorite technology were everywhere. These mini-me versions seem to be driven, according to the companies themselves, by two market needs. While smart home tech is incredible in terms of functionality and independence, it often comes at a steep cost. …

Are you old enough to remember talking to your friends on the phone all the time? A phone with a cord? Then welcome to the Out of Touch Adults’ Guide to Kid Culture, a guide to what's going down with all the youths out there. This week, the young 'uns are stealing each other's brainrots, guzzling heavy soda, (not) paying $500 for a rock, and being harassed by a rizzed-out robot. "Steal a Brainrot" If you know anyone under the age of 16, they are probably playing "Steal a Brainrot," and you are probably asking "Steal a what now?" so here's what it's all about: "Steal a Brainrot" is a multiplayer mini-game within maxi-games Roblox and Fortnite. In a game of Brainro…

Google isn't new to adding AI to its products, and that includes Google Maps. The company already has AI tools that let you ask Gemini for directions to your destination, or get more info about it, and today, it's rolling out new features to help turn the chatbot into a (to borrow a term from Microsoft) copilot. With Gemini in Google Maps, you'll be able to ask open-ended questions and even have the AI take action for you, based on its responses. The idea is to make the app easier to work with while driving, which, yes, means you can also wake the bot with a simple "Hey Google." Let's say you get peckish while driving. You'll be able to wake the bot with your voice, ask…

Remember when Spotify was just for listening to music? It used to be the app for streaming tunes, but in 2026, the app has more of a do-it-all attitude. You can still use it to listen to just about any song you can think of, but you can also listen to podcasts and audiobooks, and DM with friends. (Really, there's an in-app chat function.) Even after launching all of these features, Spotify's quest to capture all of your attention isn't over: The company has announced an effort to get you to listen to magazine articles as well. Spotify's new audio articles feature uses AI Spotify announced its new "narrated articles" feature in a press release on Tuesday. According to th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When Owala water bottles started appearing in every influencer's "daily essentials" video and cluttering my Instagram feed, I rolled my eyes. I assumed this was another overhyped product that people would forget about in three months, just the latest in a long line of Stanley Cup successors. One of my biggest personality quirks (or "flaws," according to some) is that I'm a major spiller. The Stanley Cup's open straw is a non-starter for me. In fact, no water bottle technology has been stronger than my ability to spill its contents. After watching my latest bottle create yet another puddle in my bag, I caved and bought an…

If you like the idea of using Chrome extensions with a browser that's not made by Google, Brave Browser is a great choice. This Chromium-based browser is designed with user privacy in mind, and comes with a number of quality-of-life perks as well. The thing is, not all of these features and options are enabled out of the box, or are even all that obvious. If you use Brave, you'll want to know about these 10 hacks: Use these options to get rid of Brave’s own ads Brave Browser's business model includes pushing its own services, including a VPN service and a search engine. The browser's default settings push ads for these services on the home page, and you can easily get r…