Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Amazon dropped the Kindle Colorsoft, its first e-reader with a color screen, last fall, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that they were the first company to crack the concept: a device with a screen that offers all the benefits of e-ink—no harsh backlight, easy readability in any light—that wasn't just in muddy-looking greyscale. But while Amazon controls the vast majority of the e-reader market, lots of other companies are more innovative in their device designs, and others have been iterating on color e-ink for half a decade. One of the companies is Onyx International, a Chinese tech company that has been producing e-i…

When you have a project to work on but just can't get started or make significant progress, it's easy to beat yourself up about it—which also doesn't do much to put you in a go-getter mindset. When you're feeling stuck, you can certainly choose a productivity method that might work better for you, but before you do that, it's a good idea to orient yourself by asking yourself a handful of questions about what you are hoping to accomplish. Here are five questions to ask yourself the next time you're stuck and feeling unproductive, so you can get moving again. "When was the last time I was as productive as I wanted to be?"We all go through periods where we're less or more p…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Groceries are damn expensive now, even the basics. Honk if you walked out of the supermarket with one measly bag of food that cost $50. Food shopping is one of those instances where I get mad about it (nothing will stop me from complaining into the void), but in the end, I have to find a way to cook smarter. Here are some of the strategies I use to maximize the money I spend at the grocery store, along with a few of my favorite budget-friendly recipes that are anything but boring. Make proteins work for your budgetThough eating meat will make your grocery bill climb quickly, you don’t need to go without. I eat a variety of…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Doomsday prepping—making yourself and your home ready for some amorphous “stuff-hits-the-fan” event—has gone mainstream. About 20 million Americans are actively “prepping” for the apocalypse in some sense, which could come in many different forms. No matter how the world as we know it ends, the thinking goes, folks with enough food and water, gold (or crypto), and ammunition salted away will survive to help rebuild society. Or fight zombies. A lot of doomsday prepping is kind of silly, of course. You’re probably not going to be fighting those zombies (or hordes of Mad Max-style warriors), and having a thousand cans of bean…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You've probably heard of Oura's smart rings before, one of the best sleep and recovery trackers, but a new player entered the ring last summer: Samsung. It's the first time a big tech company has produced a smart ring, the Samsung Galaxy Ring. As the name implies, it's mostly geared to Samsung users, although any Android user can use it with some limitations. Right now, most sizes and colors of the Samsung Galaxy Ring are $279.99 (originally $399.99) after a $120 discount at checkout (some have the green checkmark under the listing price and others …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In 2023, I decided to update my Apple Watch after consistently failing to wear my Series 4 for a number of years. I sold that one on Poshmark and began looking at newer models to find one with enough features to convince me to actually wear it. I opted to get a Series 8, although the Series 9 had just been released, as I was buying two: one for my mom and one for myself. As it turns out, that was a great decision. If you're searching for a new wearable or considering upgrading yours, you might also be wondering which of the older Apple Watch models is still useful today. My Series 8 is holding up beautifully three years af…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Open-ear design earbuds have been getting popular, likely because active noise-canceling tech has gotten so good that people have forgotten what nature sounds like. The Ultra Open Earbuds are Bose's attempt at the trending tech, and they're decent. But at their current price of $179.99 (originally $299.99) from Woot, they are a steal. These earbuds have never been below the $200 mark on Amazon, but you can get them "unopened" (which is exactly what it sounds like) from Woot for the lowest price they've ever been, according to price tracking tools. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. I’m always happy to see new cookbooks on the scene, but in truth, most weeks I’m flipping through my archives; revisiting older books I’ve picked up along the way. Some cookbooks I keep because they’re a treasure trove of reliable recipes (like this one), and others I keep because there are a few dishes in there that I’ve always loved. One of the latter is Miet…

Google is busy adding Gemini AI into just about every app it develops, and Google Drive is no exception. If you've got a Google One AI Premium subscription—or an organization you're part of is paying its Gemini AI dues for Google Workspace—then you get Gemini integration for your Google Drive account and Docs, Sheets, and Slides. There are a whole host of AI tricks you can do inside documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, but here I'm going to focus on what's possible with your files and folders in Google Drive more broadly, including searches and summaries. Right now the best way to access these functions is through Google Drive on the web, though there is a Google D…

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-canceling earbuds at a more affordable price, a Grade A refurbished pair of Sony WF-1000XM5 is going for $164.99 on Woot—a big drop from the usual $299.99 for a new pair on Amazon, but only for the next nine days or until stock runs out. Sony WF-1000XM5 (Refurbished) $164.99 at Woot …

If you work a job with limited paid time off, you have to be strategic about using it, whether you want to have more short breaks throughout the year or have an extended trip planned that requires banking days and using them all at once. We've written before about how to maximize annual vacation days by stacking them up against weekends as well as federal and state holidays so your time off feels like more than it is. The Stretch My Time Off tool can actually do that for you based on the exact number of PTO days you have—whether you get a paltry two weeks or want to take several dozen days with an unlimited policy—as well as the national holidays in your country (and sta…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I've been a fan of Ultimate Ears (UE) outdoor speakers since I first got the Megaboom 3 back in 2018, and I'm still using it as my personal go-to portable speaker. The Megaboom 4 is its newer version, which came out last year, but it's already 32% off, bringing its price down to $135.44 (originally $199.99). This is the lowest price it has reached according to price-tracking tools, and it's cheaper than the Megaboom 3. Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 Protection: Wa…

Studies have shown that napping improves both cognitive performance and physical brain health, so it’s no surprise that it also means a brief nap translates to a boost in productivity on the job. That explains why nearly half of workers in the U.S. sleep during work hours—and a third admit to literally sleeping on the job. Our employers, however, haven’t gotten the memo, and being caught sleeping on the job can put you in a tricky situation. If you’re stuck between nodding off in meetings or being fired when you’re discovered sprawled under your desk, you need a napping strategy at work. Here’s your guide to sawing some logs on the clock (without getting caught). Before w…

There are times when eggs are non-negotiable in a recipe—like egg drop soup or quiche—but when eggs play a minor role, then why not use a replacement? Egg wash is a prime example. Using it adds color and shine to finished baked goods like dinner rolls and pies, but when eggs are selling at a premium price, it’s hard to justify using an egg wash at all. Finding a good egg wash alternative isn’t only useful for saving a buck, but it can be a handy back-up even when eggs are plentiful. There’s always the occasion where you just ran out, or you have folks coming over that are on egg-free diets. After some browsing on the internet, butter, mayo, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup,…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. While it can be fulfilling to put in the work and make your home spotless, we simply don't always have the time. You might already have a robot vacuum zooming around to collect dust and dirt on your behalf, but there are a surprising number of lesser-known—and equally convenient—cleaning gadgets that could also be pitching in. From window cleaners to toilet scrubbers, here are some tech tools you can buy to outsource whatever chore you most despise. Automatically clean your glassLet’s start off with windows, which can be tedious to clean and still end up infuriatingly streaky when all is said and done. The Hobot-298 wind…

Scammers are getting increasingly clever about injecting apps with malware. Certainly it's nothing new that malicious apps are littered across the internet, but lately they've been popping up with alarming frequency even in theoretically safe spots like the Google Play Store and even Apple's App Store. Malware is even showing up on Steam, serving as a reminder that we all need to be careful with each and every app (or game) we choose to download onto our devices. As reported by GameRant, Valve recently removed a title called PirateFi from Steam. Created by developer Seaworth Interactive, the game was free to play, and was advertised as a survival adventure that let playe…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Looking to settle in with a good movie? Me too. That's why I've pored over release schedules to bring you the best original and new-to-streaming movies you can watch on Netflix, Prime, Max, Hulu, and other streaming platforms this week. Late January is the perfect time to check out a sensitive character comedy like A Real Pain, and it's never a bad time to dig into the story of P. Diddy with a documentary like Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. A Real Pain (2024) Written by, directed by, and starring Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain is a buddy comedy/road movie in which a pair of mismatched cousins tour through Poland to …

As convenient as the internet is, when big tech companies chase endless growth, that can mean bloat. Nowadays, it feels like every company wants to lure me into an algorithm trap, convince me to use their AI services, or try to make me pay a premium to browse like I used to. One of my favorite tools for fighting back against these trends is Tapestry. It's a timeline app for iPhone and iPad that lets you combine multiple feeds from blogs, YouTube, podcasts, and social media, then view them in chronological order, with a beautiful interface. Essentially, you can use it to make your own curated version of (nearly) the entire internet. Tapestry is designed by The Iconfactory,…

Last week, Apple launched their developer beta for iOS 18.4. The update brings fresh changes to iOS, including Priority Notifications, a new Genmoji button, and additional supported languages. While it may be some time before iOS 18.4 is launched to all iPhone users, those curious to try out the new features can do so by installing the beta. However, doing so may cause some issues, so proceed with caution. How to install the iOS 18.4 developer betaIt's worth mentioning that there is some risk involved in installing a developer beta. The software can be unstable, as it is currently in testing and designed mainly for developers to make sure their apps are compatible with …

As part of Mobile World Congress, happening this week in Barcelona, Google has teased that its Gemini AI is finally ready to see the world. Literally. Originally teased as Project Astra in May of last year, Google’s Gemini Live with Video and Gemini Live with Screenshare features each have a new trailer, showing how the search giant plans to catch up with ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode. Soon, Google One AI Premium subscribers will be able to share their phone screens and real-time video with Gemini, which the chatbot will then be able to use to answer questions. ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode got these features late last year, but it also requires you to shell out …

The pre-Super Bowl hype weeks have begun, and with them comes the annual American tradition of calling the NFL rigged. Local drunks, AM radio sports show hosts, and message board experts are all in agreement: The fix is in. Last year, the most interesting conspiracy theory held that the Pentagon rigged the entire 2024 NFL season so the Chiefs could appear in the Super Bowl and Taylor Swift could help Democrats get re-elected in 2024. (Oops.) This year's football truthers have a less esoteric theory for why the Chiefs are definitely going to win the Super Bowl: Follow the money. They make a compelling case, but they're wrong. Why "they" would fix the Super BowlThe rough …

You can now use a feature that's very similar to Android's "circle-to-search" on iPhone. While it's not exactly called that, both the Chrome app and the Google app will now allow you to circle text or images to search whatever's in your selection using Google Lens. The limitation? On Android, you can use the circle-to-search feature across your entire phone, but on iPhones, this feature is limited to the Chrome and Google apps. When you've got a webpage loaded in the iPhone Google app, press the three-dots button in the top-right corner and tap Search this Screen. In Chrome for iOS, open any webpage, tap the three-dots button in the bottom-right corner, and select Search …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Chances are good that if you've ever owned an e-reader, it was one of the many varieties of the Amazon Kindle. But though the Kindle is the most ubiquitous e-reader, that doesn't mean it's the best—nor does it mean that other companies haven't bettered Amazon at the game it more or less invented. One of the most interesting competitors in the space is Onyx International, a Chinese company that has been producing innovative e-readers for more than a decade under the brand name Boox, often including new features (like color e-ink displays) years before Amazon brought them to the Kindle. Though Boox makes my own favorite e-b…

There's something special about two people listening to the same music over earphones. It can be a movie, or a TV show, it doesn't matter. That scene in Begin Again, where Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley trade playlists with an old school headphone splitter, is etched into my memory. But the days of headphone jacks and audio splitters are behind us. Though not as romantic as tethering two people with a two-meter headphone cord, you can achieve the same results using AirPods, too, all without needing a specialized app. You can share music, movies, or anything you like to your friend or partner's AirPods, without fully pairing them to your iPhone. Share Audio using Control…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. There is a surprising number of products that come with into your home with stubborn stickers. A lot of stores still use price stickers, for instance, and glassware almost always has a sticker that gives you some kind of information about your item. Peeling them off is laborious and can leave residue behind—but I found a couple of tips on social media, both of which work fabulously. Adhesive removal hack 1: The melamine spongeI don't even remember where I first heard that you should use a melamine sponge, like a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, to quickly do away with stickers and adhesive residue, but I do know it was somewhere o…