Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Our grandparents could drop some treats in a sock and call it Christmas, secure in the knowledge that their children would be delighted by an orange. These days, though, everyone from your tech-obsessed granny to your cutting-edge teen, wants to be impressed. Luckily, there's a high-tech gadget out there for everyone. Stocking stuffer of the year: Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses (Gen 2)The 2025 line of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have a longer battery life than the first generation, as well as better AI and the ability to take longer videos. Those aren't massive improvements, but the original is so solid, it didn't need much do…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Earbuds don’t usually get major design overhauls, but the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro make a clear break from earlier models. This new version leans into a more angular, stemmed shape that feels closer to the AirPods silhouette, complete with small customizable LEDs that add a bit of personality. With today’s drop to $159.99 from $249.99, you’re getting a premium pair for $90 off its regular price. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds …

The update screen is a normal occurrence on Windows machines, so of course hackers are now manipulating it to sneak malware onto devices. The scheme, a recent iteration of a ClickFix attack, is designed to trick you into executing a dangerous command under the guise of completing a "critical security update." But what you're actually doing is installing an infostealer that hands data over to bad actors. When a Windows update pop-up is actually a ClickFix attackClickFix is a social engineering ploy that uses tactics like fake error messages, CAPTCHA forms, and command prompts to deliver malware to your device. As PCMag reports, the Windows update scam is a pop-up that loo…

After writing about productivity and organization for the past few years, I understand better than most that the vast majority of the advice you'll get about working more efficiently asks you to carefully schedule your day, plan out the exact type and number of tasks you're going to do, and be diligent to the point of near-militancy—literally. I also know better than anyone else what works for me, personally—and it usually looks like nothing so meticulous. Assiduous preplanning and scheduling can be beneficial for a lot of people, but there is no universally effective productivity technique. If the intricate routes aren't working for you or you simply find yourself overw…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. A lot of Bluetooth speakers try to impress you with apps, voice assistants, or complicated sound modes, but the Bose SoundLink Home takes the opposite approach. It is a simple, handsome speaker that focuses almost entirely on how it looks and sounds. At $179, down from $219—its lowest price yet according to price tracking tools—it becomes easier to appreciate that restraint. Bose SoundLink Home Speaker …

So many productivity methods ask you to prioritize your daily tasks by considering how much time or effort they'll require, then tackling the resource-heavy ones first. For some people, that's a solid strategy, since you can definitely get some motivation from getting your toughest, most demanding responsibilities out of the way. There's even a weird name for doing that: "Eating the frog." But you can also find motivation in working toward a bigger goal, so what if you prioritized your tasks based on importance and impact, no matter how big or small they are? That's what the Most Important Task (MIT) method involves: rather than thinking of specific tasks and how long th…

For more than half a century, audiences have been captivated by the Planet of the Apes—a sprawling sci-fi epic that spans at least three timelines, 3,000 years of history, and a franchise that includes 10 feature films, two TV series, three video games, and dozens of comics and novels. Whether you're a long-time fan trying to make sense of the lore or a newcomer wondering how a talking chimpanzee led to a post-apocalyptic planet dominated by primates, I’ve laid out the Planet of the Apes series by release order, chronological continuity, critical and commercial reception, the technological milestones of ape civilizations, and more. This is your illustrated guide to the r…

Apple’s various apps and utilities are finally starting to talk to each other, and it’s great news for iPhone users. Last year, Apple added the ability to sync Reminders with Calendar, which added time-based reminders directly into your Calendar view—a feature I now regularly use. Now, with iOS 26.2, Apple is finally integrating Reminders with the Alarms app; you'll be able to set an accompanying alarm for any reminder. If, like me, you tend to be forgetful—if you need a reminder for your reminder—this will be a handy feature. The alarm will sound, taking up your entire screen until you dismiss it. And yes, you can snooze it. How to add an alarm to any reminder on your i…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When I hear that a smartwatch company is launching a ring, I assume it’s going to be a smart ring. But Pebble went a different direction, instead creating what’s basically a remote microphone that can work with your phone and other devices. It's available for pre-order for $75, and will sell for $99 after launch. Pebble’s new ring is called the Index 01. It’s got a button you can click and hold, and a microphone that will listen to what you’re saying as you hold the button. The recording is then sent to your phone, where it’s processed on-device. That's it—no heart rate sensor, and no charging dock. The Index 01's specs an…

There’s plenty of chatter and research surrounding the so-called “laws” of productivity, but even the laws we use to govern other areas of our lives can be applicable when there are things that need to get done. Newton’s Laws of Motion can be adapted to productivity, especially the first one. What’s Newton’s first law all about?Newton’s first law of motion is this: “An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.” Obviously, he was talking about physics here, but in productivity spaces around the web, people who spend their time thinking about more efficient ways…

After years of suffering from a crippling TikTok addiction, I decided enough was enough: I quit the app cold turkey and deleted it from my phone. Then, I discovered Instagram Reels, and my attention span hasn't been the same since. TikTok's algorithm is infamous, but we don't give Instagram's enough credit. This platform is addicting. I hardly use the app to keep up with friends and family anymore: Reels grabs my attention and doesn't let go, and before I know it, it's midnight, and I've done nothing with my evening. How many videos did I watch? What did I even watch? Whatever Meta has going on in that algorithm is dangerous stuff. You can influence the algorithm, of cou…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. It's begin to feel like successful streaming shows are increasingly the exception, rather than the rule, and Slow Horses is something else again: a successful show with a more-than-consistent schedule. With five seasons since 2022, rather than the increasingly common "every few years or when we get to it" scheduling of other streaming shows, it's rather lovely to actually be able to remember the events of the previous series when the new one starts. If this all sounds like damning with faint praise, it's also a smart, brilliantly entertaining show, with Gary Oldman as the slovenly, flatulent, once-brilliant spy Jackson Lam…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Gift shopping for the DIYer in your life can be a challenge. Tools are the obvious choice, but truly handy folks probably already have most, if not all, of the tools they need (in addition to a long list of tools they only needed once but still hang onto). And even if they do need a specific tool, your chances of picking out the precise make and model they want are pretty slim. But no matter what level of DIYer you're shopping for, they likely need other stuff besides tools, from safety gear (which too many DIYers neglect), to cold-weather accessories, to the little extras that can make around-the-house projects a little e…

Hanukkah (or "Chanukah," if you prefer; it’s a transliteration, so there is no “correct” spelling) is an annual eight-day Jewish religious festival that usually takes place in late November or early December. In 2025, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Sunday, December 14, and continues through Monday December 22. Why does Hanukkah fall on different dates each year?While Hanukkah falls on different dates every year on the Gregorian calendar you’re probably familiar with, it begins on the same day every year on the Hebrew calendar: 25th of Kislev. The Hebrew calendar is based on the moon, and Hanukkah falls on the 25th day after the new moon that marks the beginning of the …

I have a love-hate relationship with the smartwatch on my wrist. This relationship is no doubt shaped by the fact that I write about fitness tech for a living, but I know I'm not alone in succumbing to an obsession with numbers from my wearables. Did I hit 10,000 steps? What's my resting heart rate today? Is my sleep score better than yesterday's? When did progressive overload turn into screen time overload, too? The fitness tech boom is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon—and with it, we consume a constant stream of promises that this data will make us healthier, stronger, and faster. With the sheer amount of health insights potentially available to us at any …

Your flexible spending account (FSA) funds expire soon, and if you don't use them, you lose them. In fact, roughly half of FSA holders in recent years have ended up forfeiting funds to their employers, according to the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). First, make sure to double-check with your employer about your FSA's Dec. 31 deadline, along with any potential rollover or grace period. After that, it's time to scan your medicine cabinet, make a list of anything you need to stock up on, and click "add to cart." The FSA store is an obvious choice for making the most of your remaining funds, but you can also turn to your go-to retail giants. Amazon, Ta…

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…

You (hopefully) know by now that you can't take everything AI tells you at face value. Large language models (LLMs) sometimes provide incorrect information, and threat actors are now using paid search ads on Google to spread conversations with ChatGPT and Grok that appear to provide tech support instructions but actually direct macOS users to install an infostealing malware on their devices. The campaign is a variation on the ClickFix attack, which often uses CAPTCHA prompts or fake error messages to trick targets into executing malicious commands. But in this case, the instructions are disguised as helpful troubleshooting guides on legitimate AI platforms. How attacker…

You can do a lot with Android Auto, but what you can't do is install a web browser—at least not with the default, out-of-the-box configuration. It is actually possible to get a window on to the web with a little bit of tweaking, and the help of the open source AA Browser built especially for Android Auto. Getting a web browser up on your car dashboard may not seem like much of an improvement over browsing on your phone screen, but it also enables another feature on your vehicle's display: video playback. Through AA Browser you can get at pretty much any streaming site you want and load up some video. Some serious safety warnings are required here, though. You should only …

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 on…

One of the most annoying restrictions in Gmail is that, once you've picked an email address, you're stuck with it. There are exceptions for third-party addresses, like work emails tied to a company's domain, but for the typical @gmail.com account, no dice. Personally, I've had a number of loyalty programs and store accounts tied to an embarrassingly edgy email from high school for decades now, but finally, it seems like I'll be able to change it. A recently updated Google support page says the company is now "gradually rolling out" the ability to change your Gmail address, with some limitations. Oddly, the page is only available in Hindi for the moment, so I've reached ou…

I spent some time with Petkit on the show floor of CES on Monday, where I got to see the company's automatic wet food cat feeder, its newest smart litter box, as well as an AI-powered water dispenser. Of course, a water dispenser should ideally do one thing: dispense fresh water for your pet. The Eversweet Ultra water dispenser, however, adds a number of smart features to the mix, some of which actually seem particular useful for owners of multiple cats. The Eversweet's camera tracks your cats' drinking habits I first learned about this water dispenser last week when Petkit officially announced it, and some of the specs and features are the same on paper as they are in pe…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. While we’ve reviewed Anker’s Solix C800 and covered deals on the C1000—whose second-gen version even earned a Guinness World Record for being the fastest recharging portable power station in the 1,000Wh category—Anker has added another new and improved solar generator to its lineup. The brand’s newest portable power station, released in October 2025, is the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2, and it’s currently 52% off on Amazon at $719.10 (originally $1,499). Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Stati…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Radar-based sensors seem to be having a moment at CES, especially in tech meant for people to keep tabs on their aging family members. One product in particular caught my eye because it’s focused on a single important function—preventing kitchen fires caused by a person wandering away from the stove. iGuardStove is essentially a smart shutoff for a stove or cooktop. Its new, radar-equipped version costs $399 and can work on gas or electric stoves. (For gas, you’ll need to have a plumber install a shutoff valve.) If you leave the kitchen while cooking, a five-minute timer starts. If you don’t return by the time it goes off…

Plenty of people have been asking for a MacBook with a touchscreen display, and now that is possible with the Intricuit Magic Screen, according to an announcement at CES 2026. It's a snap-on accessory that attaches to your MacBook's display, and uses one of the USB-C ports on the laptop for power. Once connected, you can touch the Magic Screen and your input will be registered on the Mac. The good news is that this product ships with a stylus, which will make it a lot easier to interact with different Mac apps. When you tap something on your iPhone or iPad, the UI takes into account the fact that your fingers are a lot thicker than a mouse pointer. On the Mac, the default…