Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sleep scores may be one of the most-checked metrics in wearable health tracking, but the companies behind them haven't agreed on a shared language. A Garmin wearer with a 75 is in "Fair" territory. An Oura wearer with a 75 is doing "Good." An Apple Watch user with a 75 might see "OK" or "High" depending on which software version they're running. Where are these numbers coming from, and what are they actually telling you? Each platform uses different scales, labels, and underlying signals to arrive at that single morning number. Here's a breakdown of how the most popular wearables calculate your "sleep score," and what tha…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The next season of HBO salacious, schadenfreude-rich dramedy The White Lotus doesn't premiere until October, so you'll need to wait months yet to witness the antics of an all-new all-star cast (Helena Bonham Carter! Heather Graham! Rosie Perez! Sandra Bernhard!) as they travel to paradise and encounter murder, mystery, and the inevitable consequences of their own greed. In the meantime, here are 10 more shows about wealthy people getting their comeuppances (or not) in lush locales. The Perfect Couple (2024) Though the cast includes names like Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, and Dakota Fanning, the real star of The P…

While iOS has caught up in recent years, Android is still the most versatile OS when it comes to smartphone gaming—especially if you're looking beyond downloading games from app stores. Android supports a huge number of emulators, as well as game controllers and game pads. If you want to play a game, there's a decent chance you can get it up and running on Android. And yet, the OS doesn't have something that many other modern gaming platforms do: native controller remapping. The idea is, you get to choose which of your controller's buttons do what. If you'd prefer your down button to have the same effect as the L1 button, or the D-pad to have the same inputs as the right…

I've never been a big fan of watching videos in music streaming apps on my phone. I want to listen to songs, make playlists, and look at lyrics, but I never pick up my phone to watch a video on Spotify. If you're like me, you're going to be happy to know that Spotify is now rolling out a new feature that lets you turn off videos in its app. This goes beyond disabling the looping videos that appear when you play songs: The new feature also turns off music videos and vertical videos added by authors, returning Spotify to an audio-only platform. How to turn off videos in Spotify …

YouTube is a melting pot for everything from music videos and movie trailers to wilderness survival tutorials and funny animal clips. You could quite literally spend all day, every day plugged into the app and never run out of things to watch, or rabbit holes to go down. That's great, but it's also something of a problem—many of us use YouTube in different ways and for different purposes at different times, and that can make organizing and finding new content tricky. Just because you've spent four hours trying to troubleshoot a car engine problem doesn't mean you necessarily ever want to see a vehicle maintenance video ever again. For me, the issue is my love of lo-fi and…

On Wednesday, Google announced "notebooks," a new feature for Gemini designed to help organize your research materials while using the company's flagship chatbot. Google says you should think of notebooks as "personal knowledge bases shared across Google products, starting in Gemini." If that's a bit too vague for you, here's a simpler explanation: Notebooks are like Gemini chats, but designed to focus on a single topic, complete with bespoke resources Gemini can reference as you discuss that topic. How Gemini's "notebooks" workIf you're a frequent Gemini user, you probably have a number of chats spanning any number of topics. The goal of notebooks is similar, but more …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. My wife and I live in an urban area where outdoor space is at a premium, so I consider our home's second floor roof deck one of its standout features. It’s sunny and relatively private—and, crucially, it’s outdoor space in a city where a Juliet balcony is often the best you can do. There are two downsides to the space, however. One is that it is plagued by bugs, especially since one of our neighbors began hosting the dreaded spotted lanternfly like they were protecting an endangered species. The other is that our cats love being on the deck, but also love launching themselves over the fence to explore the neighborhood. (Di…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you lift a weight, how many times should you lift it? Supposedly, there’s a correct “rep range” to use to build strength, and a different rep range to build muscle size, or endurance, or to “tone.” But how much of the oft-repeated wisdom is true? Not as much as you’d think. What are reps and sets? Just so we’re on the same page here: if you pick up a dumbbell and do eight curls before putting the weight down, you have just done one set of eight reps. (Rep is short for repetition.) Typically a workout will call for several sets of each exercise, separated by a rest period of a minute or two, or by another exercise. Ty…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Calling it a step towards "super intelligence," Meta announced it is releasing Muse Spark, an overhauled and improved AI. This "natively multimodal reasoning model" goes way beyond a chatbot, and it will soon live in your glasses and your social feeds. It's available now in the Meta AI app, with plans to roll out with a smart glasses update in the next few weeks. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), Headliner, Matte Black | Smart AI Glasses for Men, Women — 2x Battery Life — 3K Ultra HD Resolution — 12 MP Ultra-Wide Camera, Audio, Video — Clear Lenses — Wearable Technology …

It probably goes without saying at this point, but your conversations with AI chatbots aren't private—everything you type or upload to Gemini, ChatGPT, and other models might be read and used in a variety of ways. If you wouldn't send a document or repeat information to someone you don't know, you shouldn't include it in a chatbot prompt either. Researchers at Stanford reviewed the privacy policies of the six U.S. companies that developed the most popular AI chatbots, including Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT, and found that all of them use chat data by default for training purposes. Some retain said data indefinitely, and most merge it with other information collected fro…

Last week, one of my meekest, weakest friends (said with love) asked me to go boxing with her. This may have been wildly out-of-character for her, but for me, it confirmed a trend I’d already been noticing. Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and all other sorts of combat-style workout classes are having a mainstream moment. In many ways, this is nothing new—how could I erase the legacy of Tae Bo nation?—but I’m not the first to clock an uptick in “fight-style” workouts across social media and gym class offerings these days. So what's actually driving this trend? And more practically: Even if you're not planning to step into a ring, what can you take from the way fighters train…

If you haven't thought recently about which Android apps have access to your device's location, camera, microphone, or other features, now is a good time to do a privacy audit and ensure these permissions are up to date. There's another permission type that allows apps access to system-wide resources, so while you're at it, you should check these too. Android's various types of app permissionsAndroid devices have a dedicated privacy dashboard through which you can choose how apps access private data, like your camera, microphone, call logs, location, files, calendar, and contact list (to name a few). If you go to Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Per…

AI is a divisive technology. Some of us can't stand it, and avoid it at all costs. Others are AI-curious, and dabble with certain apps or features; still others still embrace it with enthusiasm, and use the tech for as many purposes as possible. Still, though I'm aware of this AI spectrum, I'm struggling to understand who exactly would want to connect their Starbucks account to ChatGPT—so, naturally, I connected mine. Starbucks rolled out this collaboration on April 15 as a "natural, personal, and fun" way to discover new drinks to order. As someone who only ever orders a plain coffee with cream, or maybe an iced espresso, perhaps this would finally be my opportunity to b…

On Friday afternoon, X officially launched XChat, the company's proprietary chat app. Unlike other chat app options, like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal, you need an X account to use XChat, which limits the user base to one specific social media platform. X users with a large enough social circle on the platform may find this new app to be useful, but XChat does come with some security contradictions that all new users should be aware of. XChat is a standard chat app for X usersXChat's biggest sell, apart from being a place for X users to communicate, is that it is end-to-end encrypted. As the app reminds you upon setup, this encryption means there is no way for anyone—i…

If you have an iPhone, listen up: There's a new security risk that hackers have been actively exploiting since at least November. While you're not likely to be the target of such an attack, your iPhone is nevertheless vulnerable, unless you take the following (albeit simple) action: update your iPhone. What is DarkSword?Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) identified the new "full-chain exploit," in partnership with security firms Lookout and iVerify. The exploit, called "DarkSword," takes advantage of six zero-day vulnerabilities to compromise iPhones. GTIG says, as of November, it observed "multiple commercial surveillance vendors and suspected state-sponsored actors…

In the wake of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the price of crude oil has risen sharply on the international market. Now, it's starting to impact gasoline and diesel prices in the U.S., with increases at the pump of as much as 30% in some areas. Gas prices are dynamic, \changing based on the day and even based on city or state lines. For example, the national average price for gas, according to AAA, is $3.96 as of today, March 2026. But in Iowa, the average was $3.33, and in Illinois, it was $4.17. If you're heading out to fill up the tank, it might help to do a bit of research first, so you can save some money in the process. Using dedicat…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Two years ago, I reluctantly inherited a cat. The cat is both mine and not mine: Sky belongs to my daughter, who owns her in the way a pet can "belong" to a minor while an adult operates silently in the background, managing its costs and responsibilities. Chalking it up as an opportunity to teach my kid new skills, I rarely feed Sky, brush her coat, or clean her litter box. Instead, I chose the worse task of incessantly reminding a teenager to do them. If you have a cat, you're likely familiar with the challenges that come from a dirty litter box. And if you have a teenager, you know how frequently they can resist complet…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In its 15th season, unlikely phenomenon Call the Midwife hasn't slowed down: Season 16 is already confirmed, as are a feature film and a WWII-era prequel series. Plenty of babies still need to be born, it would seem. Initially set in 1957, with the current plots entering the 1970s, the show takes place in and around Poplar, London, one of the city's most desperately poor districts. As the National Health Service is born, secular trained midwives team up with the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent that had been in the business of providing medical care to the area's poor for decades. Though occasionally veering into…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're a music aficionado looking for a deal during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, these JBL Tour One M3 headphones might change your relationship with sound like they changed mine. And!—they're on sale for the lowest price Amazon has ever offered, a neat $100 off off the full retail price of $449.95. JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx - Wireless Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones with Smart Transmitter, Hi-Res Audio (3.5mm or USB-C), Spatial 360 Sound with Head Tracking & 70Hrs of Playback (Mocha) …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Amazon is selling its 4-series Fire TVs for almost comically low prices during its ongoing Big Spring Sale. The 50" model is $239.97, and the 43" is $199; that's 40% off the list price and the lowest price Amazon has ever offered on these 4K smart TVs. And it might be a few years until we see TVs this cheap again. Amazon Fire TV 4-Series 55" HDR Smart TV (2025) $279.97 at Amazon …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. This Amazon Big Spring Sale deal on a TV is remarkable: A Hisense 32" LED television for $74.99—that's cheaper than dinner and drinks in most U.S. cities. This isn't going to be the greatest TV of all time, but from all available accounts, its at least a solid set. It's an older model—released in 2020—but that means there are over 3,000 reviews on Amazon, and the score is a respectable 4.1 stars out of 5. Critics generally were positive when it first came out, too. INSIGNIA 32" Class F20 Series LED HD Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote (NS-32F201NA26) …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. One of the most expensive parts of a personal tool kit is the batteries, especially if you want to use multiple tools simultaneously without having to swap the battery each time you change tools. Moving seamlessly between drilling pilot holes and driving screws can save you time on your DIY projects, but the cost of extra batteries can add up. These deals from Home Depot are a good way to save more than 50% on a battery and tool combo if you want to expand your Milwaukee set. Battery combo 18-vo…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. It's ridiculous that the pace of my day can be ruined by the realization that a beloved song is no longer on the streaming platform I pay for. As someone who vividly remembers cassette tapes, CDs, and hoarding hard drives full of MP3s, it's a reminder of what we traded in when we said "yes" to streaming services years ago. I've been working on my Warped Tour playlist for the summer, but I keep running into a ton of licensing holes and grayed-out deep cuts. The gaps are everywhere, and it's harshing the vibe. It's another harrowing reminder that I merely rent whatever Spotify offers in its music library. That's why I start…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple’s 11-inch iPad (2025) usually sells for around $499, but StackSocial currently has refurbished 11-inch iPads with wifi and cellular on sale for just $359.97 right now. This listing carries a Grade-A refurbishment rating, which means the tablet should show little to no cosmetic wear and has been cleared to function like new. At this price, you’re getting the tablet, a charger, and a charging cable, but accessories like the Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard aren't included, so anyone planning to use the tablet for drawing or heavy typing would need…