Setting Up Your Home Office

Apple is undoubtedly behind in the AI race. "Apple Intelligence" has fewer features and less utility than similar products from competitors; the company has no chatbot of its own; and we're still waiting on the AI-powered Siri upgrade Apple first revealed back in 2024. And yet, much of that could change with iOS 27. The update is shaping up to be a bit of a catch-up moment for Apple, as rumors suggest we'll finally see both the updated Siri as well as Apple's attempt at a ChatGPT-like chatbot. And it now seems there's a good chance the update will also include new photo editing features that could directly compete with others across the AI market. Photos is getting "Appl…

The Opera you're using today is obviously a very different browser from the one it was decades ago. Perhaps the most significant change is that it's a Chromium-based browser, which means you can install Chrome extensions to fill any features you may be missing. That said, the browser still retains its core philosophy of shipping useful integrated features—even if those options aren't always obvious. From bypassing unskippable YouTube ads to using a built-in volume booster for every tab, here are the best Opera hacks you should know about: Use "Early Bird" to try experimental features before releaseIf you live on the bleeding edge of tech, you can use Opera's "Early Bird" …

As powerful as LLMs can be, all have one shared weakness: hallucination. For reasons beyond our understanding, AI models have a habit of making things up, totally out of the blue. A response might be accurate, with well-cited sources and relevant information; then, all of a sudden, the AI pushes a false claim, or mistakenly interprets an ironic forum comment as fact. (That's how you end up with Google's AI Overviews recommending adding glue to your pizza.) Some LLMs may hallucinate less than others, but none are immune. That's why anytime you use a chatbot, you'll see some kind of warning on-screen, letting you know that the AI can make mistakes. Apple Intelligence, App…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Dyson V11 Outsize Origin+ is currently on sale for $359.99 on StackSocial (originally $659.99). This V11 version is noticeably larger than most stick vacuums, with a High Torque XL cleaner head that is roughly 25% wider than the standard version so that each pass covers more floor. In a small apartment, you might not think much about that difference, but in bigger living rooms or long hallways, it adds up—instead of going back and forth repeatedly, you get through the same space much faster. Dyson also designed the vacuum to adapt as you move th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $259.99, this Surface and Office bundle is built around a straightforward pitch: you’re essentially paying for the software and getting a basic laptop. The included Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business delivers most of that value, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, all in a one-time purchase tied to your Microsoft account. It runs offline, avoids subscription fees, and offers a few modern upgrades, such as faster Excel performance on large sheets and AI-assisted suggestions for writing and formatting. PowerPoint now lets you…

Hyrox classes are popping up everywhere, and there are a few massive Hyrox races planned in various U.S. cities this year. I am (I say with some trepidation) signed up for one of them. So here's a breakdown of what Hyrox is, why people like it, and what to expect if you decide to give it a try. At the end I'll go through a couple of common questions people have. Hyrox’s origins (and what "Hyrox" means)Hyrox is a young sport, and was started by a company that holds a trademark for the name. In that way it’s a bit like Crossfit, which is also a trademarked name for a specific company, not just a term for a style of working out. It’s been said that Hyrox is short for “hybri…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Google’s Pixel phones have spent the last few years becoming the default recommendation for people who want a straightforward Android experience without dealing with heavy software skins or overloaded features. The Google Pixel 10 Pro continues that approach, though its original $1,219 price made it harder to justify against competing flagship phones. Now, Amazon has dropped the unlocked 512GB model to $969 (its lowest price yet, according to online price trackers), and that makes it easier to appreciate what Google actually does well here. Goo…

I am obsessed with the "Conversate" app in my Even Realities G2 smart glasses. Overall, the glasses are sci-fi cool—they project a small, monochrome HUD in front of your eyes but look like normal glasses—but Conversate is essential. The AI-driven productivity tool is designed for work meetings but it's fun in social settings too, and you can use it to scam free drinks from bartenders. Use Conversate and never take notes in a meeting againIf you've ever left a work meeting thinking, "wait, am I supposed to file the TPS reports, or is it Gary's week?" consider Conversate. I don't multi-task well, so listening while taking notes can be difficult. Conversate solves that prob…

When we lift weights, do yoga, or perform exercises of any kind, there’s often an instructor chiming in to tell us to “engage our core.” But what does that really mean? It turns out there are two different ways of doing it and they produce opposite results, so it’s important to know which one you need to work on to accomplish your fitness goals. Here are the two ways, why they're different, and how to know which one you should do. Method 1: Pull your belly button to your spineThis one is probably familiar if you’ve ever done pilates or physical therapy. You’re told to pull your belly button toward your spine, or to think of “hollowing” or “drawing in” your stomach muscl…

Nikkei Asia has some bad news for anyone hoping for RAM prices to fall anytime soon: The outlet reported on Friday that the global shortage of memory chips will likely continue until around 2027. According to Nikkei, U.S. and South Korean memory suppliers are raising DRAM production, but are only going to be able to meet about 60% of the demand. What's more, the current conflicts in the Middle East are making electricity and other relevant goods more expensive. Even Samsung, which is launching a fourth RAM plant this year, won't be at full-scale production until at least 2027, if not later. The memory crisis is ongoingPart of the problem is split production needs: Sam…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. My house has precisely one outdoor area, which makes it precious. It’s the only spot where we can hang out outside without actually leaving. Since I’m a dedicated introvert who enjoys fake conversations with his cats more than real conversations with people, that’s incredibly important. As a result, I put a lot of time into keeping the deck comfortable and in good repair. A few years ago, I replaced some of the composite decking with new pieces that didn’t quite match the original color, so I painted the decking to keep things uniform. This past winter was pretty rough on the deck, though, which was starting to look a litt…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Fans of George R.R. Martin’s books (and their television adaptations) were enchanted by the first season of HBO's new spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms because it offered a fresh perspective on the fictional universe of Westeros. Set roughly between the events depicted in House of the Dragon and A Game of Thrones, the show follows the misadventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and the future King Aegon V (Egg) as the former attempts to establish himself as a hedge knight in the violent, dragon-less, but relatively stable world of the Seven Kingdoms. It's a show about refreshingly earnest and noble main character who …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Smartphone cameras have come a long way, but the moment you start walking or moving around, even small shakes can show up in your footage. That’s where a phone gimbal like the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro comes in—it steadies your shots without turning filming into a whole production. And right now, its Ultimate Creator Bundle is down to $169.99 (from $199.99), which, according to price trackers, is the lowest it’s been so far. Insta360 Flow 2 Pro Ultimate Creator Bundle (Grey) …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sometimes we love to hate serial killers, and sometimes we just kinda love 'em—a charming, sexy killer seems to be a contrast that's too juicy and entertaining for us to pass up. Late-stage capitalism, the climate crisis, and the insurance industry are far more likely to kill us, which is probably why we'd rather face the statistically less-likely threat of a cute and cunning murderer like Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg in You, which came to a planned conclusion after five seasons in 2025. But he's not the only one! Here, we're on the hunt for series leads who are at least morally ambiguous, if not downright evil. The Fall (2…

Google Meet's "Take Notes for me" feature is one particularly useful implementation of AI. When you're on a video call, Gemini can dictate what's being said, offering summaries and highlights of the conversation. That way, your attention doesn't need to be split between the conversation at hand and writing down notes to remember key points later: You can just check the notes that are automatically generated as a Google Doc once the meeting is over. It's the kind of feature that sells me more on the whole "AI assistant" thing, rather than something trying to order me a coffee. Of course, video conferencing isn't the only time dictation can be useful. An in-person meet…

Meta is officially rolling out new parental controls that make it easier to keep tabs on the conversations teens are having with the company's AI. Meta revealed the news in a blog post on Thursday, which comes six months after the company's original announcement. But while additional parental controls are promising, will this be enough to address the greater issues at play with young users and AI? How Meta's new AI parental controls workAccording to Meta, parents using the "supervision" feature on Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram now have an "Insights" tab as part of supervision. If you select this tab, you'll see all the topics your teen or teens have been chatting with…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. DirecTV has launched for Meta Quest headsets. While there are already single-channel streaming apps like Peacock available on the headset, this is the first full TV distributor to be available for Quest users. It gives DirecTV subscribers access to over 150 live channels—CNN, HGTV, and NFL Network, etc.— and a huge library of on-demand movies and shows. Meta Quest 3 512GB Mixed Reality VR Headset with Controllers $599.0…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Anker Soundcore Nebula P1 portable projector has dropped to $639 from its usual $799, and price-trackers show this is the lowest it has reached so far. Here, the hinge-based body does most of the heavy lifting—instead of stacking books or adjusting furniture to get the angle right, you tilt the projector head itself until the image lines up with your wall or screen. It sounds simple, but in practice, it makes setup faster and less frustrating, especially in smaller rooms. Anker Soundcore Ne…

If you have your YouTube watch history disabled and you are now being prompted to turn it on if you want to receive recommendations, you're not alone. Watch history on YouTube is used to generate personalized recommendations on the platform—when it's disabled, suggested videos and channels are instead pulled from your likes, saves, and subscriptions rather than from videos you've watched. While some YouTube users want to be able to see a list of what they've viewed, many have watch history turned off for privacy reasons or to keep junk out of their algorithm in favor of a more curated experience. Some Reddit users have recently reported that their recommendations have di…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale hit our screens at precisely the right moment—a time when many had Americans begun to wonder if our democracy was as robust as we’d always assumed. It brought Margaret Atwood’s grim vision of a totalitarian, patriarchal, and fanatical future America (now known as The Republic of Gilead) to life with sharp writing, electric performances, a striking visual style, and instantly iconic costume designs. Now that the series has ended, you might be wondering how you’ll get your fix of feel-bad dystopian futures. Thanks in part to its success, there are a lot of other TV series you can stre…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Earlier this month, T-Mobile started offering free iPhone 17s to new customers (they still are)—and now, they're offering a $200 prepaid Mastercard for a limited time for anyone who brings their unlocked device and phone number and switches to them. Here are the details you need to know. Starts at $50/mo with AutoPay for 1 phone line. Essentials Pla…

Learning about exercise can be overwhelming. One YouTube channel tells you what to do, and you think, OK, I’ve got that. Then you see an Instagram post that tells you something else entirely. Stop by the gym and ask a trainer, and they’ll let you know that both of your sources are overthinking it and instead you should do things their way. Why is it all so complicated? I have some thoughts on that, and some tips for navigating the confusion. One of the biggest reasons is that there are many good answers for each of your fitness questions. So you don’t have to find the one true correct answer before doing your workout, any more than you’d need to identify the unquestionab…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Wireless charging is convenient, but it often comes with a tradeoff—phones tend to heat up, especially when you push higher charging speeds, and over time, that heat can wear down battery health. Anker Prime 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger tries to solve that problem, and it’s currently down to $149.99 (originally $229.99), just a few cents above its lowest recorded price, according to price trackers. This setup is clearly built for Apple users, with dedicated spots for an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. …

Google I/O is rapidly approaching. Google's big developer conference kicks off May 19 and will be available to stream live for anyone not invited to the keynote in California. While you likely won't get a look at the company's upcoming Pixel products, this presentation will contain a slew of software announcements—though we don't exactly know what Google has up its sleeve. Last year, the company made a number of interesting announcements. We got our first look at Android XR, Google’s platform for smart glasses; AI Mode’s general rollout for Search, following an initial beta period; Gemini Live's official rollout on iPhones; Try it on, a feature that lets you virtually t…

Instagram ain't what it used to be. What started as a simple platform to share retro-inspired photos with friends and family quickly turned into a social media mega-app. You can still share photos, sure, but the platform now offers just about everything, from livestreams to short-form video feeds. In fact, for some users, the Instagram algorithm has turned their feeds into bona fide meme machines, with low-effort videos, images, and carousel posts dominating their experience as they scroll through the app. If you use Instagram, you may have a similar experience—especially if you have a taste for quirky, niche, or otherwise alternative internet humor. Instagram is putting …