Setting Up Your Home Office

2024 was the hottest summer ever recorded, and there’s a good chance that future summers will be even warmer. For most people, planning for those future summers involves upgrading their air-conditioning systems and taking other steps to turn the interior of their homes into cool, dark caves. But what happens if you want to get outside for some fresh air? If your yard is too hot to enjoy during the summer, you might as well not have a yard at all. You can’t air condition the outdoors—but you can lower the temperature with some thoughtful landscaping decisions. If you hesitate to throw a cookout in your outdoor space because you feel like you’re on a grill when you’re out t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. While there was no question we'd be getting another Prime Day in 2025, now it's official: In a press release, Amazon has confirmed the return of what is sure to be biggest online sales event of the year. Here is everything we know so far about this year's sale. What is Prime Day?While Amazon holds several sales throughout the year (including its recent Big Spring Sale and last year's October Prime Big Deal Days),the summer sale is typically Amazon's biggest, most-hyped annual event. It's typically a two-day affair, with deals in virtually every category you can think of. Prime Day is usually when you can expect to see some…

Strava drama has become the name of the game in the fitness tracking world. I suppose when your favorite fitness app also includes a social media element, a little tension is inevitable. Add competitive leaderboards into the mix, and you've got a recipe for intrigue that would make reality TV producers salivate. If you're tuned into leaderboard controversies, you'll know that runners and cyclists are deeply divided on whether the platform is doing too much—or not nearly enough—to combat fake entries. If you ask me, when some users are deploying electric unicycles to dominate local climbing segments, that's evidence enough something needs to be done. And now Strava is doi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If your TV is stuck in the past and you’ve been itching to modernize your setup without going all in on a new screen, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen) is currently $29.99, down from $49.99. It's compact—roughly the size of a flash drive—and comes with a short HDMI extender in case your TV’s ports are not easily accessible. Setup’s a breeze, though it still uses micro USB for power, which feels a little dated in 2025. But once it’s tucked behind your screen and plugged into the wall (which it should be—TV USB ports are often too weak), you can p…

Is your iPhone, iPad, or Mac a little hard to use? Lucky for you, Apple has announced key accessibility features coming to all its devices later this year. These include Accessibility Reader, which makes small fonts easier to read, and Vehicle Motion Cues, which prevent motion sickness while using Apple devices in vehicles. If some of these sound familiar, it's because they may already be on one or two Apple devices, but are now set to come to others as well. While the company's already tipped its hat as to what's in the works, expect to hear more details during WWDC 2025, scheduled from June 9 to 13. That's where Apple usually unveils all of its annual operating system u…

The deadline for obtaining a REAL ID has come and gone. If you're planning on flying or entering a federal building, you'll need a driver's license or state identification card that complies with the Department of Homeland Security's new requirements (or an alternative like a passport or Trusted Traveler card). There are plenty of people who still need to upgrade to a REAL ID for upcoming travel—in some states, fewer than half of residents have a compliant license and may encounter long lines to obtain one. And where there's urgency, there's opportunity for scammers to strike. Here's what to know about REAL ID scams and how to avoid them. How REAL ID scams workScammers …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. After Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brought some exciting new tech products this January, older flagship models began to drop in price, and TVs were no exception. A Pro version of The Frame TV was introduced, which made the 2024 versions drop in price. Fast forward to April, and those prices have dropped further for some of the sizes. The 43-inch The Frame from 2024 is on sale for $797.99 (originally $997.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools. The biggest size, the 85-inch series, is seeing a record discount of $1,80…

Summer is on the way—at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere—and Google has pushed out some useful upgrades across several apps to make your travel planning a little easier (and a little more reliant on AI). First, the AI Overviews that you've no doubt noticed up at the top of Google search results are being expanded to cover travel itineraries for regions and countries, as well as cities. All you need to do is ask for a plan for a certain place (like the south of France), together with any requirements (such as kids or a specific budget), and the AI will do the rest. You get a day-by-day breakdown of where you should go and what you should do, and you can che…

A known data breach affecting a major insurance administrator may have compromised the personal information of nearly twice as many people as previously reported. A May 2024 cyberattack on Landmark Admin is believed to include at least 1.6 million people's data, according to an updated filing with the Maine attorney general's office. Landmark Admin is a Texas-based third-party administrator (TPA) for life insurance and annuity companies like Liberty Bankers Life and American Benefit Life, which offer policies nationwide. A TPA offers insurers support with accounting, regulatory reporting, reinsurance, and IT. That means that while you may not ever have dealt directly wit…

I am someone who is borderline obsessed with monitoring my health and fitness data. I use a smart scale, a calorie- and nutrient-tracking app, smart workout equipment, and my beloved Apple Watch to create a picture of my overall physical well-being that is as complete as possible. The only time I take my Apple Watch off is when I'm dressing up to go somewhere nice and even then, it pains me deeply. Just imagine the heart rate and calorie-burning data I'm missing out on while I waltz around in my fancy dress. It's sickening. All of these apps and devices work in concert to keep tabs on my every heartbeat and footstep, but there is a notable exception. I am usually against…

Raycast on the Mac is a powerful keyboard-based launcher. It's quite popular in Mac productivity circles, and you can think of it as a customizable version of Spotlight. You can add extensions to it, use it for math, create custom shortcuts with it, search for files, and now, of course, talk to AI, using a floating window on top of anything on your Mac. Apple users have requested an iPhone version of Raycast for a long time. But things that Raycast can do on the Mac, like access the clipboard, trigger extensions, and manage windows and files, just aren't possible on the iPhone and iPad. But Raycast for iPhone is finally here after all, and it's just the beginning. Raycast…

Scammers and cyber attackers are always looking for new ways to steal your information, and even the most cautious among us can be at risk when using our mobile devices for everyday activities. Google is rolling out new security features for Android to help users protect against scams, fraud, and theft, and revealed a bunch of them during its mobile-focused event "The Android Show: I/O Edition," leading up to this year's Google I/O event starting May 20. Here's what's coming soon to your Android device. Expanded scam detection featuresGoogle recently rolled out real-time, AI-powered scam detection that alerts users to possible fraud when suspicious conversational pattern…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Let's cut to the chase: I dread running in the heat. You could say I'm a big baby about it, in fact. But as long as all my favorite marathons are in the fall (Philly, NYC, Chicago), I'll be sticking to a summer training schedule. As the temperature rises and summer approaches, runners everywhere are shedding layers and adapting their gear for the heat. After six marathons, I know what it looks like to invest in proper running gear. Here's a rundown of my favorite gear that keeps me comfortable when the sun is killing all my strength and motivation to lace up and go. Lightweight, technical running shirtsWhen it comes to wa…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $299.99 (down from $549.99), the TP-Link Deco BE63 mesh wifi system is at its lowest price yet (according to price trackers)—and if you’ve been waiting to upgrade your home network, this is a good time to jump in. TP-Link Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 BE10000 Whole Home Mesh System $299.99 at Amazon /ima…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I typically hesitate to suggest making peanut butter in blenders, but the Vitamix Ascent X5 is the exception. It's the best blender I've ever tried, and you should definitely make nut butters with it. Not only is it the absolute fastest nut processor I’ve ever tested (under a minute in some cases), but the resulting peanut butter is incredibly smooth. Here’s how to make any nut butter in the Vitamix Ascent X5. How to use the nut butter function on the Vitamix1. Prepare the nuts, if neededI like to roast the nuts in the oven first, because I love the sweet, toasty flavor. To do it, spread out your nut of choice (I used waln…

The Nintendo Switch 2 is nearly here. If you managed to preorder Nintendo's much-hyped Switch successor, you'll be able to play new games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza starting June 5. In anticipation of the Switch 2's launch, Nintendo just rolled out a big new software update for its existing lineup of Switch consoles: the original Switch, the Switch OLED, and Switch Lite. This is version 20.0.0 of the Switch's software, and if you know anything about software, round numbers usually denote major updates. Version 20.0.0 isn't groundbreaking, by any means—this isn't Nintendo's iOS 19—but there are a number of significant changes and features to note here. P…

I am a huge fan of Peloton's various at-home workout offerings, especially the company's classic Bike and its incredibly versatile mobile app. Both of those offer me a gigantic archive of on-demand classes as well as access to live ones, all of which come in various lengths, intensity levels, and structures. Because I am an iPad baby in an adult's body, I can get bored pretty easily when I do any one thing for too long, so I rely on the 10- and 15-minute classes to spice up my life and keep me engaged. On days when I have enough time, I like to take these back-to-back—especially because Peloton offers warm-up and cool-down rides in the 10-minute length—but it's always th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple users have Apple Watches, but it's not so simple for Android users. Depending if you have a Pixel or a Samsung phone, there's a smartwatch that will work seamlessly better with your phone. If you have a Samsung, there's no doubt that a Samsung Galaxy Watch is the option. For most people, that watch is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (and yes, it works with any Android phone). Right now, you can get it for $289.99 (originally $379.99), the lowest price it has been according to price tracking tools. Samsung Gal…

Starting this week, Google will start rolling out the ability for kids under the age of 13 to use Gemini on their own accounts. Both on the web and through the Gemini mobile app, kids will be able to use Google Gemini to help with their homework, create songs, draft poems, and more. Parents started getting notified about the update towards the end of last week, according to an email seen by The New York Times and Chrome Unboxed. It makes a major change for the company, and a bold one, too. While parents will receive an email the first time their child uses Gemini, AI access is nonetheless being added as a default, rather than an opt-in. Google does encourage talking to yo…

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 developer, hobbyist, or just someone trying to keep up with modern programming tools without emptying your wallet, this deal might catch your eye: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is currently going for $27.97 on StackSocial—down from its usual $499. That’s a one-time payment for lifetime access. Once you buy, the redemption code gets emailed to you instantly, and you have 30 days to activate it. There are no recurring fees, just a fully loaded development environment with features that make coding faster, cleaner, and less of a…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you like to buy in bulk or just want one less thing to worry about during weekly errands, this sale might be worth the look: You can get a one-year membership to Sam's Club for $25 right now on StackSocial. It's half the usual price, but the catch is that it’s only for new members in the U.S. If you're eligible, though, the sale opens up access to warehouse prices on groceries, household staples, electronics, furniture, and even tires. It’s not just bulk cereal and 40-roll packs of paper towels anymore—there’s a surprising amount of variety on th…

You probably know zero exercise is not enough and that going for a walk every day is generally a good thing. And if you’re training for a marathon, you’ll be on your feet for a couple hours of hard workouts every week. But what is the benchmark for a human being just trying to squeeze enough healthy exercise into their life? Any amount of exercise is better than none, but 30 minutes of exercise (like brisk walking) five days a week will meet the guidelines. The official guidelines, though, are given in weekly minutes, and you get extra credit for vigorous exercise like running. Some watches and apps will track this for you, as in Fitbit's "active zone minutes" or Garmin'…

If you’re at all like me, spring cleaning can be something of a domino situation. I might start by cleaning the baseboards, but when I get to the stairs, I’m like, wow these handrails are dirty. And so on. By the time I’m done, I’ve also discovered coffee splashes on walls, cobwebs in ceiling corners, and the dustiest blinds one has ever seen—and I’m feeling rather disgusted with myself. I’m also feeling sore, because my back is not what it once was and it seems like the worst of the dirt is either way low or way high. You know who still has good backs, though? Our kids, that’s who. Spring cleaning should, I believe, be a family affair. From the inside of the home to the …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. This will be an extremely pedantic post, and one that I am terribly sorry to have to write. I’ve been into weight lifting (two words) for a long time, but about six years ago I got into weightlifting (all one word). It turns out these are two very different things. Weightlifting, all one word, is the sport that is contested in the Olympics in which people—wearing what look like old-timey swimsuits—pick up barbells loaded with brightly colored weights. In one of the events, the snatch, the bar is lifted from the ground to overhead in one swift movement. In the other, the clean and jerk, the bar is lifted to the shoulders a…