Setting Up Your Home Office

Are you tired of the annoying "AI overview" at the top of your search results? Turns out you can get rid of it by starting your search with the word "fuck." The trick spread thanks to a now-viral thread on Tumblr and it works wonders. I've been trying it out all morning: the AI disappears but the results are otherwise more-or-less the same. Is this the best way to stop seeing AI in search results? No. We've talked about how to disable Google's AI search results by changing the default search engine in your browser to only pull in web results, and that's better. But is this the funnest way to stop seeing AI in search results? Fuck yeah it is. And it's perfect if you someti…

If you're expecting money from T-Mobile, there's good news: Your check should be just about on its way. As spotted by PCMag, T-Mobile's data breach settlement page now reports the following: "All court proceedings are now complete. The distribution of settlement payments is expected to begin April 2025." So long as payments roll out on time, claimants can expect their checks to start shipping out sometime this month. Why was T-Mobile sued?These payments are tied to a class-action lawsuit from an August 2021 data breach. Hackers stole information from tens of million of current and former T-Mobile customers, including first and last names, birth dates, Social Security nu…

If you have T-Mobile, and either an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy device, you now have access to Starlink—potentially. Here's the scoop: Back in December, T-Mobile announced a partnership between itself and SpaceX to bring Starlink service to customers. Then, earlier this month, the company started accepting users into the beta, but only those with specific, recent Samsung devices. However, that changed when Apple released iOS 18.3 this week. It seems the iPhone maker has been working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to roll out Starlink support to iPhones as well—though none of this was announced from Apple as part of the update. T-Mobile isn't letting all iPhones customers into…

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…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I traditionally have avoided tying my phone to a specific carrier, but I threw all my principles out the window when my local AT&T offered me a free iPhone 17 Pro if I switched, and traded in my beloved unlocked Pixel 9. It was an offer too good to refuse. Now, T-Mobile is offering a similar deal nationwide. Switch allegiances to them and get a free iPhone 17e, no trade-in necessary. Or, you can choose an iPhone 17 if you trade in an eligible device and choose a premium T-Mobile plan. Here are the details. …

It's not easy to maintain your privacy when using technology today. That's largely the fault of companies who prioritize data collection over the integrity of their users. But even though I'm quite used to the lack of respect most companies pay towards my privacy and security, I have to admit, I'm a bit taken aback by T-Mobile's latest decision. T-Life, T-Mobile's tech support app, has a rather unconventional and unnerving feature. For some users, it appears T-Life can record your screen whenever you have the app open. This setting is quite hidden, and worse, enabled by default. Who signed off on this? How T-Life's screen recording worksThankfully, the privacy and secur…

If you're out of cell service in an emergency, the ability to contact 911 can be lifesaving. Now many users with older phones are getting access to emergency texting to 911 via T-Mobile's Starlink-powered T-Satellite network for free. On Wednesday, T-Mobile announced that it would open up its Text to 911 feature—which allows users to text emergency services through their phone's native messaging app when outside of coverage areas—to everyone, including AT&T and Verizon customers, at no cost. It's worth noting that many iPhone and Pixel users already have access to emergency SOS via satellite regardless of carrier, as these features are built into newer devices. Appl…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you think of “power hour,” you might think of a drinking game, but what we’re about to discuss is kind of the opposite of that—sorry! "Power Hour" is also a specific productivity hack. It comes from Adrienne Herbert’s book, Power Hour: How to Focus on Your Goals and Create a Life You Love and asks you to devote an hour a day to working hard on your biggest task—or the thing you care about the most. I'm skeptical of self-help and productivity books in general, but I do recommend this one because its insights are valuable and novel. Don't have time to read it right now? No big deal. The need-to-know concepts are below. …

More than 300 organizations in critical infrastructure, including the medical, tech, and manufacturing sectors, have been victimized by a ransomware threat known as Medusa—and with attacks escalating significantly in the first few months of 2025, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) are advising companies to take steps now to secure their systems. What is Medusa ransomware? Medusa is a ransomware-as-a-service software that, when deployed successfully, encrypts your data along with a threat to release stolen information unless you comply with ransom demands. According to the CISA advisory, victims receive ransom notes requesting a response withi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Target has joined Walmart and Best Buy in unveiling its Black Friday sale plans. Target will be holding multiple sale events leading up to Black Friday across departments, including clothes, toys, electronics, and more. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming sales. What sales will Target have for Black Friday?Target says it will have week-long deals every Sunday starting Nov. 2 through Dec. 24. It'll also have "Deal of the Day" sales with items going up to 50% off. Then, there will be an official Early Black Friday Sale followed by an…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. Target is no stranger to competition with Amazon sales. They've overlapped their Circle Week sales with Prime Day many times before. Since October Prime Day is around the corner, Target has just announced its own sale for October. Here are all the details you need to know. What is Target's Circle Week?Circle Week is Target’s name for its biggest sale. As the name suggests, it lasts a whole week, and while it used to happen just once a year but, it now occurs…

When it comes to digital note taking, you usually have two choices: Do you want E Ink, or do you want speed? Devices like the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and the Remarkable Paper Pro have shown there's definitely an appetite for E Ink note taking, even if it can be a bit laggy. But for the most responsive digital notebook possible, you usually have to settle for something like an iPad with a stylus. Now, TCL wants to change that. The budget-friendly tablet and TV company has finally announced its first full-fledged digital notebook: the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER. Launching on Kickstarter soon and releasing sometime in February, the trick here is a clever one: Notes taken on this d…

Impersonation scams are everywhere: bad actors are constantly trying to convince you that they represent organizations like LinkedIn, PayPal, your bank, the FBI, the FTC, and the IRS as they look to steal your money and information. When it comes to phishing schemes, which typically try to trick you into handing over sensitive data or account credentials via malicious links, tech brands are (perhaps not surprisingly) among the most commonly spoofed. A recent report from Check Point Research found that Microsoft was imitated in nearly a quarter of all branded phishing attempts in Q4 of last year—nearly double the next most-impersonated company. The most popular brands f…

Your eyes are fragile, complex, and important to your well-being, but taking care of them can be expensive. First of all, it’s not easy to get glasses without a recent prescription, and the average cost of an eye exam without insurance coverage is close to $200. The average cost of the glasses themselves is about $230—and that’s before you add on the coatings you need. This can be a real challenge for the estimated 63% of Americans who don’t have vision insurance, meaning they’re paying out of pocket. There are resources that can offer low-cost or even free eye exams and glasses, however, if you meet certain requirements (like income level and lack of insurance). If you o…

If you're in the market for a new Tesla, your fancy new electric car is going to be a little less smart—unless you pony up for a subscription. According to reporting from Elektrek and buying experiences from drivers, the company is ditching the basic Autopilot mode that used to come standard in new vehicles, and is now pushing buyers to subscribe to Full Self-Driving instead. Before, Autopilot consisted of two minor but helpful driving assist features. The first was Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which automatically adjusts speed based on the speed limit and surrounding cars, and the second was Autosteer, which helps keep you in the center of your lane. The idea was that, …

A new phishing campaign identified by Malwarebytes Labs targets AT&T customers with text messages about expiring rewards points. Users are urged to claim their rewards ASAP by clicking the included link, which is actually designed to harvest sensitive personal information. AT&T rewards scam phishes personal informationTargets for this scam have received texts containing a "Rewards Expiration Notice" urging them to redeem points in their AT&T account before they are scheduled to expire. The message includes a specific points balance and expiration date along with two "recommended redemption methods": AT&T Rewards Center: [shorturl link] AT&T Mobile Ap…

As a rule of thumb, if you receive an unsolicited text, especially one claiming to include a security code, it's likely part of a phishing scheme. Such is the case with a recent spate of unprompted texts purporting to be from the crypto wallet service Coinbase. If you receive such a message, even if you have a Coinbase account, delete it. Someone is likely trying to scam you. Coinbase isn't texting you Here's how the scam works: You receive an unsolicited text message that reads "Your Coinbase withdrawal code is..." followed by a six-digit number. The message continues: "Please do not share this code with anyone. If you have no requested this, please call:" followed by a…

We all get enough spam messages these days that we can avoid the obvious scams: If an unknown number texts you asking for money, or a spammy email address warns you about a computer virus, you'll likely delete them and move on. But if the message comes from a company you trust, like Microsoft, with a legitimate email address at that, you wouldn't be blamed for assuming that email was real. In this specific case, however, it's not, and you should be wary when interacting with it. As reported by TechCrunch's Zach Whittaker, scammers are sending emails from a legitimate internal Microsoft email address: msonlineservicesteam@microsoftonline.com. Microsoft uses this address t…

Some Grubhub users have received a tempting email offer from the food delivery service: Send $1,000 in bitcoin to a specified wallet, and get 10 times that amount back. Unfortunately, this is very much a scam. As BleepingComputer reports, these promo emails were sent from addresses on b.grubhub.com, a legitimate Grubhub subdomain, so they appear verified in recipients' inboxes. Two examples of senders include merry-christmast@b.grubhub.com and crypto-promotion@b.grubhub.com. Beyond that, there are some pretty clear red flags. The subject line reads "30 minutes left - We'll 10x your Bitcoin!" to promote a sense of urgency and an offer too good to be true (but also too g…

If your iPhone has been lost or stolen, you'd probably be relieved to get it back, even if it is has been weeks or months since you've replaced your device. Having your old phone in hand may provide some peace of mind that your data is secure, and if nothing else, you can sell or trade it in or repurpose it for another use. Unfortunately, you're pretty unlikely to see your missing iPhone again, but bad actors are hoping you hold out enough hope to fall for a phishing scam promising that your device has been found. How the lost iPhone scam worksAccording to a warning from the Swiss National Cyber Security Center, some iPhone owners whose devices were lost or stolen are r…

When a big-box store files for bankruptcy and goes out of business, there's often an opportunity to buy its products at rock-bottom prices. But scammers are taking advantage of our love of a good deal: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning consumers about online clearance sales being advertised by fraudsters impersonating Joann Fabric and Crafts. Joann Fabric and Crafts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (twice) and in February 2025 announced plans to shutter its stores with going-out-of-business sales. On March 5, the business disabled purchases on its website, but scammers have been promoting online clearance sales using ads on social media sites and running away …

Another PayPal phishing scam is circulating, this time with email notifications about recurring or automatic payments. The messages originate from a legitimate PayPal address, allowing them to evade some security filters and leave recipients worried that their accounts have been compromised—perhaps just enough to ignore the obvious red flags and call or email scammers back. I personally have been targeted by this scam with at least five separate emails, though all have gone straight to my spam folder. Here's how scammers are exploiting PayPal settings to land in your inbox. How the PayPal scam worksIf you're targeted by this campaign, you may receive an email with the s…

I'm just a humble immigrant, but as a mere (legal!) guest in the U.S., I can't help but notice that the country is rather, shall we say, politically divided these days (sorry if pointing that out seems rude). It seems international scammers have also noticed—and are taking advantage in subtle ways. Recently, investor Fred Benenson blogged about a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting SendGrid users. Phishers sent emails claiming the company was going to add a large "Support ICE" button at the bottom of every outgoing email unless users opted out. The emails also featured a large blue button promising to help you disable the message, which, when clicked, naturally led …

A new phishing scam is targeting Apple Pay users, attempting to lock them into phony support calls or emails that could see them handing over their passwords and credit card numbers. The news was first highlighted by AppleInsider and involves warnings that look suspiciously like official Apple messaging. While AppleInsider's report doesn't link to any specific user complaints of this happening, it does include example screenshots, and reports matching AppleInsider's description have popped up on both Reddit and Apple's official support forums over the last 30 days. The scam might come over either email or text, and usually warns the recipient about a potentially fraudulen…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Studying is about so much more than just rereading some chapters and notes. That said, while it's a good idea to have a strategy for actually retaining what you’re going over, if your method is too convoluted, you’ll never stick to it—and then it's just as useless as mindlessly rereading the same section five times. The best study methods not only rely on research and established understandings of how memory works, but are easy to incorporate in a practical way. The "123" method meets all the criteria of…