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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. Memory is a tricky thing. Scientists have figured out how many units of information you can store in your short-term memory (around seven, though there are great workarounds for remembering more than that), but if you really want to remember something, you have to go over it a bunch of times until it lodges deeper in your brain. There are quite a few ways to do that if you have some time to devote to the practice of repetition, but if you’re getting ready for a test at school or a presentation at work, you might not have too long to go over the content again and again and again—but you do, if you make a personal podcast. This technique requires you to make an effort only once, then calls on you to relax and absorb the information more passively, making it ideal for studying or reviewing when you are short on time or heavy on other tasks. How to make a “podcast” to help you studyNext time you want to retain the details of something you’re studying, open up the voice notes feature on your phone, because you’re going to make yourself a little study podcast. You could simply read your notes out loud into the mic; it’s the simplest option, and a good one. (If you’re memorizing a speech, just perform the whole thing. That's what I did in high school, when I was a forensics nerd and felt that using even a single notecard during a speech meet delegitimized my entire presentation. For what it's worth, I won a lot, which I partially attribute to being off-book while everyone else used aids.) You do have other, more intensive, options though. You can record separate “episodes” for each mini-topic you’re studying, which will help you organize your thinking and provide an easy way to focus if you need brushing up in a particular area. Use your preferred note-taking method or a reading-and-retaining technique like SQ3R to create outlines that are concise but make sense and hit on the points you most need to study, then write your scripts according to those notes. That part will take a while, but all of it, combined, will help you start to remember what you're supposed to be remembering. You don’t have to worry about the thing actually being pleasant for others to listen to, so make it useful for your own study style. A few approaches you could take include asking yourself review questions out loud, pausing, and stating the right answer or reading entire passages from your textbook into the mic. You could even try out different characters and turn it into a role-playing scenario. Don't get too involved with it, though, unless that sort of creativity helps you focus; it's better to stick with facts and straightforward audio. The most important part comes after you’ve recorded your personal podcast: You have to listen to it. You have to listen to it a lot. Play it through the speakers of your car or through your headphones on the train to make your commute productive. Play it at the grocery store, when you’re doing errands around the house, and when you are relaxing at night. Fall asleep listening to it. The first few times, you'll listen pretty actively, but even having it running as background noise will shove that information into your brain. A second option for your study podcastIf you're going to do this, a major component of what makes it valuable is the part where you have to review the material, outline the script, and say it all out loud into your microphone. That's a big chunk of the studying right there. Still, if you don't have time for that or you are worried you won't highlight the most important parts if left to your own devices, there's another option that works well. Google's NotebookLM is an AI tool that pulls only from the material you give it. That means that unlike competitors such as ChatGPT, it doesn't answer your questions by searching the entire internet. Rather, it searches through PDFs, YouTube videos, links, and other resources you provide—and that's it. One of its coolest features is that it can create "podcasts" for you based on those materials, in addition to its ability to create flashcards and quizzes. These podcasts sound like real ones you might listen to in your everyday life: They have different voices and characters who speak conversationally but factually about the content of whatever you uploaded to the software. I love NotebookLM and use it all the time to organize my work. It's free to use and generates podcasts quickly, so it's worth considering here, too. Why a personal study podcast worksPicking things up from your personal podcast is an example of rote learning, the process by which we memorize things based on repetition. But it has other advantages, too. For instance, even when you’re compiling the notes and deciding what to include in the mini podcast, you’re studying—you’re making decisions about which concepts are most important, how they flow together, and how you can present your mastery of them to others. Even if you choose to let NotebookLM do it, you're still making decisions about which materials from your class or project to upload to the software and how to organize it, which is also studying. Reading is all well and good, but you remember things better when you process them in a variety of ways. From organizing your notes to speaking them aloud and listening to them read back to you, every part of this process will help you more thoroughly process and recall the content. Each of those is commonly used on its own as a standalone study technique, so imagine how effective they’ll be together. View the full article

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. The right headphones or earbuds can make or break a run. Whether you're grinding through mile 20 of a marathon or just trying to make it through a Tuesday morning one-miler, your earbuds need to be up to the task. My all-time favorite running earbuds were the Plantronics BackBeat Fit 2100. Comfortable, secure, sweat-resistant, and with just the right amount of ambient sound awareness. Tragically, they've been discontinued, leaving runners like me searching for worthy successors. Of course, the best running earbuds depend on your specific needs, running style, and preferences. After extensive testing (and more than a few mid-run equipment failures), here's my breakdown of the top options across different categories. My absolute favorite: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2When I'm running around Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, I rely on bone conduction technology to keep my ears completely open to traffic, other runners, and deranged cyclists. As my colleague Daniel Oropeza reviews in-depth here, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are best for anyone who wants to still hear their surroundings without sacrificing too much on audio quality. I've experienced little-to-no ear fatigue, even during 18+ mile runs. Their IP55 rating has proven true for me, having worn these headphones during humid summer runs, not to mention unexpected downpours. Most important for me, their battery life holds up, lasting even my longest training runs. Plus, even if I forget to charge the night before a run, a quick five-minute charge gives you around 1.5 hours of listening time. While they'll never match the bass response of traditional in-ear monitors, they provide clear, detailed audio that's perfect for podcasts, audiobooks, and music during my training runs. Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 $179.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $179.95 at Amazon For a budget alternative, consider Shokz OpenMove for just $79.95. They're great for runners new to bone conduction who want to test the waters. And speaking of waters—might I recommend this pair of bone conduction headphones that actually work underwater? My favorite wireless earbudsI usually prefer the secure fit of headphones over disconnected earbuds. Similarly, Lifehacker's senior health editor Beth Skwarecki prefers ear hooks (even if she knows an earbud is secure, she will worry), and Shokz is her go-to choice as well. She recommends using this measuring guide from Shokz to find the perfect fit for you. If you prefer earbuds, or you're in a pinch, you can't go wrong with Apple AirPods Pro 2. AirPods are ubiquitous for a reason, and if you like the pair you have, there's no reason you need to buy a new set of earbuds just for running. They've got excellent active noise cancellation, with transparency mode for safety. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C) $199.00 at Amazon $249.00 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $199.00 at Amazon $249.00 Save $50.00 For the best fit all-around, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are pretty unbeatable. I'm talking active noise cancellation, earhooks with flexible grip, and even heart rate monitoring. Another set of wireless earbuds I used to love: the Bose QuietComfort. The only reason I say "used to" is because I tragically left my pair on a plane years ago. They're small but mighty, not mention surprisingly secure given just how little they are. I especially appreciate a pair of earbuds with customizable tap control buttons, so you can easily skip a song that isn't matching the vibe of your run. Over-ear and on-ear optionsAudiophiles may spring for fancier options, but my philosophy here is if you know you're going to sweat in a pair of soundproof headphones, you should use a budget pair for the task. My under-the-radar budget recommendation for you is the BlueAnt Pump X Headphones. They deliver on the two things I need during an intense workout: sweat resistance and impressive sound quality. If I'm on a treadmill, I need true over-the-ear bass pumping through my skull. The Pump X headphones have an "X-mode" bass boost that feels like it was designed specifically for the moment when you're struggling through that final mile. BlueAnt Pump X Headphones $129.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $129.99 at Amazon My honorable mention in this category is the Soundcore Life Q30 by Anker. They're comfortable, have a solid battery life, and since they cost less than $100, I never feel guilty for sweating profusely in them. Their noise cancellation and sound quality have never disappointed me in the gym. Consider a wired optionWhile I'm not huge on wired headphones myself, they're worth considering. Think about it: no battery anxiety. No Bluetooth glitches. Perfect for races where you want zero tech failures. If you're looking for a backup pair that you know you won't lose, the JBL Endurance Run 2 are just $19.95. What to look for in running earbudsThrough years of trial and error, I've identified these non-negotiables in running earbuds and headphones. Security is everything: If they fall out during mile 15, they're useless. Look for multiple ear tip sizes, ear hooks, or bone conduction designs. Sweat resistance matters: IPX4 minimum, but IPX7 or IP55+ ratings provide peace of mind during intense training. Battery life should exceed your longest run: Nothing kills motivation like dead earbuds halfway through a long run. Sound awareness equals safety: Whether through bone conduction, transparency modes, or single-ear wearing, you need to hear your environment. Comfort for hours: What feels fine for 30 minutes might become torture after two hours. The bottom lineWhile I mourn the loss of my beloved Plantronics BackBeat Fit 2100, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are treating me well. Their combination of safety, comfort, and performance makes them ideal for serious runners—especially those wanting to stay safe in city streets, like me. That said, the best running earbuds are the ones that match your specific needs. Trail runners might prioritize different features than track athletes. Marathon trainers have different requirements than casual joggers (cough cough, battery life). The key is finding the pair that disappears during your run—earbuds that let you focus on your pace, your breathing, and the rhythm of your feet on the pavement. View the full article

In recent years, iOS has started to catch up to Android when it comes to customization, but Android is still well in the lead. That's partly because it supports alternative launchers, which replace of the default software interface to completely revamp the look of home screens, menus, icons, and dialogs. Using a launcher, you can take pixel-by-pixel control over the visuals of the Android OS. If that sounds like too much time and effort, you can take advantage of one of many preset templates instead. This article will tell you what you need to know about launchers, and suggest a few of the best that you can currently install. How Android launchers workWhen you go "home" on Android—with a swipe up on the gesture bar or a tap on the actual home button—that's when a third-party launcher springs into action. Rather than seeing the default look determined by the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy software, you see whatever the launcher has put in place. Typically, these launchers give you more customization controls than Google, Samsung, and the other Android phone makers do. Depending on the launcher, you might be able to cram more shortcuts on to the home screen, or apply the same color scheme to all the home screen icons, or hide elements (like the Google search bar) from view. You can switch launchers with a couple of taps. Credit: Lifehacker Each launcher will come with a host of different configuration settings that determine how elements appear on screen—not just the home screen, lock screen, and the app shortcuts on them, but also notifications, quick settings panels, media players, and menus. They give you the opportunity to fully revamp the look of the software. Launchers can be managed on Pixel phones by heading to Settings then choosing Apps > Default apps > Home app. On Samsung devices, it's Settings then Apps > Choose default apps > Home app. You're able to switch between different launchers, or cancel all of your changes and go back to the normal look, in seconds. What you can do with Android launchersThe capabilities of these apps vary by launcher, but just about every kind of customization option is offered somewhere. If you want to give your Android software a light and airy touch, a dark and foreboding theme, or anything in between, you can. You're able to go all-in with your sports team's colors, or switch to a minimal monochrome look instead. Speaking of minimalism, many launchers give you the opportunity to declutter the look of your smartphone. Launchers can get access to notifications and on-screen messages as well as everything else, if you give them the necessary permissions, and that means alerts can be pushed to the background. You can control what actually appears on screen, as well as how everything looks. Launchers offer plenty of customization options. Credit: Lifehacker Some launchers go even further, letting you customize the gestures and swipes that are used to get around Android. You can change the way apps are launched and switched between, for example, as well as tweak how Android search works—giving you easier access to the apps and files you need the most. Nothing is affected in your actual apps by installing third-party launchers—these will still look and operate the same as they always have. What you might see are some differences in how home screen widgets for your apps are rendered, but as far as the apps themselves are concerned, nothing changes. The best Android launchers (now that Nova Launcher has been shut down)There are a lot of options for Android launchers on the Google Play store, and I've collected five of my favorites below. Sadly, one of the most beloved Android launchers, Nova Launcher, has recently been shut down. I'm waiting to see if the launcher might be opened sourced, but in the meantime, I've had to replace it on my list. Niagara Launcher Niagara Launcher brings with it a cleaner home screen. Credit: Lifehacker Niagara Launcher is one of those launchers that can totally transform the layout of the home screen, putting your apps, notifications, and media controls in an ordered, customized list on screen—so it can be as minimal or as busy as you want it to be. The launcher can hide apps, remind you to take breaks at certain times, put apps into folders, suggest apps based on your usage, and tweak all kinds of colors and layout options. More customizations are available with a Pro subscription ($14 per year). Smart Launcher Smart Launcher is packed with features and settings. Credit: Lifehacker Smart Launcher is another choice you'll often see atop best launcher lists, as it brings with it lots of intelligent features: auto app sorting based on usage, a useful one-handed mode, responsive widgets, a comprehensive search tool, and lots of customizations. Those customizations run the full gamut from adaptive icon shapes, to gestures you can use to get around Android, to hidden apps. As usual, there's a premium-level option you can subscribe to—from $2.50 a month—which adds on even more customization tweaks. Square Home Square Home builds up your home screen with tiles. Credit: Lifehacker Square Home is a great example of a launcher that can change the whole look of Android—in this case, into something that's more like the old Windows Phone look, with your apps and widgets sorted into rectangular tiles that fill up your home screens. While the layout may look fixed, there are many ways to tweak the look, from photo slideshows to notification badges. The quick start tutorial is a welcome way in, and while several features are available for free, you can unlock all of them for $2 per year. AIO Launcher AIO Launcher packs a lot of info into the home screen. Credit: Lifehacker AIO Launcher goes in the opposite direction to the minimal launchers out there, choosing instead to cram in as much information on the home screen as possible—though you still get full control over what's shown, including shortcuts, widgets, and real time information. The app developer promises everything you need on one screen, and they certainly deliver, with over 30 excellent widgets to pick from (weather, stocks, messages, tasks, and so on). Various extra features can be picked up at various prices as in-app purchases. Hyperion Launcher A simple interface and lots of customization options. Credit: Lifehacker Hyperion Launcher transforms the look and feel of your phone right away, bringing with it options for changing colors, iconography, fonts, the appearance and behavior of the app drawer, home screen widgets, and animations—and those are just some of the settings. It's a launcher suitable for those that want to invest some time in getting everything looking exactly how they want it, though the minimal interface that pops up by default works great too. A Pro subscription unlocks all features, a one-off cost of $1.99. Microsoft Launcher The ideal pick if you use a lot of Microsoft apps. Credit: Lifehacker Microsoft Launcher is another excellent launcher choice, if you don't mind the Microsoft of it all. You get rapid performance, lots of ways to tweak the look and feel, and of course tight integration with all of Microsoft's own apps (perfect if you're using Outlook a lot). As soon as you install the launcher you can choose the apps you use the most so they're front and center on the home screen, and there are handy features here like customizable gesture support, rotating wallpaper picks, and a personalized home screen dock. Kvaesitso A minimal look and helpful app and file shortcuts. Credit: Lifehacker Kvaesitso is slightly different to the other launchers in this list in that it's not available on the Google Play Store, so you need to sideload it via F-Droid (instructions here). It's worth that slight inconvenience though, offering tons of features and customizations for free. There's a strong focus on search, enabling you to quickly find anything, and a useful shortcuts system for jumping straight to Gmail labels, Dropbox folders, and much more. Some gorgeous widgets are included too, really improving the aesthetics of your device. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. If you’re on the hunt for a high-quality home theater projector with solid image quality, you can currently get an open-box XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector on Woot for 55% off. With impressive visuals and sound (according to PCMag), this is one of the top projectors on the market. It’s a big step up from entry-level, pocket-sized projectors, making it a better choice for videophiles looking to replace a physical screen. Open-Box XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector $769.99 at Woot $1,699.00 Save $929.01 Get Deal Get Deal $769.99 at Woot $1,699.00 Save $929.01 Weighing around 6.4 lbs, the XGIMI is powerful but lightweight. It delivers sharp 4k resolution with XPR pixel shifting, full HD 3D support, and 1500 ISO Lumens. According to PCMag, the colors are reasonably accurate and well-saturated, with strong contrast in brightly lit scenes. However, darker scenes and shadowed parts of a bright scene may lose some shadow detail. The projector lacks optical zoom (only digital, which can reduce brightness), so you’ll need to manually adjust the position to fit your screen. Otherwise, it’s a quick and easy setup with auto-adjust features like auto keystone (vertical and horizontal), intelligent obstacle avoidance, screen alignment, auto-focus, and more. Its LED light source is designed to last throughout the projector’s lifetime, and the integrated Android TV with Chromecast makes streaming easy on any Apple or Android device. However, you’ll have to use an external streaming device to access Netflix. There are several predefined picture modes to fine-tune colors; PCMag testers found that Office mode had the best balance of color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail. Switching to Game mode (enabled by HDMI input) allows for lower input lag at 60Hz, making it ideal for casual gameplay. The built-in audio with two eight-watt Harman Kardon speakers also earns praise from testers and reviewers for sufficiently filling a large family room despite the projector’s small size. You can also connect an external audio system, if desired. If you’re a home entertainment buff who wants a compact projector with outstanding bright scenes and can live with a bit of lost shadow detail, this open-box XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector is a great buy at 55% off its list price. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. If you’ve been looking for a security camera that works where wifi doesn’t reach, the Eufy Security 4G LTE Cam S330 might be the one to consider. Currently, it’s selling for $161.49, down from its usual price of $249.99 on Amazon. Eufy Security 4G LTE Cam S330 $161.49 at Amazon $249.99 Save $88.50 Get Deal Get Deal $161.49 at Amazon $249.99 Save $88.50 Like the rest of Eufy’s Solocam line, it avoids the subscription fees that many competitors lock you into. Instead, you can save clips locally on the included microSD card, or if you’re using it on wifi, you can connect it to the Eufy HomeBase S380 for local storage. That makes the S330 a good fit if you want full functionality without committing to another monthly bill. Eufy ships the camera with an EIOT SIM and 100GB of data to test the 4G features. The S330 builds on the wireless S340 with the same dual-lens setup—a wide-angle macro lens paired with a close-up micro lens. The combination lets you cover a wide space while still zooming in on fine details. Eufy claims its 4K resolution can capture a license plate from 30 feet away, and in practice, the micro lens does deliver striking detail. That means you can catch more than just the shape of a car or a blurry face; you’ll have a clear, usable image. The solar panel keeps the 9,400mAh battery topped up and can be mounted directly on the camera or up to 10 feet away, giving you flexibility for placement. Even in cloudy weather, users have reported the panel keeping the camera running without interruption. The unit is weather-resistant enough for year-round outdoor use, and the swiveling base supports 360-degree viewing with AI tracking to follow people or vehicles across the frame. There are trade-offs, though. LTE mode offers true off-the-grid freedom, but live viewing is, reportedly, noticeably laggier than on wifi, and the included 100GB data allotment burns up fast. Switching the camera from LTE back to wifi can also take more effort than expected. Still, the flexibility is the real selling point: You can mount it at the edge of your property, along a long driveway, or anywhere a power outlet and router can’t reach. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. It turns out the “lifestyle logging” feature introduced with Garmin’s Venu 4 watch announcement isn’t limited to that watch—it seems to be available to all Garmin users, which means the app has made a huge stride in catching up with competitors like Whoop. What is lifestyle logging? This feature lets you track different habits, behaviors, or factors that might impact your health metrics. For example, you can log when you have caffeine or alcohol at night, and see how this affects your sleep. (Garmin tends to refer to these as “behaviors,” even though some of them are more like environmental factors or states of being—illness, for example—but I'll allow it.) Whoop, the screenless tracker with the expensive (but arguably worth it) subscription, has long had this kind of feature, and it will give you detailed breakdowns of how your habits have affected your recovery. The Apple Watch app Bevel provides similar functionality as well, while the Oura ring has “tags” in its app, although they are more for labeling than analysis. Garmin’s version uses your logged behaviors to generate reports that show how the factors you logged affect: Your sleep score Your overnight HRV Your overnight stress These seem to be the only outcomes, so you won’t see whether these behaviors affect, say, your running performance. And as with any feature of this type, the app can’t actually tell you if your behaviors are causing the positive or negative results you get. For example, Whoop told me that I sleep worse on nights I take melatonin, but that’s just a correlation: The melatonin probably isn’t making my sleep worse; it’s more likely that the connection is because I take melatonin on nights when I’m already up late or expect to have trouble sleeping. Which Garmin devices can use lifestyle logging? Logging your behaviors doesn’t require any specific device; I was able to activate it on an account that had no wearable devices paired at all. However, Garmin notes that to get meaningful reports, you’ll need a device that is capable of measuring HRV (which also contributes to your sleep score and overnight stress). Most of the popular Garmin wearables have HRV capabilities, including Venu, Vivoactive, and Forerunner watches, and the new Index sleep monitor. How to use Garmin’s lifestyle loggingThe feature is kind of hidden, so I wouldn’t blame you for not knowing that it’s there. Make sure your Garmin Connect app is up to date, and then tap the three-dot menu in the bottom right corner. Go to training and planning, then health stats, and then lifestyle logging. The first time you do this, you’ll get a few information screens explaining the feature and asking you to acknowledge that it’s not medical advice. You’ll then select the items you want to log. Garmin recommends choosing “only a few” items to log at a time, so you can learn more about those specific things rather than trying to wade through mountains of data. The app’s info screen wisely points out that if you log many different factors, “you may get conflicting data and have a difficult time determining what’s really impacting your health stats.” A non-exhaustive list of what you can log The lifestyle category includes alcohol, caffeine (morning or late), exercise (light, moderate, or vigorous), late meals, and intermittent fasting. The self-care category includes cold showers, journaling, and sunlight. The treatments category includes acupuncture and massage. The sleep-related category includes CPAP machine use, eye masks, reading in bed, and having a pet in your bedroom. The life status category includes allergy symptoms, caregiving, illness, and vacation. You can also create custom items to log. You can give them a quantity if you like, or just set them up as a yes/no answer. You can also indicate if the item is daytime or bedtime related. Finally, after choosing the behaviors you’d like to log, the app will ask if you’d like related morning and/or evening reminders. To see results from any of your behaviors, you’ll need to accumulate five yeses and five nos for each. (As with Whoop’s version of this feature, it’s not useful to track a behavior that you always do or never do—there’s just not enough data to work from.) You can view your results from the Training and Planning menu, as above, and you can also add a card to the “at a glance” section of your Garmin Connect app home screen. The card will show whether you’ve logged your behaviors for the day, and tapping on it will show what you’ve logged today and in the past. The Venu 4 watch also has a widget for lifestyle logging on the watch itself. View the full article

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. The iPhone Air is a brand-new type of phone for Apple, shrinking down the iPhone’s internals into the thinnest form factor yet, at just 0.22 inches thick. Despite all that, Apple is promising up to 27 hours of video playback, which is just three hours fewer than it’s estimating for the iPhone 17. Honestly, I'm skeptical—and I’m not alone in that. Most of the phones I test don’t quite live up to their official battery life estimates, which are always done in ideal conditions and usually come with a number of caveats. It's possible the iPhone Air will have significant battery shortcoming compared to the other new iPhones, which I'll confirm when I've been able to test it. But despite not getting extended time with the phone, I have gotten to hold the iPhone Air, and I will admit that it feels downright magical in the hand, almost like a credit card that can make phone calls. I won’t blame you if you’re willing to sacrifice some battery life or camera potential to snag one for yourself, but if you do, here are the settings you’ll want to turn on to eke out some extra battery life. Low Power Mode Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt The most obvious way to extend battery life on your phone is to turn on Low Power Mode. On an iPhone, doing so is as simple as swiping down from your Home Screen’s top right corner and tapping the battery icon in the control center (or you can go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode and toggle on Low Power Mode from there). This will make the most battery life-extending changes for you, but will also come with the biggest hits to performance and usability. That means it’ll reduce your background activities, lower your refresh rate and brightness, and limit features like 5G and iCloud syncing. It’ll also cut some animations and start automatically locking your phone after 30 seconds of inactivity. Essentially, it’s probably not how you’ll want to use your phone most of the time, but it can help in a pinch. Adaptive Power modeAdaptive Power mode is kind of like a less aggressive Low Power Mode. You’ll find it in the same menu as Low Power Mode, under Settings > Battery > Power Mode, although you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or above and iOS 26 to access it. When enabled, this will use Apple Intelligence to adjust your phone’s performance on the fly, rather than immediately battening down all hatches like Low Power Mode. Based on your usage patterns, it’ll attempt to predict when you’ll need more battery life than usual, and will make tweaks like stopping background apps from refreshing, lowering screen brightness by 3%, or just generally making “performance adjustments.” How it works is all very new and behind the Apple curtain for now, but the idea is that while you’re only meant to turn Low Power Mode on when you absolutely need it, you can set Adaptive Power mode and forget it. And it’s not one-or-the-other, either. You can still use Low Power Mode in addition to Adaptive Power Mode. In fact, if your phone is at less than 20% battery, Adaptive Power Mode will turn Low Power Mode on for you. The catch? Adaptive Power Mode needs seven days to learn your charging habits, so you’ll need to enable it at least a week before you actually want to use it. Turn down your brightness Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Let’s say you don’t trust Apple’s various power modes to adjust your phone’s settings for you, or you only want to limit a few things. That’s totally an option. In that case, let’s start with brightness. Keeping your phone at max brightness all the time isn’t just eye-searing, but it’ll also drain your battery faster. That’s why you’ll probably want to turn it down to just what you need for the situation you’re in. You’ve got a few options here. The easiest is to simply swipe down from your Home Screen’s top right corner, then adjust your brightness using the slider with the sun icon on it. If you prefer to adjust your brightness in the Settings app, you can head over to Settings > Display & Brightness and scroll down until you see the slider there. You’ll see a bunch of other options here, but they’re more about color temperature, and won’t actually help you adjust your brightness (although we will return to them later on in this guide). But if you’re like me, manually controlling your brightness all the time will get a bit tiring. That’s why I prefer to turn on Auto-Brightness. Simply toggle it on under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Auto-Brightness, and your phone will automatically lower the brightness when you’re in a dark environment or turn it up while you’re surrounded by sunlight. It gives you a bit less control, but it’s pretty convenient. Turn down the amount of time until your phone auto-locks Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Back in Settings > Display & Brightness, you’ll see a toggle called Auto-Lock. This is what kicks you out of your phone and back to your lock screen after a certain amount of inactivity. Personally, I like to leave it at five minutes, so I can safely read long articles or check recipes while cooking without being kicked out for not tapping the screen enough. But that does drain my battery faster. To eke out more battery life from your phone, try turning it down to the 30-second or one-minute mark. You might need to remind your phone that you’re there more often than you’d like, but it’ll keep you from needlessly draining your battery if you accidentally get up and leave your phone behind without locking it first. And don’t worry: even with the auto-lock set to its strictest settings, it won’t lock the screen while you’re watching a video or playing a game. Turn off the always-on display Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt The iPhone’s always-on display, added with the iPhone 14 Pro, is one of my favorite things about Apple’s most recent iPhone models, since it makes it easy to check notifications or the time at a glance. But it will drain your battery, even if it’s set to a low, 1Hz refresh rate. To turn it off, again head to Settings > Display & Brightness, then tap Always On Display and toggle off Always On Display at the bottom of the menu that pops up. If you want to compromise, you can simply toggle off Show Wallpaper at the top of the same menu. This will keep the always on display on, but everything except for the clock and your widgets will be black. That’ll save you some battery life needed to display color, which brings me to my next tip. Turn on Dark Mode Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Here’s my final tip for Settings > Display & Brightness. At the top of this page, you’ll be able to select whether you want your phone in Light Mode or Dark Mode. If you want to save battery life, choose Dark Mode. That’s because the iPhone uses an OLED screen, so each individual pixel is self-illuminating. If a pixel only needs to display black, it just won’t turn on, saving you battery life. Dark Mode won’t work across all apps, but in ones that support it, it’ll swap your background to black, which should help your phone last longer over time. Manage your data consumption Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Connecting to a network to use data actually drains more power than wifi, because a cellular connection requires a stronger signal over long distances. That means, to save battery life on your iPhone, you’ll want to be a bit strict about data consumption. You’ve got a few options here. The easiest is to simply turn off data altogether, by swiping down from the Home Screen and turning off the small green data icon next to the Bluetooth icon in the top left corner. This will turn off data altogether, but because it doesn’t discriminate between apps, it’s not ideal for everyday use. To be a bit more specific with how your iPhone uses data, you’ll need to navigate to Settings > Cellular. Here, you’ve got a few controls at your fingertips. The easiest choice to make here is disabling Wi-Fi Assist, which supplements your wifi with data connection when it’s running slow. Since our goal here is to reduce our reliance on data, having it on isn’t ideal. You might also want to turn off iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup, which will use your cell network to transfer and backup files to iCloud when wifi isn’t available. Above these toggles, you’ll also be able to see your most data hungry apps and restrict their access to your network. This can be helpful even if you’re not trying to increase battery life, as you can probably cut down on unnecessary data usage here as well. Finally, let’s enable Wi-Fi Calling. This will allow your phone to make calls over the internet while you’re connected to wifi, saving you some cellular data. Head back to the main Settings menu, then scroll down to Apps > Phone. Here, scroll down to Calls and ensure Wi-Fi Calling is turned on. If you want to, you can even scroll up and uncheck Cellular Data under Allow Phone to Access, although this will keep you from making calls unless you’re connected to wifi. Manage background app refresh Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Just because you’ve navigated away from an app on your iPhone doesn’t mean it isn’t running anymore. Instead, plenty of apps will continue to refresh in the background, updating their content but also draining your battery. Luckily, you have a few choices here. To see your options, head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You’ll see your phone’s general approach to refreshing apps in the background, as well as toggles for every app on your phone. Click the Background App Refresh button in the menu and you can choose whether to turn it off, keep it on all the time, or only enable it when you’re on wifi. Off is the most battery efficient option, but if you’re not that strict, you can also choose Wi-Fi to at least keep the feature from using your data (which, again, drains more battery). With that done, if you’ve left the feature on, you can now scroll through your list of apps and select which apps you want to allow to refresh in the background. This could save you some battery life if you don’t want to turn the feature off altogether, but do want to disable it for certain hungry apps. Unfortunately, unlike with the Cellular Data menu, you won’t see how hungry your apps are here, so you’ll have to guess. Just buy an external battery pack Credit: Apple Finally, you could just give up and buy an external power pack. The iPhone Air will work with any external batteries that your other iPhones do, and despite being so thin, it will securely attach to compatible batteries via MagSafe. As much as I hate to suggest “just spend more money” as an option, Apple doesn’t share that concern. In fact, it’s even made a MagSafe battery designed specifically for the iPhone Air, which it says will give you “65 percent additional charge” while still maintaining a slim profile. It costs $100, and whether that’s worth it to you will depend on your priorities. Personally, I’m not quite sure myself, since you’d presumably be buying the iPhone Air because it’s thin and light. If that’s the case, why slap an external battery on it? But I can also see why you’d want a MagSafe battery some of the time and a slim form factor at other times. Just be aware: This battery is a bit tall, so it won’t fit vertically on either the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro. View the full article

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 Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. For as basic a necessity as it is, feeding yourself is a lot of work. What's more, feeding a household is even worse. There's the planning, then the shopping, the unpacking, the cooking, the storing, and finally, the cleaning, all of which has to be done over and over again forever. We all know what it's like to be faced with this task and just decide to open up Uber Eats and pay a bunch of fees to have someone do (most of) it for us. Apps are the saving grace when meal planning gets too daunting—but you're using the wrong apps. Forget Door Dash and Grub Hub: These apps can help you plan, shop for, and prepare meals on your own while still offloading some of the hard work on tech. Here are some meal-planning apps that can suggest recipes based on your dietary preferences, put together shopping lists, and even walk you through the cooking. They can't box up leftovers or wash the dishes, but maybe one day in the future, we'll get there, too. Best app for recipes: BigOven Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/BigOven BigOven is a meal-planning app that grants you access over one million recipes—and new recipes are constantly being added. I like a few different things about it: First, you can input some of the ingredients you already have and get recipes based on those, reducing your grocery shopping and limiting how many of those million-plus recipes you need to scroll through. You can scan handwritten recipes in, too, and let the app turn them into recipes you can store there, preserving family traditions. Finally, I appreciate that it has a browser version, since that makes it easier to type, browse, and scroll. A few of the apps on this list also work on the browser. In general, I like to do a lot of my planning and work on the computer, then call in my phone at crunch time, just when I need to refer to a recipe. The free version is nice, but limited. You get the ability to put together a grocery list and one free recipe scan. For more detailed meal planning, you’ll need to upgrade to its paid version for $2.99 per month or $24.99 for the year. Think of it like this: You'll save that much by skipping a delivery order or two. Best app for family meal planning: Cozi Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/Cozi Cozi is a family organizer, so you might not think of food and recipes when you first hear about it—but don't be fooled. In addition to its daily calendar and to-do lists, Cozi provides space for you to keep a grocery list (which any family member can add to in real time) and even offers up recipes. Not only can you plan your meals' content, but you can schedule them for when everyone is available. The basic version is free, but the premium version, which is $39.99 per year, offers more features, most of which have to do with the family management aspect (like birthday tracking and calendar searching). If you're using it for meal planning, you may not need to upgrade; I was able to build out an entire schedule of recipes without paying. Best app for fitness and nutrition goals: Eat This Much Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/Eat This Much Eat This Much is really ideal for anyone with specific nutrition and fitness goals. It puts together plans based not only on your budget and personal preferences, but your nutritional plans, as well. You're prompted to enter in how many calories you'd like to eat in a day, as well as how many grams of protein and other nutrients you want to hit. It even doubles as a calorie tracker and comes with a database of nutritional information about restaurant and packaged food. If you're meal planning and prepping for fitness or health goals, this could be the one for you to really focus in on. (Relatedly, if you're in the market for a comprehensive calorie and nutrient tracker, I am a huge fan of Lifesum.) Money comes into play if you want more features. For $8.99 per month, you can create meal plans for a week, used advanced search features, view your past meals, and generate reports on your eating habits, to name a few. A bump up to $59 per month unlocks bulk meal plans for over a week in advance, macro tracking, and a recipe database, among other things. That's not exactly a small cost, but if you're serious about meal prepping, give it a look. Best app for when you're busy: Mealime Credit: Mealime/Lindsey Ellefson Mealime is widely recommended in forums for meal planners and caters to busier people because it's full of recipes that can be made in under half an hour. You can filter recipes by dietary restrictions or preferences, generate a grocery list, and get on with your day. It's a little bare-bones beyond that, but as a picky eater, I appreciate the ability to eliminate recipes that include the things I don't care for. If you ever catch me eating a single mushroom, call the authorities because I'm sending a distress signal. You'll get plenty of recipes in the free version, but you'll notice some are labeled "Pro." To get those, as well as other features like the ability to add notes, you'll have to upgrade to the paid version for $2.99 per month. For its simplicity of use and fairly low cost, this is a favorite of mine. Best app to relieve decision fatigue: eMeals Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/eMeals eMeals emphasizes that it's meal planning "made simple," and they mean that. You get pre-loaded, dietitian-curated menus that come in "themes." Themes can be kid-friendly, keto, quick, etc. The apps on this list with thousands of recipes to scroll through are great, but if you just want someone or something else to pick for you, start here. eMeals also has partnerships with major grocery retailers, which makes creating your grocery list a little easier and more specific. Another on the list that has a robust browser component, this makes things almost too easy. Best app for more recipe control: Plan to Eat Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/Plan to Eat Plan to Eat is for people who have a general sense of what they like or want to eat, but just need a little push on the organization. You can clip recipes from the internet or browse recipes in the app, add them to the built-in calendar, and create grocery lists that are specified by category, making shopping easier. The app's cooking view even comes with step-by-step instructions that include timers, walking you right through everything you need to do down to the minute. You get a free two-week trial, then you'll pay $5 a month or $55 a year to access all the features. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As a new parent, it’s unfortunately pretty normal to be paranoid about whether your baby is breathing when you put them down for a nap. Gadgets promise peace of mind—like heart rate or movement sensors that attach to your baby or their crib. But the FDA is warning against most of them. As the FDA writes in a safety communication to parents and pediatricians, no devices are approved to prevent or reduce the chances of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUID). If a device says it will do this, the FDA advises avoiding that product entirely. When it comes to devices that just claim to give you metrics like heart rate or blood oxygen, there are a few approved products on the market, including the Dream Sock by Owlet, but many of the devices in this category aren’t FDA-cleared at all. The FDA doesn’t name names, but when I searched for “wearable baby monitor” on Amazon and on Google Shopping, most of the brands that popped up are ones that aren’t in the FDA’s database. The unapproved ones I saw were often in the $100-150 price range, while the most popular FDA-cleared device, the Owlet Dream Sock, was significantly more, at $239.99. What these monitors are, and why they can be riskyBaby monitors that promise to track your baby’s vital signs include sock-style wearables, sensors that clip to the baby’s diaper or clothes, sensors that go under a mattress, and ones that are built into camera systems. These monitors may say they can track heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and respiratory rate, among other metrics, and notify caregivers if something is wrong. However, the FDA says that they can cause harm in these ways: If they fail to measure the vital signs accurately If they miss serious problems, making caregivers think everything is fine when it’s not If they indicate a problem when there is none, leading to unnecessary medical care Burns or rashes from the device itself How to find approved devicesIf your baby needs an accurate medical device, the best place to start is asking their pediatrician to point you to something appropriate. But if you want to use an over-the-counter device for peace of mind, there are two databases you can check to see if the device is FDA-cleared. The first is the de novo device lookup. This is for devices where the manufacturer has applied for recognition as a new type of medical device. These are known as 513(f)(2) devices. Go to this link and type the company’s name in the blank marked Requester name. If the product is in the database and the classification product code is QYU, it’s been evaluated and authorized by the FDA. For example, here is the entry for the Owlet Dream Sock, with a QYU code. The other is the 510(k) premarket notification lookup, which you can find here. This is for devices that are “substantially equivalent” to an already-approved device. Put in the company’s name under Applicant name. The FDA adds that if you have a problem with a device, including inaccurate measurements or anything that resulted in an injury, to report it to MedWatch here. View the full article

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. In iOS 26, Apple has expanded its Visual Intelligence feature from the camera lens to what's on your screen. Now, you can use Visual Intelligence to ask about what you're seeing on your iPhone's display, to add events to your Calendar, or to look up images using Google (similar to Google’s Circle to Search). All of this is quite cool, but it also comes with a redesigned, full-screen preview that pops up whenever you take a screenshot. When all you want to do is take a quick screenshot, maybe while you're playing a game, seeing this big splash screen and all its new buttons can get annoying fast. Plus, you might not want Apple Intelligence to see what’s on your screen (which it will now automatically do), no matter how useful these updates might turn out to be. Thankfully, you can disable the new splash screen and go back to the old thumbnail style screenshot previews instead. Plus, when needed, you'll still be able to trigger Visual Intelligence, even when using thumbnails. What you can do with Visual Intelligence in iOS 26 Credit: Khamosh Pathak Since the iOS 18.2 update, you’ve been able to use ChatGPT to ask questions about what’s on your screen. But with iOS 26, Apple introduced Automatic Visual Look Up to the mix. This new feature automatically analyzes your screenshots the second they're captured. Then, it pulls in relevant actionable information and adds it below the screenshot. For example, if you screenshot is of an invitation to a party, it will show you a one-tap button to add it to your calendar. If your screenshot is of a website, you’ll see a link to go there directly. Plus, there’s a feature that lets you highlight any image to find similar images on Google, as if you were using Circle to Search or Google Lens. This is Apple's justification for expanding screenshot previews to take up your whole screen, but it adds an extra step to actually saving your screenshots. How to disable the full-screen screenshotsIf you stick with full-screen previews for taking screenshots, which are now the default, you’ll have to tap twice to actually save a screenshot every single time you take one. First, you'll have to tap the checkmark button at the top of the screen, and then choose Save to Photos. Thankfully, Apple has an option to disable the new screenshot splash screen. To go back to the old method for taking screenshots, go to Settings > General > Screen Capture and disable the Full-Screen Previews option. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Now, when you take a screenshot, you’ll see the familiar thumbnail preview in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Even better, you'll still be free to tap the preview to open the full-screen view, which will then show all your Visual Intelligence suggestions. How to disable automatic Visual Intelligence in screenshots (or altogether)If you’re privacy conscious, there are two ways you can go about disabling Visual Intelligence. The first is to disable Automatic Lookup, which scans your screenshot as soon as you take it. To disable this feature, go to Settings > General > Screen Capture and disable the Automatic Visual Look Up option. Credit: Khamosh Pathak After you do this, those automatic Visual Intelligence suggestions will disappear. But the options to chat with ChatGPT, and to highlight to search for images, will still be there. At least these aren't automatic, and without your consent or express action, no data will go to Apple’s servers. But you can disable these options as well by disabling Apple Intelligence completely. To do that, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and disable the Apple Intelligence feature. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Boox Palma e-reader is unquestionably my favorite gadget from the last few years, but I also get why so many people find it to be a bit confounding: It's a phone-shaped e-ink device that has all the capabilities of a modern Android smartphone, but it doesn't have cellular functionality, which means it can't take calls. A recent rumor suggested that might be changing soon, but it turned out to be an overstatement: According to a statement I received from a spokesperson for Boox maker Onyx International, the forthcoming "Palma 3" (which might be called something else) still won't work as a phone, though it will have mobile data capabilities. A Palma phone was rumoredChatter about a Palma-like device with a cellular modem kicked off in earnest a few weeks ago during IFA 2025, a European trade show akin to CES. At that event, Onyx International showed off the new device to select members of the media, and The Verge published a story surmising that the company was working on a new Palma-like device that would retain the form and e-ink display of the current Palma, but add both cellular connectivity and a color display—two of the most requested features from the device's die-hard fans, at least judging by my observations of the r/Onyx_Boox subreddit over the past few years. According to The Verge's report, though it wasn't on display on the show floor, a reporter was shown a device that sure looked a lot like the Palma, but which had both a color display (almost certainly the same Kaleido 3 screen found on the Boox Go Color 7) and icons indicating a 4G cellular connection. No concrete details on specs or a release date were provided. The "Palma 3" will have mobile data onlyI followed up with Onyx International to confirm details from the report and try to learn more, and was told, "the device will not include calling functionality; the new Palma only supports mobile data." In all likelihood, this means that the device will be comparable to a mobile tablet like a wifi + cellular iPad that can load a SIM card and connect to wireless networks, but which can't take cellular calls. Given you can install any app from the Google Play store, you'd still be able to take calls on the go using a voice-over-internet service like WhatsApp. Currently, there is no information about what the Palma 3 might cost. For $300, the Palma 2 already has a lot of phone-like capabilities, but adding a color screen and a modem (even a data-only modem) will undoubtedly push that number higher. Tariffs aren't likely to help matters either: The Palma 2 has already increased in price from $279 to $299 in the U.S. since its launch, and given that all e-ink screens are made overseas, there's no chance it won't face additional import fees. There's already an e-ink phone on the marketPersonally, I love the Palma because it's more portable than the average e-reader, which means I read more and use addictive apps on my phone less (though the Palma can run most apps, social media isn't very fun on a sluggish e-ink screen). As I still need to carry my phone, for all the usual reasons (messaging, maps, tap-to-pay), it's not the life-changing device it might otherwise be—but there's another device already on the market that could be, for the right user. For the past few months, I've been playing around with the Bigme Hibreak Pro, a $459 e-reader that looks an awful lot like my Palma 2. In many respects, the Hibreak Pro is a one-for-one match for the Boox device (same dimensions, same e-ink screen, same app store access), but it also has 5G cellular capability. Moreover, in the wake of the Palma rumors, Bigme announced an otherwise identical version of the device with a color display—the Hibreak Pro Color—scheduled for release in October. A device like this holds a lot of appeal—I'm at a point where I am starting to resent my iPhone's primacy in my life. I'd love carry only one device, and one that doesn't as readily plug me in to the horrors of the internet and social media, but which can still handle the most essential functions (keeping me connected to my family, handling NFC payments, guiding me via Google Maps). But so far, for me, the Hibreak Pro isn't it—as with other Bigme devices I've tested, I find its software deeply frustrating, and I haven't had the time or energy to devote to installing an alternative launcher. (It doesn't help that the first device I received had a faulty USB-C port, and getting a replacement took a few months.) I generally think Boox makes better devices and less frustrating software than Bigme, so I was initially intrigued at the concept of a Palma phone. Alas. E-ink phones will always be niche devicesEven if the new Palma was able to make calls, it would still be a device with limited appeal. Despite their lovability, Boox's e-readers definitely aren't as user-friendly as a Kindle. And though the Palma has attracted a cult following (not to mention mainstream attention from outlets like The New York Times), an e-ink phone will always come with drawbacks that make it very unlikely we'll see one from an established tech company like Apple or Samsung. Then there's the matter of carrier support—you certainly wouldn't be able to buy a Palma phone direct from Verizon or T-Mobile, and it's not a sure thing that a Chinese-made niche device would play nice with every domestic carrier. That's all to say: An e-ink phone might satisfy some diehards seeking a respite from their device addiction, but I wouldn't expect to see too many of them while riding the subway. View the full article

I've worked out of my basement apartment as a content creator and videographer for several years now. As a result, I’ve had to find creative and unique ways to maximize space and find effective (yet inexpensive) gear to create my videos at the highest level possible. Sometimes, that can seem pretty overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started. But you really only need to focus on three things: audio, video, and lighting. Here's some of how I built my home studio, what I use to make videos like the one you can watch right now in this story, and how you can do the same, even in a small living space. Start with great audioWhen I first started making videos, I really underestimated the value of quality sound. I thought I'd need some crazy-expensive microphone to get professional-sounding audio. Fortunately, smartphone mics have improved drastically over the years. In a quiet room with limited background noise, your phone is more than capable of giving you decent audio. If you want to make your videos sound more professional, or you plan to record outside often, consider getting an external microphone. For on-the-go recording, I use the Hollyland Lark M2. Lavalier and lapel mics are an absolute must-have for any content creator, especially if you hope to go out into the world to record. There are tons of versions to choose from, but my go-to has always been the Hollyland line of products. What makes these particularly special is how easily they integrate with both cameras and phones, and their noise-cancelling feature comes in clutch in areas with a lot of background noise. I’ve used these on racetracks, here at home, and at several car conferences over the years, and have never had a problem with overpowering background noise. They also come in an AirPods-style charging case, which not only fits in your back pocket, but also ensures you never have to deal with a dead mic while you’re out filming. If you’re looking to set up a more permanent place to record, I’ve always defaulted to the Audio-Technica AT2020. To use a condenser microphone like this, you’ll also need an audio interface with phantom power to connect it to your computer. I use the M-Audio M-Track to accomplish both of these requirements and have had mine for over four years now. While it doesn’t have as many features as some higher-priced options, the M-Audio M-Track is more than enough for what I need, and it’s usually less than $50. Hollyland Lark M2 $99.99 at Amazon $109.99 Save $10.00 Learn More Learn More $99.99 at Amazon $109.99 Save $10.00 Audio-Technica AT2020 $119.00 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $119.00 at Amazon M-Audio M-Track Solo USB Audio Interface $56.77 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $56.77 at Amazon Layer in quality videoGood audio is awesome, but it really doesn’t mean much if you don’t have some solid video to go along with it. Just like with audio tech, it’s easy to overcomplicate your setup and add extra work that you really don’t need as a solo creator. Under most circumstances, the best tool to have on hand is your phone camera. If you have an iPhone or Android from the past 5-7 years, it'll have an HD camera you can use to film high-quality video without breaking the bank. Let’s use my iPhone 15 as an example. If you go up to the top-right corner of your camera app settings, you’ll usually see this little “HD” and “30”, which determines your resolution and frame rate for the video you’re recording. I film in either 4K 30fps or 4K 60fps so I can maximize every bit of my phone’s capabilities. Normally, you won’t need more than HD (1080p) and 30fps to film good video. For more stunning visuals, you can go all the way up to 4K and 60fps, which is comparable to what you’d get from a DSLR or stationary camera. The downside is that the video files will be much larger and will take up more of your phone’s internal storage. Needing adequate storage space is why one of your best friends in your content creation journey is a reliable external hard drive for your videos and audio. I highly recommend something like the Samsung T7 or the SanDisk Extreme Pro, both of which give you ample storage to create folders and organize any creative concepts you’re working on. If you’re doing any streaming or stationary recording, I recommend the Logitech C920x HD. I’ve used this camera for everything from Instagram reels to Zoom calls, and with its included LogiTune software, you can dial in your color and framing settings before you shoot. As an all-around quality camera, it really doesn’t get much better than this, especially for less than $70. If you want to level up even more and have a bit more budget to work with, take a look at the Osbot Tiny 2 Lite 4K Webcam. This one gives you more functionality, including 4K/60fps capability and gesture control, while also supporting horizontal, portrait, and even mirrored aspect ratios. Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2TB External Solid State Drive $139.99 at Amazon $187.99 Save $48.00 Learn More Learn More $139.99 at Amazon $187.99 Save $48.00 SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD $199.00 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $199.00 at Amazon Logitech C920x HD Pro Webcam $59.99 at Amazon $69.99 Save $10.00 Learn More Learn More $59.99 at Amazon $69.99 Save $10.00 OBSBOT Tiny 2 Lite 4K Webcam $159.99 at Amazon $179.99 Save $20.00 Learn More Learn More $159.99 at Amazon $179.99 Save $20.00 Add lighting for balance and styleOne of the most under-appreciated elements of content creation is good lighting. A good lighting setup can pay massive dividends on your visual quality and adds a whole lot to your video setup. I’m personally a massive fan of the Govee line of products because of their many options and adjustment settings. I run all my lights off of Govee’s app from my iPad or phone, which allows me to change my lighting setup on the fly, even in the middle of a recording session. The Govee Floor Lamp is one of the most flexible and dynamic options that you can add to your studio space. With more than 80 customizable presets and adjustable brightness from 2200K to 6500K, this light gives you more than enough options to change the entire vibe of your videos and living space. It also doubles as an effective key light for your main source of on-camera illumination. This also pairs beautifully with one of my favorite lighting devices of all time, the Govee Glide Wall Lights. These are everywhere in my studio, and for good reason: Not only do they integrate perfectly with other Govee products, but they also make for amazing backlights in a video setup. You can dial them in as much or as little as you want, and Govee’s app gives you more than 64 presets to find your perfect balance. Another great addition that I highly recommend is a cheap sun lamp to balance out your ambient lighting in low-light areas. Since I’m in a basement, there’s not much natural light to work with. So to combat that downside, a lamp helps replicate the natural ambience of a sunlit room and looks much better on camera. My personal favorite is the LASTAR Sun Lamp, as it gives you dynamic brightness and various color temperature options. Govee Floor Lamp 2 $129.99 at Amazon $164.99 Save $35.00 Learn More Learn More $129.99 at Amazon $164.99 Save $35.00 Govee Glide LED Wall Lights $54.99 at Amazon $69.99 Save $15.00 Learn More Learn More $54.99 at Amazon $69.99 Save $15.00 LASTAR Sun Lamp $26.99 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $26.99 at Amazon Get the gear, then start getting creativeNo matter what you decide to use when creating your own home studio, always remember that your studio should be a reflection of the content you want to create. Look at content creators you like and see what they’re using to improve the quality of their videos. As a motorsport and car nerd, all of my recording zones have elements of racing and car culture to emphasize the specialty that I bring to the table. Whether it’s LEGO, car models, or vintage signs, my goal was to create a space that would reinforce the topics I care about in a subtle yet effective manner. So have fun with it, and use these basics to transform your living, recording, or creating space into something you’re truly proud of. View the full article

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 Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Yesterday, at its 2025 Meta Connect conference, Meta finally unveiled its first Ray-Ban smart glasses that actually have a screen inside them. I have yet to try them for myself, but according to my colleagues over at CNET, seeing is believing. If you want to book a demo to try out the new Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, you're in luck: They're popping up in select stores across the country, and you can already schedule your visit. In fact, you'll need to if you actually want to take a pair home. What are the Meta Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses?Meta's Ray-Ban Display smart glasses are similar to the smart glasses the two companies have already been releasing since 2021, but if the name didn't give it away already, now they have a screen inside them. This isn't AR, so you don't get head tracking or a large virtual display situated in your environment, but you do get a little heads-up 600x600 screen over your right eye that you can use to, say, check on texts or watch an Instagram Reel. It's also private, according to my colleagues over at CNET, with some clever manufacturing keeping people from seeing what's on your display through the transparent lens. And it comes with a special "neural wristband" for actually navigating content, which can pick up thumb movements, pinches, and the like and translate them into swipes and taps. It all sounds fancy— dare I say "innovative"?—even if it comes with a $799 price tag (the last generation of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses was $379). But if you're going to be dropping that much on such an unproven product, I don't blame you for wanting to go hands-on with it before buying. And it seems, neither does Meta. How to try out the Meta Ray-Ban Display Smart GlassesEven though Meta's Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses technically start shipping on Sept. 30, you can't buy them online. Instead, you'll have to do an in-store demo before you can actually get a pair. These demos are available at Ray-Ban stores, but also partners including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Best Buy. You can book demos straight through a specific store's site if you have a favorite, as seen on this Best Buy link, but the best way to see all the demos available near you is through Meta's own site. Just navigate to this scheduler page on the Meta site and enter your address to see participating stores near you and the dates when they have demos available. Then hit "Schedule a Demo" on a store of your choosing to be taken to that store's site to finish booking. While Meta's site showed me appointments starting today, none of the stores I clicked through to had availability until October, so don't be surprised if the scheduler's data is a little behind. What do you need for your Ray-Ban Display Demo?Generally, you can just head to your Ray-Ban Display Demo and be golden. But if you wear prescription lenses, you'll either need to wear contacts or know your lens details. Meta's demo kits can accommodate a range of -4.00 to +4.00 prescriptions, so plan accordingly. Then, it's just a matter of trying the glasses on. When you're done, you can either buy your pair, or hold off. If you wait, you'll be sent an email with details from your appointment. Meta says it's limiting purchases to people who have tried a demo right now to ensure fit and satisfaction, but that more buying options will come "over time." That's great news for folks who live outside of the U.S., as demos are currently limited to Meta's home country. However, the company says demos will expand to Canada, France, Italy, and the U.K. in early 2026. View the full article

Strava's new Training Zones feature promises to help runners and cyclists better understand their training load across metrics like heart rate, power, and pace. That sounds like useful information, but if you've recently discovered that most of your runs fall into what's commonly called the "gray zone" (Zone 3), take a deep breath: You aren't doing everything wrong, you don't need to panic, and you definitely don't need to completely overhaul your training. Here's why—and how you can use training zones as the helpful tool they're meant to be, rather than as a source of anxiety. What are training zones?Before diving into how Strava offers insights into training zones, let's quickly go over what they really are. As Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki has previously explained, talk of different zones is overhyped, since these zones aren't clearly defined. Most talked about is the coveted Zone 2, even though no one can agree on what exactly it is. On the flip side, I always see warnings about Zone 3 being the "no man's land" of training—too hard to be easy, too easy to be hard. This dread is overblown. Zone 2 training is celebrated because it helps build your aerobic base and burns calories without incurring significant fatigue. But guess what Zone 3 training also does? It builds your aerobic base, it burns even more calories, and it typically adds only marginally more fatigue than Zone 2. For most recreational runners, the difference between the zones is far less dramatic than the online discourse suggests. Heart rate zones are indeed a completely valid way to describe how hard you're working during a cardio workout. But it's hardly a matter of "Zone 2 good, Zone 3 bad," particularly given that different devices and apps define the zones differently. Your "Zone 2" might be 60% to 70% of max heart rate on an Apple Watch, but 65% to 75% on a Peloton. At 73% of your max heart rate, the Apple Watch would categorize your effort as Zone 3, while the Peloton would call it Zone 2. Which is right? Neither, really—because these boundaries are largely arbitrary. The concept of training zones is sound when considered in the right context, but the specific percentages and boundaries aren't set in stone. They're guidelines, not gospel. Your physiology doesn't magically change the moment you cross from 69% to 71% of your max heart rate. And if you're a recreational runner focused on health and enjoyment, the difference between Zone 2 and Zone 3 is a mere technicality. How Strava's Training Zones actually workStrava's Training Zones use a familiar five-zone system. The feature allows you to filter by sport and analyze training load across different timeframes (seven days, one month, and three months), providing insights into how your training varies across activities. Heart Rate Zones: Zone 1 – Endurance Zone 2 – Moderate Zone 3 – Tempo Zone 4 – Threshold Zone 5 – Anaerobic These zones indicate exercise intensity levels and are automatically calculated based on your max heart rate. Strava uses the standard formula of 220 minus your age, defaulting to 190 bpm if no age is provided. Your zones update automatically on your birthday unless you've manually set your max heart rate. Adjust your Strava Training Zones to eliminate your workout anxiety Luckily, you don't need to accept the default settings as law. Strava allows subscribers to set different heart rate zones for running versus cycling, and you can adjust these zones anytime. When you scroll down in the Progress tab on Strava, you'll see Training Zones. Within that menu, select the Pencil (edit) icon. If you know your actual max heart rate from testing, use that instead of the age-based estimated maximum. You can manually edit your training zones in Strava. Credit: Meredith Dietz Even if you don't have exact numbers, you can adjust your zones based on feel. Your perceived exertion might be a better guide than your heart rate monitor. Toggle the "auto-calculate" option to manually adjust each individual heart rate zone. If Strava tells you you're in Zone 3-4, but you can easily hold a conversation during that workout, you could then widen the range for Zone 2 to more accurately reflect what you know to be lower effort for you. When a run feels easy and conversational, it's probably serving its purpose, regardless of whether your device says you're in Zone 2 or Zone 3. Instead of obsessing over individual workout zones, examine your training distribution over weeks and months. Are you doing mostly easy runs with some harder efforts? That's what matters, not whether your easy pace puts you at the top of Zone 2 or bottom of Zone 3. The bottom lineTraining zones should inform your training, not dictate it. They're tools to help you understand intensity and plan progression, not rigid boundaries that determine success or failure. Strava's Training Zones feature can provide valuable insights into your training patterns and help you make more informed decisions about your workouts. The next time your watch beeps to tell you you've crossed into Zone 3, remember: The boundaries aren't real, but how your body feels is. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. If you’re looking for in-ear earbuds with superior sound quality, long-lasting battery life, and a secure fit, the Beats Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds are a reliable option, especially for those who are fans of Beats headphones. Right now, you can get an open-box pair for just $100 on Woot, a 60% discount. Open-Box Beats Powerbeats Pro Earbuds $99.99 at Woot $249.95 Save $149.96 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Woot $249.95 Save $149.96 The Powerbeats Pro feature over-ear hooks that have a secure fit and are ideal for vigorous workouts and sports, with users praising how stable they remain during movement. Compatible with the Apple ecosystem, they’re easy to pair with iOS and allow for fast device switching. They also have a strong battery life, offering nine hours of playback for the buds alone. With the included charging case, they last up to 24 hours. Volume can be controlled on the earbuds via physical buttons, as can controls that let you control and skip tracks. The IPX4 rating makes them suitable for rainy days and sweaty workouts. The headphones feature an intense bass-heavy punch and bright highs for a sculpted sound signature, notes this PCMag review. This is mostly a pro, but it may make some tracks like orchestral music sound overly boosted—and you can’t tweak EQ on the companion app. And despite their powerful audio performance, they don’t feature Active Noise Cancellation. Still, they’re widely regarded as some of the best premium earbuds, and with their combination of sound, battery life, Apple compatibility, and a secure fit for fitness lovers, the Beats Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds are a good deal at just $100. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Along with display-style glasses, Meta's 2025 line of smart spectacles includes a new version of Oakley Meta glasses. Called Vanguard, these shield-style smart glasses will cost $499 and go on sale Oct. 21. Vanguards feature a wrap-around frame and a 12MP camera that shoots 3K video from a center-mounted camera that can be operated hands-free. According to Meta, Vanguard glasses have a battery life of up to nine hours of daily use, improved audio, and (of course) integration with Meta's AI. At the company's Meta Connect 2025 keynote, the company also announced partnerships with Garmin and Strava. Garmin users will be able to sync their glasses with Garmin devices to track progress and get performance summaries through the Meta AI app. Strava users will be able to share activities from their glasses and access their workout history. Both devices will allow activity data—distance traveled, pace, heart-rate, and more—to be overlaid on video. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. At the company's Meta Connect 2025 event yesterday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg officially unveiled its long-rumored and recently leaked display-focused smart glasses. Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will cost $799 and go on sale on Sept. 30. The next generation of Meta smart glasses will feature a full-color, monocular, 600 × 600 pixel HUD in one of the lenses that will only be visible to the user. Display smart glasses will also include improved versions of the audio, video, and AI capabilities of non-display Meta glasses. Credit: Meta Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will be controlled through a wearable device dubbed the "Meta Neural Band," which allows users to "type" on any surface to send messages as well as control other aspects of the display and smart glasses through small muscle movements. According to Zuckerberg, users will be able to “silently control their glasses with barely perceptible movements.” An example from the keynote: turning up the volume on music by mimicking the motion of turning a dial. The wristband will have 18 hours of battery life and is IPX7, so it can be fully immersed in water up to one meter. At the keynote, Zuckerberg showed off texting on the Display glasses, and touted that video calls through WhatsApp would be available on the new glasses (although, notably, the demo didn't actually work at the event). Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses will feature a 12MP camera with 3X zoom, and the addition of a display screen gives users a viewfinder and the ability to see pictures and videos you take before you send them or save them. Why I'm excited to try these glassesI'm not the "looking-forward-to-things" type, but I'm really looking forward to trying out Displays. I'm not the type that fans out over giant tech companies either, but I can't deny it: Overall, the best new hardware of any type I've used in last 10 years was made by Meta. Meta's Quest VR headsets are excellent and inexpensive (even if I'm not entirely sold on VR as anything but a cool gimmick), and I have nothing but praise for Meta Ray-Bans, and this after wearing second generation Metas as my everyday eyewear for around a year. I have questions, though: I'm not sure if texting and otherwise computing from my glasses with a wristband is something I need in my life; despite keynote assurances from Mark Zuckerberg, I wonder how intuitive the neural control will actually be; and Meta's vision of "personal superintelligence" creeps me out. But overall, if the Display works as well and as easily as other recent Meta gear in my house, these glasses will be amazing. They could be life-changing for people with hearing problems—Display glasses will be able to add "subtitles" to conversations in real time. They could genuinely make living with ADHD a little easier, too: If I lose my car keys it will (presumably) be able to tell me where I left them. I'm old enough to remember when being technology ready-for-anything meant carrying around a digital camera, a flip phone, a calculator, a GPS unit, a watch, and more, all of which I'd lose along the way. All that gear has now collapsed into a smart phone. If Display works the way Meta promises, this could be the next collapse, where you don't even need the phone, just the glasses you were going to wear anyway. And that's a big "if." Neural wristbands, heads-up displays, and AI “seeing what you see” all sound incredible, but hype from a keynote touting amazing features that turn out to be half-baked crap that no one wants is a tech-industry cliche at this point. But I'm still excited. By the end of the month, I might get to see the future; who wouldn't be excited? View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. If you’ve been waiting for a Kindle that holds more than just a handful of books, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is worth a closer look, especially at today’s price. This like-new version with 32GB of storage is selling for $126.99 on Amazon (its lowest price yet, according to price-trackers). For context, a brand-new unit currently lists at $199.99, so you’re saving a solid $73 while still getting a device that’s been tested, cleaned, and restored directly by Amazon. Every refurbished model goes through a diagnostic check, secure data wipe, and part replacement if needed, so you’re not rolling the dice on performance. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Ed. 32GB 7" eReader (Like New) $126.99 at Amazon $179.99 Save $53.00 Get Deal Get Deal $126.99 at Amazon $179.99 Save $53.00 Its 7-inch glare-free display runs at 300 pixels per inch, making text sharp and easy to read, while the adjustable warm light takes the strain out of late-night sessions. This version also comes ad-free, which longtime Kindle owners know is a big quality-of-life upgrade, and with 32GB of storage, you won’t have to worry about deleting books to make space—there’s room for a huge library, plus heavier stuff like graphic novels and audiobooks (though, you’ll need Bluetooth headphones for Audible playback, since there’s no headphone jack). As for battery life, it stretches into months rather than days, and charging is flexible: Plug it in with USB-C, or just set it on a wireless charging dock and forget about it. While the Signature Edition doesn’t reinvent the Kindle experience, as noted in this PCMag review, the wireless charging, IPX8 water resistance, and bumped-up storage make it the most complete version of Amazon’s e-reader lineup. That doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for everyone. For casual readers, the standard Paperwhite might be plenty. But for anyone who reads daily and wants the perks of more storage, wireless charging, and no ads, this refurbished Signature Edition at its lowest price yet is a strong deal. If you’re still weighing your options, Lifehacker has a guide on which Kindle is best for you, or you can check out a comparison between the Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Paperwhite if you’re curious about how it stacks up against newer color-screen models. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. "Never pay full price for a MacBook Air" seems to be the takeaway from the latest Apple launches. Apple unveiled its updated lineup of M4-powered MacBook Air laptops in early March, and all the M4s saw their first discounts a few weeks later. The M4, M3, M2, and M1 MacBook Airs are all discounted right now, with some at their lowest prices ever, according to price-tracking tools. If you're on a budget, you can always go for the older M2 and M1 laptops, which are still great laptops in 2025. 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage Apple MacBook M4 Chip 256GB SSD 16GB RAM 13.6" Laptop (Midnight) $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage Apple 2022 MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip $699.00 at Amazon $884.95 Save $185.95 Get Deal Get Deal $699.00 at Amazon $884.95 Save $185.95 8GB RAM, 256GB storage Apple MacBook Air M1 13” Laptop $599.00 at Walmart $1,043.99 Save $444.99 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Walmart $1,043.99 Save $444.99 SEE 0 MORE The best deal on the M4 MacBook Air 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage Apple MacBook M4 Chip 256GB SSD 16GB RAM 13.6" Laptop (Midnight) $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip $999.00 at Amazon $1,199.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $999.00 at Amazon $1,199.00 Save $200.00 24GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip $1,199.00 at Amazon $1,399.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,199.00 at Amazon $1,399.00 Save $200.00 SEE 0 MORE The M4 MacBook Air has been such a good value since its release that it made the M3 MacBook Air irrelevant, hence Apple discontinued it after just a year since its release. As our Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson will tell you, the M4 MacBook Air is the one to buy. The 13-inch M4 MacBook Air with 256GB SSD starts at $799 right now (originally $999), the lowest price it has ever been. This is arguably the best option for most people. With 16GB of RAM for even the most basic MacBook Air, you'll be able to take on intensive applications and projects now and for many years to come. The most basic M4 MacBook Air comes with a 13.6-inch "Liquid Retina" display, with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,664, a P3 wide color gamut, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. You'll also get an excellent backlit keyboard with Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6E support, and great speakers and microphones. Apple also decided to bring back MagSafe charging with this laptop. All of the M4 MacBook Airs come with a 12MP camera with Center Stage. You might've first seen this feature on iPads and on the M4 MacBook Pro, which follows your face as you move around the frame during video calls. The two USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 4, meaning you can extend to up to two 6K external monitors if you buy the equipment separately. You can read more about it in PCMag's "excellent" review. If you're unsure whether to go for one of these or the Pro, the M4 MacBook Air offers a much better value than the Pro. The best deal on the M3 MacBook AirAs stated above, the M3 MacBook Air has been discontinued since the release of the M4, and you can only find it from big retailers used. The prices don't make sense since the M4 just offers a much better value for the money. Go up for the M4 or down to the M2 if you can't afford the M3. The best deal on the M2 MacBook Air MacBook Air 13.6" Laptop M2 chip 16GB Memory 256GB SSD 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, 1080p FaceTime HD $699.00 at Best Buy $799.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $699.00 at Best Buy $799.00 Save $100.00 2022's M2 MacBook Air laptop is also on sale; currently $699 (originally $999), the lowest price this laptop has ever been. This is the best M2 you can buy as far as value for your money, and as Lifehacker Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson explained last year, it could be the last laptop you'll ever buy. It has the same RAM and storage as the M3, but there are some key differences between the two machines you should be aware of. If, however, you have $176 to spare, the upgrade to the M4 is a better value. The best deal on the M1 MacBook Air MacBook Air 13.3 inch Laptop M1 Chip Apple MacBook Air 13.3 inch Laptop - Space Gray, M1 Chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage $599.00 at Walmart $1,043.99 Save $444.99 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Walmart $1,043.99 Save $444.99 The 2020 M1 MacBook Air has also dropped in price and is perhaps the best all-around value for an entry-level laptop right now. Walmart has the M1 MacBook Air 13.3-inch laptop for $599 (it cost $999.99 prior to the launch of the M3), which is the lowest price I've seen after checking price-comparison tools. This M1 from 2020 has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage with about 18 hours of battery life. If you're wondering if the M1 is relevant, Jake noted the M1 is still a fantastic computer even three years after its release. Yes, its specs pale in comparison to the new M4 chip and all of its new features, but the M1 is still enough for most people. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

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. Garmin’s newest watch is an update to its Venu line. The Venu 3 was one of the brand’s best lifestyle watches, and the Venu X1, launched earlier this year, was a premium version. Now, there is a Venu 4, available on September 22—and it has a flashlight. Pricing and essential featuresThe Venu 4 comes in two sizes (41 and 45 millimeters), the same as the sizes of the Venu 3 and 3S respectively. It costs $100 more than the older version, with the Venu 4 coming in at $549.99 compared to the Venu 3 at $449.99. Like its predecessor, the Venu 4 has an AMOLED touchscreen, stainless steel bezel, Gorilla Glass 3 face, and a speaker and microphone that allow it to take voice calls if your phone is within range. It adds training status, training readiness, and Garmin Coach for four different activities: running, cycling, strength, and a new fitness coach. Here's a rundown of some of the notable new features: FlashlightIt’s a simple thing, but a big one for a lot of people. Garmin used to reserve LED flashlights for its more outdoorsy adventure watches—the Instinct on the low end and the Fenix on the high end—but the Forerunner 970 has one, and it seems to have gone over well. Even Amazfit added a flashlight to its T-Rex 3 Pro. The Venu 3 didn’t have a flashlight, but the premium Venu X1 does, and now the Venu 4 does, too. Health statusA new health status metric combines your nighttime vitals (heart rate, HRV, skin temperature, and pulse oxygen) and tells you whether these are consistent with what’s normal for you, or whether they’re trending away from your usual baseline. Lifestyle loggingGarmin has historically just collected your data and displayed it, without the kind of lifestyle analysis provided by others like Whoop and Bevel. But the Venu 4 comes with a lifestyle logging feature, where you can take note of habits and behaviors and see whether they affect your metrics. (One example Garmin gives is logging when you have caffeine late in the day, so you can see how much it affects your sleep metrics.) Fitness coachGarmin’s daily suggested workouts aren’t just for runners and cyclists anymore. There is a relatively new strength coach (I’ve had it on my Forerunner watches for a while now) and the Venu 4 adds a fitness coach that can recommend workouts for you from any of 25 of activities. A given day’s workout might recommend that you go for a walk, do a HIIT session, or hop on the rowing machine. Accessibility featuresThe Venu was already one of Garmin’s more disability-friendly watches, featuring a wheelchair mode in addition to walking and running workouts. The Venu 4 adds a spoken watch face option, that will read you the time using the speaker, and an option to filter the colors on the display. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. Apple makes good devices and accessories, but they do tend to be more expensive than the competition, even for something as basic as a charging cable. It's certainly true of Apple Watch bands—I'm not sure why a braided strip of polyester and silicone costs $99, but that's what the company charges. But right now, Woot is selling a whole rainbow of Apple Watch bands for up to 70% off. It's a great (and rare) opportunity to stock up on a few different styles or colors to outfit your smartwatch. You can choose from the Solo Loop or the Braided Solo Loop designs, which normally go for $49.99 and $99.99, respectively. Solo Loops are on sale for $14.99, and Braided Solo Loops are $29.99. You can find them in virtually every color— even the rainbow Pride edition of the Braided Solo Loop. Here are your options as of this writing: Black, White Hues Red, Orange, Yellow Hues Blue Hues Green Hues Purple Hues Braided: Black, White Hues Braided: Red, Orange, Yellow Hues Braided: Blue Hues Braided: Purple Hues Braided: Green Hues Braided: Pride Edition All of these bands are compatible with Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 4 or later, and Apple Watch Ultra or later. They aren't adjustable, so you'll need to select the right size, with the most popular sizes likely to run out first, so maybe set an alarm to remind you to place an order before they do. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. 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. Right now, a new JBL Flip 7 portable speaker is available on Woot for $99.95—that's 33% off. According to price-trackers, the lowest price a brand-new version has been on Amazon is $139.99, making this a smart option for anyone looking for a compact, waterproof, drop-resistant speaker from a reliable household name. The speaker comes with Woot’s 90-day warranty program and ships to 48 contiguous states in the U.S. (free for Prime members, and $6 for non-members). JBL Flip 7 $99.95 at Amazon $149.95 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.95 at Amazon $149.95 Save $50.00 This durable Bluetooth speaker is drop-proof, dust-proof, and waterproof with an IP68 (compared to the Flip 6’s IP67 rating), making it ideal for outdoor adventures, cozy backdoor hangs, or a night in as the weather cools down. The Flip 7 lasts up to 14 hours on a single charge (16 hours with Playtime Boost, which trades some sound quality for extra runtime), and AI Sound Boost analyzes music in real-time to deliver optimal sound with less distortion. It also supports lossless audio for higher fidelity and a richer experience, but to enable this, you’ll need to plug it into a laptop or audio source that’s compatible with lossless audio. Pair the speaker with the JBL Portable app to further customize EQ. Compared to past models, the Flip 7 has enhanced bass, as this PCMag review points out, and a refined tweeter. Users note its power despite its small size, with one reviewer saying it can be heard down the street. Sound is balanced, loud, and a step up from the Flip 5 and 6. If you want to turn up the volume even more, you can utilize the Auracast feature and pair two Flip 7s together. As for portability, the speaker is made even more compact with an interchangeable accessory system featuring an included loop and carabiner. While the bass is definitely respectable, it doesn’t have the depth of larger speakers, and if the speaker is on Playtime Boost, it’ll compress bass further and lead to a slightly thinner sound. Still, if you’re looking for a rugged, low-maintenance speaker that can take a few knocks while delivering premium sound, the JBL Flip 7 portable speaker is a solid contender, especially at the current $100 price point. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

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. If you’re anything like me, you might have moving app icons on your iPhone Home Screen right now. It took me a few days to notice this, but now when I tilt my phone up, down, left, or right, my icons will actually shift in that direction, and the highlights the new Liquid Glass effect added around them will move as well. Technically, this isn’t a new feature. Apple calls it the “parallax effect,” and if you’ve ever played an old 16-bit sidescroller, you’ve probably seen it before. It’s when a background moves at a different speed than the foreground. The parallax effect first got added to iOS way back in iOS 7, but ever since iOS 16, users have been complaining that it’s been broken. I certainly hadn’t seen it over the past couple years, but now that seems to have changed. During the second iOS 26 beta, users reported that the parallax effect was back, and now that iOS 26 is live, it still appears to be working. Finally: It only took Apple three years to fix that bug. The problem? It turns out I don’t actually like the parallax effect on my app icons. I don’t represent everyone here, as plenty of the comments in the threads shared above are cheering its return. But for me, it just kind of makes me feel dizzy, like I’m staring at a hypnotist’s wheel whenever I dare to do anything with my phone other than leave it perfectly still. My friends at Lifehacker are also split on the issue, but hey, at least the writers over at Gizmodo have my back. Luckily, if you’re like me, you can turn the parallax effect off, but it does come with compromises. Turn on Reduce MotionLike turning off Liquid Glass’ transparency, the most effective way to turn off moving icons on your iPhone’s Home Screen involves using the accessibility menu. To do this, you’ll need to navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Motion, and then toggle on Reduce Motion. Bam, your icons will now stay rooted firmly in place on your Home Screen, no matter how you tilt your phone. Even the new highlights that made Dark Mode icons look tilted for some will stay put (that won’t solve the optical illusion, since it has to do more with contrast than where the icons are, but it’s a nice touch). Unfortunately, this does come with a downside, because Reduce Motion doesn’t affect just parallax icons. It also tones down your system level animations. For instance, with this setting enabled, your app windows will no longer slowly minimize into the App Switcher when you swipe up anymore. Instead, you’ll just instantly go from a full-screen view into the App Switcher view. Your mileage may vary on how you feel about that, although I felt like it made my phone less responsive. Apps also don’t slowly expand out from the icon with Reduce Motion on, instead just instantly entering a full-screen view when you tap on them, albeit with a small unfurling animation that plays at the corners. Use a solid or gradient backgroundIf you'd rather keep your system level animations, but still don't want to see the parallax effect, you could adjust your background instead. Because the moving icons need to contrast with something to really become noticeable, using a solid or gradient background should tone them down for you without you needing to turn Reduce Motion on. To do this, long press on your lock screen, then hit the + button on the bottom right. Scroll down to Color and pick a wallpaper you like. You can also make your own gradient and simply save it as a photo, then set it as your wallpaper by tapping on it in the Photos app and scrolling down until you see the Use as Wallpaper button. The downside here, of course, is that you won't be able to use a photo of your pet or a family member as a background. Unacceptable, I say, but some of my colleagues are willing to make that sacrifice. View the full article

Google and Apple’s app stores both have a reputation for being pretty trustworthy these days. It’s easy to assume that if an app is in either the iPhone App Store or the Google Play Store, it’s safe to download. But a new Google crackdown this week reminds us that this isn’t so clear cut. Yesterday, a third-party security report revealed that Google had recently removed 224 malicious apps from the Android Play Store. Dubbed “SlopAds” apps by security company Human, which discovered the apps and wrote the report, these apps evaded Google’s usual security procedures and instead used a clever workaround to secretly install malware on users’ devices, even when downloaded straight from Google’s servers. The way these apps worked was that, if you downloaded them by searching for them through the Google Play Store, they would work as advertised with no malware dragging them down. Generally, these apps were pitched as simple utilities, or attempted to pass themselves off as more popular programs like ChatGPT, to try to trick users into downloading them. Not the best tools, certainly, but if accessed directly through Google, they wouldn’t hurt you. But the trick is that, if you downloaded one of these apps after arriving at the Play Store via one of SlopAds ad campaigns, it would also secretly download an encrypted configuration file that, after a few post-download checks, would install malware on your device. Once a device was infected, the app would then steal its information, and start using it to generate fake ad impressions on sites run by the scammers, maximizing profit. It was a clever way to get around Google’s regular review process, and a good reminder that, even as major companies try to make their app stores safe to use, you should still be vigilant while browsing them. How to avoid installing malware on your deviceWhile SlopAds has been thwarted for now, you should still take a few steps to keep your device safe while downloading new apps, especially since SlopAds isn’t alone in sneaking Malware onto the Play Store. Here are just a few ways to protect your device while browsing for new apps. Download your apps directly from the Play StoreAndroid is different from iOS in that it allows you to sideload apps onto your device. This can be convenient when working with smaller developers, who might not have the resources to get their programs on the Play Store. But downloading an app that hasn’t been verified by Google opens you up to extra risk. Always ensure you trust a developer and the specific APK file you’re using before sideloading an app. Google is currently working to block sideloading unless a developer is verified (which has been controversial, despite the extra security it gives you), although these changes aren’t set to hit most of the world until 2027. Find apps through the Play StoreAs SlopAds proves, navigating to an app through an outside source can flag it to download extra files to your device that you won’t get if you find the app through the Play Store’s own search functionality. Always be cautious about links to apps that you find on suspicious websites, and especially in ads. Using the Play Store to discover new apps instead could save you some headaches down the line, especially as Google’s search is less likely to send you to suspicious apps than it is popular apps that have been verified as safe by other users. Check user reviews and permissionsIf you scroll down before downloading an app through the Play Store, you’ll see which permissions an app needs to do its work on your phone, and you’ll also be able to read user reviews. This can be handy if there are known issues with an app, or the requested permissions seem to be a bit too generous for what the app claims to do. However, this isn’t a catch-all solution—SlopAds did its malicious behavior in the background without needing any sort of permissions, and depending on where a user downloaded a SlopAd app from, it might not have even installed malware on their device. It’s possible apps with good reviews could still have harmful software included on the sly. Turn on Google Play ProtectWhile SlopAds was able to bypass Google Play Protect, it’s still a good idea to turn it on if it isn’t enabled on your device already. This will scan an app for known malware before downloading it, giving you an extra layer of protection. It will also periodically scan apps already installed on your device. To ensure it’s turned on, open the Play Store, click your profile icon in the top right corner, and navigate to Play Protect > Settings. To scan sideloaded apps, you can also turn on the Improve harmful app detection setting, which is in the same spot. Run a Google Security CheckupFinally, you can run a Google Security Checkup on your device via a web browser. This will help you tighten your online security, encouraging you to take security steps like adding a recovery email or phone number to your Google account. It’ll also list recent security activity, and will generally ensure that, even if a malicious app steals your data, you’ll be able to lock it out of your account with the least issue possible. View the full article

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. The latest Apple Watches now boast a sleep score, which gives you a number on a scale of 1 to 100 for how well you slept. But that’s not all—you can even get this number without the Series 11 watch, as I discovered this morning while waiting for my new watch to be delivered. To get the new sleep score, just make sure you have iOS 26 and watch OS 26 installed. Where to find the sleep scoreYou can view the sleep score on your iPhone or on your Apple Watch. On the watch (Series 6 or later), go to the Sleep app. The sleep score is the first thing it will show you. On the iPhone, the sleep score gets its own card in the Apple Health app. If you don't see it, tap the search icon and then tap on Sleep. Many devices can give you an Apple sleep score, not just the newest Apple WatchThe sleep score is a data analysis feature that doesn’t require specific Apple Watch hardware, and Apple has said that Apple Watches as old as Series 6 will get it. What’s more, I noticed that my Apple Health app gives me sleep scores for nights I wore other devices to bed, but not an Apple Watch. According to my settings, my Apple Health app receives sleep data from the Coros, Garmin, Zepp (Amazfit), Oura, Ultrahuman, Whoop, and Withings devices I’ve used. I’ve rarely worn an Apple Watch to bed lately, but I’m always wearing something, usually including an Oura ring. I have sleep scores for all of those nights, not just the nights I wore an Apple Watch. Your past sleep scores are calculated retroactivelyThe sleep score is new with iOS 26 and watch OS 26, but the data needed to calculate it was there anytime you wore a supported device to bed. Scrolling back, I can see sleep scores going back to April of 2020. How sleep scores are calculatedApple’s sleep score comes with a breakdown of where your 100 potential points come from. This includes: 50 points for how long you slept 30 points for how consistent your bedtime was with previous nights 20 points for minimizing interruptions My own scores include a lot of “high” and “excellent” ratings, even though I don’t think my sleep has been great. But sleep scores are never totally scientific—even when they’re based on solid data, there’s no such thing as a medical cutoff for what counts as “high” or “excellent” sleep. The World Sleep Society tells us to “focus on trends and patterns, not individual ‘scores.’” If you see your sleep scores trending up (or down), that’s more important than what exactly your number is today. View the full article