Setting Up Your Home Office

Another major data breach has compromised the sensitive health records of more than 1.6 million patients—including minors under 18—who received care at Planned Parenthood in more than 30 states. Laboratory Services Cooperative (LSC), which provides lab testing services to reproductive health clinics across the U.S., is notifying individuals who may have been affected by a security incident that took place in October 2024. Planned Parenthood itself has been the target of cyberattacks in 2021 and 2024. What happened with LSC?According to LSC's filing with the Maine attorney general's office, hackers accessed its systems on Oct. 27, 2024—the breach was identified the same …

For many, Microsoft Edge's only purpose is to download another browser entirely, like Chrome or Firefox. But this isn't Internet Explorer: Edge is a competent browser in its own right, whether you have a Mac or a PC. If you do use the browser, you might be pleasantly surprised by how snappy it feels after you update it—at least, according to Microsoft. Edge 134 and newer's performance gains In a Thursday post on Windows Blogs, Microsoft confirmed that, starting with version 134, Microsoft Edge is a tad faster than previous iterations. In fact, Edge 134 is up to 9% faster, when you run it through Speedometer 3.0, a benchmarking tool for web browsers. Microsoft says that wh…

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

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Netflix has built a subscriber base more than 270 million strong on the backs of some great original TV series, and there’s a fair chance you’re watching (or have already binged) the biggies, from Stranger Things, to Bridgerton, to The Witcher, Ripley, and more. Even if you haven’t seen them, these shows are buzzy enough that you know their names—but there's more where they came from, including shows that are as good as (or better than) those flagship series. Here, in no particular order, are 40 of Netflix’s most entertaining, underrated originals—shows you maybe aren’t watching, but definitely should be. The Residence (20…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve been holding out for a 240Hz gaming monitor without blowing your budget, the Samsung Odyssey G4 is currently at its lowest price ever, according to price trackers—$179.99 (down from $279.99). Samsung Odyssey G4 Gaming Monitor $179.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is currently marked down to $119.99 on StackSocial (was $149.99), and if you’ve been eyeing a smart doorbell that won’t need rewiring or a professional install, it could fit the bill. It runs on a rechargeable battery, so setup is simple—just charge it, pop it in, and connect via the Ring app. That said, you’ll still need to recharge the battery every few months, depending on how often it’s triggered. The camera’s big sell is its expanded 1536p HD+ head-to-toe view, which means you can see visitors and packages in full…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Knife blocks seem like a great idea at first. You assume there are a variety of useful knives in there, and you get a whole row of steak knives for one low price. You may not eat steak that often, and never with seven other people, but who can say “no” to so many matching knives? You, that’s who. That mass-produced knife set is unlikely to work with your unique food personality. Skip the block of cheap knives (many of which you won’t touch anyway). Instead, focus on fewer, better, personalized knives. A high-quality knife (or three) can be versatile enough to meet all of your needs without blowing your budget. Use this gui…

YouTube Music is a decent Spotify alternative, especially if you're already paying for YouTube Premium to remove the ads. There's a big downside, though: Google doesn't offer a desktop app for YouTube Music, meaning you have to run the application in a browser. It also means you can't really customize YouTube Music the way you can with Spotify. That's why YouTube Music Desktop App—a free application not made by Google, to be clear—exists. The app, compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux puts YouTube Music in its own window, outside of your browser, while also adding extensions for things like downloading songs, skipping the non-music parts of videos, and blocking ads. …

If you’re in the market for a new home, there’s a pretty good chance you've toured a few “flipped” houses—properties that were recently purchased, quickly renovated, and just as quickly put back on the market. Even amid the current real estate crunch, house flipping remains a popular business model: In the first quarter of 2024, 67,817 houses were flipped, which amounted to nearly 9% of all the houses sold during that period. Flipping is popular because it can be highly profitable, generating an average return of $73,492 per project. But those profits rely on a fast, efficient renovation—and some flippers may get in over their heads and end up cutting corners, while other…

Software updates are great when they make features better, but that doesn't always happen. Case in point: a recent Google Pixel update that's brought in a flurry of complaints. One of the least popular changes altered how Pixels handle the Do Not Disturb feature. Previously, you could swipe down from the top of your Pixel's screen and press the Do Not Disturb button in quick settings to toggle it on or off. The March 2025 update changed that, forcing you to make multiple taps to activate or deactivate Do Not Disturb on your Google Pixel smartphone. Plenty of Google Pixel users took to Reddit to complain about this change. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fix this behav…

Be careful what you share with ChatGPT these days: It'll remember everything you say. That's because OpenAI is rolling out a new update to ChatGPT's memory that allows the bot to access the contents of all of your previous chats. The idea is that by pulling from your past conversations, ChatGPT will be able to offer more relevant results to your questions, queries, and overall discussions. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced the changes on X, touting the usefulness of AI systems that know everything about you: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. ChatGPT's memory feature is a little over a year old at this po…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Let's talk about one of the most confusing terms you’ll see on your fitness tracker—specifically your Apple Watch. Next to REM sleep, which you’ve probably heard of, and “deep” sleep, which feels self explanatory, there’s “core” sleep. And if you Google what core sleep means, you’ll get a definition that is entirely opposite from how Apple uses the term. So let’s break it down. On an Apple Watch, "core sleep" is another name for light sleep, which scientists also call stages N1-N2. It is not a type of deep sleep, and has no relation to REM. But in the scientific literature, "core sleep" is not a sleep stage at all. It can …

The YouTube TV app has been disappearing for some Roku users. Luckily, if you are among those affected, there are a few fixes you can try for this issue. Starting this week, several users on both Reddit and Roku's forums have separately reported issues opening the YouTube TV app or even locating it on their Roku devices. Those who tried reinstalling the YouTube TV app were able to see an Open App button, but pressing it simply resulted in an error. What's worse is that the issues seem isolated to Roku, with users of devices like the Google TV Streamer 4K not issuing the same complaints. Luckily, this issue only seems to be impacting people with dedicated Roku devices and…

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

Every folder on macOS looks the same—a boring blue representation of a paper file. That makes browsing a folder full of folders harder than it needs to be because everything looks identical. Unless, that is, you use custom icons for your most-used folders. You can do that pretty easily, but the feature is a little bit hidden. And yes, this means you can use something silly for your folder icon. But it can also be practical. Having an important folder a different color than the rest, or all of your folders different colors depending on functionality, makes it easier to find and click on what you're looking for. And the process isn't difficult. First things first: you need …

The next time you open WhatsApp, you might notice some changes. As announced in a blog post on Thursday, the app is rolling out a dozen new features, affecting the chats, calls, and even the Updates tab. Here's what's new: Chat updatesGroup chats are getting a number of updates this go-around. WhatsApp is adding an online indicator to group messages, so you can see who in the thread has WhatsApp open at any given moment. That change should help you gauge how many people are currently reading the chat. You'll see the new indicator directly below the group chat name. Similarly, WhatsApp is adding a new "Notify for" section in group chat settings to manage the notifications…

If you haven't filed tax returns for several years, you're not alone: The IRS anticipates a $500 billion decrease in tax revenue this year. (That’s a more than 10% decline compared to last year.) More anecdotally, the IRS has also noted increased talk online from people saying they won’t pay taxes this year, and that they're willing to take the gamble that they won’t be audited. So, with just a few days left before the April 15 deadline, you might be wondering: What if I keep on ignoring my taxes? How long can this con go on? Unfortunately, that's a mighty risky gamble. You're better off filing as soon as you can, or else be on the line for costly penalties and interest.…

Buying a house has always been a stressful experience. It involves a lot of money for most people, and it’s where you’re going to live, the most meaningful space in your life. Finding the house that ticks all the financial, physical, and emotional boxes can be a challenge. And it’s a challenge that a lot of people fail: 82% of home buyers experience buyer’s remorse. House hunting should be relatively straightforward—you need X number of bedrooms, X amount of square footage, in this specific area, at this specific price, with this short list of features and amenities. But we often let our emotions mess us up, usually without even realizing it. Considering how much of your …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. There are no surprises with the Blink Video Doorbell camera. Blink is an established brand, and the doorbell camera has been around since 2022. What might be surprising is how cheap it has become: You can get the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 for $34.99 (originally $69.99) after a 50% discount, the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools. Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 …

Microsoft announced a plethora of Copilot upgrades at the start of the week, and we're now starting to see some of them roll out—to Windows Insiders, at least. The Copilot app for Windows has now been updated to support Copilot Vision and file search, so the AI bot is better able to interact with whatever's on your PC. Copilot Vision first appeared on the web last year, but it's new to the Windows app: It essentially lets the AI "see" what's happening on your computer, so you can ask it about websites you're viewing, or documents you're editing, or songs you're listening to, without having to take a screenshot or do any copying or pasting. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. When Samsung dropped the Galaxy Watch Ultra last summer, it was clearly swinging at the Apple Watch Ultra crowd—people who run marathons for fun, hike trails that end in the clouds, or just want a tank of a smartwatch on their wrist. Now that the hype’s settled and the price has dropped to $378 (down from $649.99), its lowest yet according to price trackers, it’s a more interesting pick, especially if you’re big on the outdoors. SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Ultra 47mm LTE AI Smartwatch …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. It’s not much of a secret that I like to tinker with recipes. I like to see how different flours create different biscuit textures, how periodic cooking makes the perfect boiled egg, or how sour cream performs as an “egg wash.” There’s great freedom in being untethered to “the right way” to make recipes. Granted, I use recipes all the time, but if I’m missing …

Owning a home is great, except for the utility bills that come along with it. The average cost of gas and electricity in the U.S. is $206.22 per month, and if you're eager to pay less, you’ve probably done the obvious stuff—conserving your use, sealing (or replacing) your windows and doors, or even using your appliances at off-peak times. But if you’ve covered the basics and your bills still seem too high, it’s time to dig deeper. Sometimes the reasons behind an unusually large utility bill aren’t obvious at all, and have nothing to do with your behaviors or usage patterns. Here are six unexpected—but not entirely unlikely—causes for a higher bill. Your appliances are old…