Setting Up Your Home Office

You likely update devices like your smartphone or laptop fairly frequently. (Perhaps you've put the latest one off a little longer than you should.) But how often are you updating other types of devices, like your TV? Despite how routine and simple your TV use may be, it can be important to keep the tube, like other devices, updated to the latest software and firmware version. And while many smart TVs routinely check for the latest updates, it's possible yours doesn't. I don't keep my TV connected to the internet, for example, so there's no way for me to check for updates via wifi. You don't need to hook your TV up to your network to update it, however, nor do you need a…

Android users are getting more tools to combat the seemingly endless stream of scam texts from bad actors looking to steal your data and your money. Circle to Search and Google Lens can now assess messages for scam red flags, and if possible fraud is detected, you'll get recommendations for what to do (or not do) next. Even if you think you know the telltale signs of a scam—a sense of urgency, a demand for money or personal information, a link to log in or pay—using these tools can confirm your suspicions, especially when you feel pressured to act. Use Circle to Search to identify scamsTo activate Circle to Search, long press the home button or navigation bar on your dev…

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 work in the corporate world, you've almost certainly heard of SMART goals, which are meant to help you work better with your team and be more productive. Similarly, you may have heard of them in the fitness space, as they're commonly used as part of personal training plans thanks to their specificity and rigidity. But the SMART system is helpful for all kinds of tasks—especially if you’re a student. Here are some tips for using SMART goals when you’re studying. What are SMART goals?SMART goals aren…

If you've considered trying DeepSeek—the hot new AI app from China—but been put off by concerns around privacy and censorship, you'll be interested to know there's now a tweaked version of the DeepSeek R1 model available inside Perplexity. Perplexity has long given users a choice of in-house and third-party AIs for answering prompts, and DeepSeek R1 is the latest to make the list. Perplexity cofounder Aravind Srinivas has promised the censorship guardrails have been taken off—so yes, you can ask about Tiananmen Square—and that all associated data (like your prompts and their responses) is stored in the U.S. …

There's more than one way to use Windows now. As well as sitting down in front of a locally installed copy of Windows, running on a hard drive inside your desktop or laptop, you can also fire up the Microsoft Windows app—a one-stop central hub for managing connections to remote PCs and Windows in the cloud. The Windows app is available for Windows (as you would expect), as well as macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and (in preview form for now) Android. First rolled out in September 2024, the program brings with it support for multiple monitors and local USB peripherals, so you can carry on using your own webcam (for example) with your cloud copy of Windows. It's likely that significant…

Why do I still carry a wallet? My iPhone can handle just about anything you used to need a traditional wallet for. Most (if not all) of my purchases are made via Apple Pay or QR code, my phone holds all of my pictures, and most of my receipts go straight to my email. Basically the only I keep my wallet around is to carry my ID. Once my state starts supporting Apple’s digital ID feature, however, things will change between me and my wallet—provided that support ever comes. Since iOS 15.4, Apple has allowed you to add a driver’s license or other state ID to your iPhone’s digital wallet. That doesn’t mean you’ve been needlessly carrying your ID around since then—states have …

For me, part of the appeal of TikTok is seeing smaller, less polished videos from people who don't fashion themselves as influencers. But what do I know? The company has announced it is holding its first U.S. awards show later this year. It seems the Oscars-ification of short form video is here. In a blog over on the TikTok site, the company said the show, fittingly called the TikTok Awards, will be held in the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on Dec. 18, 2025, and will "honor the creators who have inspired, entertained, and connected communities across the country." To that end, the site also says it will invite users to "vote for their favorite creators" starting on N…

Big news for Peloton fans: As of this week, you can watch plain old YouTube on your Bike, Bike+, Tread, or Row. Now, you may be saying, "YouTube TV was already an option in my Peloton's Entertainment tab. What's the big deal?" The big deal, my friend, is that YouTube TV is a subscription television service and YouTube is, well, YouTube. This new integration allows you to watch standard videos on the platform, the same as you would on your phone or computer. How to access YouTube on the PelotonYou access YouTube the same way you access other non-class features, like scenic rides or my beloved Lanebreak game: through a special tab in the menu on the bottom of your screen. …

Millions of Android users are now eligible to claim some cash from Google as part of a $135 million settlement. If you have a qualifying device, you could receive up to $100 once the final approval hearing is completed in June. What is this Android settlement about? This settlement is part of a class-action lawsuit filed earlier this year alleging that Google collected unnecessary data from Android users over cellular networks in the background and without permission—even when Google apps were closed and location sharing disabled. Google denied any wrongdoing but agreed to a $135 million payout along with a commitment to implement additional disclosures shown during Andr…

If you're an Android user or you've had an Android phone over the past nine years or so, listen up: Google just agreed to a $135 million lawsuit that you're likely a class member of. While the final payout is still up in the air, you could be entitled to up to $100. What is the lawsuit about?The lawsuit, Taylor V. Google LLC, alleges that Google was complicit in allowing Android devices to send a host of user data to Google without the permission of the users. Not only does the suit highlight the privacy implications, it also hammers Google for using up the users' cellular data. According to the details of the lawsuit, Google denies any wrongdoing in this case, but has a…

If you've seen news stories claiming that more than 89 million Steam user records leaked, don't panic. Social media posts currently circulating suggest that Steam credentials are up for sale on the dark web, but those claims appear to be untrue. Of course, even if your data hasn't actually been compromised, it's a good idea to have additional authentication set up on your Steam account. What happened with Steam? Short answer: Probably nothing. As XDA reported, X user MellowOnline1, a games journalist, called attention to a post on LinkedIn from Underdark.ai alleging that 89 million Steam user records were up for sale on a dark web forum for $5,000 via a threat actor know…

If you received an unsolicited password reset email from Instagram in recent days, you don't need to panic. These messages don't appear to be the result of a new data breach or account compromise, but rather a bug that Meta claims it has now fixed. Following a wave of suspicious account recovery requests, antivirus software provider Malwarebytes posted a warning on Jan. 9 that threat actors had stolen personal information from 17.5 million Instagram accounts. As BleepingComputer reports, there have been various claims that hackers have obtained Instagram account data from multiple API scraping incidents in the last several years but notes that there haven't been any conf…

Last month, news broke about "DarkSword," a malware kit that makes it easy for hackers to scrape passwords, emails, crypto wallets, and more from your iPhone. You don't have to do much to put yourself in harms way, either: Visiting a malicious website is all it takes for DarkSword to get to work, which makes it particularly dangerous. It's not totally clear what DarkSword's risk is to the average user. Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) says it identified "multiple commercial surveillance vendors and suspected state-sponsored actors" using the malware against targets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, and Ukraine, appearing as if the victims were highly-specific. Th…

Unsolicited texts are annoying—and even more so if they keep coming from a legitimate sender after you've opted out. If you received text spam from Kaiser Permanente, you may be eligible for a cash payout for each message. The healthcare company, which serves over 12.5 million members, recently settled a $10.5 million class action lawsuit filed over marketing text messages sent after recipients tried to opt out. The suit, filed in August 2025, claimed that Kaiser Permanente failed to honor opt-out requests. Those with a valid claim may receive up to $75 per qualifying text. Are you eligible for the Kaiser settlement? To qualify for a payout from this settlement, you mus…

If you've signed up for an Amazon Prime subscription in the last few years, you may have some cash coming your way. Amazon recently settled a lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over deceptive enrollment and cancellation practices, including enrolling customers in Prime without their consent and making it difficult to cancel. The company is now set to pay out $1.5 billion in refunds to affected consumers. Here's who qualifies, and how to make sure you get your money. Am I eligible for an Amazon Prime refund? Refunds will be paid out to select Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. In order to qualify, you must also meet the following criteria: You signed up f…

It's no secret that Apple is way behind in the generative AI race. While other companies, like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic have had major wins over the past three and a half years, Apple has stumbled to find its footing, rushing to release features with varying levels of success. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on who you ask. While Microsoft has shoved its AI products into as many apps and services as possible (to the degree that the company has since had to back off), Apple users have largely been able to ignore Apple Intelligence if they wish. As it happens, Apple was a bit too eager to oversell its AI endeavors. Back in 2024, Apple hadn't really …

If your console of choice is PlayStation and you tend to buy your video games digitally, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you might be entitled to some money thanks to a proposed lawsuit settlement from Sony. The bad news is, it's probably not going to amount to all that much. In a press release on Wednesday, the Saveri Law Firm announced a class action settlement for a case filed against Sony. The case, which is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, centers on Sony's PlayStation Store: The plaintiffs in the case claim that Sony acted as a monopoly in the sale of its digital games, which drove prices for game…

One of the most annoying restrictions in Gmail is that, once you've picked an email address, you're stuck with it. There are exceptions for third-party addresses, like work emails tied to a company's domain, but for the typical @gmail.com account, no dice. Personally, I've had a number of loyalty programs and store accounts tied to an embarrassingly edgy email from high school for decades now, but finally, it seems like I'll be able to change it. A recently updated Google support page says the company is now "gradually rolling out" the ability to change your Gmail address, with some limitations. Oddly, the page is only available in Hindi for the moment, so I've reached ou…

In the dry months of winter, a humidifier is a godsend, infusing the air with moisture and doing its part to keep your skin and sinuses from getting parched. Since you’re probably regularly adding fresh water to it, you may not think you need to clean it that frequently. But you do—and more often than you might guess. In addition to helping it run better, cleaning your humidifier stops the machine from dispersing microorganisms and minerals into the air. Practice proper humidifier maintenanceDistilled or demineralized water is better than tap water; the latter can contain minerals that could hasten bacteria growth. The minerals can also cause what looks like white dust t…

If you read enough tech news on the internet, you're probably used to seeing the same advice over and over again: Update your software to the latest version as soon as possible. This advice is repeated often, because, for the most part, it's sound—updates not only give you access to the latest features, but also the most up to date stability and security patches. If you want to protect your software, hardware, and the data contained therein, update! Web browsers are no exception. It's particularly important to keep the tool you use to access the internet fully updated if you want to keep yourself safe as you surf the web. While you should update all web browsers whenever …

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

When it comes to chickpeas and aquafaba, the liquid and the legume are two very different residents of the same can. Just because you used garbanzo beans in your salad doesn’t mean that you’re craving these fluffy pancakes on the same day—but you might on Saturday. In the event that you have leftover aquafaba—or really, any time you’re eating chickpeas and find yourself about to drain out the liquid—stop your hand. It freezes incredibly well. How to use aquafaba Aquafaba has gained a lot of traction since it was discovered in 2014 as being a surprisingly effective replacement for making a fluffy and silky meringue (read more about the history here). However, it has more a…

You may know that Reddit can be a treasure trove of useful information and opinion, and that RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a clean and straightforward way to keep up with what's happening on the web—but you might not be aware that you can combine both Reddit and RSS in numerous ways. Reddit actually has a variety of RSS integrations built in, so you can point your RSS reader straight to your subreddits of choice and keep up with the latest posts. The usual benefits of RSS apply: You get an uncluttered, customizable interface, free from ads and other extras, and which you can work through at your own pace. If you're new to RSS, we've previously picked out a selection …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's Amazon's Big Spring Sale—not quite Prime Day, but as close as you're going to get in March. But while Prime Day usually includes a bunch of discounts of Apple devices, including the ubiquitous AirPods, they aren't included among the retailer's Spring Sale offers. But that's fine, because the Apple-made headphones I would actually recommend buying over the AirPods Pro actually are in the Big Spring Sale: the similarly full-featured, great-sounding Beats Fit Pro, which are currently $30 off. Beats Fit Pro A…