Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sleep tracking apps promise better rest through data. But what happens when the pursuit of a perfect score keeps you up at night? For a growing number of people, that Apple Watch, Oura Ring, or whatever device meant to improve your sleep quality may be doing just the opposite. Here’s what to know about how sleep scores really work, and what you can do to make the most of your sleep tracker. The benefits (and accuracy) of sleep trackingSleep is foundational to almost every dimension of health, including “improved mood, heart health, and cognitive function," according to Dr. Rebecca Robbins, Assistant Professor in the Divisi…

The U.S. government is banning the importation of new routers made overseas, meaning consumers will no longer be able to purchase devices from many popular manufacturers. On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added all consumer-grade routers produced abroad to its "Covered List" of communications equipment that poses an "unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons." The agency specifically cited the exploitation of foreign-made routers in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. But the thing is, the vast majority of routers are manufactured overseas. So where does that leave …

Claude really wants to take over your computer for you. Anthropic has released a new feature called Computer Use, which can now take control of your Mac's keyboard and mouse to perform tasks on your behalf. This is finally rolling this out as a Research Preview for Claude Pro and Max subscribers, after first being teased back in 2024. The Computer Use feature builds on recent additions like Claude Cowork and Dispatch. Claude Cowork is a tool that lets you accomplish tasks on your Mac (though, in the background, using native features and macOS integrations), and Dispatch is a new Remote Access feature that lets you control Claude Cowork from your iPhone or iPad (Claude's l…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In its 15th season, unlikely phenomenon Call the Midwife hasn't slowed down: Season 16 is already confirmed, as are a feature film and a WWII-era prequel series. Plenty of babies still need to be born, it would seem. Initially set in 1957, with the current plots entering the 1970s, the show takes place in and around Poplar, London, one of the city's most desperately poor districts. As the National Health Service is born, secular trained midwives team up with the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent that had been in the business of providing medical care to the area's poor for decades. Though occasionally veering into…

Ultrahuman finally has a smart ring back on the U.S. market, and it’s the Ring Pro, the new model with the feature-packed charging case. Pre-orders are now open, with early bird prices starting at $349. The regular price will be $479 for the ring plus case. The ring will begin shipping May 15. The company is using a tiered model for early bird pricing, where the price bumps up after a certain number of rings are sold. Here’s the schedule: $349 — first 1,000 orders ($130 off) $389 — next 2,000 orders ($90 off) $429 — next 3,000 orders ($50 off) $449 — until pre-orders close. Ultrahuman’s smart rings have been off the U.S. market since October 2025, due to legal action by…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you've taken a look at the back of your computer monitor or TV lately, you may have noticed there's a USB port or two alongside the more familiar HDMI—and that in turn might have left you wondering what exactly a USB port is doing on the back of a big screen. Well, these USB ports have more uses than you might think. Their precise function is going to depend on the make and model of your TV and monitor—and the primary uses tend to differ between the two. However, we can talk generally about how to make use of these ports and some of the options available to you, so you can check on your own specific device to see what's…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Think smart lighting is limited to basic bulbs and LED strips? Govee proves otherwise with its unique, space-saving take on floor lamp smart lighting that actually brightens an entire room rather than acting as accent lighting. Available in three different colors, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 does everything from play music to set the mood—and right now, it's at its lowest price ever ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, dropping 25% to $119.99 (originally $159.99). Govee Floor Lamp 2 …

Spotify keeps adding new features lately. Last week, the company rolled out "Exclusive Mode" for desktop users to stream in the highest quality possible; last month, Spotify announced "Smart Reorder," which automatically sorts your songs by BPM; and in January, the company's AI-powered "Prompted Playlists" landed in the U.S. after an exclusive stint overseas. It's still not easy to pick a favorite among other services like Apple Music, but Premium subscribers can at least say Spotify is giving them something for their money. Now, the company is rolling out another new feature, one that actually seems like a cool way to learn about your music. On Tuesday, Spotify annou…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Two years ago, I reluctantly inherited a cat. The cat is both mine and not mine: Sky belongs to my daughter, who owns her in the way a pet can "belong" to a minor while an adult operates silently in the background, managing its costs and responsibilities. Chalking it up as an opportunity to teach my kid new skills, I rarely feed Sky, brush her coat, or clean her litter box. Instead, I chose the worse task of incessantly reminding a teenager to do them. If you have a cat, you're likely familiar with the challenges that come from a dirty litter box. And if you have a teenager, you know how frequently they can resist complet…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re building a cordless tool set for the first time, or replacing an older set that’s worn out, a combo kit is a good way to save money on several tools as well as batteries and chargers. Because batteries can be an expensive component to a cordless tool set, getting a kit that includes them is a good way to keep your costs down. If you’re trying out a new battery platform, you can expand your set as your needs change by adding new tools that will work with your existing batteries. Why the Milwaukee five-tool combo set is a good dealThe Milwau…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. One of the more practical early deals in Amazon’s Spring Sale is the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, now $16.99 (originally $34.99). That works out to about 51% off and marks its lowest price so far, according to price trackers. PCMag gave it an “outstanding” rating and called it the best 1080p media hub, which fits with how it performs—it doesn’t offer high-end specs but focuses on making an older TV feel current again without asking you to spend much. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon’s Spring Sale officially runs from March 25 through March 31, but a few early deals are already live, and some are worth paying attention to. One of them is the Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, 46mm) in a Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (M/L), now $429 (down from $529), which is its lowest price yet according to price trackers. If you prefer something dressier, the gold titanium version with a Milanese loop is also a $100 off, down to $699 from $799. Amazon is also testing one-hour and three-hour delivery in select locatio…

When setting up any new internet-connected device, don't stick with the default settings. Doing so introduces security risks, and it's also a less-than-optimal way to use the features available to you. If you have a Ring camera or doorbell, there are a whole host of changes you can make to minimize annoyance and maximize privacy. Snooze Motion Alerts when you're outsideMotion alerts are among the most useful features of any security camera, but you don't need a notification to your phone when you are the one moving around your property. You can snooze alerts in certain situations, such as when you're outside doing yard work or hosting a party. Global Snooze pauses alerts…

After years of integrating (read: shoving) Copilot into as many Windows apps as possible, Microsoft seems to have made a shocking discovery: users don't want Copilot crammed into as many Windows apps as possible. On Friday, Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's President of Windows & Devices, published a post on the official Windows Blog, walking readers through changes the company was making to Windows in response to user feedback. While Davuluri stopped short of saying the words "all this AI was a mistake," he did say, "What came through [from user feedback] was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better." So, now, we have a bunch of changes th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale have been surprisingly good so far, even though the sale is not supposed to start until this Wednesday, March 25. As is the case with other big Amazon sales, I'm going to make your life a little easier and highlight all the deals as our team covers them. All of our recommended deals have been vetted using price-tracking tools, so you can trust that the sales we're talking about are actually good deals, and not just hype designed to fool you. You can read more details about the spring sale here, like what to ex…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is a few days away, but the early deals are already popping off, making it a good time to score discounts on big-ticket items like laptops and tablets. Can’t decide between the two? Got both in one—and one of your best options is the Samsung 16” Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a highly portable laptop/tablet combo with a screen that flips back 360 degrees. Ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale, it’s down to $1,199.99, $500 off the original $1,699.99 and its lowest price ever, according to price trackers. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Euphoria might be the messiest show in existence—not only are its teenage characters dealing with epic levels of drama, trauma, and variously illegal activities, but the show’s production has been off the rails (season three was announced four years ago) even as the cast is beefing. Add in a chaotic approach to storytelling, and you have a show that seems to have been designed for our very online times. Season three finally arrives on April 12, and if that seems like a miracle to you, you might wonder how you’ll get your Euphoria fix after you've run out of new episodes. We’ve already suggested a bunch of streamalike shows…

Back in December, news outlets spotted Google messing with headlines on articles that appeared in Discover. As it happens, this was Google experimenting with AI-generated headlines; rather than show readers the headlines the outlets wrote themselves, Google's AI would take it upon itself to rewrite them. Why? According to Google, it was a "small UI experiment for a subset of Discover users" that "changes the placement of existing headlines to make topic details easier to digest." While those of us that actually write headlines would argue such an experiment isn't really necessary, Google apparently disagrees, as the experiment is now a feature. Articles in Google Search m…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Ever since the March Pixel feature drop, some Pixel watch users have been reporting that their step counts and calorie counts are off. An official fix isn’t out yet, but users have found a few approaches that seem to correct the numbers. Google Pixel Watch 4 (41 mm, LTE) $389.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $60.00 …

If you work from a laptop, your built-in webcam may suit you fine for video calls. But for those of us with external monitors, or laptops with subpar cameras, it's helpful (or necessary) to seek out dedicated, high-quality webcams. Before you drop hundreds of dollars on one from Amazon, just use your smartphone. Your iPhone or Android very likely has native webcam support that makes it easy to tap into the phone's camera for work or personal calls. I guarantee your phone has a better camera than your laptop—even if it's not quite as convenient to use. I was surprised to learn today, however, that Samsung Galaxy phones have not supported this feature. You've been able to …

In the wake of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the price of crude oil has risen sharply on the international market. Now, it's starting to impact gasoline and diesel prices in the U.S., with increases at the pump of as much as 30% in some areas. Gas prices are dynamic, \changing based on the day and even based on city or state lines. For example, the national average price for gas, according to AAA, is $3.96 as of today, March 2026. But in Iowa, the average was $3.33, and in Illinois, it was $4.17. If you're heading out to fill up the tank, it might help to do a bit of research first, so you can save some money in the process. Using dedicat…

WWDC 2026 is rapidly approaching. While Apple has a number of events throughout any given year, WWDC is one of two Apple keynotes that the tech community actively anticipates (the other being the iPhone fall event). This is Apple's chance to show off all of the software updates its been working on since the last WWDC—and all the features that come with them. This year, that likely means iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27. When is WWDC 2026?Apple announced on Monday that WWDC 2026 will kick off on Monday, June 8 and run through Friday, June 12. If you're used to watching a single keynote from past WWDCs, seeing that this year's event runs multiple days might come…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Almost everything we do digitally leaves a trace of some kind, and while it can be useful to look back on this past activity—when trying to remember where that great coffee shop you stumbled across is, perhaps—this continual logging and tracking doesn't really align with best privacy and security practices. Meet Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System), a Linux distro based on Debian that maximizes user security and privacy. It can run from a USB drive, which means you're able to plug it into any laptop or desktop with a free port (Mac or PC) and take it away again when you're done, with nothing left behind on the compute…

As usual, this week's collection of youth culture flotsam is all over the map. We got the surprising appearance of ancient Greek philosopher Socrates in AI-generated brainrot videos; a meme about winning at gambling that's becoming a meme about hypocrisy; an emoji that probably means something different than you think; and truly creative videos that, whew, don't use AI. Viral video of the week: Socrates and skeletonThe breakout star of viral videos this week is foundational Athenian philosopher Socrates, with his co-star, a living skeleton. In these AI -generated videos, the skeleton represents the viewer, and the idea is to illustrated hypothetical scenarios like "What …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon’s Spring Sale is set to kick off later this week, but some early discounts are already live. One worth paying attention to is the Insta360 X5 Essentials Bundle. Currently listed at $559.99 (originally $659.99), this is the lowest this bundle has ever reached, according to price trackers. It’s also worth noting that PCMag gave the X5 an “outstanding” rating and named it the best action camera of 2025. That context makes the $100 discount feel more meaningful, especially since this bundle already includes most of what you need to get started, i…