Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple products are expensive for a reason: they're good. But that doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg to get Apple brand stuff. Apple's "Special Edition" (SE) watch models for us mere mortals are more budget-friendly, but they still have competitive features. If you've been eyeing an Apple Watch look no further than the 2nd Generation GPS Apple Watch SE, starting at $169.99 (originally $249) at Walmart. The bigger 44mm size is available for $199 (originally $279). …

Sora, OpenAI's short-form AI video platform, has been available for iPhones for the past few weeks. Users have spent that time generating hyper-realistic vertical videos that, despite their watermarks, might already be fooling people on the internet. I, for one, see nothing good about a tool that can make these types of videos from simple prompts, perhaps outside the sheer novelty alone. But the app is undeniably popular, and, as expected, OpenAI is continuing to "improve" it. On Wednesday, the head of Sora, Bill Peebles, shared a roadmap of updates coming to the app, from cameos for your pets to video editing tools. Sora will soon let you make cameos of anything you wa…

The Spotify app is currently experiencing crashes and freezing on Android, the company has acknowledged after about two weeks of pressure from listeners. A fix is purportedly on the way, but in the meantime, there are a few steps you can take to get your music going. Reports of problems with the Android Spotify app first started on the Spotify help forums, although they have since spread to social media as well. Those affected complain that the app either freezes when opening, or crashes midway through listening. Others mention that problems only pick up when connecting to wifi—Spotify has since confirmed that "the issue doesn't occur while using mobile data." According t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Fire TV sticks have one advantage over every other streaming stick: They're owned by Amazon, which means they're more likely to get discounted. Right now, for instance, you can get Amazon's best streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, for $39.99 (originally $59.99). Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) $39.99 …

Breaches are an unfortunate reality of the digital era. Chances are, some of the companies you trust your data to are going to get hacked, and sensitive information stored on those servers is going to leak. If you've been online for a long time, that means quite a bit of your data is floating around various corners of the internet. While there isn't one centralized database for all the stolen credentials on the web, one researcher has compiled quite a large database, that you can check to see if your email address is affected. 183 million email addresses Cybersecurity researcher Synthient has compiled a massive database of stolen credentials from sources across the intern…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re in the market for a new mesh router that’s smart-home ready and has a minimalist appearance, the Google Nest Wifi Pro is currently down to $121.14 (originally $199.99). At a nearly 40% discount, this system offers comprehensive, high-speed coverage for anyone dealing with dead spots or spotty wifi. Google Nest Wifi Pro $121.14 …

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 eyeing a big-screen upgrade without blowing past your budget, the Vizio 65-inch 4K UHD LED Smart TV (V4K65M-08) might just be the solution you need. It’s currently $348 at Walmart (down from $428)—a solid deal for a name-brand 65-inch TV that supports 4K, Dolby Vision, and HDR10. VIZIO V Series 65" 4K HDR Full Array LED Smart TV (V4K65M-0804) …

Over the past few months, I felt overwhelmed by all the changes going on in my life—and the things I need to do because of and for them. I've been providing administrative help to my partner as he opens a new business, managing professional expansions of my own, studying for a certification exam, overseeing renovations to my apartment, and restructuring my finances while still keeping up with my regular jobs and responsibilities. For a while, I was waking up tired before the day even started despite the fact that most of these boil down to never-ending, tedious, but little tasks like "send that email," "return that phone call," "confirm that account number," and "pick a p…

Throughout my academic and professional journeys, one thing has remained my constant ally: Google Docs. Not only is having all your documents available no matter where you are helpful, but the software itself is surprisingly versatile and intricate. I have used it for over 15 years to manage basically my entire life. I have never encountered anything I couldn’t do with Google Docs, from signing a contract to seamlessly working with huge groups of collaborators. There are other, smaller hacks for the word processor that you may not even know about, though, whether you're a student or not. Google Docs hacks for essays and notesSo much of schoolwork centers on writing, from…

OpenAI has officially entered the browser wars. On Tuesday, the company announced Atlas, a new web browser with ChatGPT integration. At the moment, it's Mac-only, but I wouldn't recommend even my Apple friends jumping on board immediately—at least not without understanding the underlying risks. Atlas' AI web browsing If you've already used other AI browsers, like Perplexity's Comet, Atlas is going to feel familiar. In fact, that's also likely true if you've used any web browser before: Atlas is built on Chromium, the engine that powers browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. That means the core mechanics of Atlas are fairly standard; there's nothi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you've been waiting to get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy XR virtual reality headset, now's your moment: The device is available to order now on Samsung's or Google's website for $1,799 and orders are scheduled to arrive Nov. 4. To offset the price, the Galaxy XR comes with a free year of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, and Google Play Pass. Built in partnership with Google and Qualcomm, the Galaxy XR features dual, 4K micro-OLED screens delivering 27 million pixels total and 100-degree horizontal field of view, all powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip and packed into a lightweight (1.2 pounds) form factor. …

If you've ever had to drink an extra cup of coffee the next day to make up for a scrolling spiral watching TikTok videos or YouTube Shorts, we have something in common. As a safeguard to keep us from scrolling on and on (and on) into the wee hours of the morning, YouTube's adding a system to limit the amount of Shorts a user watches in a day—but it's a little less strict than what exists on other apps. Still, it's better than nothing. Once you have the update, you'll be able to set your limit under Settings, although YouTube hasn't specified the specific steps yet. I assume it'll be under the General tab (I don't have the feature yet), but I've reached out to YouTube for …

If you're looking to buy a new iPhone 17 this year, not only do you have a number of models to consider, you also have a number of colors to choose from. But some users who opted for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are claiming that the color they picked isn't the color they see today. According to these users, their iPhones have changed color over the short period of time they've owned them. Obviously, the internet has dubbed the issue "colorgate." Apple is no stranger to "gates," of course, especially when it comes to the iPhone: There was "antennagate," when the iPhone 4's redesigned antennas reported caused cellular connection issues; "bendgate," when the iPhone 6 P…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Beats' Studio series has been around for years—their over-the-ear design, ANC, and more premium build and features set them apart from other Beats earphones. The Beats Studio3 are not the newest model (they came out in 2017) but they are still plenty good headphones in 2025, especially at their current price of $89 (originally $349.99). Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Do you love the idea of running—getting outdoors, burning calories, building cardio fitness—but you wish you could do it without, you know, running? Try walking with a weighted pack instead, an activity that’s become known as "rucking." Some fitness watches even support tracking your pack weight alongside your mileage. What is rucking?Rucking means walking or hiking with a weighted pack. It’s the fitness version of what they do in the military: marching long distances while carrying supplies in a rucksack. (Rucksack, rucking, get it?) When you ruck as part of a fitness routine, you probably won’t carry hiking or military …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you track a strength training workout on a fitness watch, that watch will happily tell you what heart rate zones you were in during the workout. In fact, they'll do that for any workout, whether it makes sense or not. So you might be tempted to interpret this data in terms of the benefits of zone 2 training. If my heart rate is in zone 2 when I’m lifting weights, that means I just did an hour of zone 2 training, right? Unfortunately, no. Heart rate zones only apply to cardioZones are meaningless for strength training, but to understand why, we have to go back to the reason zones were invented in the first place: to gi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I've been a fan of Soundcore's Sleep A20 earbuds since I first put them on to go to sleep over a year ago. I've never experienced earbuds that feel so comfortable when sleeping on your side. But that model was missing one crucial feature: ANC. The new Sleep A30 earbuds have taken care of that, and more—and despite their recent release this past August, they're already discounted. Right now, you can get them for $193.99 (originally $229.99), the lowest price ever, according to price tracking tools. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve ever wanted to bring festival energy to your living room or backyard, the JBL PartyBox 110 comes pretty close. Right now, a restored, like-new unit is available at Walmart for $299.96. This professionally refurbished version still comes backed by Walmart’s 90-day free return policy. It has been inspected, tested, and cleaned by a certified Walmart seller to meet strict performance standards. You might see tiny cosmetic marks, but functionally, it works just like new and delivers the same punchy sound JBL’s known for. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Since its release 2023, the Boox Palma e-reader—and its successor, the Palma 2—has sown confusion. It's the same size and shape as a cell phone and it has an e-ink screen, but it isn't an e-ink phone, because it doesn't have a SIM card slot or eSIM. Well, today Boox's parent company, the Chinese device-maker Onyx International, announced the new Palma 2 Pro, and things aren't getting any less opaque. As I wrote about last month when the new device was first rumored, the Palma 2 Pro does have a SIM card slot, but it still isn't really a phone—while it can handle mobile data (meaning browsing the internet, streaming video, r…

The phrase “get ready with me!” sends shivers down my spine. Somewhere between the gratitude journal and the seventh supplement of the morning, "wellness" stopped being a refuge and became another item on an impossible to-do list. And when I don’t accomplish the items on my to-do list, I’ve introduced a new way to feel failure in my daily life. I’m burning out trying to prevent burnout; I’m anxious about not doing enough anxiety-reducing practices; I’m tired from all my “energy-boosting” protocols. All the self-care that’s supposed to leave me “restored” is utterly depleting me. I’ve reached a paradox of wellness culture, and I can't be alone. The surveillance state of s…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. To the disappointment of Judgment Day fans, The Rapture did not happen as predicted at the end of September, but keep your fingers crossed for November, when aliens are expected to invade. This one's a way more concrete prediction than the Rapture. Unlike Jesus, we can actually see the alien starship in our telescopes, cleverly disguised as an interstellar comet. And it's not just conspiracy theorists or Joe Rogan Podcast guests sounding the alarm—a Harvard astrophysicist kicked off the whole thing. So hold on to your butt! The ballad of 3I/ATLASBack in July, NASA spotted 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet about the size of M…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Right now, black JBL Live 460NC on-ear headphones are down to $39.99 (originally $129.95), offering a nearly 70% discount on this long-lasting, noise-cancelling alternative to in-ear buds from a reliable brand with free shipping. JBL Live 460NC Noise Cancelling On-Ear Headphones $39.99 at Walmart …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon's most expensive e-reader (technically, the Kindle Scribe is more of an e-note), but that doesn't automatically make it the best Kindle. In fact, if you mostly use your Kindle for novels or even black-and-white manga rather than color comics or picture books, the Colorsoft will actively make that content look worse. While I've been banging this drum about color e-readers for a while, you don't have to take my word for it: Amazon actually used to warn buyers about this too, but has since taken that warning down. As far back as February, according to a page saved by The Internet Archive, Amazon…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Whether it's the start of a new semester, midway through one you don't feel you're doing great in, finals season, or just an era of your life where you want to learn something new, studying is the only way to truly retain information. There are all kinds of ways to study, but cramming won't cut it if you're genuinely trying to add something to your long-term memory. Here are the best methods and techniques to help you learn. A heads up, though: Most of these work best when you're writing things down. Don't try to do these in your head or even digitally on your computer if you can help it; writing with a pen and paper give…

If you don’t like Halloween, we can’t be friends. I don’t care whether you celebrate with a drunken costume party, pumpkin carving, door-to-door candy begging, or a more personal observance like watching horror movies alone, but respect must be paid to the awesomest of all holidays. But where did Halloween come from, and how did it end up like the modern holiday we now celebrate? The origins of Halloween are surprisingly slippery. Oct. 31 is next door to a Christian religious holiday, and it's around "harvest time," which might generally explain the date, but no one really knows why we put on costumes and beg for candy. There are a ton of theories describing how modern H…