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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices an…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. It's Cyber Monday, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices an…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's Cyber Monday, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. I love using e-readers to re…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's Cyber Monday, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. There are still a few hours l…

The internet is many things, but for many of us, it is far from private. By choosing to engage with the digital world, you often must give up your anonymity: trackers watch your every move as your surf the web and scroll on social media sites, and they use that information to build profiles of who (and where) you are and deliver you more "relevant" ads. It doesn't have to be this way. There are a number of tactics that can help keep your browsing private. You can use a VPN to make it look like your internet activity is coming from somewhere else; if you use Safari, you can take advantage of Private Relay to hide your IP address from websites you visit; or, you can connect…

I can be motivated to do just about anything if an app offers me a badge or "streak," which I've made abundantly clear in various reviews here on Lifehacker. When it comes to the apps I use to stay on top of my health and fitness, that's true to an extent, although I also derive at least a little of my satisfaction from actually, you know, working out. As likely as I am to get up and exercise on an average day, getting some kind of digital reward makes me all the more excited, which has been true the past four days as Peloton rolled out its Holiday 2025 challenge. It's a simple challenge, but one you might be interested in if you're also encouraged by celebratory pixels o…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Opening presents is supposed to be fun. And while everyone has their own idea of what constitutes fun, no one likes a gift that is too functional or boring. This may be why you don't often consider gifting educational goods. However, there are plenty of gifts that are can challenge or enrich your giftee in some way—and which are decidedly not boring. Here are 10 suggestions to get you started. The best educational gifts for kidsGetting an educational gift for a kid is tricky business. When I was about six, my mom kept hyping up a Christmas present she was so excited for me to open, she actually made me open it early, on t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Earbuds don’t usually get major design overhauls, but the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro make a clear break from earlier models. This new version leans into a more angular, stemmed shape that feels closer to the AirPods silhouette, complete with small customizable LEDs that add a bit of personality. With today’s drop to $159.99 from $249.99, you’re getting a premium pair for $90 off its regular price. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro AI True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds …

The update screen is a normal occurrence on Windows machines, so of course hackers are now manipulating it to sneak malware onto devices. The scheme, a recent iteration of a ClickFix attack, is designed to trick you into executing a dangerous command under the guise of completing a "critical security update." But what you're actually doing is installing an infostealer that hands data over to bad actors. When a Windows update pop-up is actually a ClickFix attackClickFix is a social engineering ploy that uses tactics like fake error messages, CAPTCHA forms, and command prompts to deliver malware to your device. As PCMag reports, the Windows update scam is a pop-up that loo…

In the long-running Android vs. iOS competition, iPhones have historically had the edge in terms of parental controls: They've been a bit more straightforward and intuitive, and easier for caregivers to understand and manage. Apple does many things well, and getting its apps and devices working seamlessly together is definitely one of them. Google, however, is gradually improving the experience for parents, with a batch of updates earlier this year, and now some more changes as part of a significant Android 16 upgrade. The latest changes mean more controls can be accessed on your kids' devices. What's new in Android 16The usual Android caveat applies here: Each Android ph…

Take a look at the top of this article. See that headline? If it looks different than what you clicked on to get to this page, congratulations: Google might have chosen you to participate in its latest AI experiment: rewriting news headlines for some users in Google Discover. Evidence of the new effort was first spotted by The Verge, as it seems writer Sean Hollister was affected by the update. Here's what's going on: When you swipe right on your Pixel or Galaxy home screen (or scroll down in the Google app on iPhone, or open up a new Chrome browser window with Google as your homepage), there's now a chance the article previews you'll see from Google Discover were actuall…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The best deal of Cyber Monday is back: The Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World bundle, is back at Amazon after running out of stock very quickly. (It's also in stock at Walmart.) The deal includes the new console with the new Mario Kart for the same price as the standalone console. You can get this one for $449 (down from $499)—the lowest price it has reached yet, according to price-tracking tools. (Note that you can only see the price once you've signed in and it's in your cart, as Nintendo restricts retailers from promoting anything below the …

Raycast is one of the best things to happen to Windows. It brings one of my favorite Mac apps to Microsoft's operating system. In fact, I've enjoyed using Raycast for Windows so much, I can't see myself going back to the non-Raycast life. This app is free to download and use, though there is an optional paid subscription for those who want certain additional features. What is Raycast? Credit: Pranay Parab At its heart, Raycast is an app that lets you search for apps and files stored in your computer. It stays hidden until you …

Bank impersonation is a popular scam tactic, and one I've written about a lot. Fraudsters prey on people's fear, confusion, and desire to protect their money, which may lead targets to hand over login credentials, make irreversible wire transfers, or provide other sensitive information without stopping to question their actions. Android users in the U.S. will soon have extra protection against scams targeting their financial apps, preventing threat actors impersonating bank representatives from accessing data on their devices. Google's in-call scam protection is designed to prevent users from sharing their screens with threat actors and help them avoid revealing their ba…

Love it or hate it, there's one thing that ChatGPT avoids that many other tech products include right now: ads. Everything from websites, streaming services, and games ship with ads—either as a subsidized choice, or as a requirement. Chatbots like ChatGPT, however, have so far managed without this ad model, which is somewhat refreshing. The chatbot might lower your critical thinking skills, but it won't try to get you to buy something. That might not be the case for long, however. Over the past week, reports have been circulating about OpenAI's plans to incorporate ads into ChatGPT. These aren't just based on rumors and conjecture, either: Engineer Tibor Blaho spotted ref…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The latest AirPods 4 dropped to a record low price during Black Friday last week, and after restocking, they're back on Amazon (and even slightly cheaper). The ANC AirPods 4 are $99 (originally $179.99) after a 45% discount. This is the lowest price they've ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds …

New products tend to add features, not take them away. That isn't always the case with Apple, however. The company has a long history of removing functions from one generation of devices to the next, whether that's removing the disc drive from its MacBooks back in 2012, or taking away the iPhone's Home button in 2017. Some of these changes are good, some are controversial, while others are undone altogether: MagSafe and HDMI both found their way back to MacBooks after all. It's not often I hear about Apple removing software features from one generation of product to the next, however. So, imagine my surprise when I saw a number of headlines this morning asserting that the…

Yesterday, Apple unveiled release candidates (RCs) for its slate of upcoming updates. An RC, as the name implies, is the version of a software update Apple intends to release to the general public. Before it rolls out, though, Apple sends the update out to beta testers to see if there are any bugs or glitches that need addressing. If not, these are the updates that will hit your Apple devices sometime this month. That includes watchOS 26.2, Apple's latest OS for its line of smartwatches. While there aren't nearly as many new features and changes in this update as there were in watchOS 26 proper, there are still some key things to highlight in this RC. In fact, as noted b…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. A major component of productivity is prioritizing your daily responsibilities and addressing them in an order that makes sense, which is why to-do lists are so important. Usually, I suggest using the Eisenhower Matrix, which helps you visually sort tasks according to how urgent and important they are, but there is another way: The ABCDE method, which comes from Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy. Obviously, eating the frog—or doing your biggest, most demanding task first each day—is one way to tackle the day’s duties, but structuring out how you’ll do the res…

After writing about productivity and organization for the past few years, I understand better than most that the vast majority of the advice you'll get about working more efficiently asks you to carefully schedule your day, plan out the exact type and number of tasks you're going to do, and be diligent to the point of near-militancy—literally. I also know better than anyone else what works for me, personally—and it usually looks like nothing so meticulous. Assiduous preplanning and scheduling can be beneficial for a lot of people, but there is no universally effective productivity technique. If the intricate routes aren't working for you or you simply find yourself overw…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Let's face it: Secret Santa exchanges can be a minefield of disappointing, forgettable gifts. It's tough to shop for someone when you know that gift is going to be opened in front of all your friends, family, or coworkers at some holiday party. Then there's the price limit to contend with—a good gift exchange should keep it under $20, but some creep closer to the $50 range. What's the best way to win at Secret Santa without breaking the bank, or bending the rules? The name of the game for any gift exchange is to get something I call "strategically eccentric." You need to find something quirky and unique, so that you have …

You may have a keen eye for spotting scams, but fraudsters are finding new ways to weaponize trusted systems to avoid detection. For example, threat actors are generating real Apple support tickets to phish two-factor authentication (2FA) codes and gain access to iCloud accounts. The scheme, detailed on Medium by a security researcher and software product manager Eric Moret, shows how social engineering tactics can sow just enough fear and confusion to trick even those who know the red flags. (The money transfer scam that conned a financial advice columnist out of $50,000 is another example.) How scammers are exploiting Apple's support systemThe Apple support scam start…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you missed out on all the best headphone deals during Black Friday, there are still some bargains to be found, including on these JBL Tune 770NC wireless headphones, currently $80 from Amazon, 47% off the usual $150 price tag. They’re a solid choice for anyone seeking over-ear headphones with decent noise cancellation and that signature JBL sound. JBL Tune 770NC Wireless Headphones …

Not every productivity method works for every person. That's why there are so many out there, and it's also why you need to spend time figuring out which ones might work for you, even if you have to alter or adapt them a little bit. When you're facing down an unusually big or overwhelming task, the traditional methods that you usually rely on may not be helpful. Why not try a one-two punch, combining two I like a lot to make it easier? The "one bite" techniqueFirst, let's try the one-bite technique. This takes a little pre-planning, but can help you out when a task feels daunting. Grab a piece of paper (or use a digital document) and write down your task. Let's say it's l…