Setting Up Your Home Office

The real 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a saying that asserts 80% of outcomes come from 20% of all causes. You can use it to organize your to-do list, among other things. But to many young men, 80/20 means something very different. Young men are not alright. Masculinity is growing more toxic by the day. Online incel communities are growing, and the most receptive audience to poisonous ideas about gender seems to be children. This week's column isn't going to be fun: I'm explaining one of the guiding principles of the incel movement, and discussing a TikToker devoted to changing her red pill son's mind. And I can't talk about toxic masculinity without …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 is $299.99 on Amazon right now, reduced from its usual $399.99. Acer Chromebook Plus 514 $299.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $100.00 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Sonos brand is well known in the smart speaker and surround sound space. And very much like Apple, people will pay a premium price for their minimalistic, premium quality, and discounts are often hard to come by. But today, the Sonos Arc, which was Sonos' flagship soundbar prior to the launch of the Sonos Arc Ultra, is $599, $300 off its usual $899 price. It's also a record low price for this model, according to price-tracking tools. …

If you're a gamer, beware a new malware that's pretending to be an ASUS utility. CoffeeLoader impersonates Armoury Crate, which manages ASUS and ROG software and peripherals, and infects your Windows machine with an infostealer that's nearly impossible to detect. How CoffeeLoader malware works According to an analysis by ZScaler, once on your system, the CoffeeLoader malware delivers the Rhadamanthys infostealer, which can extract credentials from applications like web browsers, email clients, crypto wallets, and even the password manager KeePass. CoffeeLoader then manages to evade most security tools on your device, including antivirus software and malware detectors, ma…

Even if you don't use a PC, you probably know about the Blue Screen of Death (or BSOD). This iconic error screen has been a core component of Windows since the OS' first version (though it looked a bit more like something out of The Matrix back then). The BSOD isn't something you necessarily want to see—especially if you're Bill Gates showing off a new version of Windows—as it means some factor has crashed your system, and now your PC needs to restart. However, soon enough, when you do see it, you might not actually recognize it. As it happens, Microsoft is changing the look of the BSOD. The company announced the redesign in a Friday post on the Windows Insider blog. (Th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you like to buy in bulk or just want one less thing to worry about during weekly errands, this sale might be worth the look: You can get a one-year membership to Sam's Club for $25 right now on StackSocial. It's half the usual price, but the catch is that it’s only for new members in the U.S. If you're eligible, though, the sale opens up access to warehouse prices on groceries, household staples, electronics, furniture, and even tires. It’s not just bulk cereal and 40-roll packs of paper towels anymore—there’s a surprising amount of variety on th…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Oura Advisor, an AI feature formerly tucked away in Oura’s beta testing program, is now rolling out to all Oura Ring customers. It takes the form of a chatbot that you can start a conversation with at any time from within the Oura app—plus the Advisor promises to “check in” with you daily, weekly, or three times a week, depending on what you request. But do you actually want it to do any of those things? What does the Oura Advisor do? Credit: Beth Skawrecki Honestly, this s…

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 waiting for a low-stakes opportunity to buy an iPad, this $159.99 bundle on StackSocial could check enough boxes. It includes a refurbished 7th-gen Apple iPad (2019) with 32GB of storage and wifi in Space Gray, plus a pair of refurbished Beats Flex headphones. The refurbished condition means it’s been tested and certified to work as expected, though you might spot some cosmetic wear. You’re also getting a solid handful of accessories—a case, screen protector, stylus, charger, and cable—all generic but usable. This isn’t the newest iPa…

Making a pizzeria-quality pizza at home is completely achievable, but it does take a little bit of know-how to make this happen. You can read my nine tips to get started, but you should know that there’s one very special tip on that list. Doing this one thing makes a huge impact on your pizza, requires literally no work on your end, and costs no money. In short: You should be aging your pizza dough. I do it every time I make pizza now and I haven’t looked back. Homemade pizza makes for a fun, shareable family dinner, but I actually love making personal pizzas for lunch. I’ll buy a pound of pizza dough from Trader Joe’s or Shoprite and cut it into four equal parts. I wra…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We all know that renovating and remodeling a house is expensive. An average kitchen renovation costs more than $27,000, and a bathroom will run you more than $25,000 even if your plans are relatively modest. A lot of that cost is labor, which runs anywhere from $20 to $150 per hour depending on the trade involved and the specific contractor. If you’re looking to save some money on your home project, doing it yourself is one of the most obvious ways to go. But there are other, less obvious ways you can trim costs on your DIY renovation or remodel. To save money on a house project, it’s not always about buying cheaper materi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're looking for a MacBook without dropping over a grand, this refurbished 13" 2020 Apple MacBook Air is going for $439.99 on StackSocial right now. That’s a fraction of the original price, and it comes with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 processor. It’s not the latest and greatest, but it holds up surprisingly well for students, freelancers, or anyone who needs a decent everyday laptop for web browsing, emails, documents, and streaming. You’re also getting that bright 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone, whic…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Kodak Printomatic Mini Instant Print Camera is about the size of a power bank, light enough to toss in your pocket, and quick to fire up when something photo-worthy happens. You snap, it prints, and you get a little sticker photo you can slap on your scrapbook, phone case, bedroom wall, or wherever you want. There are no cables, ink cartridges, or waiting for an app to sync—you can just point, shoot, and print, and it's on sale for $59.99 on StackSocial right now. It's obviously more of a playful gift or party gadget than something you’d use for…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I've been testing portable projectors for a bunch of different use cases, but few, if any, have come close to the complete package offered by the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro. It's my favorite of the lot, and right now, you can get the XGIMI MoGo 3 Pro portable projector for $379 )down from $449.99) and get your choice of the Creative Optical Filter (normally $49.99) or the XGIMI Carrying Case (normally $69.99). Alternately, you can spend a bit more and get the PowerBase Stand and projector combo for $424.99 (originally $499.99). Whichever you choose, you'll b…

If you're expecting money from T-Mobile, there's good news: Your check should be just about on its way. As spotted by PCMag, T-Mobile's data breach settlement page now reports the following: "All court proceedings are now complete. The distribution of settlement payments is expected to begin April 2025." So long as payments roll out on time, claimants can expect their checks to start shipping out sometime this month. Why was T-Mobile sued?These payments are tied to a class-action lawsuit from an August 2021 data breach. Hackers stole information from tens of million of current and former T-Mobile customers, including first and last names, birth dates, Social Security nu…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If your current Windows setup is feeling a bit outdated or you’re setting up a brand-new PC, you might want to check out this Microsoft Windows 11 Pro deal on StackSocial—you can get this single-device lifetime license for just $15, which would usually cost you $200 at the Microsoft Store. Once you buy, the redemption code and setup instructions hit your inbox instantly. That said, make sure your system is eligible before you hit purchase. This isn’t an upgrade path for unsupported PCs—it’s a fresh install for machines that meet the full list of Win…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re a Mac user who just wants the classic Microsoft Office experience without the whole subscription situation, this $42.99 deal on Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac might be worth your attention. Normally priced at $229, it’s a one-time purchase that gives you lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams Classic on just one Mac. That’s it—no monthly fees, renewals, or ongoing charges. You’ll get an instant email with your redemption code and download link, so you can be up and running within minutes.…

Today is April 1, April Fools’ Day, the annual holiday that celebrates pranking, hoaxes, and all manner of horseplay and tomfoolery. But why? Where did this faux holiday come from? Why do we do this to each other, and when will we finally just stop? These are surprisingly tricky questions, and April Fools' Day has been around for a surprisingly long time. As far back as 1708, the British newspaper Apollo asked, “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?” and provided unconvincing answers. So we know the April Fools' tradition goes back centuries, but the exact origins of the holiday are still a mystery. There are theories, but they all reek faintly of bullshit. A…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re someone who reads every night before bed and doesn’t mind a few scuffs, this refurbished 2019 Kindle Oasis deal might be worth a look. It’s going for $129.99 on Woot (for the next 30 days or until it sells out), which is a steal for the 32GB model—especially considering a refurbished 8GB model is going for $119.99 on Amazon (and brand-new ones usually push past $250). Just a heads-up, since this is a scratch and dent unit, it's not going to look fresh out of the box (expect light scuffs and small dings). That said, it's been tested and cer…

Web browsers collect a lot of data and share it with the sites we visit, so if you're concerned about your privacy, it's worth wondering which browsers are best for keeping our online habits to ourselves. Whether you're an activist concerned about surveillance, someone doing research in a country where your topic can get you in trouble, or simply a person who doesn't want spying eyes on their search history, using a more private browser can be one of the simplest steps you can take towards less worry. I spoke to William Budington, a Senior Staff Technologist on The Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Public Interest Team, and Janet Vertesi, an Associate Professor of So…

Take a moment to list all the digital accounts you've signed up for, and it's probably more than you realized: email, social media, banking, streaming services, cloud storage, music, gaming, and fitness...it adds up. But using the same login credentials for every service is a bad idea, and if you reuse passwords across accounts, let me summarize the simplest advice you should take away from this article: You shouldn't. But, of course, it's nearly impossible to remember as many unique usernames and secure passwords as you need for your various accounts. That's where password managers come in. Password managers hide your various login credentials behind one main username an…

When venturing out into the wilds of the modern web, many people now make use of a VPN, or a Virtual Private Network. These software packages have been around for decades as ways of securely connecting to private networks remotely, but the term is now more commonly used to refer to third-party VPN services that act as intermediaries between your devices and the internet at large. The idea behind VPNs is they keep you and your data safer while you're browsing, with a trade-off in terms of speed (though the best VPNs will aim to minimize the hit on download and upload transfer rates). If you're wondering what exactly a VPN is, how these services work, and whether or not you…

When you use the internet on your laptop, tablet, or phone, your browser stores information about the sites you visit and how you engage with them to improve loading speed and personalize your browsing. Caching is one of these processes. Here's how it works and why you should consider clearing it regularly. What exactly is a browser cache?Your browser cache is a temporary storage area for elements of websites you visit, like images, fonts, and code. When you first visit a website, your browser downloads and stores that data locally to load the next time you navigate back to that site. When you come back, your browser first checks the cache for an existing page version, b…

The average website seems to have more ads than content. There's the banner at the top, the square in the sidebar, and in most cases, a few auto-playing video ads thrown in for good measure. Ad blockers can help clean things up, but experts say that installing an ad blocker does more than make the internet less cluttered: They can also help you stay safe online. Ad blockers can protect you from scamsIn a perfect world, outright scammers and cybercriminals would not be able to buy ads from massively profitable search engines. However, we do not live in a perfect world. "Criminals have started buying ad space," said Kim Key, senior security analyst for our sister site PCMa…

Google has pushed out a shiny new AI model in the form of Gemini 2.5 Pro, albeit with an experimental label next to it—and it's available for free, so you don't need to subscribe to Gemini Advanced to get it. As with many recent AI model releases, the "reasoning" capabilities of the model are said to be the biggest upgrade here. In artificial intelligence terms, reasoning means answers that are more thoroughly worked through. That should produce fewer mistakes, more logical responses, and a better appreciation of "context and nuance" according to Google. This capability for extra "thought" will now come as standard in future Google models. The Pro (Experimental) release i…