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. If you’ve been holding off on a video doorbell because it usually costs too much, now’s a good time to reconsider. The Ring Battery Doorbell, in satin nickel or Venetian bronze, is currently $59.99 (down from $99.99)—the lowest it’s ever been, according to price trackers. Ring Battery Doorbell $59.99 at Amazon …

Google has issued another round of significant AI model announcements, upgrading its Gemini offerings across the board to bring users and developers artificial intelligence engines that are, according to the company, more capable and reliable. In the wake of DeepSeek's rise and new OpenAI models, the pace of AI development isn't slowing down. First up, the Gemini 2.0 Flash model that appeared in December for a select few is now rolling out to everyone, so you'll see it in the Gemini apps on desktop and mobile (this actually began appearing last week, so you may have already used it). The Flash models are designed to be faster and more lightweight, without too many perform…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. Casseroles, soups, cakes, pastas, and roasts—many cookbooks give us plenty of ideas to feed a family of four or a crowd of 12. I don’t run across as many recipes made for only two people. As much as I appreciate leftovers, I feel tethered to those containers in my fridge, which is one of the reasons I chose to spotlight Table for Two this week. Yes, Valentine…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you want to read more books but don't have the time to actually sit down and stare at a page of text, audiobooks are a great alternative. You can listen to them on your commute, while you’re lounging around on vacation, or while you’re completing boring tasks around the house. Audiobooks used to be expensive and cumbersome, but digital subscription services has made them all too easy. A subscription to one of them is among the best ways to maximize your listening experience, as they'll give you access to a ton of books at once. Amazon-owned Audible is unquestionably the leader in this space, but they are far from your o…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you missed the chance to grab a new TV during recent Prime Day or Black Friday sales, the Super Bowl is your next best shot at scoring a deep discount. Plenty of TVs from the top brands are on sale right now, and you still have time to get them before the game on Sunday, Feb. 9. (Note: Some models may not be available in your part of the country.) The best deals on TVs under 45 inchesDon't be distracted by the fact that TVs keep getting bigger and bigger. If your living room isn't huge, or you don't have wall space, a massive TV isn't better. 40…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Cleaning can be overwhelming to everyone at some point—and creating a habit or schedule you'll actually stick to can be a big part of the problem. As is this case with other tasks like decluttering and organizing, though, one way to break through the procrastination is by finding the method that works best for you. Here are five of my favorites for you to try. The FlyLady technique, for stress-free cleaningThe FlyLady cleaning method, popularized by organizational guru Marla Cilley, is all about getting into a soothing, easy cleaning routine that won't stress you out. To tap into the usefulness of this method, break your h…

Not all apps are safe. It's why I always recommend downloading apps from official app stores, like the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, rather than a random website: Apple and Google both have policies to scan for malware and stop them before reaching app stores. But neither company is perfect, and apps infected with malware end up on official app marketplaces more often that we'd like to think. These apps usually pop up on the Play Store more than the App Store given that Apple is extremely strict, but that doesn't mean the App Store is impervious to malware—it definitely happens, and we've covered it before. In fact, researchers just found a batch of apps containing…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you tend to get overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning your house, here’s some good news: One of the best cleaning methods out there is designed for people like you. Called the 20/10 rule, it’s been around for a few years, but has really withstood the test of time because of its simplicity and how effective it is. What is the 20/10 method of cleaning?The 20/10 method comes from Rachel Hoffman’s 2017 book, Unf*ck Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess. The title is at once bracing and comforting, just what you need as motivation to clean your place and keep it clean. While the book goes into a lot of detail about al…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Once mold starts taking over your bathroom, it’s not easy to get rid of. If the growth is alarming, paying to have it cleaned can cost hundreds of dollars, but it’s often worth it because getting rid of mold can be challenging (and exhausting). Your best move is to prevent mold from taking root in the first place, which usually involves reducing dampness and being vigilant with cleaning. A better approach might be to design a mold-free bathroom from the get-go. If you’re considering renovating your bathroom, you can choose materials and make design decisions that will make it a lot harder for mold to take up residence. Go …

Your clothing and accessories can either clog up your closet for free or go out there, get a job, and earn its keep: I recently found an app that helps you to rent out your clothes and accessories (and borrow other people's), and maybe even help you declutter in the long run. Let me explain why I love Pickle. What does Pickle do?As I have explained, I have a low threshold when it comes to what will inspire me to download an app. Typically, I see an ad, tap on the App Store link, and install on sight. The other day, I saw an ad for one called Pickle, which is a peer-to-peer clothing and accessory rental service—like DoorDash for fashion. I attempted to download it only to…

If you’ve ever felt like you were duped by overpaying for something that was advertised as a “great deal,” you’re in the right place. It’s easy to get caught up in frenzied online shopping holidays like Black Friday or Prime Day, especially when retailers are known for sneaking price hikes before major “sales” or deceiving shoppers with tricks to spend more than you intended to. Figuring out the best time to buy something requires constant watch over ever-fluctuating online prices and some knowledge of how prices have changed in the past. As a shopping and deal writer, that is what I do for a living, and I know how time-consuming it can be. Luckily, you don’t have to fig…

Whether it's because of dietary restrictions, because you accidentally left them off the grocery list, or—I don't know—the price tag got too high, eggless desserts are a great thing to have in your baking arsenal. While you can try and replicate puddings, cakes, custards, and meringues with vegan ingredients, they can sometimes come up short when compared to the original. Luckily, there are many desserts that don’t call for any eggs to begin with. Never did. Here are my favorite egg-free desserts that are sure to satisfy every sweet tooth at your table. Strawberry shortcake …

Back in December, OpenAI rolled out a new way to chat with ChatGPT: You can reach out to the generative AI by calling 1-800-CHATGPT (no, really)—or, if you have WhatsApp, you can text that same number to share what's on your mind. While many of ChatGPT's distinct features were missing, the core of the experience was still present. You text or ask ChatGPT something out loud, and the bot responds in kind. For WhatsApp users, that largely feels like texting a friend—only, that friend happens to respond right away with a detailed response generated entirely by AI. (We all have one of those friends, right?) Now, less than two months after rolling out this new way to contact …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Sonos Era 100 is an improved version of the Sonos One, with much more powerful bass and other upgrades that make it one of the best multi-room smart speakers you can buy. It's currently at its lowest price ever—$199 (originally $249) after a $50 discount—according to price-tracking tools. Most of the other Sonos speakers are also seeing their lowest prices right now. Sonos Era 100 Black - Wireless, Alexa Enabled Smart Speaker …

Gmail has had an Undo Send feature for years now, and it looks like Outlook for Mac is about to get a version of it too. While Outlook Recall technically isn't new, Microsoft is streamlining bringing it to Outlook's Mac app. Recall allows you to unsend an email in Outlook and works on both the service's free and paid tiers, and you can try out a beta version right now. What is Outlook Recall?I've often sent emails without thinking too much, and only after sending did I realize that I could have chosen a different example to illustrate a problem, my tone could be perceived as a bit rude, or that my email has an embarrassing typo. I've even misspelled my own name in an ema…

The Google widget for your Android home screen has a new hidden feature that's disabled by default. In its latest update, the Google app has added a new customization feature, letting you add a new shortcut to the Google app's widget. This will let you tap an icon within the widget to quickly jump to reading the news, seeing weather updates, or catching up on sports scores. To get it, first ensure your Google app is updated to the latest version (16.3.34 or above). Then, open the Google app on your smartphone and tap the Profile icon in the top toolbar. Choose the Settings option and naigate to the Customize Search Widget menu. Here, you can take a moment to customize the…

It's Android security patch time again, and in the Android Security Bulletin for February 2025, Google has addressed 47 different bugs affecting its mobile operating system—one of which "may be under limited, targeted exploitation." In other words, hackers may already be taking advantage of it in the wild. As usual, the patches here cover all kinds of different issues, from attacks that could take advantage of the AutoFill function on Android, to exploits in Qualcomm chips that could create corruptions in the memory on a device. Each bug is ranked in terms of its severity, and linked to a particular part of the system. Google doesn't offer too much detail about potential …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Beats Studio Buds + are currently down to $119.99 (from $169.95), their lowest price to date, according to price comparison tools (in fact, all Beats headphones and speakers are seeing Black Friday and Prime Day equivalent discounts right now). Beats Studio Buds + $119.99 at Amazon /images/…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. For the past few months, I’ve had two salt shakers in my kitchen. One is Morton Salt Substitute, which is potassium-based, and I use it for the first few shakes of salt when I’m seasoning a dish. The other is regular table salt, which I use at the table. Now the World Health Organization is recommending that more of us try salt substitutes, and not just in the name of lowering sodium. Potassium is good for us, and it’s an easy way to get more in our diet. Morton Salt Substitute, 3.12 oz, 2 pk (Limited Edition) …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Growing up, I was obsessed with helping my mom cook. Though she would dabble in making Italian food or try out popular boxed ingredients of the time, most nights featured what she knew best—giant pots of Thai comfort fare and heaping mounds of jasmine rice. My childhood of ad hoc cooking lessons taught me two things: Jasmine rice goes with everything, and anything can taste good with the help of one of five bottled Asian sauces. I'll assume you have the rice covered, so let me tell you about these sauces. Fish sauce This sauce gives you the most flavor bang for your buck. The thin, reddish-brown liquid is made by fermenti…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Soon after Nvidia's new RTX 5080 and 5090 gaming GPUs went up for sale last week, they sold out pretty quickly—which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has tried to buy one of its graphics cards before. According to PC parts seller Newegg, the company’s stock sold out “within minutes,” and none of the big-name retailers I’ve checked today have cards available. While that might sound like a success on Nvidia’s part, consumers and reviewers alike are responding to the short supply with ire, accusing Nvidia of a “paper launch,” a term for when a company only releases enough units to say that a product released on schedule,…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You can get thousands of free e-books over the course of 2025 if you know where—and when—to look. All year long, Amazon is offering free Kindle e-books to readers, with new opportunities popping up every month. In February, Prime members can get two free Kindle e-books from Amazon's First Reads program. What is Amazon's First Reads?Amazon First Reads is a program aimed at Prime members that offers early access to new e-books across many genres, as curated by First Reads editors (one of your many Prime Member benefits). Prime members can choose to do…