Setting Up Your Home Office

Just 25 years ago, the disease of measles was declared to have been eliminated from the U.S. Cases were sometimes imported from overseas, from people who traveled from Europe, Africa, or Asia. But not until this year did we have a measles death on U.S. soil; and not until this year have we had a notorious anti-vaxxer as the head of our Department of Health and Human Services. That department head, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has sorta-kinda acknowledged that vaccines have a role in preventing measles. This opinion piece that appeared under his name at Fox News carefully weaseled around the needed vaccine messages, saying that parents “should consult with their healthcare pro…

Buying a house is a stressful, expensive project—something most people understand. That's why they do their diligence. The research the property and the area, they hire a home inspector, they pay a lot of money for title insurance, and they ask questions. Lots and lots of questions. Most of those questions are common sense, concerning the history of the house, the age and condition of the roof or the HVAC system, and the neighborhood. But there are some not-so-common questions that are also worth asking. These eight questions might seem a bit random, but they can alert you to big problems before you sign your life away. Was the home ever used as a business?A lot of people…

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. I cook on a daily basis (no surprises there), and most of the time, the meals I make hit the spot. But there are some special meals I make that spur a spontaneous exclamation from my partner, or make me shake my head in disbelief that all of my intentions for this dish have been realized. The meal I made yesterday did exactly that, and the recipe was from Paki…

Google is bringing AI image editing to Gemini, which means that you can use text-based prompts in the Gemini app or website to tweak existing images. This feature has been available in Google AI Studio for some time, and Google is now rolling it out to all Gemini users, with support for 45 languages. Google says you will be able to use conversational prompts to edit both AI-generated images and photos uploaded from your phone or computer. What you can do with Gemini's AI image editingThe most appealing part of this feature is that it lowers the entry barrier for editing photos. You can have a conversation with the Gemini AI chatbot to have it generate an image, or upload …

The Mail app on iPhone got quite a visual overhaul in iOS 18.2. Suddenly, there was a whole AI-powered Priority mailbox, smart Categories up top, and an icon from every sender. For longtime Mail app users on the iPhone, that's a big shift—with seemingly minimal returns. The contact photos feature is perhaps the worst offender here, as most icons are just stock Apple icons. Even if you get an email from Lifehacker, it won't show the Lifehacker website logo, like it does when you visit the website in your browser. And this is the case with the vast majority of email addresses. …

After the celebration ends, college graduates typically face numerous transitions, from moving to a new city and/or starting a new job to taking on student loan payments and other financial responsibilities. College students are often targeted for job scams, but the Better Business Bureau is alerting recent grads about schemes being employed specifically to steal their personal information and money during this transition period. Unpaid tuition scamImagine getting a call after graduation that you have an outstanding tuition payment, and unless you pay the bill immediately, your diploma will be rescinded. Scammers are using this threat to con recent grads—who have, in fac…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The urge to spring clean your home is a strong one. You know warmer months are coming, things are about to look up, and you want to enjoy all of that in a fresh, revitalized environment. Typically, that involves your standard cleaning, but what if you shook it up this year? Try a spring decluttering approach instead, getting rid of what no longer serves you so you can really enjoy your space. Here's how to do it. Assess your spaceThis is something I practice a lot, especially since I started heavily decluttering about two years ago: I stand in a room and look at it as objectively as I can. When you get used to things—a bu…

Firefox 138 is now publicly available worldwide, and this version brings full support for tab groups, profile management, a quick way to check the weather, and much more. These updates bring feature parity with other browsers and could prompt people to ditch Chrome and switch to Firefox. Here are all the new features in Firefox 138: Tab groups are now available more broadlyMozilla began the rollout of tab groups with Firefox 137, and the company says the feature is now available to almost all of its users across the world. Using tab groups, you can group similar tabs together to bring some semblance of organization to your open tabs. Creating a tab group is easy—just drag…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As we appear to be living in an age of perpetually rising grocery prices, we're all looking for ways to lower our food bills. Considering the average spend on groceriesis over $500 every month, I'm all open to suggestions. Extreme couponing? Tell me more. Intermittent fasting? Sounds doable. Ugly produce? Bring it on! Spending money to save money? How does that work? Kitchen tools like bread makers or chest freezers tend to pay for themselves over time, but often come with a hefty upfront cost. Yet there are some inexpensive gadgets that don’t require a big investment but which can trim your grocery bills significantly. He…

Your digestive system is a hugely important part of your body, and keeping it healthly is hugely important. Without good gut health, you might be in pain, or suffer embarrassing symptoms, or worse. But it does not follow that you need to load up on foods or products that promise to improve your gut health. Gut health, it turns out, is not a well-defined concept. That means it’s not always possible to tell whether it’s improving or whether you even have a problem with it in the first place. Two researchers from the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University wrote in a Lancet journal article and on the Conversation about the fact that gut health has become more of a market…

You probably know you don't have to pay to use Spotify, as long as you're good with ads. For a commercial-free experience, of course, you need to subscribe to Premium. If you ever tried to sign up for Spotify Premium on your iPhone, however, you might have noticed there was no way to do so—neither a "pay now" button, nor a link to subscribe elsewhere. The Apple taxThat's because Spotify didn't want 15–30% of the money you gave it going directly to Apple. That's how Apple's App Store works (and largely Google's, for that matter). Any payments you make within an app on your iPhone, Apple gets a cut—either 15% or 30%, depending on how much money the app in question has paid,…

It's spring again: The time of renewal, rebirth, and cleaning your damn house. I mean really cleaning—not just picking up a little, but moving the couch, wiping the blades of the ceiling fan, and getting behind the fridge. Spring cleaning. If you’re putting effort into it, you can make both the returning Messiah and the Easter Bunny proud, but you'll need to avoid these common spring cleaning mistakes. Doing all the heavy lifting yourselfI’m putting this one first because moving the furniture is what separates spring cleaning from regular cleaning. That said, a spotless home is not worth screwing up your back. Like anything else, there’s technique to moving furniture: ke…

Moving is something that drains you of time, energy, and money, and you probably don't want to do any extra work if you don't have to. But hear me out: You should still use a big move as an opportunity to declutter. Here is your chance to assess every item you own and make decisions about what you really need. Who knows the next time you'll be able to handle every single possession, categorize everything, and make a truly meaningful dent in your clutter? Why you should declutter right before you move First of all, decluttering before a move can actually save you money. "The biggest mistake we see people make time and time again is underestimating how much stuff they hav…

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 budget-friendly Apple Watch, the SE 2nd Gen is currently $80 off during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Normally priced at $299, the current discount brings the smartwatch down 27% to $219. This is as low a price as this watch ever gets, according to price-tracking tools. Apple currently sells three Apple Watch models: the Series 10, Ultra 2, and second-generation SE. The SE line comes with the smallest size option and bare minimum specs, making it the go-to budget option for most smartwatch wearers. Its aluminum body packs a…

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…

On Thursday, Google rolled out a number of previously-paywalled Gemini features to free users. You can now use Gemini custom chatbots, which the company calls "Gems"; Deep Research, which runs AI models that "think" through each step of a problem; and upload files to Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, whether you pay for Google's AI services or not. But that's not all: The company also introduced new experimental feature for Gemini—Gemini with personalization. This feature, which runs on Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking model, connects Gemini to your Google apps and services, with the goal of offering you a more personal AI assistant. The idea is, by connecting your Google Acc…

For many, Microsoft Edge's only purpose is to download another browser entirely, like Chrome or Firefox. But this isn't Internet Explorer: Edge is a competent browser in its own right, whether you have a Mac or a PC. If you do use the browser, you might be pleasantly surprised by how snappy it feels after you update it—at least, according to Microsoft. Edge 134 and newer's performance gains In a Thursday post on Windows Blogs, Microsoft confirmed that, starting with version 134, Microsoft Edge is a tad faster than previous iterations. In fact, Edge 134 is up to 9% faster, when you run it through Speedometer 3.0, a benchmarking tool for web browsers. Microsoft says that wh…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Warm weather is finally here, and it deserves a proper soundtrack. Whether you’re headed to the beach, camping in the woods, or taking a bike ride, the JBL Clip 5 is a compact Bluetooth speaker that’s built to tag along. Its IP67 rating ensures it’s both waterproof and dustproof, making it suitable for any outdoor adventure this summer. At 38% off, it's currently at its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. JBL Clip 5 Speaker …

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 pair of noise-canceling headphones but don’t want to spend over $300 for the usual suspects, this deal on the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro might be worth a closer look. It’s currently going for $129.99 on Woot for the next three weeks or until it sells out, which is $70 less than the current Amazon price. It’s new, has an 18-month manufacturer warranty from Anker, and ships free if you have Amazon Prime (if not, it'll cost you $6 for shipping). Just keep in mind, Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states—so if you're in Al…

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 meaning to add a security camera to your backyard, driveway, or any dimly lit spot around the house, the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera might be the kind of no-fuss solution that works. It’s battery powered, which makes it a standout for renters or anyone who doesn’t want to mess with wiring or hiring an electrician. And at $64.99 on Amazon—down from $129.98—it’s currently sitting at its lowest price to date (according to price-trackers), making it easier to justify trying out a new piece of tech without overcommitting. …

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 halfway done, and we've done some work to single out the best deals available, but many other retailers—like Target and Best Buy—have been going tit for tat, matching prices and spinning up aggressive deals of their own. Amazon's ongoing buy-two-get-one-free sale closely resembles the same one from Target, each offering mix-and-match bundles of books, vinyls, and DVDs at discounted prices. Here's how each sale works, along with a few of the best items worth highlighting from both Target and Amazon. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I love my (admittedly last-gen) Kindle Paperwhite, but even though I know its 6.8-inch screen isn't actually that much smaller than most paperback pages, I still sometimes feel like I have to squint to read it. Maybe it's my fault for seeing it as more of a tablet than an out-and-out digital book, but I do sometimes feel tempted to read on my iPad instead and just put up with the glare. Luckily, Amazon does make a bigger Kindle, and now it's on sale. Amazon Kindle Scribe …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Though the marketing was a bit cagey, it's clear by this point that Ryan Coogler's latest, the critical and box office powerhouse Sinners, throws vampires into its genre-busting mix unashamedly. Set largely in 1932, the movie follows a couple of twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) returning to their backwater hometown of to Clarksdale, Mississippi to set up what they hope will be a lucrative juke joint—but not before navigating old relationships and the Klan leader who owns the sawmill that the two are looking to buy. By the midway point, all the movie's more grounded elements feed into a larger narrative blen…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Play borrows the same compact, round design as the brand’s more expensive models, like the Wonderboom 4, but dials back on a few key features to hit a lower price point. Currently at $36.99 on Woot—its lowest price yet according to price trackers and well below the $89.99 list price (and $59.49 on Amazon)—this deal runs for two days or until it sells out. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Play …

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 back for its second year, and while it doesn’t go as hard as Prime Day, there are still plenty of worthwhile discounts. It runs from March 25 to March 31, and the best part is you don’t need a Prime membership to shop. That said, Prime members do get access to deeper discounts, and if you’re not one, Amazon’s free 30-day trial lets you cash in on the best deals without any commitment. One of the discounts spotted is on the Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired), now down to $69.99 from $99.99—this is the lowest it's ever been, a…