Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2 are pretty user-friendly devices, but sometimes, that can be a bit more of a hindrance than a help. It's easy to jump right into a game, but if you want to toggle on a feature like dark mode or, say, even make a Mii, you have to jump through a lot of hoops in the settings menus. That's a shame, because if you're willing to learn the ins-and-outs, there's a lot you can do on these systems, whichever version of the Switch you own. Over the past few years, I've spent more time playing around in the Switch ecosystem than anyone reasonably should, and along the way, I've picked up a handful…

Google may spend more time promoting its Gemini AI chatbot, but NotebookLM (the LM stands for Language Model) is built on the same underlying AI, and it takes the analysis and deep dive features up a notch. NotebookLM is built around the idea of a digital notebook, where various different sources are gathered together and scrutinized. Using data you import, NotebookLM can produce everything from video explainers, to podcasts, to presentation slides, to flashcard study aids from your selected sources. It's an app packed with features, available on the web, on Android, and on iOS. If you've tried it out and you're ready to level up your NotebookLM experience beyond the basi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’ve been tracking my sleep and recovery with the Oura ring for nearly five years now, and today I’ll share with you several of my favorite and most-overlooked features—including one feature you should turn off, and one feature you can use even if your subscription is expired. Oura Ring 4 $499.00 at Amazon …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. A Peloton may look like any other spin bike, but there’s a lot more you can do with it than pedal in place. Below are my 10 favorite hacks, all of which will work if you have the original Bike (though most of them will also apply to other models, like the Bike+ and Cross-Training Bike). Peloton Bike $1,045.00 at Amazon $1,445.00 …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sony’s PlayStation 5 is a powerful machine, but if you just plugged it right into your TV and never bothered to go into the settings, there’s a chance you’re not seeing its full potential. From enabling 120 fps gameplay to customizing your Welcome hub, there’s a lot you can do with the PS5, if you’re willing to tinker a little bit. Here are the 10 best tips and tricks to getting the most out of Sony’s current gaming console. Enable 120Hz and 4K on your PS5Just because you bought a fancy new PS5 doesn’t automatically mean you’re getting the best performance out of it possible. If you have a 4K TV or a monitor that can suppo…

If you're the kind of person who only uses Safari to download Chrome, you need to think again. For a Mac user, Safari might be the best browser there is (yes, even better than Chrome). It's fast, secure, doesn't buckle under most loads, sips RAM instead of munching through it, and it'll help your battery last longer as well. And yes, there are even extensions and ad blockers that work natively in Safari. It's time to take another look at Safari, and use all its hidden features and smarts to make your browsing better. Blast away ads and other distracting items …

Signal is one of my favorite messaging apps because of its focus on privacy and security. I use it to message my closest friends regularly, and in the process, I've discovered a fair few hidden features that I now use every day. From shielding your phone number from other users, to preventing hackers from breaking into your account, these hacks will help you make the most of Signal. Hide your phone number from everyone Credit: Pranay Parab You can use Signal without revealing your phone number to anyone. You'll still need to si…

Whether you're a smart TV veteran or are somehow just now setting your first TV with an internet connection, there's a lot to learn. Modern TVs are basically computers, complete with their own operating systems and application ecosystems. That means you can tweak them to run better.—or just the way you want them to. Here are a few tips, tricks, and hacks that every smart TV owner should be aware of. Turn off motion smoothing on your smart TVWondering why every single TV show and movie you watch on your brand new TV looks like a soap opera or a cheap community theater production? It's probably because of motion smoothing. This "feature", which is the default on far too man…

Snapchat launched all the way back in 2011, and has had quite the journey since: It practically invented the stories format that every social media platform uses, and helped drive the shift from public and permanent online sharing to the more private and temporary approach most of us prefer today. The app is also packed with more features than you might be aware of—in fact, it could reasonably claim to be the most capable and versatile social media app out there. From location alerts and data saving, to custom notifications and clever camera tricks, here's how to get the most out of Snapchat. Use Snapchat's buried Data Saver mode to use less storage and prolong your batte…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Valve's Steam Deck revolutionized PC gaming when it came out in 2022, popularizing the handheld gaming PC format. In 2026, it's still got a great performance-to-price ratio, and is plenty relevant compared to more expensive and more finicky alternatives like the Asus Rog Xbox Ally X. But that doesn't mean it's fully stacked right out of the box. SteamOS presents a more intuitive pick-up-and-play experience than I've used on any other handheld gaming PC (or gaming PC in general, to be honest), but there are plenty of hacks and customizations you can use to make it truly yours. Steam Deck's desktop mode basically turns it in…

Whether you're chasing KOMs (aka "King of the Mountain" leaderboard titles), training for your first race, or just trying to out-walk your coworkers in a monthly challenge, Strava is the social network for people who enjoy suffering outdoors. But beyond the basic "record activity, get kudos, repeat" cycle, there's a whole world of features and tricks to enhance your Strava experience. Use heatmaps to find the best routes anywhereStrava's global heatmap—controversial as she may be—shows the most popular routes based on millions of activities from users worldwide. The bright orange lines reveal where locals actually run and ride, helping you avoid sketchy areas, find the sc…

Whether you're an academically inclined student looking for study hacks, or a more creative person who's just looking to work smarter instead of harder, there are lots of little ways to make getting through school a little easier. Even as students deal with increased competition and rising costs, you can make life just a little bit easier with each of these hacks. Make the most of student discountsEveryone knows about student discounts on laptops, streaming platforms, and some productivity services. However, there are plenty of other great deals for students that aren't as widely known. For instance, you can get a Setapp subscription for 50% off as a student, which gives …

Telegram is among the most popular WhatsApp alternatives around. Telegram supports messaging individuals and groups, but it also has social media-like channels where you can post to thousands of subscribers at once. In this piece, I'll be focusing more on Telegram as a messenger, since that's how I use it the most. In my decade of using the app, I've learned quite a bit about it, and I'm here to share the best Telegram hacks that you should know. You need to manually enable end-to-end encryptionUnlike Signal or WhatsApp, Telegram is not end-to-end encrypted by default. End-to-end encryption ensures that your messages cannot be read by anyone without accessing either your …

TikTok is entertaining, addictive, and full of hidden features that can make the experience way more enjoyable—not to mention safer. Because for all its charms, TikTok is something of a privacy nightmare. The app's ownership recently shifted from Chinese company ByteDance to the TikTok USDS Joint Venture, a new entity backed by Oracle's Larry Ellison, private equity firm Silver Lake, and UAE-based investment firm MGX, a change that raised plenty of eyebrows when it was announced in January 2026, and may have you thinking twice about how it's using your data. When it comes to hacking your TikTok feed, you probably already know the surface-level tricks: adding automatic cap…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We travel for a wide variety of reasons—vacations, business, family obligations—and in a variety of different ways, but there’s one constant: The actual traveling can be hectic, stressful, and expensive. Considering Americans took nearly 2 billion trips in 2025 alone, that stress can be pretty epic. From planning to de-boarding, travel can be a challenge—that is, unless you know and utilize these hacks. There are a lot of travel hacks out there in the wild, many of them dubious, but when a hack actually works to lower your costs, increase your comfort, or simply solve an irritating problem, it’s kind of magical. Here are …

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in most parts of the world, and in my decade or so of using it, I've learned a few important tips that make it a much more convenient and secure experience. I use the following WhatsApp hacks to keep my account safe, stop the app from overloading my notifications and storage, and save myself a lot of time. If you're like me, and your entire social circle is on WhatsApp, then you're absolutely going to need tips like these to stop from feeling overwhelmed. Use advanced chat privacy to block exports and Meta AIWhatsApp has end-to-end encryption, which means that the company itself cannot read the contents of your messages, but that…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you’ve been wearing a Whoop, you’ve probably explored some of the features of its incredibly rich app—but chances are, some things are still hiding from you. I’ve been wearing a Whoop off and on since version 3.0, so let me tell you some of the best ways to use the Whoop (and a few things I think you should do differently than you’re “supposed” to). Whoop 5.0, 12-Month Membership $239.00 a…

For many students and workers, Windows is just the default way to use a computer. It's where all your apps work as intended, where all your Microsoft Office documents sync easily, and where you play all your games. But if you peel back its layers, Windows can be a lot more than that. Power users can take advantage of hidden features, and utilities from Microsoft and third-parties to not only speed up their workflow, but to improve productivity and fix some of the most annoying quality-of-life issues that plague Windows PCs. Control everything using the Command Palette …

For all its faults as a platform, YouTube’s video player functionality is easily among the best online. It streams reliably to almost every device you can think of, in your choice of both video quality and playback speed. But it’s the array of hidden features and interface tricks that push it over the edge for me. (Other video players, take note.) Here are 10 of my favorite hacks that make YouTube easier to use. Search YouTube video transcripts with Ctrl-FAlmost every video on YouTube either has an official or auto-generated subtitled track. While these are mainly used for captioning, you can also pull up this transcript on the web and use Ctrl-F (or Cmd-F on Macs) to sea…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Who among us has not looked at a newly framed picture, then looked at their wall and thought, "Eh, surely I can eye-ball it this time." Hanging pictures should be an easy feat, but so often they end up uncentered or slightly crooked, causing us to add more holes the wall than intended or desired. The next time you hang pictures or artwork in your home, use one of these 10 hacks so they're level and evenly spaced on the first try. Use a small ball as a makeshift level to hang picturesA level is essential when hanging art—a frame that’s even slightly crooked will be an eyesore, and if you’re hanging multiple pieces in a grou…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. More than 37 million Americans moved last year—and while that’s actually a historic low, one thing that hasn’t changed is the levels of hair-tearing stress the experience can inspire. Everything about moving, from packing to hiring movers to switching utilities, comes with a little spice of stress and anxiety. Even the most competent and careful planning can leave you with an ulcer and an incipient nervous breakdown as you try to pack your entire life into a truck and transport it to another location. There are lots of little ways to reduce that stress and make moving a little easier. These hacks can help anyone, no matter…

The internet has become a vital tool for human connection, but it comes with its fair share of risks, with the biggest being your privacy and security. With the big tech giants hungry for every ounce of your data they can get and scammers looking to target you every day, you do need to take a few precautions to protect your online privacy and security. There's no foolproof approach to these two things, and unfortunately, the onus is on you to take care of your data. Before you start looking for a VPN or ways to delete your online accounts, you should take a moment to understand your privacy and security needs. Once you do, it'll be a lot easier to take a few proactive ste…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. More than 45 million people in the United States rent their homes, and as purchasing a home continues to be out of reach for many, that number probably isn’t going down anytime soon. If you’re a renter, you know that renting often comes with some compromises in terms of control over your environment, space, and interior design. Being limited in what you can do because you don’t actually own the walls and floors can be a real challenge when it comes to making the space nice. But with a few clever ideas, you can make your rental more comfortable, more useful, and less expensive—and ensure that you get all of your security de…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. My smart home routines are ready for a refresh. As new standards have emerged for connecting gadgets in the home, and Google and Amazon have been updating their respective hardware and apps, I've been lagging in keeping things sharp and running smoothly. So, I'm doing something about it now. If you've been feeling bored by your smart home and its current routines too, keep reading. These are ways to configure the smart devices around you to make them for more than just turning the lights on and off (although there's always plenty of that). Although my personal smart home is in the Google Home ecosystem, these features als…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Once you’ve lived in a place for a while, one fact becomes clear: Your home isn’t getting any bigger, at least not without time and effort (and a truckload of cash). We all tend to grow into our homes, filling it with stuff over time, and that can lead to a storage crisis. But your house can probably offer you extra storage with the right purchases and approach. There are all kinds of clever ways to increase the storage around your house. If you’re ready to get all that stuff off the floors and furniture and nearly tucked away, here are some ideas to explore. …