Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Maybe you tend to study the old-school way: sit down, break out a highlighter and pen combo, memorize your notes, and pray you retain it all until test time. There are certainly benefits to handwriting and highlighting your notes, but there are also some great apps out there that can help you study more effectively. Yes, your tech devices can certainly be a distraction, but why not let them help you instead? If you need to schedule your studying: My Stud…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Studying can be as easy as sitting down and reading a chapter, but it shouldn't be. I do hate to break that to you, though I'm actually doing you a favor. Just absorbing huge blocks of content isn't necessarily helpful for remembering any of it. Before you do the work of studying, you have to get organized by sorting the content you need to absorb. Even organizing it, especially using the "chunking" method, will help you start to grasp and retain the materials, so by the time you're going through them, yo…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. I'd be willing to bet the one thing most of us want from our iPhones is quite simple: more battery life. Apple can keep adding new features and designs with each new smartphone iteration, but if the company just announced a new iPhone with record-breaking battery life, customers would be thrilled. While we may have to wait for a time when the iPhone can go a couple days in between charges, Apple has added a new option to iOS 26 in an effort to help extend your iPhone's battery life. The feature, Adaptive Po…

Your iPhone is essentially a computer that fits in your pocket, so it only makes sense for Apple to treat it as such. To that point, with iOS 26, both the iPhone and the iPad get a new app that was a Mac exclusive for over 20 years: Preview. What can you do with the Preview app?Like on macOS, the Preview app for iOS and iPadOS is largely made for viewing PDFs and other documents. When you first open the app, you'll see the options to either create a new document or scan one with your iPhone's camera. Most of the time, however, you probably you have an existing document you want to open using Preview. If so, you'll find those options in the bottom half of this starting p…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. The original Beats Studio Buds may not be the brand’s latest or most advanced earbuds, but they are still a crowdpleaser—and a more budget-friendly alternative to newer generations. Currently, they’re an even better buy on Amazon, as they're 47% off, their lowest price ever according to price tracking tools. Beats Studio Buds …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. The fall version of Amazon's Prime Day is approaching fast. Prime "Big Deal Days" will take place from Oct. 7-8., and we'll keep you updated with all the best deals leading up to and all throughout the sale. But before you purchase anything, here's how to set your own prices for Prime Day and every other day. If you're an impulse buyer, you know that shopping events like Prime Day can be bad. Even though we know Amazon is using all kinds of manipulation tech…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. The market for fitness bands competing with Whoop is beginning to fill out, and the latest one I’ve gotten my hands on is the Polar Loop. (I recently reviewed Amazfit’s Helio Strap and Garmin’s screenless tracker, which turned out to be a sleep-only specialty device.) My full review of the Polar Loop will have to wait until I have more data, but right away I noticed some significant physical differences between the Polar Loop and its competitors. Below is a …

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. On a post on its blog this morning, Spotify announced it is doing something to combat the glut of AI-generated music on its streaming platform. According to the company, bad actors and content farms that "push 'slop' into the ecosystem" are going to be dealt with. Spotify says it has already removed over 75 million such tracks in the last year, and bigger changes are coming. Over the next few months, Spotify says it will crack down on musical impersonators, implement a new spam filtering system, and work wit…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. I recently took a trip to Europe, hopping across a few countries that all spoke languages I didn't understand. As such, in order to interpret menus, signs, and packaging, I needed to translate the text back into English. While you might assume you need to use a specific translator app of choice to get this done, you really only need one thing: your iPhone's camera. I, along with all of the people I traveled with, have an iPhone, so I assumed all of us knew about this trick. To my surprise, however, nobody in…

Sometimes the help you need doesn't fit in one of the pre-recorded number dial options, and speaking with a human on the other line is really what you need. With Best Buy's Techtober sale on the horizon, many shoppers will likely need some assistance. I have found that it's easy to get a hold of someone in customer service to help you—here is the easiest way to do so. How to speak to a Best Buy customer service representativeBest Buy's Contact Us page has a lot of different options that will make your head spin, but if you just need to talk to someone ASAP, call 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289). When the recording picks up, say "speak with a live agent" or press "0." You'l…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. A lot of outdoor speakers will float on water or be rated IP68 waterproof, but the only one that will also float facing up and be resistant against salt water is the Soundcore Boom 3i, making it the best portable speaker for water activities. It also has plenty of useful features that make it a great outdoor speaker. Right now, you can get it for $99.99 (originally $139.99). …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. Strap in: Another Amazon Prime Day is around the corner. This fall event is technically called "Prime Big Deal Days" and will run from Tuesday, October 7 to Wednesday, October 8. We'll keep you updated with all the best deals leading up to and all throughout the mega-sale. But to take advantage of everything Prime Day has to offer, you’re going to need to be a Prime Member. Millions of Amazon Prime users currently pay $14.99 per month or $139 per year for th…

"Antifa" is in Donald The President's sights. Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, The President has blamed "radical leftists" for pushing political violence against those on the right—even as the assassin's motives remain under active investigation. As such, the president is going after Antifa, calling it a "domestic terrorist organization," despite the fact that Antifa is not actually an organization, and that the U.S. has no domestic terrorist designation. When the president of the United States enflames tensions in this way, it's no surprise our discourse enflames as well. Here's one such example: You may have seen posts on social media…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. This fall's Amazon Prime Day—known as "Prime Big Deal Days"—is taking place from Tuesday, Oct. 7 to Wednesday, Oct. 8. Lifehacker's Prime Day expert Daniel Oropeza explains all the details you need to know about the event. As you're scouring for the best deals, one payment option you'll want to reconsider is "buy now, pay later" financing. Last year Apple discontinued its own take on “buy now, pay later” (BNPL), called "Apple Pay Later." The service may no longer be available in name, but BNPL purchases are…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. If you’re in the market for a speaker that doesn’t sacrifice sound quality for durability (and also doubles as a power bank), a new JBL Charge 6 is currently 30% off on Woot for a limited time, dropping the price from $200 to $140. Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S., and Amazon members get free shipping, while non-members pay an extra $6. If your speaker isn’t e…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. Australian indie game studio Team Cherry released Hollow Knight: Silksong on Sept. 4, and within three weeks, the combat/platformer climbed up Steam's most played chart, made Xbox's most played list, and gained legions of fans on Switch and PlayStation consoles. So a lot of people are playing it. If you're one of them, and you've uncovered every secret in Pharloom (or you just need a break), here are 10 more games you might like. They're (roughly) all in the metroidvania family of games, so they feature 2D …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. A good outdoor floodlight camera is supposed to do two things: light your property and capture footage you can actually use. The Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera covers both at a fair price. It’s currently marked down to $99.99 on Amazon (regularly $149.99), and price trackers confirm this is the lowest it’s ever been. Arlo Wired Floodlight Camer…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. YouTube's end screens are useful for creators, but often annoying for viewers. They allow creators to insert links to other content during the last moments of the video. The issue, however, is those links appear as large on-screen elements that cover the video you're watching. While many videos are basically over by this point, some are still going, and you might miss out on the final five to 20 seconds because of the end screen. Now, YouTube is giving you a way to hide these screen—albeit, with a major cave…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Your brain is complex, but once you figure out its little intricacies—that it can only store about seven units of information in short-term memory, for example—you can exploit them to help you remember more things. It’s not just the amount of information present that affects your memory, though. Even the order in which you learn it plays a role. That's where the primacy effect comes into play. What is the primacy effect?The American Psychological Association defines the primacy effect as “the tendency for…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. With all the apps and digital tools available to enhance your studying, plus how fast and easy it is to type notes compared to how long it takes to write them, it seems like a no-brainer to bring your laptop with you to class. But there’s good reason to believe taking notes by hand helps your brain retain more. Here’s why you should try leaving the laptop behind at home and how to make the switch to the old-school way easier. Digital note-taking isn’t perf…

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. It seems like iOS 26 just dropped, and yet, Apple is back at it with another update. As of Monday, iOS 26.1 is officially in beta testing, which means developers and public testers can try out Apple's next update early. "Point updates" like iOS 26.1 are never as feature-filled as the main releases, though 26.1 seems particularly small in scope. Apple seems to have done most of what it planned to do with iOS 26, saving just smaller changes for this upcoming update. Still, there are some interesting new addit…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. This week I did over a dozen workouts with Apple’s new Workout Buddy. I ran, I walked, I strength trained, and even did a little indoor cycling. I’ve learned a few things, but the strangest is that I didn’t need an Apple Watch for any of it. Workout Buddy is an AI-powered feature that sends a little voice into your headphones to motivate and congratulate you as you’re working out. Apple touted Workout Buddy as a feature of WatchOS 26 and promoted it among…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. The fall shopping season is upon us, with major sales from multiple retailers, including Target's Circle Week. If you're here, you've likely had a hard time trying to get hold of someone with a conscience on the other line. It's not easy, but here is the best way I found to get a real customer service representative from Target on the phone. The best phone number for Target's customer service departmentIf you Google Target's customer service number, the first…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Right now, a bundle with the Ring Pro 2 doorbell and the Chime Pro is 48% off, saving you almost $140—but the deal is only available for Prime members. Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with Ring Chime Pro …

Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. On Tuesday, Apple dropped the first beta for iOS 26.1. With it, we can see what the company is planning for the successor to iOS 26, including new gestures in Apple Music, a new scrubbing bar for the video player, and Liquid Glass support for the keypad in the Phone app. It's a small update on the surface, but there's something quite interesting going on behind the scenes. 'Notification Forwarding'As discovered by Macworld, code within the iOS 26.1 beta suggests that Apple is working on support for third-pa…