Setting Up Your Home Office

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. Nvidia might be courting controversy with its recent DLSS 5 tech, but the company’s GPUs are still pretty powerful devices for running your games. If you have an RTX card in your desktop or laptop, you might be able to get even better performance out of it than you’re already seeing. Here are some of my favorite hacks to optimize your Nvidia GPU. Enable DLSS to boost your frame rates (or disable to save on performance)Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (or DLSS) is actually a suite of features collectively aimed at improving the resolution and frame rate of your games. Some of this involves rendering lower-resolution f…

The Opera you're using today is obviously a very different browser from the one it was decades ago. Perhaps the most significant change is that it's a Chromium-based browser, which means you can install Chrome extensions to fill any features you may be missing. That said, the browser still retains its core philosophy of shipping useful integrated features—even if those options aren't always obvious. From bypassing unskippable YouTube ads to using a built-in volume booster for every tab, here are the best Opera hacks you should know about: Use "Early Bird" to try experimental features before releaseIf you live on the bleeding edge of tech, you can use Opera's "Early Bird" …

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…

When setting up any new internet-connected device, don't stick with the default settings. Doing so introduces security risks, and it's also a less-than-optimal way to use the features available to you. If you have a Ring camera or doorbell, there are a whole host of changes you can make to minimize annoyance and maximize privacy. Snooze Motion Alerts when you're outsideMotion alerts are among the most useful features of any security camera, but you don't need a notification to your phone when you are the one moving around your property. You can snooze alerts in certain situations, such as when you're outside doing yard work or hosting a party. Global Snooze pauses alerts…

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 …

So you've bought yourself a brand new Samsung Galaxy S26. How do you make the most of it? The latest flagship phones from Samsung come with One UI 8.5 installed on board, and there's plenty you can do with both the software and some of the hardware upgrades that Samsung has put in place. Here are 10 ways you can make your Galaxy S26 more useful than it is out of the box: Use DeX to turn your Galaxy phone into a computerI've covered Samsung DeX in the past: It's a desktop interface for your phone that activates when you plug your handset into a monitor, and it means you can more or less use your Galaxy device like a PC if you hook up a mouse and keyboard. DeX isn't new, bu…

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…

Slack is one of the most commonly used business messaging apps—beyond basic communication, the service has plenty of built-in features that can help you be both more productive and less overwhelmed by the volume of messages you receive. These are the top tips and tricks to use Slack efficiently. Create sections to organize your sidebarIf you have dozens of channels and DMs to keep track of and a long sidebar list that requires scrolling, you can create custom sections to keep related conversations together and prioritize those you need most at the top. You can create, for example, a section for conversations with just your team or a grouping of channels and DMs related t…

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…

Spotify frequently adds new features, packing the app with everything from AI-powered playlists to stories about the music you're listening to and the artists who contributed. But Spotify also has a range of simpler settings designed for making tracks sound better and personalizing your playlists—so if Spotify is your preferred music service, you should try these tips, tricks, and hidden methods to maximize your listening experience. Use folders to organize your playlistsIf you have dozens of playlists in your Spotify library, it can be tedious to locate what you want to listen to or to remember everything you've created over the years. Playlist folders allow you to orga…

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…

If Steam is one of your gaming apps of choice, then you might not typically spend too much time interacting with the program—you probably want to get straight to the gaming. Take a few minutes to dive into the settings and features on offer though, and there's a lot to explore. From remapping gamepad controls to launching games with custom restrictions applied, here's what's possible. (Note: The tips below are based on the current Steam client for the Windows desktop, but you should find comparable options on the other Steam apps too.) Run a privacy audit to prevent strangers from learning about your gaming habitsYou need to pay attention to your privacy on Steam as well …

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 …

I've been on Threads since it first launched in 2023, and throughout my experience, I've learned a few hacks to save time (and sanity) on the platform. If you're a regular Threads user, you should try these methods to reduce unwanted content from your feed, speed up searches, and customize the app to your liking. Use these tools to download videos from ThreadsLike most of my social media feeds, my Threads feed is also full of cat videos. When I see one I like, I sometimes download the video to watch later. As you may know, Threads doesn't support media downloads, which means that you'll need to rely on third-party tools to download videos from the app. You can try Threads…

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 …