Setting Up Your Home Office

I tend to go out of my way to avoid using Meta AI, but today, I gave it a fair shake. That's because, as reported by Bloomberg, Meta's AI service is now testing a shopping assistant. The idea is to compete with similar services from AI platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini, where users tap into the power of generative AI to search the web for product recommendations. That's all fine and well in theory, but in execution, Meta AI's shopping assistant is a bit of a disaster—even if it is only in testing. Meta AI's shopping suggestions are uselessWhen I tried accessing Meta AI's web app logged out, I didn't see the shopping assistant. But once I signed into my Meta Account, a num…

If you're tired of X and Threads, it might be time to move to greener, or perhaps bluer, pastures. Lifehacker's own Joel Cunningham moved to Bluesky way back in 2024, and since then, a lot of our writers and editors have followed suit and are living it up over on the butterfly site. It turns out that, with the right platform, it's possible to like social media again. Bluesky is quite unlike most other social media networks. You have a lot of control over who sees your posts and how they reply to them, plus you can block and mute users en masse and tweak moderation settings just so. If you're new to Bluesky, or if you've just been using the default settings, it's time to …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Smart rings are already having a strange year. In January, I saw smart rings taking on all kinds of tasks at CES, looking like some kind of wave of the future. Then I came home and discovered that the brand-new Luna smart ring I was reviewing had already been pulled off the U.S. market. I think it’s time to take a look at why the smart ring market is so weird, where I see its potential, and what I miss about the earlier days of this technology. The lawsuit that’s keeping some smart rings off the U.S. marketTo understand why some rings have disappeared (or aren’t launching here), you need to know about a U.S. International…

It's time for another Apple event! On Wednesday, March 4, Apple will announce new products, and despite the company's commitment to secrecy, we know what most of the revelations are already. In fact, Apple has already announced a number of new products this week in lead up to the event, including the iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, and new Macs—including M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max variants. But even though the company has already shared a bunch of news across Monday and Tuesday, that doesn't mean Wednesday's event is going to be a bore. In fact, Apple may announce one of its most interesting products in years during its March 4 keynote: the MacBook "Neo." This is a "budget" MacBook…

If you're an Android user, you can now design what shows up on your contacts' caller ID when you make calls in the Google Phone app. The Calling Cards feature is getting an upgrade that brings it more in line with Apple's customizable Contact Poster on iOS. Google's Calling Cards updateGoogle first introduced Calling Cards for the Google Phone app last year, which allowed users to manually create full-screen calling cards for individual contacts with photos and customizable text. The feature was originally designed to have these cards show up on your device when contacts call you, but it didn't allow you to create your own card to broadcast when you call other users. No…

Starting an exercise routine doesn’t guarantee that you’ll lose weight, but a lot of us add exercise into our routines when we have a weight loss goal. Read on, and I’ll explain what you really need to know about exercise for weight loss—what kind, how much, and whether it even matters at all. Yes, exercise (sort of) helps you lose weightThere’s a cliché in the fitness world that the best weight-loss exercises are “fork putdowns and plate pushaways.” I hate when people turn fitness goals into restrictive eating goals, so this framing irritates me, but there is a grain of truth to it. The true part is that your body weight is determined by both how much activity you do a…

Google has released its Android Security Bulletin for March with patches for 129 vulnerabilities, one of which is a zero-day flaw in a Qualcomm display component that may be under "targeted, limited exploitation." The latest update also fixes 10 critical severity bugs across Android components. CVE-2026-0006 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the System component that attackers could exploit with no additional privileges or user interaction. CVE-2025-48631 is a denial-of-service flaw in System, while CVE-2026-0047 is an escalation of privilege vulnerability in Framework. There are seven critical escalation of privilege flaws being patched in Kernel components. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Traditionally, movies released in theaters in January and February are, uh, troubled. But streaming is opposite world. Studios want to get their best material in front of as many eyes as possible in the run up to the Oscars, leading to a glut of streaming prestige movies, an embarrassment of cinematic riches. Whether you like high-concept sci-fi, quirky, auteur-driven dramas, or record-breaking awards contenders, February’s streaming charts are excellent. Here's the full list of the top 10 most-streamed movies of February 2026 across all major streaming services, as compiled by JustWatch. Predator: Badlands (2025) …

The only thing Pixel users love more than the lock screen's Now Playing widget is talking about the Now Playing widget. Whenever I'm out and about with my Pixel and there's music playing, I'll always take a sneaky look at the lock screen, and yes, it'll have identified the song. It's magical. But until now, that's where the magic stopped. What if you want a list of all the songs the widget recognized while you were at your local cafe? What if you want to save a song or play it in YouTube Music? Or even trigger the music search manually? Until now, that wasn't really possible. Now, Google has chosen to bring this functionality to a dedicated app, as part of its March Pixel…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. A carnival thrill-ride that manages to evoke America's radical revolutionary history while referencing and responding to decades of cinematic rebellion, One Movie After Another is one of writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson's richest films, and somehow maybe even his most fun. Its 13 Oscar nominations put it in line with the most-honored movies ever, alongside the likes of From Here to Eternity, Mary Poppins, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and The Fellowship of the Ring. Of course, One Battle has the slight misfortune to be running against Sinners, with its all-time high of 16 nominations. Still: not bad. With a variety …

The dark web has a sinister and foreboding name for a reason. This is a place where all manner of illegal and underhand activity takes place, as well as somewhere internet users can free themselves from government censorship and draconian surveillance. Getting on the dark web isn't particularly difficult, but it's not somewhere you should head without doing your research first. If you visit an unfamiliar location in real life, you'll want to make sure you know how to stay safe and make the most of your trip, and it's the same with the dark web. As such, follow these hacks and tips to maximize your chances of staying safe and getting the most out of what the dark web has t…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Charging multiple Apple devices often turns into a mess of cables. An iPhone charger here, an Apple Watch puck there, and another cable for AirPods. A single charging station like the Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Pad helps simplify things. It’s currently $39.99 at Woot, down from its original $149.99 price. The same charger is selling for about $100.58 on Amazon, and price trackers show it rarely dipping below $75.99. Shipping is free for Amazon Prime members—everyone else pays a $6 fee. Woot says the deal will stay live for 23 days …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The MacBook Neo might just eclipse the iPhone Air as the most interesting Apple product in years. This machine offers buyers the full macOS experience, in their choice of fun new colors, for $599 ($499 for "students"). Not so long ago, Apple's cheapest laptop, the MacBook Air—long priced at $999, but increased to $1,099 with the launch of the current M5 model—felt like a good deal. Now, you can get a machine that includes all of Apple's latest Mac features for as little as half the price. Of course, the Neo isn't a MacBook Air. To get the price of a Neo down to $500 or $600, Apple had to make some concessions, like using a…

Before the better-known Strava lawsuit against Garmin grabbed headlines last year, Suunto had actually sued Garmin first. In September, Suunto and their parent company Dongguan Liesheng quietly filed suit against Garmin over five patent infringement allegations. Garmin recently responded with a 218-page countersuit that reads less like a legal filing and more like Garmin decided it was done being polite. Why did Suunto sue Garmin?The five patents in the initial lawsuit from Suunto had to do with the following features: Golf shot tracking using an accelerometer to detect impact Respiration rate derived from an optical heart rate sensor Slot mode antenna design in wearable…

If you use an AI-powered coding assistant like Claude Code, here's a good reason to always ensure you're copying commands from the legitimate interface: Scammers are now using cloned versions of popular tools to spread info-stealing malware through fake installation instructions—a tactic known as InstallFix. Fake Claude Code interface used for InstallFix attacksResearchers at Push Security have identified carefully copied versions of Claude Code, Anthropic's command-line AI coding assistant, that look exactly like the real thing, complete with the layout, branding, text, documentation sidebar, and a lookalike domain. Every link on the page even redirects to the legitimat…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Apple products are notoriously expensive: The latest MacBook Air starts at $1,099, as does the iPhone 17 Pro, and while I love my AirPods Max, I strongly recommend buyers wait until they're on sale to avoid spending $549 on headphones. Apple makes good stuff, but that stuff comes at a cost. Not all of Apple's products are this expensive, mind you. The new iPhone 17e starts at $599. That's not necessarily cheap, but it isn't $1,099, either. Apple's MacBook Neo has drawn a lot of buzz by fetching the same price tag as the 17e, but also because of its education price: $499. For that price, students and educators can buy a bra…

Back in January, I wrote about Meta's plans to test subscription services for some of its platforms. The idea is to keep the current experience of each app the same (that is, free of charge), while adding new features users can access for a monthly fee. It's not a bad compromise—if you hate the idea of paying for Instagram or WhatsApp, you can keep using the apps as you always have. If you like the new features, you can pay for them. Heck, maybe Meta will make enough money from subscriptions to end its data collection business! (Hey, a guy can dream.) Now, it seems that Meta is moving forward with WhatsApp's premium subscription. According to WABetaInfo, the company is …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Rejoice, Peloton/Garmin users—you no longer need to double log your Bike workouts, nor use third-party apps to bridge the gap between the two devices. The latest Peloton app update now lets you sync Peloton workouts to your Garmin. A previous update enabled syncing the opposite way, but now we have both. Garmin Forerunner 165 Music Running Smartwatch $249.99 at Amazon …

While many of us iPhone owners just installed the recent iOS 26.3.1 bug patch, Apple is currently at work on another update altogether: iOS 26.4. This update is in beta testing, and brings new features and changes, like AI playlists for Apple Music and support for end-to-end encryption for RCS. But Apple's most recent beta for 26.4 includes something new that most iPhone users will likely enjoy: eight new emojis. These new emojis aren't necessarily Apple's creations. Instead, they're based on the Unicode Version 17.0, an emoji standard released on Sept. 9, 2025. When the Unicode Standard releases new emoji standards, it's up to developers to create their own art for thei…

There’s a stereotype of the phone-obsessed gym rat hogging equipment while they “just sit there and scroll on their phone.” Excuse me, I am logging my sets and trimming my training videos and, um, scrolling Reddit, and yeah I kind of got sucked into TikTok somehow? And there’s a work email, crap, it could wait until after but I’m really curious what it says. Just a sec while I open it... Yeah, I’m not the only one who can get a bit distracted during a training session. You're probably doing it too. So I've always loved this tip from powerlifting coach Claire Zai about setting a “focus” on your phone for when you’re working out. How your phone can actually help you focus …

This week, we're taking a look at goonbait and RegencyCore If you don't know what any of that even is, you're definitely in the right place, so let me break down for ya. Alysa Liu and goonbaitIn Gen Z and Gen A slang, "gooning" refers to extended masturbation without orgasm, sometimes done for the purpose of entering an altered state of consciousness. "Goonbait" is, essentially, media that exists to inspiring gooning. Speaking of goonbait, a couple weeks ago, I talked about Olympic gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu as the hero athlete of Generations Z and A. It didn't take much time for some of the weirder members of the younger generations to make it creepy. This is a…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Portable Bluetooth speakers usually force a trade-off. The smallest ones are easy to carry but sound thin; the bigger ones sound better but take up more space in a bag. The JBL Grip Bluetooth Speaker, currently $77.36 on Amazon (down from $99.95), sits right in the middle. Price trackers show this is just a dollar above its lowest recorded price so far, and Amazon is also bundling 90 days of Amazon Music with the purchase, which gives you something to actually play on it right away. It is small enough to slide into a backpack pocket where a water bo…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you're seeking the signature noise cancellation, sleek look, and premium sound of a pair of Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones but don’t want to pay full price, today is your day: Right now, you can grab a "grade A" refurbished pair for $129.99 from Woot. That's $220 off the original $349.99 price and $20 less than you'll pay for a renewed pair on Amazon. These durable, comfortable headphones are a great choice is you're an Apple user, as Apple owns Beats, but they work well with Android devices too. In any case, a pair of Studio Pros for under…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. VPNs tend to fall into two camps: Some are packed with settings and server lists that assume you know what you’re doing, while others aim to disappear and run silently in the background. The ClearVPN Premium Plan sits firmly in the latter category, and right now, a one-year subscription is on sale for $19.99 on StackSocial, down from $119.88. The price alone makes it worth a look, but it's especially worth trying if a simplified VPN fits your internet use. ClearVPN isn't a power user’s playground. It’s built for people who want protection without fi…

If the phrase “lift with your legs” never made any sense to you, you’re not alone. Trying to follow this advice can feel awkward, unnatural, and ineffective—even though it’s not wrong, exactly. One 1993 study showed that even when warehouse workers had been trained to “lift with the legs,” and even when they said they were doing their best to follow the instructions, in most cases it was pretty much impossible to lift in the textbook manner. Why everyone wants you to lift with your legsThe main point of lifting with your legs is to avoid one particular mistake: rounding your lower back so forcefully that you’re putting yourself at risk for a herniated disc. If you lift s…