Setting Up Your Home Office

The Gboard interface can be a lot. In addition to the keyboard, there are so many features stuffed inside this little utility that there's a whole customizable toolbar on top of the keyboard to help you navigate them. And this kind of maximalist interface applies to the Emoji keyboard as well... or at least, it used to. Now, Google is finally doing something about it. Google has starting rolling out a new beta redesign to the Emoji menu that makes it simpler to use, with a more categorized layout. Gone is the old "All" screen that showed all of your recently used emojis, customized Emoji Kitchen stickers, and GIFs all in one long, confusing list. And, with a little bit …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I used to regularly read more than 125 books a year, each meticulously logged on my Goodreads profile. I read during my commute and to wind down at night. I always had a paperback in my bag or an audiobook in my ears. Then I got a smartphone. Then I got on Twitter. Then the 2016 presidential election happened. Then there was a pandemic, and for a while I stopped commuting altogether. With every year, it seemed like there were more things to spiral about online, and less hours in the day to relax with a novel or read some stimulating non-fiction. Suddenly I found it hard to meet my much more modest reading goals, which dro…

App notifications need careful balancing across Android, iOS, Windows, and of course macOS. Too many of them and you're in a state of constant distraction; too few of them, and you risk missing out on something important that one of your programs is trying to tell you. macOS has you covered when it comes to finding the right balance for you, providing a full suite of controls for managing interruptions and staying up to date with your notifications. It doesn't take long to set up these notification options, and then once they're configured, you can use Focus modes for specific scenarios (like working or watching movies). Note that some individual apps come with their own …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Even though the residential burglary rate has been dropping steadily in recent years (down 26% between 2019 and 2023), many of us still worry about being robbed or experiencing a home invasion. Alarm systems and other high-tech security are really effective—a study once found that 83% of criminals check for an alarm before selecting a house to rob—but they don’t actually stop someone from breaking into your home. If you want to prevent a determined criminal from getting inside in the first place, you don’t need to spend a fortune turning your house into some sort of smart home fortress—there are plenty of cheap, low-tech s…

Mac users are spoiled when it comes to searching their computers. Macs have Spotlight search built-in, which they can use to open apps, search for files, perform calculations, and search the web. Windows has the Search Bar, but when you compare what they can do, it's not exactly the same. Now, though, there's a new tool called Command Palette, and it's a keyboard launcher designed specifically for developers and power users alike. It replaces a similar feature called PowerToys Run, and offers way more features, including the ability to run commands, search the web, search for files, and add custom bookmarks and global keyboard shortcuts. How to install and enable Command…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Bed-sharing couples rarely like the exact same kind of mattress, and that's where the i8 Smart Bed shines. Each side is customizable, allowing each person to alter the mattress' firmness at any time. Right now, Sleep Number is having a Memorial Day sale with discounts of up to 50% and free delivery. Its flagship product, the i8 Smart Bed, is 30% off. I've been loving mine, and it has changed both my and my partner's sleep for the better. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Memorial Day sales are in full swing, you can find deals on smart beds, tools, Beats headphones, budget headphones, fitness equipment, and much more. Sony has joined the holiday madness and is offering a buy one, get one free (BOGO) deal when you buy a Bravia 8 II OLED Google TV. Purchase one of these top of the line sets, which start at $3,499.99, and you'll get a X77L LED Google TV, valued at $589.99, free. The deal runs through June 8. …

Shopping has always been a battle. Companies work hard to convince you that their product is better, while also trying to ensure you pay the highest possible price for your purchase. That’s fair enough, and most of us are accustomed to researching everything we buy to make sure we’re not being ripped off. But modern technology has changed the game. Companies have been hoovering up information about us for years now, and that means they have a pretty good idea about our shopping habits—including what we’re willing to pay for specific products and services, something called Individualized Consumer Data (ICD). New tools like artificial intelligence are now making it very, ve…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Garmin has launched a new feature in its Connect app (the companion app you use when you sync your watch to your phone). It’s called Garmin Trails, and it purports to help you find hiking trails near you. With a Connect+ subscription, you can even sync courses for those trails to your map-enabled watch. It sounds pretty great. Unfortunately, its selection of trails is pretty disappointing at launch—it doesn't even suggest I try out my own favorite trails. How to access Garmin TrailsYou don’t need a Connect+ subscription to search for trails, filter for features, and look at the routes and reviews of trail—all of that come…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. We might be living in the era of the PS5 Pro, but speaking from personal experience, the base PS5 is still plenty good enough for most people. There are no exclusive games for the upgrade yet (and there likely never will be), but one nice thing about its existence is that the original PS5 is now more likely to go on sale. Consider this week's discounts on both models of the PS5 Slim (sorry, that's what everyone calls it, Sony), which you can snag with a free copy of Astro Bot thrown in. They aren't technically a part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, bu…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Garmin announced a new fitness watch today, the Vivoactive 6. Its predecessor, the Vivoactive 5, is my pick for the best smartwatch to replace a Fitbit (beating out the Pixel Watch 3), and, if you ask me, it's the most underrated device in the Garmin lineup. The Vivoactive 6 is poised to be even better, adding a few new features, including a "smart wake" alarm and on-watch coaching for walking and strength training. The Vivoactive 6 will be available for preorder on April 4, with a suggested retail price of $299.99, the same initial price as the Vivoactive 5. (If you’re looking to save money by going with the older model,…

Nintendo has never been known for high-performance hardware, but that certainly hasn't hurt its bottom line—especially in the Switch age. The company's decision to use more basic components for the Switch back in 2017 helped keep the console cheaper than any of its competitors. It's tough to get too hung up on the lack of 4K 60fps support when you can play the latest Zelda on a handheld that can cost less than $200. But lo, a new Switch is here, and with it, a new price. The Switch 2 is, indeed, a more powerful version of the Switch, and comes with a number of advantages: a larger 1080p HDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dock equipped with a fan to support 4K 60fps …

I'm sure there was a point in time when it was cool to receive a text from a business or service, but it's not today. Our phones are sounding off way too often these days, in part because of the rise in spam messages. Many of these messages arrive because your number happened to end up on an organization's subscriber list for one reason or another. Perhaps you donated blood one time, and now you are contacted every other day about setting up your next appointment; maybe you gave money to a political candidate, and now that candidate's party is blowing up your phone for more money. In many cases, you can send a STOP text to end the madness. But if the organization doesn't…

If your iPhone is running iOS 18.4, you might have noticed some significant new features, like AI-powered Priority Notifications and seven brand-new emojis. However, one change in particular might be a bit controversial: Safari's Search feature now shows a list of your most recent searches every time you search for something new. Useful? Maybe. Privacy-compromising? Definitely. Don't be alarmed: If you're not a fan of Safari's new "Recent Searches" screen, you can turn off this feature entirely, or clear all recent results quite quickly. How the new Safari Search screen worksWhen you open a new tab and tap "Search or enter website" in iOS 18.4, you'll see a new screen sho…

Social media can be a fantastic way to connect with friends and family, but it can also be dangerous—especially for kids and young adults. While modern social media platforms like Facebook have been around for over 20 years, figuring out how to make these apps and sites safe for minors is still an ongoing challenge. For all its faults, Meta is making some efforts in this space. Last year, the company announced Teen Accounts for Instagram. All accounts for users under the age of 18 automatically shifted to this new format, which included a number of protections not found on typical Instagram accounts. For example, Teen Accounts are private by default, so new followers ne…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The LG C3 65-inch Evo OLED TV, featured in Lifehacker's Best Budget OLED TVs to Buy in 2025, is now available for $1,196.99, down from $1,499.99—its lowest price ever on Amazon, according to price trackers. LG C3 Series 65-Inch Class OLED TV $1,196.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. For fans of The Mandalorian or anyone after a headset with cross-platform support, the Logitech Astro A30 (Mandalorian Edition) might be worth a closer look—especially now that it’s hit its lowest-ever price (according to price trackers) of $119.99 on Woot (down from $249). The same model is currently $175 on Amazon, making this Woot deal a solid choice if you’re in the contiguous U.S. (Woot doesn’t ship elsewhere). This deal is live for eight days or until its stock runs out. Free shipping applies to Prime members; others will need to cough up $6. …

The old turn-it-off-and-on-again adage has helped successfully troubleshoot computers for years, but there's more than one way to restart your hardware and software—including a lesser known option on Windows that may well be new to you. Having spent many years writing about tech, it isn't often that I come across something I didn't already know about. So when I stumbled across this old BetaNews article about an emergency restart feature in Windows, I was taken aback. It showed a screen and a keystroke combination I had genuinely never heard of before. A bit more digging revealed that this has been in Windows for decades, making it even stranger that I'd never come across …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re thinking about upgrading your home security without dealing with tangled wires or tricky installations, this refurbished Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera—currently priced at $114.95 on Amazon with free shipping—might be worth a look. It’s a wire-free setup that mounts easily with just a few screws and connects over 2.4GHz wifi. No electrical know-how required. PCMag gave it an Editor’s Choice award, mostly thanks to its 2K HDR video, wide 160-degree field of view, and a super bright (up to) 3,000-lumen floodlight. You can dim the light if need…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Six months ago, I reviewed the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. If you’ve been off-grid, these specs pack a camera, open-ear speakers, microphones, and voice-activated Meta AI inside a pair of Wayfarer-style frames, so they're basically science fiction glasses that look normal. I liked them so much, I had prescription lenses put in and made them part of my daily load out. But it's easy to love a tech product when it’s new and shiny; the real test is how the Ray-Ban Metas fair after they've gone from novelty to another damn thing I have to remember to charge. Bottom line: I still really like them after half a year of wearing the…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. A quick public service announcement: Mother’s Day is this Sunday. If this holiday snuck up on you again this year (I’m in the same boat), it’s not too late to grab a thoughtful gift. Here’s a list of gift ideas for the chef, baker, coffee connoisseur, and everyone in between. While you may not have time to get something engraved or monogrammed, these gifts still say “You deserve to do more of what you love.” The vendors listed below offer expedited shipping so your gift will arrive on time. Just make sure to check the two-day shipping option during checkout. …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Pelotons are the most popular indoor exercise bike, but they're notoriously expensive and don't go on sale often. Luckily, they're on sale right now, and while they're still expensive, the discounts are historically good, according to price tracking tools. To sweeten the deal, Amazon is also offering free professional assembly in any room of your house (click the option under "Purchase options and add-ons"). The original Peloton Bike is currently at $1,145 (originally $1,445), matching the lowest price of 2025. The Peloton Bike+, Peloton's best exe…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. There are a lot of phones that promise top-tier performance for under a grand, but not many manage to deliver it quite like the Motorola Moto Edge+ (2023). Now available for just $399.99—down from its original $649.99—this unlocked model is sitting at its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. That’s a steep drop for a phone that PCMag named an Editor’s Choice. It comes in Interstellar Black with 8GB RAM and a generous 512GB of storage. The design lives up to its name with curved edges that wrap around a nearly bezel-less 6.7-inch display w…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Building your DIY home maintenance or repair kit can get expensive quickly. If you have some big summer plans for home improvement projects, you might be looking for savings on tools and materials to bring your DIY dreams to life. Luckily, there are some deals on Craftsman tools on Amazon right now that you can check out to help you get your projects finished under budget. Tools setsIf you’re building a new toolbox from scratch, Craftsman makes a few sets that are invaluable for DIY projects, and a few of them are on sale on Amazon right now: The Cr…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If your current version of Office is starting to feel a little old, this might be the right time to upgrade without committing to a subscription. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is down to $49.97 on StackSocial—marked down from its regular $219.99 price. It’s a one-time purchase with a lifetime license for one Windows PC. That means no monthly fees, no renewals, and no cloud dependency to use the core apps. You’ll get instant delivery of your license key after checkout, and setup is straightforward. Just note that the license ties to …