Setting Up Your Home Office

Nintendo just wrapped up its long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, and the experience was almost surreal. The company has avoided talking about the console for so many years, and even after it shared an early preview a few months ago, it's still odd to see Nintendo walk us through the console in such depth. Mind games aside, it's finally official-official, and we now know a lot about Nintendo's upcoming console. The Direct didn't answer every question about its capabilities, but if you're interested in the hardware specs, here's everything there is to know right now. How powerful is the Switch 2?From games to accessories, there's a lot to get excited about with any new …

With Apple finally killing the Home button in today’s iPhone 16e announcement, the company’s phones have now all adopted the same general look: boring. Apple’s latest budget phone might have a bigger battery and surprising power for a follow-up to the iPhone SE, but anyone looking for something that breaks the mold will have to wait for the iPhone 17. That’s because Apple’s next lineup of phones finally seems to be doing something different with the iPhone’s design. For the first time since the Dynamic Island was introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro, it looks like you might finally be able to tell if someone has a new iPhone from a simple glance. Is the iPhone 17 getting a ca…

With iOS 19 expected to be unveiled in June 2025 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), rumors about its features have been coming in fast. Although none of these rumors can be confirmed at the moment, they still give us a good idea about what Apple might be considering behind the scenes. Since AI is the flavor of the month, Apple Intelligence improvements are expected for iOS 19, but the camera app might also be getting some attention. Here's everything that's been leaked so far. The merging of Siri and Apple IntelligenceAccording to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple plans to merge Siri with Apple Intelligence sometime during the iOS 19 patch cycle. Yes, the ass…

Google I/O, the company's annual developer's conference, doesn't start until May 20, but expectations are already swirling about what will be announced during the event. Here's what we think might show up at this year's Google I/O, plus details on how to watch. When and how to watch Google I/O 2025This year's Google I/O is scheduled for May 20 and 21, with the first keynote beginning at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET). The event will be live streamed online at io.google and on YouTube. Anyone can view the keynotes and sessions without registering, though developers can register for free to receive event communications. What's coming to Google I/O 2025The schedule for I/O 2025 has…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. When I look around for cookbooks to feature for this column, I prefer to go to a real bookstore. I like to flip through the book and see what the purpose is, if it’s easy to use or complex, and if it’ll be useful to you all—this takes some browsing. But there is the rare cookbook that I almost immediately tuck under my arm because I know in my bones that it’s …

Facebook wants to be your friend again, by showing you what your real friends are up to. In an attempt to save itself from the AI slop and clickbaity images that are all over its algorithmic feed, Facebook is now updating its mobile app's dedicated Friends tab to be a whole feed, showing you updates only from the real people that you actually care about. That's a pretty big change, since before, all the Friends tab did was show you friend requests and people you may know. According to Facebook, the new Friends tab is one of "several 'OG' Facebook experiences" that are set to be released throughout the year, so this is just the beginning. That said, while the new feature s…

For decades, the only way to buy a car was to physically go to a dealership. If that idea gives you an anxiety attack, you’re not alone, so it’s a relief to know that the industry is finally embracing online shopping—even Amazon has gotten in on the act, and about half the buyers in one survey shopped for their car online. But just like anything else on the internet, buying a car online comes with the risk of fraud. Scammers are setting up entire fake online dealerships and ripping people off to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. You might think you’re too savvy to get fleeces like that (who buys a $50,000 car sight unseen anyway?), but the risk is real. These fake…

When Apple announced the iPhone 16E yesterday, it also confirmed that the new budget phone will get Apple Intelligence’s “Visual Intelligence” feature, marking the first time the AI trick will come to a phone without a “Camera Control” button. While the other iPhone 16 series phones use their Camera Control buttons to access Visual Intelligence, the iPhone 16E can instead map it to its Action Button, a simple change that raises the question: why not the iPhone 15 Pro, too? Personally, as an iPhone 15 Pro owner, I’ve been asking that question for months now, as I’ve long suspected my phone’s internals were definitely capable of it—it can run every other Apple Intelligence …

If all you want is a simple, reliable email client, Apple's Mail app is superb choice. And over the years, it's only gotten better. But until now, it's had this one weird quirk that has users running to third-party clients like Gmail or Outlook. It has to do with how the Archive feature works. When you archive an email that you're reading, the Mail app automatically opens the next email in your inbox. Now, that's great if you're just going through newsletters. But when this happens, the next email is marked as read automatically, something you might not want to do in every case (like if the sender is using a tracking service, or if you were saving that email to read late…

At the end of last month, The Google Pixel 4a got a software update that rendered the device nearly unusable for some people, for seemingly unknown reasons. The update included "battery management features" that left some people with phones that couldn't hold a charge for more than 30 minutes. Google explained the problems in a support document and offered a few solutions, but again, it didn't explain the root cause of the issue. But now, there appears to be one possible explanation for the problem—overheating batteries—as mentioned in a Pixel 4a recall issued in Australia, spotted first by Android Authority. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issue…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Growing up, I was obsessed with helping my mom cook. Though she would dabble in making Italian food or try out popular boxed ingredients of the time, most nights featured what she knew best—giant pots of Thai comfort fare and heaping mounds of jasmine rice. My childhood of ad hoc cooking lessons taught me two things: Jasmine rice goes with everything, and anything can taste good with the help of one of five bottled Asian sauces. I'll assume you have the rice covered, so let me tell you about these sauces. Fish sauce This sauce gives you the most flavor bang for your buck. The thin, reddish-brown liquid is made by fermenti…

Growing seeds is a relatively simple process: Bury seeds in dirt, add water, heat, and light from the sun, and in most cases, something is going to sprout. The problem is, most of us conduct this process inside, because we’re trying to get a jump on the growing season. Inside, where there’s no sun, heat is hard to control, and the most your seedlings can stretch out their new little root legs is the size of the plastic cell they’re planted in. As such, it takes some practice to grow strong, resilient seedlings, and beginners make plenty of mistakes. The good news is, most of them are solvable. Not enough light …

Despite the prevalence of wireless devices, wrangling cords and cables in the home is still a pain point for most people. If you own your home, you might be able to hide your wires inside the walls, but if you rent or simply don’t want to drill into or open up your walls, that isn't ideal. Besides, there are many much easier ways to hide them without needing to learn drywall repair. Behind furnitureOne of the easiest ways to hide your cables is to clip them behind conveniently placed furniture. Adhesive clips like these stick to the legs and backs of tables and consoles and secure all those wires in place. If you’re neat about it, you can magically make those wires invisi…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. On average, the number of years people hold onto their cars has been creeping up for about a decade—it's up to about 14 years these days. Aside from improved reliability, given that new cars average $49,740, and used cars cost more than $26,000, it's not hard to figure out why. If your car still runs well and reliably gets you where you need to go, that’s all that really matters. That said, you probably don't want your car to look it's age. Time takes a toll on every vehicle, from sun damage to chips and scratches in the paint, and eventually even a car that’s been maintained to perfection will start to show its years. If…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’m frequently asked for recommendations on what robot vacuum to get. While I’ve got favorites, I usually respond with a list of features I’d look for. Each year, robots get so much more advanced that these features change. But if I were buying a robot vacuum tomorrow (or in the next big sale), here’s what I’d look for. Unless you’ve got wall-to-wall carpet, get a vacuum/mop comboGenerally, people shy away from combo products because each new functionality is an additional feature that can break. There’s also a belief that one of the features won’t be as good as the other. For a while, expecting the vacuum and mop to be e…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I recommend a lot of organizational tools around here, from high-quality shelves to renter-friendly options. While having a bunch of designated storage space is crucial for maintaining the decluttering and organizational principles that keep a home in order, some of the products on the market are a little spendy. Sometimes, sure, you need to drop some significant cash on something that will really help you whip a space into shape, but most of the time, there are inexpensive options that get the job done just as well. Here are some of my favorite organizing staples, all of which cost me less than or around $25. Storage car…

When you have a project to work on but just can't get started or make significant progress, it's easy to beat yourself up about it—which also doesn't do much to put you in a go-getter mindset. When you're feeling stuck, you can certainly choose a productivity method that might work better for you, but before you do that, it's a good idea to orient yourself by asking yourself a handful of questions about what you are hoping to accomplish. Here are five questions to ask yourself the next time you're stuck and feeling unproductive, so you can get moving again. "When was the last time I was as productive as I wanted to be?"We all go through periods where we're less or more p…

Like homeowners insurance, auto insurance is getting significantly more expensive: Data show that policy costs rose 11% last year, likely due to factors like climate change, rising accident rates, and higher repair costs. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to offset or at least keep your car insurance premium stable, if not reduce it. If you go through any of the following life changes, it may be time to call your insurance company about lowering your policy premium. You've movedA move is a major life transition—and one that could impact your auto insurance policy for the better in a few ways. First, insurers factor where you park your car into your rate, so …

If you’ve noticed water dripping from or pooling under your fridge, there's no need to panic (right away). There are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take to diagnose the problem, and you might even be able to fix it yourself. If your fridge is leaking, here are five problems to check for before calling a professional–and how to fix them before your trickle becomes a flood. Damaged door sealYour refrigerators has a big, rubberized gasket that seals the outer edges of the door and maintains the proper moisture inside the fridge. If it's dirty, cracked, or damaged, it can allow air to flow between the interior and exterior of the fridge, causing water to condense in…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When it comes to upgrading your home's aesthetic, you don't need to spend a lot of time or money to have an impact. In addition to inexpensive improvements that increase your home's comfort and efficiency, there are a number of small swaps that can have a big impact without busting your budget. All of these swaps are renter-friendly—they are unlikely to cause damage in the installation process and are easy to return to their original state. Simply save what you remove and replace when you leave. Get new switch plate and outlet coversRemove the cheap plastic light switch and outlet covers around your home and replace them…

With the April 15 deadline right around the corner, you want to ensure you're taking advantage of all the deductions you can. Andy Phillips, Vice President of H&R Block’s Tax Institute, says his tax experts are getting plenty of questions from filers looking to maximize every deduction available to them. I wrote about some wacky and unexpected tax deductions last week, but what about the most common ones that filers just don't fully understand? From gig worker perks to retirement contributions, here are the tax deductions every filer needs to know. Retirement contributions and traditional IRA deductions Phillips says that if you contribute to a tax-advantaged traditio…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We like to think that our home is also our fortress of privacy: Once you walk through your front door, you’re free from prying eyes (or lenses) and can relax. There are a ton of ways to ensure your privacy inside, starting with items like window films, shades, and curtains. And if you want to protect your outdoor space from neighbors peering over the fence, you have several easy options. Most of those options, however, assume your neighbors are on the same level as you. If the neighboring homes are located above yours, you’ll need to re-think your privacy plan. This is especially true if your neighbors have outdoor areas t…

There’s something magical about having a pool you can just dip into any time you want. That’s why it’s estimated there are nearly 11 million pools in the U.S., most of them residential. But pools are expensive. Aside from the price of installing one, it can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 annually to own and maintain a pool, which is why it’s often advisable not to add a pool to your home if you’re thinking of selling it someday. If your house already has a pool, or you want those summertime pool parties more than you want your money, you can at least cut down on those pool maintenance costs with a few simple steps. Use a pool coverOne of the easiest ways to lower you…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Whether you're worried about hurricanes, fires, or winter storms, a little bit of preparation can go a long way to making your home more resilient to extreme weather. Taking the time to plan ahead will make it safer and more comfortable to hunker down if an emergency occurs. Here are some home updates you can do yourself to keep yourself and your home safe. Check drainage and gradingWhen there is a deluge of rainwater or water from melting ice or snow, it can test the strength of the water barriers on your foundation and siding. One way to give your home a fighting chance in a wet environment is to ensure that you have pr…

Lifting is about as simple as an exercise gets: You pick the thing up, and you put the thing down. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to walk into the gym and just pick the thing up. A proper warmup can help you to be ready for your lifting, so let’s talk about how to build your best lifting warmup routine. Why a warmup is important (and when it may not be)First, let’s talk about why we warm up. People often talk about warmups as if they will magically prevent injury, or that skipping one will result in some other disaster. That’s not necessarily true. They also won’t really do much for your chances of suffering from soreness (or not) after the workout, either. If you fe…