Whoever said to throw the laptop out, instead of squeezing everyone else out, is a genius.
Stuck at a desk all day?
💻 Upgrade your workspace for a new year of getting stuff done.
- A memory foam seat cushion ($45) helps with booty and back pain. You can use it in cars and airplanes, too. Click the coupon box for 30% off!
- Pair the seat cushion with a foot stand ($39) for extra relief. Ahh.
- If you use a laptop, this stand (15% off, $17) is your posture’s new BFF. Plus, it helps your computer’s ventilation so it lasts longer.
- A room divider is nice for more privacy or hiding all your junk on video meetings.
- Quick! Name something more annoying than a cord you need falling behind your desk. You can’t, huh? A magnetic cord holder (25% off) stops that from happening.
🤑 Amazon Outlet is like the sale aisle at Target. It’s where they list all the super-cheap overstock and clearance items. I like the under-$10 section.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
It never hurts to ask: Some credit cards offer extended warranties on anything you buy with the card. If your expensive vacuum or laptop craps out, it’s worth asking Amex or Chase if they’ll pay to repair or replace it.
How to test-drive a laptop
Some stores make it easy, others not so much. Here’s how to avoid surprises and get the most out of your trial run.
Very Apple-esque: Dell is ditching iconic laptop names like XPS, Inspiron and Latitude for “simplified” lines: Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max. Each has Base, Plus and Premium tiers. Pro laptops are the new Latitude, and Premium models are replacing the XPS line.
Laptop getting warm? It happens when you’re doing intensive stuff like rendering a video. Besides annoyingly loud fans, your system might throttle performance to cool down. A cooling pad helps improve airflow and keeps things running smoothly. Here’s a good one on sale.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Foldable Macbook could be coming soon
Do you need your laptop to fold up this small? Could be pretty neat — a laptop in your pocket!
🔋 Make your laptop battery last longer: Windows 11 has a Dynamic Refresh Rate option that adjusts how often your screen updates for simple tasks. Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display > Choose a refresh rate > Dynamic.
MacBook battery widget: It’ll regularly remind you how much juice is left in your laptop. On your Mac, click the date and time in the top right corner. In the notification center pop-up, click Edit Widgets. Search for “batteries” and pick your favorite options.
Make an old laptop or PC work again: Install ChromeOS Flex, a free, cloud-based operating system. With processing done on Google’s servers and a bare-bones interface, you’ll get surprisingly good performance. Your PC needs to meet these minimum specs: x64 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a USB port for installation.
🍏 Bad apple: This doesn’t happen often. Move over, Newton (the $700 tiny pre-iPad), Pippin (the $600 gaming console) and Portable (the 16-pound $6,500 laptop). Make room for Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro AR headset, which has sold fewer than 500,000 units since launch. They’re not making it anymore. About 600,000 are stocked up to last the rest of the year. Don’t buy one.
Windows laptop feeling extra warm? Consider an app to monitor the temperature in real time. CoreTemp and Real Temp for Windows are good options. Anything higher than 176 degrees Fahrenheit is bad news.
Laptop catches fire on plane
It started smoking inside a passenger’s bag. Plus, the RiteAid hack, and AT&T data breach. We also talk to Elliston Berry and Anna McAdams, a mother-daughter team fighting deepfake revenge porn.
Don't put your laptop in the fridge
Is your computer running hot? You might think putting it in a cool spot will help. It might, but it could also ruin your computer.
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on social media
The Supreme Court made a surprising decision on a social media censorship case involving Missouri and Louisiana. Find out why their lawsuit didn’t go as planned.
Clever way to secure your laptop from thieves
Your computer holds all your valuable information, so don’t leave it unprotected. Here’s a tip to help you out.
Protect your screen in public
Do you do private stuff on your phone or laptop when you’re out and about? Here’s what you’re risking.
Here's what to do with a stolen laptop
Your computer is the key to all your data. What happens if you lose it? I have tips to protect you, in 60 seconds.
Is it OK to put your laptop in the fridge to cool it down?
Is your laptop heating up faster than a hot potato? You need to cool it down. Here’s how in this one-minute podcast.
Secret iPhone keyboard, Audacity update, 5 mistakes that ruin tech
Google Fiber’s 100Gbps download speed, Starlink slows down, Audacity update, secret iPhone keyboard and 5 ways you’re ruining your expensive phone, laptop, tablet and TV. Plus, you’ll use this eBay pro tip time and time again.
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