These Alarm Clocks Are So Smart You'll Feel Bad for Hitting Them

Quick Links Alarm clocks have an interesting existence. They’re something many of us desperately need, and yet a few seconds after they start working as requested, we want to smash them to pieces or throw them out the window in front of an oncoming bus. This urge is slightly lessened withmodern smart alarm clocks, which all seem to have learned a lesson from earlier generations: “I better wake this guy up gently, or I’m dead....

June 22, 2025 · 4 min · 787 words · David Rivera

These Games Let Me Travel the World From the Comfort of My Couch

Traveling the world is both expensive and time-consuming. The real deal would be great, but if it’s just not feasible, why not turn to video games? These amazing titles will allow you to explore the world in both the past and present in surprisingly realistic detail. 6Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Naturally,Microsoft Flight Simulatoris primarily notable for, well, being a flight simulator. It has very realistic controls and flight mechanics, being about as close as possible to flying a real plane without actually doing it....

June 22, 2025 · 8 min · 1633 words · Amy Spencer

Thrustmaster’s New Controller Eliminates Stick Drift

Thrustmaster has unveiled a new game controller for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, dubbed the Heart, which promises to eliminate the annoying stick drift entirely. The gamepad sports a two-tone design with an LED strip separating the two colors in the middle. you may change lighting between six colors, including orange, blue, and red. The accessory uses all-mechanical buttons with an actuation distance of just 0.3mm. To eliminate stick drift “completely,” the Heart utilizes a solution called Hall Effect AccuRate Technology (hence the Heart acronym)....

June 22, 2025 · 2 min · 373 words · Jacqueline Pratt

Today's NYT Connections Hints and Answer for September 11 (#458)

Quick Links Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn’t—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they’re usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we’ve got you covered. What Is Connections? Connections is a game from the New York Times. The objective is simple: sort 16 words into groups of 4....

June 22, 2025 · 3 min · 482 words · Melanie Phillips

Top Tech Deals: AirPods Pro 2nd Gen, Echo Show, TCL 98-Inch TV, and More

The end of January is typically a quiet time for deals as everyone recovers from the holiday season. Thankfully, Amazon just launched a slew of winter discounts, slashing prices on countless popular tech items. If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day gifts, a massive TV for the Super Bowl, or even a fitness tracker to keep you motivated at the gym, we have you covered. Save 50% on a huge 98-inch TCL 4K TV, snag the latest Amazon Echo Show 8, or upgrade your computer monitor with these hand-picked deals....

June 22, 2025 · 4 min · 772 words · Kathleen Hood

Top Tech Deals: Crucial SSD, TP-Link Mesh, Anker, and More!

Looking for some deals? Many retailers are holding back some discounts for when tax returns start making it in, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to pick up now. This week, you can save on an external SSD, a kids tablet, mesh internet routers, and more! Crucial X9 1TB USB-C External SSD for $64.99 ($45 Off)—Inexpensive and Fast Storage Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD If you’re shopping for a budget portable SSD, you needn’t look further than the Crucial X9....

June 22, 2025 · 3 min · 505 words · Destiny Lynch

Top Tech Deals: Jackery Power Station, Wi-Fi 7 Router, MacBook Air, and More

Whether you’re doing back-to-school shopping or gearing up for an outdoor adventure this summer, we have you covered with some of the best discounts of the week. This week’s savings include the MacBook Air M2 for only $699, making it the perfect laptop for college students. We also found discounts on dorm room essentials, camping gear like portable power stations, Eneloop rechargeable batteries, a Wi-Fi 7 router, and so much more....

June 22, 2025 · 3 min · 566 words · Jeremy Mccarty

UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 MagSafe Charger Review: Affordable, Compact, and Effective

Summary UGREEN’sMagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 MagSafe Chargerfeels very sturdy, is fairly compact and portable, and can charge your iPhone and AirPods about as fast as most other Qi2 chargers. It’s a shame it doesn’t include a power adapter, though. UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 MagSafe Charger A durable and portable wireless charger that charges well, but could do with a power adapter. Price and Availability You can find the UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger for $49....

June 22, 2025 · 4 min · 852 words · Roger Hicks

What Is a Phantom Load?

Quick Links Summary Phantom load, sometimes called vampire draw or standby power, is the power used by appliances while they’re inactive or in standby mode. Appliances consume power while in standby mode to enable them to start more quickly, respond to remote controls or a smartphone app, or run background tasks. Read any article about measuring power usage or saving money on your electric bill, and you’re sure to hear about phantom loads....

June 22, 2025 · 5 min · 891 words · Hannah Bates

What is File Versioning, and Do You Need It?

Quick Links Summary File versioning allows you to roll back a file to previous point in time, even if you have saved over it. Versioning is available in many apps as a built-in, automated feature and as part of native macOS and Windows backup solutions. File versioning can be a lifesaver if you make a change to an important file that you later come to regret. The feature isn’t supported in every application or service out of the box, but there are a few steps you may take on Windows and Mac to safeguard your files....

June 22, 2025 · 6 min · 1066 words · John Hernandez

Why Do TV Speakers Sound So Bad?

Quick Links Summary Modern TV designs are thin and slim, which means audio has become something of an afterthought. Most sets now use downward-firing or backward-firing speakers that are too small to deliver a big sound. The cheapest and simplest remedy is to invest in a soundbar. The picture quality of modern TVs is better than ever so it’s a shame the same can’t be said about the sound quality. So how did we get here, and how much do you need to spend to fix the problem?...

June 22, 2025 · 6 min · 1201 words · Manuel Delacruz

Why I Let Tray Icons Take Over My Windows 11 Taskbar

Summary People these days obsess over minimalistic user interfaces, to the point that they sacrifice functionality for aesthetics, and I get it. I keep my desktop fairly clean, too. But when it comes to my taskbar, it’s a different story; I keep every system tray icon shown, and it’s been working great for me. Why I Keep All My System Tray Icons Visible In case you’re not fluent in Windows' lingo, the system tray is the right part of the taskbar where all the little icons of apps running in the background reside....

June 22, 2025 · 5 min · 941 words · Jordan Burton

Why You Should Be Scheduling Your Emails

Quick Links Do you always respond to emails right away? Or do you let them pile up? Scheduling your outgoing messages is a great way to ensure your inbox doesn’t get the best of you. Learn more about the benefits of scheduling your emails here. Set Clear Boundaries Not everyone works what would be considered “normal” working hours. If you’re a night owl or insomniac who likes to check their inbox at 2 a....

June 22, 2025 · 5 min · 868 words · Arthur Yang