The ability to change Zoom backgrounds is one of the service’s best features (and copied by other video chat apps). If you’re working from home, you might be trying to hide the fact that your home office or bedroom is a bit cluttered. It’s easy when you change your Zoom background so that you appear like you’re on flying on the Millennium Falcon or sitting on the Iron Throne. Over the last few years, millions of people have been using Zoom to attend work meetings, participate in online classes and keep up with friends and family....

Hand gestures are part of the Apple Watch’s AssistiveTouch features, which primarily exist to make the Apple Watch experience more inclusive. One of the reasons the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch every year is because it can be used in multiple ways. For example, if you know how to use the Apple Watch you might know you can ask Siri to launch workouts or give you a weather report hands-free....

With its small profile and relatively few buttons, Roku remote controls are simple and straightforward. This is a key reason for why the Roku Streaming Stick 4K holds the throne atop our best streaming devices list. However, occasionally, you may find Roku is not working, and if the issue is your remote, here’s how to fix it. How to fix a Roku remote that’s not working? Hopefully, one of the easy tricks will be your savior....

Bed bugs aren’t something you should be embarrassed about — it’s actually still a very common problem. The good news is you can deal with it yourself. These methods take time and commitment, but they work and will get rid of these uninvited guests. Here’s a step-by-step guide on getting rid of bed bugs. How to fix a squeaky bed - quick tips to stop the noiseHere’s how to fold a fitted sheet in less than one minute to save time...

The good news is that seasoning a cast iron skillet is quick and easy, and all it takes is a few household products. That means you may already have everything you need in your kitchen cabinets. If you’re new to seasoning, don’t worry — here we breakdown exactly what you need to do step-by-step and answer any questions you may have along the way. Here’s how to season a cast iron skillet....

Before you start binge-watching everything the Internet has to offer, though, you’ll need to get the device up and running. The Chromecast setup process is generally simple and intuitive, but if you find yourself stuck on any of the steps, our guide can clarify what to do next. And below the initial setup instructions, we’ve got the next steps to take. Those include the first thing you can do to make sure your Chromecast with Google TV 4K and the Chromecast with Google TV HD are delivering you the best recommendations....

Visit the Echo Upgrade Program trade-in website (opens in new tab). Confirm the condition of your Echo device. Select whether the device powers on and works properly, and whether there is physical damage. Select ‘Review your trade in value’. If you answered ‘No’ to the first question or ‘Yes’ to the second question, your trade in value will be $5 or $10. If you answered ‘Yes’ to the first question and ‘No’ to the second question, you’ll see the maximum trade in value for your device....

So what exactly does Apple Watch Mirroring do, and why? Essentially, Apple Watch Mirroring casts your Apple Watch’s display to your iPhone screen using AirPlay. Thanks to your iPhone’s touch screen functionality, you can fully interact with your Apple Watch’s screen, too, while also having the use of the side button and digital crown. Anything you can do on your Apple Watch, you can now do on your iPhone’s screen....

To get a better sense of this napping strategy—including what it involves, how effective it is, and how it compares to other popular sleeping techniques like the 4 7 8 Sleep Method and the Military Sleep Method—we spoke to Po-Chang Hsu, MD, a medical content expert for Sleeping Ocean and graduate of the Tufts University School of Medicine. Before we dive in, remember that sleep hacks can only get you so far....

Interestingly enough, American Song Contest will present a mix of pros and unknowns. We’ve got the full list of all 56 performers (one for each of the 50 states, five U.S. territories and the capital Washington, D.C.) below, but the range of popularity between them will surprise you. So, while Alaska fields its favorite daughter Jewel and The Crystal Method represent Nevada, the likes of Jonah Prill will stand for Montana and Nitro Nitra is Delaware’s representative....

According to a press release (opens in new tab) published today (Aug. 24), NBC and Bravo shows will arrive on Peacock the day after the air on the linear channel beginning Sept. 19. This means any cord-cutters looking to watch NBC and Bravo’s biggest shows — such as Law & Order, Saturday Night Live, The Voice, The Real Housewives, Top Chef and Below Deck — will need Peacock Premium (and spend at least $5 more per month in the process, if they don’t already have it)....

Read on to find out more about the benefits of the superman exercise, and what happened when I added 30 to my morning routine for a week. Looking for more weird and wonderful workout inspiration? Read what happened when I did 50 bird dogs a day for a week. What is the superman exercise? The name is a good indication of what this exercise involves. Lie down on your front, stretch out your arms and legs, and imagine you are Superman flying through the air with the greatest of ease....

As a long-time Halo fan I was pretty excited when plans for a TV show were first announced. But more recently my expectations have been tempered slightly — and not just because someone decided it would be a good idea to reveal Master Chief’s face. In the run up to the premiere I’ve been feeling very indifferent. After watching the first episode, I can confirm that not much has changed....

In other words, it’s time for a new phone. Except I’m not going to get the iPhone 14 Pro Max this year, despite the fact that we named it as the best phone overall based on our testing. Don’t get me wrong. Apple’s flagship is a great phone, the best iPhone you can buy right now. I know, because I did our iPhone 14 Pro Max review. The new cameras take amazing photos, and the new 48MP ProRAW mode blew me away when I tested it versus the 12MP mode in a wide range of scenarios....

Unlike with a Bluetooth speaker, you don’t need your smartphone (after the initial setup process) which means you won’t get distracted by incoming notifications when trying to find the right music for the moment. However, just like with many other smart home devices, you’re limited by the fact your smart speaker needs to be plugged into an AC outlet for power. As I have multiple Google Home Mini and Google Nest Minis devices (a few I got for free just for being a YouTube Premium subscriber), I recently set out to make an old Google Home Mini portable so that I can bring it with me around the house and even outside....

Apple (opens in new tab) has announced a new beta for the iCloud web client that should update what was previously a basic user interface. The beta version has a clean look, with tiles for each app: Photos, Mail, Drive, etc. You can even create documents through Pages from the iCloud Beta web client and instantly see them reflected in your Drive from the iCloud for web beta home page, which feels similar to using Microsoft Office 365 online....

However, with that comes a few caveats: It’s not motorized, so you have to manually raise and lower it; it comes in a limited range of colors and sizes; and it supports less weight than some of the best standing desks. But at this price, it could be just right for you. Read the rest of our Ikea Trotten review to find out. IKEA Trotten standing desk review: Price and availability The IKEA Trotten costs $249....

In my non-exercise life, I’m an introverted extrovert — I love being around people and can easily make connections with someone I’ve just met, but I also need time to recharge alone. Introverts and extroverts are some of the oldest personality types in the book, but there’s a growing school of thought that your personality type makes you enjoy certain types of exercise more than others. In fact, a study of 2000 people found that introverts are more likely to exercise in the morning, whereas extroverted people find it easier to exercise in the evening....

There’s no doubt as to what the biggest change in iOS 16 is — Apple is letting you customize the phone’s lock screen, even adding the ability to place widgets on the screen you see before unlocking your phone. It’s quite a departure from past versions of iOS, which have imposed a pretty uniform approach to the lock screen. In iOS 15, you can select your own wallpaper, whether it’s an Apple-supplied image or one of your own photos, but that’s the extent of the customization allowed....

As you can see in our iPad 10th gen review, there’s a lot to like about this device, and it certainly belongs on our best tablet list. Then again, Apple is charging $120 more for this the iPad 10th gen versus the previous model, and it made a very strange design decision with its support for the old 1st gen Apple Pencil. Is the new iPad worth the premium? Let’s break down the pros and cons....