At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Serious performance Good battery life Excellent webcam and mic Long warranty Cons Expensive 4GB of VRAM puts many local AI models out of reach NPU too slow for Copilot+ PC features Our Verdict HP’s ZBook 8 G1i is a capable professional workstation with fast performance, good thermals, and an unusually long warranty. But this machine can’t run many AI workflows. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: HP ZBook 8 G1i Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The HP ZBook 8 G1i is a high-end workstation laptop designed for professional workloads: CAD, 3D modeling, and video editing. It’s priced to match, too. At an eye-watering price of $5,755, this machine seems priced with enough margin to allow big discounts to businesses procuring a fleet for their employees. As I wrapped up this review, HP was offering it at 61 percent off — a price of $2,199. With a three-year warranty, a bundled Windows 11 Professional license, a fast Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU, workstation-class Nvidia graphics, and plenty of RAM and storage, that sale price seems fair for a professional tool like this one. But HP’s promises of “pro-level graphics designed for advanced AI workflows” fall a little flat here. While this machine has Nvidia graphics that can run local AI features in professional apps, this isn’t the ideal AI workstation PC. Both the GPU and NPU hold it back in AI workloads. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Specs The HP ZBook 8 G1i is available in a variety of configurations, both in 14-Inch and 16-inch models. The 16-inch review model HP let us borrow had an Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a dual-GPU setup with a workstation-class discrete Nvidia RTX 500 Ada GPU and integrated Intel Arc Pro 140T graphics. The 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU is based on Intel’s Arrow Lake architecture with a max speed of 5.3 GHz, and it delivered CPU and overall system performance that wowed in our benchmark suite. The RTX 500 Ada GPU here is an entry-level GPU designed for workstation PCs, including CAD software and lightweight AI tasks. Professionals get certified drivers for use with software like AutoCAD, with a promise of greater stability. This machine is not intended for gaming, and the RTX 500 Ada GPU here only has 4 GB of VRAM. So, while HP talks up this machine as an AI workhorse, the lack of VRAM means it isn’t ideal for heavy local AI tasks that need a lot of VRAM, including running larger local models and fine-tuning them. Quite frankly, the AI story is the weakest part of this machine. With a slow Intel NPU that doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features and an Nvidia GPU with only 4 GB of VRAM, people looking for an “AI workstation” would do well to look elsewhere. For running local LLMs, a consumer GPU with 12GB of VRAM or more would be ideal. If you download LM Studio, you’ll discover that only the smallest models will run on a GPU like this one. You’re getting a professional GPU intended for CAD applications that can do some lightweight work with AI-accelerated features in professional apps — as long as they don’t need much video RAM. Model number: HP ZBook 8 G1i C01CTUA#ABA / BQ2Z7AA#ABA CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265H Memory: 32GB DDR5-5600 RAM Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 500 Ada and Intel Arc Pro 140T NPU: Intel AI Boost (13 TOPS) Display: 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS display Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD Webcam: 5 MP webcam Connectivity: 3x USB Type-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 20Gbps), 1x USB Type-A (5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio jack, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 1x security lock slot Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader and IR camera for facial recognition Battery capacity: 77 Watt-hours Dimensions: 14.13 x 9.84 x 0.76 inches Weight: 3.87 pounds MSRP: $5,755 as tested ($2,199 on sale) If you’re looking for a fast professional workstation, the HP ZBook 8 G1i fits the bill. Just don’t pay $5,755 for it. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Design and build quality Foundry / Chris Hoffman The 16-inch HP ZBook 8 G1i has a metal chassis. Weighing just under four pounds, it’s a reasonable weight for a laptop of this size and capability. It’s not the thinnest machine, but the cooling works well. The CPU here posted high marks in our benchmarks. The thermals are excellent: In a long-running CPU-heavy task like the Cinebench benchmark we perform, the fan whirs away, keeping the CPU running cool. It’s not unusually loud even at high performance levels. For professionals looking for high performance on CPU-heavy workloads, this machine’s CPU performance will outmatch many high-performance “gaming PCs” that spend their performance budget on a faster GPU and opt for a slower CPU. The design is standard for a laptop: A blue or gray-tinged silver color that HP calls “Meteor Silver” combined with a black bezel around the display. The hinge feels solid, and the machine is easy to open with one hand. The metal construction feels premium. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Keyboard and trackpad Foundry / Chris Hoffman The 16-inch HP ZBook 8 G1i has a large keyboard that feels responsive, with a number pad and keys that are reasonably snappy. The trackpad is large, smooth, and clicks down with a pleasantly rubbery, bouncy feel. Both the keyboard and the trackpad here are quiet, which would make them a good fit for an office environment or coffee shop. (Many consumer laptops have surprisingly loud keyboards and trackpads, and they wouldn’t be ideal to type on in an office or in a meeting room with your boss.) HP ZBook 8 G1i: Display and speakers Foundry / Chris Hoffman The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a display designed for a business laptop. The 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS display here looks good, but the 60Hz refresh rate is standard and doesn’t go above and beyond on the pixel density. With up to 400 nits of brightness and an anti-glare coating, it stays nicely readable in challenging lighting environments with direct sun or overhead fluorescent lighting. The display is designed for long battery life and readability, not high-end gaming and multimedia tasks. HP offers other models with higher-end displays — for example, you can get a 3840×2400 IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness on some models. But that will negatively impact battery life. The lower-end display delivers better battery life. The HP ZBook 8 G1i’s speakers get surprisingly loud for a laptop, if you want them to be. Unfortunately, there’s not much bass. At high volume levels, the highs in songs like Steely Dan’s Aja can become somewhat shrill and fatiguing. This machine’s speakers are likely optimized more for speech and meetings. Set at 50 percent volume, this laptop was about as loud as many other laptops I’ve used. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The HP ZBook 8 G1i’s 5 MP webcam is unusually good, which is what I’d hope to see in a high-end laptop designed for work. Even on a cloudy winter day in New England, the ambient light coming through the window in my office resulted in a clear, crisp image without much visual noise. The microphone setup here is also impressive: It picked up my voice with a good amount of vocal depth and canceled out background noise. Cheaper laptop mics often sound “tinny.” This machine is an excellent choice if you take part in a lot of online meetings. HP included multiple biometrics options on our review model: Both an IR camera for facial recognition and a fingerprint reader at the top-right corner of the keyboard tray. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Connectivity Foundry / Chris Hoffman The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a good selection of ports. On the left side, it has two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a combo audio jack. On the right side, it has a third USB Type-C port (20Gbps), a USB Type-A port (5Gbps), a RJ-45 Ethernet port, and a security lock slot. It’s great having USB Type-C ports on both sides. As the laptop charges via USB Type-C, this means you can plug the charging cable into either side. That’s always great to see on a laptop. It’s a capable loadout of ports, especially with Ethernet — a critical business port. And our review model supported both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, although the hardware on different ZBook models varies. HP also offers an optional external nano SIM slot on some models, so you can connect this laptop to cellular data. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Performance The HP ZBook 8 G1i flew in day-to-day desktop tasks. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU here is fast, and this machine’s thermals are set up to let it run hard without slowing down under load. With 32GB of RAM and a fast 1TB SSD, the machine is set up for high performance in professional apps. As always, we ran the HP ZBook 8 G1i through our standard benchmarks. Foundry / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. The HP ZBook 8 G1i delivered an overall PCMark 10 score of 9,171. This is a CPU-focused benchmark where the GPU is less important, but the SSD and overall system performance come into play. This is higher overall system performance than many gaming laptops I’ve reviewed, and the ZBook can deliver it over extended periods of time with a fan that isn’t all that loud. This alone will make this machine a great option for many professionals. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. With a multithreaded score of 7,534, the HP ZBook 8 G1i again notched serious multithreaded CPU performance that outmatched many other laptops. Foundry / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This forces the laptop’s cooling to kick in, and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The HP ZBook 8 G1i completed the encode process in an average of 783 seconds — that’s just over 13 minutes. It’s an unusually good score and shows the machine’s thermals are well-designed. It can deliver serious performance for extended periods of time under load. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, and the GPU will generally be used for GPU-based professional apps and perhaps accelerating some local AI tasks. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 6,053, we see where the raw GPU performance falls: More comparable to an older RTX 3050 Ti GPU than a newer 50-series GPU. But you don’t buy a workstation-class GPU for raw gaming performance. You buy it for the stability and certified drivers for apps like AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Overall, the HP ZBook 8 G1i delivered amazing performance in the kind of professional apps you’d be running on a machine like this one. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Battery life The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a sizable 77 Watt-hour battery. Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs are more focused on performance than battery life, but the power-efficient display and sizable battery deliver solid battery life for a workstation. Foundry / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The HP ZBook lasted for about 14 and a half hours before suspending itself. It should get you through a full workday away from an outlet, if you like. But you’ll need to plug the laptop in to get the best performance from the hardware, anyway. What you end up with is a laptop that can last away from an outlet when it needs to. The battery life is solid for this hardware. HP ZBook 8 G1i: Conclusion The HP ZBook 8 G1i knows exactly what it is: A portable workstation for professionals complete with high-end CPU performance, a long warranty, workstation-class Nvidia graphics, a generous amount of RAM, and a big SSD. And HP knows exactly how to price it: While $5,755 seemed extreme, the fact that the machine was already 61 percent off when I finished reviewing it shows how ready HP will be to cut the price to something reasonable. If you’re looking for a fast professional workstation, the HP ZBook 8 G1i fits the bill. Just don’t pay $5,755 for it. Read...

When you’re shopping for new speakers it’s easy to make mistakes that can have an impact on your listening experience. Buying speakers requires a certain amount of knowledge to ensure you find a model that’s a right fit. Here I look at five common mistakes people make when choosing speakers and suggest what you should do instead. 1. Not defining what you want them for One of the biggest mistakes when buying speakers is not being clear about why you want them. That can lead to you getting speakers that are a poor fit for your circumstances. Ask, what do I really want them for? Do I want passive speakers to listen to music, or a surround sound system to get good game audio? You should be as specific as possible and think about the kind of music you want to listen to and the kind of games you want to play. What you want to use the speakers for should be the biggest determinant as to what kind of speakers you should get. 2. Ignoring room size and acoustics Another problem is not considering the size of the room and acoustics of the room that you’re placing the speakers in. Buying speakers that are too large for a small room can result in an overly loud and unbalanced sound. On the other hand, small speakers in a large space can lose their impact and clarity. It’s also essential to consider other factors like whether your speakers will have a subwoofer, be connected to the TV, or be used with floor or desktop stands. These things can all affect the acoustics and determine whether your speakers fit the space or whether they will stick out like a sore thumb. 3. Believing power is everything While power is an important factor, it doesn’t define sound quality. In fact, the internal components and the frequency response of a speaker are far more important than a speaker’s wattage. If you must look at power, then look at RMS power rather than peak power. RMS power is the amount of continuous power a speaker can handle without distortion or damage. Whereas peak power is often exaggerated and doesn’t reflect the speaker’s actual performance. A better test of a speaker is just to pay close attention to the sound quality. That way you’ll get a real gauge of its performance. Pexels: Karol D 4. Not paying attention to connectivity As important as sound quality is it’s not the only factor to think about. A speaker’s connectivity is also critical to get right if you plan on connecting it to multiple devices. Digital and analog connections have different characteristics and connecting speakers to a TV, console, or PC is not the same. When choosing your speakers make sure they have the necessary inputs and outputs for your devices. Opting for speakers with the right connectivity will save you hassle in the long run. 5. Not researching additional features While sound quality, size, power, and connectivity are all important considerations when choosing speakers, you’ll also want to ensure your speakers have additional features that can enrich your experience. For example, having manual sound modes or an equalizer allows you to personalize the sound to your liking. A remote control can make hands-free remote-control operation more convenient. Additionally, features like RGB lighting, large controls, and voice assistance offer greater convenience and add to your user experience over time. It really depends on what your needs are. Related content Best budget computer speakers: PC audio for less than $100 I ditched my PC speakers for a soundbar and never looked back Is 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound better for gaming? Read...

Adobe Acrobat’s popularity is a given because of its advanced editing features. But it’s also pricey, lags with big files sometimes, and is packed with features you might never use. Plenty of users aren’t fans of the whole subscription thing, and many of them are now on the hunt for an Adobe Acrobat alternative that’s faster, cheaper, and more closely matches their needs. Here are three alternatives for Adobe Acrobat. We’ve compared feature sets and noted why each program stands out and where it falls short, so you can make a selection accordingly. Tenorshare PDNob – An affordable Adobe Acrobat alternative for advanced PDF editing. PDNob skips the heavy, expensive features of big PDF tools and gives you just what you need: fast loading, dependable OCR, easy editing, and flawless conversions. LibreOffice Draw – An open-source Adobe alternative for simple edits. Good for basic layout tweaks and quick edits without cost, though it lacks advanced automation and precision tools. Inkscape – An Adobe alternative for Linux and graphic-heavy PDFs. Ideal for design-focused PDFs thanks to its vector-editing strength, but not as convenient for text-heavy documents. Affordable Adobe Acrobat alternative for Windows and Mac Tenorshare PDNob is a lightweight, fast, and affordable Adobe Acrobat alternative for Windows and Mac users. It offers almost all basic PDF editing features and skips the heavy extras of bigger tools. The tool focuses on clean design, quick performance, and the functions most people actually use. If you want a PDF tool that functions flawlessly right away, without long tutorials or complex menus, PDNob is an easy, practical choice. If you’re tired of expensive subscriptions and cluttered interfaces, its clean, straightforward design offers a refreshing change. It focuses on what matters: quick loading, easy editing, a clean interface, and dependable performance. For daily PDF tasks like contracts, reports, schoolwork, and conversions, it gets the job done without the bulk of advanced enterprise software. What makes Tenorshare PDNob an Adobe Acrobat alternative Editing feels simple and natural, almost like working in Word. All PDF editing tools are included, such as OCR, conversion, merging, splitting, annotation, and signing. Fast and lightweight with no freezing and no heavy CPU or RAM usage. Affordable one-time lifetime purchase pricing — $69.99, with official promotions sometimes bringing it down to about $55.99. Ideal for individuals, students, freelancers, professionals, and small businesses. Who is Tenorshare PDNob for? PDNob is ideal for anyone who wants an easy, lightweight PDF editor with no steep learning curve. Perfect for individuals, students, freelancers, or small businesses, it provides crucial PDF editing features at an affordable price, serving advanced PDF features in a lightweight package. How to edit a PDF with Tenorshare PDNob Launch Tenorshare PDNob. The PDF can be loaded by selecting “Open PDF” in PDNob. The file can also be zoomed in or out for a clearer view. Tenorshare Under the “Edit” tab, the software provides a wide range of advanced tools for modifying the document, including options to edit text, replace images, adjust fonts, and change backgrounds. Tenorshare For annotations, the “Comments” tab offers free tools for highlighting, adding notes, and other markups. Tenorshare The OCR feature is accessed from the Home tab by selecting “OCR” and then “Perform OCR.” After choosing the scan type, language, and page range, the pages are processed automatically and quickly, with high recognition accuracy. Tenorshare The free AI Summarizer also works effectively for answering questions about the document. Tenorshare Why Tenorshare PDNob stands out Offers very accurate OCR (around 99%) for scanned PDFs. Includes various tools for editing text, images, and other PDF elements and provides 200+ annotation options like highlights, stamps, shapes, and notes. Converts PDFs to 30+ formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, EPUB, and PDF/A. Can create, rewrite, compress, split, or merge PDF files easily. Offers fast and responsive customer support. Compatible with Windows and macOS, with free access now on iOS mobile devices. Offers team licensing options, making it a practical Adobe Acrobat alternative for business use Where Tenorshare PDNob falls short There’s no Android mobile version available, but the official site has announced that it will be released soon. Extremely large PDFs, especially those with thousands of pages, may take a moment to render or process. It doesn’t support Linux. Open Source Adobe Acrobat alternative LibreOffice, an Adobe Acrobat alternative, is an open source vector graphics tool, but it can still edit PDFs by letting you change text and images, add or rearrange pages, and include basic annotations. It’s useful when you need to directly adjust the content and layout of a PDF. Who is LibreOffice for? It’s for Mac, Windows, and Linux users who need a free tool for basic PDF editing without advanced features like forms or signatures. How to edit a PDF in LibreOffice In LibreOffice, text is edited by selecting each individual text block, where words, fonts, sizes, and colors can be changed. As every line is treated as a separate box, editing long paragraphs requires a lot of manual adjustment. Tenorshare The text box tool allows typing anywhere on the page, which helps with non-interactive forms, but it can shift surrounding text and disrupt layouts with columns or tables. Tenorshare Images can be moved, resized, deleted, or added through “Insert” > “Image,” but the software does not support interactive form filling, digital signatures, or OCR for scanned documents. Page thumbnails on the left make it easy to navigate through the document. What makes LibreOffice an Adobe Acrobat alternative? Compared to Acrobat, LibreOffice Draw is a lightweight Adobe Acrobat alternative that’s free for simple edits, rearranging pages, and adding basic annotations. Why LibreOffice stands out No cost, no subscriptions, and great for basic PDF tasks. An Adobe Acrobat alternative for Mac, Windows, and Linux without needing the internet. Can change text, move or resize images, and adjust basic page elements. You also get Writer, Calc, Impress, and more, all able to export PDFs. Where LibreOffice falls short Complex PDFs open with changed layouts, shifted text, or missing fonts. No form-filling, digital signatures, OCR, or other pro features. Large PDFs can cause lag or crashes. No built-in sharing, syncing, or real-time teamwork options. Help mostly comes from community forums, not official customer service. Adobe Acrobat alternative for Linux Inkscape is an Adobe Acrobat alternative for Linux users. It’s a vector graphics editor for editing PDFs with images, graphs, and illustrations. Moreover, it’s highly customizable, supporting plugins and command-line scripting to automate tasks like batch conversions. Who is Inkscape for? Inkscape is for Linux users who need to edit PDFs with images, charts, logos, or other design elements rather than long text documents or forms. How to edit a PDF in Inkscape In Inkscape, only one page can be edited at a time, so a page must be selected before working on it. Choosing “Internal import” helps keep text editable, but complex layouts, special fonts, and detailed images may not import accurately. Tenorshare Text can be edited by double-clicking it, though changes may leave gaps or require retyping entire sections. Forms, buttons, and annotations are not supported for editing. Tenorshare Unwanted objects can be removed by selecting them and pressing “Delete.” Tenorshare New content can be added with the text and shape tools. For complex PDFs, elements often need to be ungrouped (Ctrl+Shift+G) to adjust individual parts. Tenorshare What makes Inkscape an Adobe Acrobat alternative? Compared to Adobe, Inkscape is completely free and open-source, so there are no subscription fees or hidden costs. It’s a better Adobe Acrobat alternative for editing PDFs with logos, charts, illustrations, or other design elements, letting you adjust shapes, colors, and paths with precision. Why Inkscape stands out Lets you edit text, images, and vector objects, and choose specific pages to work on. Keeps text sharp and graphics clear for professional-looking PDFs. Ideal for brochures, charts, logos, and other design-heavy PDFs. Where Inkscape falls short Inkscape is a graphics tool, so many typical PDF tasks aren’t supported. Editing long reports or contracts is difficult since Inkscape lacks flowing text features. Each page must be edited separately, making large PDFs time-Where It Falls Shortuming. Can’t edit forms, add signatures, or use OCR and other pro PDF tools. FAQ: About Free Adobe Acrobat Alternatives 1. Does Google have an Adobe Acrobat equivalent? No. Google doesn’t have a dedicated PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat. But you can upload the PDF to Google Drive and edit it in Google Docs, though formatting may not stay perfect. 2. Is there a cheaper option than Adobe? Yes, there is. In fact, Tenorshare PDNob offers all advanced PDF editing features at no cost. The only tool that requires a subscription is the AI Summarizer if the given file limit exceeds, and that too is quite affordable. 3. Is there a free version of Adobe Acrobat? Yes, Adobe still offers a free online PDF editor, but it’s basic. You can use it to add text boxes, comments, highlights, and sign forms for free. But you cannot change existing text or images. 4. Is there an Adobe Acrobat alternative online? Yes. Several online PDF editors, such as PDNob Online, Smallpdf, iLovePDF, and Sejda, support basic editing, signing, and converting directly in the browser. They’re convenient for quick tasks and require no installation, but they often come with limitations. For heavier workflows, a desktop editor is generally more dependable. Conclusion Each Adobe Acrobat alternative we’ve shared here offers something different. LibreOffice is a solid free choice for simple tasks, and Inkscape is for graphic-heavy PDFs on Linux. Tenorshare PDNob is for advanced PDF editing on Mac, iOS, and Windows, offering a clutter-free interface. It’s lightweight, offering only the functions mostly used for PDF editing, like OCR, annotations, text/image editing, and an AI Summarizer as a bonus. Read...

TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro brings modern security, smoother multitasking, AI tools, and a fresh UI—and it’s only $9.97 for a limited time. There’s upgrading your operating system—and then there’s finally leaving Windows 10 behind now that Microsoft has officially stopped supporting it. If you’ve been putting it off, this deal makes the timing almost impossible to ignore: Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 (MSRP $199). Windows 11 Pro brings a noticeably smoother, more modern experience from the moment you boot up. The interface feels fresh and clean, multitasking gets a major boost thanks to Snap Layouts and improved desktops, and the built-in security features—like TPM 2.0, Smart App Control, and biometric login—create a far safer environment for work, gaming, and everything in between. DirectX 12 Ultimate takes visuals to a whole new level, squeezing every drop of performance out of your hardware. And for professionals, features like BitLocker encryption, Hyper-V, Azure AD, and Windows Sandbox make Windows 11 Pro feel like a true step up—not just a facelift. Then there’s Copilot, your AI-powered sidekick built right into Windows. It can summarize web pages, help with writing, suggest code, handle settings, and even generate images from your ideas. In short, better security, better features, better workflow—and a price so low it feels like a glitch. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to upgrade, this is it. Get Windows 11 Pro while it’s just $9.97 (MSRP $199) for a limited time. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Seamless 180-degree panoramic view Reliable PoE connection No subscription required for smart features Cons Requires PoE switch or a PoE-capable NVR to operate Slight lens distortion near frame edges No cloud storage option Our Verdict The Annke FCD800 delivers sharp panoramic coverage, smart detection, and solid deterrence at a great price, making it an easy recommendation for anyone who needs to monitor a large area with a single, reliable camera on a tight budget and has the required infrastructure in place (or plans to add it). Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Annke FCD800 Retailer Price $94.99 View Deal $129.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Not long ago, panoramic security camera coverage required installing multiple units and you’d still end up with blind spots. Then dual-lens models came along and promised to fix that by stitching two views into one wide shot. The results haven’t always been pretty, though, sometimes producing visible seams, awkward distortions, and mismatched lighting in the stitched-together image. Annke’s new FCD800 aims to change that. This 8-megapixel power-over-ethernet camera (PoE) blends the feeds from its two lenses into a seamless 180-degree view, offering a viable replacement for multi-camera setups. Design and features The FCD800 is a turret-style camera housing two wide-angle lenses side by side (it’s also available in a bullet form factor for the same price). The metal camera enclosure is attached to a plastic mount, and connects via power-over-ethernet (PoE), in cable carries both electrical power and data. A separate mounting bracket allows both wall and soffit placement, making it easy to position the camera for full yard or driveway coverage. The Annke FCD800’s high-resolution image sensor produces a wide, detailed panorama without the visible stitching that plagues some dual-lens cameras. It’s rated IP67 for protection from the elements—meaning it’s dustproof and can withstand immersion in up to one meter (about 3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes—it’s built to handle year-round exposure. Its industrial look won’t blend into every home’s exterior, but it suits garages, side yards, and any scenario that prioritizes function over subtlety. Want to know about IP codes? Check out TechHive’s IP code guide. Each of the camera’s two 1/2.4-inch CMOS sensors captures video with 4096×1860-pixel resolution. These are stitched into a continuous 180-degree panoramic image without the warping or fisheye effect you often get from single-lens wide-angle cameras. Nighttime performance is handled by a smart hybrid lighting system that uses both infrared and white LEDs. The FCD800 automatically switches between these two light sources based on the available ambient light, providing up to 30 meters of illumination. According to Annke, that’s about a 50-percent jump from the FCD600’s 20-meter range. In full darkness, it can run in discreet IR mode or switch on the white lights to flood an area with color night vision. The FCD800 stitches footage from two seaparate lenses into one seamless panoramic image. Annke Annke’s Motion Detection 2.0 adds AI to that wide field of view. The system can distinguish between people and vehicles, ignoring distractions like swaying branches or passing animals. If the camera does spot trouble, it can double as a deterrent with a built-in active defense system that combines a 97dB siren, flashing white strobes, and custom voice warnings that can be triggered automatically by motion or manually from within the app. The FCD800 gives you several storage options. A built-in microSD slot supports cards up to 512GB, enough for several days of continuous recording depending on bit rate and motion settings. The camera also works with Annke NVRs and other ONVIF-compatible recorders, letting you integrate it into a broader PoE system. If you prefer network storage, you can point the camera to a NAS. It appears Annke hasn’t introduced a subscription service for this model, so recording is strictly local. Setup and performance Setting up the FCD800 takes a little more planning than a typical Wi-Fi camera, but the process is simple once you understand how PoE works. Instead of plugging into a wall outlet, the camera gets both power and data through a single ethernet cable. That cable connects to a PoE switch or a PoE-capable NVR, which supplies electricity and network access at the same time. (If you prefer, you can power the camera with a 12V DC adapter, but you’ll still need to hardwire it to your router with an ethernet cable—it doesn’t have an onboard Wi-Fi adapter). It’s a clean, reliable setup that also eliminates worries about weak Wi-Fi signals. The camera connects smoothly to Annke’s own NVR systems, which might be the best bet for newbies, and is managed through the Annke Vision app. Once connected, you’ll scan the bar code sticker on the bottom of the camera to add it to the app. Then the app prompts you through the steps to connect the camera to your network. Once the camera is added, you can view live video, review a timeline of recorded clips, and manage camera settings in the app. The interface is clean and responsive, and the connection remained solid in my testing. A built-in microSD slot supports cards up to 512GB, enough for several days of continuous recording. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Video from the FCD800 looks crisp and evenly exposed. The high-resolution image sensor produces a wide, detailed panorama without the visible stitching that plagues some dual-lens cameras. I did notice a little curvature near the edges of the frame, a mild lens distortion from the ultra-wide lenses. It’s common with panoramic cameras and most noticeable when the camera is aimed sharply downward as mine was. Mounting it level with the horizon keeps this to a minimum. The hybrid night lighting was impressive, as well. In IR mode, you get strong black-and-white visibility, with decent edge sharpness and minimal flare. Switch to the white LEDs and the scene fills with bright, balanced color. You can choose one or the other let the camera’s intelligence decide which to use on the fly. The camera’s AI detection is pretty accurate distinguishing people and vehicles from background motion. I didn’t receive any nuisance alerts during my testing, but if you find environmental activity is triggering the camera, dialing back sensitivity or shrinking the detection zone in the app usually solves it. You’ll want to make sure these settings are tuned optimally for your environment because the camera’s active defenses get attention. The siren is loud—97 decibels is enough to startle anyone nearby—and the strobe flashes are hard to miss. They’ll quickly wear on your neighbors’ patience if they misfire frequently. The Annke Vision app gives you access to live video, a timeline of recorded clips, and camera settings. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Should you buy the Annke FCD800? At $139.99, the FCD800 delivers a lot for the money. It’s a great fit for anyone who wants to cover a wide area like a driveway or yard without juggling multiple cameras. You’ll need a PoE connection, so be sure to factor in that cost if you don’t already have the required hardware (a router or ethernet switch that supports PoE, a PoE injector, or a PoE-capable network video recorder). If you’re OK with that, it’s a solid, no-nonsense upgrade that performs as advertised. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

Most people think they’ll be safe from most cyber security threats as long as they pay attention and follow certain rules, like knowing how to spot phishing messages and not downloading unusual apps. But attackers can gain access to your phone even if you do everything right. French cyber security authority CERT-FR recently published a “Threat Landscape Since 2025” report (PDF) that warns of security vulnerabilities that can be found in ALL modern smartphones. Wi-Fi and mobile networks in particular can harbor unimaginable dangers. These kinds of Wi-Fi-related risks aren’t new. Australian authorities were warning against using Wi-Fi on phones as early as 2024, and CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) recommends switching off Wi-Fi when traveling. So what’s new here? What do you need to know? Read on below. Why is Wi-Fi dangerous when traveling? According to CERT-FR, smartphone users on public Wi-Fi networks are extra vulnerable to “man-in-the-middle” (MITM) attacks. Hackers can secretly get between you and the Wi-Fi access point, allowing them to eavesdrop and intercept your data. This is common on unsecured networks, like those found in cafés, restaurants, etc. CERT-FR mentions the “Evil Twin” method, which attackers use to create their own Wi-Fi access points that are disguised as legitimate networks. Anyone who connects to an “Evil Twin” network will think they’re connecting to a proper (and supposedly secure) network, but will end up catching malware and completely losing access to their device. The use of outdated mobile networks (like 2G) also poses a major risk. These older networks typically have unpatched security flaws and mechanisms, making them easier to crack than newer networks (like 5G). How to protect yourself The easiest way to protect yourself from malware, eavesdroppers, data intercepters, and other malicious attacks while traveling is to completely turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Of course, this isn’t sustainable 100% of the time since you can’t go completely without them in the modern era. But whenever possible, disable those features and only re-enable them temporarily when you absolutely need them. On Android devices, you can prevent your device from connecting to Wi-Fi networks by pulling down the quick access menu and tapping the Wi-Fi icon. This is also possible on iPhones, but it’s better to deactivate Wi-Fi via the settings to switch off the feature completely (otherwise some services, like AirDrop, can still access it). You should also avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, as these are more likely to be unsecured and tend to attract malicious attackers. And never connect to Wi-Fi networks you don’t recognize, even if they appear legitimate, inconspicuous, and secure. To be extra safe, you should also turn off automatic Wi-Fi connections. CERT-FR also warns against using NFC connections when they aren’t immediately needed. You can recognize whether NFC is enabled or disabled by the “N” symbol on your device. Alternatively, you can use airplane mode to be protected against all wireless connections. However, you won’t receive any messages, calls, or data while airplane mode is enabled, which is admittedly a huge drawback to using it. Last but not least, you should also consider using a reliable antivirus app on your mobile phone. This will be the last line of defense in case you ever slip up and catch malware out in the wild. Read...

I don’t know about you, but I prefer tech that doesn’t just make my life easier but also isn’t difficult at all to set up. So, whenever I see the Eufy SoloCam S220 solar-powered security camera on sale, I can’t help but shout about it from the rooftops. I want everyone to know about it because home security cameras don’t come easier than this. And at $50 a piece (that’s 50% off), they’re absolutely worth it. View this Amazon deal What makes this battery-powered security camera stand out is that it comes with an integrated solar panel, which keeps the battery charged with just three hours of daily sunlight. And since it’s a wireless security camera—it connects to your home Wi-Fi network—you won’t need any complex cabling to set this thing up anywhere you want. The SoloCam S220 provides clear day and night vision thanks to infrared LEDs, and its images are crisp and clear in 2K resolution. It also has motion detection, sending you notifications whenever it detects humans (it uses onboard AI to distinguish between objects, thus minimizing false alarms over swaying trees or stray animals). If you also invest in a Eufy HomeBase 3 (sold separately), you’ll even get more advanced facial recognition support. And with Eufy, you never need to pay a subscription fee to access essential features. (Other security cams fail here.) This is an excellent opportunity to grab one of the best home Wi-Fi security cameras at a great price: just $50 now on Amazon. Get it before this deal ends and level up your home for the holidays! Save a whopping 50% on this solar-powered Wi-Fi security cameraBuy now at Amazon Read...

Back in October, Microsoft released a new support page for Experimental Agentic Features, which details how AI agents and agent connectors work with Windows 11, Copilot, etc. Recently, that page was updated to say that AI agents would be able to access the contents of six select folders in Windows 11—Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Music, Pictures, Videos—which understandably raised concerns. Now, Microsoft clarifies that you’ll need to give your permission for AI agents to access the contents of those six folders. When selecting permissions, you’ll have options for “Allow Always” (the agent can access these folders whenever it needs to), “Ask Every Time” (you’ll be prompted when the agent needs access to the folders), and “Never Allow” (the agent will be denied the request every time). Note that it isn’t possible to allow individual access settings per folder. The setting applies to all six folders or none of them. To change the setting, open the Settings app in Windows 11, then navigate to System > AI Components > Agents. Select the relevant AI agent from the list, navigate to the Files section, then select one of the three permission settings from the drop-down menu. Read...

It’s been nearly a year since Amazon first launched the new, AI-enhanced Alexa+, but until now, a key feature has been missing: the ability to access and chat with Alexa+ on the web.  Now it appears Amazon has fulfilled that promise, with an Alexa+ web portal finally going live—for at least some Alexa+ early access users, anyway—at Alexa.com.  The new Alexa+ web portal will look familiar to anyone who’s accessed ChatGPT or Google Gemini on the web. A big chatbox sits front and center, with a friendly “Hello Ben, how can I help?” heading, along with buttons that reveal suggested prompts (“Create a plan for my next getaway,” “Teach me a surprising fun fact,” “Add an event to my calendar,” “Create an image of a dinosaur,” “Book a table at a nearby restaurant”) on mouse rollover.  On the left side of the screen are shortcuts to your Alexa+ chat history (good for revisiting Alexa+ discussions you’ve had on an Echo speaker), smart home controls (just basic ones, mind you), your calendar, lists, reminders, and uploaded files.  That last feature—the ability to upload files to Alexa+—is a big one, as it allows you to do things like upload resumes for Alexa to tinker with, or any other documents you’d like Alexa to analyze.   Just for fun, I uploaded a configuration file for the Jellyfin media player installation on my Raspberry Pi, and Alexa+ did a reasonably good job of sifting through the code and offering optimization suggestions. (Alexa+ gets a decent chunk of its AI smarts courtesy of Anthropic’s Claude.) I then picked up the conversation on an Echo speaker, allowing Alexa and me to continue batting around Jellyfin ideas.  Another nifty thing about the new Alexa+ web portal is that it makes Alexa+’s ability to compose letters and other documents a lot more useful. Before, if you asked Alexa+ to write (for example) a thank-you letter to a friend, there was no easy way to grab the text and put it into a text editor for fine-tuning. (It’s possible to access Alexa+ chats in the Alexa app, but it’s a tedious process.) With the web portal, you can just click the Copy button beneath any Alexa+ response, just as you can with ChatGPT or Gemini.  The Alexa+ web portal makes it easy to copy text from your chats.Ben Patterson/Foundry Granted, the Alexa+ web interface is fairly bare-bones compared to what you get with ChatGPT or Gemini. There are no custom GPTs or Gemini “gems,” nor any tools like a canvas, a video generator, or a “guided learning” mode. And while I could upload Word documents, text files, and PDFs via the Alexa+ web interface, Excel files were off-limits, as was the JSON file for my Jellyfin configuration (I had to convert it to a plain text file).  But as with ChatGPT and Gemini, I’d expect the Alexa+ website to add more features over time, and being able to chat with Alexa+ at all over the web makes for a big improvement.   It’s also worth noting that Alexa+ is still in early access mode, meaning its free for everyone. Eventually, Alexa+ will be free for Prime members and $19.99 a month for everyone else.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Read...

I’ve seen things. I’ve seen TVs, wearables, smart home gear, small appliances, computer accessories, office furniture, and all the other gadgets that a consumer-tech journalist might have encountered over some 30 years of product testing. Well, now it’s December 2025, and I’m ready to go on the record and make some holiday gift suggestions. Buy these for some GenX dude in your life. Or buy them for yourself. I don’t care. Why are we still talking? Read my list. Ryobi 18V Hand Vacuum Jon Phillips/Foundry When I fired up my Ryobi hand vac the very first time, I was surprised by the aggressive suction power. It’s got more oomph than any other hand vac I’ve either broken or lost before. Whether it’s lint from my dryer or dirt tracked in by my shoes, small debris is dispatched with a quickness. It’s got a fairly large capacity for a handheld vacuum, and this model is one of some 300 other cordless Ryobi products that use the same 18-volt battery system. That means the battery and charger that come with this $99 package will work with Ryobi’s ONE+ cordless task lights, shop fans, power drills, impact drivers, tire inflators, and other 18-volt products. Just don’t get the leaf blower. Leaf blowers are Satan. See it on home depot Twinkly Christmas Curtain Lights Jon Phillips/Foundry Dude, I’m in my 50s. I want to fulfill my neighborhood lighting obligations (which are 100% only in my head), but I’m done with putting a tree in the window. So, a few years ago I began researching programmable string lights, and landed on the Twinkly Christmas Curtain Lights, which are now $114 on Amazon. They’re festive as all hell… AND PUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON BLAST. Each curtain contains 210 RGB lights that can be animated with pre-programmed effects, or you can design your own effects, mixing up stripes, sparkles, gradients, and other designs across the RGB spectrum. It’s all Wi-Fi controlled, and you can set brightness levels and even a timing schedule with the Twinkly app. I now have three curtains projecting joy to the neighborhood. I swap out the effects a few times between Thanksgiving and New Years to keep the neighbors guessing. These animated candy canes are for you, Peterson. Your yard display is weaksauce. See it on amazon Epson SureColor P900 Photo Printer Jon Phillips/Foundry OK, this one is pricey at $1,129. But even if you can’t afford Epson’s 17-inch P900 photo printer, I want to make a case for why you may want to buy a photo printer of this caliber. You travel. You have loved ones. You have experiences. You shoot tons of photos. You shoot tons of photos on your outrageously priced smartphone. And then, what? Those memories just sit on your phone? Or you post to Facebook and Instagram? For what? The likes? Printing your memories in glorious high resolution, on 17×22-inch, museum-quality, archival paper may be the hobby you’ve been looking for. Yes, it’s expensive. And, yes, you’d do well to learn the nuances of digital imaging to produce great large format prints (especially if you’re shooting on a phone and not a DSLR). But there’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing your memories so spectacularly reproduced, and hanging on your walls. I know: It’s crazy. A printer, of all things, has become one of my most coveted pieces of tech. The P900 uses 10 different inks to reproduce vivid colors and deep, rich grayscale (there are four different ink cartridges dedicated to just gray and black!). If you want to save some money, consider the Epson P700 for $719. It uses the same ink system, but paper size is limited to 13×19 inches. You can save even more money by printing on 8.5×11-inch paper, as seen here. See it on amazon Ezvalo Picture Light Jon Phillips/Foundry Are you an adult? Do you have art in your house that’s not just a Star Wars poster stuck on the wall with thumbtacks? Would you like your grown-ass man artwork to look better? Have you considered an “art display light” but don’t want cords slithering down your wall? I got you, man. The 16-inch Ezvalo Picture Light exceeded my expectations. At just $28, this cordless, USB-C-powered light is super easy to install; features three color temperatures; more than adequately illuminates my artwork even at its dimmer settings; and lasts between 13 and 60 hours, depending on the brightness setting you choose. The light bar attaches to its mount with a strong battery and is easily removed for recharging. I love it. And it doesn’t look cheap despite its cheap price. See it on amazon Band recommendation: Rolling Quartz Somehow in 2025 I stumbled into K-Rock—and Rolling Quartz. They may look like K-Pop idols, but these five Korean women are no-BS, amazeballs musical virtuosos. Their sound recalls the melodic heavy metal of the 80s, anchored by screaming dual lead guitars and a theatrical singer/front woman. Believe it: All the discipline, teamwork and hard work that goes into K-Pop transfers directly to Korean hard rock, too. PhoneLock Pro – Retractable Anti-Theft Phone Holder PhoneLock I had my phone pick-pocketed in Mexico City this year. It was a classic distract/bump/snatch gambit. The crook stole it right from my front pocket. I vowed never again, and after testing a few anti-theft phone tethers, I decided the $20 PhoneLock Pro is the best option on Amazon. The concept is simple. You sandwich a PhoneLock attachment between your phone and phone case, right above the charging port. That attachment then connects to the PhoneLock’s retractable tether, which you attach to your front belt loop. Your phone is now reliably leashed to your person, and it’s easy to pull it from your pocket throughout the day. I’m sure a crook could still steal the phone if they yanked really hard on the retractable cord. But by that time, you’ll know you’re being robbed, and you can use your mad fighting skills as needed. User reviews say the PhoneLock is also good for “festivals” where phone theft is rampant. OK, GenZ. see it on Amazon Worx Zipsnip Cordless Electric Scissors Foundry/Jon Phillips We in the tech-testing game break down a lot of cardboard boxes, and for most of my career I’ve done that with a utility knife. But this year, TikTok turned me on to a whole new product category: cordless electric scissors. This $43 specimen—the Worx Zipsnip—has a battery-powered rotating blade that slices through cardboard and blister packs with a satisfying whir. It’s very ASMR. The Zipsnip is great for cutting really big pieces of cardboard into smaller pieces, which means you can pack more into the recycling bin. Plus, it’s sort of fun to Zen out and cut things. Such is the reality of getting older. see it on amazon Milwaukee Fastback Press and Flip Utility Knife Jon Phillips/Foundry Who am I kidding! I still love a good utility knife, and this $20 Fastback Press and Flip model from Milwaukee is outstanding. Push the button and it opens with one hand. It’s got a wire stripper, and with the press of another button, you can change the blade with no other tools necessary. A belt clip assures you’ll never lose it, and when you do lose it, you can see it from a distance because it’s bright red. Is it weird to get excited about a utility knife? I don’t care. This one taunts all the utility knives you’ve ever used before, daring them to match its greatness. See It on Amazon Podcast recommendation: The Rewatchables Anchored by Bill Simmons of sports punditry fame, The Rewatchables is a weekly roundtable discussion of those 70s, 80s and 90s movie classics you can’t help but rewatching whenever they drift back into your streaming catalogs. From Alien to Heat to Glengarry Glen Ross, Bill and his Ringer Network crew somehow always pick the movies I’m interested in. The team is bro-y without being douchey, and they’re all stealthily strong film critics. It’s a really great hang. TCL 32-Inch Smart TV Jon Phillips/Foundry I love, love, love my 55-inch LG OLED TV. It’s stunning… and it goes in the living room. But sometimes a dude needs more of a “burner TV”—something small, cheap, and very low-commitment for the garage or home gym. So, let me recommend the 32-inch TCL S3 Smart TV for just $150. It’s got a 60Hz, 1080P display that’s perfectly serviceable, and comes with Fire TV OS for easy access to all the streaming apps. The TV has been a game changer during workouts downstairs. Most often, I play podcasts on YouTube. For example, The Watch (above), staring Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald, two remarkably thoughtful TV critics. But it’s also good for music video playlists (shout out, Rolling Quartz). Or sometimes I just play Deadwood or Band of Brothers as “background shows.” See it on Amazon Larksound Small Sound Bar Jon Phillips/Foundry A burner TV needs an appropriately burner-caliber soundbar, because those music videos I reference above should still sound better than a portable AM radio from 1979. I went with the Larksound Small Sound Bar (sexy name, right?) which costs a “sure, what the hell, why not” price of $35. It’s 16 inches wide and rated for 60 watts. It has some speakers inside. There’s also a remote to choose EQ modes: Music, Movie, Voice, and Normal. OK, now stop asking questions! Man. It’s not the best soundbar in the world, but improves the tiny TV’s audio game by about 10x. See it on Amazon Apple Watch Series 10 Jon Phillips/Foundry For years I was a mechanical watch snob. I didn’t want a screen on my wrist. I wanted a beautiful marriage of art and engineering. Then I discovered the appeal of personal data tracking (sleep, steps, heart rate mostly) and I was off to the races with FitBit smartwatches. But everything changed last July. Getting more and more dissatisfied with Fitbit’s app and sleep tracking, I did my research and found Apple Watch has some of the best wrist-based sleep tracking available (shout out, The Quantified Scientist). But would I be OK with Apple’s pathetic battery life? Could I cope with the daily recharging? I decided to take a chance. Turns out the Apple Watch Series 10 at $364 is the wearable to beat. I’m confident the sleep tracking is more accurate than other wrist wearables, and as a smartwatch, it complements the iPhone experience much, much better than the Fitbit Versa. The Series 10 has become one of my favorite tech purchases of 2025, and it turns out that charging the watch daily, as soon as I wake, isn’t a hassle. See on Amazon YouTube creator recommendation: Coop of Garage Gym Reviews Cooper Mitchell, the creator of Garage Gym Reviews, should be your number one source for home gym equipment coverage. From barbells and dumbbells to squat racks and consumer-grade gym machines, he sets the standard for depth, transparency and likeability in the home gym creator space (which exploded big-time during the pandemic). Coop is my go-to recommendation when people ask for gym equipment advice, and I still think he did one of best YouTube explainers on how tariffs affect consumer pricing. Cella Crema Da Barba Shaving Cream Cella I’ve been shaving since I was 12 years old, and for the majority of my tenure I was dumping money on disposable blades and cans of shaving cream. Then I discovered the rewards of old-school safety razors and artisan shaving soaps. Not only do you get a closer shave, you ultimately save a lot of money, and don’t pad the coffers of Schick and Gillette, the twin titans of Big Shaving. Even if you’re too chicken to use a straight blade or safety razor, you can stick with disposable cartridges and baby-step your way into artisanal shaving with Cella’s Crema Da Barba. This formula lathers up extremely well, and smells amazing with almond and cherry notes. The gift box pictured here even includes the requisite shaving brush—and as an extra bonus, everyone who uses your bathroom will see the old Italian man on the packaging and ask, “What is this?” If you just want the shaving cream itself, it’s a very affordable $14.69 on Amazon. Just remember, you’ll still need a brush. See on Cella Milano Speak language learning app Jon Phillips/Foundry I’ve done Duolingo. It’s fun and fine, but it’s more of a language-learning game. I’ve also tried Pimsleur (too difficult and inscrutable) and Jumpspeak (slow, frustrating UI). I finally landed on Speak as my preferred language-learning app because it’s packed with so many entry points for learning the nuances of language. Different modules help you build vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and practice in simulated, AI-driven conversations. The Speak UI is intuitive, engaging, and reliably responsive, and that’s especially critical when you’re in the AI free talk mode. The annual Premium membership is currently $84, and lets English speakers learn Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese and Korean. Speak is definitely more challenging than Duolingo, but it feels like much more like a real-world curriculum, with a method to improve through exposure to native speakers (however AI they may be!). See on Speak.com FlexiSpot C7 Office Chair Jon Phillips/Foundry I won’t even try to lie: I moved the C7 office chair, $299 direct from FlexiSpot, into the living room because my home office was too cluttered for a good photograph. But let that be a testimony to the chair’s comfort. It makes me feel comfortable enough in my home office to, you know… wreck my work-life balance and watch my work space turn into Sanford and Sons. I’ve gone through no fewer than four other office chairs in the last 20 years, and the FlexiSpot C7 is the first I’d happily buy a second time. It ships direct to your home, and you have to assemble it yourself, but this keeps costs down. On that point, it’s a very firm, comfortable, ergonomically sound chair for its price. The C7 offers near endless adjustment possibilities, and has excellent lumbar support (my main requirement). I love the arm rests, and it even reclines into full kickback mode (though I have no idea why anyone would want to). I’ve been using it for about two years now, and it still feels as solid as Day One. Hell, I think Boomers would like the C7—once they get past complaining about the assembly instructions. Transfer me to your manager. Read...