hyperbole riff

Posted by Lindsey Ellefson

https://lifehacker.com/tech/how-i-use-the-notebooklm-slide-deck-generator-to-study?utm_medium=RSS

Once again, there is a new feature available on Google's NotebookLM, the AI tool that functions like a personal assistant and only references material you provide for it. This one is a slide deck generator, which can be useful if you need to make a presentation in a hurry, but I've been using it a little differently to help myself retain new information.

Generating a slide deck in NotebookLM

First, you should know how to generate a deck. In case you're unfamiliar with NotebookLM, it's basically just like ChatGPT, but instead of pulling answers from the big, wide Internet, it only relies on PDFs, links, videos, and text you input as resources. This makes it the perfect tool for working on a specific project or studying for a class, since you don't run the risk of inadvertently getting misled by some random, unrelated source.

You can use the chat bot feature the way you would ChatGPT, asking questions and getting summaries of your materials. You can also automatically generate flashcards, videos, infographics, mind maps, fake podcasts, and much more.

To generate slides, it's the same process you'd follow to make those: In the left-side panel, select all of the sources you want the tool to pull from. In the right-side panel, select Slide Deck from the menu. After a few minutes, you'll get slides you can download as a PDF, the same as you would if you were downloading a PowerPoint, and you can upload those to Google Slides or PowerPoint to create a simple presentation.

Why I like NotebookLM's slide deck feature

I've mentioned before that while I love NotebookLM and use it every day for both work and personal pursuits, I can't stand its app. It just doesn't work nearly as well as the browser version, which is a shame because the browser version works so well. I pretty much ignore the app and don't use NotebookLM on mobile or, when I do, I use my mobile browser to access it, which we all know is an annoying workaround that never quite translates right on the smaller screen.

Credit: Google/Lindsey Ellefson

With the slide PDF, however, I get a ready-made study guide complete with visuals, which I can send to myself via iMessage and study on the go. When I generate my own study materials without NotebookLM, I almost always do it in Google Slides, then download the full PDF and review the slides like a giant study guide, so this new feature is taking a bunch of the work out of doing that for me.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/how-i-use-the-notebooklm-slide-deck-generator-to-study?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Jeff Somers

https://lifehacker.com/home/ways-to-fix-a-slippery-wood-floor?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Recently, a few spots on the hardwood floors in my house have become mysteriously slippery—so slippery that they're kind of dangerous. I really feel like my feet might go out from under me when I walk there, and there were a few close calls before I started avoiding them (or at least bracing myself to walk over them more carefully).

This is no way to live, so I started looking into solutions, starting with the root cause.

Why your wood floors are suddenly slippery

Turns out it’s not uncommon for hardwood floors to become spontaneously slippery, and it can happen for a variety of reasons.

• Wax or polish: If you apply any kind of coating to give your floor extra shine, it can build up over time and turn the floor into an ice rink.

• Oil and silicone cleaning products: Some cleaning products that promise a shiny finish contain silicone or oil, which can also build up and turn your floors into a slip-n-slide.

• Dirt and humidity: Dirt, even the stuff you can’t see, can act as a dry lubricant, and high humidity can result in a moisture slick on the surface of the floors.

• Time: Finally, over time, all those feet walking over the floor can polish the finish, removing the microscopic imperfections that previously gave it some grip.

I don’t polish or wax my floors or use oil- or silicone-based cleaners, and I clean pretty regularly, so I discounted the first few causes and assumed that we’ve just polished the seal on our floors with regular foot traffic. This can happen to any sealed wood floor, but there are some pretty straightforward ways to deal with it.

Start with a thorough cleaning

The first step I took was a thorough cleaning. I clean my floors regularly, but it’s always possible that something spilled without being noticed—the spots where the slipperiness occurred are in the path from the kitchen to the dining room, and from my tool closet to everywhere else in the house. Cooking oils, WD40—there are a lot of things that could have dripped without being noticed. If you’re not sure about substance buildup on a slippery floor, a thorough cleaning might be the easy solution.

Always use a pH-neutral cleaner designed specifically for wood floors—and never use vinegar, even heavily diluted in water. Vinegar can eat away at the finish of your floor; while it might help with the slipperiness, it can also do some permanent damage. I used Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and cleaned the areas a few times, but my floors remained slippery.

Add some rugs

A simple solution, especially if you’re dealing with one or two isolated slippery spots, is to just throw down a rug or a runner with a non-slip backing. Your floors will still be slippery, but won’t pose any threat. If the slippery area is quite large (or encompasses your entire floor), this might not work because the rugs might just slide around with nothing to grip onto. But for a small slippery area, it might be a quick, easy solution.

Apply a temporary (or permanent) treatment

If cleaning and covering up your slippery floors won’t work, there are some more involved solutions to try:

• Anti-slip sprays. There are a variety of temporary anti-slip coating sprays you can apply to your floors, like Rustoleum AntiSlip or Slip Doctors Safety Spray. Although the Rustoleum spray is okay for indoor use and wood, it doesn’t specify hardwood floors, and in a quick test it looked slightly cloudy on a remnant plank I had lying around. The Safety Spray, on the other hand, dried very clear, and reduced the slip factor significantly, so I’d recommend it. It does change the sheen of the floor slightly (noticeable in the right light), but it’s also temporary and will need to be re-applied every year or so.

• Slip NoMor. This stuff is actually designed for stages and dance floors, but you can use it on any wood floor. I didn’t test this, but the procedure is pretty straightforward: Clean thoroughly first, and dilute it with one part Slip NoMor and 20 parts water. Then mop it on and let dry. The coating will only last a week or so (and you can remove it with hot water at any time), so it’s not a permanent solution unless you’re okay with re-applying every week or so.

• Coatings. A longer-lasting and more involved solution is to coat your floors with a clear anti-slip product like Floor Grip, Bona Anti-Slip, or Loba 2K Invisible. These are essentially new finish seals on your floors, and all require you to sand the floor before application and allow them to cure for several days. It’s a DIY solution if you’re comfortable doing the prep work, but it’s not a quick fix.

• Paint. If your wood floors are in good condition, this might not be a great idea—but if your floors are a bit worn down, painting them with an anti-slip additive can be a cheap, easy way to eliminate the problem.

As a last resort, refinish

If cleaning and temporary sprays don’t work and you’re considering a coating to fix your slippery floor, you might think about going all-in and having your floors professionally refinished with an anti-slip finish. This will ensure a consistent finish and refresh your floors in the process. It’s the most expensive and disruptive solution, but also the most permanent. Most professional refinishers can suggest an appropriate seal for your floors that will increase traction.

https://lifehacker.com/home/ways-to-fix-a-slippery-wood-floor?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Jake Peterson

https://lifehacker.com/tech/ios-26-update-december-2025?utm_medium=RSS

On Friday, Apple dropped iOS 26.2. Despite being the third update in the iOS 26 era, 26.2 still adds some interesting and useful new features, like alarms for reminders and refinements to the Sleep Score on Apple Watch.

Updates aren't all about the features, however. Apple typically includes a number of security patches with its software releases as well, which makes each update important to install. You don't always need to install the latest version of iOS or macOS to benefit from these security patches, either: Apple usually releases important security patches for some older versions of its software. iPhones running iOS 18 can install the same security patches as those running iOS 26, as can Mac users running macOS Sequoia or Sonoma, rather than Tahoe.

All that to say, Apple's update today comes with a series of patches you'll want to install on your iPhone—no matter what software version you're currently running. This particular release ships with 25 patches, and while some of them seem only pertinent to software developers, others are plainly serious.

iOS 26.2 patches some serious security vulnerabilities

Perhaps most importantly from a security perspective, this release includes two patches for potential zero-day vulnerabilities. Zero-day flaws are especially dangerous as they are either publicly disclosed or actively exploited before a developer has a chance to issue a patch—leaving users vulnerable to attack.

Both flaws (CVE-2025-43529 and CVE-2025-14174) affect WebKit, Apple's platform for developing Safari and web browsers on iPhone. Before Apple patched these issues, bad actors could present users with malicious web content. Once the user processes it on their iPhone, it could lead to arbitrary code execution, which, essentially, allows the bad actor to run whatever code they want on your iPhone. Apple says it is aware of reports that these two flaws may have been exploited in "an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals" in versions of iOS older than iOS 26.

This is not the first time Apple has patched flaws with this warning. Due to the iPhone's popularity, these flaws are valuable to governments and other large-scale actors that target high-profile individuals, like journalists and politicians. Apple will even send these users warnings when their iPhone has been identified in such an attack. While the risk is low that the average iPhone user will be targeted in one of these campaigns, it's not impossible, which means it's important to update as soon as a patch is available. These apply to other Apple devices too, like Macs, so update all devices as soon as possible.

While those two flaws are the most important of the bunch to fix, there are others here that you'll want to fix ASAP. One of the first to jump out at me was a "Calling Framework" flaw that allows bad actors to spoof their FaceTime caller ID. With the rise of AI scams, bad actors could create an AI voice that sounds like someone you know, and spoof their contact so it looks like they're calling you over FaceTime audio. This update patches that possibility—at least, as far as spoofing is concerned.

Speaking of FaceTime, this update also patches a flaw that sometimes reveals password fields when remotely controlling a device over FaceTime. If you were sharing your screen with someone over a video call, they might be able to see when you typed in your password and use that against you. There's also a patch for an issue that allowed an app to see other apps you had installed on your device—a major privacy and security vulnerability.

If you use the Photos' app Hidden feature to hide sensitive pictures you don't want others to see, you'll want to install this update ASAP, too: Previous versions of iOS contained a bug that made it possible to view these hidden photos without authentication.

iOS 26.2 security release notes

If you're interested in seeing all of Apple's security patches in this update, the full release notes are as follows:

App Store

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive payment tokens

• Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

• CVE-2025-46288: floeki, Zhongcheng Li from IES Red Team of ByteDance

AppleJPEG

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing a file may lead to memory corruption

• Description: The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.

• CVE-2025-43539: Michael Reeves (@IntegralPilot)

Calling Framework

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An attacker may be able to spoof their FaceTime caller ID

• Description: An inconsistent user interface issue was addressed with improved state management.

• CVE-2025-46287: an anonymous researcher, Riley Walz

curl

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Multiple issues in curl

• Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

• CVE-2024-7264, CVE-2025-9086

FaceTime

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Password fields may be unintentionally revealed when remotely controlling a device over FaceTime

• Description: This issue was addressed with improved state management.

• CVE-2025-43542: Yiğit Ocak

Foundation

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to inappropriately access files through the spellcheck API

• Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

• CVE-2025-43518: Noah Gregory (wts.dev)

Foundation

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing malicious data may lead to unexpected app termination

• Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

• CVE-2025-43532: Andrew Calvano and Lucas Pinheiro of Meta Product Security

Icons

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to identify what other apps a user has installed

• Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

• CVE-2025-46279: Duy Trần (@khanhduytran0)

Kernel

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to gain root privileges

• Description: An integer overflow was addressed by adopting 64-bit timestamps.

• CVE-2025-46285: Kaitao Xie and Xiaolong Bai of Alibaba Group

libarchive

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing a file may lead to memory corruption

• Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.

• CVE-2025-5918

MediaExperience

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

• Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

• CVE-2025-43475: Rosyna Keller of Totally Not Malicious Software

Messages

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

• Description: An information disclosure issue was addressed with improved privacy controls.

• CVE-2025-46276: Rosyna Keller of Totally Not Malicious Software

Multi-Touch

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: A malicious HID device may cause an unexpected process crash

• Description: Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed with improved input validation.

• CVE-2025-43533: Google Threat Analysis Group

Photos

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Photos in the Hidden Photos Album may be viewed without authentication

• Description: A configuration issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

• CVE-2025-43428: an anonymous researcher, Michael Schmutzer of Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt

Screen Time

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access a user’s Safari history

• Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

• CVE-2025-46277: Kirin (@Pwnrin)

Screen Time

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data

• Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

• CVE-2025-43538: Iván Savransky

Telephony

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

• Description: This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks.

• CVE-2025-46292: Rosyna Keller of Totally Not Malicious Software

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash

• Description: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved state handling.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 301257

• CVE-2025-43541: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

• Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 301726

• CVE-2025-43536: Nan Wang (@eternalsakura13)

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

• Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 300774

• WebKit Bugzilla: 301338

• CVE-2025-43535: Google Big Sleep, Nan Wang (@eternalsakura13)

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

• Description: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 301371

• CVE-2025-43501: Hossein Lotfi (@hosselot) of Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

• Description: A race condition was addressed with improved state handling.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 301940

• CVE-2025-43531: Phil Pizlo of Epic Games

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. CVE-2025-14174 was also issued in response to this report.

• Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 302502

• CVE-2025-43529: Google Threat Analysis Group

WebKit

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to memory corruption. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. CVE-2025-43529 was also issued in response to this report.

• Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 303614

• CVE-2025-14174: Apple and Google Threat Analysis Group

WebKit Web Inspector

• Available for: iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

• Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

• WebKit Bugzilla: 300926

• CVE-2025-43511: 이동하 (Lee Dong Ha of BoB 14th)

https://lifehacker.com/tech/ios-26-update-december-2025?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Meredith Dietz

https://lifehacker.com/home/why-you-should-not-use-chatgpt-for-gift-ideas?utm_medium=RSS

A good gift should say, "I see you. I know you. I've been paying attention." In other words, it's the thought that counts—so don't take "thought" out of the equation by turning to ChatGPT for any part of your gift-giving this holiday season.

Sure, ChatGPT can rapidly generate gift lists based on demographics, trending items, and surface-level interests. But a truly meaningful gift transcends data points—which, besides, can be far from foolproof. An AI chatbot can suggest a bestselling cookbook for someone who likes cooking, but we're at risk of losing something far more valuable than perfectly matched presents: genuine human connection. The art of gift-giving isn't about finding the most objectively impressive item, but about communicating love, understanding, and personal investment. Instead of using AI, let's tackle some practical strategies for thoughtful gift-giving.

How to give a thoughtful gift

The task of capturing a perfectly unique understanding of the gift recipient's inner world is daunting, to say the least. Luckily, that's not the task at hand. All you need is a human touch.

Do a memory dive

Reflect on conversations you've had with the recipient over the past year. What stories did they tell? What challenges did they overcome? What moments made them laugh or feel vulnerable?

Some more tips for researching your friend: Review old text messages and emails, or even look through social media posts. And of course, don't be afraid to ask their close friends or family for insights. When word gets back to them that you put in so much effort, they'll surely be moved—and, you know, not in the "AI psychosis" way.

Research their interests

Go beyond surface-level hobbies. If someone loves art, don't just buy art supplies. A good rule is to remember that people usually buy themselves whatever they need for their hobbies. So, it's important to find something they wouldn't get themselves. In this artist example, consider some accoutrements:

• A painting class they can take with a friend

• Museum tickets

• A book about an artist they like

Throw in a handwritten note explaining why you selected this specific item. Again: Since it's the thought that counts, it helps to always explain your thinking. Even if you can't find the perfect story or connection behind the gift, there are ways to express that you put thought into it.

Do a mind map

If you ever need to come up with any sort of idea for anything, a mind map is your best friend. Create a gift "mind map" that connects:

• Their interests

• Shared memories

• Inside jokes

• Aspirational goals

• Nostalgia

And just because I argue against feeding the AI beast, that doesn't mean you need to be all on your own. Check out gift guides written by real people, like, say, Lifehacker's own Stephen Johnson.

The bottom line

Gift-giving isn't about robotic perfection. A $10 item selected with a little heart will always outweigh a $100 item selected by an algorithm. Go for handmade items, curated experience gifts, or something that references specific shared memories. Like I mention above, a handwritten note goes a long way. Hey, make a note of the fact that you didn't use ChatGPT, and instead had a nice afternoon reflecting about this person! That sort of message is worth way more than whatever you end up gifting.

So if any of my loved ones are reading this, please: Put down the AI prompt. Pick up a notebook. Reflect. Remember. Connect. (New running sneakers, size 8.) Your imperfect, human-generated gift will always be more perfect than any robot-recommended present.

https://lifehacker.com/home/why-you-should-not-use-chatgpt-for-gift-ideas?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Jeff Somers

https://lifehacker.com/travel/best-travel-hacks?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

We travel for a wide variety of reasons—vacations, business, family obligations—and in a variety of different ways, but there’s one constant: The actual traveling can be hectic, stressful, and expensive. Considering Americans took nearly 2 billion trips in 2025 alone, that stress can be pretty epic. From planning to de-boarding, travel can be a challenge—that is, unless you know and utilize these hacks.

There are a lot of travel hacks out there in the wild, many of them dubious, but when a hack actually works to lower your costs, increase your comfort, or simply solve an irritating problem, it’s kind of magical. Here are the essential travel hacks everyone should be implementing, whether you’re traveling for pleasure, business, or any other reason.

Get a vacuum-seal travel backpack

You may have been instructed at some point to roll your clothes to make your packing more efficient. It’s not that this doesn’t work—rolling clothes tightly can improve your packing and unpacking experience. But there’s an even better way: Vacuum-sealing. You can use vacuum-sealed storage bags to compress your clothes, allowing you to fit more into your bag (or to travel much lighter with a single carry-on), but there’s a downside: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may require you to uncompress your clothes for a special check as you pass through security, which can wreak havoc on your packing.

A better choice is a carry-on backpack with an included pump, like this. If you are flagged for a special inspection, you can quickly re-compress everything and be on your way.

Travel during off-peak times

If your main goal for travel is to see exotic places, have new experiences, or even see old friends, traveling off-peak is a powerful hack. Off-peak simply means going places when most tourists aren’t there. Most people travel for pleasure during the warmer months, for example, so deciding you’re going on a European tour in February nets you cheaper flights, cheaper hotel rooms, and less crowded everything.

Start using packing cubes

Raise your hand if this has ever happened to you: You realize you need something from a piece of luggage you spent six hours carefully organizing, compressing, and zipping closed. You dig through everything to find what you need, and then re-packing that bag is a sweaty, stressful fail. That’s where packing cubes come in.

Packing cubes don’t necessarily shrink your clothes and other possessions, but they make the whole experience of packing, unpacking, and actually finding stuff while you’re traveling much easier. They turn your chaotic piles of clothing and supplies into geometric cubes that can be organized individually and removed and replaced in your luggage easily. Because you’re dealing with uniform cubes, popping stuff in and out of your suitcase won’t result in a nervous breakdown, either.

Stash clothing in carry-on pillows

It’s truly a time to be alive: You can now purchase so-called “basic” economy airline seats that don’t allow a carry-on. And carry-on fees and restrictions are increasing as well. If you’re attempting to travel with just one small bag, you may find it a struggle—and that’s where the pillow hack comes into play. The basic idea is simple: Grab a neck pillow or pillowcase, remove the stuffing, and jam in some extra clothes instead. The pillow can still be used as a pillow (your clothes act as the cushion), but you get to smuggle extra stuff on the plane. It does work, though it works best with the neck pillow option—bringing an enormous pillowcase filled with jeans and T-shirts is going to be less successful fooling unamused flight crews.

Mount your phone horizontally

Entertaining yourself on long flights can be a challenge, especially if your whole survival plan involved sleeping for ten hours and you can’t seem to get comfortable. If your plane doesn’t offer convenient screens (I’m very fond of the “tiny screen up in the air four rows ahead of me” arrangement, myself), or the entertainment choices available aren’t appealing, you can always load up a device with movies, shows, and games.

If you find yourself stuck with just your phone for a screen, you can improv a phone holder from the barf bag typically supplied in the pocket of the seat in front of you, as demonstrated here. By clipping the bag between your phone and its case, then clipping the top of the bag under the fold-down tray, you can mount your phone horizontally at the right height for watching content. This could be a real sanity-saver (assuming you don't need to use that bag for, well, other purposes).

Pay for everyday expenses with a travel credit card

You’re spending money practically every day anyway—but by putting all those expenses on a credit card that awards you miles or points toward travel (and then paying that card off in full every month) you’re essentially getting free travel coupons. You’re going to buy groceries anyway, so why not get a hundred miles every time you do? Many travel credit cards offer large sign-up bonuses of anywhere from 20,000 to 100,000 points (or more) once you spend a certain amount on the account, so by paying your everyday bills for a few months using the card you can fund an entire trip for free.

Reverse-image-search your Airbnb before you book

Booking a place to stay on your trip can be a hassle, and you have to wonder if you’re getting the best deal. An Airbnb might look ideal but put a big dent in your budget—but it may be listed elsewhere, and possibly for less money. You can find out using Google’s “reverse image lookup.” Pick a photo from the Airbnb listing, search for the image on Google, and other rental platforms will probably show up—or a link to a hotel’s direct web page. If nothing else, the image search might identify the apartment building or hotel depicted, which can give you a leg up on the pricing. There are also tools like HiChee that will compare listings across several platforms for you, but where’s the fun in that?

Use a pants hanger to clip your curtains closed

You drag yourself, exhausted, into a hotel room at night and don’t notice that the curtains on the windows are hanging loose. You collapse into bed, and then you’re awakened at 6 a.m. by a vengeful sun, shining through the gaps in those curtains. This hack is so simple, but it can make a big difference in your sleep quality: Take a pants hanger from your hotel closet (the ones with the metal clips) and clip your room’s curtain shut. When the morning sunlight tries to infiltrate your room and wake you up first thing in the morning, the clips will keep it out.

Store one shoe in the hotel safe

If you use the safe supplied in your hotel room to store some valuables or your essential travel documents, the worst thing you can do is forget them when you check out. A quick hack to ensure that doesn’t happen is to put something you can’t possibly forget in there as well. Some folks suggest a shoe, figuring that when you’re getting dressed for the next leg of your journey, you’ll definitely notice if one shoe is missing. But this will work with anything, as long as you choose something you can’t possibly leave without.

Download offline maps before you leave

We once lived in a world where finding your way around a new area meant paper maps and confusing directions from friends that referenced a lot of fast food restaurants as landmarks. These days, we have access to military-grade GPS systems, and a pleasant computer voice will tell us to turn right in one hundred feet. That’s amazing when you’re traveling in an unfamiliar place—until you lose your internet connection.

A great hack is to download offline maps of your destinations before you leave on your trip. You can do this with Google Maps or using an app like HERE WeGo. This requires some planning, as you have to download the maps while you have a signal, but once you have them downloaded you can use them more or less as you normally would, getting directions and seeing distances clearly. Take a moment to do this before every trip, and you’ll never be lost again.

https://lifehacker.com/travel/best-travel-hacks?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Jeff Somers

https://lifehacker.com/home/essential-moving-day-hacks?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

More than 37 million Americans moved last year—and while that’s actually a historic low, one thing that hasn’t changed is the levels of hair-tearing stress the experience can inspire. Everything about moving, from packing to hiring movers to switching utilities, comes with a little spice of stress and anxiety. Even the most competent and careful planning can leave you with an ulcer and an incipient nervous breakdown as you try to pack your entire life into a truck and transport it to another location.

There are lots of little ways to reduce that stress and make moving a little easier. These hacks can help anyone, no matter how far you’re moving or what your housing situation might be, because they each reduce the friction a tiny bit without much effort. Whether the big day is tomorrow or next month, take a moment and employ a few of these moving hacks to make the day a little less nightmarish.

Get free boxes

Buying moving boxes can be pricey—U-Haul sells kits that range from about $150 to $460, depending on the size of your household, for example. That’s not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but after paying for everything else associated with a new home, saving a few hundred bucks is a worthy hack.

Luckily, there are several ways to get your mitts on some free boxes, from companies like U-Haul that connect its customers to platforms like Freecycle where people often post used boxes for free pickup. And there’s always the old standby of contacting local grocery stores and the like to see if you can dumpster dive for some old boxes. If you start collecting boxes early enough, you can save yourself stress and money.

Size your boxes

When collecting or buying moving boxes, most of us just grab what’s available and wind up with a Tetris-like assortment of sizes and shapes. If at all possible, make all of your moving boxes the same size. This will make packing them into a truck or van a lot easier and more efficient, and make stacking them onto a handtruck or cart a lot faster and more stable. There will be obvious exceptions to this rule of thumb—garment boxes, television boxes, etc.—but the more you can make your boxes uniform, the faster things will go.

Stretch wrap

Moving stuff like desks or dressers often means playing whack-a-mole with drawers and doors that keep popping open, or having to make multiple trips because nothing fits together snugly.

The answer is stretch wrap. You’ve seen professional movers use this stuff, but you can easily buy your own. And you should—it makes combining oddly-shaped things into one unit easy, it can be used to ensure drawers and doors stay closed, and protects your stuff from incidental damage caused by your enthusiastic but careless friends who are just in it for the free pizza.

Vacuum bags

Sometimes moving can feel positively Kafka-esque in its suffering. For example: You put in some effort to score a bunch of boxes only to discover that each box fits approximately one fluffy sweater. Sure, that’s an easy carry, but now you have to go find 100 more boxes—or start thrusting your clothes into garbage bags.

Or, get yourself some vacuum storage bags. The same physics that allows you to store an entire winter wardrobe in the space under your bed will make your move a lot more efficient, shrinking down those bulky items to a more manageable size. Once shrunk, you can then roll or fold the bags to fit efficiently into boxes. Bonus: The plastic bags will also protect your clothes during the move, ensuring they don’t arrive stained, dusty, or torn.

Rubber band doors

It’s a ritual of moving: Propping the door. You’re up and down, in and out, and the front door keeps swinging shut and latching, forcing you to constantly fish out your keys or fobs to open it up.

There’s an easy hack for this, though: Take some (relatively large) rubber bands (you might need more than one), loop them over both knobs, and lay it against the latch so it’s pushed in. Now the door won’t latch, so you can just push or pull it open as needed.

Have a "go bag"

Sometimes, when packing up stuff for a move, you can fall into a bit of a trance and become a packing machine, just madly shoving everything into boxes and bags. And then you arrive at your new home and you can’t brush your teeth, find the bandages, or find utensils to eat your victory Doordash.

A great hack is to set up a “go bag” with all the essentials you might need. Treat it like staying one night in a hotel and bring everything you need to be comfortable, like hygiene products, toilet paper, basic utensils, and cleaning products. Throw in anything you might need: dry socks, fresh underwear, pet food, baby supplies, a first aid kit. This way, when you’re exhausted from the move, you won’t have to search through a pile of boxes looking for your toothbrush.

Hangers and trash bags

Transporting your finery safely can be challenging, especially if you’re moving yourself. Wardrobe boxes can help protect your clothes during the move, but they’re also bulky and cost money, and you have to take the time to drag your clothes out of the closet and transfer them to the box.

There’s a hackier way: Separate your clothes into groups, then slide a trash bag up from the bottom to envelope the whole group of clothes and secure the plastic ties around the tops of the hangers. In a few minutes your whole closet is wrapped up and ready to go. You can combine this with a wardrobe box if you have one, but if not, your clothes are protected and your closet is instantly organized and ready to be emptied out.

Keep track of the contents of your boxes

Moving houses can descend into chaos so quickly we often make our future selves miserable. What starts off as a relatively organized effort becomes a mad dash to cram stuff into boxes and finish the project, which means future you is stuck with a load of boxes filled with random stuff, and there will always be at least one treasured item that just seems to have dropped through a portal into another dimension.

You can prevent this with a simple hack: Mark each box with a number and take a photo of the contents of every box before you tape it shut and stuff it into the van. Sure, you could be more meticulous and have a spreadsheet, color-coded system of stickers, or other more robust way of tracking each box’s contents, but the photo method blends well with the barely-held-together chaos of many house moves. Later, when you’re searching for something, a quick scan of your photos will tell you precisely which box you put it inside.

Take pics of wire hookups

It’s amazing how wires proliferate as if they’re an alien species infiltrating our world. Everything seems neat and tidy in your house, and then comes moving day and you realize that each television, desktop computer, and device has at least one—and sometimes several—cords associated with it. Keeping them all straight when moving to a new place can be a real pain. While cords like HDMI cables are usually interchangeable between devices, that won’t be the case if your laptop uses a USB-C-to-HDMI cable, and sometimes your cables are ideally sized—a short HDMI cable between a Roku and your TV, for example, won’t hang down and be an eyesore.

To ensure you put everything back the way it should be without tearing your hair out, take photos of the back of your devices before you disassemble them for transport. Being able to see exactly where every cord goes and how it was set up will save you a lot of time and trouble on the back end of your move.

Clean while you pack

Cleaning is a huge part of moving. If you’re renting, it’s a vital aspect of your plan to get your security deposit back. If you’ve sold a place, it’s just the right thing to do (and might even be stipulated in your sale contract).

A simple but powerful hack: Don’t wait until you’ve moved everything out to clean. While it might seem like a completely empty house would be ideal for cleaning, it’s also kind of overwhelming. An empty room is just as easy to clean, and tackling each space as you clear it out instead of leaving it all to the end will make cleaning seem like less of a chore. Plus, alternating between packing and cleaning will actually make both go a little more smoothly, because at least there will be some variation.

https://lifehacker.com/home/essential-moving-day-hacks?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Pranay Parab

https://lifehacker.com/tech/best-hacks-every-student-should-know?utm_medium=RSS

Whether you're an academically inclined student looking for study hacks, or a more creative person who's just looking to work smarter instead of harder, there are lots of little ways to make getting through school a little easier. Even as students deal with increased competition and rising costs, you can make life just a little bit easier with each of these hacks.

Make the most of student discounts

Everyone knows about student discounts on laptops, streaming platforms, and some productivity services. However, there are plenty of other great deals for students that aren't as widely known. For instance, you can get a Setapp subscription for 50% off as a student, which gives you a year of access to over 200 Mac apps. You can also get some great deals such as scoring a free year of Google's Gemini Pro if you're a U.S. college student (the offer expires on January 31, 2026).

If your college provides you with a .edu email address, that's an easy way to score student discounts with practically every digital service. Some institutions let you keep that email address even after you graduate, as long as you keep the account active. You can also keep your student ID after graduation to get a few more discounts. Although it's not always considered ethical to get student discounts when you're working, this method could help you tide over a difficult time financially, as rent and bills tend to hit a lot harder when you're working on a low wage at the start of your career.

3D printing is sometimes better than buying

I've visited a few universities that have 3D printers their students can use for free (my editor went to one). If that's the case with your college, then you can use it to save yourself a bit of money by 3D printing objects you'd otherwise end up buying. These can include desk lamps, phone stands, small desk organizers, and much more. If you're mechanically savvy, you can even print small car parts that are expensive or hard to find.

Even if your university doesn't have a 3D printer, it's not too hard to find stores or websites where you can upload a design and get the finished product shipped to you. Quite often, 3D printing is a lot cheaper than buying new or even used items. You can check out the FunctionalPrints community and Makerworld for great 3D printing ideas, and often, downloadable design models. This means that you can take the design to a 3D printer near you and get it printed easily.

Consider writing your notes by hand

Credit: Joel Cunningham

I had a rough time studying in high school, as I got distracted immersing myself in novels, video games, and the internet. When I started college, I noticed that my focus time was lower when I was using computers to study. So, I switched to writing notes by hand ,and it was like a switch flipped in my brain. When I read those notes ahead of exams, I was able to recall the parts of the class I wrote them down in, which noticeably improved my scores.

I took the GMAT exam a few years ago and I got a pretty decent score all thanks to handwriting all of my notes, and solving all math problems by hand. I'm not a gifted math student, and in spite of that, I did pretty well in the math exam, only because I avoided using my iPad or Mac for studies. Of course, I used those devices to read textbooks, but I did all my note-taking and problem solving by hand.

While I prefer old-school methods like pen and paper to handwrite notes, you can also use modern technology to your advantage here. An iPad with an Apple Pencil, or something like the reMarkable tablet, can make a great study tool. The reMarkable uses an e-ink screen that mimics real paper, which makes it feel far more like an actual notebook than using an iPad.

Use meditation apps to reduce anxiety

While exercise is my number 1 recommendation to anyone who's looking to relieve anxiety, it's not always possible to make time for workouts during busy periods as a student. If you're in this boat, I highly recommend using a free meditation app to reduce anxiety and focus better on studies. During my GMAT prep, I was confronting multiple demons at once. I was quite scared of math, tests, and had a crippling fear of failure. I had a 40-minute train ride back from work and I used it to do a 20-minute guided meditation on Headspace's free tier.

Doing this for a few weeks helped me calm down immensely. On the day of the test, I remember being completely unfazed by the difficult questions, and I was able to follow all the exam strategies my tutor had suggested. My score was a lot higher than what I was expecting, and most of it was down to getting my anxiety out of the way. You can use any free meditation app to get started. Remember that you don't need to sit under a tree in the forest to meditate. You can start wherever you are.

Try a few different study methods

I must admit that I really didn't know about any study methods when I went to university, and I just did whatever helped me remember things. Working at Lifehacker has been an eye-opening experience in many ways, and one of those is learning that you can actually use more than one method to grasp difficult subjects. My colleague Lindsey Ellefson has written at length about the best study methods, and you should definitely give it a read to see if a different study method can help you.

I'm now a big fan of the Feynman method, which says that once you've finished studying a topic, you should explain it to someone who knows nothing about it. If you're able to do this and answer follow-up questions the person has, then it means you know the subject pretty well. If not, it's time to study again. I generally don't encourage using AI too much to study, but you can tell ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini that you're using the Feynman method to study a concept, and explain what you've learned. These tools will help you identify what you've explained correctly and ask decent follow-up questions to help you deepen your understanding of the subject.

Try flashcard apps for faster learning

Credit: Brainscape

Pretty much every student has used flashcards to study in school, but it's not easy to keep making flashcards for every subject when you have way too much to study. This is when it's a good idea to outsource the work to flashcard study apps. These are great tools to commit things to memory, and particularly useful when you're trying to learn a new language, memorize chess openings, or if you're studying for exams.

You can try Brainscape if you want pre-made flashcards, which eliminates the effort of generating the cards, too. It's great both for students prepping for a specific exam and for adults learning different skills. The variety of pre-made cards is vast, and you probably won't ever have to make any cards on the app. The free tier lets you use text, and the paid version lets you access audio, images, removes limits on studying, and many more useful features. It costs $20/month, $96/year, or $200 for a lifetime membership.

Don't forget the Pomodoro technique

At times, the simplest advice is the best. I only learned about the Pomodoro technique after I started working, and I still wish I'd known about it during my student days. The concept is simple: Follow a schedule where you study or work on a project for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break. Rinse and repeat until your large task is done. The work and break time intervals should be changed based on what works best for you.

If you like the idea of using a dedicated app to follow this technique, you should consider FocusPomo, which has a solid 4.5/5 score in Lifehacker's review. The biggest downside of this app is that you still have to check your phone to use it, and if that's a no-go for you, then you can try alternatives such as following this 3-hour Pomodoro study video or using a Pomodoro app that works in your desktop browser, such as My Study Life.

Block distractions to focus better

Credit: Lindsey Ellefson

You should definitely use a distraction blocker app to stop doomscrolling and focus on what you need to do. Be it studying, journaling, meditation, or any other hobby you're fond of, using distraction blocking tools can help you focus at a time when every major internet company is out to get your attention. You can try tools such as Cold Turkey or StayFocusd, both of which let you block distracting websites for free. Similarly, Steppin is a great distraction blocking tool for your smartphone.

Befriend the power nap

When you're focused on studies, don't neglect the importance of a healthy sleep cycle. Ideally, you want to use the wind down feature on your phone to remind you that it's time to stop using all apps and get to bed. On iPhones and Android phones, you can also quickly switch to grayscale mode at bedtime, which is another way to trick your brain into getting off the screen. I find that I sleep better when all my gadgets aren't right next to my bed.

But more than that, I highly recommend taking a power nap when you're tired. Sometimes, I get home from a long day and I feel too tired to do much. If I'm able to take a 30-minute nap, I often wake up refreshed and feeling a lot better. Adding a little bit of rest to your day can make a big difference to your ability to get things done, so you should consider adding power naps to your day.

In case you find it hard to relax and sleep, I've had good results with progressive muscle relaxation. It's a simple technique that requires you to tense and relax various muscles in your body, which in turn helps you relax enough to go to sleep. The Insight Timer app has a great guided relaxation exercise by Shinzen Young, which I've used more often than I can count.

Consider a change in location

Once again, this may sound like simple advice, but it's incredibly effective. Whenever I've found it hard to study or complete assignments at home, it's always helped to go sit at a library or a cafe to get work done. A lot depends on how good the public libraries are in your locality, but even if that's not an option for you, try to see if you can go to a friend's place or anywhere other than your usual place for assignments. Sometimes, a change in environment can help you get work done faster.

If that doesn't help break a pattern of procrastination, then you can consider gamifying the process. You can use Stickk as a motivational tool to stick to your goals. The app makes you commit to donating money or posting on social media if you don't meet your goals, which is one way to put something real on the line as a penalty for not honoring your commitment. There are plenty of tools to help you stay on track with your commitments to hobbies or academics, so there's bound to be one that works for you.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/best-hacks-every-student-should-know?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Daniel Oropeza

https://lifehacker.com/tech/my-favorite-amazon-deal-of-the-day-13-inch-m4-macbook-air?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Every model in the 2025 lineup of M4 MacBook Air laptops is currently marked down by at least $200 on Amazon, taking most of them to record-low prices. Of these, the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air with 16GB unified memory and 256GB SSD storage is arguably the best MacBook Air for most people, and a great buy at $749 (originally $999), matching the Black Friday record low price after a record $250 discount, according to price-tracking tools.

At the time of this writing, all four colors are available for the $749 price.

13-inch M4 MacBook Air

$749.00 at Amazon

$999.00 Save $250.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$749.00 at Amazon

$999.00 Save $250.00

Although this is ostensibly the entry-level MacBook Air, it is well-equipped to last you for many years. It comes with 16GB of RAM standard, twice what the previous generation's basic model included. The 13.6-inch "Liquid Retina" display has a resolution of 2,560 by 1,664, a P3 wide color gamut, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. You'll also get an excellent backlit keyboard with Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6E support, and great speakers and microphones. Apple even decided to bring back MagSafe charging with this laptop.

The 12MP camera comes with Center Stage, which follows your face as you move around the frame during video calls. The two USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 4 means you can extend to up to two 6K external monitors.

For a "basic" laptop, the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air offers incredible capabilities and features for the price, and is arguably a much better value than the Pro, according to Lifehacker Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson. If you take into account the current discount, it really is the best all-around MacBook you can buy.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/my-favorite-amazon-deal-of-the-day-13-inch-m4-macbook-air?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Emily Long

https://lifehacker.com/tech/your-android-can-share-live-video-to-911?utm_medium=RSS

If you find yourself in an emergency or crisis situation, the more information you can give first responders, the better. Android users can now share a live stream of their surroundings with 911, allowing emergency services to assess and provide guidance in real time while you wait for help to arrive onsite.

Emergency services on Android

Your Android already shares some information with first responders via Emergency Location Services (unless you disable this feature). This built-in tool sends an accurate location as well as contextual information, such as language settings, when you call or text an emergency number. Now, that includes live video from your device's camera.

You don't need to do anything to set up Emergency Live Video. Once available in your area, responders can send a request during an emergency call or text to securely share your camera's live video. You'll see a prompt on your screen to start sharing with one tap.

According to Google, Emergency Live Video is encrypted by default. Users can choose whether to share their video from the prompt as well as stop the share at any time by clicking the onscreen Stop sharing button.

Live video sharing is rolling out now to U.S. users, as well as those in parts of Germany and Mexico, on Android phones running Android 8 and up. Google says they are partnering with public safety organizations to expand the feature to more users.

Other Android safety features

Emergency Live Video is the latest in Google's suite of safety features designed to make help more accessible—more quickly—in an emergency. Pixel users in Australia, North America, and several dozen countries across Europe now have access to Satellite SOS, which allows you to call emergency services even without a cellular or wifi connection. Car Crash Detection contacts emergency services and shares your location in the event of severe crash, while Fall Detection and Loss of Pulse Detection will call for help based on Pixel Watch sensor data.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/your-android-can-share-live-video-to-911?utm_medium=RSS

Posted by Pradershika Sharma

https://lifehacker.com/tech/playstation-5-pro-sale-december-2025?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The PlayStation 5 Pro’s price has finally eased up a bit, dropping to $648.99 from $749.99, which is the lowest it has gone on Amazon so far according to price trackers. For anyone who has been eyeing a console upgrade but didn’t want to spend full price, this discount makes it easier to consider.

Sony - PlayStation 5 Pro Console - White

$648.99 at Amazon

$749.99 Save $101.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$648.99 at Amazon

$749.99 Save $101.00

The Pro looks almost identical to the regular PS5, but the changes inside matter a lot more than the shell. Sony bumped up the GPU power, increased memory bandwidth, and doubled storage to a 2TB SSD. In simple terms, you spend less time uninstalling old games to make room for new ones. Sony also added Wi-Fi 7, which won’t matter to everyone, but if your router is up to the task, downloads will be faster and more stable.

In use, the console feels familiar. You still get the fast loading PS5 owners enjoy, and the DualSense controller remains one of the best reasons to stay in the PlayStation ecosystem. The real difference comes when you fire up games that have been optimized for the Pro—titles like Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, and Horizon Forbidden West. These games run with higher frame rates and more stable performance. Visual details pop a bit more, especially on a capable TV. Other games will still run well, just without the added polish. You don’t lose anything by making the jump; you just get a bit more when the software allows it. PCMag gave the PS5 Pro an “Excellent” rating, largely due to its performance gains over the original.

That said, the PS5 Pro ships without a disc drive. If you’re someone who still buys physical games or has a stack of PS4 discs lying around, you’ll need to pick up the optional external drive for $79. If you’ve already gone all-digital, that extra cost doesn’t apply. Overall, the PS5 Pro isn’t a must-have for casual players, but it’s a smart buy for anyone who wants more visual fidelity now and doesn’t want to wait around for the PlayStation 6. And at this price, it’s a lot easier to justify the jump.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/playstation-5-pro-sale-december-2025?utm_medium=RSS