This App Makes It Impossible to Miss Virtual Meetings

When you're focusing on a task, it's easy to lose track of time and forget to attend important meetings (or unimportant ones that your boss thinks are important), especially when you're working from home and those meeting take place online. Calendar notifications can help, but they're too easy to miss, or even ignore.

In Your Face is an indie Mac app that seeks to ensure you'll never miss another meeting. It fills up your entire screen with notifications for any calendar appointments you set it to highlight. The application, which uses the macOS Calendar app for appointments, lives in the menu bar. You can click the icon to see all upcoming meetings.

One minute before any calendar appointment begins, your entire screen will be overlaid with a reminder its about to take place. The idea is to make your meeting reminders impossible to miss.

Credit: Justin Pot

If you want, you can configure the warning to show up sooner. Maybe you, like me, like to go get a glass of water before a meeting begins—five minutes should be perfect for that. You can also set the application up to allow for travel time, if your meetings aren't virtual.

Credit: Justin Pot

For me, though, virtual meetings are the real use case, mostly because those are the appointments I find myself most likely to miss. You can set the application to only pop up on screen for appointments that have a video conferencing link, be it in the event's description or the location. You can also filter out events you've rejected, which I recommend, or set the application to not show reminders outside of your working hours. Finally, if you dig through the settings, you'll find that you can customize the look and color scheme for the pop-up (arguably not important, but a nice touch).

In Your Face offers a free trial, which you can use to decide whether the application will be useful for you. After that, it costs $1.99 a month, $19.99 a year, or $64 as a one-time purchase. The application is also available with a Setapp subscription, meaning you can pay $9.99 per month for access to In Your Face and around 250 other Mac applications.

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All the Smart Tech I Use to Get Better Sleep

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I was a bad sleeper. I often had trouble falling asleep, I was easily woken up because I wasn’t sleeping deeply, I tossed and turned, and I woke up tired, sometimes with headaches, even after a long night’s sleep. Over the past year, I have slowly adjusted every aspect of how I slept, from the bed itself to the climate, sound, and lights in my room, and ultimately solved most of my sleep problems. Here's everything I recommend, based on a variety of sleep-related challenges.

If you have trouble falling asleep during the day

It’s critical to your sleep for your body to think it's nighttime. Luckily, there are a number of brands that offer smart blackout shades, so you can block out all the light from your windows with one command. I installed Rolli shades, a colleague enjoyed Smartwingz, but I’m also excited about Switchbot’s Roller Shade, coming in February, which will be inexpensive and adjustable for any window's width. 

An alternative is a mask, and I believe I found the holy grail of smart sleep masks: The Aura is pillow soft, even if you sleep on your side. You can place scented lavender layers inside, and then use the Aura app to set up meditation or white noise programs to listen to, or you can simply use the mask as a Bluetooth speaker for any music you like. There are lights inside the mask, so you can set an alarm and it will gently bring up the lights like a sunrise to wake you up. It controls all your senses, and while I’ve never been a sleeping mask kind of person and found the idea of a scented smart mask absurd, it is legitimately relaxing and effective for me. 

If you have trouble falling asleep at night

On nights that I know I need to go to sleep but am not quite ready for it yet, I get into bed with my Kindle, turn off my overhead lights and turn on a calming program on my Nanoleaf lights. They project calming waves of light and motion across the room, and I find they truly affect your mood. 

If anxiety or a busy mind is keeping you from sleeping, your voice assistant might help. Whether you use Siri, Alexa, or Google, let your assistant remind you of all your calendar items for the next day, so you don’t feel like you’re forgetting something.  If thoughts often pop into your head as you’re about to go to sleep, you can ask your voice assistant to remind you of them tomorrow rather than staying awake ruminating on them. (You can also use them to check to make sure smart appliances are off so you don’t have to get back up.) 

If you toss and turn at night

An inability to stay asleep can be attributed to a number of factors like climate and distractions, but ultimately, the solution lies in how comfortable your body is in bed, and how well supported your body is, which is decidedly un-technological. While there are a number of websites and even apps to help you choose beds, I found there is no substitute for going to a store and laying on each bed to try them out, and choosing the one right for you. Particularly if you are larger or suffer from body aches, you may want to choose a bed that is made more traditionally with coils, rather than foam. Where foam may be helpful is pillows. Moving away from the traditional pillow shapes full of down, choose foam shapes that work for your body, not just under your head but between your knees or behind your back. I really liked Bearaby pillow shapes, particularly the Cuddler, which is a long body pillow you can wrap around you.

If you are easily woken up at night

You can use your smart speaker to drown out random noise in the background that might startle you. First, use your voice assistant to turn your devices to “do not disturb” while you sleep. Your smart speaker offers white noise options: You can ask your assistant to play a standard white noise, but there are also a plethora of natural options like whale song and rainforest. You can adjust the sound level as needed using your voice. Of course, if you prefer, you can listen to music, too. 

If you sleep too hot or cold

I have found that having multiple forms of climate control works best. I have smart air conditioner units and heaters. For the A/C, I rely on my Midea U-Shaped Smart A/C, which I’ve had for a few years; it works with my voice assistants and powers on and off on a smart routine in Google Home. For heat, I use a Smart Envi wall heater, which works the same way. 

Adding climate control to my bed was the chef’s kiss. The BedJet 3 shoots hot or cold air into your bed, either into a pillowy top sheet or directly on you, under your top sheet or blanket. You can tune it to cold or hot air from the phone app or a remote, but it will also allow you to create custom programs for the whole night. My favorite feature turns out to be a ten minute blast of 110 degree air which is perfect for slipping into bed on cold nights or for frosty toes first thing in the morning. 

The solutions aren’t all technical, either. Some sheets (brushed cotton) are made for hot sleepers, and some for cool sleepers (linen), and choosing the right sheets can make a big difference for you. 

If you get headaches or sinus problems at night

I often woke up with headaches or sinus issues, which I thought were due to having air blowing directly at me. A fan that I can actually stand is any Dreo model—they have a “natural” setting that mimics a breeze. Also, you can really clean a Dreo fan—they come completely apart—which means less dust blowing around, which can aggravate sinuses. I added in a smart air purifier that adjusts on the fly as needed to the conditions in my room. I use a Mila in my room to remove dust, pollen and dander, and my headaches and congestion went away. 

It also helped to adjust the angle at which I sleep. Many brands offer electric base layers that will turn any bed into an adjustable one, where you can lift your head, knees, or feet. I chose one from BedJet, called the Power Layer. Subtle adjustments can keep your head upright enough to stop you from snoring, or alleviate a stuffed up nose. You use a remote or an app to connect to make adjustments. 

If snoring keeps you awake

If you’re wondering if you’re a snorer, an app like SnoreLab will provide very humbling evidence by listening to you overnight. This can be the push you need to get a sleep apnea test, which you can now do at home using, you got it, smart monitoring devices. 

If you wake up tired

How well you’re sleeping isn’t only how long you slept. I started measuring the quality of my sleep using my Oura ring. This wearable device uses heart rate, respiration, skin and body temperature, movement, and heart rate variability to create a sleep efficiency score. Using the metrics above, Oura determines when you enter REM and deep sleep, and for how long. 

The night before and after the Saatva HD arrived Credit: Amanda Blum

While seeing how long I was in bed for versus sleeping was often disheartening, if eye opening, the efficiency score created by those metrics was more usable for determining how effective various changes I made to my sleeping ritual were. Oura provides an overall sleeping score daily as well, which is a mix of the efficiency, how much activity you had while you slept tossing and turning, how much time you spent in REM or deep sleep, and how quickly you fell asleep. If you don’t like the idea of a wearable, you can try non-wearables like a Chilipad Sleep Tracker or Withins Sleep Tracking Pad.

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The First Five Things You Should Do With Your New Garmin Watch

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Garmin watches are fantastically powerful tools, but they can also be a bit complicated to figure out. No other brand has as many different settings, spread over as many different menus. If you’re settling into a new watch, let me help you find the first few things you should customize and try out.

Most of these tips apply to Forerunner watches, including but not limited to my faves, the 265 and 265S—the 55, 165, and 965 all have similar features and controls. Other watches like the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 will also have many of the features I’m discussing here, so when in doubt, check your device’s manual online. 

Garmin Forerunner 165

$216.99 at Walmart

$449.99 Save $233.00

$216.99 at Walmart

$449.99 Save $233.00

By the way, Garmin has one of the coolest features I’ve seen in any company’s support articles: a bar at the top of the page where you can type in the name of your device to see if the page you’re reading applies to your watch. (Here’s an example.) 

Customize the data on your main watch screen

When you look at your watch face, you’ll see the time, and probably a few other numbers, like your steps for the day. On most watches you can customize the watch face and the data shown in those complications. 

To change your watch face on a Forerunner, hold the left middle button (the UP button) and select Watch Face. From that next screen: 

• Scroll with your finger or with the UP and DOWN buttons (middle and bottom buttons on the left) to change the watch face

• Push the START button (top right) to see a menu asking if you’d like to apply the watch face or customize it

• If you choose to customize, you can change the color (again, scroll to see options) or the data fields (scroll to change the data in a field, hit the START button again to move to the next field)

On Forerunners, after picking out a watch face you love, I highly recommend taking a minute to customize the data it displays. There are some pretty cool complications, including my favorite, which shows the current time relative to sunrise and sunset. (It looks like a blue and yellow arc at the top of the screen.) 

Customize your glances

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

When you swipe up (or scroll down) from your clock face, you'll see a bunch of statistics and tools. These are called "glances." Most likely you'll find some of these fun and/or informative, and others annoying and useless. Good news: You can customize which ones you see!

While viewing your glances, hold in the middle left button (on a Forerunner) or press the button with the pencil icon (on a Venu or Vivoactive). Now you can reorder that glance, moving it up or down in the list, or you can remove it entirely. Scroll to the end of the list of glances and you'll have an option to add new glances to the list.

I have my glances set up with my running mileage and training status at the top, and other useful things like weather and my calendar lower down. I am not at all interested in my body battery or naps, so those are off the list.

Customize your activity fields

When you’re doing an activity—like going for a run—you probably have an idea of what numbers you’d like to see while you’re doing it. I like to know my total mileage and the time of day, but I don’t care as much about total time or things like calories. 

To customize these fields, go to the activity, as if you were going to start a run. On a Forerunner, long press the UP (left side middle) button. (On the Venu 3 or Vivoactive 5, which don’t have left side buttons, you’ll swipe up from the bottom of the screen.) From there, select Run Settings and Data Screens, and then scroll through the options it gives you. You can either customize the data fields on one of those screens, or add a whole new screen with the data you’d like to see. 

Set up a Garmin Coach plan to see a week’s worth of suggested workouts

Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Garmin

If your watch comes with daily suggested workouts, as most of the running watches do, you can view the upcoming week’s worth of workouts on your phone—but only if you set up an adaptive training plan. 

If you eventually want to set up a more structured training plan, that’s fine (and you can start that whenever you like). But you don’t need a race or a goal to set up an adaptive plan. Go to the More menu in the Garmin Connect app, select Training & Planning, and then select Garmin Coach Plans and Find a Plan. When you get to the final screen, if it gives you human names alongside the generic Garmin Coach, ignore the people and just take the nameless option. This is the one that puts your daily suggested workouts on the app for you to view. 

If you add a race to your calendar (yes, there is a calendar in the app), your workout schedule will adjust to start preparing you for that race. If you’d like to read more about the various Garmin run training plans, I have a breakdown here, including all the differences between the expert plans and the adaptive plans. 

Change your step goal

By default, Garmin chooses your step goal. And even if it gave you a reasonable number at first, like 7,500 or 10,000 steps per day, you may soon find that changing. What’s going on? 

Most likely, you let it give you an “auto” goal. This feature sets your goal to whatever your average steps have been lately. That means that if you hit a minimum of 10,000 steps every day last week, your average was probably somewhere above 10,000—so now the watch won’t congratulate you unless you beat your new normal. This can lead to your goal creeping up slightly over time, which some people find motivating and some find exasperating. 

You can change this in the Garmin Connect app. The settings vary by watch; here’s the Garmin page describing where to find it. You’ll want to use the app to go into your device settings, and uncheck Auto Average from your step goal. 

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Don't Use Your Christmas Tree for Firewood (but You Can Recycle It in Other Ways)

When it comes time to take down your natural tree, you might think that tossing it in the fireplace is an economical and simple solution for disposal. However, it’s not a good idea to burn your Christmas tree for firewood—it can cause issues with your fireplace and chimney. Rather than risking your safety, there are other more sustainable ways to reuse your tree and still cut down on disposal costs.

Evergreen trees tend to have pitch or sap, as well as needles. Because of these differences from traditional firewood, your tree could burn very hot, throw lots of sparks, and cause creosote build-up in your chimney. Creosote can cause a chimney fire if it gets thick enough before your chimney is cleaned. An overly hot fire could also damage the bricks or masonry of your chimney, causing it not to work properly to carry smoke safely to the outdoors. An overly smoky fire from uncured wood is also a danger when using a Christmas tree as fuel, so the best practice is to only use seasoned firewood that’s intended to be burned as fuel.

Best ways to recycle a Christmas tree

There are other ways you can "recycle" a Christmas tree, though, that are safer. Here are some ideas:

• Use it as firewood in an outdoor fire pit. Although you should take precautions to avoid igniting surrounding brush or dry grass from escaped sparks, you can choose to burn your Christmas tree in an outdoor fire pit. Since a fire pit doesn’t require a chimney or a flue, you don’t need to worry about causing a chimney fire with pitchy wood. Because needles can cause very hot and unpredictable fires, you should always have proper fire extinguishers and hoses at the ready just in case.

• Use it for mulch. Christmas trees make great wood chips and they can be used as a weed barrier for landscaping projects. In some places, your local trash pick-up might have a tree pick-up program where trees can go to be recycled into wood chips. If not, you can always decide to split a chipper rental with the neighborhood and get some low-cost, fresh-smelling mulch from the deal.

• Get out your chainsaw for some DIY projects. Cutting up the wood from your tree to make some clever DIY coasters from the rounds of the trunk of your tree is a fun way to recycle your tree. You can make a border for your garden bed with sections of your tree’s trunk. As with any chainsaw project, make sure you wear a face shield, heavy gloves, and protective clothing to avoid turning your holiday recycling project into a trip to the ER.

• Use smaller branches as plant markers and plant stakes. Select your branch and remove all the smaller twigs and needles from it. Then, use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to remove the bark. You can write the name of your plant on the stake or marker with a permanent marker once the bark is removed.

• Make sachets from pine needles. Using scraps of fabric sewn into small pillows and stuffed with the needles, this type of sachet can be used to keep drawers and cabinets fresh. You can also use needles (or branches with lots of needles) to cover vegetable gardens or perennials during the winter. This practice can add nutrients back into the soil, as well as help prevent mold.

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ Is at Its Lowest Price Ever

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If you’ve been eyeing a tablet that can handle your everyday needs without blowing your budget, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is now $399.99 (down from $599.99)—that's a $200 discount and its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. Available in four colors (silver, gray, mint, and lavender), this tablet has an IP68 rating, making it a worry-free companion for poolside browsing or kitchen countertop use without fear of spills. Its 12.4-inch LCD screen is big, bright, and colorful enough for watching your favorite shows or scrolling through TikTok (though it reportedly struggles under direct sunlight). Additionally, it’s not an OLED panel, so you won’t get those deep, inky blacks, but unless you’re super picky about display quality, it’s more than good for most everyday tasks.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ 128GB Wi-Fi 12.4" Tablet (Grey)

$399.99 at Amazon

$599.99 Save $200.00

$399.99 at Amazon

$599.99 Save $200.00

The Tab S9 FE+ runs on Android 13 with Samsung's One UI, offering convenient features like taking calls or responding to texts when paired with a Samsung phone. Powered by the Exynos 1380 processor and 8GB of RAM, it handles everyday tasks like web browsing, emails, video streaming, casual gaming, and document editing without much trouble. However, as noted in this PCMag review, performance can falter slightly with apps taking longer to load and animations stuttering when several applications run simultaneously. On the bright side, it comes with a decent amount of internal storage at 128GB, which can be expanded up to 1TB using a microSD card—giving you plenty of space for storing all your favorite apps, photos, documents, or downloading shows for offline viewing without worrying about running out of space.

The tablet’s two 8MP rear cameras deliver average results, with colors leaning toward oversaturation, a common trait in Samsung devices. That said, the 12MP front-facing camera reportedly performs better, offering sharper and more detailed images. Additionally, the Tab S9 FE+ comes with a stylus or the S Pen included right in the box, adding an extra layer of functionality at no extra cost. Battery life is respectable, with the 10,090mAh capacity lasting just over seven hours of use. Note that no charger is included in the box, so you’ll need to use your own or purchase one separately.

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The Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Netflix in January 2025

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I've pored over Netflix's release schedule to bring you the best movies and TV shows premiering on the service this month. At the top of the list is Back in Action, a domestic spy thriller/comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. There's also a new Wallace and Gromit movie, and, most importantly to me, Cunk on Life, in which my hero Philomena Cunk makes her triumphant return to Netflix. 2025 is going to be the best year ever; I can feel it.

Back in Action

In Back in Action, the star power is turned up past 11. This action-comedy stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as CIA agents who left the undercover life to raise a family together. But when their cover is blown, these seemingly normal parents come out of retirement to kick ass, take names, and make jokes. It's been over a decade since Diaz has appeared in a feature, so expect something special, and expect extreme leves of screen charisma from Back in Action's stars.

Starts streaming January 17.

Cunk on Life

Cunk on Life illustrates what would happen if the BBC hired the dumbest person on Earth to host a sweeping documentary that examines the meaning of life. Philomena Cunk, played by comedian Diane Morgan, travels the world to interview real academics, philosophers, and other very smart people, ostensibly to ask big, important questions, but really to test their patience with her deadpan, stupid persona. If you like comedy that's actually funny, don't miss Cunk on Life.

Starts streaming January 2.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The beloved stop-motion characters created by Aardman Animations are back in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, in which Gromit (he's the dog) becomes concerned with his master's over-reliance on technology. Wallace has invented a high-tech garden gnome, but it turns evil, forcing an absurd showdown. The roller coaster pace and precise comic timing raise the chaos high enough to earn Vengeance Most Fowl a rare 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Starts streaming January 3.

Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan directed this science fiction story about a group of astronauts who fly through a wormhole in search of a new home planet for humans to crap up. With a cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine, thoughtful ideas about down-to-earth values, and a heavy dose of Nolan's unique cinematic style, Interstellar is required viewing.

Starts streaming January 1.

Don't Die: the Man Who Wants to Live Forever

Sorry for spoiling this Netflix original documentary, but its subject, entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, is not going to live forever. He's not going to achieve his more modest goal of living to 200 either. That foreknowledge adds to the poignancy and ridiculousness of Johnson's pursuit—dude is spending millions per year to forestall Death, and Death just does not care. While you and I are probably not going to that level, we're all doing something (even if it's just fretting) and Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever asks some interesting questions about our relationship to the end of life.

Starts streaming January 1.

Missing You

Missing You is a mystery-thriller from novelist Harlan Coben, so expect plot twists that will leave you saying "whoah." Rosalind Eleazar plays detective Kat Donovan whose fiancé Josh, played by Ashley Walters, disappeared years before. When she sees his face on a dating app, Donovan tries to get to the bottom of a mystery that spins in wildly unexpected directions. If you're looking for a potboiler-mystery series, check out Missing You.

Starts streaming January 1.

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action

If you wanted to pinpoint the moment Western Culture fell off the cliff that led to—gesturing vaguely at everything—this, the popularity of The Jerry Springer Show is a solid contender. Through interviews with the people responsible and plenty of footage from the show, Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action takes viewers behind-the-scenes of the Chicago-based talk show that built an empire on fistfights and scandals, both in front of and behind the camera.

Starts streaming January 7.

American Primeval

This limited series takes viewers back to an 1857, and explores the explosive collision of culture, religion, and community that gave birth the American West. American Primeval doesn't shy away from the darkness and despair of history as its characters fight for survival and control in a lawless, brutal frontier. The cast includes Taylor Kitsch as Isaac Reed, a broken man intent on self-destruction, and Kim Coates as Mormon leader Brigham Young, who uses his personal army, the Nauvoo Legion, to keep his followers alive at any cost.

Starts streaming January 9.

Hereditary (2018)

I love horror movies, and Hereditary is the best one that been made in the last decade at least. Ari Aster's masterpiece is not a movie for the faint-of-heart. It's legitimately disturbing in a primal way, a carefully paced, slow-burn of dread that becomes builds to a shocking conclusion. The cast is amazing, but Toni Collette's portrayal of a mother struggling with mental illness stands out as one of the most unsettling performances in horror movie history.

Starts streaming January 15.

You Hurt My Feelings

It's impossible to not like Tina Fey. In You Hurt my Feelings, the writer-turned-actress plays a novelist whose world is shaken when she overhears her husband's actual opinion of her newest book. Directed by Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money) and bearing the A24 Films mark of quality, You Hurt my Feelings earned unqualified raves from critics for its subtle, smart story about the lies we tell each other.

Starts streaming January 26.

Last month's picks

Squid Game, Season 2

Netflix's big Christmas present is coming a day late with the December 26 release of season two of Korean dystopian sci-fi drama Squid Game. Season two was written, directed, and produced by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the genius behind season one, and Lee Jung-jae will return as Player 456, who's re-entering the game to tear it apart from the inside. Season one cast members Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo are coming bac,k too, where they'll join a fresh crop of competitors, so everyone can play a new bunch of deadly games. Can't wait.

Starts streaming December 26.

No Good Deed

Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow star in this black comedy about the cutthroat world of real estate in Los Angeles. No Good Deed follows three families competing to buy the same 1920s Spanish-style villa in Los Feliz, each convinced the house will make their dreams come true. But it's actually all a bigger nightmare than trying to buy a real house in Los Angeles. The all-star cast also includes Linda Cardellini, Luke Wilson, Teyonah Parris, and Denis Leary.

Starts streaming December 12.

The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga

Wanna hear something weird? Last week I was reading about a ricin attack on President Obama that the FBI traced back to Tupelo, Mississippi and a feud between a karate instructor and an Elvis impersonator. I thought, "I need a documentary series about this right away, so I can learn more about the eccentrics involved and the place that gave birth to them." Then Netflix announced The Kings of Tupelo. Maybe I should have wished for world peace, but this show is a more-than-adequate consolation prize.

Starts streaming December 11.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Based on the masterpiece of magical realism by Nobel-Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the epic story of generations of the cursed Buendía family, condemned to solitude for 100 years. José Arcadio Buendía (Marco González) and Úrsula Iguarán (Susana Morales) are cousins and lovers who set out to build a perfect town called Macondo, but the result is not the Utopia they'd envisioned.

Starts streaming December 11.

Churchill at War

There's a time in every man's life when he become extremely interested in World War II. If you or anyone you know has reached this point, you should be aware of Churchill at War. This Netflix original docu-series looks at the role Britain's leader played during World War II and examines how his complex character affected the fate of his nation and Western Civilization at the time of its greatest peril. If your dad is visiting for the holidays, plop him in front of the TV for this one.

Starts streaming December 4.

Black Doves

In Black Doves, Keira Knightley plays a no-nonsense wife and mother who happens to be a a top-level spy. Ben Whishaw plays a suave assassin who never met a bottle of Champagne he wouldn't drink. This unlikely pair are thrown together by dire circumstances and must find a way to work together to prevent geopolitical catastrophe. If you like international intrigue, dry British humor, and knife fights, don't miss this series. It's currently sitting at 97% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Starts streaming December 5.

Compliance (2012)

Not enough people have seen 2012's Compliance, an unnerving thriller that becomes even more disturbing when you learn that it all happened, almost exactly as filmed, many times. Compliance tells the story of an online weirdo who gets his kicks by calling fast-food places and pretending to be a cop so he can talk wage slaves into doing horrible things to each other. It's an examination of both cruelty and subservience that's difficult to watch but totally fascinating for the points it makes about human nature under capitalism.

Starts streaming December 5.

Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld

Ali Wong, Bowen Yang, and Lori Tan Chinn lend their voices to this animated fantasy series about a seemingly ordinary teenager whose life is turned inside out when she discovers she has supernatural fire-abilities. The title character is thrown into a confrontation with demons and uncovers shocking secrets from her family's mysterious past, all while navigating high school. This is going to be a lot of young people's favorite show.

Starts streaming December 5.

A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter

In A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter, pop star Sabrina Carpenter performs holiday standards and newer songs, acts in comedy sketches, and has many celebrity friends drop by to join her to make jokes, drink eggnog, and sing duets. It's like a throwback to the star-driven variety shows of the 1970s, but instead of Ruth Buzzi and Rip Taylor, you get Chappell Roan and Shania Twain, as well as a ton of other celebrity "friends."

Starts streaming December 6.

Biggest Heist Ever

I cannot get enough of freakshow crime documentaries, and Biggest Heist Ever might be the freakiest. It tells the story of aspiring rapper Razzle and her tech-mogul-wannabe boyfriend. Like the title says, these two doofs pulled off the biggest heist in human history, making off with billions in Bitcoin, despite being absolute idiots. I mean, look at this video; this lame stole more money than anyone else, ever. Every other thief in history should be ashamed.

Starts streaming December 6.

Mary

This biopic (I guess?) tells the story of Mary, no-last-name-needed, the mother of God. According to The Telegraph, this movie "angered Palestinians and Christians alike" before it even came out. (Agnostics, on the other hand, just shrugged.) This is enough of a reason to see it. Here's an unrelated fun fact about Mary: According to Catholic doctrine, Mary is the only person whose body is in heaven. She's not a soul or an angel; she's just a regular person walking around up there. This is not addressed in Mary.

Starts streaming December 6.

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays

While there are a lot of great shows streaming, most of them are disturbing, intense, or suspenseful. Sometimes, as my wife puts it, "You just want to watch a show about cupcakes." If that's you, watch the new holiday episodes of The Great British Baking Show, a "competition" reality show where everyone is fully committed to making elaborate baked goods, but no one is a jerk about anything and no one gets murdered. It's mindless, but not stupid, and all the food looks amazing. In short: This is the ultimate show about cupcakes.

Starts streaming December 9.

Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was

Jamie Foxx has some explaining to do. In this Netflix performance, Foxx comes clean about his "near-death experience," a medical crisis that caused the award-winning actor/comedian to fall into a coma for weeks. I didn't even know he was sick, but now I must know all the details. If you are too, give What Had Happened Was a watch.

Starts streaming December 10.

Polo

This Netflix sports documentary series was executive produced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, so it's got a royal pedigree. Whether the involvement of the Duke and Duchess of York is enough to get anyone interested in a game that no one you know has ever played remains to be seen, but if you've ever wondered about the world's most exclusive sport, or if you like looking at rich-people shit for some reason, check out Polo. Also: If you have a few million dollars to spare, please establish a polo training center in a blue-collar community so real people can take over the sport in one generation. It would be really funny.

Starts streaming December 10.

Queer Eye, Season 9

It's time for more Queer Eye, the reality show where a pack of gay men change the lives of good-hearted, regular people who need new clothes, new furniture, and new lives. Even though this series has been running for approximately 83 years and each episode is pretty much the same, it's not boring at all. Every great story is about transformation, and watching caterpillars change into butterflies never gets old. I've cried when I've watched this show, not gonna lie.

Starts streaming December 11.

Carry-On

This Christmas-themed thriller is set in at Los Angeles International Airport on Christmas Eve, where a TSA agent who couldn't get the holiday off matches wits with a terrorist mastermind. Taron Egerton plays everyman TSA dude Ethan Kopek who receives a phone call from a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) threatening to kill his girlfriend if he doesn't allow a dangerous package onto a Christmas Eve flight. This is, I think you'll agree, a great set-up for a single-location thriller.

Starts streaming December 13.

The Six Triple Eight

Tyler Perry gets historical in The Six Triple Eight, a movie detailing World War II's only Women’s Army Corps unit of color, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Their job during the war was sorting through a backlog of millions of pieces of mail addressed to American soldiers. Kerry Washington plays Captain Charity Adams who heads up a division of 855 women who help defeat Hitler by making sure letters get to their intended recipients. Because you can't win a war with low morale.

Starts streaming December 20.

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15 of My Favorite Snacks to Serve at New Year's Eve Parties

As holidays go, New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite parties. I love the glitter, the stupid glasses and hats, and the traditions, but most of all, I love the food. The best holiday fare is snackable, shareable, and often hand-held—all among my favorite food descriptors.

As someone who truly enjoys the vibrant and hectic nature of party hosting, you might be surprised to learn that I have thus far only been an New Year's Eve party guest. (I can’t hog all the big parties, I suppose.) But it’s simply a matter of time—the New Year’s Eve party is my hosting white whale, and when I do make it happen, I’ll be serving a selection of the best delectable treats I've brought along with me to parties past. Here are 15 of my favorites.

Air-fried mushroom chips

A bowl of these crisp and savory mushroom chips simply must make it to your snack table. They’re extremely easy to make—you drain a can of sliced mushrooms, spritz with a touch of oil, and air fry them to a crisp. Mushroom chips are incredibly flavorful, so you can snack on them as-is or use them as tiny chips for dipping. Additionally, they’re completely vegan and gluten-free. Read the full recipe.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Mushroom onion dip

Is it weird to dip mushroom chips in mushroom dip? Maybe, but it sounds great to me. This umami-bomb is made by pairing caramelized onions and duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms cooked down to concentrate their flavor). This dip is great with any salty chip or pretzel, and just as pleasing when smeared onto a burger bun. Serve this mushroom duxelles dip warm for easy spreadability. 

Vegan French onion dip

Let’s face it, all parties need multiple dips, and this one is a French onion dip that’s not weighed down with mayonnaise or sour cream. Silken tofu is the medium, providing an easily dippable texture (whether served hot or cold), and serving as a blank canvas for savory onion flavors. Check out the full recipe.

Air fryer pork belly bites

When providing bites for a crowd, it’s best to keep things simple, small, and packed with flavor. Allow me to introduce these air fryer pork belly bites. A simple dressing of fish sauce, oil, and a few other seasonings coats the tiny pieces before they tumble into the air fryer. The machine takes care of the rest while you set up the confetti horns and 2025 glasses. 

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Meatloaf Wellington

Just because hand-held food rules the day doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in one slightly dramatic centerpiece. A meatloaf Wellington is the perfect middle ground between fancy and pure comfort food. You can make matters easier by making my air fryer meatloaf a day ahead and rolling it up in the Wellington components before the party. Here are the detailed instructions. 

Crunchwrap brie en croûte

Give your brie en croûte the Crunchwrap Supreme treatment. It’s a true show stopper, and if you have Taco Bell fans in your midst, well, let’s just say you’ll be a hero. Biting into a slice of this beef and lettuce topped behemoth is the best way to finish 2024.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Microwaved baked brie

If you’re looking for a simpler preparation of baked brie, skip the whole baking thing completely, and use the microwave. You don’t have to bother with the puff pastry wrapper or fiddle around with an egg wash: Use the science oven to gently heat the cheese in bursts before you top the wheel with fixings like chopped nuts, honey, or jam.

Chicken crust pizza

Ordering pizza on New Year’s Eve is no easy task, at least not in New York City, where any usually reliable delivery place turns into a complete crapshoot. Instead, make your own pizza. Better yet, make a pizza you can’t easily order from anywhere, like a chicken crust pizza. Frankly, it’s way better than it has any right to be. 

Hot dog crust pizza

There’s another oddball pizza that has earned a spot at my New Year’s Eve party table, and it’s the hot dog crust pizza. Not only is this pie really fun to make, it’s ideal for sharing—the crust is a collection of pigs in blankets, for cryin’ out loud! It will be a particular hit with any kids attending your shindig.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Tartiflette

For a comforting potato dish with an elegant name, look no further than the tartiflette. While you can make this mound of roasted potatoes and brie small enough for two, you can also double or triple this recipe in a casserole dish to feed a bigger crew of carb lovers. 

Potato rösti cake

Requiring only three ingredients and a cast iron skillet, this dish is sure to win the crowd and with the least impact on your wallet. Simply shred boiled potatoes and pack the ribbons into a buttery skillet to brown. Flip over the potato cake and crisp up the other side before serving with plenty of flaky salt. Get all the details here.

Seasoned pretzels

Regular pretzels are dry and sad. Seasoned pretzels are robust and lively. The best part is that you barely have to do anything to make a big batch of snackable seasoned pretzels. Grab a powder packet of tangy ranch dip, a little bit of oil, and a bag of mini pretzels to get started. (I must warn you, you’ll be fielding questions all night about what recipe you used to make them, so have this link handy.)

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Microwave Rice Krispies Treats

I usually recommend these as an emergency snacking failsafe, but I think they make sense for parties too. The microwave keeps things simple, and using a muffin cup makes for quick cooling and easy single servings. You could whip up a batch of these emergency Rice Krispies Treats 30 minutes before the party and be in great shape. 

Gooey butter cake

Ring in the New Year in the absolute sweetest way possible. This is obviously not an original creation: Gooey butter cake emerged from St. Louis, straight out of the pandora’s box of Butter Golden cake mix. It’s sweet, it’s decadent, and a sure conversation starter. I recommend having some hot coffee at the ready to balance it out—between the sugar and the caffeine, everyone will have plenty of energy to make it past midnight.

Air Fried Kielbasa

I have fond memories of childhood New Year's parties at which someone would always serve baked kielbasa slices, skewered on toothpicks, alongside mustard and sauerkraut. This is an upgraded, speedier version of that classic, made extra crispy with the help of crafty scoring and an air fryer.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

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Four Easy Tech Jobs to Do for Elderly Family Members While You're Home for the Holidays

There are some traditions that go along with the holidays and visiting family: Eating lots of food, reminiscing about old times, watching classic movies, and of course: fixing all the tech difficulties that your parents or other elderly family members have managed to get themselves into over the previous 12 months.

Of course, the time will most likely come for all of us when we're confused by the latest gadgets and gizmos, and pine for simpler times. However, during your stint as the resident family tech expert, there are some simple jobs you can take care of for your relatives and make sure they're well set up for another year.

Get everything updated

Get phones and laptops right up to date. Credit: Lifehacker

Software updates are important for a whole host of reasons: They squash bugs, they tighten security, they add new features, and they improve compatibility with apps, hardware, and websites. If your parents have been neglecting to get their devices set up with the latest updates, you can sort this out for them.

Checking for updates and getting them installed isn't difficult: Head to Windows Update in Windows Settings, General > Software Update in macOS System Settings, System > Software updates in Android Settings, and General > Software Update in iOS Settings. If you see an option for automatic updates, turn it on.

You might find that really old devices aren't eligible for the latest updates from Microsoft, Apple, and Google—if that's the case, it might be worth having a discussion about whether it's worth the time and money to upgrade to something newer (which will probably be faster, less error-prone, and more secure).

Check app permissions

App permissions in macOS. Credit: Lifehacker

A quick check of app permissions can make a real difference when it comes to device security: You don't want any apps accessing camera and microphone permissions, for example, without explicit permission (and it's all too easy to tap through on these permission requests when they pop up).

You can find these by heading to Privacy and security in Windows Settings, Privacy & Security in macOS System Settings, Security and privacy > Privacy controls > Permission manager in Android Settings, and Privacy & Security in iOS Settings.

If you see an app you're not sure about, check with your parents: If they don't actually use it or have no idea where it's come from, uninstall it from the device and you don't have to worry about what it might be doing. You can always reinstall it again later if it is something your parents have been using.

Audit browser settings

Chrome will warn you about unsafe extensions. Credit: Lifehacker

A lot of screen time is web browsing time, and an insecure and outdated browser can leave you vulnerable. This is particularly true on Windows and macOS, where browsers are dealing with more advanced web apps, managing third-party extensions, and getting deeper hooks into the operating system.

Here are some quick checks to make on your parents' browser of choice: Make sure the latest version of the browser is being used (this is usually handled automatically), look through the list of browser extensions to see if there's anything suspicious or unnecessary, and check the home page and default search settings to check they haven't been hijacked by scammers or affiliate marketing companies.

The exact steps for doing this will vary between browsers, but you should be able to find the necessary options without too much difficulty. In Chrome, for example, you can check for updates by clicking the three dots (top right), then Settings, then About Chrome. Click Extensions on the same Settings page to check the installed add-ons.

Check password security

Apple devices have their own Passwords app. Credit: Lifehacker

Passwords can be a real security problem, whether it's forgetting them, having them hacked and leaked, or revealing them through clever phishing schemes. If your parents have their passwords sorted, that's a significant step towards keeping them and their accounts protected in the future.

You know what's best for your own relatives, but ideally you want to get them to sign up to a password manager of some kind: This means everything gets safely secured, passwords won't be forgotten, and warnings will appear for passwords that are repeated or not strong enough (a good password manager will suggest strong passwords too).

It's also important to have two-factor authentication enabled wherever it's offered (most digital accounts now support it). It adds a little bit of extra inconvenience when logging in to new devices, but it makes accounts much more secure, and protects against password leaks: Again, this is something that the best password managers can handle.

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Budget for a 'Tourist Tax' When You Visit These Places in 2025

Many travelers are used to paying taxes and fees on hotel bills without much thought, but in many countries, a "tourist tax" may be assessed in other places during your stay. Tourist taxes are daily fees charged to visitors of a city (or country) meant primarily to generate revenue for tourism infrastructure, environmental or sustainability projects, or other local resources, though they may also be enforced with the hope of combating heavy tourism at popular destinations.

Some fees vary seasonally or apply only to day visitors at specific attractions, and they may be paid upon entry, included in the cost of a visa, or wrapped into your airfare or hotel charges, which makes them confusing to identify and keep track of. They certainly aren't new, but they have been increasing in spread and cost in recent years as locales attempt to address an influx of visitors.

In most cases, tourist taxes are nominal, though there are exceptions like Bhutan, which charges a "sustainable development" fee of $100 per night for adults ($50 for children), and New Zealand, whose International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy now costs visitors $100 NZD (around $56 USD) when applying for entry. Here are a handful of tourist taxes you'll want to plan for in 2025.

The United Kingdom's ETA fee

The UK's Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system has been in the works for awhile, and it goes into effect for non-European travelers on Jan. 8, 2025. Visitors from the U.S. (as well as Canada, Australia, and other visa-exempt countries) will have to apply in advance for entry with your passport details and pay a £10 fee. The authorization is good for stays up to six months and can be used as many times as needed for up to two years. (One euro is about $1.04 US dollars.)

The European Union's ETIAS fee

Visa-exempt visitors to the EU will (probably) have to pay a similar fee to the UK's ETA under the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) sometime in 2025, though the rollout has been delayed numerous times since 2020. The application will cost 7 euro and requires you to submit passport details and other personal information.

Local tourist taxes in Europe

The number of European destinations charging tourist taxes has increased in recent years (after some were suspended during the height of the pandemic), with additional locales considering adding fees as visitor traffic continues to rise. Some of the most prominent tourist taxes are listed here, but fees are also in place elsewhere, including France, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Belgium, as well as in Prague and Budapest.

Spain

Tourist taxes are widespread across Spain. Adults age 16 and over visiting the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Minorca, Formentera, and Ibiza) must pay 1–4 euro per night based on the type of accommodation. Barcelona charges both a city tax of 4 euro per night (which may increase to 8 euro in 2025) and a nightly accommodation tax ranging from 1.70 euro to 3.50 euro. Cruise passengers who enter Barcelona for less than 12 hours are assessed a 3 euro tax, while those staying longer pay 2 euro.

Visitors to Asturias, Galicia, and Tenerife may also encounter various tourist taxes in 2025, with attraction-specific entrance fees likely to be rolled out in Alicante and Seville.

Portugal

Portugal has also implemented various tourist taxes in more than 25 municipalities, including a 4 euro per night charge in Lisbon and a new 3 euro fee to access hiking trails in Madeira. In some destinations, taxes vary by season and are capped at a maximum number of nights.

Italy

Tourists who enter Venice on weekends (Friday to Sunday) and public holidays between April 18 and July 27, 2025 will be charged a 5 euro tax on daytime visits booked more than four days in advance (10 euro for those booked with less notice). There is also a tax on overnight stays ranging from 1 to 5 euro per person, per night depending on the season and accommodation type.

Tourist taxes in Rome vary by accommodation type: from 3 euro per night for campsites to 10 euro per night for 5-star hotels, up to 10 days of continuous stay. Lake Como is considering implementing a daytripper fee with a similar structure to Venice in the near future.

Greece

Greece will increase its visitor fee in 2025 to 2 euros per day during low season and 8 euros per day between April and October. Cruise passengers on day trips to Santorini and Mykonos must pay a 20 euro fee, while those to Athens and Crete will be charged 5 euro. Some hotels will also add a 15 euro surcharge.

The Netherlands

Amsterdam requires a charge of 12.5% of overnight rates on all accommodations, including hotels, vacation rentals, and campsites, as well as a 14.50 euro "day tripper tax" for cruise ship passengers in 2025 (up from 14 euro).

Iceland

Visitors to Iceland will see a fee of ISK 600 (just over $4 USD) tacked onto their hotel bills, while those on cruise ships pay ISK 1,000. Travelers utilizing campsites, mobile homes, and caravans are charged ISK 300.

Other local tourist taxes

Of course, there are plenty of other countries around the world charging fees to foreign travelers, including the following:

• Bali, Indonesia: A new tourist tax as of February 2024 costs runs around $10 per person.

• Maldives: The "Green Tax" will jump from $6 per day at most accommodations to $12 per day in 2025.

• Thailand: Thailand's tourist tax is a one-time fee of 300 baht (around $9 USD) for travelers arriving by air and 150 baht for those arriving by land or water.

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Hotels charge $1.50 USD per person, per night for foreign tourists.

• Quintana Roo, Mexico: Visitors to places like Cancun, Cozumel, and Tulum are assessed a one-time fee that's around $10–$11 in addition to various hotel taxes around Mexico.

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