This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
You never want a computer with little to no disk space available. A hard drive with no space negatively affects your computer; inevitably, it’ll slow down and your applications will freeze and crash more frequently.
And while the fix is obvious — you need to clean up your drive — you may have a difficult time deciding exactly what files to delete. Fortunately, Windows 11 makes it easy to get rid of what you don’t need and free up some space on your computer.
Instead of downloading third-party software to free up disk space, Windows 11 has a few settings you can configure to quickly delete temporary and system files, as well as old downloads you probably don’t need.
And if you’re worried about getting rid of important files, don’t fret — Windows 11 will help you decide what to get rid of to improve your PC’s performance.
Not everyone needs an expensive SSD for storage. Maybe you just want to transfer over some photos and videos to free up a little bit of space on your computer. If you’re looking for additional storage space, but don’t want to break the bank, check out Seagate’s 1TB external hard drive for your Windows computer.
You’re receiving price alerts for Windows 11 Pro Tip
How to automatically free up storage space on Windows 11
On your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > System > Storage. If this is your first time visiting this setting, wait a few seconds for your computer to analyze your data storage. Once Windows has collected what it needs to know, you’ll be able to see your total free memory at the top of the page. Underneath that you’ll see a breakdown of your storage, divided into apps and features, temporary files and other. You can also click Show more categories to view a further breakdown.
The setting we’re interested in, however, is Storage Sense, which automatically frees up space on your computer whenever your disk space is low. It does this by deleting temporary files, emptying your Recycle Bin and getting rid of old downloads, in the background, without you having to manually do it.
Enable Storage Sense to make Windows 11 automatically free up space.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
To turn on Storage Sense, simply toggle it on here. If you click the setting, you can configure several features:
Run Storage Sense: Run Storage Sense during low disk space (default) or every day, week or month.
Delete files in my recycle bin if they have been there for over: Choose 1 day, 14 days, 30 days (default) or 60 days.
Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven’t been opened for more than: Choose never (default), 1 day, 14 days, 30 days or 60 days.
These Storage Sense settings can help you limit which files are removed, and when they’re removed, so that you don’t have to worry about any important files getting wiped from your computer.
You can configure how often Windows 11 cleans up your disk space, as well as which files it deletes and how often.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
At the bottom of the page, you can click Run Storage Sensenow to use the feature then and there.
And if you want to get rid of more files to clear up space, use the Cleanup recommendations feature underneath Storage Sense. If you click on it, it will scan your system and recommend files for you to manually delete, such as temporary files, large or unused files, files synced with your cloud and unused apps.
Now playing:Watch this:Windows 11 helps you get rid of unused apps and extend…
Microsoft Office is an essential suite of tools for both your professional and personal computing needs, but if you don’t already have access to its apps on your own computer, you may be annoyed at having to pay monthly to access them.
Rather than stumping up the full price directly at Microsoft, you can snag a lifetime license to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher and Access for just $30 instead via StackSocial. That’s back at the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and a whopping 91% off the usual price of $349.
The offer applies to both the Windows and Mac version of the software, which means you can ditch the subscription (with recurring charges) that Microsoft offers for these essential apps. This popular deal has already sold out and been restocked a few times, but we don’t know how much longer it will remain in stock so be sure to grab one for yourself before it’s gone.
This wildly popular offer for a Microsoft Office lifetime license is still available for $30. It’s available for both Mac and Windows, so be sure to grab the right one for the computer that you use regularly.
While the price almost seems too good to be true, we tried it ourselves, and it worked like a charm. (The two big caveats: You get a single key — which only works on a single computer — and there’s no Microsoft OneDrive Cloud Storage included.) In fact, StackSocial has been offering a version of this deal since the beginning of 2022. But this lowest-ever price won’t last, so take the plunge while you can.
The deal for Mac users expires Jan. 1 and the discount on the Windows version will end Jan. 4.
Ready for the next premium app?
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Why spend more on pricey earbuds, when you can get the same features at a fraction of the cost? These cost-effective headphones don’t skimp on sound quality either. Whether you’re a music buff, workout warrior, part of the work-from-home crowd or like to listen to podcasts on your commute, these affordable AirPods alternatives are a great investment. And right now, you can snag a set of new JBL Live earbuds for some of the lowest prices we’ve seen. With discounts up to 70% off, you can get a new pair of true wireless buds for as low as $45. These offers expire tonight.
JBL Live Free NC Plus true wireless ANC earbuds are an affordable and Android-friendly option that feature active noise cancellation to limit outside noise and distractions, as well as a “TalkThru” transparency mode, so you can be aware of your surroundings without having to take them out or turn them off. These buds have an IPX7 water and sweat resistance rating, you don’t have to worry about using them during workouts or on rainy days.
The intuitive controls let you talk to Alexa or Google Assistant with just a touch, keeping you effortlessly connected to what you need to know. Also, they have a battery life of up to seven hours on a single charge, with up to 14 more hours with the charging case. A dual connect feature allows you to connect to just a single earbud at a time, if you need to keep one ear open. Normally listing for $150, you can get the NC Plus earbuds for just $45 today.
The earbuds feature dynamic drivers, packing a lot of power into a small size. You can also download the My JBL Headphones app for additional customization. And the earbuds come with a one-year JBL manufacturer’s limited warranty. Snag a pair during this one-day sale to improve your listening experience.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
You never want a computer with little to no disk space available. A hard drive with no space negatively affects your computer; inevitably, it’ll slow down and your applications will freeze and crash more frequently.
And while the fix is obvious — you need to clean up your drive — you may have a difficult time deciding exactly what files to delete. Fortunately, Windows 11 makes it easy to get rid of what you don’t need and free up some space on your computer.
Instead of downloading third-party software to free up disk space, Windows 11 has a few settings you can configure to quickly delete temporary and system files, as well as old downloads you probably don’t need.
And if you’re worried about getting rid of important files, don’t fret — Windows 11 will help you decide what to get rid of to improve your PC’s performance.
Not everyone needs an expensive SSD for storage. Maybe you just want to transfer over some photos and videos to free up a little bit of space on your computer. If you’re looking for additional storage space, but don’t want to break the bank, check out Seagate’s 1TB external hard drive for your Windows computer.
You’re receiving price alerts for Windows 11 Pro Tip
How to automatically free up storage space on Windows 11
On your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > System > Storage. If this is your first time visiting this setting, wait a few seconds for your computer to analyze your data storage. Once Windows has collected what it needs to know, you’ll be able to see your total free memory at the top of the page. Underneath that you’ll see a breakdown of your storage, divided into apps and features, temporary files and other. You can also click Show more categories to view a further breakdown.
The setting we’re interested in, however, is Storage Sense, which automatically frees up space on your computer whenever your disk space is low. It does this by deleting temporary files, emptying your Recycle Bin and getting rid of old downloads, in the background, without you having to manually do it.
Enable Storage Sense to make Windows 11 automatically free up space.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
To turn on Storage Sense, simply toggle it on here. If you click the setting, you can configure several features:
Run Storage Sense: Run Storage Sense during low disk space (default) or every day, week or month.
Delete files in my recycle bin if they have been there for over: Choose 1 day, 14 days, 30 days (default) or 60 days.
Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven’t been opened for more than: Choose never (default), 1 day, 14 days, 30 days or 60 days.
These Storage Sense settings can help you limit which files are removed, and when they’re removed, so that you don’t have to worry about any important files getting wiped from your computer.
You can configure how often Windows 11 cleans up your disk space, as well as which files it deletes and how often.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
At the bottom of the page, you can click Run Storage Sensenow to use the feature then and there.
And if you want to get rid of more files to clear up space, use the Cleanup recommendations feature underneath Storage Sense. If you click on it, it will scan your system and recommend files for you to manually delete, such as temporary files, large or unused files, files synced with your cloud and unused apps.
Now playing:Watch this:Windows 11 helps you get rid of unused apps and extend…
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
An iPhone is the kind of gift that keeps on giving, letting you browse through page after page of information online and maintaining high speed. But even behemoths like the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max can get bogged down if you’re not keeping them optimized. One of the simplest pieces of upkeep is clearing your iPhone cache every month.
You probably got gifts for your friends and family, maybe even a gift for yourself. But before the new year, give your iPhone the gift of a clear cache.
Whether you’re browsing in Chrome, Safari or elsewhere on your iPhone, your cache builds up digital clutter over time. Clearing your cache gives your browser a new start, which can speed up your browsing whether you’re using iOS 15 or iOS 16. (And if you’re trying to get your phone to run faster, try managing your iPhone’s storage.)
Think of your browser cache like a digital refrigerator. It helps you store leftovers like website data so those pages can load faster the next time you visit them. The problem, though, is that those leftovers eventually go bad, in the sense that they no longer match the data the sites actually need to load. That’s the equivalent of your fridge being full of stale or outright moldy food. At that point, pages will actually load slower and formatting might look wrong.
That’s why clearing your cache can help: It gives sites a fresh start in your browser and frees up some space in your storage. Note that clearing your cache will sign you out of sites you’re currently logged into. Still, it’s generally worth that mild inconvenience every month or so to keep things moving quickly.
Here are step-by-step guides on how to clear your cache on your iPhone based on the browser you use.
How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari
Safari is the default browser on iPhones, and you can clear your Safari cache in a few short steps. Starting with iOS 11, following this process will affect all devices signed in to your iCloud account. As a result, all your devices’ caches will be cleared, and you’ll need to sign in to everything the next time you use them. Here’s what to do.
1.Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Select Safari from the list of apps.
3. Go to Advanced > Website Data.
4. Scroll down and select Remove All Website Data.
Chrome is another popular browser for iPhone users. The overall process for clearing your Chrome cache requires a few more steps, and you’ll need to do things through the Chrome browser itself. Here’s how.
1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Select the three dots in the bottom right to open more options.
3. Scroll across the top and select Settings.
4. Select Privacy and Security in the next menu.
5. Then select Clear Browsing Data to open up one last menu.
6. Select the intended time range at the top of the menu (anywhere from Last Hour to All Time).
7.Make sure that Cookies, Site Data is selected, along with Cached Images and Files. Finally, hit Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.
If you’re a Firefox devotee, don’t worry. Clearing the cache on your iPhone is pretty straightforward. Just follow these steps.
1. Click the hamburger menu in the bottom right corner to open up options.
2. Choose Settings at the bottom of the menu.
3. Select Data Management in the Privacy section.
4. You can select Website Data to clear data for individual sites, or select Clear Private Data at the bottom of the screen to clear data from all selected fields.
Clearing your cache removes the website data your phone stored locally to prevent having to download that data upon each new visit. The data in your cache builds over time and can end up slowing things down if it becomes too bulky or out of date. (My phone had about 150MB of data stored in Chrome when I checked.) Clearing that data gives sites a fresh start, which may fix some loading errors and speed up your browser. However, clearing your cache also signs you out of pages, so be prepared to sign in to everything again.
How often do I need to clear my cache?
Most people only need to clear their caches once every month or two. That’s generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large enough to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
Google’s Pixel devices are already straightforward and easy to use, but digging into the settings can help you tailor certain aspects of your phone to your taste. For example, you can optimize your phone’s storage, increase the screen’s refresh rate (or decrease it to save battery life) and use the volume key as a shortcut for the camera.
Google launched the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro in October, and both phones include a refreshed design, face unlock, the new Tensor G2 processor and improved cameras. But many of these settings options below should also be available on older devices too, including the Pixel 6 lineup.
Follow the steps below to learn more about how to get the most out of your new Pixel.
Turn on themed icons to make your icons match your wallpaper
One of the biggest features that debuted in 2021’s Android 12 update is Material You, which customizes the software’s color palette to match your wallpaper. To give your app icons a colorful refresh, long-press any empty space on your Pixel 7’s home screen. Then tap Wallpaper & style and make sure the switch next to Themed icons is toggled on. Now app icons on the home screen should match your wallpaper. You’ll notice that some elements within certain apps — like the keyboard in Messages and Gmail’s Compose button — will have colored accents that match your wallpaper, too.
Unlock your Pixel 7 just by looking at it
Google’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro both support face unlock, unlike last year’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. If you own a Pixel 7 and haven’t set it up yet, you can do so by launching the Settings menu and tapping Security. Tap Face and fingerprint unlock and enter your PIN. From there, choose the Face Unlock option to register your face to your phone.
Google cautions, however, that your phone can be unlocked by someone who looks like you, such as a sibling, when using this feature. As such, the Pixel 7’s face unlock functionality is meant just for quickly unlocking your phone rather than authenticating payments and other transactions. That makes it significantly different than Apple’s Face ID, which creates a depth map of your face by “projecting and analyzing thousands of invisible dots,” according to Apple’s support page.
You can unlock the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro with your face.
Use Quick Phrases to dismiss an alarm or phone call without saying, ‘Hey, Google’
We’ve all been there. It’s 6 a.m., your alarm starts blaring and you barely have the energy to reach for your phone. Google makes this a little easier on the Pixel lineup by enabling you to pause or dismiss an alarm by simply saying, “Snooze” or “Stop” without requiring the “Hey, Google” trigger phrase. You can do the same for phone calls by saying “Answer” or “Decline” without having to grab your device.
To turn this on, open the Settings menu and choose Apps. Then, select Assistant and tap Quick phrases. You should see options for alarms and timers and incoming calls. Tap the switch next to each one to enable this feature.
This feature lets you dismiss alarms and answer calls without using the “Hey, Google” wake phrase.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Have Google Assistant wait on hold for you and transcribe automated phone menus
Tired of waiting on hold? Try using Google’s Hold For Me feature, which has Google Assistant wait on hold and then notify you when a customer representative becomes available. If you don’t want to remember which number to punch the next time you’re sitting through automated voice prompts, you can also turn on Direct My Call. This transcribes automated menus so that you don’t have to remember which number to press to get directed to the correct extension. Direct My Call should work even faster on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, since Google says these phones may show some transcriptions before they’re even spoken.
Both of these features are accessible from the Pixel’s phone app. Hold For Me works on the Pixel 3 and later, while Direct My Call is available on the Pixel 3A and later. Open the Phone app and tap the three dots in the top right corner to get started. Choose Settings and you should see Hold for Me and Direct My Call under the Assistive section.
The Direct My Call feature seems promising, but it only works for toll-free numbers in English right now. That can make its transcriptions a bit confusing since many automated phone menus typically read options in Spanish, too.
Google Assistant can transcribe automated menus for you when calling toll-free numbers, but only in English.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Choose whether you want to extend battery life or boost performance
Google’s Pixel phones can optimize battery life depending on how you use your phone. While that’s a useful perk, there may be times when you’d prefer to turn this feature off so that you can get better performance out of your device. You can turn this setting on or off anytime by opening the Settings menu, choosing Battery and tapping Adaptive preferences.
You can optimize your Pixel’s battery based on your phone usage.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Turn on Smart Storage to avoid running out of space
If you take a lot of photos and videos, you know how precious your device’s storage space can be. As one way to deal with that problem, you can choose to have your Pixel phone automatically delete old photos to free up space. If you enable this feature, your Pixel device will erase photos backed up to your Google Photos account that have been on your device for 60 days if your phone’s storage is less than 25%.
To turn this on, open Settings, choose Storage and tap Free up space. Then tap the menu icon in the top left corner and select Settings. Toggle the switch next to Smart Storage.
Google’s Smart Storage feature automatically deletes old photos to save space.
Use Storage Saver to optimize your Pixel’s photo and video storage
If you want to save space, there’s another option: Enable Storage Saver on your Pixel device. This changes settings that use large amounts of storage, such as saving RAW images as JPEG and recording videos in 1080p instead of 4K. If you care more about saving space than having the best resolution possible, you might want to try this.
Launch the Camera app and tap the settings icon in the top left corner. Then, tap More settings and select Device storage. Toggle the switch next to Storage Saver.
The Pixel can also change certain media settings to optimize storage.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Customize what happens when you press the volume key while taking photos
You can use the volume button to snap a photo, adjust the zoom or control the audio volume on your Pixel device. Open the Camera app, press the Settings icon and choose More settings. Then, choose Gestures and select Volume key action to choose your preferred option.
You can customize the volume key on the Pixel 6.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Make sure your Pixel’s screen automatically switches orientation when needed
Few things can be more annoying than having your phone stuck in portrait mode when you’re holding it in landscape mode to watch a video. Avoid this on your Pixel phone by opening the Settings menu, choosing Display and tapping Auto-rotate screen. You can also choose to turn on face detection to make autorotate more accurate. Google says images used in face detection are never stored or sent to the company.
Make sure your Pixel switches its screen orientation when you want it to.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Identify songs playing nearby on the lock screen
Ever heard a song playing at a restaurant and wondered what it’s called? Google Pixel devices can recognize songs and display the name of the song and artist on your phone’s lock screen. Open the Settings menu, choose Display and tap Lock screen. Press Now Playing and toggle on the switch next to Identify songs playing nearby.
Your Pixel phone can display the track title and artist for songs playing nearby.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Choose whether you want smoother scrolling or longer battery life
Certain Pixel devices can boost their refresh rates to enable faster scrolling and smoother animations, which makes the software generally feel more responsive. The Pixel 7 can bump its refresh rate up to 90Hz like the Pixel 6, while the Pixel 7 Pro can go up to 120Hz just like the Pixel 6 Pro. But since this feature increases battery usage, there are times when you might want to turn it off.
To access this option, open the Settings menu and choose Display. Scroll down to Smooth Display and toggle the switch to turn it on or off. This feature isn’t available on the Pixel 6A.
You can choose to increase the screen’s refresh rate or maximize battery life on your Pixel phone.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Add captions to videos, podcasts and phone calls
Google’s Live Caption feature generates captions for media playing on your device, and it works on older Pixels dating back to the second-generation model. It’s an accessibility feature, and it can also be useful for times when you’re stuck without headphones and need to hear the content of a video or podcast in a public setting. To turn this on, press the volume button and tap the Live Caption icon, which looks like a speech bubble. Just remember that using Live Caption can use additional battery resources.
Google’s Live Caption technology captions audio playing on your device.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Edit your quick settings to easily access shortcuts
Pulling down from the top of the screen will launch the quick settings menu. Tap the pencil icon to edit this menu and add the settings you use most often. Google offers a wide variety of options ranging from battery saver to enabling and disabling the microphone and accessing alarms. Here you’ll find staples including airplane mode, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
These are just a few of the many settings shortcuts available on the Pixel.
I normally wear an Apple Watch. But I spent a couple of weeks trying out a hybrid watch called the Withings ScanWatch Horizon.
Why it matters
Smartwatches aren’t cheap. You should know what you’re getting for your money, and whether alternatives might be worth investing in.
A smartwatch is more than a computerized time tracker, and the best versions excel at three tasks. They monitor various health data, look attractive on your wrist and provide peace of mind when you’re away from your phone. But not all smartwatches are the same: Some are better phone alternatives, while others have a more stylish, watch-like appearance. That’s the main distinction between hybrid smartwatches like the Withings ScanWatch Horizon, which I reviewed, and conventional smartwatches (like the Apple Watch).
Traditional smartwatches do a little bit of everything. They’re relatively chic, have plenty of health and activity tracking functionality, and are packed with phone-like features such as NFC for mobile payments and a speaker and microphone for taking calls. The Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Fitbit Sense and Pixel Watch fall into this category.
But hybrid watches usually combine the qualities of analog timepieces and smartwatches, as the name implies. They tend to look more like regular watches with traditional faces that have physical hands for the hour and minutes instead of digital numbers. Hybrid watches don’t have as many “smart” features, but they typically last longer on a single charge and pack plenty of health-tracking options.
I prefer traditional smartwatches and usually wear an Apple Watch. But spending a couple of weeks with the $500 Withings ScanWatch Horizon reminded me why hybrid smartwatches can be appealing — and also how they fall short compared with general-purpose smartwatches.
I felt more reliant on my phone when switching from the Apple Watch to the ScanWatch Horizon. Withings’ hybrid watch can show notifications (like calls, texts and app alerts), and you can also use the watch to set timers and alarms.
But even these basic tasks are easier to accomplish on traditional watches. Since the ScanWatch Horizon only has a small circular screen that occupies a fraction of the watch’s face, it’s not ideal for reading full notifications. As I wrote in my review, the ScanWatch Horizon’s lack of a touch screen and voice controls also made it less convenient to set times and alarms from my wrist.
It’s much easier to read notifications and respond to texts on the Apple Watch. The Series 7 (pictured) has a larger screen with a QWERTY keyboard.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
If you want a smartwatch that can take some of the burden off your phone when it comes to everyday tasks, the ScanWatch probably isn’t it. Think of the ScanWatch Horizon as a watch first and a smartwatch second. Even though I don’t have my Apple Watch connected to my data plan, it’s still a useful surrogate for my phone. I don’t have to take my phone out of my pocket for tasks like replying to text messages, browsing news headlines while I’m waiting for the elevator or checking out at the cash register at my local Rite Aid.
That’s not the case with the ScanWatch Horizon. I grabbed my phone almost immediately whenever I felt the buzz of a notification. The ScanWatch Horizon feels more like a fashion accessory with built-in health tracking. I loved the way it looked on my wrist, but didn’t find myself using the screen for much other than to check the time or start a workout. Most of my engagement happens within the Withings HealthMate app, which provides a breakdown of bodily metrics and activity.
Now playing:Watch this:Why I’m More Excited for a New Apple Watch SE Than the…
The ScanWatch Horizon is more limited than the Apple Watch when it comes to mimicking your phone’s functionality, but it has a different advantage. With its stainless-steel casing, rotating laser-engraved bezel and analog watch face, the ScanWatch Horizon is one of the most elegant smartwatches you’ll find.
Amazing battery life
The Apple Watch may have more smarts, but it can’t come close to the ScanWatch Horizon’s battery life. Withings claims the ScanWatch Horizon can last for 30 days on a single charge, far outlasting standard smartwatches. In my experience, the ScanWatch Horizon’s battery depleted to 35% after a little more than a week. I haven’t spent long enough with it to see if it lives up to Withings’ 30-day claim, but that’s impressive nonetheless.
I usually charge my Apple Watch nightly, but Withings says the ScanWatch Horizon can last for 30 days on a single charge.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Apple Watch Series 7, on the other hand, usually lasts for one to two days on a single charge. But that’s also because the Apple Watch has a lot more technology built into it. The OLED color touchscreen alone has a huge impact on the battery compared with the ScanWatch Horizon’s tiny display. Some other wearables like the Garmin Venu 2 Plus that also use OLED displays can last up to nine days. It is possible to get more battery life out of today’s smartwatches without sacrificing a bright color display.
Both watches go deep on health, but have different strengths
The home screen on Withings’ Health Mate app. I appreciate that Withings offers much more sleep data than the Apple Watch.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
If there’s one area where neither watch compromises, it’s health tracking. The ScanWatch Horizon and Apple Watch Series 7 can both measure all of the hallmark health metrics found on high-end smartwatches. That includes electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) measurements — both watches have Food and Drug Administration clearance for this feature — along with general heart rate data, activity and exercise, sleep and blood oxygen saturation levels. Withings’ blood oxygen feature also has FDA clearance, unlike Apple’s.
Even though they share many similarities when it comes to health tracking, the smartwatches have their own strengths. Withings, for example, has more sleep data to offer. You can see a breakdown of how much time you spent in light or deep sleep, sleeping heart rate and breathing disturbances, similar to the Apple Watch. Beyond that, Withings also issues a sleep score that assesses the quality of your sleep, similar to products from Fitbit, Oura and Amazon.
The Apple Watch shows sleep duration, time spent in bed and sleeping respiratory rate. When WatchOS 9 launches this fall, it will also show sleep stages, which addresses one of the Apple Watch’s major shortcomings compared to other sleep trackers. That information is useful too, but having access to a sleep score helps me understand why I might be feeling tired or energetic in the morning. It also motivates me to hit the sack earlier than usual if my sleep score hasn’t been very high lately.
The Apple Watch’s design gives it an advantage over the Withings ScanWatch Horizon in a few other areas. It’s smaller and lighter, which makes the Apple Watch much more comfortable to wear during workouts and to sleep (although I usually charge my Apple Watch overnight instead). Plus, the Apple Watch has built-in GPS for tracking outdoor runs, while the ScanWatch Horizon must rely on your phone’s GPS. The Apple Watch is also more effective at encouraging me to stay active throughout the day since I can customize the display to show my Activity Rings.
The bottom line
The Withings ScanWatch Horizon (pictured) is an elegant watch and fitness tracker in one device. But I prefer traditional smartwatches like the Apple Watch that do a better job of separating me from my phone.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Withings ScanWatch Horizon inherits some of the biggest advantages of analog watches: a classy design and a battery that doesn’t need to be charged nightly. It’s also a top-notch fitness tracker that doesn’t require a subscription to unlock deeper insights like devices from Fitbit and Oura do.
That said, it hasn’t convinced me to stray from more traditional smartwatches like the Apple Watch. I value the convenience of being able to verbally ask my watch to start a workout, or respond to texts from my wrist, more than having the best-looking watch. I might have appreciated the ScanWatch Horizon’s distinguished design more back in 2013 when smartwatches still looked like this. Now that smartwatches have gotten smaller and lighter and they’re more common, they don’t seem out of place on your wrist at weddings and dinner parties.
The ScanWatch Horizon is ideal for those who want both a classic watch and a fitness tracker in one device. I could see why some might prefer the ScanWatch Horizon’s simplicity, since it means the watch itself is less distracting. But the Apple Watch does a better job of freeing you from your phone, and that matters more to me.
Microsoft Office is an essential suite of tools for both your professional and personal computing needs, but if you don’t already have access to its apps on your own computer, the cost of a license or commitment to a monthly subscription can be off-putting.
Rather than stumping up full price directly at Microsoft, you can snag a lifetime license to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher and Access for just $30 instead via StackSocial. That’s back at the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and a whopping 91% off the usual price of $349.
The offer applies to both the Windows and Mac version of the software, which means you can ditch the subscription (with recurring charges) that Microsoft offers for these essential apps. However, this deal expires in just a few days, so be sure to get your order in soon.
This wildly popular offer for a Microsoft Office lifetime license is still available for $30. It’s available for both Mac and Windows, so be sure to grab the right one for the computer that you use regularly.
While the price almost seems too good to be true, we tried it ourselves, and it worked like a charm. (The two big caveats: You get a single key — which only works on a single computer — and there’s no Microsoft OneDrive Cloud Storage included.) In fact, StackSocial has been offering a version of this deal since the beginning of 2022. But this lowest-ever price won’t last, so take the plunge while you can.
The deal for Mac users expires Jan. 1 and the discount on the Windows version will end Jan. 4.
Ready for the next premium app?
Check for promo codes with our CNET Shopping extension before installing the app on your phone.
Threads on the Fitbit community forum show people unable to sync their Charge 5 and Luxe devices on Samsung Galaxy phones. A Fitbit moderator replied saying, “Our team has identified the root cause of the bug and we are working on afix, which we anticipate releasing via an app update in early 2023.” At the moment, Fitbit recommends users sync to another phone that can install the Fitbit app to try syncing or setting up a device.
Samsung and Fitbit didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The wearables industry continues to push impressive numbers, with 41.7 million devices shipped globally earlier this year. Apple remains the largest individual player thanks to its Apple Watch, although its devices only work with the iPhone. This means that both Samsung and Google-owned Fitbit are important players in the Android market in the US.
With the Pixel Watch, launched in October, Google is starting to slowly integrate more Fitbit features into its own watch. The search giant also partnered with Samsung in 2021 to integrate its Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch series. While Apple enjoyed a healthy 36.1% global market share as of the first quarter of 2022, Samsung and Fitbit sit at 10% and 2.7%, respectively, according to a May report from Counterpoint Research.
Your iPad‘s App Library is an easy way to navigate all of the installed applications on your tablet. Apps are grouped by category: social, finance, productivity, travel and music, to name a few. And if you tap on the search box at the top of the App Library, you’ll get a full alphabetical list of your apps.
However, while the iPhone stashes the App Library neatly to the right of all your home screen pages, the iPad version of the App Library sits squarely in your dock. It takes up valuable real estate on your screen — and it’s frankly a bit of an eyesore.
If you don’t use the App Library (maybe you use Search instead), you might want to remove it from your iPad’s dock — but it’s not that simple. Unlike the other apps in your dock, the App Library can’t be removed simply by pressing down on it and tapping an “x” button.
Luckily, there’s a way to remove the App Library. It’s just hidden in your iPad settings. As a bonus, you can also remove “Recent Apps” from your dock at the same time if you’d like.
If you’ve used up almost all of your iPad’s storage and you don’t want to upload everything into the cloud, you can use this 128GB USB thumb drive to store movies, TV shows, music, photos and more. All you need to do is plug the drive directly into your iPad’s Lightning port and you’ll be able to quickly transfer and access all your important files.
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On your iPad, go to the Settings application and do the following:
1. Tap Home Screen & Dock.
2. Under the Dock section, toggle off Show App Library in Dock.
Turn off Show App Library in Dock to disable the feature in the dock.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
As soon as you do, the App Library icon will disappear from your dock, giving you more room for other apps. Don’t worry, though — you’ll still be able to access the feature by swiping left on your home screen until it appears. You can also use the search feature by swiping down anywhere on your home screen and then typing the name of the app you’re looking for, if the App Library just isn’t your thing.
This is the iPod dock without the App Library icon.
