The Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Max This Month

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I've looked into everything coming to Max this month, and the below TV shows and movies are the best of the bunch, or at least the most interesting. The premiere of the third season of HBO's beloved dark comedy series The White Lotus tops the list—everyone will be watching this one. There's also a new season of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and the premiere of Common Side Effects, an animated drama series that looks fascinating.

The White Lotus, Season 3

Mike White's Emmy-winning series The White Lotus is the best. Its mix of biting commentary on wealth and privilege, well-drawn (but nearly always reprehensible) characters, and pitch-black humor add up to a nothing-else-like-it TV series. Season 3 sees a new group of pampered Americans arriving at a White Lotus luxury resort in Thailand. I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing they'll have unexpected and troubling times instead of a restful vacation. Season 3 also see the return of Natasha Rothwell, who played the spa owner from season one—one of the few sympathetic characters in the show's run. Other notable cast members include Walton Goggins (The Ghoul in Prime's Fallout series), Carrie Coon, Scott Glenn, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, and Parker Posey.

Starts streaming February 16.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 12

There's a new season of Last Week Tonight premiering this month, and I'm pretty sure sardonic host John Oliver will to have a lot to talk about in 2025 America. Oliver promises to ask the hard questions, like "Have two presidents ever kissed?" and "Did Tucker Carlson's mom really leave him $2 in her will?" (She actually left him $1.) Don't miss it if you like pointed political humor, because who knows how long pointed political humor will remain legal.

Starts streaming February 16.

Common Side Effects

This Adult-Swim-produced cartoon looks intriguing. Common Side Effects' executive producer, Mike Judge, created both King of the Hill and Beavis and Butthead, but Common Side Effects is not really a comedy. It's a moody, stylish looking drama about a pair of high school friends who discover both a drug that cures literally everything and a vast conspiracy from the pharmaceutical industry and the government to cover up its existence.

Starts streaming February 3.

Have I got News for You, Season 2

If John Oliver doesn't provide enough comedic news coverage, why not give Have I Got News for You a try? Hosted by Roy Wood Jr. with Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, this show takes the grinding misery out of "following the news" and makes it fun. Each episode features a different pair of celebrity guests who compete against each other in games and quizzes that test their knowledge of current events. It's a little like a TV version of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.

Starts streaming February 15.

We Live in Time (2024)

If you're in the mood for a tragic drama about doomed romance in the vein of The Notebook, this is the movie for you. Anchored by solid performances from Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, We Live in Time takes risks with structure, jumping around in time to tell the story of Pugh's character's cancer diagnoses and her decision to skip treatment to live her last days as fully as possible instead. We Live in Time was produced by A24, a company that rarely misses.

Starts streaming February 7

The Takedown: American Aryans 

This HBO original docu-series details law enforcement's battle with the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a neo-Nazi street and prison gang responsible for dozens of murders and hundreds of other crimes, including the brutal killing of Breanna Taylor. Through interviews with cops, Taylor's family, and members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, The Takedown: American Aryans examines the investigation, arrests, and trials that crippled the notorious criminal enterprise.

Starts streaming February 6.

We are the Best! (2014)

There are no recognizable actors in We are the Best! It was made for very little money in Sweden. Although it got good reviews, hardly anyone saw it—it barely broke a million dollars at the box office. It's hard to explain why anyone would care about three twelve-year-olds in Stockholm starting a terrible punk rock band in 1982, but I promise you will care if you watch it. It captures something elusive and true about youth and hope in a way that few films ever have. Seriously, watch this movie.

Starts streaming February 1.

How I Left the Opus Dei 

I was brought up Catholic, but it was "try to go to church on Sunday because it makes your mom happy" style Catholicism, a world of the difference from the hardcore Catholics in Opus Dei: They mean it. Among other things, they sleep on boards instead of beds and are into "mortification of the flesh," and not in a fun/kinky way. Anyway, How I Left Opus Dei is a docu-series that tells the story of 13 women who got sick of being abused and left the group. I'm definitely checking it out.

Starts streaming February 7

Puppy Bowl XXI

If you want a little break from the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles, you can switch over to HBO's coverage of The Puppy Bowl on Super Bowl Sunday, and watch cute little puppies on Teams Ruff and Fluff play with dog toys and wrassle around with each other, totally unaware that they're on TV and people are saying, "awwwwww." Don't miss the cat-centric halftime show, either.

Starts streaming February 9.

Last week's picks

The Pitt

HBO Originals medical series The Pitt was created by ER producer R. Scott Gemmill. The tense, realistic drama takes viewers into the charged emergency room of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. Each of The Pitt's 15 episodes is presented in real time: one episode is one hour of the same shift at the E.R. Noah Wyle stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, chief attending physician, who's having trouble dealing with the stress and trauma of his position. He's not alone: The Pitt delves into its characters' personal lives as well as the life-or-death decisions and day-to-day drama of the emergency room.

Starts streaming January 9.

A Different Man (2024)

If you like your comedy pitch black and shot through with absurdity and social commentary, A Different Man is the movie for you. Sebastian Stan plays Edward, a struggling actor with an extreme facial deformity. A medical procedure transforms him into a handsome dude—a different man—but he's only pretty on the outside. Edward soon learns that beauty is skin deep, but ugliness can go right down to the marrow. Like just about everything released by A24, A Different Man received well-deserved raves from critics.

Starts streaming January 17.

Harley Quinn, season 5

The fifth season of adult cartoon Harley Quinn sees the titular character, voiced by Kaley Cuoco, moving to Metropolis with her friend Poison Ivy, voiced by Lake Bell. The pair soon find that something serious is going down in Superman-town, and Quinn will meet up with Lex Luthor, his sister, Lena Luthor, Brainiac, and other comic book favorites in this irreverent take on the DC Universe. Harley Quinn has a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's definitely worth your time.

Starts streaming January 16.

The Leopard Man (1943)

Just as Leopard Man producer Val Lewton's most famous film, Cat People, didn't have any cat people in it, Leopard Man is not about a leopard man. Lewton spent most of his career as the head of B-movie production company RKO's horror department, where studio heads dictated their movie's titles, but let Lewton film whatever he wanted. Lewton chose to make Leopard Man an atmospheric, creepy, surprisingly progressive examination of misogyny and violence instead of a cheesy monster flick. Leopard Man is arguably the first movie about a serial killer, and remains among of the best examples of the genre ever made.

Starts streaming January 1.

The Front Room

The directorial debut of Max and Sam Eggers, half-brothers of Nosferatu director Robert Eggers, The Front Room is a surrealist domestic horror story in which the worst mother-in-law imaginable moves in to "help" her pregnant daughter-in-law and her son. Despite the seriousness of the trailer, The Front Room is lightened by dark humor throughout. Solange, played by Kathryn Hunter, is a true nightmare, and will do anything to drive a wedge between her son Norman, played by Andrew Burnap, and his wife Belinda, played by Brandy Norwood.

Starts streaming January 3.

Sons of Ecstasy

This documentary examines the rivalry between English stockbroker Shaun Attwood and Gerard Gravano, son of notorious New York mobster Salvatore “Sammy the Bull'' Gravano. The conflict played out in the 1990s against the backdrop of the ecstasy boom in Arizona, with both men fighting for control of a desert drug empire built on the rave scene's insatiable appetite for Molly. That's what I call a good subject for a documentary series!

Starts streaming January 9.

An Update on our Family

All "family YouTubers" are weird, but the Stauffer family were next-level reprehensible. This three-part documentary series examines how Myka and James Stauffer built a small vlogging empire by presenting themselves and their children as a perfect family, but took it a step too far when they adopted a baby from China with severe neurological problems. They tried to turn two year-old Huxley into the centerpiece of their content, but he soon disappeared from the family channel and the family.

Starts streaming January 15.

C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart

This four-episode British series is based on the best-selling novels by J.K. Rowling, but there's not a wizard to be found. Instead, C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart offers the detective team of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, who are hired to investigate a murder involving the creator of a cult TV cartoon and an anonymous online troll called “Anomie.” The case reveals a complex web of online intrigue, shadowy business interests, and family conflicts that will test the limits of Strike and Robin's investigative skills and might cost them their lives.

Starts streaming January 23.

Look Into my Eyes

I'm inclined to think of "psychics" as cynical ghouls who exploit grief for profit, but Look into my Eyes' director Lana Wilson has a more nuanced view of the craft. Her documentary examines the relationship between small-time, New York psychics and their clients without weighing in on whether the mediums' claims are true. Instead of exploitation, Wilson finds healing, faith, and human connection. No matter how skeptical you are, it's a fascinating take on the subject.

Starts streaming January 10.

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The Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Prime This Month

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I've scoured the February releases on Amazon's Prime platform to find the best new and new-to-streaming movies and shows. This month sees the premiere of Clean Slate, a series created by Norman Lear. There's also a third season of Reacher to enjoy, and an Amazon retelling of the story of King David on tap. So February is pretty eclectic over on Prime.

Clean Slate

This Amazon original series was dreamed up by the late, great Norman Lear, a man who was known for spinning comedy gold from hot-button social issues with grace. Clean Slate stars actress and trans activist Laverne Cox as Desiree, who returns to her hometown after decades of living in the city. She's been gone for so long, her father, played by George Wallace, doesn't recognize her, mainly because she used to be his son.

Starts streaming February 6.

Reacher, season 3

Universally praised action series Reacher returns for a third season. Based on Lee Child’s seventh Reacher novel, Persuader, season 3 sees former military operative Jack Reacher going undercover for the DEA in New England and facing off against a character played by Olivier Ritchers, the seven-foot bodybuilder called “the Dutch Giant" in muscle-show circles, and Zachary Beck, played by Anthony Michael Hall, the six-foot tall American actor called "The Geek" in 16 Candles.

Starts streaming February 20.

House of David

No matter what you think of this "God" person, the Bible contains a lot of great stories, including that of David, who, like Madonna, needs no last name. This faith-based series begins with the fall of King Saul and the anointing of his successor, David, a teenage outcast who seems to have no business being king of anything. But David embarks on a personal journey of discovery and eventually (spoiler alert) becomes the greatest king of Israel. God, as they say, works in mysterious ways.

Starts streaming February 27.

Invincible, season 3

Both critics and fans love superhero cartoon-for-adults Invincible; the rotten tomato scores for season 1 are 98% and 93% respectively, and one critic called it "the Game of Thrones of the Superhero genre." If you're unfamiliar, Invincible is based on Robert Kirkman’s comic and tells the story of 17-year-old Mark Grayson. Mark is just like any teenager, except his dad is Omni-Man, and he's developing super powers. Season 3 sees Mark meeting up with tons of villains, including Powerplex, voiced by Aaron Paul, The Elephant, voiced by John DiMaggio, and the merciless leader of The Order, Mr. Liu, voiced by Tzi Ma.

Starts streaming February 6.

My Fault: London

My Fault: London is a British romantic drama based on the novel Culpa mía by Mercedes Ron. It tells the story of Noah, played by Asha Banks, whose mother marries a rich British man and drags her daughter from Florida to London (oh no!). Despite the tony Notting Hill address, things in the UK don't go great for Noah, especially when she meets Nick, played by Matthew Broome, her mother’s new husband’s privileged and snobby son. But, surprisingly, love blooms between the the extremely attractive couple, who then must navigate a chaotic life of partying in Ibiza and driving around in cars worth a million dollars each.

Starts streaming February 13.

Last month's picks

You're Cordially Invited

Comedic icons Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon star in a domestic comedy in which bridal parties battle for supremacy. A terrible planner booked both Ferrell's daughter's wedding and Witherspoon's sister's weddings for the same time and place. Instead of cooperating, the families go head-to-head and try to destroy each other. You're Cordially invited was directed by Nick Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors), so you're in good hands if you like solid comedy from solid comedy professionals.

Starts streaming January 30.

On Call

Police procedural series have been a staple of television since Dragnet premiered in 1951 for good reason: What's more dramatic than good guys chasing bad guys? On Call makes a classic cop show set-up (a veteran Long Beach, Calif. police officer teams up with an idealistic, wet-behind-the-ears rookie) more visceral and immediate by presenting the action through footage shot on dashcams, bodycams, smartphones, and security cameras. Joe Friday probably wouldn't approve of On Call's vérité style, but it's an interesting new wrinkle in the genre.

Starts streaming January 9.

Unstoppable

Jennifer Lopez anchors this inspiring story based on the real life of one-legged wrestler Anthony Robles, played by Jharrel Jerome. In Unstoppable, Lopez plays Anthony's mother Judy, one of those devoted movie moms who will not let her son give up on his dream of becoming a college wrestling champion, no matter how many sacrifices she has to make. Man, isn't the human spirit something?

Starts streaming January 16.

Harlem, season 3

In season 3 of Harlem, the drama continues as four best friends in the city navigate career struggles, motherhood, singlehood, sisterhood, and more. Cast members Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai return, but there are some new faces too, including Kofi Siriboe who plays Seth, a handsome MLB player who catches one of the ladies’ attention.

Starts streaming January 23.

The Rig

The Rig has a perfect set up for a horror-thriller: A mysterious fog rolls over an offshore oil rig, cutting off all communication. Paranoia, claustrophobia, and terror rise and the tension becomes unbearable. Then the crew learns that the fog besetting the oil rig leads to something unnatural and unspeakable, forcing desperate men to work together to survive.

Starts streaming January 2.

NFL Wildcard Game

For the first time ever, an NFL playoff game will not be available on broadcast television, nor will be available to subscribers to the NFL package sold on YouTube TV. I'd like to tell you who is playing and when the game will be played, but that information won't be locked in until January 5, so the best I can do is tell you that the game will be called by Al Michaels and analyst Kirk Herbstreit, and point out that Amazon's optional "alternative stream" of the game (all the action is shown from an overhead camera) can be kind of cool if you're a football nerd who wants to watch the whole play instead of just the ball carrier.

Starts streaming January 11 or 12.

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Your DeepSeek Chats May Have Been Exposed Online

DeepSeek is having a moment: With the release of its impressive R1 model, the AI company overtook ChatGPT (and every other app) to become the number one free app on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. If you gave the app a try this week, however, be warned: Your chats may have been exposed.

As reported by The Hacker News, DeepSeek left one of its online databases exposed. While the company has issued a fix, this database is a treasure trove of user information. It contains over one million lines of log streams, which includes chat history, secret keys (used to encrypt and decrypt data), backend information, and other important data.

As of this article, DeepSeek says they are continuing to investigate the issue, despite implementing a fix on Jan. 29.

It isn't clear if any parties gained access to DeepSeek's database while it was vulnerable, but the vulnerability allowed for "complete database control," as well as privilege escalation within DeepSeek's network without any authentication needed.

DeepSeek's privacy and security policies have been a point of concern as so many users flock to its service. The platform collects a lot of user data, like email addresses, IP addresses, and chat histories, but also more concerning data points, like keystroke patterns and rhythms. Why does an AI app need to not only know what I typed, but how I typed it, too? As DeepSeek is a Chinese company, it stores all user data on servers in China. As such, the company is beholden by law to share any data the Chinese government requests. These practices are among the reasons the United States government banned TikTok.

There's no evidence this has happened, but the whole situation paints a precarious picture for the popular AI startup. If you do want to try DeepSeek, or if you're already using it, it's important to keep these points in mind. Your user data may not be quite so secure with this particular company.

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'Liked Songs Manager' Automatically Turns Your Spotify Likes Into Playlists

My Spotify liked-songs playlist is not exactly listenable on shuffle; there are simply too many genres and moods in there. Luckily, there's now Liked Songs Manager—an online service that automatically sorts your liked songs into playlists based on whatever criteria you like: genre, decade, or even mood.

To get started, head to Liked Songs Manager and sign in using your Spotify account. You'll then see a list of criteria you can use to create playlists. I recommend first clicking the Analyze songs per playlists at the top of the screen—this will show you how many songs in your liked list are available in each category. You can then browse the categories and check any that you think will make interesting playlists.

A variety of moods and genres are offered, each with a particular number of songs. Credit: Justin Pot

The main categories are mood, genre, subgenre, decade, and nationality. You can also create playlists based on when you liked them or create totally randomized lists. Create as many playlists as you want and click the Create selected playlists button. You'll see a progress bar, after which your playlists will be created. They should show up in Spotify right away but you may need to restart the application in order to see them.

The real bonus here: The service will work continuously on the playlists it's created. Any songs you like going forward will also be sorted into the new playlists, meaning you're effectively adding to several curated playlists just by occasionally hitting the like button on a song. It's also worth noting that you can change the names of your created playlists if you want—the updates will keep working all the same.

There are some limitations. The free version can only create 15 playlists and will only consider the first 1000 of your liked songs. The Premium plan, which costs $8 per month, removes the liked songs limits and supports the creation of up to 100 playlists. It also lets you combine criteria—you could, for example, create a list that's only 1990s pop-punk or 2000s hip hop.

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This Video Doorbell Is $80 Right Now, and It Doesn't Need a Monthly Subscription

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For those looking for affordable smart security without monthly fees, the TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell is now $79.99 (down from $99.99). It covers all the basics, plus a few features that even pricier models skip, earning itself an Editors’ Choice award from PCMag. At about 6 inches tall, the Tapo D225 isn’t the slimmest doorbell out there, but it’s built to handle the elements with an IP66 water-resistant rating. And should someone try to steal your doorbell, its built-in 98dB siren is loud enough to scare off intruders.

Tapo TP-Link Smart Video Doorbell Camera with Chime, Battery or Wired, 2K QHD Color Night Vison, 180° Ultra-Wide Head-to-Toe View, Ring Call, Smart AI Detection, 2-Way Audio, Up to 512 GB SD, D225

$79.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $20.00

$79.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $20.00

Power options are flexible. You can either go battery-powered (with up to eight months per charge) or hardwire it with your existing wiring (8-24V) and record 24/7 footage. During the day, colors look sharp and well-saturated. At night, the black-and-white vision holds up well, though the color night vision isn’t as vibrant as daytime footage (but that’s typical for many cameras in this range), notes this PCMag review. Its 2K camera (20fps) with a 180-degree field of view gives you a full head-to-toe image of whoever’s at your door—its intelligent motion alerts accurately distinguish between people, vehicles, pets, and packages, helping to cut down on unnecessary pings. Plus, it comes with a plug-in chime, so you don’t have to rely on phone notifications alone.

Unlike many video doorbells at this price, the Tapo D225 supports local storage with a microSD slot (up to 512GB, sold separately), letting you save footage without a cloud subscription. If you prefer cloud storage, subscribing to Tapo Care Premium ($3.49/month) gives you 30 days of video history for one camera. The doorbell connects via 2.4GHz wifi and works with Alexa and Google Assistant, though it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit. However, if you use IFTTT, it can integrate with other smart home devices for added automation. You can manage and control the D225 using the TP-Link Tapo mobile app, including streaming live video, recording manually, setting motion zones, using two-way audio, enabling motion tagging, and more.

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How to Change Your Mac's App Icons

If you're tired of how your Mac desktop looks, consider changing your app icons. It can be a fiddly process by default, but luckily, there are ways to make it easier. By using these methods, you can make your dock reflect your wallpaper's aesthetic, ensure that all app icons are the same size, or just replace ugly app icons with something better.

Where to find Mac app icons 

Credit: Pranay Parab

While you can easily find icons for various Mac apps with a quick web search, it's much easier to get them from a site dedicated to icons. One of my favorites is macOSicons.com, which lists over 25,000 alternative icons, meaning you should be able to find multiple options for popular apps with ease.

Changing Mac app icons using the built-in method

macOS allows you to change an app's icon manually, but it has one frustrating drawback. Getting started, however, is easy.

First, download or create an alternate icon, then open Finder and go to the Applications folder in the left pane. Select any app and press Command-I to open an Info pane. Now drag-and-drop the new app icon into the top-left corner of the Info pane. This will replace the app icon for you.

This method is fast and free, but annoyingly, your app will go back to using its default icon with every update.

Using free apps to replace macOS icons

Credit: Pranay Parab

You can also use one of two free apps to replace macOS app icons for you. These are IconChamp and Pictogram. Both show you a list of your Mac's installed apps and let you manually pick an alternative icon. As much as I want to recommend these options, both apps haven't been updated for years, so they don't always work reliably. For instance, IconChamp has a premium tier that supposedly lets you pay a one-time fee that unlocks the ability to change system app icons. However, the purchase page for this tier doesn't load and there's no way to buy it at time of writing. These free apps might work in a pinch, but if you want a more robust solution to changing app icons, consider paying for a better alternative.

A paid app that can change icons for you

Credit: Pranay Parab

That brings me to Replacicon, which costs $8 and is probably the best way to customize your Mac icons. Although $8 is steep for what is essentially a single-purpose app, Replacicon has a few features that may justify the cost for some people. The best one is that it installs a helper tool to monitor app updates and it retains your replaced icons even after apps are updated. This feature alone is enough to justify the purchase to those serious about macOS theming. 

Replacicon also has an easy-to-understand interface that provides a bunch of alternative app icons for each app installed on your Mac. Changing an app icon is as simple as clicking on one of the alternatives. To use an icon that's not listed as an alternative by default, you can also click the + button next to the list and choose one of three options: use a downloaded icon file, create an icon from any saved image on your Mac, and use Apple Intelligence to generate an app icon. All three options open a pop-up window, and once you've selected or generated an icon, the app will automatically add it to its list of icons and replace your existing icon for you. Not having to leave Replacicon to go looking for files is great, and it makes the process seamless.

To make your list of apps more manageable, Replacicon provides two filters. One of these lets you view only the apps that are currently in the Dock, and another highlights only apps that have legacy icons—from the time when macOS icons used to be of different shapes and sizes. Nowadays, macOS icons have adopted an iOS-style uniform size with rounded corners, and you can use the legacy icon filter to spot the icons in need of uniformity with the rest of the Dock.

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How to Take Full Control of Notifications on Windows

All of the devices you own and every app running on those devices is eager for your attention, which can make it difficult to actually get anything done— and Windows is no different when it comes to regularly distracting you with pings and pop-ups. Leave the default notification settings in place, and it can get a bit overwhelming.

Windows does give you plenty of control over how notifications work, though, including which apps and system events are allowed to bother you and when—there are even various Do Not Disturb options and modes you can take advantage of. Here's how to set Windows 11 notifications up to suit you.

Notification settings

To get started with notification management, head to Settings from the Start menu, then choose System > Notifications. Right away you'll see a Notifications toggle switch: Turn this off and you won't be bothered by any notifications at all. You can also click on the Notifications heading to choose whether or not these alerts come with sounds attached and appear on the lock screen.

Further down the same screen you get a list of all the programs installed on your computer, where you can set the notification options for each individual piece of software. If there's an app you don't want to hear from at all, just turn the relevant toggle switch off. Alternatively, you can take more granular control over what each app can do.

The notification settings in Windows. Credit: Lifehacker

You can choose whether apps can show notification pop-ups, or have their alerts shown in the notification center (which appears when you click on the time and date in the lower right corner). You can also enable or disable sounds for an app's notifications, and choose the priority of its messages in the notification center: Top, High, or Normal.

Enable Allow app to send important notifications when do not disturb is on to give the program permission to interrupt you when Do Not Disturb is active (more on that in a moment)—what counts as an "important" notification is down to the developer. Note you can also manage an app's notifications from the notification center, by clicking the three dots on any of its alerts.

Do Not Disturb and Focus modes

The familiar Do Not Disturb mode, temporarily blocking notifications, is available on Windows: From the Notifications screen, you can either use the Do not disturb toggle switch to enable or disable it manually, or select Turn on do not disturb automatically, which lets you schedule the feature (and have it turn on automatically if you're gaming).

Click Select priority notifications and you're able to take more control over which apps can break through the Do Not Disturb restrictions. By default, reminders and alarms are on, for example, because you probably still want to see these—but you can disable them if needed. Any app can be added here, and all of its notifications will be allowed (not just the important ones, as covered by the setting mentioned earlier).

You can set Do Not Disturb to operate on a schedule. Credit: Lifehacker

Back on the Notifications screen, you can use the Focus option as an extension of Do Not Disturb: This lets you configure specific sessions of heads-down, notification-free Windows computing, and in addition to applying all the restrictions that Do Not Disturb puts in place, you can also stop badges and flashes appearing from programs on the taskbar. Focus mode will also put a timer on screen, if you want one.

To start a Focus session, choose how long you want it to last for, then click Start focus session. You'll notice it's also available in the notification center, where it's easier to access: Click the time and date in the lower right corner, set your timer, then click Focus. Windows opens up the Clock app, which manages the Focus feature, and your session will get underway.

Individual apps

As with Android or iOS on your phone, individual apps on Windows are going to come with their own notification settings you can use in addition to the ones available in Windows. For a truly customized notifications regime, you need to dive into the apps you use regularly, and maybe even into alert settings for individual websites.

Take Microsoft Edge, for example: Click the three dots (top right) then Settings, then choose Cookies and site permissions and Notifications to see which websites can and can't bother you. By default, sites will ask permission when they want to show notifications, but you can disable this so you're not even interrupted by any requests to display alerts.

Accessing site permissions in Microsoft Edge. Credit: Lifehacker

And you can dig down even deeper if you'd like to: Plenty of websites have notification settings of their own. There's not the space here to cover every single site out there, but Slack is one of them—if you click your workspace name in the top left corner and then Preferences and Notifications, you can set particular times when Slack isn't allowed to disturb you (independently of the settings in Edge and Windows).

The Microsoft Store is another Windows app with its own notification settings to dig into. Click your Microsoft account avatar (at the top), then choose Settings: Turn off the Notifications for app installations toggle switch and you won't be bothered whenever a program is updated through the Microsoft Store.

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These Jabra Evolve2 65 Headphones Are 30% Off

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The Jabra Evolve2 65 headphones, which earned an Editors' Choice and an Outstanding rating from PCMag, are currently $203.31 (down from $301). (Note that this is up from yesterday's price of 149.99, their lowest price ever on Amazon, according to price trackers, so the price may go down again. Also, the price seems to be fluctuating slightly depending on location.)

Jabra Evolve2 65 UC Wireless Headphones with Link380a

$203.31 at Amazon

$301.00 Save $97.69

$203.31 at Amazon

$301.00 Save $97.69

They look like a regular pair of on-ear headphones, except for the boom mic—a three-mic MEMS array with a 100Hz to 8kHz frequency response (meaning your voice will sound clear and background noise won’t be an issue) that makes it a solid work headset. Flipping the mic up completely mutes it while bringing it back down unmutes and answers calls. You'll find a three-button control for playback, volume, and call management on the right earcup, which also houses a status LED (or busy light) that glows red when you're on a call.

Its 40mm drivers deliver deep bass and crisp highs (with no distortion at max volume) across a 20Hz to 20kHz frequency range. If you like customizing your audio or want more control over your headset, the Jabra Sound+ app lets you adjust EQ settings, disable the busy light, or play white noise to help you tune out distractions. As for noise isolation, it does an OK job, but don’t expect it to completely block out loud street sounds—sirens and honking might still get through. Jabra claims about 37 hours of battery life, but actual mileage will depend on your volume preference and usage.

On the connectivity front, this headset works with any VoIP service (is UC-certified) and runs on Bluetooth 5.0, but it only supports SBC, so if you were hoping for AAC or AptX codecs, you're out of luck. That said, it makes up for it with multi-device pairing (it can remember up to eight devices and connect to two at the same time). Plus, you get a USB-A dongle for easy pairing with a computer. Switching between a phone and a computer is mostly seamless—audio pauses on one when a call comes in on the other. However, playback doesn’t always resume automatically, and if you’ve got a music app open on both devices, the headset’s play button can get confused, sometimes toggling between sources instead of stopping the music altogether, as noted in this PCMag review.

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50 of the Most Rewatchable Movies Ever Made

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In this age of digital distraction, streaming services have given us easy access to thousands of films from across the last century. I never need to rewatch a movie again! And yet here I am, queuing up Back to the Future for the nth time.

Because sometimes, you just want a known quantity, and some movies seem designed to be watched again and again. Others simply go down so agreeably that you can't help but find them comforting. The pop culture critic Sarah D. Bunting has a name for these endlessly rewatchable flicks: "poppy-fields movies." Like the enchanted flowers outside the palace in The Wizard of Oz (see below), you can't help but fall into them every time they're on TV. (There's also an entire podcast dedicated to them, called The Rewatchables, naturally.)

The criteria for a rewatchable film varies, but there are some common themes: memorable set pieces, quotable dialogue, particularly colorful characters you love spending time with, and, most critically, a truly satisfying ending. It’s also matter of taste—I’ll rewatch Citizen Kane as readily as I’ll rewatch Charlie’s Angels—and nostalgia never hurts. Wicked has already proven itself to be a popular (get it) rewatch, with audiences having gone back to the theater for multiple screenings. If the second part manages not to blow it, I think one or both of those movies will earn a spot on this list someday.

In the meantime, here are 50 films worth seeing more than once. Or twice.

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Galaxy Quest (1999)

What makes it rewatchable: One of the best Star Trek movies isn't a Trek movie at all; instead, it's a parody about the fictional cast of a sci-fi TV series who become drawn into an interstellar conflict. That's a pretty goofy premise for a movie that plays out here with a lot of affection for its source material and an impressive amount of heart. Oh, and it's pretty funny, too. You can rent Galaxy Quest from Prime Video.

Galaxy Quest (1999)

at Prime Video

at Prime Video

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Jaws (1975)

What makes it rewatchable: The ur-blockbuster changed the way movies are marketed forever, ushering in an era of summer tentpoles that strive for ever-larger box office returns. That's not really great, but you can hardly blame Steven Spielberg and his plucky little shark-attack film for being such a damn good time at the movies. You can rent Jaws on Prime Video.

Jaws (1975)

at Prime Video

at Prime Video

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Do the Right Thing (1989)

What makes it rewatchable: Spike Lee's masterpiece isn't always an easy watch—for all the funny and joyful moments and rich characters, there's a tremendous undercurrent of trauma in the story of a Brooklyn block about to explode. But even for all of that, it's so brilliantly and cleverly constructed that it's impossible not to want to watch more than once. You can stream Do the Right Thing on Prime Video.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

at Prime Video

at Prime Video

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Spirited Away (2001)

What makes it rewatchable: Perhaps Spirited Away is the best of director Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli films, or perhaps it's just that it's so thoroughly representative of what the artist is capable of. The first among nearly equally great films, you might say. The story of a young girl who takes a job at a bathhouse in a spirit world in order to save herself and her parents (who've been turned into pigs) is beautifully animated and, ultimately, deeply moving. You can stream Spirited Away on Max or rent it from Prime Video.

Spirited Away (2001)

at Max

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These Nothing Wireless Earbuds Are at Their Lowest Price Ever

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The Nothing Ear wireless earbuds are currently $144, down from $159—their lowest price ever, according to price trackers. They work with Bluetooth 5.3 and support high-quality codecs like LDAC, so you get clear, detailed audio, especially on Android devices. They also feature multipoint pairing, allowing you to connect with up to two devices at once. Battery life is a little over 5 hours with ANC on (eight with it off) plus an additional 18 hours with ANC (or up to 32 hours without it) from the charging case. Speaking of, charging is handled via USB-C, using the included cable or wireless charging, though it’s a bit slow at 2.5W.

Sound-wise, the earbuds' 11mm ceramic drivers, paired with two vents for improved airflow and bass, deliver rich sound across a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. Reviews note the bass is full and distortion-free even at higher volumes. If you like to customize your audio, the companion app offers an eight-band EQ, or you can choose from sound presets. The noise cancellation is good enough to cut out low-frequency sounds like the buzz of a crowded restaurant (though some mids and highs still sneak through).

The on-earbud controls allow you to manage playback, take calls, and switch between ANC and transparency modes with a pinch (customizable via the app). If you’re using the latest Nothing OS and have ChatGPT, there’s also a pinch-to-speak feature that lets you interact directly with the AI, turning the earbuds into a smart assistant.

The buds have an IP54 rating, making them dust-resistant and able to handle light rain or sweat. The charging case, rated IP55, offers the same dust resistance as the earbuds, but is prone to scratches, or so notes this PCMag review. If you need something more durable, you might want to check out the IP68-rated Jabra Elite 8 Active ($193.75), and if you need better ANC, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC earphones make for a great alternative at $69.99 (down from $99.99).

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Five Reasons Your Fridge Might Be Leaking (and How to Fix It)

If you’ve noticed water dripping from or pooling under your fridge, there's no need to panic (right away). There are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take to diagnose the problem, and you might even be able to fix it yourself. If your fridge is leaking, here are five problems to check for before calling a professional–and how to fix them before your trickle becomes a flood.

Damaged door seal

Your refrigerators has a big, rubberized gasket that seals the outer edges of the door and maintains the proper moisture inside the fridge. If it's dirty, cracked, or damaged, it can allow air to flow between the interior and exterior of the fridge, causing water to condense in the area. You can usually remove the old gasket with a Phillips head screwdriver or a hex wrench. Check online with the model number of your fridge for a compatible replacement gasket. You can install the new one by inserting it into the slot in the edge of the door and replacing the hardware that holds it on.

Cracked drip pan

In some cases, a cracked drip pan can be the culprit. You can check the drip pan by removing the front grill of the fridge at the bottom, usually by either unclipping or unscrewing it. The drip pan will be under the fridge, behind the grill, and will be able to slide out once the grill is free. If your drip pan is cracked, you should use your model number to look up the appropriate replacement part for your fridge, and then you can slide the replacement in and replace the grill.

Clogged ice dispenser

If your ice dispenser is leaking, there's probably ice lodged in the chute; that ice will melt over time and slowly drip. If the chute is really jammed up, future ice will also become lodged inside, causing the appearance of a leak. To fix it, allow the clogged shoot to thaw for a few hours before trying to use it again. If there’s no ice in the chute, you should look for problems with the water line.

Worn out water lines

Sometimes, your fridge's water lines can get damaged, or just wear out over time. The first step to address this problem is to look over the hoses on the back of the fridge to see if there are any visible kinks or cracks in them. Check near the valves as well to see if the connectors are snug. If you find damaged hoses or valves, you can find replacement parts for most systems online or at a hardware store. To avoid an even bigger leak, turn the water off before removing damaged tubing or undoing kinks in the line. Make sure to measure the length of hose you need to allow for adequate length when installing—and always check your connections before turning the water back on.

Ice on defrost drain

Sometimes, ice can build up in the defrost drain of your fridge, causing moisture to find another exit. Look for the defrost drain in the bottom of your freezer toward the back to see if there’s an ice blockage. If that’s the case, you can unclog it using a mixture of two cups of hot water and two tablespoons of baking soda. Use a turkey baster to squirt your drain cleaner into the drain at the back of your appliance, and you should see the ice melt away pretty quickly.

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How to Share Audio Between Two Pairs of AirPods on an iPhone

There's something special about two people listening to the same music over earphones. It can be a movie, or a TV show, it doesn't matter. That scene in Begin Again, where Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley trade playlists with an old school headphone splitter, is etched into my memory. But the days of headphone jacks and audio splitters are behind us.

Though not as romantic as tethering two people with a two-meter headphone cord, you can achieve the same results using AirPods, too, all without needing a specialized app. You can share music, movies, or anything you like to your friend or partner's AirPods, without fully pairing them to your iPhone.

Share Audio using Control Center

The most reliable way to share audio between two pairs of AirPods is using the playback controls in Control Center. First, connect your AirPods and keep them in your ears. Next, ask your friend to keep their AirPods case open, or to keep them in their ears as well.

In the Control Center, open the Playback controls. Choose your AirPods from the bottom to open the Devices menu.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Here, choose the Share Audio button.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Now, as long as your friends' AirPods are open and available nearby, they will show up in the popup menu. If they don't, try pressing and holding the Pairing button on the back of their AirPods case. Once they show up, tap the Share Audio button.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Now both AirPods will be listed in the Devices menu, and you can independently control their volume levels from here. You can also press and hold the Volume slider in the Control Center to get two distinct sliders, one for each pair of AirPods.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak.

To disconnect your friends' AirPods, open the media playback screen in Control Center and tap on the "2 headphones" button to open the Devices view.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Here, uncheck the AirPods that you want to disconnect.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Temporarily connect nearby AirPods

Credit: Apple

To make this process simpler, Apple has integrated a new popup menu that shows up when near another pair of AirPods. If you've seen popups for connecting to an Apple Watch, or for sharing your Wi-Fi password, you'll be familiar with it.

While your AirPods are already connected to your iPhone, bring your friends' pair near your device, and make sure that their case is open. After a short wait, you should see the popup menu. Because this is proximity related, you might need to try a few times to get the menu to show up—Apple is doing its best to prevent you from getting inundated with popups while on a train full of people listening to AirPods, so it's a little strict here.

When the popup shows up, tap the Temporarily Share Audio button and press and hold the Pairing button on the back of your friends' AirPods case. Press Done, and now both pairs of AirPods should be connected to the iPhone.

To disconnect, go to the Playback menu in Control Center, open the Devices menu, and uncheck the AirPods that you want to disconnect.

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