For something as popular as it is, nobody actually likes paying for Adobe products. As a photography enthusiast, I'm married to Lightroom because it's the software that I'm used to, but with every successive update, the app keeps getting more and more bloated and error-prone. I'm also not a fan of the app's subscription, cloud-focussed approach. But things just got interesting.

Installing a desktop app for every little task can quickly become frustrating. Before I know it, my PC is filled with tools I use only once in a while. But I've found that some browser-based alternatives are good enough to handle these jobs without adding more software to my system. From simple utilities to surprisingly capable creative tools, there are plenty of options worth trying. Here are five browser tools that have earned a place in my workflow and made me rethink which desktop apps I actually need.

My Pixel is a great phone, but I sometimes wish Android gave me more freedom to change how the home screen works. I didn't want to install a bunch of apps or spend hours tweaking settings just to try something new. I wanted a setup that felt different from the usual Android experience. That's when I came across Lynx Launcher. It caught my attention because it takes a different approach to the Android home screen. So I decided to try it and see whether it could make my Pixel feel more like a desktop computer.

As a journalist, I spend a lot of time taking notes. Whether I'm outlining an article or gathering pointers for an in-depth guide, typing thousands of words a day gets tedious real quick. I've previously dabbled in Otter for transcription. It worked fine, but as soon as I started talking fast, it failed to capture my accent. So, I started looking for an alternative.

I've been having issues with the head unit in my car, and I want a dedicated screen for navigation and music without pulling my phone out of my pocket every time I get in. Since I already have an old Samsung Galaxy S21 FE that I bought from a friend for a few hundred bucks, I decided to put it to good use. It's a few generations old now, and you can pick one up second-hand for much less than it originally cost. The screen is still perfectly useful for displaying a map.

Over the past two years, it's been fun setting up and tinkering with my Plex and Jellyfin server. Running my own media server has genuinely become a hobby in itself, and it's been a lot of fun. Between managing libraries, sorting out remote access, and making sure everything works as it should every weekend, I've spent about as much time maintaining my server as I have actually enjoying it.

Linux has forever been considered above Windows when it comes to security. Part of the reason for that, and what people usually assume, is that Linux doesn't have a meaningful market share for attackers to target with sophisticated malware or attacks. While that holds true when compared to Windows's market share, it definitely is not the full picture. Linux also has an advanced permission management system that usually prevents files from being accessed or executed, which provides additional security. I tested this by setting up WSL and an Ubuntu installation, then letting it scan my data, including a file infected with make-believe malware, to see how it responded.

Every website I use is missing the same feature: a way to peek at a link without leaving the page. On my MacBook Air, I can tap Space on any file and see it instantly, and Windows has PowerToys Peek doing the same job. Links still get a new tab, a two-second look, and a guilty Cmd + W. I do that about twenty times a day.

Nothing like a little family togetherness in the morning. | Image: Apple Apple's ad introducing its new HomeView smart display is a little unusual. It's fast-paced and unruly, depicting a family of five as they rush through the morning routine. There's yelling and mess, misplaced keys and discarded eggshells. Apple's typical vibe is clean, simple, orderly; this commercial is chaos.But the spot has parents - those with teen children in particular - feeling seen.I'll admit that it stressed me out the first time I watched it, too. Mornings getting my five-year-old out the door are a special breed of chaos, and usually culminate in us playing whatever ad-libbed game will get him to put his shoes on. But it's not …Read the full story at The Verge.

Imagine a light bar on this 2017 Roadster concept image, and you’ll start to see it. | Image: Tesla For a car that's supposed to be one of the fastest ever made, the new Tesla Roadster certainly took its sweet-ass time getting here.It's been nearly a decade since Elon Musk made the surprise announcement about plans to build a next-gen Roadster. Now, the Tesla Roadster is finally expected to make its production-ready debut at an event in Waco, Texas - and the timing couldn't be worse.The new Roadster is set to arrive in an EV market beset by high energy prices, political turmoil, and consumer uncertainty. The tax-credit-fueled exuberance of the post-covid years has since given way to slower sales and fewer options. Automakers are scalin …Read the full story at The Verge.

If you're going to release a remastered version of your game, you have to make sure that it performs and looks better than the game you're remixing. If you can't guarantee that, leaving the original up for people to play helps a lot in the long run. It seems

The Fairbuds 2 have had a total design revamp from the original pair. Repairable, ethical phone brand Fairphone has released its second pair of earbuds. The Fairbuds 2 are just as repairable as the first generation, but deliver improved audio and almost twice the battery life. The Fairbuds 2 are out now in the UK and Europe from £99 / €119, and a US launch at $119 will follow on November 2nd.The Fairbuds 2 have been redesigned from the ground up, moving to a stemmed design, available in black or green, and a case that's 37 percent smaller than the first generation. Despite that shrinking hardware, Fairphone has almost doubled the buds' battery life, which now totals 40 hours without active noise cancellation …Read the full story at The Verge.