Month: January 2023
New Xbox Series X games: the biggest upcoming release dates
Looking ahead, this year is shaping up to be a great one for new Xbox Series X games. Here’s what you’ll be playing.
2023 is now underway and new Xbox Series X games are on their way very soon. After a bit of a quiet year last year, it’s great to see Microsoft stepping up its release lineup, with the next six months or so looking extremely strong for the Xbox platform.
From Starfield to Redfall, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S players will have plenty of new Xbox games to keep them busy this year – and we’re here to tell you exactly when you’ll get your hands on them.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the release dates and windows for the biggest confirmed Xbox Series X games of 2023 and beyond. So, it’s time to get your brand new calendar out and start taking down some dates. As always, these release dates are subject to delays. If any games are pushed back, this page will be updated.
New Xbox Series X games 2023: this year’s most anticipated releases
Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 23 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, PC)
Minecraft Legends – April 18 ((XSX|S, XBO, PS5, PS4, PC))
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 18 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Redfall – May 2 (XSX|S, PC)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Starfield – September 6 (XSX|S, PC)
New Xbox Series X games in March 2023
(Image credit: Capcom)
The Day Before – March 1 (PC, XSX|S, PS5)
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – March 3 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania – March 6 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 23 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, PC)
Crime Boss: Rockay City – March 28 (PC)
New Xbox Series X games in April 2023
(Image credit: Dambuster Studios)
Meet Your Maker – April 4 (XSX|S, XBO, PS5, PS4, PC)
Minecraft Legends – April 18 (XSX|S, XBO, PS5, PS4, PC)
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Star Trek: Resurgence – April TBC (P55, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
New Xbox Series X games in May 2023
(Image credit: Warner Bros. / DC)
Redfall – May 2 (XSX|S, PC)
Amnesia: The Bunker – May 15 (XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
System Shock Remake – May 30 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
Upcoming games in June 2023
(Image credit: Capcom)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Crime Boss: Rockay City – June TBC (PS5, XSX|S)
Upcoming games in September
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Starfield – September 6 (XSX|S, PC)
TBC 2023 and beyond
(Image credit: Bethesda)
TBC 2023
Lost Eidolons – Early 2023 (XSX|S)
Layers of Fears – Early 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse – Early 2023 (PC, PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, Switch)
The Last Case of Benedict Fox – ‘Spring 2023’ (XSX|S, PC)
Forza Motorsport – TBC 2023 (PC, XSX|S)
Hollow Knight: Silksong – ‘Summer 2023’ (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC, Switch)
After Us – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Alan Wake 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Aliens: Dark Descent – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Arc Raiders – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Ark 2 – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, PC)
Armored Core 6 – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Assassin’s Creed Mirage – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, Amazon Luna)
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Crash Team Rumble – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Expansion – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
EA Sports FC – TBC 2023
Hyenas – TBC 2023 ( PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Immortals of Aveum – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Payday 3 – TBC 2023 (PC confirmed, consoles TBC)
Remnant 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Replaced – TBC 2023 (PC, XBO, XSX|S)
Routine – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, XBO, PC)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, PC)
The Wolf Among Us 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
TBC 2024
Like A Dragon 8 – TBC 2024 (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
TBC
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Hexe – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Red – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Avowed – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Beyond Good and Evil 2 – TBC
BioShock 4 – TBC
DokeV – TBC (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf – TBC
Dune: Awakening – TBC (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Everwild – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Fable – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Fallout 5 – TBC
GTA 6 – TBC
Haunted Chocolatier – TBC
Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Indiana Jones – TBC
Kingdom Hearts 4 – TBC
Mass Effect 5 – TBC
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake – TBC (PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, PC)
Project 007 – TBC
Project Mara – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Skull and Bones – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Splinter Cell remake – TBC
Star Wars Eclipse – TBC
State of Decay 3 – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Tekken 8 – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
The Elder Scrolls 6 – TBC
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – TBC (PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
The Outer Worlds 2 – TBC (PC, XSX|S)
The Sims 5 – TBC
The Witcher 4 – TBC
Wonder Woman – TBC
Check out our upcoming games release schedule for all platforms
New PS5 games: upcoming PlayStation 5 release dates
There are plenty of new PS5 games to look forward to in 2023. Here’s what you’ll be playing this year.
There’s plenty of new PS5 games to look forward to in 2023. Thanks to some delays last year, and some new announcements, this year is absolutely packed with game releases, from big-budget AAA titles to indies.
From Resident Evil 4 Remake to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, many exciting new PlayStation 5 games are arriving in 2023 – with some even likely to land on our list of best PS5 games. There’s even the arrival of Final Fantasy 16, which will be exclusive to PS5 at first.
Whether you’re into giant RPGs, or smaller indie titles, you’ll find several games to keep you busy in 2023. Keeping track of them all is the hard part, especially with shooting release dates, delays and surprise launches to contend with.
Read on to learn the release dates for all of the upcoming PS5 games. As new release dates are revealed, or if certain games are delayed, this page will be updated.
New PS5 games 2023: this year’s most anticipated releases
Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 23 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, PC)
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Final Fantasy 16 – June 22 (PS5)
New PS5 games in March 2023
(Image credit: Capcom)
The Day Before – March 1 (PC, XSX|S, PS5)
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – March 3 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania – March 6 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Tchia – March 21 (PS5, PC, PS4)
Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 23 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, PC)
System Shock Remake – March TBC (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
New PS5 games in April 2023
(Image credit: Dambuster Studios)
Minecraft Legends – April 18 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC, Switch)
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC – April 19 (PS5)
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Star Trek: Resurgence – April TBC (P55, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
New PS5 games in May 2023
(Image credit: Warner Bros. / DC)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
New PS5 games in June 2023
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Final Fantasy 16 – June 22 (PS5)
TBC 2023 and beyond
(Image credit: Epic Games)
TBC 2023
Layers of Fears – Early 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse – Early 2023 (PC, PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, Switch)
Hollow Knight: Silksong – ‘Summer 2023’ (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC, Switch)
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – ‘Fall 2023’ (PS5)
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – ‘Winter 2023’ (PS5)
After Us – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Alan Wake 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Aliens: Dark Descent – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Among Us VR – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
Arc Raiders – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Armored Core 6 – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Assassin’s Creed Mirage – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, Amazon Luna)
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Crash Team Rumble – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Expansion – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Demeo – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
EA Sports FC – TBC 2023
Exoprimal – TBC 2023 (PS5, PS4)
Hyenas – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Immortals of Aveum – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals – TBC 2023 (PC, Switch, PS4, PS5)
Payday 3 – TBC 2023 (PC confirmed, consoles TBC)
Pragmata – TBC 2023 (PS5)
Remnant 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
The Wolf Among Us 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
WWE 2K23 – TBC 2023
TBC 2024
Like A Dragon 8 – TBC 2024 (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Rise of the Ronin – TBC 2024 (PS5)
TBC
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Hexe – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Red – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Beyond Good and Evil 2 – TBC
BioShock 4 – TBC
Death Stranding 2 – TBC (PS5)
DokeV – TBC (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf – TBC
Dune: Awakening – TBC (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Fallout 5 – TBC
GTA 6 – TBC
Haunted Chocolatier – TBC
Indiana Jones – TBC
Marvel’s Wolverine – TBC (PS5)
Kingdom Hearts 4 – TBC
Mass Effect 5 – TBC
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake – TBC (PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, PC)
Project 007 – TBC
Skull and Bones – TBC
Splinter Cell remake – TBC
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake – TBC (PS5)
Star Wars Eclipse – TBC
Tekken 8 – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
The Elder Scrolls 6 – TBC
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – TBC (PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
The Sims 5 – TBC
The Witcher 4 – TBC
Wonder Woman – TBC
Check out our upcoming games release schedule for all platforms
Upcoming games 2023: the biggest release dates for console and PC
This year is already shaping up to be a great one for gamers. Here’s what you have to look forward to in 2023.
There’re plenty of upcoming games to look forward to in 2023. In fact, there’s so many great games on the horizon that you might find it hard to keep up with it all.
From Redfall to Tears of the Kingdom, this year is shaping up to be a doozy for video game releases – and if you want to know when you’ll get your paws on the best new games, then you’re in the right place.
Below, we’ve collated release dates and windows for the biggest confirmed games of 2023 and beyond. So whether you’re playing on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, or PC, there will likely be at least one game on this list that you’ll want to mark on your calendar.
Here’s the upcoming games to look forward to in 2023, and beyond!
Upcoming games 2023: this year’s most anticipated releases
Resident Evil 4 remake – March 24 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Redfall – May 2 (XSX|S, PC)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – May 12 (Switch)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Final Fantasy 16 – June 22 (PS5)
Starfield – September 6 (XSX|S, PC)
Upcoming games in March 2023
(Image credit: Capcom)
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon – March 17 (Switch)
Have a Nice Death – March 22 (Switch)
Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 23 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, PC)
Crime Boss: Rockay City – March 28 (PC)
Amnesia: The Bunker – March TBC (XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
System Shock Remake – March TBC (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star – March TBC (Switch)
Upcoming games in April 2023
(Image credit: Dambuster Studios)
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection – April 14 (Switch, PS4, PC)
God of Rock – April 18 (PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One)
Minecraft Legends – (PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One)
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC – April 19 (PS5)
Dead Island 2 – April 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – April 28 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Star Trek: Resurgence – April TBC (P55, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Upcoming games in May 2023
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Redfall – May 2 (XSX|S, PC)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – May 12 (Switch)
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice – May 26 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Upcoming games in June 2023
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Street Fighter 6 – June 2 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)
Diablo 4 – June 6 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Final Fantasy 16 – June 22 (PS5)
Upcoming games in July 2023
Hogwarts Legacy – July 25 (Switch)
Upcoming games in August 2023
Baldur’s Gate 3 [Full Release] – August TBC (PC)
Upcoming games in September 2023
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)
Starfield – September 6 (XSX|S, PC)
TBC 2023 and beyond
TBC 2023
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)
Lost Eidolons – Early 2023 (XSX|S)
Layers of Fears – Early 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse – Early 2023 (PC, PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, Switch)
Tales of Symphonia Remastered – Early 2023 (PS4, XBO, Switch)
Tchia – Early 2023 (PS5, PC, PS4)
Nightingale – First Half 2023 (PC)
The Last Case of Benedict Fox – ‘Spring 2023’ (XSX|S, PC)
Forza Motorsport – TBC 2023 (PC, XSX|S)
Final Fantasy 1-6 Pixel Remaster Collection – ‘Spring 2023’ (Switch, PS4)
Hollow Knight: Silksong – ‘Summer 2023’ (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC, Switch)
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – ‘Fall 2023’ (PS5)
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – ‘Winter 2023’ (PS5)
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life – ‘Summer 2023’ (Switch)
After Us – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
Alan Wake 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Aliens: Dark Descent – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Among Us VR – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
Arc Raiders – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Ark 2 – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, PC)
Armored Core 6 – TBC 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Assassin’s Creed Mirage – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, Amazon Luna)
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Crash Team Rumble – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Expansion – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Demeo – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
EA Sports FC – TBC 2023
Exoprimal – TBC 2023 (PS5, PS4)
Homeworld 3 – TBC 2023 (PC)
Honkai: Star Rail – TBC 2023 (PC)
Hyenas – TBC 2023 ( PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Immortals of Aveum – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC, PS4, XBO)
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals – TBC 2023 (PC, Switch, PS4, PS5)
Payday 3 – TBC 2023 (PC confirmed, consoles TBC)
Pikmin 4 – TBC 2023 (Switch)
Pragmata – TBC 2023 (PS5)
Remnant 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Replaced – TBC 2023 (PC, XBO, XSX|S)
Routine – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, XBO, PC)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl – TBC 2023 (XSX|S, PC)
Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition – TBC 2023 (PS5|PSVR 2)
Stormgate – TBC 2023 (PC)
Super Bomberman R 2 – TBC 2023 (Switch)
The Wolf Among Us 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 – TBC 2023 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Witchfire – TBC 2023 (PC)
WWE 2K23 – TBC 2023
TBC 2024
Earthblade – TBC 2024 (PC)
Like A Dragon 8 – TBC 2024 (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Rise of the Ronin – TBC 2024 (PS5)
TBC
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Hexe – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Assassin’s Creed Infinity: Codename Red – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Avowed – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Beyond Good and Evil 2 – TBC
BioShock 4 – TBC
Death Stranding 2 – TBC (PS5)
DokeV – TBC (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf – TBC
Dune: Awakening – TBC (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
Everwild – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Fable – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Fallout 5 – TBC
GTA 6 – TBC
Hades 2 – TBC (PC)
Haunted Chocolatier – TBC
Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Indiana Jones – TBC
Marvel’s Wolverine – TBC (PS5)
Kingdom Hearts 4 – TBC
Mass Effect 5 – TBC
Metroid Prime 4 – TBC (Switch)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake – TBC (PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, PC)
Project 007 – TBC
Project Mara – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Skull and Bones – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
Splinter Cell remake – TBC
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake – TBC (PS5)
Star Wars Eclipse – TBC
State of Decay 3 – TBC (XSX|S, PC)
Tekken 8 – TBC (PS5, PC, XSX|S)
The Elder Scrolls 6 – TBC
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – TBC (PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PC)
The Outer Worlds 2 – TBC (PC, XSX|S)
The Sims 5 – TBC
The Witcher 4 – TBC
Wonder Woman – TBC
Check out our cheap game deals to fill your library right now
Sam Bankman-Fried, Founder Of The Crypto Exchange FTX, Has Pleaded Not Guilty To Fraud And Other Charges
If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 115 years in prison.
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If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 115 years in prison.
2022 Was The Year Tech Did A 180
From crypto’s implosion to Twitter’s meltdown, it’s been a wild ride of a year.
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From crypto’s implosion to Twitter’s meltdown, it’s been a wild ride of a year.
These are the best (and worst) iPhone alarms to wake up to, according to science
Some alarm tones are just setting you up to fail. Cue one of these up to start the new year with a spring in your step.
Christmas is over. The giddy days of waking at 10am and starting the morning with a handful of Celebrations and, if you’re brave, a small Baileys, are done. It’s time to start acting like a responsible adult once again, and that means waking up on time and getting on with things. While it’s tricky to avoid the discomfort of waking up when your body does not feel it’s appropriate, there are a few things that might help. Most require a bit of effort (for example, this list of tricks for waking up when it’s still dark), but others are practically painless. And at the top of the second list is ‘changing your iPhone alarm tone’.
A report from the music and behavioral science experts at Startle has dug into the best and worst iPhone alarms to wake up to. Its ranking is based on the findings of a scientific study into how melody and rhythm can counter the effects of sleep inertia (the tired, groggy, confused feeling you can have when you first wake up).
According to that study, for the perfect alarm is one that:
Has an easy melody that you can sing or hum along toHas a dominant frequency around 500 Hz or in the key of C5Isn’t too fast or too slow (ideally 100-120bpm)
These characteristics help you wake your mind and body up gently but effectively, rather than propelling you abruptly out of your slumber. According to Luke Cousins, Physiology Regional Lead at Nuffield Health, it’s all to do with your reticular activating system (RAS). This is what restricts how your body responds to external stimuli when you’re sleeping, and controls how you transition to being awake.
“An alarm clock is designed to stimulate the RAS, telling your body to wake up,” he explains. “The jolt of an alarm clock can be especially strong if you’re in the deep sleep phase of sleep, leaving you with an increased heart rate and groggy feeling in the morning that can last several hours.”
The 5 best iPhone alarms to wake up to
SenchaBy the SeasideUpliftConstellationSlow Rise
All of these tones have an easy melody, are played in key C, and a low frequency (400 or 500 Hz). These characteristics help the wake the mind and body gently, making you feel more alert and ready to face the day.
The worst iPhone alarms to wake up to:
Instead of a consistent melody, these iPhone alarm sounds feature short and sharp bursts of noise. They also have much higher frequencies than recommended based on the study’s findings, which means they’re more likely to jolt you awake and leave you struggling with sleep inertia.
(Image credit: Getty)
Why is it harder to wake up in the winter?
The relative lack of sunlight hours in the winter means our bodies are producing more melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. “Allowing light to filter into your room slowly is a great way to signal to your body that it’s time to wake up,” says Luke. “In autumn and winter, consider using a sunrise clock which can wake you up gently with light mimicking the rising sun.” (Here’s our guide to the best wakeup lights for more info plus our recommendations).
There are other factors that come into it too – for example, your genes. “Understanding your genetic chronotype can help you figure out the best time for you to wake up,” explains Luke. “If you’re naturally a night owl – it may be easier for you to wake up a bit later and if you’re an early bird, go to bed at a sensible time.”
Tech that can help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions
Regardless of how 2023 went for you, 2024 is another chance for all of us to make the new year better than the one that came before it. New Year’s resolutions are usually set with the best intentions, but it’s no secret many people fail after just a few weeks — old habits die hard. It’s important to have a support group, people who can cheer you on during those particular hard days. But, it’s also important to have the right tools to make achieving your goals easier. Whether you’re trying to get healthy, be more organized or read more, there are tech tools that can make your journey smoother (and maybe even more enjoyable).
Fitness tracker
If you’re attempting to turn over a new, healthier leaf, you’re not alone. Fitness trackers (and their companion apps) are highly sought after this time of year because they can help you stick to those new movement, hydration and sleep habits you’re trying to build. Fitbit’s Inspire 3 is a good option, not only because it’s relatively affordable at $100, but because it does pretty much everything a beginner needs. It tracks daily steps, calories, heart rate, sleep and more, and it comes with 20 goal-based exercises that you can manually track or let the device’s automatic SmartTrack feature monitor for you. It also has a 10-day battery life, so you rarely have to take it off to charge it.
If you’re already a runner or a cyclist (or want to be one), we recommend upgrading to the Fitbit Charge 6 instead. You’ll get all of the features that the Inspire 3 has along with onboard GPS for mapping outdoor workouts and Fitbit Pay for contactless payments. That way you’ll be able to go for a run in the morning and stop to grab a coffee without bringing your phone or your wallet with you.
Smartwatch
If you’d rather invest in an all-purpose wearable that also has serious fitness chops, the Apple Watch SE is a good choice. While it doesn’t include all the bells and whistles that the pricier Series 9 does, it still offers the same core experience. It tracks all-day activity and heart rate, and watchOS finally offers basic sleep tracking, too. In addition to built-in GPS for outdoor workouts, it tracks dozens of exercises and supports fall detection, as well as high and low heart rate alerts. It’s also quite good at automatically recognizing when you’re working out and prompting you to start tracking your efforts. On top of all that, the Apple Watch excels when it comes to table-stakes smartwatch features: You’ll be able to send and receive text messages from the device, as well as control music playback, smart home devices and more.
Android users should consider the Fitbit Versa series of smartwatches. The latest model, the Versa 4, has many of the same features as Apple’s most affordable wearable including all-day activity tracking and heart rate monitoring, built-in GPS and even more advanced sleep tracking capabilities. It also has a lot of features you won’t find on an Apple Watch like Alexa voice control, Google Maps and Wallet integration and a days-long battery life (up to six days to be precise). There are smart alerts as well, so you’ll get notified when your phone receives calls and texts. At $200, the Versa 4 is decently priced on a regular day, but you can often find it on sale for close to $150 — that could make it a good options for anyone on a budget, not just those with Android phones.
Workout classes
Finding exercise classes that you actually enjoy can make working out feel like less of a chore. You may prefer going through your local gym — that push to get out of the house and into a dedicated exercise space can be really effective for some — but there are plenty of on-demand fitness classes as well that you can participate in from the comfort of your living room.
I’ve tried my fair share of these services and my favorite has been Peloton. No, you don’t need one of the company’s expensive bikes or other machinery to take advantage of their classes. Access to the app-only version costs $13 per month and it lets you take HIIT, strength, yoga and even outdoor running classes, many of which require little to no equipment. If Peloton isn’t your speed, Apple Fitness+ is a good alternative, especially now that anyone with an iPhone can subscribe and take classes, regardless of whether they own an Apple Watch. Alo Moves is another good option for those who prefer yoga and pilates workouts.
If you can’t afford another monthly subscription fee, the internet has tons of free exercise resources — you just have to work a little harder to find the ones you jibe with most. I highly recommend Fitness Blender, a free website where you can watch hundreds of workout videos and even set a schedule for yourself, assigning routines to specific days of the week. I like the quality and consistency of their videos, but you may connect more to YouTube workouts if they’re taught by instructors you like; Heather Robertson and Move with Nicole are two personal favorites.
Habit tracker
Accountability is key when you’re trying to build new habits, so keeping track of your progress is crucial. While you could go deep down the bullet-journal rabbit hole, a habit-tracking app is probably the easier option. Done and Strides are two iOS options that let you log when you’ve completed a new habit you’re trying to build or when you avoided a bad habit that you’re trying to break. You can get pretty granular, customizing how often you want to do a task, set reminders to log, review stats and more. Both apps have paid tiers you’ll be asked to subscribe to after you create a few trackable habits. If you’d rather avoid yet another subscription, consider an app like Streaks, which can be all yours for a one-time fee of $5. As for Android, there’s Habitica, which turns habit tracking to an 8-bit RPG game where you level-up your custom avatar by checking things off your list.
To-do list apps
The new year provides an opportunity to get back on track, and one way to do that is by finding organizational tools that work for you — and making sure they’re as uncomplicated as possible. The worst thing that could happen is that your to-do list or note-taking system ends up being so cumbersome that you avoid using it. Keeping all of your necessary tasks in your head may work on easy days, but it can quickly get overwhelming when you have a million things to handle in both your personal and professional life. I’m a fan of Todoist and Things (the latter of which is for iOS and macOS only) because both are detailed enough for big work projects, but simple enough for personal tasks. Both also have a Today view, which will show everything across all of your projects that need attention immediately.
While Todoist has a free tier, you’ll pay $80 to get Things for iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Microsoft’s To Do is an alternative that, while less involved than Things, is free and works on almost every platform including Windows, iOS and Android, among others. You can keep it simple and just have a task list and a grocery list, or you can go deeper and add due dates, sub-tasks and even share lists with family members.
If you don’t want to bother with another service, you can always opt for the reminders app that (most likely) came preinstalled on your phone. That would be Reminders for iOS users and Google Keep for Android users. Google Keep also doubles as a note-taking app, which will be a better solution if you’ve been jotting down ideas for new projects on Post-It notes you inevitably lose. Apple Notes is the default option for this on iOS devices, and it’s come a long way in recent years with new features like interlinked notes, inline and annotatable PDFs and native support for scanning documents using the iPhone’s camera.
Password manager
If you’re looking to up your digital security game in the new year, a password manager is a great place to start. I’m partial to 1Password (as are we as a whole at Engadget), but there are plenty of other options including Bitwarden, NordPass and Dashlane. After saving all of your passwords for various accounts, you only need to remember one (hence the name) to log in to your 1Password account and access all of the others. The service has browser extensions Chrome, Edge and others that will let you seamlessly log in with just a few clicks, and 1Password has apps for most platforms including iOS and Android, so you can use it on all of your devices.
The Password Generator feature helps you create a new, secure password whenever one of yours has expired. LastPass has this too, and Dashlane even has a free tool that anyone can use to make more secure passwords. Not only does this take the onus of coming up with a strong key off your shoulders, but it also makes it easy to override old credentials with new ones.
Cable and accessory organizer
One of the consequences of the past couple of years is the dual-office life. Many of us now work both from home and from an office, and the last thing you want to do when you arrive in either place is rummage around your backpack only to realize that you’ve left your mouse, charging cable or dongle at your other desk.
An organizer bag can prevent this before it happens — we recommend BagSmart tech organizers thanks to their utilitarian, water-repellent designs and their multiple pockets and dividers. They also come in different sizes, so you can pick the best one for your commuter bag. If you want something a bit more elevated, Bellroy’s Desk Caddy is a good option. It’s pricier but for the money you get a more elegant silhouette, higher-quality materials and a design that sits upright when full and has a front panel that fully folds down to give you a good view of what’s inside.
Computer docking station
It’s all too easy for your work-from-home setup to get really messy really quickly. When you’re going through your busiest times at work, the last thing you’re thinking about is cable management, but dedicating a bit more effort to tidying up your workspace can make your day to day more efficient and more enjoyable.
We recommend some sort of docking station to keep your laptop, monitors, accessories and the like in check. There are plenty of options out there, regardless of if you use a macOS or Windows machine, or even a Chromebook. We like Satechi’s Dual Dock for MacBooks thanks to its unique design that allows it to sit under your laptop, and the fact that it plugs into two USB-C ports at once. This means you can connect to two external displays (provided you have an M2-powered MacBook or later), which will be handy if you have an elaborate workstation on your desk. Kensington’s Thunderbolt 4 dock is a good all-purpose option for other non-macOS laptops.
There are also adapters out there that can give you similar organization while on the go, albeit in a less elegant package. Anker’s USB-C hub is an affordable solution that includes an HDMI port, microSD and SD card readers, an Ethernet slot, two USB-C connections and two USB-A sockets. It also supports 100W power pass-through, so you can charge your laptop through the hub while using it.
Instant Pot
Eating healthier, or even just avoiding takeout multiple times a week, can be challenging in part because it usually means cooking more at home. This can be hard to even start if you’re not used to cooking for yourself and don’t have the basic tools to do so. On top of that, cooking takes time — much more time than ordering a meal from an app on your phone. But tools like an Instant Pot can cut your active cooking time down drastically. You can find a plethora of recipes where you simply throw a bunch of ingredients into the pot, set it and forget it until it’s time to eat.
We recommend the Instant Pot Duo for beginners because it’s relatively affordable and combines seven different cooking methods into one appliance, including rice cooking, steaming, pressure cooking, slow cooking and more. If you’re primarily cooking for yourself and a partner, the three-quart model will serve you just fine, but we recommend the six-quart model if you’re routinely cooking for four or more. If the thought of cooking at home actually excites you rather than fills you with anxiety, consider the Instant Pot Ultra, which includes a few extra modes like cake maker and egg cooker, or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which includes an air-fry lid.
Recipe organization
One of the best things about cooking at home is finding recipes that you love so much that you want to make over and over again. You’ll want to keep those recipes safe and readily available so you can refer to them when you need a quick weeknight meal or a dish to bring to your next family reunion. Recipe cards are a great way to do this, and you’ll build up your rolodex of delicious meals over time. If you’d rather have a cookbook of sorts that you fill in yourself over time, opt for a recipe book instead.
If you’d rather keep your arsenal of recipes accessible at any time, anywhere from your phone, Paprika’s recipe management app is the best solution I’ve tried. The $5 app basically acts as your digital recipe box, allowing you to enter your own as well as save them from the internet. You know those hundreds of words that precede online recipes, in which the author divulges their entire life story before telling you their secret to making deliciously moist cornbread? Paprika strips all of those unnecessary bits out and only saves the ingredient list and the instructions. You can also make grocery lists and keep track of pantry staples in the app, so don’t be surprised if it quickly becomes one of your most-used kitchen tools.
Reading app
Don’t take your habit of doom-scrolling into the new year. You could instead use the internet to find other things to read and the free Libby app is a good place to start. Powered by Overdrive, it connects you with your local library’s digital collection, allowing you to borrow and download all kinds of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels and more. Libby also has a tag system that you can use to “save” titles for later without actually putting a hold on them (although you can do that in the app, too). If you find a bunch of audiobooks you eventually want to get to, you can give them all a “TBR” tag so you can quickly find them and borrow one when you need new reading/listening material.
As someone who uses Libby on a regular basis, I love how easy it is to borrow from my local library without leaving my home. However, there have been numerous times in which my library doesn’t have a title I’m looking for. If that happens to you often, you may want to consider a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited or Scribd, both of which give you unlimited access to a wide library of e-books for $10 per month. And for audiobook lovers, your options are Amazon’s Audible or Libro.fm, the latter of which lets you choose the local bookstore you want to support with your purchases.
Ereader
Ereaders are still around because so many people recognize how much better it can be to read e-books on a dedicated device — especially one with an high-contrast, e-paper display. Sure, you could read on your smartphone or a tablet, but staring at those screens all day long can be tiring for your eyes. An ereader like Kobo’s Clara 2E or Amazon’s Kindle is a better choice not only for its more comfortable display, but also because it focuses your attention on reading. (If you’ve ever picked up your smartphone intending to finish a chapter only to be distracted by email or Facebook, you know how crucial this is.)
The Clara 2E is our current favorite ereader thanks to its 6-inch E-Ink display, adjustable brightness and color temperature, weeks-long battery life and handy Overdrive integration for checking out digital library books. But if you already get most of your e-books through Amazon, the Kindle is the best option. You can listen to Audible audiobooks, too, if you connect a pair of wireless earbuds to the ereader. Kobo’s device primarily gets books via the Kobo Store, but it also supports various file types like EPUB, PDF and MOBI.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tech-to-help-you-stick-to-new-years-resolutions-150034002.html?src=rss
Regardless of how 2023 went for you, 2024 is another chance for all of us to make the new year better than the one that came before it. New Year’s resolutions are usually set with the best intentions, but it’s no secret many people fail after just a few weeks — old habits die hard. It’s important to have a support group, people who can cheer you on during those particular hard days. But, it’s also important to have the right tools to make achieving your goals easier. Whether you’re trying to get healthy, be more organized or read more, there are tech tools that can make your journey smoother (and maybe even more enjoyable).
Fitness tracker
If you’re attempting to turn over a new, healthier leaf, you’re not alone. Fitness trackers (and their companion apps) are highly sought after this time of year because they can help you stick to those new movement, hydration and sleep habits you’re trying to build. Fitbit’s Inspire 3 is a good option, not only because it’s relatively affordable at $100, but because it does pretty much everything a beginner needs. It tracks daily steps, calories, heart rate, sleep and more, and it comes with 20 goal-based exercises that you can manually track or let the device’s automatic SmartTrack feature monitor for you. It also has a 10-day battery life, so you rarely have to take it off to charge it.
If you’re already a runner or a cyclist (or want to be one), we recommend upgrading to the Fitbit Charge 6 instead. You’ll get all of the features that the Inspire 3 has along with onboard GPS for mapping outdoor workouts and Fitbit Pay for contactless payments. That way you’ll be able to go for a run in the morning and stop to grab a coffee without bringing your phone or your wallet with you.
Smartwatch
If you’d rather invest in an all-purpose wearable that also has serious fitness chops, the Apple Watch SE is a good choice. While it doesn’t include all the bells and whistles that the pricier Series 9 does, it still offers the same core experience. It tracks all-day activity and heart rate, and watchOS finally offers basic sleep tracking, too. In addition to built-in GPS for outdoor workouts, it tracks dozens of exercises and supports fall detection, as well as high and low heart rate alerts. It’s also quite good at automatically recognizing when you’re working out and prompting you to start tracking your efforts. On top of all that, the Apple Watch excels when it comes to table-stakes smartwatch features: You’ll be able to send and receive text messages from the device, as well as control music playback, smart home devices and more.
Android users should consider the Fitbit Versa series of smartwatches. The latest model, the Versa 4, has many of the same features as Apple’s most affordable wearable including all-day activity tracking and heart rate monitoring, built-in GPS and even more advanced sleep tracking capabilities. It also has a lot of features you won’t find on an Apple Watch like Alexa voice control, Google Maps and Wallet integration and a days-long battery life (up to six days to be precise). There are smart alerts as well, so you’ll get notified when your phone receives calls and texts. At $200, the Versa 4 is decently priced on a regular day, but you can often find it on sale for close to $150 — that could make it a good options for anyone on a budget, not just those with Android phones.
Workout classes
Finding exercise classes that you actually enjoy can make working out feel like less of a chore. You may prefer going through your local gym — that push to get out of the house and into a dedicated exercise space can be really effective for some — but there are plenty of on-demand fitness classes as well that you can participate in from the comfort of your living room.
I’ve tried my fair share of these services and my favorite has been Peloton. No, you don’t need one of the company’s expensive bikes or other machinery to take advantage of their classes. Access to the app-only version costs $13 per month and it lets you take HIIT, strength, yoga and even outdoor running classes, many of which require little to no equipment. If Peloton isn’t your speed, Apple Fitness+ is a good alternative, especially now that anyone with an iPhone can subscribe and take classes, regardless of whether they own an Apple Watch. Alo Moves is another good option for those who prefer yoga and pilates workouts.
If you can’t afford another monthly subscription fee, the internet has tons of free exercise resources — you just have to work a little harder to find the ones you jibe with most. I highly recommend Fitness Blender, a free website where you can watch hundreds of workout videos and even set a schedule for yourself, assigning routines to specific days of the week. I like the quality and consistency of their videos, but you may connect more to YouTube workouts if they’re taught by instructors you like; Heather Robertson and Move with Nicole are two personal favorites.
Habit tracker
Accountability is key when you’re trying to build new habits, so keeping track of your progress is crucial. While you could go deep down the bullet-journal rabbit hole, a habit-tracking app is probably the easier option. Done and Strides are two iOS options that let you log when you’ve completed a new habit you’re trying to build or when you avoided a bad habit that you’re trying to break. You can get pretty granular, customizing how often you want to do a task, set reminders to log, review stats and more. Both apps have paid tiers you’ll be asked to subscribe to after you create a few trackable habits. If you’d rather avoid yet another subscription, consider an app like Streaks, which can be all yours for a one-time fee of $5. As for Android, there’s Habitica, which turns habit tracking to an 8-bit RPG game where you level-up your custom avatar by checking things off your list.
To-do list apps
The new year provides an opportunity to get back on track, and one way to do that is by finding organizational tools that work for you — and making sure they’re as uncomplicated as possible. The worst thing that could happen is that your to-do list or note-taking system ends up being so cumbersome that you avoid using it. Keeping all of your necessary tasks in your head may work on easy days, but it can quickly get overwhelming when you have a million things to handle in both your personal and professional life. I’m a fan of Todoist and Things (the latter of which is for iOS and macOS only) because both are detailed enough for big work projects, but simple enough for personal tasks. Both also have a Today view, which will show everything across all of your projects that need attention immediately.
While Todoist has a free tier, you’ll pay $80 to get Things for iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Microsoft’s To Do is an alternative that, while less involved than Things, is free and works on almost every platform including Windows, iOS and Android, among others. You can keep it simple and just have a task list and a grocery list, or you can go deeper and add due dates, sub-tasks and even share lists with family members.
If you don’t want to bother with another service, you can always opt for the reminders app that (most likely) came preinstalled on your phone. That would be Reminders for iOS users and Google Keep for Android users. Google Keep also doubles as a note-taking app, which will be a better solution if you’ve been jotting down ideas for new projects on Post-It notes you inevitably lose. Apple Notes is the default option for this on iOS devices, and it’s come a long way in recent years with new features like interlinked notes, inline and annotatable PDFs and native support for scanning documents using the iPhone’s camera.
Password manager
If you’re looking to up your digital security game in the new year, a password manager is a great place to start. I’m partial to 1Password (as are we as a whole at Engadget), but there are plenty of other options including Bitwarden, NordPass and Dashlane. After saving all of your passwords for various accounts, you only need to remember one (hence the name) to log in to your 1Password account and access all of the others. The service has browser extensions Chrome, Edge and others that will let you seamlessly log in with just a few clicks, and 1Password has apps for most platforms including iOS and Android, so you can use it on all of your devices.
The Password Generator feature helps you create a new, secure password whenever one of yours has expired. LastPass has this too, and Dashlane even has a free tool that anyone can use to make more secure passwords. Not only does this take the onus of coming up with a strong key off your shoulders, but it also makes it easy to override old credentials with new ones.
Cable and accessory organizer
One of the consequences of the past couple of years is the dual-office life. Many of us now work both from home and from an office, and the last thing you want to do when you arrive in either place is rummage around your backpack only to realize that you’ve left your mouse, charging cable or dongle at your other desk.
An organizer bag can prevent this before it happens — we recommend BagSmart tech organizers thanks to their utilitarian, water-repellent designs and their multiple pockets and dividers. They also come in different sizes, so you can pick the best one for your commuter bag. If you want something a bit more elevated, Bellroy’s Desk Caddy is a good option. It’s pricier but for the money you get a more elegant silhouette, higher-quality materials and a design that sits upright when full and has a front panel that fully folds down to give you a good view of what’s inside.
Computer docking station
It’s all too easy for your work-from-home setup to get really messy really quickly. When you’re going through your busiest times at work, the last thing you’re thinking about is cable management, but dedicating a bit more effort to tidying up your workspace can make your day to day more efficient and more enjoyable.
We recommend some sort of docking station to keep your laptop, monitors, accessories and the like in check. There are plenty of options out there, regardless of if you use a macOS or Windows machine, or even a Chromebook. We like Satechi’s Dual Dock for MacBooks thanks to its unique design that allows it to sit under your laptop, and the fact that it plugs into two USB-C ports at once. This means you can connect to two external displays (provided you have an M2-powered MacBook or later), which will be handy if you have an elaborate workstation on your desk. Kensington’s Thunderbolt 4 dock is a good all-purpose option for other non-macOS laptops.
There are also adapters out there that can give you similar organization while on the go, albeit in a less elegant package. Anker’s USB-C hub is an affordable solution that includes an HDMI port, microSD and SD card readers, an Ethernet slot, two USB-C connections and two USB-A sockets. It also supports 100W power pass-through, so you can charge your laptop through the hub while using it.
Instant Pot
Eating healthier, or even just avoiding takeout multiple times a week, can be challenging in part because it usually means cooking more at home. This can be hard to even start if you’re not used to cooking for yourself and don’t have the basic tools to do so. On top of that, cooking takes time — much more time than ordering a meal from an app on your phone. But tools like an Instant Pot can cut your active cooking time down drastically. You can find a plethora of recipes where you simply throw a bunch of ingredients into the pot, set it and forget it until it’s time to eat.
We recommend the Instant Pot Duo for beginners because it’s relatively affordable and combines seven different cooking methods into one appliance, including rice cooking, steaming, pressure cooking, slow cooking and more. If you’re primarily cooking for yourself and a partner, the three-quart model will serve you just fine, but we recommend the six-quart model if you’re routinely cooking for four or more. If the thought of cooking at home actually excites you rather than fills you with anxiety, consider the Instant Pot Ultra, which includes a few extra modes like cake maker and egg cooker, or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which includes an air-fry lid.
Recipe organization
One of the best things about cooking at home is finding recipes that you love so much that you want to make over and over again. You’ll want to keep those recipes safe and readily available so you can refer to them when you need a quick weeknight meal or a dish to bring to your next family reunion. Recipe cards are a great way to do this, and you’ll build up your rolodex of delicious meals over time. If you’d rather have a cookbook of sorts that you fill in yourself over time, opt for a recipe book instead.
If you’d rather keep your arsenal of recipes accessible at any time, anywhere from your phone, Paprika’s recipe management app is the best solution I’ve tried. The $5 app basically acts as your digital recipe box, allowing you to enter your own as well as save them from the internet. You know those hundreds of words that precede online recipes, in which the author divulges their entire life story before telling you their secret to making deliciously moist cornbread? Paprika strips all of those unnecessary bits out and only saves the ingredient list and the instructions. You can also make grocery lists and keep track of pantry staples in the app, so don’t be surprised if it quickly becomes one of your most-used kitchen tools.
Reading app
Don’t take your habit of doom-scrolling into the new year. You could instead use the internet to find other things to read and the free Libby app is a good place to start. Powered by Overdrive, it connects you with your local library’s digital collection, allowing you to borrow and download all kinds of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels and more. Libby also has a tag system that you can use to “save” titles for later without actually putting a hold on them (although you can do that in the app, too). If you find a bunch of audiobooks you eventually want to get to, you can give them all a “TBR” tag so you can quickly find them and borrow one when you need new reading/listening material.
As someone who uses Libby on a regular basis, I love how easy it is to borrow from my local library without leaving my home. However, there have been numerous times in which my library doesn’t have a title I’m looking for. If that happens to you often, you may want to consider a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited or Scribd, both of which give you unlimited access to a wide library of e-books for $10 per month. And for audiobook lovers, your options are Amazon’s Audible or Libro.fm, the latter of which lets you choose the local bookstore you want to support with your purchases.
Ereader
Ereaders are still around because so many people recognize how much better it can be to read e-books on a dedicated device — especially one with an high-contrast, e-paper display. Sure, you could read on your smartphone or a tablet, but staring at those screens all day long can be tiring for your eyes. An ereader like Kobo’s Clara 2E or Amazon’s Kindle is a better choice not only for its more comfortable display, but also because it focuses your attention on reading. (If you’ve ever picked up your smartphone intending to finish a chapter only to be distracted by email or Facebook, you know how crucial this is.)
The Clara 2E is our current favorite ereader thanks to its 6-inch E-Ink display, adjustable brightness and color temperature, weeks-long battery life and handy Overdrive integration for checking out digital library books. But if you already get most of your e-books through Amazon, the Kindle is the best option. You can listen to Audible audiobooks, too, if you connect a pair of wireless earbuds to the ereader. Kobo’s device primarily gets books via the Kobo Store, but it also supports various file types like EPUB, PDF and MOBI.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tech-to-help-you-stick-to-new-years-resolutions-150034002.html?src=rss