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Countless Windows apps have come and gone over the years. As our computing needs changed, some were replaced by better alternatives, while others simply became obsolete as new technologies emerged. Here are some iconic Windows apps you probably used regularly but haven't thought about in years.

While having a dash cam is not strictly a necessity in today's modern world, having one can be super beneficial if you're on the road driving and have a close call, especially as they can be revealing when the recording would otherwise be different from what the other driver's story tells. A solid dash cam can help you with situations where it's a 'he said, she said, as they provide an extra set of eyes—that's why Garmin's Mini 3 remains a popular choice, as its compact size remains out of sight while it's always recording. If you want more peace of mind while traveling, you can grab it on Amazon right now (it's under $100).

Have you ever glanced at your Android phone’s status bar and spotted a little landline phone icon you didn’t recognize? It is easy to dismiss an unfamiliar symbol or assume something has changed with your phone, but these tiny indicators can actually tell you quite a bit about what your device is doing.

SAVE $299.02: As of Oct. 21, the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station is on sale for $399.98 at Amazon. That's a 43% discount and marks its best-ever price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station $399.98 at Amazon
$699 Save $299.02   Get Deal at Amazon

Finding reliable emergency backup power under $400 usually forces you to pick between slow charging, low wattage, or noisy operation. The upgraded DJI Power 1000 V2 bridges that gap, dropping to a record-low $399.98 at Amazon, cutting 43% off its regular list price.

Equipped with a 1,024Wh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery and a massive 2,600W continuous power output, this unit reliably runs 99% of everyday household appliances. That means keeping a full-sized home refrigerator cool for up to 20 hours during a blackout, powering a CPAP machine through multiple nights, or running high-draw gear like electric cookers, coffee makers, and power tools at a campsite without tripping the safety breakers.

SEE ALSO: Walmart's Holiday Gift Guide is live: See our top 10 picks ahead of Black Friday 2026

Plugged into a standard wall outlet, the V2 recharges from dead to 80% in just 37 minutes. Out on the trail or on the job site, you get dual 140W USB-C ports (delivering 280W total combined output) to fast-charge high-end laptops like a MacBook Pro without extra brick adapters, plus two of DJI’s proprietary SDC ports (one standard SDC and one SDC Lite) to top off drone batteries directly in the field.

Despite the heavy power output, it runs at an ultra-quiet 26 decibels, quieter than a soft whisper, making it ideal for nightstand use inside an RV or bedroom. Its safe LFP battery cells are rated to hold 80% capacity even after 4,000 full charge cycles (roughly a 10-year lifespan), and its built-in 10-millisecond UPS function instantly takes over during a grid failure so your connected home electronics won't crash.

Grab the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station at Amazon for $399.98 before this record-low price disappears.

UniFi hardware earns loyalty from people who want control over their networks. Yet your gateway, switches, and access points may be talking to Ubiquiti’s servers more often than you’d expect. Here’s what gets sent, why, and how to rein it in.

Astronauts should return to the Apollo 15 landing site on the moon and haul home some of its half-century-old poop and hardware, a panel told NASA on Wednesday.

A crew would land just north of the site at Mons Hadley — far enough away to avoid damaging it. From there, the astronauts would walk over to inspect the rover, lander base, instruments, and power systems the prior crew left behind in 1971.

That equipment has endured decades of space radiation and repeated heating and cooling as lunar days give way to nights. Scientists on Earth could study how the lunar environment impacts the hardware over time. A close look at the urine and feces in a lab could reveal how biological material changes and whether it affects the area around it. 

That "would be foundational information [for] how we need to engineer the systems for lunar bases," said Dan Dumbacher, co-chairperson of the committee, "for anything humans take to the surface of the moon." 

The mission proposal came from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee, whom NASA asked to recommend future moon-landing sites away from the lunar south pole, where the agency already intends to build a long-term moon base. In a new report, members of the committee selected four non-polar sites — Bhabha Crater, Mons Hadley, Orientale Basin, and Aristarchus Plateau — where they believe Artemis astronauts should collect samples, make observations, and conduct experiments. They prioritized locations they believed would benefit from human explorers over uncrewed robots.

SEE ALSO: A telescope's survey got interrupted by a comet nobody knew existed

These so-called "sorties," the term NASA used when tasking the committee, would be short, one-time visits. Because the poles lack the volcanic terrain found elsewhere on the moon, as well as radioactive metals like uranium and thorium, the brief trips would complement the base, not replace it, according to the report.

Each mission would send a pair of astronauts to make one to four moonwalks within 2 kilometers — or 1.2 miles — of their lander. That distance is a previously established "walkback" limit NASA decided long ago that the committee thinks the agency should try to extend. The panel also chose landing sites that offered the most opportunities for geology, biology, human health, and physics research. 

The top pick, Bhabha Crater, sits inside what may be the solar system's largest and oldest crater, and its rocks could pin down when that massive impact happened. Situated on the far side of the moon, the crew would have to land farther from home than any humans before, letting NASA test how astronauts cope with isolation.

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The site is also prime for a telescope, said James Day, the other chairperson of the committee. 

"It's an almost unmatched location for doing radio astronomy, and the reason for this is because it's in the quiet zone on the far side of the moon. It is shielded from the noise that we produce here on Earth," Day said. "This will give us information on the very early universe before the first stars or galaxies had formed."

Bhabha crater is the National Academies committee's top pick among four recommended moon landing sites. Credit: NASA / GSFC / Arizona State University

At Orientale, the moon's youngest large basin at roughly 3.8 billion years old, astronauts would collect boulders from deep in the crust that could show whether the moon was once entirely molten. They would also set up a detector for gravitational waves — ripples in spacetime. The instrument could alert astronomers months before distant neutron stars collide, the committee leaders said.

Finally, the Aristarchus Plateau, an Apollo destination that NASA never reached, holds volcanic deposits that may yield water. It spans about 60 miles, so crews there would gain the most from the simple open rover the committee thinks NASA should build.

Among its recommendations, the panel said NASA should keep mapping the moon in detail from orbit, build instruments that can run through the lunar night, and set up a communications system that keeps crews in constant contact with Earth, even on the far side.

NASA will decide when and in what order to fly the missions. 

"All four of these sites will give us profound knowledge," Day said, "not just of our moon, but of our solar system, and frankly of ourselves." 

The most important scene in a movie is the first one. It might be the only chance to grab someone's attention and motivate them to finish the movie. The opening scene only lasts five to ten minutes, so it's crucial for a film to establish an enticing hook to reel audiences in. The idea of an excellent first scene is even more important when streaming at home, since the viewer can exit the movie at any point without penalty.

SAVE $30: As of Oct. 21, the DJI Neo 4K Drone is on sale for $169 at Amazon. That's a 15% discount on this palm-sized camera drone.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo $169 at Amazon
$199 Save $30   Get Deal at Amazon

Holding out for a camera drone that doesn't require a pilot's license, an FAA registration form marathon, or a giant suitcase full of gear is officially over. The ultra-portable DJI Neo is down to just $169, knocking 15% off its regular price tag and bringing top-tier aerial footage well under the $200 mark.

Tipping the scales at a featherlight 135 grams, this mini drone is lighter than most smartphones. Because it comes in way below the federal weight limit, casual flyers can bypass FAA registration and Remote ID entirely. You simply unbox it, charge the battery, and take off — no paperwork, no test taking, and no bureaucracy standing between you and incredible 4K video clips.

What makes the Neo an absolute blast for beginners and solo creators is its dead-simple controls. You don't even need to use a remote or hook up your phone if you don't want to. Just place it in the palm of your hand, press a quick button, and watch it lift off automatically. Built-in smart tracking features lock onto you to keep you centered in the frame while you walk, run, or hike, making it feel like traveling with your own personal robotic camera crew.

Despite its tiny footprint, it shoots crisp, stabilized 4K footage and comes built with full-coverage propeller guards so you won't chew up the blades if you bump into a tree branch or bedroom doorframe. Whether you fly it completely hands-free using palm gestures, use voice controls, or pair it with your phone, this deal is easily the best entry point into drone photography right now.

Get this DJI Neo 4K drone while it's still discounted.

TL;DR: Keep your important info secure with this lifetime subscription to LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault, which is on sale now for just $49 (reg. $99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Mind2Matter LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault: Lifetime Subscription $49
$99 Save $50   Get Deal

When someone needs access to your important documents one day, you don’t want them to dig through your emails and scramble through scraps of paper to find everything. The LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault gives you a single encrypted space to organize all the information your family might need.

Right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault for only $49.

You don’t realize how many important documents you have floating around until you try to consolidate them and find yourself digging through drawers, folders, and inboxes. LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault lets you sort them in one convenient place — with folders for financial accounts, insurance, legal records, crypto, and key contacts so you don’t have to scramble to find them all.

With LegacyLocked, your vault lives right on your device, not a cloud account. Every item is encrypted on your device before it’s saved in the vault.

Besides ensuring their security, keeping your files on the device rather than in the cloud also means they’re always accessible, even offline. You’ll also have a global search feature that lets you find items easily, as well as local action history to keep tabs on any changes.

With LegacyLocked, your usual lists and account info give a boost of security with encryption. There are folders for everything you need to store, and dedicated item types that save each kind of record in a format tailored to that type of information.

This lifetime subscription gives you permanent access without recurring fees. Windows and Mac desktop apps are available, and you’ll receive access to all future software updates. Since your vault is local to your device, you also get to choose how your trusted individuals can access it when they need to.

Get this lifetime subscription to LegacyLocked Digital Estate Planning Vault for only $49 today.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Nothing says "relaxing vacation" like a list of chores to finish before checkout. It’s a common issue for travelers staying in Airbnbs to find themselves forced to strip beds, wash dishes, and take out the trash before catching a flight — all while still paying a cleaning fee.

But now, Airbnb is putting limits on that routine. For reservations booked on or after Nov. 20, hosts generally won’t be allowed to ask guests to do the housework any longer.

SEE ALSO: Airbnb adds a bunch of new features for travellers What can Airbnb hosts still ask guests to do?

The update, announced by Airbnb on Oct. 20, draws a distinction between light tidying and cleaning the rental for its next occupants.

Here's how the company breaks it down:

• Dishes: Hosts can ask you to leave used dishes in the sink, but shouldn't ask you to wash and put them away.

• Laundry: Gathering used towels is allowed. Stripping beds or starting a load of laundry generally isn't.

• Trash: Hosts can ask you to separate garbage and recycling into designated indoor bins, but shouldn't ask you to haul it off-site.

• Air conditioning: Hosts shouldn't tell you to avoid an amenity advertised in the listing, though they can ask you to turn it off when you leave.

Airbnb may make exceptions based on the property, the stay, and local conditions. Some examples include putting trash in an animal-proof container in bear country and limiting shower time during local drought restrictions.

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There is an interesting financial wrinkle: Airbnb takes a cut of cleaning fees. Its single service fee, which is 15.5 percent for most hosts, applies to the nightly price and additional host charges, including cleaning. At that rate, $15.50 of a $100 cleaning fee goes to Airbnb. That means, if hosts raise those charges to cover more work, Airbnb could collect more, too.

No surprise rules after you book

The changes also address another familiar frustration: finding out about the rules only after the reservation is already paid for. Under the new policy, all house rules and requests must appear in the designated listing section when you book. That means no additional requirements slipped into a message, posted on the fridge, or delivered in person after arrival.

And hosts generally can’t attach their own fines or penalties, either. Hosts who persistently violate the policy could face a warning on their listing, reduced visibility in search, or other action from Airbnb.

To make those expectations harder to miss, Airbnb is displaying rules more prominently on listings, in guests' Trips tabs, and in reservation reminders. Listings with unresolved cleaning requests may also carry an alert reading "includes cleaning requests" — useful information before committing to a weekend away.

If this all sounds familiar, Airbnb has been working on the checkout chore problem for years. Back in Nov. 2022, the company said guests shouldn’t have to strip beds, do laundry, or vacuum before leaving. Its 2023 summer update made checkout instructions visible before booking and let guests flag excessive requests in reviews. Airbnb also said it would remove listings that repeatedly received low ratings over unreasonable chores.

Airbnb guests have entered the chat

The announcement has prompted plenty of travelers to celebrate and share their own horror stories.

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One user recalled a stay that required stripping beds, washing every dish, cleaning the kitchen, and hauling trash to the road — despite a $100 cleaning fee.

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Another said a host in Florida had tried to charge an additional $250 after their stay because they hadn’t washed and replaced the bedsheets and towels, taken out the trash, or swept the floor. According to the post, Airbnb customer service intervened and told the host they couldn’t charge extra for those tasks.

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On Reddit, where a discussion in r/technology has drawn roughly 18,000 upvotes and 1,400 comments in 4 hours, users commiserate over similar experiences.

"We once had a host call us screaming because we piled the dirty towels in the bathtub instead of washing and drying them," one commenter wrote. Another described being asked to take garbage to an off-site dump that charged for disposal and closed on Sundays. The host told them, "You have to take it out on Saturday then bring your Sunday trash home."

"If you have to put your existing paying guests to work preparing your property for your future paying guests, while also charging everyone a cleaning fee, maybe hosting just isn't for you?" said one X user.

But the conversation also includes other frustrations with Airbnb. One X user argued that the combination of prices rivaling luxury hotels and an "extensive chore chart" had eroded the service's appeal. "There’s almost zero reason not to stay in a hotel at this point," he wrote. "Too late. So many of us have moved on back to hotels. Less hassle and cheaper," a Reddit user wrote in response to Airbnb's latest update.

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Not all guests could agree on where basic courtesy ends and an unreasonable chore list begins, though. "I never minded dishes, but laundry was asking a bit much," one Reddit user wrote. Another said washing dishes and taking out trash seemed reasonable, particularly when food waste could start to smell.

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Still, the online frustration hasn’t translated into an overall decline in Airbnb's business quite yet. In its second-quarter 2026 results, the company reported revenue of $3.6 billion, up 17 percent from a year earlier. Its combined "Nights and Seats Booked" metric, covering stays and experiences, rose 10 percent. So though some travelers may have sworn off the platform, bookings are still growing.

Nevertheless, Airbnb has drawn its line in a longstanding debate over what it means to be a good guest. Whether hosts and travelers can agree on it is another matter.

There are plenty of ways to get into homelabbing. Some of us repurpose something we already own (I built my first home server using an old laptop), while others prefer to pick up a cheap starter device like a Raspberry Pi or mini PC.

There's good news if you've ever had Android apps scramble your contact list, or change contacts behind your back. Google has outlined how the upcoming Android 17 QPR2 update will limit how apps can modify contacts.

Looking to build your first software application but not sure where to start? Web development might be the best place. That's where most developers start, including me. After so many years of programming, I think it was a wise decision.

TL;DR: Learn piano from home with flowkey’s 5-year Classic Plan on sale for $79.99 (reg. $899).

Opens in a new window Credit: Flowkey flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription) $79.99
$899 Save $819.01   Get Deal

Whether you’re just starting or looking to build on your existing skills, flowkey lets you learn piano at your own pace without sacrificing progress. Its flexible lessons and guided practice make it easier to fit playing into your schedule, and this deal brings the five-year Classic Plan to just $79.99 (regularly $899) for a limited time.

Flowkey is designed to make practicing feel approachable instead of intimidating. Whether you’re sitting at a keyboard for the first time or returning after a long break, the app guides you through each lesson at your own pace. It even listens while you play, offering instant feedback so you know when you’ve nailed a note — or when it’s time to try again.

The Classic Plan includes access to more than 1,000 classical and public-domain songs, featuring composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Debussy, Liszt, and Brahms. You’ll also unlock every course and exercise, covering everything from reading sheet music and learning chords to proper hand positioning and rhythm.

Helpful tools like Wait Mode, Slow Motion, Loop, and separate hand practice make difficult sections easier to master without feeling rushed. Because your subscription works across phones, tablets, and computers, it’s easy to fit practice into your schedule.

With five years of access, this is an easy opportunity to start building those piano skills while this offer is still available.

For a limited time, get a five-year subscription to the flowkey Classic Plan for a one-time $79.99 (reg. $899).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

One dodgy text message can ruin your day. Scammers are getting better at making fake messages look legitimate, and the red flags aren’t always easy to spot at a glance. As an Android phone user, I want better protection without having to second-guess every text that lands in my inbox.

Meta, which has fought numerous youth safety lawsuits this year, now faces a $25 billion penalty for violating New Mexico's consumer protection laws. The order, made Wednesday by a New Mexico judge, is the latest development in a lawsuit filed against Meta by the state in 2021.

The case stemmed from the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the U.K.-based data firm employed by Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign exploited Facebook features to harvest and misappropriate the personal data of more than 50 million users.

SEE ALSO: Meta: We're sorry for banning No Kings Instagram account

New Mexico's lawsuit argued that Facebook generally misled consumers about its data privacy practices, as well as its efforts to moderate misinformation and hate speech. Last month, a New Mexico jury found Meta liable for nearly 44 million violations of the state's consumer protection statute.

The jury found that Facebook's unfair and deceptive practices extended to messaging shared by its executives, including Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook's then-chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg.

"Facebook continued making public representations concerning users' control of data, third-party data misuse, misinformation, hate speech, and equal enforcement after employees, researchers, and senior personnel had internally identified that Facebook could not make good on its public promises," Judge Francis J. Mathew wrote in his decision.

Meta said the decision and penalty make it "all but impossible" to do business in New Mexico, according to a statement obtained by Yahoo! Finance.

"At its core, this lawsuit seeks to impose a tax on speech to enforce new rules for what people can say online," said C.J. Mahoney, Meta's chief legal officer. "We are confident we will prevail on appeal."

In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission separately levied a record $5 billion penalty against Facebook for violating consumers' privacy.

In August, Meta made a $17 billion settlement with states that sued the company for allegedly designing addictive platforms. Earlier that month, a separate New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay nearly $1 billion in a different case about youth mental health and data privacy.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said in a statement that the consumer privacy lawsuit made clear that companies must abide by the state's consumer protection laws.

"This case has always been about more than one company or one scandal," Torrez said. "It is about whether corporations can mislead consumers about what happens to their personal information without facing meaningful consequences."

I've been using Calibre for at least eight years to manage my eBook collection. It's done the job really well. But as a Jellyfin user, I like the convenience of having all my content on a single media server and want something similar for my books. The recent updates in Jellyfin 12 have introduced eBook and audiobook enhancements that now make it much more practical.

I've been using Windows long enough to accumulate an embarrassing list of software recommendations that didn't last. I've tried apps that looked revolutionary for a week, productivity systems that demanded more maintenance than the work they were supposed to organize, and utilities that seemed essential right up until I stopped opening them.

I didn’t take to smart home tech right away, but solar is different — I’ve always loved the idea of solar panels. Now I have plenty of them, and as it turns out, solar and smart home tech go hand in hand.

Microsoft offers a wide range of apps on various platforms, but most people only think about Office. While Word and Excel are pretty good on Android, it's Microsoft's other apps that are probably more useful to most people. Let's check them out.