The French Ministry of Finance has disclosed a cybersecurity incident that impacted data associated with 1.2 million user accounts.
The investigation discovered that hackers gained access to the national bank account registry (FICOBA) and stole a database containing sensitive information.
The Ministry’s announcement notes that in late January, a threat actor used credentials stolen from a civil servant with access to the interministerial information sharing platform.
The credentials gave the hacker access to part of a database that contained all bank accounts opened in French banking institutions and personal data:
Bank account details, including RIBs/IBANs
Account holder identity
Physical address
Taxpayer identification number (only in some cases)
The Ministry states that it took immediate action to restrict the threat actor’s access to its systems immediately after detecting the incident. However, it is believed that data of about 1.2 million accounts were already exposed to potential exfiltration.
FICOBA is a centralized state-managed registry of bank accounts in France, operated by the French tax authority, the Direction générale des Finances publiques (DGFiP).
Advertisement
It operates as a database that records the existence and identifiers of accounts, with data provided by French banking institutions in accordance with tax enforcement law requirements.
The cyberattack has disrupted the system’s operations, and work is underway to restore it with enhanced security. However, there is no estimation of when FICOBA will be back online.
The Ministry also stated that users affected by the incident will be notified individually over the next few days.
Banking institutions in the country have been informed accordingly, and they are expected to take action to raise awareness among their customers of the need for increased vigilance.
Advertisement
The announcement mentions numerous scam attempts circulating via email and SMS that aim to steal data or money directly from recipients, and citizens are advised not to respond to them.
“The tax administration never asks for your login credentials or bank card number via message,” the French ministry warns.
The French data protection authority, CNIL, has also been informed about the incident.
DGFiP’s IT team is currently working with the Ministry of Finance and the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI) to strengthen system security and bring it back to full operational status.
Advertisement
Modern IT infrastructure moves faster than manual workflows can handle.
In this new Tines guide, learn how your team can reduce hidden manual delays, improve reliability through automated response, and build and scale intelligent workflows on top of tools you already use.
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. All data sourced from the Labour Force in Singapore 2025 report, released by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower last month.
We’re often told that the age of stable jobs where people would spend many years is long behind us and that the future will require flexibility and adaptability—including frequent changes of employment. Frankly speaking, I’ve been hearing this for the past 20 years myself.
And yet, the statistics released by the Ministry of Manpower show that this is hardly the case in Singapore. The city-state is often presented as one of the most modern, dynamic and advanced economies, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that local workers are leading the trends in job hopping.
As it turns out, the opposite is true.
Advertisement
Over the past decade, the share of local, resident workers who have stayed with the same company for 10 years or more has gone up from a little over a quarter to a full one-third.
Source: Labour Force in Singapore 2025/ Singapore Ministry of Manpower
At the same time, the share of those who have either just entered the job market or changed their job in the past 12 months has shrunk from nearly 20% to just 12%, with the biggest drop recorded in the post-pandemic years.
Looking at the entire workforce, back in 2015, more than half of Singapore’s workers had stayed under five years in the same place. Today, the proportions have flipped, with the majority reporting 5 years or more with their employers.
Source: Labour Force in Singapore 2025/ Singapore Ministry of Manpower
Stability or stagnation?
The crucial question is whether these trends are a sign of unusual stability, whereby local workers enjoy secure jobs for many years, or if they simply lack better options and choose to stay put where they are.
While they aren’t mutually exclusive—after all, much depends on the company you work for—data suggests that the job market in Singapore is good for its workers. And getting better.
Since 2015, the median income from work has increased from S$3,949 to S$5,775 in 2025. That is 46.2% in nominal terms and 23.2% when accounting for inflation. This means local salaries can buy 1/4 more compared to a decade ago.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the average number of weekly working hours for full-time employees has dropped from 47 to 43.8. That’s a cumulative decrease of over 166 hours per year, equivalent to 20 eight-hour workdays.
Singaporeans work less and earn more than ever, despite the fact that a growing number choose to stay with the same employer—or, perhaps, because of that.
Let’s not forget that, like much of the world, Singapore continues to face a persistent talent shortage, with 83% of local businesses reporting a deficit of capable employees.
Image Credit: ManpowerGroup Singapore
Retaining good workers is a far better option than hiring new ones. Recruitment is expensive and unpredictable because it takes time to train a new hire, and there’s no guarantee they will turn out to be good team members.
Similarly, while job hoppers may hope to get a 10 to 20% raise each time they switch workplaces, the disruption it causes and the uncertainty about working conditions (expectations, flexibility, getting along with coworkers) add risks of their own.
Advertisement
Mutual understanding, that the company needs the people it already has and can rely on, and that those people are willing to stay if they are appreciated, could explain why Singapore seems to defy the predictions about an ever more dynamic job market of the future.
As it turns out, stability is highly valuable even to modern companies—and modern workers.
Read other articles we’ve written on Singapore’s current affairs here.
President Trump is adding a new 10 percent tariff on nearly all imports to the United States, following a Supreme Court ruling that overturned most of the levies imposed by the US government last year.
In an executive order signed Friday evening, Trump outlined a few exceptions, including imports of critical minerals, beef and fruits, cars, pharmaceuticals, and products from Canada or Mexico. The new tariffs will take effect on February 24, 2026.
In a press conference Friday afternoon, Trump was fired up about the Supreme Court decision and resorted to personal attacks, calling the six justices who ruled against his trade policies “a disgrace to our nation.” Answering a reporter’s question about how two of the justices he nominated, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, voted for the overturn, Trump called them “an embarrassment to their families.”
The new trade policy is based on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to single-handedly and immediately charge tariffs of up to 15 percent if there are “large and serious” trade deficits. These tariffs only last 150 days unless Congress authorizes an extension. Like the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the statute has never before been used by a US president in this way.
Advertisement
Once the 150-day deadline arrives, it’s possible for Trump to keep re-issuing Section 122 tariffs. But the administration could also use this time to prepare other forms of tariffs, essentially switching legal justifications to get the same regulatory effects, says Gregory Husisian, a partner and litigation attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP, which has helped over one hundred companies file requests for tariff refunds. “[Section 122 tariff] is for a limited time period, so it’s going to be a bridge authority,” Husisian says.
In the meantime, the Trump administration could rush through the process of conducting trade investigations based on concerns of national security or unfair trade practices abroad, which are a requirement for launching Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs. “We are also initiating several Section 301 and other investigations to protect our country from unfair trade practices of other countries and companies,” Trump said at the press conference, referring to these other tariff options that take longer to launch.
At the press conference, Trump didn’t specify what exactly would happen to companies seeking refunds on their tariff payments. The Supreme Court decision did not specify whether and how the tariffs should be refunded. Answering a reporter’s question on the topic, Trump said he expected the issue to be litigated in court.
Advertisement
Experts tell WIRED that they expect the refund process to be messy and long, since it might require companies to file complaints and calculate the amount of money they believe they are entitled to receive. The government could also then push back on the calculated amount. The process could last anywhere from a few months to more than two years.
The Supreme Court decision specified that the IEEPA gives the president significant power during emergencies, but noted this power doesn’t extend to taxation. Trump, at the press conference, repeatedly distorted the ruling: “But now the court has given me the unquestioned right to ban all sorts of things from coming into our country, to destroy foreign countries … but not the right to charge a fee,” he said. “How crazy is that?”
At times, the press conference turned into a rant about issues unrelated to tariffs, like how the president thinks Europe is too woke or how much he hates the Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. Speaking about how the court interprets the literal meaning of the IEEPA, Trump suddenly started bragging about his reading comprehension skills. “I read the paragraphs. I read very well. Great comprehension,” he said.
True or false? Your green laser pointer is more powerful than your red one. The answer is almost certainly false. They are, most likely, the same power, but your eye is far more sensitive to green, so it seems stronger. [Brandon Li] was thinking about how to best represent colors on computer screens and fell down the rabbit hole of what colors look like when arranged in a spectrum. Spoiler alert: almost all the images you see of the spectrum are incorrect in some way. The problem isn’t in our understanding of the physics, but more in the understanding of how humans perceive color.
Perception may start with physics, but it also extends to the biology of your eye and the psychology of your brain. What follows is a lot of math that finally winds up with the CIE 1931 color space diagram and the CIE 2012 system.
Some people obsess about fonts, and some about colors. If you are in the latter camp, this is probably old hat for you. However, if you want a glimpse into just how complicated it is to accurately represent colors, this is a fascinating read. You can learn about the Bezold-Brücke shift, the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect, and the Abney effect. Maybe that’ll help you win a bar bet one day.
Advertisement
The post winds up in the strangest place: spectroscopy. So if you want to see how color representation applies to analyzing blue sky, neon tubes, and a MacBook display, you’ll want to skip to the end.
Spending a Friday evening doing your taxes probably isn’t the most appealing way to kick off your weekend…but what if you added drinks, delicious takeout, and a couple of buddies who were also tending to all the annoying little tasks they’ve been avoiding?
That’s the idea behind “admin nights,” a new trend that is proliferating on TikTok. The conceit is simple: Friends get together, pull out their laptops, and start hacking away at their to-do lists. Think of a girls’ night out, but…in, and centered on tedious tasks instead of cocktails and clubbing.
“It’s the perfect blend of both,” Brie Ever, a Birmingham, Alabama-based content creator who hosts weekly “admin nights,” told Vox. “There are moments when I know I need to lock in, and I’ll just put in my headphones. But for the most part, everyone’s talking, working, and having a glass of wine all at the same time.”
While it might seem strange that people are opting for errands or chores over happy hour, task-themed meetups have become a popular form of hanging out. Other examples you’ll see online include “freezer meal parties,” where friends prepare ready-to-microwave dinners and “vision board nights,” where groups make collages of their life goals.
Advertisement
These gatherings represent the experimental and less obvious ways people are prioritizing friendship while tackling the struggles of modern living. Everything has the potential to be a party now.
Hanging out has become more complicated
Spending time with friends can naturally become more difficult as you get older. Work, romantic relationships, kids, and other caregiving responsibilities can completely drain your social battery and cut into the time that was once reserved for your pals. But even younger adults who theoretically have less on their plates aren’t free of the exhaustion that accompanies modern living.
Anna Goldfarb, author of Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections, told Vox that a lot of friend groups have become decentralized, as people relocate and change jobs more frequently. “Our grandparents might’ve stayed in the same town for most of their lives,” Goldfarb said. “They might have stayed at the same job. They didn’t have to work so hard to keep these connections afloat.”
Advertisement
Life has also become more expensive for a lot of people due to inflation and tariffs. Going to the movies, restaurants, or out for drinks regularly can feel like a luxury for many consumers, and just might not feel worth it. (YouGov’s 2025 Dining Out Report found that 37 percent of US diners say they’re dining out less frequently than they were a year ago, with 69 percent citing “a perceived rise in expensiveness.” And a 2025 CivicScience poll found that 27 percent of respondents are ditching the multiplex and staying home due to movie ticket prices.)
With all these hurdles in mind, it’s not surprising that social gatherings are beginning to look a lot different.
Gathering is all about intention now
In the past few years, social activities have started to look a lot more productive and intentional. Running clubs, for example, became a more visible trend during the first two years of the pandemic, and book club events have been increasing, according to data from Eventbrite. There’s also the phenomenon of “soft clubbing,” first reported last summer, which sees typical nightlife activities replaced with sober, wellness-focused gatherings. (Think: cold-plunge parties and saunas featuring DJ sessions.) Admin nights are a natural evolution of this optimization of social activities, or at least just a collective desire to avoid hangovers.
Advertisement
Vision board nights and meal prep parties are a welcome hangout for organized, goal-oriented pals. In other instances, friends are getting together to clean each other’s homes, bake, and even provide life updates. Many of these gatherings lean into a psychological concept called “body doubling,” which is often used by people with ADHD. (Ever, the content creator, used the term when discussing the appeal of admin nights.) It simply means having other people present while you complete tasks to help you stay focused.
Irene S. Levine, a psychologist and author of the book Best Friends Forever: Surviving A Breakup With Your Best Friend, sees a lot of value in tackling errands with your pals, although it doesn’t have to be as structured as a planned party. “That could extend to going to the gym together or doing your food shopping together,” she told Vox. “When you’re stretched for time, doing things simultaneously with your friends kills two birds with one stone. You’re taking care of business, so there’s less guilt associated with it.”
But, Levine clarified, there’s nothing self-indulgent about spending quality time with your friends. “It’s actually so important to our health and emotional well-being,” she said.
There have been plenty of reports and casual handwringing over the idea that people are partying less nowadays, and that Gen Z isn’t having as much fun as their peers were at the same age. At first glance, these new modes of hanging out may not look like the stereotypical young person’s idea of a good time. There’s presumably no hard drugs, no sex, no stumbling home at 4 am involved in admin nights. But it makes sense that gatherings would look a bit different when the world looks dramatically different. As life becomes more difficult to manage and relationships get harder to maintain, the hottest club in town might be your friend’s couch, laptop open, finally setting up automated bill pay.
Even though digital cameras have lowered the barrier of entry to photography dramatically, as well as made it much easier for professionals and amateurs alike to capture stunning images without the burden of developing film, the technology behind them is considerably more complex than their analog counterparts. In fact, an analog film camera (not counting the lens) can be as simple as a lightproof box and a way to activate a shutter. Knowing that, any kind of film camera could be built for any number of applications, like this 3D-printed panoramic camera from [Denis Aminev].
The custom-built camera works by taking a standard roll of 35mm film, which is standardized to take 36 pictures, and exposing a wider section of the film to create a panorama. This reduces the number of pictures on the roll to 19. This is the fifth version of this camera, called the Infidex 176 V, and has everything a standard film camera would have, from an exposure counter, pressure plate for the film, a winder, interchangable lenses, a viewfinder, and a tripod mounting point. It does take a bit of work to assemble, as shown in the video linked below, but the final result is impressive and delivers a custom finished product not easily found or reproducible in off-the-shelf cameras.
The path to creating this camera was interesting as well, as [Denis]’s first custom film camera was a pinhole camera. From there he moved on to disassembling an SLR camera and attempting to reproduce all of its parts with 3D printed ones. With that in hand, he was able to modify this design into this panoramic camera which he likes because it reproduces the feel of widescreen movies. Although this camera reproduces all of the bells and whistles of a high quality analog camera, not all of these features are strictly necessary for taking pictures on film. Have a look at this minimum viable camera as well.
LG is returning to the UK microwave market after a 10-year break, unveiling a new eight-model lineup set to roll out through 2026.
The move marks a renewed push into small kitchen appliances, as the company looks to expand its smart home portfolio beyond its traditional stronghold in TVs and large white goods.
The refreshed range covers everything from entry-level 20L models to a premium 39L convection microwave, with prices starting at £84 and rising to £299 (MSRP).
At the top of the lineup is the MJ3965BPS, a 39L NeoChef Convection model priced at £299 and arriving in June 2026.
Advertisement
Advertisement
It combines microwave, grill, convection and steam cooking in one unit, powered by LG’s Smart Inverter technology for more consistent heating. Features like the Infrared Convection System, Charcoal & Quartz Heater, and Healthy Fry mode position it as an all-in-one solution for more ambitious home cooks.
Below that sits the MH6565CPS, a £179 25L model that LG describes as its flagship standard microwave. It delivers 1,000W Smart Inverter power and a 900W grill, wrapped in a minimalist One Body Design with both touch controls and a physical dial.
Mid-range options include the MH6535GIS (£159) and MH6336GIB (£149), both offering 1,000W inverter cooking and 6-point turntables designed for better weight distribution and more even heating. LG says the continuous power delivery of Smart Inverter helps eliminate cold spots and overcooked edges compared to traditional pulsed microwaves.
Advertisement
At the more affordable end, the lineup includes several 20L, 700W models such as the MS2042D (£89) and MS2082F (£84). These focus on everyday heating and defrosting, with panel touch or dial controls, auto-cook presets and LG’s Anti-Bacterial EasyClean coating.
Across the range, LG is emphasising usability and durability, with LED interiors, child lock features, and a two-year warranty included as standard. Some models are already available via LG’s UK store and selected retailers, with wider availability expected from June 2026.
While these models focus on practical cooking performance today, LG also hinted at a longer-term smart vision. This includes potential AI-powered dish recognition and ThinQ app integration down the line.
Advertisement
Advertisement
For now, though, this is a straightforward re-entry into a competitive category, and a clear signal that LG wants a bigger slice of the modern UK kitchen.
Ten months after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs that hurt US businesses and consumers, and hit Apple to the tune of $3.2 billion, the Supreme Court has ruled that it was done illegally. Refunds will be messy.
Trump launching his tariffs in April 2205
Trump was always expected to introduce tariffs, but the extent of his April 2025 “Liberation Day” ones caught the world by surprise. The claimed mathematics behind the original rates was ridiculed, and then Trump further raised them to ostensibly punish countries, or even individuals like Tim Cook. The Supreme Court has ruled 6 to 3 that imposing the tariffs without Congress’s involvement was illegal. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the ruling, which denied Trump’s claim that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) gave him the authority to act unilaterally. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Home improvement retailers like Home Depot sell a long list of gadgets that will help you in the garage, whether that’s working on a project, maintaining a car, or simply cleaning the space. Of course, a gadget that makes plenty of promises doesn’t always turn out to be as useful or capable as it claims. That’s where user reviews come in handy — they can help verify that the product in question is actually worth your hard-earned money.
These 12 garage-ready gadgets all get consistently good reviews from Home Depot customers. Many can also be found for under $100, and some cost less than $50. Each pick here is available through Home Depot’s website at the time of writing, but stock levels in stores might vary, so it’s worth checking before you head down to your nearest branch.
Advertisement
Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control with Wi-Fi Hub
If you want to make your garage door opener smarter, there’s no need to buy an entirely new system. The Chamberlain myQ smart garage control is designed to work with most existing opener systems that were manufactured after 1993, yet it offers several advantages compared to a non-smart system. One of those advantages is its Amazon Key compatibility, which allows delivery drivers temporary access to your garage to drop parcels away from porch pirates.
Advertisement
If you’d like to keep a closer eye on who’s using your garage and when they’re using it, you can also enable real-time notifications on the smartphone app to let you know when the door is opened. That’s a lot of additional functionality, particularly since the smart garage control retails for only $29.98.
It’s a popular choice among Home Depot buyers, who have given it an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars from around 1,400 reviews at the time of writing. One reviewer calls it an “amazing upgrade for [an] old garage opener,” while another says they “would recommend it to anyone who needs to control their garage away from home.”
Advertisement
Sensor Brite Motion Activated Step Lights
Retailing for $9.98, the Sensor Brite motion-activated step lights are a cheap way to ensure you can always see clearly in your garage during the darker hours. They use motion sensors to automatically activate when you walk within ten feet of them, and they run on battery power, so there’s no need to worry about wiring them in. Screwing them into walls or stairways isn’t necessary either, since they come with adhesive backing.
Each pack contains two lights, but they’re cheap enough that you could buy enough packs to completely illuminate even the largest of garages without breaking the bank. The lights are well-liked by reviewers, and they’ve accrued more than 500 reviews on Home Depot’s website to date. Overall, the lights achieve an average score of 4.3 out of five stars, with reviewers saying they make “great lighting for garage steps” and are “an added benefit to the home.”
Advertisement
DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Electric Portable Inflator Kit
Alongside its core range of power tools, DeWalt also makes a range of useful gadgets including the 20V Max portable inflator kit. It’s a good entry point into the brand’s cordless 20V Max line for anyone who’s new to the DeWalt brand, since it includes everything you’ll need to get started. Alongside the inflator itself, the kit includes a 3Ah battery and a charger that’s compatible with both 12V and 20V DeWalt batteries.
DeWalt is far from the only tool brand that makes a portable inflator. Its arch-rival Milwaukee also sells a similarly priced tire inflator kit, and which one is better comes down to personal preference as much as performance. Still, anyone who buys the DeWalt inflator kit shouldn’t be disappointed. It’s a versatile offering, since it can run off battery power but can also be plugged into an outlet if you don’t have any battery charge remaining. It comes with all the usual features you’d expect to see at this price point — think auto-shut off, a high-volume inflation mode, and a choice of nozzles to fit everything from tires to sports balls.
Advertisement
Buyers are very positive about the inflator’s capabilities and versatility, awarding it an average score of 4.7 out of five stars from more than 2,700 reviews.
Advertisement
TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 Range Extender Adapter
Spotty wi-fi in the garage can be a pain, but it doesn’t have to be. The TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 range extender adapter promises to increase your coverage area within your home, garage, or workshop, and it can connect to all TP-Link OneMesh compatible routers. The setup process is straightforward, with one reviewer saying they “set the relay up in our garage and everything from start to finish took no more than 15 minutes.”
Another reviewer explains that they “installed a couple of wi-fi cameras at the far corner of our garage that couldn’t connect with the router in the other end of [the] house.” They added that “while I was wondering what I’d have to configure to get it to work everything just started working.” Other reviewers are similarly positive, giving the device an average rating of 4.3 out of five stars from more than 100 reviews. While it might be a useful solution, wi-fi extenders do come with some drawbacks, so it’s worth considering whether a wi-fi booster or an extender is best for your network before you add the $84.99 TP-Link extender to your basket.
Advertisement
Klein Tools Jobsite Speaker With Magnetic Mount
A good soundtrack can make even the most tiring jobs more bearable, and if your garage needs a speaker to provide that soundtrack, it’s worth checking out the Klein Tools jobsite speaker. It’s available from Home Depot for $38.76 and it has accrued an average score of 4.4 out of five stars from around 200 reviews at the time of writing. The speaker features a magnetic mount and so it can be securely attached to tool chests or metal shelving, but it’s also compatible with tripods and even lanyards too.
Since it’s designed for the jobsite, it’s tough enough to withstand all of the common hazards that garage use presents. It’ll survive getting dusty or getting showered with debris, and it’s also resistant to water splashes thanks to its IP45 rating. When the speaker is connected to your smartphone, it can also be used to answer calls using the built-in microphone.
Klein Tools says it has a 10-hour battery life, and it can be recharged using the included USB charging cable. The brand’s reputation for durability seems to have carried over to the speaker, too, with one reviewer saying, “I’ve had mine for over five years now and it’s been the toughest, longest lasting speaker I’ve ever had.”
Advertisement
Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Home Security Camera
To complement the myQ smart garage controller and build a comprehensive smart garage setup, buyers could consider the brand’s smart garage security camera. It’s available for $28.85, making it a cost-effective way to see who’s in your garage while you’re travelling or at work. The most affordable version of the camera needs to be plugged in to function, then connected to a wi-fi network. Its feed can then be accessed via the myQ app.
Advertisement
If you need to place the camera in a spot where there’s no outlet available, Chamberlain also offers a battery-powered option, but it’s considerably pricier. A two-pack of battery-powered cameras is available for $118.29. The cheaper option is more commonly reviewed by Home Depot buyers, and has received close to 1,000 reviews to date.
Across those reviews, it has been awarded an average score of four out of five stars. That’s less than most of the other products here, but it’s still enough to make the camera one of the best-reviewed products at Home Depot at its price point. Some of the more negative feedback focuses on the camera’s optional subscription fee to access features like video storage. However, one reviewer notes that “you don’t need a monthly subscription, it helps if you want to store a lot of video but [it’s] not necessary.”
Advertisement
Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan Kit
Ryobi’s USB Lithium clamp fan kit will keep you cool in the garage, the house, or on the road. The kit retails for $39.97 and includes the fan, a 2Ah USB Lithium battery, and a charging cable. It can clamp to surfaces up to 1-¼ inches thick and can be attached to worktops and toolboxes, among many other things.
The kit racked up more than 1,800 reviews from Home Depot customers, and the vast majority are very positive. At the time of writing, it has an average score of 4.7 out of five stars. Even fans of other tool brands have been won over by its value for money, with one reviewer saying that “most of my tools for work are Milwaukee but Milwaukee doesn’t make a small [battery] powered fan.”
Surprisingly, the fan isn’t the only product that Ryobi makes that Milwaukee doesn’t either. The brand with the bright green tools also makes a power carver and a foam cutter, neither of which has a direct Milwaukee equivalent.
Advertisement
Ridgid 3 Gallon Handheld Wet/Dry Shop Vac
A range of manufacturers offer wet/dry shop vacs, but in our comparison of every major vac brand, it was Ridgid which came out on top. The brand’s reputation for durability and the useful extra features available with its vacuums were two reasons for its placement at the top of the pile. A third was the brand’s lifetime warranty, which covers key components against defects in their material or in the vac’s construction.
Advertisement
One of Ridgid’s most compact vacuums is its three gallon handheld wet/dry shop vac, which has an average rating of 4.6 out of five stars from more than 2,000 reviews. While a handful of reviewers report being irritated with the aforementioned warranty’s exclusion of the vac’s hose, most reviewers are satisfied with their purchase. One says that “From car to garage to shop, it is a champ,” while another says that it works “a lot better than dragging out my big Ridgid vac out just to do […] small things […] in the garage or in the house.” It’s available from Home Depot for $69.97.
Advertisement
Chamberlain Wireless Garage Door Keypad
Even if you’re not set on creating the perfect smart garage setup with app-connected door openers and cameras, there are still plenty of ways to add an extra dash of tech to your garage. The Chamberlain wireless garage door keypad is a great example: it costs $50.04, and it lets users with the correct code temporarily gain garage access. Temporary codes can be created for delivery drivers and can be configured to expire after a set amount of time.
Reviewers are generally in agreement that installing and programming the keypad is straightforward, with one calling it “a great product [that] works exactly as I expected.” Durability shouldn’t be a concern either, since according to one reviewer, their last Chamberlain keypad “worked for 22 years before I had to replace it.” At the time of writing, the keypad has amassed close to 2,000 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5 out of five stars.
Advertisement
Ryobi USB Lithium Magnetic Clamp Light Kit
Look beyond its tool range and there are a whole lot of underrated Ryobi finds that users swear by. One of the top-rated of the bunch is the USB Lithium magnetic clamp light kit, which has an exceptional average rating of 4.9 out of five stars from over 100 reviews at the time of writing. Home Depot reviewers say it “lights up the entire garage,” and that “the little clip that comes with it is very handy to hang it from anywhere you want.” Others call it “very convenient to use” and say that “the magnetic feature is especially helpful when you need both hands free.”
As well as its magnetic base, the light is also compatible with Ryobi’s Link storage system, and so can be hung on the wall with a suitable Link wall mount. The head of the light turns 360°, and it can also pivot up to 180°, making it easy to mount it in a wide variety of locations and still get the perfect lighting angle. The light is available as part of a kit for $49.97, and it’s bundled with a 2Ah USB Lithium battery and a charging cable.
Advertisement
Genie Signature Series 2 HPc Smart Garage Door Opener
If your garage door opener is in good working condition, the most affordable way to add extra smart features is to fit a myQ smart garage door controller. However, if you’re in need of a new opener system, the Genie Signature Series smart garage door opener is a worthy alternative. The system is integrated with the brand’s app from the get-go, and it also comes with two garage remotes for good measure.
When used with the companion app, the garage door can be opened using voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. When it’s being lowered again, an infrared sensor cuts down the chance of the door accidentally coming into contact with a vehicle, object, or person by automatically stopping the door if it detects an obstruction. At a retail price of $379, the system is a larger investment than most of the other gadgets here, but it’s one of the best reviewed products in its category at Home Depot.
Advertisement
At the time of writing, it has an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars from more than 1,300 reviews. While some reviewers criticize its rail design and construction, others are won over by the system, calling it “one of the best purchases from Home Depot” and adding that it was easy to install.
Advertisement
Klein Tools 600V Digital Multimeter
Keeping a multimeter around is always a good idea, since you never know when it might come in useful. There are more ways to use one around the home and garage than you might think, from automotive diagnosis to battery testing. With any gadget, there can be a temptation to pay more for an example with additional features, but the Klein Tools 600V digital multimeter should strike the right balance of features and pricing for most people.
It offers lead alert protection, a backlit display, and a kickstand so it can stand freely during use or storage. Furthermore, it’s able to measure voltage, current, and resistance, and is designed to be easy to use for novices and professionals alike. Few reviewers have bad things to say about the multimeter, giving it an average of 4.7 out of five stars from almost 400 reviews. One reviewer summed up the tool’s appeal by saying it “works perfectly for my needs, [and] for the price and brand, [you] can’t really go wrong.”
Advertisement
How we picked these handy gadgets
Even the most attractively priced gadget is no good if it doesn’t live up to expectations when you actually start using it. To ensure that these handy garage gadgets were up to the task, we relied on feedback from reviewers at Home Depot. Each of the listed picks was among the top-rated products in its category at the retailer, with an average rating of at least four out of five stars from at least 100 reviews. All prices listed refer to the retail price on Home Depot’s website at the time of writing, and do not account for promotions or limited-time discounts.
Microsoft is preparing to bring another change to the humble Notepad app. According to Windows Latest, internal testing on Windows 11 shows that the classic text editor is gaining full image support.
Notepad was once just a simple tool for typing plain text, but that simplicity has steadily evolved over multiple updates. Microsoft has modernized Notepad with autosave, undo history, and Markdown formatting. You can now apply basic styling, such as bold text, italics, and links.
WordPad, the older rich text editor that could handle images, has been removed from Windows, leaving Notepad to fill the gap. With WordPad gone, Microsoft appears to be expanding Notepad’s capabilities to cover more use cases.
The new image support will be part of Notepad’s extended formatting features. Microsoft sources told Windows Latest that image support is being tested in internal versions of Notepad. You’d be able to turn the feature off in Settings if you prefer the classic text-only experience.
Advertisement
How Notepad has been quietly changing
Microsoft
Image support in Notepad can be seen as a natural step toward a more capable note-taking tool, similar to Apple’s Notes or other built-in apps that support text formatting and images.
However, adding too many features could dilute what made Notepad appealing to users in the first place. Adding visual elements risks blurring the line between Notepad and more complex apps like OneNote.
Notepad’s evolution reflects broader changes in how people use built-in apps. If image support rolls out widely, the simple editor could become a more flexible space for jotting down ideas, links, and pictures all in one place.
