Plus: The old phone apocalypse, finding library books with ease, and a year of great apps.

While some of you might be hitting the gym as part of your New Year’s resolutions, now’s a fine time to make sure your gadgets are in peak shape as well.

Plus: The next smart home standard, search sidebar tricks, and interesting earbud deals

While I recommend a lot of apps, tools, and gadgets in this newsletter and elsewhere—and believe in experimenting to discover what works for you—in the end only a handful become essential.

Plus: An iOS YouTube enhancer, a Windows dark mode switcher, and a simple podcast sampler

While streaming music services such as Spotify and Apple Music typically charge $10 per month for access to their vast on-demand catalogs, I’ve managed to pay far less by bouncing between them.

Plus: Windows search shenanigans, a private Google Docs alternative, and a fast-charging follow-up

It’s a great time to upgrade if you know what to look for, but one’s eyes can easily glaze over at the vast array of brands, screen sizes, features, and tech specs on offer.