The pandemic has produced a strange time for employers. Many workers across the country have left their jobs and decided not to return. That’s why businesses have employee shortages, and some close for a couple of days each week as a result.

It’s a strange predicament: Although there are more job openings now than there were at this same time last year, millions of Americans are unemployed. There are many different reasons, from fears about spreading Covid-19 to the inability to find childcare.

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If you own a company, you know how complex accounting can be. When entry-level software comes up short, you start looking at the big dogs.

I’ve gotten emails and calls from lots of people over the years who are ready to say goodbye to QuickBooks. It can slow you down and make your workflow harder than necessary — especially when you’re using it for payroll.

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Apple Music grew in popularity when programs like Napster were making paying for music less than favorable. Since then, no other music platform has been able to beat them out. That is until Spotify entered the market.

Spotify has grown in size and expanded its offerings over the last few years, and today it rivals Apple Music in many ways. This begs the question, which is better? Spotify or Apple Music? Looking for a place to store your music? Tap or click here to set up your own music server in a few easy steps.

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When it comes to browsers, you really are spoiled for choice. You can go with Big Tech or smaller independent companies. Is customization important to you? How about built-in safety features like password managers and breach alerts?

If you’re concerned about privacy, your head is in the right place. The big names in browsers have pros and cons when it comes to how they handle your data. Tap or click here to check out our roundup of the best browsers for privacy.

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Are you looking to upgrade your current Echo smart speaker, or make the jump to other Alexa-enabled devices? Here’s the current list of Echo devices available now.

Echo smart speakers
	Echo Flex	Echo Dot (3rd Gen)	Echo Dot (4th Gen)	Echo Dot with clock (4th Gen)	Echo (4th Gen)	Echo Studio
Speakers	0.6″ mini speaker	1.6″ speaker	1.6″ front-firing speaker	1.6″ front-firing speaker	3.0″ woofer and dual front-firing 0.8″ tweeters	1.0″ tweeter, three 2.0″ mid-range speakers, and 5.3″ woofer
Line in/out	3.5 mm line out	3.5 mm line out	3.5 mm line out	3.5 mm line out	3.5 mm line in/out	3.5 mm or mini-optical Toslink line in
Dolby technology	No	No	No	No	Dolby audio	Dolby Atmos
Built-in Zigbee smart home hub*	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
LED display	No	No	No	Yes	No	No

*Zigbee is a wireless protocol that allows Amazon Echo devices to communicate with otherwise incompatible smart home tech.

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Streaming movies and TV shows from Netflix, Hulu and your other favorite services has never been easier thanks to feature-packed gadgets like Amazon’s Fire TV lineup. Compare the different models below, all updated for 2020.

	Fire TV Stick Lite (2020)	Fire TV Stick (2020)	Fire TV Stick 4K (2018)	Fire TV Cube (2019)
Included remote	Alexa Voice Remote Lite	Alexa Voice Remote	Alexa Voice Remote	Alexa Voice Remote
Remote with TV controls (power/volume buttons)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supported audio	HDMI pass-through for Dolby Atmos Audio	Dolby Atmos Audio	Dolby Atmos Audio	Dolby Atmos Audio
Best for	Streaming essentials	Streaming essentials plus TV control	Vivid 4K Ultra HD streaming	Hands-free voice control of entertainment
Hands-free with Alexa	No	No	No	Yes
Picture quality	Up to 1080p Full HD with support for HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG	Up to 1080p Full HD with support for HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG	Up to 4K Ultra HD with support for HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision	Up to 4K Ultra HD with support for HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision
Behind-the-TV design	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Storage	8 GB	8 GB	8 GB	16 GB
Quad-core processor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Hexa-core
Optional Amazon Ethernet Adapter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Full Ethernet support

If you’re looking at adding a DVR, check out Fire TV Recast. This gadget lets you watch live or recorded content from over-the-air TV. All you’ll need is the Fire TV Recast, the companion Fire TV mobile app and an HD antenna.

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During these stressful times, music has become a bastion of relaxation for many people. One of the best ways to listen to whatever you want is through free music streaming services.

Over the last decade, the prominence of these services has skyrocketed. Going from simple music players to complex algorithmic playlist creators. Want to find the best video streaming service for you? Tap or click here to see our comparison of services like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

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Apple and Android have both come a long way since their initial tablet models. Today, there’s a wide selection of Android tablets, some of which offer features that surpass those of Apple’s iPad.

As with Android smartphones, many manufacturers like Samsung, Google and Lenovo lend their names to suped-up tablets. With such a large number of producers, you’ll notice variations in style, function and price when shopping for the right device, but it’s all in the name of amazing features and capabilities.

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If you find yourself in the market for a new pair of headphones, you’ll probably notice there are options — a lot of them. From wired to wireless, over-the-ear to earbuds and other features like noise-canceling to take into account, choosing the pair that’s right for you can become a challenge.

A lot of new models even have digital voice assistants built-in, like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, so you can say what you want to listen to next or control other connected devices. Tap or click here to learn more about routines that will make your smart assistant even smarter.

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There are a couple of different types of streaming services and some offer live TV — tap or click here to see our comparison chart on those.

For this chart, our focus will be the following on-demand streaming services:

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The e-reader is a great way to read tons of books without cluttering up your home. About the same size as a paperback, they hold hundreds or even thousands of titles. You can download the latest best-sellers starting at around $10 and there are thousands of titles available online for free.

Amazon has cornered the e-reader market but there are still some really good ones to choose from. New models are still being released and manufacturers are updating older models, which can make it difficult to choose which one to buy, but we can help.

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There are two types of steaming gadgets: set-top boxes and HDMI sticks. Streaming boxes are larger and more expensive, but tend to be more powerful. HDMI sticks are the size of USB drives and plug right into your TV’s HDMI port. That means less clutter in your entertainment center and less impact on your wallet.

This chart will help you compare and contrast the best streaming devices on the market so you can make the right decision for your entertainment needs.

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Apple’s three new iPhones — the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max — are all mostly an upgrade from last year’s iPhone XS series, but with some enhanced internal specs and improved cameras.

The iPhone 11 Pro models are the typical upgraded versions of the iPhone XS. The iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch OLED display, similar to the iPhone XS, while the 11 Pro Max has a large 6.5-inch OLED display, keeping the sizes in line for the second year in a row.

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There are two types of steaming gadgets: set-top boxes and HDMI sticks. HDMI sticks are the size of USB drives and plug right into your TV’s HDMI port. That means less clutter in your entertainment center and they’re also cheaper.

(Bonus: Need more help choosing the best video streaming option? We have other helpful charts that will help you make an informed decision. Click here to see the chart comparing streaming media player boxes, and here for a comparison of streaming service channel lineups.)

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Amazon may have had a head start with the Amazon Echo but with the launch of the Google Home, Apple HomePod and Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Home, the other tech giants are quickly catching up.

Click here to read more about the Amazon Echo vs. Google Home.

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Listings on the chart on this page may vary based on your location. Check with the providers to verify their most up-to-date channel offerings. If we’ve made an error, please let us know.

Hulu With Live TV — We present its basic channel lineup. It has two additional packages — Entertainment Add-on and Espanol Add-on — that offer even more channels. To view, go to hulu.com and select “Channels,” then “Customize with add-ons” and select “Network Add-ons.”

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There are two types of steaming gadgets: set-top boxes and HDMI sticks. Streaming boxes are larger and more expensive, but tend to be more powerful.

(Bonus:Need more help choosing the best video streaming option? We have other helpful charts that will help you make an informed decision. Click here to see a chart comparing streaming sticks, and here for a comparison of streaming service channel line-ups.)

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