Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. Legacy Archives

OfficePOD brings a minimalist office to your backyard

Add as a preferred source on Google
officepod
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Working from home is a great option for some folks, depending on the job. If you have a desk job, working from home can give you more time with your family, lessen your commute, or just offer a more relaxing environment. It all sounds great, right? Well, if you’ve ever called in sick to work but said you’d work from home, you might already realize the big problem. It’s hard to get things done when you have access to your bed, couch, snacks, and TV. But if you have the backyard room to spare (and somewhere around $24,000), you might consider getting an OfficePOD for a more productive workspace. The idea behind this design was to create a productive and separate space for those who work from home, without the distractions that come with setting up shop in your living room or bedroom.

Forget the long commute to work and get an OfficePod built right in your backyard, literally. The OfficePod is designed to be just big enough for a productive work space, so don’t expect a luxurious conference room, but it is outfitted with the highest-quality finishes both inside and out. The design features a large window, built-in cabinets, a long floating desk, and a locking door for extra security. You don’t need to have a mansion to get one installed, either. The OfficePod was created to fit in even small, garden-sized backyards. While this may be mostly an interesting design concept today, considering most of us don’t have the money to make such a switch, OfficePods could certainly be the workplace of the future. Working from home costs employers significantly less money, provides employees with increased flexibility, and can cut down on stress. We have to say that we wouldn’t mind working from home if we had little office utopias like these in our backyards.

Kelly Montgomery
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kelly Montgomery is a magazine journalism graduate from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications…
The Google Home Speaker is impressive, until you look at the power cable
Sphere, Electronics, Speaker

The Google Home Speaker hasn't even started shipping yet, but one lucky buyer managed to grab one early and share their first impressions. While most of the news is positive, there's one detail that won't sit well with anyone who cares about repairability.

For the unaware, Google announced the speaker back in October 2025, and pre-orders went live last week. Priced at $99, it's the company's first new speaker in six years, so people have plenty of questions. 

Read more
I went looking for the best Prime Day bargains on Google hardware, and these are the winners
Prime Day discounts are hitting everything from Pixel phones to Nest cameras and the Pixel Watch 4. After digging through the listings, these are the deals that stood out the most.
Google Pixel 10 vs Pixel 10 Pro

Some Prime Day deals feel like discounts in name only, but after digging through this year's sale, I found a few Google deals that are genuinely worth your attention. Several Pixel 10 models are seeing triple-digit price cuts, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is at its lowest price yet, and a few Nest products are available at prices that are actually hard to ignore. Whether you're looking for a new smartphone, smartwatch, streaming device, or smart home upgrade, these are the Google deals I'd recommend before Prime Day wraps up on June 26.

Pixel 10a

Read more
This Prime Day, Sylvox Is Offering Up To 28% Off Its Frameless Outdoor TVs
Sylvox's Prime Day sale offers discounts of up to 28% across its outdoor TV lineup, including the Frameless Series, Deck Pro 3.0, and Cinema Series.
Indoors, Interior Design, Appliance

Prime Day is often associated with upgrading devices inside the home, but some of the most interesting deals this year are focused on the spaces outside it. From June 23 to June 26, Sylvox is offering discounts of up to 28% on its Frameless Series Outdoor TVs, bringing down the cost of a category that has become increasingly relevant as homeowners invest more in their outdoor living spaces.

The timing reflects a broader shift in how backyards, patios, and decks are being used. What were once occasional gathering spots are increasingly functioning as extensions of the home, doubling up as entertainment areas, outdoor dining spaces, and even wellness zones. As these spaces evolve, homeowners are paying closer attention to the products they bring into them—not just in terms of performance, but also how they fit into the overall design.

Read more