Lifehacker

Though trains were once the dominant mode of transportation in the United States, that all changed following the rise of the automobile, and later, air travel. Companies merged, routes were closed, and traveling by rail became expensive and inconvenient.Read more...

It's an all-noun puzzle today, or at least it looks that way until you STUDY the words closely. If you're looking for the Connections answer for Saturday, November 4, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I'll explain the meanings of...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Welcome to Training Diaries, a new Lifehacker series about my journey to the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon. This series will cover all the ups, downs, and hill repeats on my journey to the biggest marathon in the world. Leading up to race day on Sunday, Nov. 5, I'll go over proper fueling, injuries and setbacks,...Read more...

The Department of the Treasury announced last week that the new rate for I bonds issued between November 2023 and April 2024 is 5.27%. This number includes a fixed rate of 1.30%. With inflation causing concerns for your investments across the board, U.S. savings bonds are considered a safe bet, since they're fully...Read more...

We North Americans are entering our twenty-first (give or take) Thanksgiving season of the Internet age and, as such, it no longer feels controversial to publicly state your dislike for turkey. Outside of tradition, there's really no reason to feature turkey in a lavish, celebratory meal.

It's pretty much an American tradition that the FDA only bans a controversial ingredient after companies have mostly stopped using it-that's how it went with trans fats and with BPA in baby bottles. Now, brominated vegetable oil (BVO) stands ready to join the list. The additive was once used in Mountain Dew, and is...Read more...

Throwing away food really bums me out. I'll do anything to prevent it, including meeting friends at BYOF bars and pushing food onto them. When I can't do that, I'm a master of leftovers. I've concocted some really excellent re-works, like leftover rice salad, leftover cheeseball mac and cheese, or turning leftover...Read more...

I CAN GIVE YOU MASSIVE ARMS, BROAD SHOULDERS, AND A GIANT SIZED CHEST IN JUST FOUR WEEKS," the Body-Tone pamphlet promises. It is the World's Fastest Strength and Muscle Building System." It cost $20 in the late 1950s, but I found the text of the program in the Stark Center Archives. I am ready to begin.Read more...

Everyone knows that buying a home is expensive as heck-but the list of extra costs associated with buying a home can be shocking. Aside from closing costs, there are home inspections to pay for, lawyer fees-and possibly private mortgage insurance (PMI).

Years ago, Lifehacker shared a productivity method called Don't Break the Chain," attributed to comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who allegedly shared the secret during a surprise interview at an open mic night in the 1990s. While the comedy legend has gone on to claim he never advocated for such a non-idea" at all, the...Read more...

I have a friend who used to love to use food poisoning as an excuse to take a day off work or otherwise avoid things she didn't feel like doing. It's a pretty good lie because food poisoning can make you feel really awful but only for a short amount of time. No one will be surprised at how totally OK you look the next...Read more...

Early Black Friday deals are impressive this year, and you should be taking advantage of any early Black Friday deal that works for you. We've already seen some record-low prices from Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. Just make sure to be shopping smartly so you don't end up overspending. Best Buy, in particular,...Read more...

This grade A" refurbished 7th-generation Apple iPad comes with open-box Beats Flex wireless headphones and a complete set of accessories for $229.99 (reg. $299.99).Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

AdGuard is an ad-blocker with built-in privacy and digital safety protections-and a lifetime subscription to their family plan is now on sale for $16.97 (reg. $129.99) through Nov. 9. The family plan covers nine devices and works on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

If you have a room with no overhead light fixture, or one in which the main light switch isn't convenient, you can solve your problem by adding a switch to one of your power outlets to control a lamp instead. Whether it's in an entryway, bedroom, or some other space that needs illumination, here's what you need to...Read more...

Before we all begin the long, excruciating march through the holidays, let's take one last look back at Halloween, the lowest-expectation holiday of all, by checking out the most meme-tactic costumes of 2023 and melting all our Halloween candy together into one super-bar. Also: Taylor Swift implies she's straight...Read more...

The thought of someone secretly living in your house and silently waiting in the closet for you to go to work so they can eat your food and pet your cat is terrifying, but it apparently happens often enough to have a name. It's called phrogging" and it differs from home invasion and robbery mainly in intent.

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

ARE WE THERE YET? The first line of today's puzzle was thematically appropriate. I kept thinking I had solved the tricky purple category, only to find there must be something trickier still waiting for me. If you're looking for the Connections answer for Friday, November 3, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips,...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

I've wanted to get into custom keyboards for a while now, but was intimidated by their seeming complexity. I'm not the most patient person, and going through the tedious work of sorting and sourcing the expensive pins, keycaps, and everything else a custom keyboard needs-and then assembling it myself-seemed more...Read more...

Dessert is always last-in eating order, but also on the priority prep list. Preparing the Thanksgiving turkey and a diverse list of sides is enough to pull the cook's focus away from the pies on the menu. Enter, the store-bought pie crust-the fast and easy way to save yourself from the teeth-clenching stress of...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Early Black Friday deals this year are as good as any we've previously seen on Black Friday itself, as major retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, Target, and Walmart are already making their moves. One of the best Apple deals you'll find is already available too, as Apple's AirPods Pro with USB-C are just $189...Read more...

These days, we have the luxury of choice when it comes to computers, especially Macs: If all you do is light work, internet browsing, and content consumption, you don't have to spend much at all for a very capable Mac. On the flip side, if your job or hobbies are demanding, there's a Mac out there that can fill your...Read more...

Law enforcement officers and agents will hide who they are for all kinds of reasons, from catching speeders to infiltrating extremist political groups to preventing the kidnappings of state governors. It's often hard to recognize undercover cops, but there are some tells, so here's a rough guide to recognizing cops...Read more...

Much is uncertain in this life, but one thing is for sure: At some point in your future, you will be forced to sleep on a couch. No matter how old and successful you become, the possibility that you will be required to sleep on a couch like a college kid with bedspins is never zero.

This new, open-box Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for the 10th-generation iPad is on sale right now for 60% off. Its keys have a scissor mechanism that offers 1mm travel, and the QWERTY keyboard has a 14-key function row for easy keyboard shortcuts.Read more...

Leftover cornbread is a sad, dusty thing. It's hard to believe it could ever even be left over-the stuff is so exquisite when fresh-but Thanksgiving leads to leftover everything. Whether you made too much for your famous stuffing, or the cornbread muffins were forgotten at dinner, there's a way you can give stale...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Good news for savers: The IRS announced yesterday that next year's contribution limits for 401(k)s and other tax-advantaged retirement plans are being increased to account for inflation. Since it's always a good idea to max out your retirement contributions, let's take a look at what these new limits are for the 2024...Read more...

Google Chrome on iOS has finally added one of the best features of Safari-the ability to move the address bar to the bottom of the screen. When you're using a phone with a massive display, it's hard to reach the top of the screen to type the name of the site. If the tab bar is at the bottom, it's much easier to reach.

This 4K HDMI retro gaming system is on sale ahead of Black Friday, through Nov. 9, for $49.97 (reg. $99) with no coupon code needed. The game stick is packed with more than 10,000 games built in, including classics many of us know and love.Read more...

With watchOS 10, Apple breathed new life into the Apple Watch, without even changing the hardware design. Now, watchOS finally embraces buttons, and higher information density across the board. Most importantly, in my view, are widgets, which have the potential to change how you interact with your Apple Watch for the...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Hot water heaters might seem too complicated and intimidating to fix. They have plumbing and electrical components-two things that usually signal that hiring a pro is the best choice when you need help. While this is true for bigger problems, there are some common maintenance and repair tasks that you can do yourself...Read more...

Is the internet dead? Proponents of the Dead Internet Theory believe that the internet, as we understand it, doesn't exist. It died around 2016, and since then, everything we see online, from Instagram pictures to this post on Lifehacker, has been generated by artificial intelligence and fed to consumers by a shadowy...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.

Ready for some INTEL on today's computer-brand-studded board? If you're looking for the Connections answer for Thursday, November 2, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I'll explain the meanings of the trickier words and we'll...Read more...

According to Psychology Today, as many three-quarters of bereaved people report some kind of after-death communication with loved ones. This could come in the form of a dream, a feeling, a favorite song on the radio, just about anything, really. I'm going to discount the most likely and most boring explanation for...Read more...

Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we'd usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We've got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.Read more...

The Apple Pencil is tied with a keyboard case as the no-brainer iPad accessory to buy. With it, your iPad turns into a notebook, a sketchbook, and a drawing tablet, and you'll find plenty of casual use cases for the Pencil along the way. (Instead of typing into a text field, try writing in it instead.)

Don't leave money on the table: You may be eligible for one of the following class-action settlements with November filing deadlines. Read on to learn what the settlements are for, who is eligible, how to claim your slice of the settlement, and how much you can expect to get. (And keep in mind this is not a complete...Read more...

For the best use of your paid time off this year, I'm here to suggest that you take a day off on Jan. 8.