Lifehacker

If you're looking for the Connections answer for Wednesday, October 18, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 18, NYT Connections #129! It's a relatively easy one today, as these things go. Read on if...Read more...

Cleaning in any order is always better than not cleaning at all, but there are ways to do it that make it more efficient. If you clean your home in the wrong order, you risk making a mess in places you've already taken care of. But what is the right order?

To me, there's no better part of spooky season than carving a pumpkin. But what if I told you there was a way to add some power tools into the mix and make this low-key seasonal activity even more exciting? If you love tools as much as I do, you'll be happy to learn that you can carve pumpkins with a variety of...Read more...

The AAXA L500 Bluetooth Smart Projector is a 500-lumen projector that supports wired and wireless connections between devices, and it's on sale for $189.99 right now (reg. $199). This projector can connect via Bluetooth or an HDMI cable to play video in 1080p resolution. A 10W high-low frequency speaker is built in,...Read more...

There's a lot to like about the Pixel Watch 2, Google's latest Android smartwatch. For starters, the battery finally lasts all day, even when using the always-on display. It also runs Wear OS 4 out the box, giving it the snappiest version of the Android wearable OS we've seen yet (and is what helped make the Galaxy...Read more...

The landmine" (or angled barbell) attachment is a hidden gem in many gyms, and it opens up all kinds of possibilities that regular dumbbells and barbells don't offer. For example, you can work the same muscles as an overhead press without aggravating your shoulders, if that's an issue for you.Read more...

Putting furniture over vents is a bad idea. Blocking the flow of warm or cool air makes your heating and air conditioning system work that much harder, and reduces its effectiveness. Placing your bed or couch over a vent can also make it feel like you're sitting or sleeping in an oven (or a refrigerator). And if the...Read more...

For a country that could fit inside the state of Nevada, Italy seems disproportionately affected by hyper-regionality, particularly when it comes to food. Take pasta e fagioli, for instance, which translates to pasta and beans." Easy enough, but travel the country from the top down, and you'll find tons of variations...Read more...

Streaming was originally sold to us as an ad-free escape from traditional cable: You pay a company like Netflix a certain amount per month, and you get to watch their content without interruption.

Looking to pay less for a powerful new laptop? Your best bet right now might be this new Microsoft Surface Laptop 4, currently 57% off from Woot. It's going for $599.99, marked down from $$1,400. The catch is, the deal is only available until Oct. 18 at 1 am ET, or while supplies last. This is a very limited deal, but...Read more...

Lots of people are hearing about Novavax, the fourth COVID vaccine option in the U.S., for the first time, but it's been authorized for use as a primary vaccine series since early 2022. Previously, it was only available for those who hadn't received a mRNA vaccine-an alternative for those who either couldn't or...Read more...

Each time you accept the privacy policies and terms of service on any app or website, there's a chance some of your data is being sold. Information brokers, also known as data brokers, are organizations whose entire business model involves collecting your personal data and selling it to advertisers. This may include...Read more...

Making a graham cracker crust for your no-bake pies and cheesecakes is a bit old hat these days. Usher in this festive season with a crumb crust that's far from ordinary, but familiar at the same time. This crust provides a unique texture, and it just might be the easiest crumb crust out there. You can make a press-in...Read more...

There are many ways to watch YouTube ad-free (I highly recommend YouTube Premium). But even if you shell out $13.99 per month to remove autoplay ads on YouTube, you still can't get rid of sponsorship ads. No matter how you watch YouTube, a popular creator may still place an ad read in the middle of a video with no...Read more...

No vehicle is completely immune to the risk of a flat tire or a dead battery, which can be inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst. Roadside assistance does the work of locating and dispatching a tow truck or service vehicle for you, which comes in handy at odd hours or in unfamiliar locations. A service call,...Read more...

I've long maintained a bias against expensive appliances. Could a pricey vacuum really be $500 better than a basic one? It is, I admit, why I never succumbed to buying a Dyson product, no matter how wooed I was by the gentle British accent in the commercials. Welp, I was wrong. I have been using the Dyson Gen5 Detect...Read more...

If you don't live in a sunny climate where cannabis grows well without much intervention-in other words, if you live in most of the country-you can be forgiven for not trying to grow your own weed.

Right about now is a good time to appreciate your house plants. They help satisfy your green thumb throughout the fall and winter months, they break up the hard spaces in our homes, and they remind us to care for something other than ourselves. With fall solidly here, it's time to give our houseplants the love and...Read more...

The French lean pretty heavily on butter-and we let them, because they do wonderful things with it. Beurre blanc, for example, is a sauce made with a shallot-infused wine and vinegar reduction, a healthy slug of cream, and two whole sticks of butter. Of course it tastes good-all creamy, tangy, and rich-but you can...Read more...

The Elite Series 2 Core wireless controller has hit one of its lowest prices since its release in September 2022. You can get it from the Microsoft website for $88.99 (originally $129.99). The lowest price it's been on Amazon is $98.52 this summer, according to Camelcamelcamel, but still higher than the $79 it briefly...Read more...

If you're looking for the Connections answer for Tuesday, October 17, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 17, NYT Connections #128! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today's...Read more...

The Alpha Z Pro and the Flying Fox are two wide-angle dual-camera drones that you can get together on sale for $144.99 right now. Both drones have a six-axis gyroscope and one-button return for smooth flights and easier landings, and they also both have first-person flight capabilities.Read more...

You already know you should clean your sex toys, but vowing to do it is easy, before you really take a good look at what you've got. Sex toys are made out of all different kinds of materials. Some feel squishy, some are hard, some have electric components, and some go in different places than others. Does that impact...Read more...

Everything is more expensive these days, and one of the most dramatic examples inflation is in the used car market, which has seen prices soar as much as 40% in just a few years. Where you could once reliably find an affordable beater that would get you to and from work for a while, that's no longer the case.

While many types of exercise can be good for lowering your blood pressure, a recent review of studies found that isometric exercise may have the greatest effect. Isometrics are a simple form of exercise where you're holding the same position throughout the exercise, like a plank.Read more...

Naked pizza" might sound confusing at first, if not slightly scandalous. After all, half of the fun is adding flavorful toppings, so what is the allure of nude dough? A naked pizza is more than its title; think of it as a starting point for alternative toppings. The technique is simple, but you're going to need some ...Read more...

The Razr was a defining phone in the 00s,. If you had one of Motorola's iconic flip phones, you were cool. These days, though, the Razr name mostly invokes feelings of nostalgia. You might even be surprised to learn that Motorola now sells a line of foldable smartphones under this name. And issues of branding aside,...Read more...

The Pixel 8 Pro is Google's latest top-of-the-line flagship device, and while some have argued that the new device doesn't offer enough at its price point, I think Google is finally starting to get into its groove. What we're seeing with the Pixel 8 Pro is the first step to Google creating one of the best Android...Read more...

You can integrate ChatGPT into your WordPress site with this plugin on sale for $59.99 right now (reg. $299). This plugin connects to your existing OpenAI account and doesn't include paying for the Plus version of ChatGPT. It gets ChatGPT on the front-end of your website, the backend for admin, or both. You can use it...Read more...

Loading a bar is easy, right? You just put the plates on; and at the end of the workout, you take the plates off. But if you've ever stood befuddled in the middle of the weight room, you might wonder why nobody ever told you how, exactly, to do this. There are little tricks and movements that experienced gym-goers...Read more...

Whether or not you love hearing spooky stories all year round,October is inarguably the best time of year to indulge. If you're looking for a podcast that will scare you silly, here's a terrifyingly good roundup of prospects-some based on true stories, some thankfully not, some funny, some safe for kids, and all...Read more...

While it is convenient to have a flashlight function available on your smartphone whenever you might need it, your iPhone's flashlight-even at minimum brightness-can often be too bright, especially if you accidentally point it at someone. But there is a way to lower the flashlight's brightness below that minimum level.

Roasted-or even air fried-pumpkin seeds are usually just fine. At their best, they're crispy bits of heavily seasoned fiber. At their worst, they're tough, chewy, and bland. Most people mitigate toughness and blandness with a 10-minute, salt water soak, but I like to take things a tad further and brine them overnight...Read more...

It's official: Intel has announced the 14th generation of its Intel Core desktop chip, introducing six unlocked desktop CPUs for enthusiasts" to the lineup: the i9-14900K/KF, i7-14700K/KF and i5-14600K/KF.Read more...

Best Buy is offering the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7, a 43-inch 4K smart gaming monitor, for half the price, currently at $499.99 (was $999.99). This is the lowest price it's been for the past three months, according to Honey's price history. Here's what you can expect from this gaming monitor.

Micmonster's voiceover tool offers access to an enormous voiceover library available in more than 140 languages, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $59.99 right now (reg. $119). Micmonster turns text into one of over 600 different voices to help bring your project to life, whether you create content for a...Read more...

No matter how careful you are with your DIY paint job, there's a good chance a few drops will end up where you don't want them, such as on your tile floor or dripping down a glass window pane. While this can certainly be annoying, and potentially require a few extra hours of labor, with the right knowhow, paint...Read more...

Cramming for tests doesn't work-scheduling consistent, serious study sessions is always a better idea. Sometimes, though, you're in a rush to study; it happens to the best of us. And you can make the best of that by speed reading effectively. There are ways to skim that can still help you learn and retain some...Read more...

With another school year underway, parents and teachers of any of the six million children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, might notice that they are finding it challenging to keep up. Students might be struggling to pay attention, have trouble sitting still, or can't control...Read more...

Web hosting doesn't have to cost a fortune if you go through a hosting service like iBrave, and it's on sale for $99.99 right now. iBrave Cloud Web Hosting offers unlimited cloud hosting that includes fast servers and premium features, like a one-click WordPress install, a user-friendly control panel, and a free...Read more...

The word chili" can mean a lot of different things, depending on where you are in the country. Setting chili peppers aside, the dish known as chili" can take a few forms, most commonly a mess of meat or beans or some combination of the two, usually swimming in a base of tomato, garlic, onion, and (of course) chili...Read more...

Part of the proposition of smart home technology is less"-fewer plugs, fewer remotes, fewer extension cords. Items are controlled via wifi or Bluetooth, and the result is (usually) a sleek, streamlined gadget or switch. SwitchBot saw that model and gave it the finger.Read more...

The good news is, you're not losing your hearing. The bad news? Dialogue on television has been going down the drain for some time, despite improvements in technology. This is due to a variety of reasons, mainly having to do with actors not having to enunciate or articulate their lines as much-ironically, because of...Read more...

If you're looking for the Connections answer for Monday, October 16, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 16, NYT Connections #127! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today's...Read more...

As part of your fall gardening checklist, you'll likely get your tools and equipment readywinter storage. It's a good idea to wash everything before putting it away, but some tools-like those used for pruning-could also benefit from being disinfected. Here's what to know.Read more...

Luggage technology has come a long way over the past few decades, going from heavy pieces without wheels, to lightweight suitcases and carry-ons that glide through airports on four wheels. According to Consumer Reports (CR), most Americans have opted to invest in soft-sided luggage, but now that hard-shell luggage has...Read more...

Though they're less common today than in the past, many people still use a box spring between their mattress and bed frame. Back when innerspring mattresses were the norm, box springs were used for support, and to ensure that they didn't sag or sink over time.Read more...

You can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro on sale for $29.97 right now (reg. $199). The latest update includes features like custom widgets, biometric logins, and a brand-new interface. Windows 11 Pro features a user-friendly design that makes it easier to use, including the Wake and Lock feature, which automatically wakes...Read more...

If you're looking for the Connections answer for Sunday, October 15, 2023, read on-I'll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 15, NYT Connections #126! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today's...Read more...

Whether it's a colleague, friend, or family member, asking someone to do something can be intimidating. So, when the person responds to your request with something noncommittal like I'll look into it," we may leave it there, without pressing them for a timeline.Read more...