Lifehacker

If you want to check how fast (or slow) your internet is, the usual method is to go to speedtest.net, fast.com, or any of the bajillion other internet speed test sites. But if you have a Mac running macOS Monterey, you don’t need to visit any website to check your internet speed. There’s now a built-in tool in macOS,…Read more...

Of course you need a passport to cross international borders, but they’re more than a required travel document: They keep track of your globetrotting, and there’s nuance to both the design of your passport booklet and the access it provides. Here are 12 interesting facts you may not know about your passport.Read more...

One of the big shifts between our parents’ generation and ours is the increasing number of families who are choosing to raise their children without religious beliefs. In a 2019 survey that was conducted by the American Enterprise Institute, only 42% of families with children under the age of 18 report attending…Read more...

Got an Android device? If so, Google’s got a great selection of apps and games for you to check out. At the end of each year, both Apple and Google award the best apps and games on their respective app stores. (If you have an iPhone, you should check out our best-of Apple list.) And if you haven’t had the time to try…Read more...

On Christmas morning breakfast should be fairly hands-off and immensely forgivable, which is why I usually favor a combination of out-of-a-tube cinnamon rolls and bacon or a bag of sausage biscuits from McDonald’s. I realize, however, that some red-blooded Americans need eggs to get their day going, even if that day…Read more...

The 2020 holiday season was no picnic, but it looks like 2021 will have its own challenges. Although vaccines are available for the vast majority of Americans who want them, we are still very much in the middle of a global pandemic, battling the latest new, concerning variant. Although things don’t quite look like we…Read more...

If a straight-up snitch like the Elf on the Shelf can become a holiday mainstay, literally anything can—and many stranger things have. I’m here to argue that the following activities, ideas, and traditions that were once annual winter traditions somewhere, can be again if we all believe hard enough. And believe, I do.

Socks may come into this world as a pair, but they almost always leave this world alone. Luckily, you don’t necessarily need to toss out socks that are missing their perfect match, or stretched-out, or threadbare, or hole-y. From cleaning your home to craft supplies for your kids, there are plenty of ingenious ways to…Read more...

I know I’m not the only one who learned to count “one Mississippi, two Mississippi” as a kid. The idea, of course, is that when you insert those words between your numbers, the pace of your counting will roughly match the seconds on a clock. But Mississippi can’t be universal around the world, can it? A redditor asked…Read more...

If you’ve got one, it’s probably your most expensive piece of jewelry: That gleaming stone that says “I do” (or “I did”), that shimmering token of commitment you rarely take off, that bijou that cost some major coin—your engagement ring. Considering the average couple spent close to $4,000 on engagement rings in 2020…Read more...

When it comes to candy making, I tend to favor confections that can be made without a candy thermometer, and ideally in the microwave. Haystacks, cheater’s fudge, lazy caramels, and gin balls are a few of my favorites treats to make, eat, and give, but this year I’m adding peanut brittle to my repertoire (and to my…Read more...

Whether you’re heading back to your hometown like a Hallmark movie or just feeling lonely in general, the holidays are a prime time for that creeping feeling that you ought to text your ex and see what they’re up to. It’s easy enough to get lost in nostalgia about good holiday seasons past and wish you had that old…Read more...

As the year comes to a close, Apple has one last surprise for all of us. No, it’s not another Apple event—it’s a new point release for iPhone and iPad. iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 dropped today, and they finally bring some of the features that were first promised to us in June 2021 at WWDC, even if there’s still no sign…Read more...

If you’re planning on bringing a live evergreen tree into your home to celebrate the holiday season (and haven’t already done so), you may find that the pickings are slim at the usual spots (like street corners, otherwise vacant lots, and dedicated Christmas tree farms). But even if that’s not the case, you may be…Read more...

Attention soda and juice drinkers: If that beverage you’re about to crack open is a Coca-Cola product, you’re going to want to check the label before taking a sip. That’s because some Minute Maid juices, Sprite, and Coca-Cola are part of a company-issued recall.

Remember that thing you like? From before? Well, it’s back.Read more...

Are you balancing your intake of Christmas cookies by ordering Uber Eats for tacos and Pad See Ew (my personal holiday tradition)? Well, you can now keep that app open to get some holiday shopping done, too. Here’s how you can use the food delivery service to shop for your holiday must-haves—including stocking…Read more...

Is someone copying my Instagram? It’s a more common concern than you might think. Scammers sometimes impersonate legitimate accounts on Instagram to fool friends and family or catfish unsuspecting strangers. If you come across an account impersonating you or someone you know, you can take action and request the…Read more...

There are certain things in this world whose appeal is mysterious: Jake Paul. Caesar salads without anchovies. Dubstep. The popularity of the poinsettias plant this time of year is nearly as mysterious—their bright red and green coloring makes them absolutely ideal for the holidays, which explains why they’re easily…Read more...

Hanging plants are a great addition to your home, but watering them can be a hassle—especially if you have high ceilings. To save yourself the trouble, you can make a hanging system that allows you to lower plants easily to watering height and then raise them back up without any step stools required, and with no…Read more...

While machine tattooing is considered the norm in the tattoo industry, another tattooing technique—the “stick-and-poke” method—is becoming increasingly popular. There are some similarities and differences between the two types of tattooing methods to consider before getting inked, and knowing the finer points of both…Read more...

The OG fact-checkers at Snopes have compiled the year’s best and worst holiday rumors, social media glurge, and questionable email forwards. Here’s a quick guide so you’ll know how to respond when they come across your aunt’s Facebook feed this holiday season.

As a kid, I couldn’t get enough of Rice Krispies treats. The gooey texture of marshmallows. The crunch of rice cereal. It was exactly what I wanted, and I wanted it all the time. This was hard, as I had parents who refused to allow them in the house.Read more...

I learned that I had ADHD late in life. It became funny when I went from hesitatingly revealing it to close friends to realizing literally every single woman I know (and most of the rest of the people I know, too) all have ADHD.

Generally speaking, technology is improving all the time. And yet, strings of holiday lights—whether they’re for an indoor tree, or the outside of a house—never seem to get better. Sure, there are different varieties, but the same problems seem to pop up year after year.Read more...

For most of the year, deciduous trees get all the attention. To their credit, though, they do put on quite the show: Blossoming in the springtime, providing shade in the summer, and then pulling out all the stops for their final number—having their leaves change colors, and then falling off their branches.Read more...

For a few weeks each year, some people make the decision to adorn the outside of their home and yard with strings lights and face a higher-than-usual electric bill in order to spread some holiday cheer in their neighborhood. But sometimes the most elaborately decorated houses aren’t located on main roads.Read more...

After you’ve cleaned up the beds and put the hose and most of your tools away for the season, you may think that there’s nothing else you can do to set your garden up for success in the spring. But that’s not the case.Read more...

Pigeons are pests. There are reasons city-dwellers call them “rats with wings”: They multiply quickly—reproducing over the course of just a few weeks—and drive away other bird species. Their droppings are gross, and they can carry and spread a range of parasites and diseases. They can also cause problems around your…Read more...

Within every dating app’s direct messages is a delicate dance. You want to be forward without coming on too strong. You want to play it cool without losing someone’s interest. You want to be flirty without scaring someone off.

If you’re like me, remembering to eat your leftovers is a losing game. Every week, I diligently scoop uneaten tilapia, sweet potatoes, pasta, meatballs—hell, even a half-eaten avocado—into airtight Tupperware containers. And every week, I toss those suckers in the disposal then descend into a low-grade shame spiral…Read more...

Taking stock of your finances at the end of the year is always a smart move, but it can feel overwhelming—which makes it all too easy to put off. If a full postmortem of your 2021 budget is just too much right now, here a few quick ways to get started.Read more...

Snacking is an art, and some people are more artistically inclined than others. Children usually have a natural aptitude for snacking, which forces people with kids to develop snack-building skills out of necessity, so if we were to trace the history of the snackle box back to its inventor, I’m sure we would find a…Read more...

When you first buy an expensive new Apple product, AppleCare+ might seem like an unnecessary added cost. After all, you’re going to treat this shiny piece of tech with the utmost care; you’re not going to let anything happen to it! Inevitably, you realize your folly, either because you shattered your iPhone’s display,…Read more...

Starting a running habit is hard in the beginning, but also really satisfying—especially when you hit a big goals like running your first 5K or setting a new personal record. For every new runner, though, there comes a time when you start asking “what next?”Read more...

On the one hand, giving a gift is a gesture of affection; on the other hand, gifts are sometimes stressful social obligations. Shopping for the right gift for everyone on your list is hard enough when the people on that list are easily pleased—you can buy alcohol, food, or gadgets for most folks and they’re over the…Read more...

It’s been a slow-week in the world of popular culture for kids. I guess everyone is too busy studying for final exams and holiday shopping to make memes or create dangerous “TikTok challenges.” Still, young people found time to organize a massive online labor action and cook gigantic hamburgers.

It’s the season of giving, and many of us will be giving (and hoping to get) tech gifts this year. Maybe you’re surprising a family member a smartwatch, or a nice iPhone case. A tablet. A smart speaker.

Hardware stores can be intimidating places for the average DIYer. There are so many different types of tools, fasteners, appliances, paints, and adhesives that it can be daunting to try to distinguish one product claim from another. And then you have to wonder: Is the store employee giving you their best, most honest…Read more...

The FDA and CDC announced yesterday that Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot can now be used as a booster for 16- and 17-year-olds. Until now, boosters were only approved for ages 18 and up.Read more...

As I’ve mentioned previously, my family takes stockings very seriously. A good stocking is all about balance. Some candy here, a clementine there, some cute beauty products to round it all out—you want to create a varied collection of tokens and trinkets to keep the stocking from being one-note.

While the nature of work is rapidly changing, at the end of the day, we still need to get things done—so it’s helpful when the technology we use for work thinks about that ahead of time, and includes ways for us to be more productive. Luckily, Windows 11 comes with built-in productivity tools that make it much easier…Read more...

In-flight freebies aren’t what they used to be, but that doesn’t mean they’ve totally vanished. If you know know what to ask for, you may be surprised at what you can get for free.Read more...

You probably think of vending machines as your snack outpost of last resort when stranded in an office or airport. You probably don’t think of them as a cutting-edge, cash-producing business venture–but maybe you should. Did you know that these snack dispensers oases are often independently owned? Rather than being…Read more...

Although plenty of us chug coffee everyday like our lives depended on it, hot chocolate isn’t as likely to be part of our daily beverage routine. And while it’s not reserved exclusively for special occasions, treating yourself to a glass of liquid dessert—sometimes, while eating a solid dessert—is a particularly…Read more...

Booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines are still optional for many of us, but evidence is mounting that if you haven’t gotten one yet, you’d probably be better off if you did.

The holidays (and the Omicron variant) are upon us and you know what that means: There’s never been a better time to cry it out. While the month of December—and all its attendant festivities—is a joyous time for many, it can also be a time of stress, overwhelm, loneliness, and grief.

Apple has always placed a huge emphasis on using genuine Apple parts for iPhone repairs, and now, with iOS15.2, you can finally check to see if any non-genuine parts have been used in yours. If you only buy new iPhones, this probably isn’t of much interest to you; however, if you buy iPhones second-hand off…Read more...

We all love to joke about how we never use our smartphones as actual phones—I mean, really, who calls people in 2021? But if you’re in an emergency situation, your first instinct will still be to pick up that phone and dial 911. If your smartphone isn’t capable of doing that, that’s going to be a big problem.…Read more...

Apple wants your iPhone to unlock all sorts of doors. Their car keys feature already lets you use your iPhone to unlock some supported cars, and if you have a HomeKit door lock, you can use your iPhone and Apple Watch to unlock your home as well. And now, Apple is starting to globally roll out its support for hotel…Read more...