Lifehacker

Unless your social media accounts are locked down with the highest levels of privacy settings, you probably have some followers you wish couldn’t see every one of your posts and tweets. You may not want to block that random family member altogether, but it’d be better if it weren’t so easy for them to keep up with…Read more...

If you have an Instant Pot—or a “One Pot,” as my stepmom likes to call it—you have probably noticed that the internet is plastered with Instant Pot graphics and cheatsheets. These tabulations of times and water ratios come in laminated sheets, magnets, and simple printouts, but they often conflict with each other, and…Read more...

The redditors at r/EatCheapAndHealthy have come through for us when we were looking for cheap and healthy cold lunches, and cheap and healthy dinners for when we’re lazy. Now, let’s look at their recommendations for cheap and healthy meals you can make even if you don’t have a real kitchen.

There’s a lot of hype around how many cores a device’s CPU (aka Central Processing Unit) has. It’s common to hear people say that more cores equals more processing power, and while that’s technically true, it’s not the whole picture. There are actually several factors that determine a processor’s power and speed...and…Read more...

Apples are my favorite fruit, and it’s not particularly close. The sheer variety is what does it for me: I could try a handful of new-to-me varieties every year for the rest of my life and still feel like I had more to learn. The downside to all this variety, though, is that it can get overwhelming, especially when…Read more...

How many times has this happened to you? You’re on a Zoom call and launch into a fantastic speech, only to look upon a sea of confused, concerned, and amused faces. “Um, I think there’s something wrong with your mic.” “Yeah, we can’t hear you.” “Aren’t you our Senior Technology Editor?” Before you resign from the call…Read more...

If your Android phone has been slowing to a crawl multiple times a day, you may be thinking it’s time to upgrade. But before you run out and purchase a new one—and assuming you’ve already tried a basic restart—there are a few other steps you can take to reduce or eliminate those annoying slowdowns.Read more...

There’s a longstanding piece of sartorial advice that says in order to preserve the color and shape of premium denim, we should refrain from washing them in soap and water and instead “freeze wash” them. Specifically, seal them in a tightly closed plastic bag devoid of air and allow them to chill with the fish sticks…Read more...

Warm biscuits are a perfect way to start the morning. They also make for a fantastic afternoon snack, one that is adaptable to whatever you are craving at the moment, whether it’s jam, cream, butter, eggs, cheese or anything else you want with your biscuit. Sweet or savory, the choice is yours, and there are very few…Read more...

Menstrual discs, previously an obscure hippie product, have become something of a trend. Their ads are popping up everywhere, and there are now multiple brands offering the discs. So what’s the big deal, and are they really any better than a cup?

In my mind, peaches have always tasted sweeter than nectarines. I don’t particularly enjoy the feel of trichome on my lips, but I’ve always thought of the “sweeter” flesh as my reward for enduring the discomfort of the more difficult fruit. (I have the endurance and mental fortitude required to eat proper peaches,…Read more...

One of the benefits in renting a lot of different apartments over the years is that you get to look back and think, “Wow, I really didn’t know what I was doing.” I’ve made all sorts of mistakes in my time—like not knowing what I wanted, overpaying on amenities I never used, or simply missing out on pest control…Read more...

We’ve all heard them, and most likely, we’ve all used them a time or two: That certain brand of phrase that automatically puts the listener on the defensive, the ones that (kinda, sorta, but not really) try to ease the blow of something the other person might not want to hear. These vehicles of auditory ickiness can…Read more...

The Oculus Quest 2 is a fantastic choice for those looking to get into VR. A high-quality headset, versatile controllers, and good software support are just some of its pros. However, if you’re in the virtual reality market, you might also be considering PlayStation VR, especially if you already own a PS4 or PS5; here…Read more...

Most of us have been put on the spot in a number of different situations, whether at work or among a group of friends. And having a set of eyes turn toward you with the expectation that you’ll provide an answer you just aren’t ready to give—whether it’s because you don’t know or you’re just not ready to share yet—is a…Read more...

Every website that you visit tracks you in some form or the other. Usually, it’s in form of in-site cookies—those little blocks of data used to remember your preferences. But things start to go a bit haywire when sites use ad-trackers, third-party cookies, and now, fingerprinting.Read more...

No matter how prolific your ice-making system, you will, at some point or another, need to grab a bag of ice for a party, meeting, or some other event that requires you serve cold drinks to many people. And, whether you buy the good ice, or the standard cracked stuff, there is one thing you should never do—and that is…Read more...

When you start lifting, those first few weeks are bliss. Sure, maybe you’re sore sometimes and get confused about how to do each new exercise, but you can add weight to the bar every week, maybe every workout, and you feel unstoppable. No gain train goes on forever though, so what do you do when the weights stop going…Read more...

When the Supreme Court declined to block Texas SB8—which bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, functionally banning the procedure altogether—it set off an emotional shockwave. People processed their feelings on Twitter, firing off all manner of spicy tweets about backwards Texans, ignorant male politicians who…Read more...

Little packets of instant miso soup are as delicious as they are convenient. I eat miso soup for breakfast (with a microwaved-poached egg), but its utility reaches far beyond the first meal of the day, especially if you are flying, road-tripping, camping, or traveling in any way.

Packing for the gym is a bit like packing for a trip: You need to have all the supplies you’ll need for your destination, and you also need everything to be organized so you can find it at the right time. And just to keep things fun, you have to have a plan for dealing with contents that will often be wet and smelly.

Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements for the upcoming Windows 11 have left many users behind, but it turns out there’s a way to install the new OS even if your PC’s processor or security features don’t meet the company’s standards—though it’s not guaranteed to run properly.

Networking sucks, which means that there’s no shortage of advice for ways to make it fun. One of the most common suggestions is: “Don’t network—make friends instead.” But this attitude is shitty in its own way. If you befriend someone for their connections, are you really their friend? (Probably not.)Read more...

I recently got a notification that my Gmail account was 90% full. I thought that was impossible since Gmail must have unlimited space. Then I remembered that I’ve had the account since 2008 and have never cleared out old, unnecessary emails. If you are in the same (increasingly full) boat, here are the steps to mass-…Read more...

Last June, my kindergartener came home on the last day of school with a folder of avant-garde “How to flip a pancake” writing samples and a pencil case full of not one, not two, but ten uncapped markers. Of course, he had used one of those uncapped markers to cover every inch of his white dry erase board with blue…Read more...

Much to the chagrin of big tech companies, nobody wants their smartphones to spy on them. By default, however, our mobile devices track our every move—and share that data with other apps and services. Luckily, as with most things on Android, you don’t need to live with the default setup presented to you. Instead, you…Read more...

Last week, I went on my very first elk hunting trip with my dad and a couple of other dudes. I had not been camping since I was a child, so the trip was quite educational in nature. I learned about “tagging,” “spikes,” and “bald-faced hornets,” but I also learned that hunting and eating do not pair well together, at…Read more...

Twitter user Ian St. recently asked for a list of favorite Catholic movies, leaving interpretation of the question open-ended, and folks were happy to offer up their top choices:Read more...

It’s pretty unlikely that the noise level in your home is consistent. At any given time, there’s a mix of people talking and appliances running and sounds from outside drifting in, and it can be difficult to set your smart speaker’s volume appropriately so it stands out above the fray but doesn’t shout at you when…Read more...

Apple’s M1 Macs are known for speed, and for good reason: They wake up immediately and churn through tasks, often without breaking a sweat. You might think that your M1 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, or Mac mini maintains this level of performance no matter what you throw at it; as it turns out though, the apps you…Read more...

Considering we’re living in the Age of the Video Meeting, if you are using a computer without a webcam, there’s a good chance you have the need for a quality video camera from time to time. Before you go out and buy a new webcam, though, you should consider converting your Android phone into a high-resolution camera.…Read more...

We all know getting a good night’s sleep is important, but too often, we just settle for the “night’s sleep” part and leave out the “good.” Maybe that’s because we think how “good” we sleep is mostly out of our hands—but there are ways to maximize your sleep so your waking hours are even better.

Marble isn’t only beautiful—the stone can be a long-lasting feature of your home. This is why it’s used to make everything from countertops, to floors, to showers. And as anyone who has ever wiped out on a marble floor knows, it’s quite hard.Read more...

Bees may be small in size, but they play a major role in ecosystems, pollinating trees, flowers, and other plants. But one type of bee does more than pollinate: the carpenter bee.Read more...

When you think about painting a room, chances are you’re picturing giving your walls a refresh, or a makeover in a new color. But ceilings are a different type of canvas—one that can change the feeling of the entire room.

It’s almost Labor Day—a holiday that the U.S. Department of Labor describes as “an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.” Regardless of whether you take that claim at face value, or see the day off as a government scam, it’s not a bad idea to take the opportunity to consider…Read more...

Living through 2020 and what we’ve survived of 2021 so far has prompted many people to reflect on their lives, goals, and priorities. If you’re among them, and realized that you’d like to (eventually) see more of the world and start volunteering, there’s a way to do both at the same time: Volunteer for a scientific…Read more...

Mirrors are a timeless piece of home decor, and for good reason. Not only can they make smaller spaces appear larger, and amplify a room’s natural light, they can also blend in seamlessly with almost any design style.Read more...

They may seem like any other towel or rag, but those made from microfiber come with some baggage. For starters, some people hate—and we mean, truly despise—the feeling of microfiber on their skin. If you fall into this category, you’re not alone, and that weird snagging sensation you’re feeling isn’t in your head.Read more...

This weekend marks the unofficial end of summer—a time people have traditionally gotten together for one final cookout of the season. But even if you and your circle are all fully vaccinated, you may opt to stay home this year, thanks to the spread of the Delta variant.Read more...

Even if you’ve never heard of milk paint or chalk paint before, you’ve definitely seen it. Except, the chalk paint we’re referring to here isn’t the dark-colored kind that you can use to turn any surface into your very own chalkboard. That’s something else.Read more...

Most of us have heard the term “tendonitis,” usually when talking about conditions like tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, or any of the many other overuse injuries we can develop. When we develop an overuse injury, our instinct for recovering is usually rest and ice. However, as we are now discovering, the best…Read more...

Just when you thought blockbuster movies couldn’t possibly get any longer, the fine people at Universal Pictures announced the runtime for the next, long-delayed entry in the James Bond series. When it opens in October in the US, No Time to Die is set to keep movie-goers in their seats for a bladder-busting 2 hours…Read more...

One of the things I realized when I got my first kayak was that I was also going to need to buy my own PFD, or personal flotation device. When you rent a boat, the staff usually hands you a lifejacket, and you try to ignore how awkward it is while you try to have fun on your boat. But now that you get to buy your own,…Read more...

In the wake of the Supreme Court decision to allow Texas to ban abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, a few people—I’m not naming names—have shown that they have no idea how weeks are counted in pregnancy. Folks, on the day you have sex to make a baby, you are considered two weeks pregnant already. And…Read more...

Unsure if that weird spot on your child’s shirt is chocolate or poop (we’ve all been there)? Is an especially sticky substance clinging to their lunch bag? If you’re worried your kids will ruin all those nice clothes you just got for their return to the​​ classroom, we have you covered. We consulted with Leanne Stapf,…Read more...

ASMR content has been around for years, most of it hosted on YouTube. The acronym stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, and content in the category generally features creators, or ASMRtists, speaking softly into a microphone, pretending to put makeup on a viewer, directing a viewer’s attention to focus…Read more...

There are many ways to share music with your friends through Spotify, but the company is rolling out a new “Blend” feature that lets users automatically create a shared playlist that updates daily based on both listener’s music tastes. Blends are available to all free and premium users, and you can invite any other…Read more...

I’m currently sitting in the dining room of my friend’s Red Hook apartment, at a stately and beautiful walnut table that has been sullied by the trappings of my “productivity”; laptop, papers, books I probably won’t get around to reading, a busted-but-still-functioning set of headphones, crumpled receipts and a large,…Read more...

As we all get back out there and travel again, we might have forgotten how to properly fit all of our items into a suitcase. If you can’t remember what to roll and what to fold (or how much underwear you need for a long weekend), then check out our best packing hacks.Read more...