Lifehacker

While I appreciate everything a smart speaker assistant can help me with, I don’t want to get caught in long conversations with Alexa. I certainly don’t need her to respond out loud to every request or make suggestions on totally separate topics when all I asked her to do was turn off the lights.

If you send “congratulations” or “happy birthday” to someone using Messages on an iPhone, they’ll get a little surprise along with it: a shower of confetti or some celebratory balloons will rain down or float around on their screen along with your words. It’s a neat little trick embedded in the messaging platform—but…Read more...

Network-attached storage (NAS) devices are external hard drives with network connectivity. They’re essentially private cloud drives you can set up in your home to access your files remotely. They’re convenient, but if you use a My Book Live and My Book Live DUO NAS drive from Western Digital, you should disconnect it…Read more...

With Independence Day around the corner, food chains are looking to lure you away from the grill with discounts and deals that you can redeem on, before, and even after July 4. Here’s a look at some promotions that will save you some green while you celebrate the red, white, and blue:Read more...

Healthy food has a reputation for being expensive, but there are lots of ways to eat well on a budget. That’s where the subreddit r/EatCheapandHealthy comes in. Its archives are full of recipes that don’t break the bank while being high in protein, full of veggies, or low in salt and sugar. And they have tons of ideas…Read more...

The truth regarding the existence of alien life has long been rumored to be out there, but only now, with the publication of the government’s report on UFOs, has it finally arrived. Well, sort of.

I signed up for Paramount Plus before the launch, back when they were offering a 50% discount if you were willing to pay for a year in advance. This seemed like a good decision back when I was binging the first season of The Real World in preparation for the debut of the 30-years-later reunion special. Since then, I…Read more...

We’re living in a sort of golden age of fake meat products. Meat-free foods that are shaped like meat have flooded the market, making it easier than ever to find soyrizo at the grocery store, or an Impossible Burger at Burger King. These products give vegetarians and vegans something that’s easy to grill at a BBQ, but…Read more...

Windows 11 was officially unveiled this week, and many eager users are checking to see if their PCs can run the upcoming OS with Microsoft’s Windows Health Check app. However, some are surprised to learn that their PCs aren’t “Windows 11 ready,” despite having new, high-end hardware.

Maybe you lived through the 1990s. In which case: Congratulations on surviving an era in which flannel shirts could be paired with day-glo jams and no one would bat an eye. You’re here now, and that’s what’s important. Others can only sit at their grandparents knees’ and reminisce about a time when computers needed a…Read more...

After more than a year of feeling endlessly cooped up, we’re emerging from our pandemic isolation to do all the things we once took for granted—go for a mask-free run, hit up a local festival, take the kids to the beach, get on an airplane. All of that means being out in the sunshine, which feels glorious after a…Read more...

A 2021 survey by Mattress Advisor found that 50% of the participants enjoyed sleeping in the nude, with more than half of the nude sleepers saying it was more comfortable, along with others who said it helps them sleep better. Aside from temperature control and general comfort, there are other reasons that sleeping…Read more...

Google is the closest thing society has to a sage, but not everyone is good at combing through the mountains of information that the world’s imminent search engine might dredge up. And not everyone wants to research something either, scouring to find a source that suits your needs and that gives you answers you can…Read more...

You might be receiving more money in the mail from the IRS, but it’s not a fourth stimulus check—it’s a “plus-up payment.” You’ll only receive this check if your third stimulus payment was calculated using income stated in your 2019 tax return, and if your income was less in 2020 than it was in 2019. Here’s how the…Read more...

For as long as I can remember, even when I was very small, I have always loved pickles. Quick pickles, lacto pickles, sour pickles, sweet pickles, fried pickles—all are good in my eyes (and mouth). I like the big pickles you can grab out of the bin at theme parks, and the half sours they place on your table at…Read more...

Are you the person your friends and family turn to when they need a pizza recommendation? If not, do you want to be? If so, you may be interested in learning more about applying to become your state’s Head of Pizza—a position made up by Slice, a pizza ordering platform designed for independent pizzerias. Here’s what…Read more...

Masks may be coming off, and shots may be getting in arms, but we’re still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on manufacturing and shipping. Along with things like appliances and lumber, there’s also a shortage of chlorine tablets for swimming pools. Here’s why that happened, and what you can use instead of…Read more...

Starting a new prescription medication may not seem like a big deal, but when you think about it, you’re introducing a new substance into your body, and should go in as informed as possible. Ideally, your health care provider would have gone over any potential side effects of the medicine with you, but there’s more to…Read more...

Allergies are, quite literally, irritating. They turn what’s supposed to be your serene outdoor space into a sneeze-inducing hellscape. In the United States, approximately 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children have allergic rhinitis—better known as hay fever, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of…Read more...

Unless your job involves a lot of shipping, it can be hard to know which service best suits your needs—and your budget. Maybe UPS is cheaper in some parts of the country than others for the type of package you need to send. Or perhaps FedEx has better rates on overnight shipping to your destination.

Now that we’re out and about again, we may be spending less time on home improvement projects—especially compared to the past year-and-a-half. Being stuck at home all the time with very few socialization options gave us the time to devote to our living spaces, and get some of those tasks that had been hanging over our…Read more...

Different pots have different uses for your home plants and planters. Plants behave differently in plastic containers than they do in glazed ceramic pots, and each pot has its own set of care instructions. So what is the difference between these various pots and planters? It comes down to breathability and moisture…Read more...

You probably know what it’s like to have a bad boss. You might even know what it’s like to be one. Certainly at work (and if life) nobody likes a micromanager, but a boss who can’t be bothered to actually lead the team or check-in with their direct reports is just as bad.

The point of lifting weights is to challenge your body, such that your body rises to the challenge by building muscle. The more you lift, the stronger you get. And yet, too many people get talked out of ever putting some fucking weight on the bar.Read more...

Not many people first think of the United States when it comes to planning a relaxing island getaway—the thought of an island vacation might instead conjure images of a tropical beach in the Caribbean or the south of France. That’s fair; but there are several island destinations right here in the United States worth…Read more...

A couple of weeks ago, I picked a flat of Hood strawberries. Hoods are sweet, delicate, and prone to going bad before you can process them all. So I utilized my usual strategy of drinking through my berry haul.Read more...

Where do you go to find surprising true facts from history, backed up by solid sources and told with nuance? You may be shocked to hear the answer is: Reddit. The sub called r/AskHistorians specializes in exactly this, with experts writing in-depth answers to questions about any area of history.Read more...

There are few things more disappointing in the height of summer than pulling a lukewarm beer or spoiled food out of your cooler. Truly keeping food and beverages cold in very hot weather may seem like an impossible task, but it can be done if you pack your cooler strategically. Here’s how to do it.

This past spring, I set out to design and maintain a sustainable garden in my backyard—and a big part of that project has involved using chickens to fertilize my soil and help process my compost pile. All of their pecking, scratching, and depleting the backyard of its resources can be redirected and contained to one…Read more...

If I had to pick a favorite BBQ appetizer, it would probably be deviled eggs. They are savory, the perfect size, and have a decidedly retro feel that I find incredibly charming. They’re also an incredibly easy dish, but one that is riddled with pitfalls, especially if you’ve never been “in charge” of the deviled eggs…Read more...

Apple’s Safari browser will get a visual overhaul as part of the upcoming macOS 12 Monterey update launching later this year, and there are a couple of ways to try out the new browser ahead of the macOS 12 update, including a way to get it now on macOS 11.

After a breakup, you might find yourself compelled to look at your ex’s Instagram (or Facebook or Venmo or LinkedIn…). Ideally, you’ll see them doing badly and you might feel victorious, although you know that’s not true: Most people don’t post their low moments online.Read more...

This week covers the whole spectrum of kid-internet-culture, from Britney Spears stuck in a conservatorship, to a movie about family stuck next to the ultimate Karen, to a TikTok lady who got stuck in her own chair. Let’s dive in—here’s what you need to know.

With all of the celestial events coming this summer, we can safely rebrand the next few months Big Planet Season. All of this year’s supermoons have come and gone, but the cosmic gifts dotting the calendar are a bit more mysterious and striking than the moon: Some of the solar system’s biggest and most distant planets…Read more...

It takes a rare sort of artistic genius to create a masterpiece on your first try. Whatever type of art we’re talking about, there is of course nothing wrong with fumbling around in the dark in search of greatness. Certainly the cinema is no different—the careers of many of history’s most revered film directors…Read more...

There has been a lot of talk about the healing power of nature—between forest bathing, fresh air, and all kinds of “wellness” retreats—but people with hay fever may have a slightly different take on the great outdoors. Namely: It can be difficult to really appreciate nature when so much of it makes your eyes water…Read more...

Snapchat users have bombarded with repeated, unexpected two-factor authentication (2FA) text messages this week, but it’s unclear whether the cause is due to a glitch on Snapchat’s end, or due to hackers attempting to break into unsecured Snapchat accounts en masse. Either way, it’s not a bad idea to update your…Read more...

Not all advice need be professional. Sometimes your problems merit a bit of unvarnished honesty from a dude equipped with nothing more than a computer and a conscience. Luckily for you, I’m that guy. Welcome back to Tough Love. (If you’d like to seek my advice, email me at sblum@lifehacker.com)

Homes built before the 1960s had different electrical regulations than we do now—including the fact that two-prong outlets were standard, rather than the average three-prong ones we typically see today. The third hole in our outlets basically helps protect against electrical surges and shock, and while two-pronged…Read more...

Summer 2021 is shaping up to be a lot better than summer 2020, vaccines be praised (yay science!), but you’ll be forgiven if you’re not ready to head back to theaters to catch a splashy summer blockbuster. Speaking of which, they’re in short supply anyway—outside of a few delayed tentpoles from last year (including …Read more...

A thing that’s not fun to do when you’re a parent is take your young children to the pediatrician’s office. There are endless reasons why the doctor’s office isn’t fun—it means your kid is hurt, sick, or has some freaky-looking rash; it’s an annual check-up, which might mean shots are in their future; your kid will…Read more...

Between vegans and people with egg allergies, chicken eggs aren’t an option for everyone, and that’s where plant-based egg products comes in. But if you happen to have some in your fridge, it’s a good idea to check the label, because there’s been a large voluntary recall of foods made with the vegan egg-flavored…Read more...

Cooking croutons in your air fryer is kind of a no-brainer, although I don’t know that we can fairly call it “cooking.” “Aggressively toasting” is probably the most accurate description, though “making” also works. Whichever verb you use to describe the process of turning bread into croutons, you should use the air…Read more...

With the news that Britney Spears’s conservatorship team refused to allow her to get her IUD removed, several people have pointed out that it’s possible to remove your own IUD—you just grab the strings and pull. If this sounds like a tempting option for the rest of us, you should know that doctors say it’s safest to…Read more...

A presumptuous houseguest is a houseguest that is unlikely to be invited back. No one wants the type of guest who assumes they have free rein to use appliances and household wares without limits. Sure, everyone needs access to certain amenities in the home, but you can be a better guest by bringing a few of these…Read more...

Everyone loves to joke that time is a flat circle, but rebooting a circa mid-aughts show about the decadent lives of ultra-wealthy Manhattan prep school kids while the nation is still entrenched in another fiscal crisis (if one of a very different sort than the 2008 crash) is a bit... on the nose, shall we say.

“Leaves of three, let it be” is a classic rhyme about poison ivy, and it’s accurate: The plant’s triple leaflets are a reliable characteristic. But if you want to know more about this itch-inducing plant, you need to learn a few more things.Read more...

Bidets have long been a common bathroom fixture in many parts of the world, but they finally found their moment to shine in the United States at the start of the pandemic, when toilet paper was hard to come by. We’ve already talked about the benefits of a bidet and how to use the different styles, but what about…Read more...

Fruit liqueurs don’t have the best reputation. As with flavored vodkas, most options available for purchase taste cloying and artificial. But homemade fruit liqueur can be a wondrous thing—all you need is fruit, vodka, and simple syrup.Read more...

Google is testing a new feature for Chrome on iPhone and iPad that lets you lock incognito tabs with facial ID when they’re left open in the background. (Unfortunately, the feature is not available on Android—at least not yet).