Lifehacker

Earlier this year, we wrote about how to start a “Friendly Fridge,” a communal neighborhood refrigerator of donated or leftover food that might otherwise go to waste, which people experiencing food insecurity can access for free. These so-called “freedges” have been around for a few years, but they’ve become even more…Read more...

Who needs the newest Pixel, anyway? Google is now rolling out its “Portrait Lighting” feature—previously announced during the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 launches—to older devices. I just fired it up on my Google Pixel 3 XL, and found it a great tool for artificially tweaking the light source of your portrait images.Read more...

Citi is now offering True Name credit and debit cards which are created for transgender and nonbinary people, allowing them to use their chosen name instead of their legal names. With a second major bank now backing the True Name program, more customers can now use this feature.Read more...

The kids, they’re gonna wrestle. If you’ve got a child—and especially if you have more than one child—you’ve probably noticed their propensity for extremely physical play. Maybe you’ve even roughhoused with them yourself—it can be fun! But now that we’re 72 years into this pandemic and staring down a long, dark, cold…Read more...

The pedantic criticism of appliances with devoted followings is not something I consider worthwhile. While I understand that it is human nature to want to push back against anything that achieves sudden and ubiquitous popularity, it’s helpful to stop and consider why things become popular, generally. Whether a…Read more...

The first presidential debate, which took place in Cleveland on September 29, was...a lot. Even those going in with low expectations witnessed something that was likely worse than they thought it would (or could) be. After Donald Trump got (and improbably quickly recovered from) COVID-19, the second debate was…Read more...

Navigating air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic has been tricky. First and foremost, you want to make sure that you’re as safe as possible. On top of that, there are fewer routes and flights available, travel restrictions, and other guidelines that seem to be constantly changing.Read more...

As the weather starts getting cooler, it’s a good idea to prepare your car for winter. Even if you don’t switch to snow tires, there are a few proactive steps you can take to make sure you, your passengers and your vehicle as as safe as possible. Here are some tips for winterizing your car.

Netflix has just announced its lineup for November 2020, and it’s putting Hallmark on notice. Not content to let the greeting card company-turned seasonal industrial complex powerhouse dominate the holidays, the streamer is launching a salvo of original Christmas films aimed at soothing your post-election (but…Read more...

There’s a lot of ugliness in the world right now, particularly for those of us in the United States who are approaching the most dreaded election in recent memory. (I already voted, though, so someone please wake me when it’s all over.) You don’t need me to remind you of the hatred and ignorance that abounds right…Read more...

Apple just launched Apple Music TV, a new Apple TV channel that plays round-the-clock music videos, live concerts, and other exclusive music-based content. It’s a free add-on for anyone with the Apple Music or Apple TV apps, though it’s exclusive to the US for now.Read more...

If you’re an iPhone owner who is clumsy AF, AppleCare+ is always worth it. Full stop. However, if you’re like me—generally decent about keeping your phone from plummeting into the ground, but never capable of a flawless victory—you’re probably wondering if it’s ever worth it to sign up for Apple’s fix-it service.Read more...

I avoid mincing garlic at all costs. My technique is not the issue—my will is. I hate doing it, so I don’t. Having made every recipe I know with smashed, chopped, sliced, or puréed garlic instead of the ubiquitous mince, I’m here to tell you that mincing is completely unnecessary. Sometimes, it’s even detrimental to…Read more...

This week we’re improving our work-from-home setups with help from Gizmodo’s own tech whiz Alex Cranz and Earther’s managing editor Brian Kahn. Listen to hear their tips on how to improve your internet connection (beyond just power-cycling it), what to use to make your space greener and more comfortable, and how to…Read more...

If you have yet to receive your coronavirus stimulus check, there may still be time. The IRS has extended the deadline to apply for one until Nov. 21 for “non-filers”—typically low-income earners or those with prolonged unemployment below the income threshold required to file a tax return. According to the IRS,…Read more...

Listen, I get it. The line between office and home has become so fine that we can’t tell the difference between, say, when it’s acceptable to masturbate and when it’s absolutely not. Since we do honest service journalism at Lifehacker, I want to share personal tips I’ve learned to keep you from making an “…Read more...

Microsoft might be struggling to get its cloud-streaming service onto iOS devices, but at least you can now play your Xbox One games remotely on an iPhone or iPad. All you need to do it is the latest version of the Xbox app. While cloud streaming is the cooler idea, this new remote-streaming feature provides a free…Read more...

I used to listen to an unreasonable number of podcasts—usually while commuting from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back each day, a process that involved a lot of walking and a lot of waiting for trains. But the pandemic changed all that. I’ve been working from home since March, and my daily commute is currently only as…Read more...

Do you prefer to get your workout in bit-by-bit during the workday instead of going to the gym? Or perhaps you just want to start breaking up the monotony with some more healthy habits? Here’s how to turn your office (or the corner where you work) into a place you can also work out.

With great work-from-home flexibility comes great responsibility. While your job is unlikely to get very upset if you take a moment to do your laundry, make a sandwich, or watch something funny on YouTube, that doesn’t give you carte blanche to do anything you might do in the off-hours during the workday.Read more...

Zippers are great little things...until they get stuck. And that almost always happens when you’re either getting ready for an important occasion or event, running late, or both. But instead of ruining the fabric and your day, we have a few options for how to fix it using stuff you probably already have around your…Read more...

Your favorite fall meteor shower is back! The Orionids peak tonight, although they should be visible anytime between now and November 7, 2020.Read more...

People are already voting by mail in record numbers this year, but what happens if you planned on voting in-person, but then get sick right before Election Day? Maybe it’s COVID-19, maybe it’s something else. Whatever it is, you want to make sure you don’t get any of the poll workers or other voters sick (plus you…Read more...

Look, I know we’re all desperate to salvage something, anything, for our kids this year. They have been dealt one crushing disappointment after another for so many months now that I’ve stopped counting. And I know we’ve all had our moments of temporary (or prolonged) insanity during this pandemic. But friends, let’s…Read more...

I almost always have a box of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate brownie mix in my pantry. At this moment I have about five pounds of the the stuff. (You can buy seven pounds at a time at a restaurant supply store, which is the amount A.A. Newton gave me for my birthday.)Read more...

A global pandemic likely qualifies as one of the worst possible settings for honing creativity. Contrary to what the boldest of us may have claimed in the early weeks of COVID-19, more time doesn’t equal more inspiration. We’re tired, overwhelmed, and unmotivated, all peppered with random shocks of anxiety. At least I…Read more...

It’s easy to get confused about whether you should disclose cannabis use to a life insurer. Possessing cannabis—a schedule 1 drug—is a federal offense, and yet it’s legal in many states. Will your insurer tattle on you to the government for using it? Will your insurance get denied?

At this point, it’s cliché to say there is “so much at stake” in the upcoming election, but only because it’s painfully true. In addition to determining how (or if) the U.S. recovers from the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the outcome of the vote on November 3 will also have a major impact on…Read more...

Finding a pediatrician you trust—and who is reliable, accessible and conveniently located—is no easy feat. I know this because I am currently attempting to do so for the third time in the 10 years since my son was born. Over that decade, I found two doctors we absolutely loved and clicked with. We said goodbye to the…Read more...

With travel by planes and trains on hold for many, RVs are having a resurgence. And it’s not just #vanlifers on Instagram: in June, The Strategist reported that dealers had seen a 170% increase in sales of recreational vehicles compared to the previous year.

It’s a good thing I didn’t have a lot of geeky gear back when I was in school. I would absolutely have failed every class because I’d have spent all of them mucking around on my smartphone and/or smartwatch. (One can only play so much Drugwars on one’s TI-83 calculator.)Read more...

Even if you aren’t going out to eat at restaurants right now, you are probably ordering takeout and/or going through the occasional drive-thru and, when you do that, you almost certainly come into contact with at least one person—the one whose job it is to physically hand you your food. That person would appreciate if…Read more...

Android’s Trusted Contacts app is no more. Google says it’s shutting down the app in December and has pulled it from the Google Play Store. That’s OK, though: There are alternatives you can try.

I can’t go a day without taking a screenshot of something on my computer. Whether it’s for work, some dumb snippet of a video I want to share with my friends or the incredible results of a rare Overwatch session gone well, there’s always something.Read more...

Instagram stories have a measly 24-hour lifespan—at least publicly. But the app actually keeps a private archive of all your old story posts that you can access at any time and resurrect them as profile “Highlights.” Digging through your entire story post archive to dredge up highlights can be a pain, but Instagram…Read more...

I work out every day. I don’t really get sore. I don’t worry if I have to miss a workout. I make progress over time. I have good days at the (home) gym, but I almost never have bad days. My secret, while effective, is extremely boring. It is, simply, consistency.Read more...

The IRS views winnings from gambling as taxable income, but did you know that you’re allowed to deduct gambling losses, too? While losing money at a casino or the racetrack does not by itself relieve your tax burden, it can reduce taxes owed for your other winnings, ultimately saving you money.

At this time four years ago, polls indicated that Hillary Clinton had a 12-point lead over Donald Trump, giving many a false sense of security regarding the election results. Election Night champagne was purchased, and the Javits Center was filled with balloons under a literal glass ceiling in anticipation of the…Read more...

Masks protect us from the coronavirus, indoors as well as out. But do you really need a mask outdoors? In some cases, you can go bare-faced, but you should still have a mask in your pocket just in case. Let’s talk about the factors you should consider when deciding if a mask makes sense outdoors. (When in doubt, wear…Read more...

While there’s a lot of new technology coming with the iPhone 12, Apple is also making a move to reduce “e-waste” by giving you less stuff in your iPhone box. Taken together, these two facts mean that you’ll probably end up spending anywhere from “a little bit” to “a lot” more money after buying your brand-new iPhone…Read more...

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a major expansion of products now available directly to consumers. We can now buy razors, toothbrushes and tampons through subscription services that promise not only higher quality, but lower prices. These direct-to-consumer (DTC) products also include dog food, though those…Read more...

If a recipe has you add minced garlic to hot, sizzling oil at the beginning of the cooking process, it’s probably not a very good recipe. Cooking garlic in super hot oil burns the outside without properly mellowing the inside, resulting in acrid, aggressive garlic. Though I love a good fried garlic chip for texture on…Read more...

Financial independence? Sounds great! Retiring early? Sign me up. The FIRE movement (financial independence, retire early) embraces the concept of saving most of your income in your 20s or 30s so you can retire in your 30s or 40s, but this elusive goal requires a good, stable income and an extreme dedication to saving.Read more...

Tacklife Portable Solar Generator | $168 | Amazon | Promo Code IGVILO7ZRead more...

Even if you’re a cinema junkie, going to a public movie theater may well be the last thing on your social to-do list during a pandemic—but you can now rent out theaters for private screenings for a reasonable cost.

Our kids will be navigating the internet long before their frontal lobes are fully developed, which means they need lots and lots of practice figuring out what’s real, what’s not, what’s a scam, and what’s legit. Roblox, as part of its dedication to fostering online safety, has launched a free “digital civility”…Read more...

The pandemic hasn’t been kind to independent bookstores. While indies have handled competition from Amazon and big-box sellers relatively well in recent years, having to shut their doors due to COVID-19 and respond to customers’ desire for online ordering has not been easy—and despite the American Association of…Read more...

The Fenty Beauty Friends & Family sale and Xbox Wireless Controllers lead Monday’s best deals.

Alright, geeks. You did your Amazon Prime Day shopping last week, scored some good deals on some PC gear, and you’re ready to unpack the fruits of your digital labors and get to upgrading (or building) your PC. But not so fast. If you’re shopping on Amazon—whether it’s for a giant sale or just any ol’ day—you should…Read more...