Lifehacker

The May 2021 Pixel security update is ready, and you shouldn’t waste time installing it on your device.

Say it ain’t so, Calibri. I’ve always favored Microsoft’s default Word font—much more so than Times New Roman, at least, which Microsoft replaced with Calibri way back in Office 2007. And while Microsoft is finally looking to shake things up again with a new default font, you don’t have to follow the whims of Redmond…Read more...

Most business owners are aware of their personal credit score, but a study suggests that 60% of them don’t know their business credit score—yet this number is essential when it comes to securing vendor contracts and qualifying for loans at competitive rates. Here’s what you need to know about establishing your…Read more...

Even though I lived in Mississippi for the first portion of my childhood (and visited nearly every year after we moved to California), I did not grow up drinking sweet tea. My mom never cared for sugar—she drank water and, to a lesser extent, Diet Coke—and my grandmother sweetened her pitchers of tea with…Read more...

Every step of cleaning a bathtub seems like it was engineered to be as annoying as possible. You have to get on your knees to give it a proper scrub, which is physically awkward at best, and painful at worst. Cleaning the walls is impossible unless you actually step in, a fact I only remember after I’ve already…Read more...

If you’re looking for a grammatical convention guaranteed to spark an unnecessarily outraged debate, look no further than the Oxford comma [Editor’s note: I don’t know that I’d call it unnecessary].

While debates rage about whether we need national or state “vaccine passports,” the truth is that we already have one, and it’s a little piece of paper with some numbers and your name scrawled on it. These cards, originally intended as a convenient reminder for personal use, are increasingly being used as proof of…Read more...

My 10-year-old recently discovered a quintessential preteen pastime that I recall thoroughly enjoying when I was a tween and teenager in the ‘90s: Personality quizzes. Of course, in the ‘90s, you had to wait for the latest issue of Tigerbeat, Sassy, Seventeen, or Cosmogirl to arrive in the mailbox to get your quiz…Read more...

Believe it or not, spring is here, which means the time is ripe to get our plans in order for this year’s garden. The savviest gardeners have probably already made their plans, but it’s not too late for the rest of us. With gardening, timing is almost everything, so start as soon as you can to take advantage of the…Read more...

The upside to having a pool in your backyard is that you have a freakin’ pool in your own backyard! As in, steps away from where you live, available for use as often as you want, all summer long. The downside to having your own pool is dealing with the maintenance and general upkeep that’s involved. Which is a lot.Read more...

While it’s technically legal to get paid for donating your blood, you’re more likely to get a cookie for it, or maybe a tote bag. But donating plasma—the liquid portion of your blood—is a little different: the process involves more time but also pays better, and you can expect to take home $50–$75 per session. Here’s…Read more...

Helping your child make friends in a brand new town during a pandemic would be difficult for any parent. But parents of children on the autism spectrum are likely to find it even more challenging. The masks and social distancing still required of us and our kids, combined with a lack of structured activities to make…Read more...

I use my little air fryer quite a bit, especially now that it’s getting warm and I am avoiding my oven at all costs. It’s very versatile—I can make an entire bacon-and-egg breakfast in the thing—but I depend on it for firing off last minute accoutrement and finishing touches, from crunchy capers, to roasted garlic, to …Read more...

“I’m doing this for your own good” is a saying unruly kids know quite well. Parents love to pull it out to justify a punishment for misbehavior, as if a child will appreciate learning that they’ll eventually appreciate the fact that you loved them enough to their Xbox taken away for a week.

Even though you just installed iOS 14.5—you are using the new operating system, correct?—it’s time to take a trip back to the Settings app and grab a just-released update from Apple that patches up a number of important iOS vulnerabilities. And while all security update are critical, this one fixes two vulnerabilities…Read more...

At any given moment, I have at least one open box of baking soda and one open canister of baking powder in my pantry, and I never, ever know how old they are. Unlike cheese or apples, neither of these leavening agents offers any visual cues as to when they have “gone bad.” They look the same no matter their age, but…Read more...

Windows 10’s News and Features feed for your taskbar is rolling out now as part of the operating system’s KB5001391 system update. Like Microsoft’s News Bar app or Edge’s personalized highlights, the News and Interests feed shows the latest headlines from over 4,500 news sources and a wide range of topics. But unlike…Read more...

Apple has added a few helpful new Shortcut actions to iOS 14.5. We’ve previously talked about one, which lets you drop a new “Take Screenshots” action into any of your programmed Shortcuts. Joining it is a a new action for your device’s Orientation Lock, which allows you fine-tune when you want it on (almost always)…Read more...

The state of your sink says a lot about the rest of the kitchen. A nice, clean sink is, well, nice and clean. A dirty sink, on the other hand, is a bacteria-ridden hole in your kitchen counter just waiting to be filled with dirty dishes and spoiled food—if it hasn’t been already.Read more...

Millions of Americans without broadband internet can now qualify for a $50-per-month subsidy to help pay their bills. As part of the stimulus relief bill that passed last December, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program offers the discount to low-income households or to those that lost substantial earnings during the…Read more...

If you want to master some of the more mysterious elements of grammar, we’re going to have to talk about dashes—yes, those simple horizontal lines that seem to present themselves unannounced, only to stretch your prose further along the page. Did you know there are three—yes, three whole kinds of dashes—in the English…Read more...

This week we’re learning how to pare down our belongings and embrace the minimalist lifestyle with help from author and advocate Christine Platt (aka The Afrominimalist). Christine’s own personal journey from overconsumption to one of minimalism is an inspiration, and she helps us understand how everything from our…Read more...

Flavoring popcorn with dry seasonings is easy—you just shake ‘em on. But there are a lot of flavors that live outside of that realm. These flavors come in the form of sauces, and some of them are pretty good on popcorn too.Read more...

Between the proposal and the I do’s, there’s the unique stress known as wedding planning. Even if your big day is a year or more out, many things might will trip you up. But hindsight is the best teacher.Read more...

Kids are curious little beings, which is part of what makes them wonderful. They are experiencing so much in the world for the first time and much of it—from the color of the sky to the existence of fingernails—is utterly baffling to them. A little kid’s inquiring mind wants to know: Why? Why, why, why, why, why?

When we think about washing windows, we’re probably worried about the glass panels both inside and outside of our homes. But if you also have window screens, those need to be cleaned on a regular basis, too. Screens exist for the sole purpose of serving as a final barrier between the outdoors and your home, keeping…Read more...

If you live in a large house, you may see your hallways as those extra spaces to vacuum that simply bring you from one part of your home to another. But if you live in an apartment or a smaller house, hallways are precious and valuable space you should definitely be making the most of.Read more...

Sneezing, wheezing, and otherwise feeling like hell: Allergies are a special kind of everyday torture. Although we don’t have a cure for your food or environmental allergies, we do have some proven tips to help you suffer less and minimize reactions. Here are 10 of them for people who suffer from allergies.

YouTube and Roku aren’t playing nice. The two companies failed to reach a contract agreement, and now YouTube TV is no longer supported on Roku products, including all streaming devices and smart TVs with Roku OS.

You might look at your sprawling list of to-dos in the iOS Reminders app and think, “That is a lot.” And while Apple’s upgrades to Reminders in iOS 14.5 might not help you complete them any faster, they’ll certainly help organize them. And that’s the first step toward completing any Herculean list of tasks, right?Read more...

Most longtime gardeners are fluent in the language of plants, knowing how to read the signs and signals that their plants are thriving, or in some type of distress. But those without years of experience may not recognize some of the more subtle ways their garden is trying to tell them something is wrong. Here are some…Read more...

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there were countless people across the country who, for a variety of reasons, weren’t able to get the mental health help they needed. Now, after more than a year of economic, physical, psychological and emotional hardship, increasing numbers of people have found themselves in a…Read more...

While there have always been people who enjoy camping, the limited travel options during the COVID-19 pandemic had people sleeping under the stars (or in a tent) who wouldn’t have considered it previously. Though we’re several months into the vaccine rollout, only about 30% of the country’s population has been fully…Read more...

When it comes to public speaking, there are a few pieces of advice we hear over and over again: Know your audience. Come prepared. Make eye contact.Read more...

At this point, we know that cicadas will complete their 17-year hibernation period and take over large parts of the United States this spring and summer. But if you thought they were the only bugs paying us a visit during the warmer months, think again.Read more...

The COVID-19 pandemic—and concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus—made some who rely on public transportation reconsider how they get around. Even some city-dwellers who had never before considered getting a car were at least thinking about it as an option. But having your own vehicle can pose its own set of…Read more...

There are few things more alienating than being in a relationship with someone who won’t speak to you. The constant stonewalling can feel maddening; when someone gives you the silent treatment, it’s easy for your mind to run amok, racing through frantic thoughts about what you did wrong.Read more...

The paint that adorns my living room walls is a light yellow hue known as “Lemon Ice.” It works perfectly with my decor and is a huge a step up from the marigold color that was there when I moved in. In the years since I painted, I’ve kept the leftover paint in my closet to use to touch up tiny scuffs and scrapes and…Read more...

It’s time to bust a gym myth. I remember being taught, explicitly, as if it were a fact that my life might someday depend on, that you should never strength train the same muscle two days in a row. There is, it turns out, no such law of nature. You can train whatever you want, whenever you want.Read more...

Asparagus is a spring icon. It is green, it is fresh, and it is bitter, sweet, and slightly grassy all at once. Really good, seasonal asparagus does not need much cooking. In fact, too much heat can wreck its more delicate qualities.Read more...

When it comes to hanging things on your walls, adhesives can only do so much. If you need to securely display framed artwork or install wall-mounted shelves, you’ll probably have to do a little drilling. Here’s how to do it as safely as possible.Read more...

Spotify is overhauling the “Your Library” section of its mobile app with a new layout, better search filters, and shortcut options that should make sifting through your ever-expanding Spotify collection a lot less tedious.Read more...

Apple is all about the three Ss these days: subscriptions, services, and saturation (for its new iMacs, at least). And while you can hardly blame the company for wanting to diversify its revenue, it can sometimes feel like there’s just a lot to buy from Apple—with a recurring monthly payment, that is. However, you…Read more...

The COVID vaccines are notorious for causing fatigue, sore arms, and sometimes headachy or feverish reactions. So if you have a vaccine appointment coming up, should you plan on skipping a workout or two? Maybe, but ultimately you’ll have to play it by ear.Read more...

Even when you think you’ve got a handle on grammar, you might not realize how easy it is easy to unwittingly venture into lexical territory that would rile your freshman year English teacher. Certainly back in my college days, I had a few teacher’s assistants who would get on my case for using the passive voice.

We are so lucky to have popsicles. Not only are they delicious, they offer respite from sweltering heat, and make a fantastic base for Frosé. But alcohol is unfriendly to ice crystal formation, and making one of those trendy pink slushies requires at least two pops. But you don’t have to make a slushy; a popsicle can…Read more...

Amtrak has been putting out some pretty good deals lately, but this one has the best value: As part of a 50th anniversary celebration, Coach and Acela Business class fares are currently 50% off the regular price for select routes across the country. The deal also includes $50 flat fares between major cities, provided…Read more...

Having multiple displays is a great productivity boost when you’re streaming, editing, or trying to distract yourself with a show in the background while grinding away in your favorite online game. It’s too bad Windows 10 makes them a chore to use.

Today, chamomile is most commonly known as a caffeine-free herbal tea. It comes from the Asteraceae family of plants, and is heralded for its soothing and digestive properties, and many people nowadays do find the herb an effective sleep aid.