Lifehacker

If your area has poor air quality right now, you may have heard that it’s not a great idea to vacuum your home. Then again, vacuuming is also a tool that can help get dust and allergens out of your house, suggesting that sometimes it’s a good thing. There’s truth to both, so here’s what you need to know.Read more...

After a few weeks—or, really, a few days—of overseeing their kids’ online classes once they started in the spring, many parents found a new level of appreciation for their teachers. Being in charge of a (literal or virtual) room of students is an exhausting, usually thankless job at the best of times. But as it turns…Read more...

Aside from a modest amount of taxidermy, I’m not really a big collector of things. I do, however, hoard certain consumables, including salt and sauce packets. I’ve already told you all about my salts, so let’s discuss the sauce.

If you’re still on the fence about whether to wade into the world of TikTok—or looking for an alternative as TikTok’s future remains uncertain—Instagram is begging for your creative energy.

The pandemic has created worldwide economic challenges, and colleges and universities are feeling the strain. While only a few schools have permanently shuttered, experts say there could be more in the future. If this happens while you’re enrolled, you may have two options: transfer credits, or apply for discharge.…Read more...

When my partner proposed in 2018, I knew instantly that our wedding would take place on October 10, 2020. It absolutely had to be that date, because I love numerology and early October would offer the most reliable weather options for what I hoped would be an outdoor wedding—not too hot, not too cold—and after two…Read more...

It’s so important for our children to see themselves represented in the world around them, from those within their own community and characters portrayed on film, to the very toys they play with. But for kids who have hearing aids, cochlear implants, a cleft lip, a tracheostomy, feeding tubes, or surgery scars, it can…Read more...

A sad reality for many people parked around the United States right now is that their cars are being blanketed with ash from the western wildfires. Obviously the physical threat to humans and animals is more urgent, but if you’re being affected by fire and have the mental bandwidth to care about your car’s paint, you…Read more...

Google is rolling out new features for its current video chat apps, Googles Meet and Duo. Meet’s updates include a new background blurring tool; it also now allows users to view up to 49 camera feeds while using the “tile view” in large group meetings.

The long-anticipated bundle of Apple services is here: Apple One. And while paying a reasonable amount for a few services sounds like a great deal on paper, especially if you’re already a subscriber, it’s always good to remember the following advice. If you’re buying a bundle, you might be paying for more than what…Read more...

Like many of us living in these dystopian, apocalyptic, puff-sleeved, cottagecore times, I have ramped up my pickling efforts this year—partly because who knows if plants will even still exist by next summer, and partly because well, I’m home a lot, and I have the time. Why not make pickling a suddenly crucial part of…Read more...

“Mask-muffle” is a term I just made up, but it’s a real thing. If the cloth is meant to block a bunch of tiny respiratory droplets, it’s bound to muffle our words a bit, too. It can be hard enough to catch every word when you’re standing close to someone in a mask, and even more so if you’re the recommended six or…Read more...

The pandemic has impacted many aspects of our lives—including how we work. Some 35.2% of employees worked remotely in May, compared to only 8.2% in April, which may be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective. But one positive aspect of remote work is the possibility of working from someplace else.Read more...

Today’s Facebook Connect kicked off with a two-hour keynote that detailed the company’s latest virtual and augmented reality developments. There were product announcements, new apps and games on display, and compelling peeks at some speculative technology. We’ll recap the highlights for those who couldn’t catch the…Read more...

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The pandemic has disrupted many parts of our lives, testing for sexually transmitted diseases included. Between clinic closures and supply shortages, a lot of tests have been delayed, as testing rates plunged over the past several months. So consider this your reminder that if you’re at risk for an STD, you should…Read more...

I wouldn’t style myself an audiophile by any stretch, but I can say I generally hate “virtual” surround sound for the weird artificial quality it can create in your stereo environment and/or headphones. However, I’m rescinding that judgement when it comes to Apple’s new Spatial Audio setup for the AirPods Pro; it…Read more...

What so many families need right now is structure mixed with some flexibility—plus a little bit of joy sprinkled on top. That’s what prompted one member of the Offspring Facebook group to create a small family schedule of little things to look forward to. And it’s something we can all easily replicate.Read more...

The 2019 Pro-Life Women’s conference wasn’t in New Orleans as advertised, but in the adjacent suburb of Kenner, where there are more strip malls and significantly fewer temptations to sin. The Pontchartrain Convention and Civic Center, isolated in a lonely corner of the city, sat at the end of a slab of concrete with…Read more...

It would be unfair to suggest that there are things that aren’t improved by a little hot sauce, but there are definitely foods to which it is more typically applied. But if, like me, you are looking to broaden your mind and add hot sauce to even more things, I have a few suggestions.Read more...

We’ve all been there. Inevitably, as soon as you’re too far away from a rest area, port-o-potty, or public restroom—provided they’re even open in the first place—you have to go. And when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Apple’s September event concluded earlier today, where they announced updates to the iPad Air and standard iPad, alongside the Apple Watch Series 6, the Apple Watch SE, and the ‘Apple One’ bundle package. Here’s the lowdown on what was announced, and when you can order the devices.Read more...

While you may still be wary about flying, you might also be eager to go somewhere—particularly if you have a stash of travel rewards to burn. So what’s the best way to redeem them: points, cash, or a combination of both? Here’s how travel rewards experts recommend stretching your points and miles to realize the best…Read more...

At this point, portions of California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington are on fire—the latest additions to an already intense wildfire season (on top of an “extremely active” hurricane season). Smoke from these wildfires has traveled across the country, causing a haze on the East Coast that has since made its way to…Read more...

Saturday is World Clean-Up Day, and although we shouldn’t need a specific day designated to encouraging us to pick up the litter in our communities, 2020 has gifted us with a lot of other things to worry about. So not only is a reminder to pick up some garbage at the park is actually helpful right now, but it’s also…Read more...

The 2020 presidential election is November 3, meaning voters have less than seven weeks to complete or update their registration. The good news is that there are way, way too many services you can use to register to vote online. You really have no excuse.

Ah, finally. It’s time for Apple’s latest operating systems for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV to release to the masses. Public betas, be damned. They should, in theory, arrive around 10 a.m. PT today, but there are a few things you might want to do while you wait to get your various devices prepped and ready…Read more...

One of my favorite Panic Meals involves whatever sad produce I have in the fridge, purposefully burned to a crisp and puréed with something fatty. It’s a great way to revive vegetables that have long passed their prime and an excuse to have chips and dip for dinner—which is always a plus.

It’s that time of year again: National Guacamole Day! “But wait,” you may be thinking to yourself, “didn’t we just have a National Guacamole Day?” Technically, no. But we did celebrate National Avocado Day on July 31, and that did involve some deals on guac. But guacamole is special enough to get its very own day, and…Read more...

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It’s no secret the pandemic has wreaked havoc on Americans’ financial lives—and young adults have been among the most impacted. For the first time since the Great Depression, the majority of 18- to 29-year-olds are living at home with their parents, according to a new Pew Research study.Read more...

AMD recently unveiled its new Radeon RX 6000 graphics card series. The card is said to reach similar graphical heights as Nvidia’s flagship RTX 3080 GPU, but at a lower price point. To generate enthusiasm for the new card, AMD is giving customers a virtual hands-on with the GPU in an unorthodox way: an in-game Fortnite…Read more...

Apple’s “Time Flies” event really flew today. One hour, in and out, with a bevy of new products that you can start preordering like the Apple super-fan you are. I kid, but only a little bit.

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A new generation of young adults will (hopefully) be voting en masse this November—but before they do, we need to make sure they (and we!) are equipped to find credible sources of information about candidates in the weeks leading up to Election Day. A good place to start: Common Sense Media’s new Young Voter’s Guide…Read more...

Though we live in quarantine times and nobody is going anywhere—nobody should be going anywhere, at least—it’s possible that you still need to get out of the house once in a while. Whether your internet connection at home is giving you issues or you just want to get away from your family, the last thing you want to do…Read more...

One function of the gym is to be a social place where we can interact with others as we do our workouts, but sometimes there’s a certain someone you just don’t want to chat with between squat sets. Whether your buddy keeps popping up at the gym, or you’re forced to share a home gym with them (hi, honey), here’s a tip…Read more...

As you may or may not know, Portland, Oregon—the city where I live—is currently in rough shape. I’m not going to list all of our ailments here, but the most pressing issue at this exact moment is the air, which is bad. I’ve been trying to stay in my apartment to avoid it, which means I haven’t been able to go to the…Read more...

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With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows again, you may be thinking about buying a home or refinancing your mortgage. But should you apply for a 15-year mortgage or a 30-year mortgage? Here’s how to decide which option is best for your family.

The structure of your day has probably changed dramatically. While you may not be commuting anymore, there are still ways to plan your day for optimal productivity.Read more...

Having a dysfunctional relationship with your parents—to the degree that you find it necessary to cut off all contact with them—is painful enough. But when you also have kids who are beginning to wonder why grandma hasn’t come to visit in a long time, old wounds get reopened again and again.Read more...

A Nintendo Switch Lite, a refurbished 16" MacBook Pro, a complete Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra Blu-ray collection, a Proactiv 3-Step System, and a Gooloo Car Jump Starter lead Tuesday’s best deals.Read more...

As an enjoyer of large, elaborate steak dinners, I often find myself with a partially eaten, leftover baked potato. Perhaps you’ve experienced this as well. It’s not a bad thing—you can use the leftovers to make really good breakfast potatoes—but you should take a small amount of care when storing them.Read more...

The point of hardware repairs is to ensure your devices remain usable and in good condition as long as possible, so you don’t have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new product. Spending a couple hundred dollars replacing a severely cracked MacBook screen is a much better option than buying a new one…Read more...

Another day, another Apple event. And while Apple’s product-release schedule feels all wonky thanks to the pandemic (and ensuing quarantines), we’re still going to see some fun new gadgets today.Read more...

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As commission-free brokerages and stock trading apps—like the popular Robinhood platform—continue to grow, millions of new stock traders may not be prepared for next year’s taxes.Read more...

Look, we’re in this pandemic for the long haul. As much as we want everything to go back to “normal” in time for the holidays, what we actually need to do is buckle up for winter. And to keep our collective sanity, it’s time to embrace outdoor living in all seasons and at all temperatures.

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