Lifehacker

Is it Okay to Use an HDTV as a Computer Monitor? [Ask Lifehacker]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00:00 PST

Dear Lifehacker, More »
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Improve Your Writing by Avoiding These Twenty Common Grammar Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes [Writing]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:30:00 PST

When should you use "who" or "whom"? "Which" or "that"? You don't need to be a grammar geek or a professional writer to want to know. This list of common grammar mistakes can help you strengthen your writing for work and in your personal correspondence. More »
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Plan Your Next Road Trip with The Ingenious US Interstates Subway Map [Travel]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 PST

The U.S. Interstates as a Subway Map infographic is a subway-style map of America's interstate highways, and it's pretty handy for quickly planning a cross-country trip. You can see at a glance how the highways connect and the major cities along the way. More »
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Take a Spa Day in This Week's Open Thread [Open Thread]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:30:00 PST

Take a deep breath, and relax. Friday's here, and so is this week's open thread. Namaste. More »
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Get Cool Camera Effects from Your Phone and Point-and-Shoot Camera Without Apps or Manual Controls [Phtotography]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:00:00 PST

Most cameraphones or point-and-shoots don't offer manual control, so you have to rely on the camera's sensors to determine the best combination of aperture, shutter speed, and focus. These sensors aren't the smartest things in the world, though, and if your picture doesn't turn out how you'd like—or if you're just going for something a little more artistic—it's possible to get the photo to turn out exactly as you want by "fooling" the camera. Here's how. More »
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Google Wallet Security Vulnerability Requires Little Effort to Access Your Wallet [Video]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:55:33 PST

If you use Google Wallet, it turns out a security flaw exists in the settings menu that allows anyone who has your phone to access your funds. The flaw was originally found by a forum member in the XDA Developers forum last December and only requires someone to clear data in the wallet, re-open it, and set it back up to access the funds. No better security options exist to directly secure Google Wallet, but our guide to securing your smartphone will help add an extra layer to your phone's security to at least put a block between a thief and the data in your wallet. [The Smart Phone Champ] More »
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Build Up Your Spice Tolerance with These Strategies [Food]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:30:00 PST

If your mouth feels like it catches fire when you taste even mildly hot foods, don't worry. These tolerance-building tips from Serious Eats may open up a world of new and vibrant flavors for even the biggest spice wimps (like myself). More »
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PaperKarma Stops Junk Mail with a Snap of a Photo [Downloads]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:00:00 PST

iOS/Android/WP7: Nobody likes junk mail, but if you're too lazy to go through and unsubscribe to everything individually, PaperKarma is a new app that only requires you to take a picture of the offending mail to remove yourself from the junk mail database. More »
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Keep Practicing After Perfecting a Task to Boost Efficiency [Body Hacks]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

It's common that once we perfect a task with practice, we tend to stop trying at it. However, a new study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that even after learning a task, whether it's tennis or playing music, continued practice leads to more efficient behavior. More »
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Stick Tape on Cards in Your Wallet to Make Them Easier to Remove [Clever Uses]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:00:00 PST

Have trouble getting your ID out of your wallet? Or do you have so many discount cards for retailers that you can never find the right one? Reddit user patori suggests making a tab out of a strip of tape to grab cards easily. More »
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This Is My Jam Encourages You to Share and Discover Music, One Song at a Time [Music Discovery]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:30:00 PST

Music sharing service This Is My Jam has been in private beta for a while, but today the service opened its doors to all users. The idea is simple—when you sign up, you pick a song that you're in love with or that's just been in your head, and set it as your jam. Share it with friends, meet other people based on their jams, play them, leave a comment, follow them, and discover new tunes in a simple, fun to use webapp. More »
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What Your Doctor Needs to Hear So You Get the Best Possible Care [Health]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST

Going to the doctor can be a difficult, frightening experience, and too often we avoid telling our doctors the things they need to know for a proper diagnosis or care. Maybe we're too afraid, or we've rationalized away our symptoms as unimportant. Regardless, being an active participant in your health care has never been more important, and I asked a doctor what he wished more of his patients were up-front about when they came to see him. Here's what he said. More »
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Software Data Cable Connects and Transfers Data to Your Android Phone, No Cables Required [Android Downloads]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:30:00 PST

Android: If you've ever forgotten a USB cable and need a way to transfer data to your Android phone from your PC (or vice versa), Software Data Cable is a free app for Android that turns your phone into a networked storage device you can browse from your computer, no cables attached. More »
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Mod Your Coffee Machine to Operate by Remote Control and Start Your Brew Before Getting Out of Bed [Video]

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 PST

We talk about coffee a lot at Lifehacker, and most of us are pretty serious about making sure we get at least one cup in the morning. If you're serious about your morning brew—enough that you want to make sure it's on the way as soon as you wake in the morning (and you're a little on the lazy side), this DIY remote-operated coffee machine is the perfect hack for you. More »
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Dustpan-as-Funnel Is How MacGyver Would Fill a Bucket [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:00 PST

Filling up a bucket of water is awkward and frustrating when it doesn't fit in your sink. Redditor mrfitzy shows us a genius way to fill it up hassle-free. All you need is a dustpan. More »
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Best Movie Recommendation Service? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

Valentine's Day is next week, and whether you're forever alone or you're looking for the perfect film to take someone special to see, this week we want to know where you turn for movie suggestions and reviews to help you decide what's worth seeing on the big screen, where you can find indie theaters playing documentaries and special releases, and what you may as well wait for to appear on Netflix and save your money. More »
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Remains of the Day: Download a Copy of The Pirate Bay [For What It's Worth]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 PST

The Pirate Bay has lost some weight, the Kinect may be more than a toy, and Evernote Hello gets its first update. More »
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Google Is Making a Home Entertainment System, Complete with Streaming Music and Smartphone Remote Control [Google]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:55:00 PST

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google—usually a software creator—is putting together an entertainment system, for which they've designed both the hardware and the software. It would stream music from Google's online store and send it either to wireless speakers or other networked computer, using smartphones or tablets as a remote control. We don't know much else yet, besides the fact that they're aiming for a release later this year. It's a pretty big step for Google, though, who usually only makes the software for such devices—see Android and Google TV, both of which exist on devices manufactured by other companies. This approach is much more Apple-like than we've seen from Google, so it will be interesting to see how this works for them going forward—with any luck, it'll get rid of that horrible fragmentation problem. More »
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Google Revamps its Navigation Bar Again, Gets Rid of Annoying Dropdown Menu [Google]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:45:00 PST

Google recently changed its navigation bar to a drop-down menu that, frankly, was a huge pain to use. Responding to user feedback, Google has returned to a more old-school navigation bar with a set of links across the top, which send you to your favorite Google apps and services. It keeps some of the more popular changes from the last iteration, though, like a unified search box and Google+ notifications on every Google page. The new version of the Google bar should roll out over the next few weeks, so if you don't have it yet, keep an eye out for it soon. [Official Google Blog] More »
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Perform Nearly Any Windows Task with One Keystroke [Keyboard Shortcuts]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:30:00 PST

There are a lot of ways to create shortcuts for system tasks in Windows—like shutting down your computer—but what could be faster than doing it with the hotkey of your choice? Here's how two tools can put nearly any system task at your fingertips. More »
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Save Files with Any Extension From Windows' Save As Menu [Windows Tips]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 PST

Windows' Save As dialog can be a little annoying. If you want to use a certain file extension, you have to pick it from a long list, and sometimes it isn't even available in that list. Reader Java-Princess shares an awesome shortcut for saving files as whatever extension you want. More »
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Daily App Deals: Get Remoter: Remote Desktop (VNC) for iOS for 50% Off in Today's App Deals [Deals]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:30:00 PST

The Daily App Deals post is a round-up of the best app discounts of the day, as well as some notable mentions for ones that are on sale. More »
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Offer to Pay Up Front to Get Discounts on Dental Care [Saving Money]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 PST

Dental care is an important part of your overall health care, but it's expensive when you don't have insurance. Financial blog Money Crashers suggests offering to pay up front when shopping for a dentist to see if they're willing to give you a discount. More »
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Answer: Where Can I Find That Tool? [Search Research]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:30:00 PST

Googler Daniel Russell knows how to find the answers to questions you can't get to with a simple Google query. In his weekly Search Research column, Russell issues a search challenge, then follows up later in the week with his solution—using whatever search technology and methodology fits the bill. This week's challenge: Where can I find that tool? More »
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What You Should Do with Your Extra Money [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 PST

Ramit Sethi is a New York Times best-selling author and creator of one of our favorite personal finance sites, I Will Teach You to Be Rich. In his weekly video Q&A for Lifehacker, Ramit answers common questions about personal finance, careers, and more. This week: What should you do with your extra money? More »
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To Make Perfectly Cooked Steak, Sear It When Frozen Then Cook It in the Oven [Cooking]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:30:00 PST

This modernist technique for cooking steak may sound absolutely bizarre, but Kitchen Konfidence food writer Brandon Matzek says this frozen seared steak method is an easy process that results in perfectly cooked steak: "The contrast of the salty, golden crust and the smooth, buttery center is just pure heaven." More »
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How to Deal with an Asshole Parker [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 PST

You finally find a spot in a packed parking lot and somebody's parked over the line so you can't fit. Or you've been waiting for someone to leave the lot and somebody pulls in to steal your claimed space. There are plenty of ways to be an asshole parker in this world, but few good ways to deal with them. Here's the best way to handle the situation. More »
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Ask and Answer Questions About Getting Rid of Old Junk [Help Yourself]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:30:00 PST

Every day we're on the lookout for ways to make your work easier and your life better, but Lifehacker readers are smart, insightful folks with all kinds of expertise to share, and we want to give everyone regular access to that exceptional hive mind. Help Yourself is a daily thread where readers can ask and answer questions about tech, productivity, life hacks, and whatever else you need help with. More »
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Quirky Scribe Is a Lapdesk That Can Carry Your Laptop, Textbooks, and Pens [Stuff We Like]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:00 PST

Most lapdesks you buy will bear the heat from your laptop so you don't unintentionally iron your pants with the bottom of your computer, but when you need to move your work elsewhere you have to pick up all your stuff and carry it awkwardly. The Scribe solves that problem by providing a strap for your laptop (or textbooks and pens) so you can easily take it with you. More »
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The Best Virtual Assistant for Android [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:30:00 PST

There are a number of apps for Android that all advertise that they can be your personal assistant. None of them are perfect, and all of them have their quirks, issues, and especially their limitations. Even so, we think that Vlingo is your best bet for a well-rounded personal assistant for Android. More »
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How Can I Talk to My Phone in Public Without Looking Like a Jerk/Creep/Weirdo? [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 PST

Dear Lifehacker, More »
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Upgrade a Wall Outlet to Charge USB Devices [DIY]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:00 PST

Wouldn't it be nice to just plug your USB device right into the wall and not have to use the power adapter and take up an outlet? Apartment Therapy has a guide for you to do just that or you can use a plug-and-play option. More »
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The Best Times to Buy Infographic Shows You All the Savings by Month and Day [Infographics]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:00 PST

Plan your purchases and you can grab the best deals on everything from clothes to flat-screen TVs to appliances and more. This infographic from Savings.com breaks down the sale times for just about every product so you can save all year round. More »
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Maximize Kitchen Drawer Space by Storing Utensils Diagonally [Storage]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:30:00 PST

Long kitchen utensils and gadgets take up a lot of space. Store them more efficiently and free up some room in your kitchen drawers by creating cheap diagonal inserts out of wood. More »
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How to Be an Audiophile on the Cheap [Stereo]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 PST

You love music, but even if you consider yourself a true audiophile, the cost of high-end sound can be, frankly, a little absurd. We talked with a handful of audio experts to find out how to get audiophile-calibre sound without emptying your savings account. Here's what they had to say. More »
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Approximate the Weight of Any Item Using a Clothes Hanger [Macgyver Tips]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:30:00 PST

If you need to weigh something small but don't have an appropriate scale on hand, Redditor Pedipalp has a MacGyver-worthy solution that turns a simple clothes hanger into a balance scale. More »
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Make Frozen Dough Rise Quickly with an Electric Heating Pad [Food Hacks]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:00 PST

Baking your own bread is a great way to save money, but if you store and freeze the dough it takes a while for it to rise before you can pop it in the oven. DIY blog The Pink Peony of Le Jardin suggests leaving your frozen bread on a heating pad to speed up the process. More »
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Boost Your Working Memory to Make Time Fly [Mind Hacks]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:30:00 PST

A new study in the psychology journal Acta Psychologica suggests that improving your working memory changes your perception of time and makes it seem like time moves faster. Working memory controls your ability to pay attention, plan, and remember things. It's also a skill you can improve. More »
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Waze for iPhone Offers Voice Control for Hands-Free Operation While Driving [Video]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:00:00 PST

iPhone: Waze, our favorite turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone (and Android) just added a great new feature: hands-free operation. Now you can control Waze with a wave of your hand and the power of your voice. More » [...]

ContactPrivacy Alerts You When Apps Access Contact Information [Privacy]

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:30:00 PST

iOS (Jailbroken): One of the quirks of the iPhone is that apps can access your personal information, including your contacts, without you knowing about it. If this bothers you, ContactPrivacy is a tweak that sends an alert when apps start digging through your address book. More »
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