Sunday, September 22, 2013

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14th

This week we tackled all the new Apple news, hacked our cars, figured out why we're so tired all the time, and learned everything Google's voice commands can do. Here's a look back.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

iOS 7 won't be coming to your iPhone and iPad until this fall, but a lot of its best features are available through third-party apps and jailbreak hacks right now. If you want to get in on the action early, here a few ways to add some of the new functionality right now.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

You spend an awful lot of time in your car every day, especially if you have a long commute—so why settle for what you're given when you can make it better on the cheap? Here are 10 ways to do just that.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

Dear Lifehacker,
I get a good 7–8 hours of sleep every night and exercise at least 3 times a week, but somehow I still feel tired every day. What’s sapping my energy and what can I do about it?

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

If you carry around a multitool in your bag or pocket for quick fixes, repair work, or just in case you need a sharp edge, a screwdriver, or pair of scissors, you're in good company. Many of you do, and this week we wanted to take a look at some of the best available—the ones that pack useful tools, are still portable, and offer great bang for the buck. Here are five of the best, based on your nominations.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

Voice search is one of those features that seems silly, but is awesome once you start using it. Not convinced? Here are a few ways to turn voice search from a silly gimmick into a useful productivity tool.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

Today, Apple announced iOS 7 with a ton of new features, a complete overhaul to the interface, and plenty more. Here are all the new features.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

We've all hit that point where we can't figure out exactly what we really want to do with our lives. It can come when you're 18 or when you're 50, and it's always a difficult process to work through. It's not hopeless, though! Here are a few ways to help you figure it out.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

Dear Lifehacker,
I like Apple hardware, but it doesn't run cheap and I'm not sure I want to use OS X. I know I can run Windows, but am I wasting money purchasing a Mac if I'm not using it as a Mac? When does it make sense to buy Apple hardware instead of a standard PC?

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

Back in 1991, Warren Buffett met Bill Gates, though as he tells career community website Levo League, neither of them were excited to see one another. But it turned out they had a great time talking—and during the course of the conversation, Buffett pulled out the little black date book that he carries in his pocket. He flipped through it: The pages were practically empty.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

If you haven't heard yet, Gmail is rolling out a new tabbed interface for the inbox on both desktop and mobile. At first glance, this looks great for email organization. On further inspection, these new tabs are confusing as hell. Here's how to make sense of the new tabs and customize them for your own filters.

This Week's Most Popular Posts: June 7th to 14thS

The internet is aflame with the news that the National Security Agency may be spying on phone calls and internet access of American citizens, and the possibility that they've partnered with some of the biggest tech companies in the world—Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Skype, and others—to request and access data directly whenever they want it. Let's take a look at what exactly is going on, how long it's been happening, and what—if anything—you can do about it.

Google has added a new Recent Activity dashboard to its Accounts page, so you can see lots of detail

Google has added a new Recent Activity dashboard to its Accounts page, so you can see lots of detail about when and where your account was used, so you can ensure no one has your password. Check it out here.


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Chalkboard Skateboard: A new board every day!

IMAG1406.jpgHello! In this instructable I'll be sharing a method I created in order to produce a sleek platform-looking skateboard that serves not only to take me around, but also to display different messages and drawings beneath my feet that I can change whenever I want without worrying about them getting wiped away or smudged. And all with stuff that's easily accessible and pretty cheap. :)
I hope you guys run with this idea, as there are so many more possibilities with this method!IMAG1258.jpgDecided what board you'd like to ride on. Short? Long? Keep in mind that the larger the board the more screws you'll need to keep the grip on (this will be explained later). I went with a really short board because it meant I could go with a thicker, heavier and more sturdy wood without drastically increasing the weight of the board. Also, portability was a big issue.
I decided to go with a wide 9.75" width to give me plenty of room to write on, and compensate for the short length for my ride.
Once you have a rough idea for what size and shape you want your board to be, you can begin purchasing your materials.

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Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

It's been several months since Facebook introduced Graph Search, and if you have it, you may be wondering what it's good for. The short answer: A lot of things! Here are some clever ways to make use of Graph Search if you already have it, and some reasons to sign up to get it if you don't have it already.

Facebook Graph Search has been slowly rolling out to the users that signed up for it way back in January, when it was initially unveiled. Some of us at Lifehacker HQ have had it for a while, but some of us have only recently gotten our hands on it, so we got to thinking about some ways you could make the most of it if it's your turn to try it out. If you don't have it already, you can read more about it and sign up here. Once you have it, here are a few creative things you can do with it:

Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

If you're planning a trip and need some suggestions on places to visit or restaurants to try, usually your friends who live in a given city are great people to ask for advice. With Graph Search, you may not even have to ask them—unless you're looking for friends or people who live in that town to hang out with or visit when you're there. Here are a couple of searches you can do to help charge up your itinerary with interesting spots and tasty eateries, and people who may be willing to visit them with you:

Restaurants in [City Name] my friends like. This one will show you all of the restaurants (and their Facebook pages) that your friends—whether they live in the town or not—have liked. Great for finding spots your friends enjoyed enough to actually like on Facebook, and places that only the locals know about (especially if you stumble on a restaurant page with only a handful of likes).Restaurants nearby my friends have liked. This one shows you places near you, so you don't even have to fill in the city. Perfect if you're out in the middle of nowhere, or you're looking for something to eat close by.Restaurants in [City Name] liked by people who live in [City Name]. Want to really eat like a local? Visit the places the locals love. Sure, some popular places will float to the top, but you'll get a better look at some of the highly rated restaurants that people who actually live in that town enjoy.Places in [City Name] my friends like. Looking for a museum to visit, an art gallery, or a concert hall? Maybe another tourist attraction or memorial worth your time when you're in town? This search will give them to you.My friends who live in [City Name]. In case you're not sure which of your friends lives where you're planning to visit, this will give you a full list—you never know, you may find someone you've been out of touch with that you'll want to hang out with again.My friends of friends who live in [City Name]. Interested in meeting new people? This one's a bit trickier because it's always kind of awkward to say "Hey, I'm a friend of Matt's! I'm going to be in San Francisco next week, want to grab a drink?" Even so, if you're outgoing enough, it's a great way to make new friends.Don't hesitate to mix and match these, or add some qualifiers to narrow your results. Use the "Refine This Search" box on the right to tweak the selections—you can even narrow by cuisine type or who of your friends have actually visited the place. Similarly, if you're vegetarian, try "Vegetarian & vegan restaurants in [city name] that my friends have liked." You could take out the "that my friends have liked" for more suggestions, but leaving it in works, and gives you better results.

Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

Even if you're not planning to leave home, Graph Search can help you find some company for the next concert, movie, or other social event you'd like to go to. After all, Facebook is a great way to stay in touch with friends—why not use it to actually bring those friendships back into the physical world? Try these searches before you throw up your hands because no one wants to see that artsy flick with you or go to that concert you have two tickets for:

My friends who like [Band/Artist Name]. You'll never go to a concert alone again.My friends who like [Actor/Director/Movie Title]. If your best friend or partner has terrible taste in movies and simply refuses to go with you to the latest Nicholas Cage flick, this search will find you friends a bit more willing.My friends who like [Object (Wine, Beer, Barbecue, etc)]. If you'd really like to try a nearby restaruant, but it's one of those places better enjoyed with friends, this search will help you find some people to get together with and go. Similarly, if there's a local wine festival, beer festival, chili cookoff, or BBQ battle, a little creative searching will help you find a posse to take with you so you all have a good time.Friends of my friends who like [video games/science fiction/topic of interest]. Looking for new friends, or perhaps a potential date? This search will help you find people with whom you have a common friend and a common interest. That way even if none of your friends are into video games, or none of your friends particularly want to go see Man of Steel with you, you can find someone else who will—or at least someone else you have a lot in common with but wouldn't have known if you hadn't gone looking. Of course, you may want your mutual friend to make the introductions before you just reach out on Facebook.Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

Another great use for Graph Search is to discover new books, music, and movies based on what your friends like. I know, I can hear you now: "But my friends have terrible taste in music/movies/books!" Well, if you craft your search properly, you'll be able to weed out the fluff and get to the good recommendations. Here are some examples:

Bands my friends who like [X Type of Music] like. This is a narrower version of the "Bands my friends like," which can turn up a whole world of unusual suggestions. Try this one instead, and you can narrow down to a specific genre at least—you'll still get bands that don't fit the genre, but at least friends who actually like what you like are the ones whose opinions are counted here. Only try "Bands my friends like" if you're really desperate for suggestions—you'll get a lot of suggestions, but not all of them will be useful.Books my friends like. I'm a bit more confident with this one because good book recommendations are always tricky to come by, and if a friend liked a book enough to add it to their profile, they may have other great book suggestions. Again, you can narrow this down a bit by adding a book to the mix that you want in common with them, like "Books my friends who like [X Book or Y Author] like."Movies liked by people who like [Movie Title]. This one is universal, but it'll give you a list of movies that may be in the same vein as the one you enjoyed. For example, if you loved The Avengers, Graph Search says you'll probably also love The Wolverine, The Dark Knight Rises, and, interestingly enough, The Neverending Story. Interesting.Everyone's seen the "Friends who like Nickelback" or "Friends who like Justin Beiber" gag as a way to find people to unfriend. Yes, you can use Graph Search to find friends who love music you hate, and you're free to judge them for it. Just do it quietly—otherwise it kind of makes you the jerk for seeking them out just to shame them, doesn't it? When I search for friends who like Nickelback, one of them is a Military Leadership Instructor in the Army, another is in the National Guard and just got home from deployment. I write on the internet for a living. I'm not judging them. Let people like what they like.

Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

Graph Search can also be a useful tool to make new professional connections. We've talked about finding people who like specific books and movies, but what about companies, or people who work at companies that you may be able to reach out to? Try these on for size:

Friends who work at [X Company]. They may not all be in a position to get you a job, but they may be in a position to pass along your resume, let you know if something comes up that you may be a fit for, or even introduce you to someone in the company who is in a position to hire you. You never know until you ask, and if you're already friends, it shouldn't be weird to ask.Friends of My Friends who work at [X Company]. This one is a little touchier, and you'll probably want to get the blessing of your mutual friend before you reach out, but this one could extend your network even further. Best of all, your friends doesn't have to be a referral themselves, they can just let you know if it's okay to use their name when you reach out on your own. Less hassle for them than passing along a resume, and you get to make a genuine new connection—it's a little bold, but I'll bet it's not something your everyday applicant would do.You can add filters to this one too—things like "Friends of My Friends who work at [X Company] in [X City] to find people nearby you may be able to ask out for coffee. The sky's the limit, and it's a great way to make connections that you wouldn't be able to make through LinkedIn, or even directly by cold emailing someone.

Clever Uses for Facebook Graph Search

Some of my favorite Graph Searches are the ones that actually remind me to reach out to old friends or take me back in time a little. For example:

Photos from [Year] that I liked. Instant time machine. Want to look back and see what you had going on last year, or a few years ago? This search will do it. It's a little time-wastey, but it's still a lot of fun.Photos of [weddings/graduations/events] uploaded by my friends. The best part about this search is that it's not necessarily your friends' weddings—it could be old photos of their parents' wedding, or one of their friends' weddings, their cousin's graduation, or something else. In any event, it's fun to look through, and sure to make you smile.Photos taken in my hometown my friends have uploaded. Whether you live in your hometown now, or have moved far away, this one is definitely sure to take you down memory lane. You could take this one a step further and search "Photos of me taken in my hometown my friends uploaded," or "Photos taken in [City Name] my friends have uploaded" if you're curious what your friends have been up to when they visit your city.Photos of me and [X Person]. Whether it's a best friend, a friend you're out of touch with, your siblings, or a relative who may have passed away, this search is a nostalgia trip. Just make sure it's not an ex, okay?The possibilities are great for nostalgia trips or just looking for feel-good events and photos that your friends have posted. It's also a great excuse to get back in touch with old friends if you stumble on a friend who just got married, just graduated from college or grad school, or you just stumbled on a photo of the two of you from back in the day and you fell out of touch. Alternatively, it can just be good story fodder for friends you're in touch with now. It's up to you.

If you're looking for more suggestions like these, check out these five searches from Banyan Branch, this hilarious list of searches at TechCrunch (some of which are a little depressing), and these suggestions at HuffPo Tech. Some of the above are from those lists, and there's more where they came from. Of course, no discussion of Facebook Graph Search is complete without mentioning Actual Facebook Graph Searches, the satirical Tumblr that revealed Graph Search's infinite potential.

Facebook is pretty slow rolling their new features out to all users (remember Facebook's new design, announced back in March and still available to virtually no one?) so if you don't have Graph Search, just hold on—you'll be able to make use of these tips soon. If you already have it though, give these a shot. You might find them useful.

Photo made using Mushakesa (Shutterstock).


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This Infographic Guides You to Healthy, Tasty Baking Substitutions

This Infographic Guides You to Healthy, Tasty Baking Substitutions

Whether you're trying to cut down on white flour or sugar, or you're just looking for some creative substitutions for better baking, this guide from our friends at Greatist will help you cut the sugar, wheat, or even the fat from your baked goods if you want to.

Regardless of your opinions on what should or shouldn't be part of a healthy diet, this guide probably has a substitution or two you can agree with (and a few you might not). For example, cup for cup, skim milk could be used in place of heavy cream, or bananas in the place of oil or butter. Similarly, you could use a cup of unsweetened applesauce for a cup of sugar (although the graphic warns you that you'll introduce moisture with applsauce, so for every cup used you should reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup overall). If you're cutting wheat flour from your diet, 1/3 cup of coconut flour or every cup of wheat flour works wonders in pancakes, cookies, or cakes.

Check out the full graphic below, and make note of the caveats to each substitution where they apply. Like we said, not all of them will be useful to all diets, but there are plenty of them, so you're likely to find one that works for you.

The Ultimate Guide to Healthier Baking | Greatist

This Infographic Guides You to Healthy, Tasty Baking Substitutions


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SpotOn.It Adds Events from the Web to Your Google Calendar

SpotOn.It Adds Events from the Web to Your Google Calendar

Chrome: If you've ever looked at an neighborhood calendar and meant to go to an event, or visited a website for a convention or concert but forgot to plan for it, SpotOn.It for Chrome can help. The app intelligently searches sites you visit for events listed, and can add them to your Google Calendar with one click.

I've been trying the extension and it works on everything from major events and concerts on popular websites to neighborhood and community calendars. Now, if I want to remember that there's a free movie in the local park this weekend, all I have to do is visit the community calendar, click the button in the Chrome Toolbar, and add the event to my Google Calendar so I'll be reminded in advance. The add-on even lets you know if the event will run up against appointments on your calendar before or afterward.

SpotOn.It is actually a service that recommends things for you to do in your area and can fill gaps in your Google Calendar with interesting things in your area, but it's limited to a handful of cities and events at the moment. The Chrome extension has no such limitations, and works on virtually any website, anywhere you live. Plus, you can use the extension to quickly add your own events to your Google Calendar at any time, anywhere—just click the button and choose "Add Custom Event."

You'll have to give the service limited access to your Google Account for the service to work, and the extension is Chrome only. Still, if you use your calendar often and want a super-quick way to add events and announcements you see on the web to it for future reference, it doesn't get easier than this.

SpotOn.It - Add to Calendar | Chrome Web Store


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