Lifehacker

How to Customize iPhone Alert Sounds in Third Party Apps, No Jailbreak Required [Video]

Whitson Gordon — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:00 PDT

If you don't like the alert sounds that came with that new app you just downloaded, they're actually pretty easy to change—and you don't even need to jailbreak your phone. Here's how to do it. More »

Remains of the Day: Anonymous Steals 1.7GB of Data From the U.S. Bureau of Justice [For What It's Worth]

Dusty Wright — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:00:00 PDT

Anonymous steals a considerable amount of data from the United States Bureau of Justice, APC plans to release an Android PC system for $49 this July, and Google may be may be responsible for four classes of antitrust violations in Europe. More »

How to Invert Your Browser's Colors for Easier Reading at Night [Video]

Whitson Gordon — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:30:00 PDT

If you're a night owl, you know how much a regular white web page can hurt your eyes when you open it up. Here are two browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox that will make the web a little bit nicer at night. More »

If You Want to Actually Finish the Tasks on Your To-Do List, Include Why You Should Do Them [Getting Things Done]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 PDT

To-do lists are just a nagging reminder of all the things you need to do, so actually inspiring yourself to do them isn't always easy. Michael Pantalon, Ph. D, writing for Psychology Today, suggests that you're more likely to accomplish these tasks by including why you should do them as well. More »

Daily App Deals: Get Dropzone for Mac for $2 in Today’s App Deals [App Deals]

Jeremy Hoag — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:30:00 PDT

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 »

Most Popular Web Hosting Company: Dreamhost [Hive Five Followup]

Alan Henry — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:15:00 PDT

Hosting your own blog, photo gallery, or personal website has never been easier, and there's no reason to rely on a free service that may vanish one day (taking all of your data with it!) when you can do it yourself for a few dollars a month, depending on your needs. Last week, we asked you which web hosts you thought offered the best combination of features, pricing, support, and availability. Then we distilled your 100+ nominations down to the top five web hosting companies, and put them to a vote. Now we're back to highlight the winner. More »

"Knowing How to Think Empowers You Far Beyond Those Who Know Only What to Think." [Quotables]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:00:00 PDT

This quotation from scientist and popular meme Neil deGrasse Tyson is practically our mission statement here at Lifehacker. It's easy enough to acquire information—especially in the age of the internet—but knowing how to think about what you learn creates the possibility for you to do so much more. More »

The Sea at Sunset Home Screen [Featured Home Screen]

andy_mcname — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:30:00 PDT

Reader andy_mcname put together this beautiful yet practical home screen using just a few simple tools. Here's how. More »

"If You Don't Know It's Impossible, It's Easier to Do" [Video]

Melanie Pinola — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:00 PDT

You have no idea what you're doing. This is great, says author Neil Gaiman in a commencement speech at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Being unfamiliar with established rules and limits is a plus when you're trying to be creative and make things: "If you don't know it's impossible, it's easier to do." More »

Mozilla Webmaker Aims to Teach You to Code and Change You from Web Consumer to Creator [Learn To Code]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:35:00 PDT

Not everyone should learn to code, but if it's on your list of priorities you've got a friend in Mozilla. They've just announced a program called Webmaker that aims to teach the average user to create rather than consume. While the lessons are still forthcoming, you can join or create a "code party" to learn with others so you're not going it alone. So what is a code party, exactly? Mozilla explains: More »

TiVo Stream Delivers Recorded Shows to Your iPhone [TiVo]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:10:00 PDT

Despite the DVR market being usurped by cable companies, TiVo has managed to keep going and trying to bring new ideas to market. Today they announced TiVo Stream, which will allow owners of TiVo Premiere boxes ($150-250, $15/month) and an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to stream video or transfer it directly to their device: More »

When Being Too Private on Facebook Can Actually Be a Bad Thing [Privacy]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 PDT

There are plenty of stupid things you do on Facebook, but you probably wouldn't expect that being too private is one of them. There are actually real downsides to locking down your Facebook profile. It can hurt you in a job search or the quality of the search results for your name. Here's why. More »

The Best (and Worst) Things to Buy on Memorial Day Weekend [Shopping]

Melanie Pinola — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 PDT

Every holiday brings weekend sales, but some are better than others. If this coming Memorial Day weekend is anything like the last two, we might see some of the best discounts this year so far—particularly for clothing, but not so much for other categories. More »

Turn Your Sensitive Documents Into a DIY Fireplace Log (When Shredding Isn't an Option) [Security]

Whitson Gordon — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:30:00 PDT

While shredding is a great way to dispose of the occasional document, it becomes a lot less practical when you have stacks of paper to destroy. Weblog The Simple Dollar recommends burning them—by turning them into a DIY fireplace log. More »

What Specs Actually Matter in a Digital Camera? [Ask Lifehacker]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:00 PDT

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm looking to buy a new digital camera, but I don't know what specifications matter. I've been told megapixel ratings don't really matter when it comes to image quality, so what do I look for? What specs will tell me if a camera shoots great images or not? More »

ZipList Is an All-in-One Meal Planner, Recipe Box, and Shopping List App [Cooking]

Melanie Pinola — Tue, 22 May 2012 09:30:00 PDT

Web/iPhone/Android: Previously featured ZipList has expanded its grocery list and recipe shopping tool to include a simple, yet powerful meal planner. Now you can save recipes to your queue and schedule them over the week or month to solve worrying about what's for dinner. More »

Amazon Appstore Lets You Test Drive Apps Before Buying Them [Android Downloads]

Melanie Pinola — Tue, 22 May 2012 08:30:00 PDT

Android: Amazon's latest update to its Appstore makes it more competitive to Google Play. Amazon Appstore now offers a new "Test Drive" feature where you can try out an app before buying it (unlike Google Play's 15-minute refund policy where you have to buy an app first). More »

Put Your Keyboard's Unused Keys to Use (by Turning Them into Awesome Shortcuts) [Keyboard Shortcuts]

Whitson Gordon — Tue, 22 May 2012 08:00:00 PDT

Can you remember the last time you actually used the Print Screen key? Or Caps Lock, or Insert, or, Pause Break? Hell, does anyone even know what Pause Break does? Chances are, you have a number of keys you've never even touched. Instead of letting them collect dust, why not do something awesome with them? Here's a simple way to assign common, useful actions to those unused keys, like putting your computer to sleep, showing hidden files, or ejecting a flash drive. More »

ReadyForZero for iPhone Helps You Get Control of Your Debt from Your Pocket [IPhone Downloads]

Adam Dachis — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:30:00 PDT

iOS: Previously mentioned debt-management webapp ReadyForZero has come to the iPhone to help you stay on top of your financial obligations anywhere you take your mobile device. It assists by tracking payment due dates, showing you an overall look at your current debt situation, and reminding you when it's time for a payment so you can ensure you don't miss it. More »

Readlists Creates Ebooks from URLs [Webapps]

Thorin Klosowski — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:00:00 PDT

The team behind Readability has released Readlists, a new webapp that can easily turn a set of articles into an Ebook and send it directly to Kindle, iPhone, iPad, or over email with just a few simple clicks. More »

Google Closes Deal on Motorola Mobility [In Brief]

Thorin Klosowski — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:55:53 PDT

Google's CEO, Larry Page, has announced that Google has officially acquired Motorola Mobility. The process started last August but the deal is now done. Google hasn't made a statement about what exactly they plan on doing with this acquisition, but he does introduce Motorola Mobility's new CEO, Google employee Dennis Woodside. You can read Larry Page's post over on the Official Google Blog. [Official Google Blog] More »

Know Your Rights: Photography in Public [Know Your Rights]

Thorin Klosowski — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:30:00 PDT

Nearly every modern phone has a camera attached to it and subsequently more and more people are taking photos in public places than ever before. The shot might be as simple as snapping a picture of a parade or as tricky as recording video of a riot. Regardless of the reasons, the rules for photographing in public places are the same. More »

Sidecar Shares Media While Making a Free Phone Call [Video]

Thorin Klosowski — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

iOS/Android: Sidecar is a new voice calling app for iPhone and Android that makes free calls over Wi-Fi and shares data like videos, location, contact information, and pictures live when you're on the call. More »

Hojoki Combines Services Like Dropbox, Evernote, Google Apps, and More Into a Single Feed [Video]

Alan Henry — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:30:00 PDT

We discuss a number of web services designed to keep you productive, but when you have a half-dozen different web and storage apps to keep track of they can take more time than they save. That's where Hojoki comes in. The service connects to all of your productivity tools and collects your updates, code revisions, new files, comments, and more into one feed that you can monitor in one place. More »

Is It Still Worth It to Fill Up Your Drive With Music? [Ask The Readers]

Alan Henry — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

Once upon a time, music was hard to get in digital form, so when you had it, you hung on to it for dear life, filling your hard drive with dozens of gigs of music. In the age of streaming and cloud music services though, how many of us actually carefully prune and manage our digital music collections? Do you still download and stuff your hard drive with tunes, or do you get your get your fix from the cloud? More »

WorkFu Uses Your Personal Connections to Find You A New Job [Job Search]

Alan Henry — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:30:00 PDT

The best way to find work these days is by leveraging your connections. Talking to the people you know and reaching out to your personal network is much more effective than aimlessly submitting resumes into faceless HR databases, and WorkFu is a new job search service that uses your personal connections to help you find work—and connect you directly to the person who's hiring. More »

How to Get the Most Juice from a Citrus Fruit [Crash Course]

Alan Henry — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 PDT

Juicing a lemon or lime isn't exactly difficult, but if you want to get the most out of your citrus fruit—and your money—as possible, here are a few kitchen tricks to make sure you never waste any. More »

Shaky Cameras, Chrome Bookmarks, and Invisible Skype Calls [From The Tips Box]

Whitson Gordon — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:00:00 PDT

Readers offer their best tips for taking steady pictures on your smartphone's camera, quickly accessing Chrome Bookmarks from the Omnibar, and calling invisible users on Skype. More »

Remains of the Day: UberConference Plans to Take the Pain Out of Conference Calls [For What It's Worth]

Dusty Wright — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:00 PDT

A free service called UberConference is trying to change how we participate in conference calls, a cross-browser worm is being spread via Facebook, and the latest Mountain Lion update brings a new feature to the table: iOS-style automatic app downloads. More »

Microsoft Is Ditching Aero In Windows 8, Moving to a More Metro-Style Desktop [In Brief]

Whitson Gordon — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:35:00 PDT

Microsoft is still making a lot of changes to Windows 8, the most recent of which is the "Metro-ization" of the classic Windows desktop. Microsoft noted on Friday that the newest version of Windows is going to look a lot different than what we're seeing in the Consumer Preview: Instead of the transparent, reflective Windows Aero theme we've come to know over the years—which Microsoft is now calling "cheesy" and "dated"—they'll be using a simpler Metro-inspired look. We probably won't get to experience the new interface until Windows 8 drops in the fall, but you can catch a glimpse in Microsoft's screenshot of Windows Explorer, shown above. Check out Microsoft's full post on the subject for more information. [Building Windows 8] More »

Subscribe to Cable Internet? Cable Providers Are Teaming Up to Give You Free Wi-Fi All Over Town [In Brief]

Whitson Gordon — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 PDT

If you're always on the hunt for free Wi-Fi, rejoice: five of the big cable internet providers (Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable) have banded together to provide each other's Wi-Fi hotspots to their customers for free in certain cities around the US. That means, if you subscribe to Time Warner, you have access to Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, and Bright House Wi-Fi networks for free—seriously increasing the number of networks you'll find around town. They're calling the new networks "CableWiFi", and they'll be available at tons of coffee shops, train stations, malls, and other locations you might want internet access. All you need to do is connect to the network and sign in with credentials given to you by your cable provider. Right now, over 50,000 hotspots are already available in New York, Los Angeles, Tampa, Orlando, and Philadelphia, with more cities on the docket. To see where Wi-Fi hotspots are located in your area, just head to CableWiFi.com and pick your provider. [CNET] More »

Make Your Pockets Virtually Theft-Proof [Infographics]

Adam Dachis — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 PDT

When traveling—or just being paranoid—you have reason to worry about a sneaky pickpocket coming to steal your wallet. Even if the chances are slim, getting stranded in a foreign place can be scary and troublesome. How-to illustrator Yumi Sakugawa offers up an info-comic with plenty of helpful suggestions to make your pockets essentially theft-proof. More »

Daily App Deals: Get Plex for Android for $1.99 in Today’s App Deals [App Deals]

Jeremy Hoag — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:30:00 PDT

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 »

Add DuckDuckGo's Smart "Zero-Click Info" Results to Google Searches in Chrome [Google]

Whitson Gordon — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 PDT

Chrome: Our favorite alternative search engine, DuckDuckGo, has a cool feature called "zero click info" that gives you Wikipedia articles, Yelp pages, and more at the top of relevant searches. Now, their Zero-Click Info Chrome extension will put those relevant links at the top of your Google search results, so you don't have to sift through results to find what you're looking for. More »

Easily Capture and Dispose of Bugs and Other Small Pests with a Lint Roller [Bugs]

Adam Dachis — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:30:00 PDT

Few people actually enjoy picking up bugs or squashing them with their bare hands. Most of us employ the help of paper to lure them outdoors or at least create a barrier between our skin and their soon-to-be-crushed bodies. Neither of these options are efficient, simple, or even ideal. A lint roller, on the other hand, is. More »

It's Not What You Read; It's What You Ignore [Video]

Adam Pash — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 PDT

Feeling overwhelmed by your inbox, your to-dos, your errands, your to-reads, and so on? Of course you are. We all are. Microsoft-ian and speaker Scott Hanselman delivers a practical and inspiring talk on digging yourself out of the guilt-ridden cycles of distraction and interruption, and it's full of productivity gems. More »

Google Improves Gmail Search by Making Autocomplete Specific to Your Mail [Gmail]

Adam Dachis — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:30:00 PDT

Google made a minor upgrade to Gmail search, tailoring autocomplete to your account so you can find what you want just a little bit faster: More »

Google Balloons, Dead Software, and Productive Tablets [Video]

Adam Dachis — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 PDT

This week on the podcast we're talking about mapping out your neighborhood with a Google weather balloon, saying goodbye to software we love, and learning about Google's new Knowledge Graph. Also, we're answering questions about batch audio conversions, making tablets productive, having a say in what search engines say about you. More »

StepStats Offers Better Statistics for Your Fitbit [Fitness]

Adam Pash — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:00:00 PDT

Webapp StepStats offers a more detailed view of your activity patterns measured by Fitbit, the popular, pocketable activity-tracking tool. More »