Lifehacker

Get a Text When Your Sump Pump Fails

Shep McAllister — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

A lot of sump pump systems have a backup pump and an alarm that goes off in the case of failure, but that alarm is only good if you're home to hear it. With a little ingenuity though, you can hack your to send you a text if the water level starts getting too high.

Felix Rusu at LowPowerLab created this project for peace of mind when he was on vacation. He shares the code and a complete walkthrough on his site, but basically it uses a sonar rangefinder to monitor the depth of the water below his basement, and a Raspberry Pi to hook the system up to his home network and send out alerts. He set the system to alert him if the water level got within 20cm of his basement floor, which would indicate the the pump was failing. This won't fix the problem or restart the pump, but if he was on vacation it would at least give him time to ask a neighbor or repair man for help remotely. If you're interested in trying this out in your own basement, be sure to hit up the source link.

Sump Pump alert with Moteino and HC-SR04 | LowPowerLab via Hack A Day

Create a Center-Pull Ball of Yarn By Hand

Shep McAllister — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

If you're into knitting—or if you regularly need yarn for your DIY projects—you know it can be tough to keep your yarn under control and tangle free. A center-pull ball of yarn eliminates a lot of the hassle, and it's really easy to make your own.

Instructables user LeafingLight shares this surprisingly simple tutorial. Just take any ball or skein of yarn, and unravel it completely. Then, start wrapping it around the end of a thin dowel rod into a roughly spherical ball. Once all the yarn is re-wrapped around the rod, slip the ball off the end of the dowel, and you're good to go. Now, you shouldn't have to worry about the yarn getting stuck or unraveling too easily as you work. Check out the source link for the complete tutorial with plenty of photos.

How to Wind a Center-Pull Ball of Yarn by Hand | Instructables

SmartDeblur Fixes Blurry Photos without the Fuss

Shep McAllister — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Windows: As good as our camera phones have gotten, they can still produce some blurry images, especially of moving subjects or in low light. While you could try to sharpen them up in a feature-rich app like Photoshop and futz around with a bunch of sliders and settings to get decent results, SmartDeblur does a great job with less fuss.

As far as photography apps go, this is a simple app for a single problem, but it delivers on its promise. Just load up a photo, adjust the kernel size and smoothing parameters as needed, then hit "Analyze Blur" to fix the photo. SmartDeblur is no miracle worker, the photos won't become crystal clear, but the app absolutely holds its own against real image editors. Obviously, if you have Photoshop and would rather set up a batch process to make some adjustments, that's probably going to be faster for fixing a ton of photos at once, but SmartDeblur is still handy if you just want to sharpen a photo or two. It's also a great app to send to any of your friends who don't own or aren't comfortable using full-featured image editors.

SmartDeblur (Free) | Developer's Website via FreewareGenius

Screenshot by Carlos Macias.

Five Best Android Phones: 2013 Edition

Alan Henry — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

There are so many Android phones on the market that choosing the best one can mean a ton of research, price-checking, and waiting to see what's coming out in the next few weeks or months. Some are exclusive to specific carriers, some run stock Android, some are littered with bloatware but have powerful features. This week we wanted to know which you thought were the best of breed, not just because they round out a checklist of features or high-end hardware, but because you think they offer a great overall experience. Here's a look at the top five Android phones, based on your nominations.

We put this question to you the same time last year (just after Google I/O), and your top five Android phones then were really impressive for the time. Still, times change, and earlier this week, we asked you to pick a new batch to be the best of the best. You didn't disappoint, and offered way more nominations than we could possibly feature. Remember, our only conditions were that the phones you nominated had to be out and available now. Still, there were some strong trends, and no doubt about your top five. Here they are:

LG Nexus 4

The Nexus 4 (8GB for $299 or 16GB for $349, contract-free) manufactured by LG, is the current official Google phone, and the flagship of the Nexus program. It's available contract-free directly from Google (or from T-Mobile in the US, if you want to buy it through a carrier) so you can pick and choose the carrier you use it with (including pre-paid options), which was a remarkable departure for Nexus phones compared to the previous models. Availability of the device has smoothed out over the past few months, and Google's order page now says a new Nexus 4 can ship to you in 1-2 business days.

The Nexus 4 is a 3G/HSPA+ device, and garnered some criticism for not ticking off the 4G/LTE box in its spec sheet. Regardless, that hasn't stopped the phone from being wildly popular, packing stock Android 4.2 Jelly Bean under the hood, a beautiful 8MP camera on the back (and a 1.3MP camera on the front), a nicely sized 4.7" HD display that protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 2, and is powered by 2GB of RAM and a Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon processor. It's a killer device, but it's not perfect: the Nexus 4 eschewed a replaceable battery (although it does have a 2100 mAh battery) and expansion slot for a slim and trim design, so if you need either of those things, it might be a tough sell. Still, it does pack perks like NFC and wireless charging, and it is a Nexus device, so you can trust you'll get timely Android releases, always be up to date, and even if Google falters there's a massive development community working with the phone at all times.

Samsung Galaxy S4

Despite a horrendous launch event, the Samsung Galaxy S4 ($149-$199 with contract, all US carriers) is without a doubt one of the most super-powered phones on the market today. Samsung's latest iteration in the Galaxy line will, without a doubt, sell millions of units, and become one of the most popular Android phones on the planet, much like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3 (which, coincidentally, almost made the top five of its own accord). Contrary to the rumors that Samsung would put a little more heft into its phones or improve their build quality, the S4 has almost the same case design and materials of its predecessor, so if you hate plastic and polycarbonate cases, you may not love the S4. The device only recently came out, but high demand has slowed its rollout, but regardless, it is available on all US carriers.

The Galaxy S4 is a 3G/4G device, and since it's available for all carriers, each carrier model supports each carrier's 4G network. It packs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, although it's overlaid with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, which directs you in some cases away from core Android features and to Samsung's branded counterpart services. Regardless, all of Android's features are under the hood, you just might have to dig a little through TouchWiz to get to it. You also get 13MP camera on the back (and a 2MP camera on the front), and it sports a 5" full HD display. Under the hood, the S4 packs 2GB of RAM, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 2600mAh removable battery, and it comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB varieties with a microSD card slot that allows you to add up to another 64GB to the device. It also sports NFC, and a host of Samsung-specific features, like the S-Health fitness tracking system, Samsung's Smart Scroll and Smart Pause systems, the S Voice personal assistant, and the S Travel trip advisor.

HTC One

The HTC One ($199 on contract with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, $575 unlocked direct from HTC) is a beautiful device. Seriously—it's earned high praise from all corners for its solid build quality and sleek aluminum body. It doesn't just look good, either—even after the launch of the Galaxy S4 and all of its features and power, reviewers are still torn over whether the One or the S4 is the current crown champion of the Android market. Just as well too, HTC needed a powerhouse phone to re-energize itself and get back in front of the Android market, and while the One X and One S of previous years were great devices, the new One flagship device is solid leap forward.

The HTC One ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (although an update to 4.2 is on the way), overlaid with HTC's new Sense 5 interface. Sense 5.0 represents a shift away from the old Sense UI, one that you'll either love or hate, but most critics have responded positively to it. Even if you dislike overlaid UIs, Android isn't too far away. You get a 4MP camera on the back that's also capable of full 1080p video (and a 2.1MP camera on the front), and a 4.7" full HD display. The One packs 2GB of RAM, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood, a 2300 mAh non-removable battery, and comes in 32GB and 64GB versions. The One doesn't have an expansion slot, so make sure to get the model with the storage you'll need. The HTC One also comes with an array of actually useful HTC features, including the HTC Zoe photo gallery and web gallery that make uploading and sharing photos surprisingly easy, HTC's BoomSound audio processing system (which replaces—sort of—Beats Audio from previous devices), and HTC's Sense Voice noise isolation system that makes sure your callers can hear you and not the ambient noise around you.

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Despite being a "phablet," thanks to its large size and included stylus, the Galaxy Note 2 (prices vary, but average $149 on contract, all carriers, also available unlocked for $5-600) earned high praise from a number of you for being large enough to use for things you might want a laptop or tablet for, but still small enough to be portable and function effectively as a phone. Plus, you can't beat a large screen for reading the web, mobile gaming, or working on the go. The original Galaxy Note made it into our previous roundup, and for many of the same reasons. Whether the Note II is too large for you is entirely a matter of personal preference, but there's no disputing the fact that the it has the features under the hood to make it a solid contender either way.

The Galaxy Note II is a little bigger than its predecessor, featuring a 5.5" HD screen and shipping with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (although an update to 4.2 is planned for the summer), and includes Samsung's TouchWiz UI. It comes with an 8MP camera (and a 1.9MP camera on the front). Under the hood, you get 2GB of RAM, a quad-core Exynos processor, and a massive 3100 mAh battery. It comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions, and is expandable up to another 64GB. Of course, we can't mention the Note without talking about the included stylus, the S-Pen. Like its predecessor, Samsung has gone out of its way to make the S-Pen actually useful with the Note II and not just a gimmick. S-Note, S-Planner, and built-in support for handwriting and navigation by stylus make it an actually useful way to work with your Note II.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The Galaxy Nexus (prices vary, but essentially free on contract, all carriers, also available unlocked for ~$300), the flagship of the Nexus program until the Nexus 4 came along, not only made our last roundup, but it took the crown after the votes were counted. It's still one of your most popular devices—it doesn't hurt that it's a 4G device, runs stock Android, and has models available that support virtually every carrier in the United States, locked or unlocked. That's another reason the device is so popular: It's widely available unlocked, so you can take it to the carrier you choose (mostly), and use it without getting locked into a contract. Other devices may be newer, larger and fatter, but the Galaxy Nexus is a slim, trim device that fits nicely in the hand, gets the job done, and because it's still a Nexus, it has huge dev support.

The Galaxy Nexus is the oldest of the devices in the roundup, so availability new may be spotty depending on which carrier you choose. Still, they're widely available used. The Galaxy Nexus was the first phone to ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (stock) on it, and it has since been updated to 4.2 Jelly Bean virtually everywhere. You get a 5MP rear camera (and a 1.3MP front-side camera) featuring the Nexus' famous "zero shutter lag," and a 4.65" HD Contour display. The Galaxy Nexus also features 1GB of RAM, a dual-core Cortex-A9 processor, and a 1750mAh/1850mAh battery (which one depends on whether you have the HSPA+ or LTE model, respectively). No expandable storage, but the Galaxy Nexus is available in 16GB or 32GB models. It's not the newest or the fastest, but it's still a great phone.

There you have it, the top five Android phones based on your nominations. Now it's time to vote for the all-out winner.

Like we said, there were plenty of phones to go around in the nominees, but we have to give a little honorable mention love to the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD, which came two or three nominations away from making the top five, surprisingly—many of you praised its sleek design and its superior battery life as reasons why it should be considered as one of the best. Don't let its long name fool you—it's a super-thin phone with a beastly battery, a gorgeous screen, and a sharp camera. It's worth your consideration among the Samsungs you'll find on the store shelves next to it.

Another honorable mention goes out to the Sony Xperia Z, Sony's gorgeous high-end smartphone running stock Android that was announced at CES this past January and launched only a month later. Not only is the Xperia Z a great looking device, it's also rugged, and features dust protection, impact resistance, and even water resistance for those of us who have dropped our phones in a running sink or a toilet before. Because it's Sony it doesn't get a lot of attention, but that's a shame—the Xperia Z is highly underrated.

Have something to say about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn't included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Don't just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative is—and make your case for it—in the discussions below.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it—it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Photos by John Karakatsanis, Kārlis Dambrāns, John Karakatsanis, Conan174, and Jari

Organize and Dispense Plastic Bags with a 2-Liter Bottle

Shep McAllister — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Old shopping bags have tons of uses, but just balling them up and tossing them in your pantry can get messy. Instead, mount a 2-liter bottle to the wall and use it as a makeshift bag dispenser.

Just cut off the bottom of the soda bottle, attach it somewhere inconspicuous like the inside of a closet door, and stuff your bags inside. When you need one, just tug on a bag through the neck of the bottle, and it should usually come out one at a time, without the hassle of un-balling a pile of the things. We've previously suggested doing this with an empty Wet Wipes container, but a big bottle like this will hold a lot more bags, and won't pinch your fingers when you reach in to grab one.

LPT - Cut the top off of a milk gallon jug and place plastic grocery bags for easy and compact use. | Reddit

This Week's Top Downloads

Shep McAllister — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Every week, we share a number of downloads for all platforms to help you get things done. Here were the top downloads from this week.

SafeIP Hides Your IP Address for Private Browsing, Blocked Media

Windows: If you want access to streaming media restricted by your location, web sites that display differently depending on where you are, or just a little privacy, SafeIP can help. The utility lets you select where your IP address will appear to be located, and can even rotate them regularly if privacy is your goal. More »

DIY Pizza Pie Teaches You How to Make Perfect Pizza at Home

iPad: Making pizza isn't rocket science, but making good pizza can be tricky. Thankfully, DIY Pizza Pie is a guide to making the perfect pizza from scratch. The app shows you how to make dough, pick great toppings, choose the right cheese, and avoid some of the most common pitfalls at-home pizza chefs encounter.More »

Supercharge Your iPhone Home Screen with Velox and These Add-Ons

iOS (Jailbroken): Velox is a new tweak for jailbroken iPhone's that completely changes how you view notifications and apps. It's one of those rare apps that overhauls iOS in a way that truly changes the way you use your iPhone. The app itself is great, but you can also tap into it with a handful of useful add-ons that add to the experience. More »

Cydia Substrate Brings Winterboard, Other Tweaks to Android

Android (rooted): Today, the developers behind Cydia and Mobile Substrate announced that Cydia Substrate will be coming to Android. You read that right: Cydia on Android. In fact, Winterboard is already available.More »

Proven Finds Great Jobs in Your Area, Lets You Apply On Your Phone

Android/iOS/Web: Proven is a job search engine and mobile app that makes finding the perfect gig for you super easy. The app guides you to great jobs in your area, and lets you apply for them via the web or right on your smartphone while you're stuck commuting to your current terrible job. More »

Amazon Cloud Drive Photos Syncs Your iPhone's Camera Roll

iPhone: Apple's Photo Stream, which automatically backs up and syncs your last 1000 photos for up to 30 days, is a boon for iPhone photographers, but Amazon just rolled out an app that tops it with lots of free storage.More »

Subtitles Automatically Downloads Subtitles for Movies on Your Mac

OS X: We've shown you how to download subtitles for movie files on your computer through services like Opensubtitles or Subscene, but Subtitles for Mac makes the process as simple as dragging and dropping a video file. More »

Firefox Gets a Health Report, New 'Do Not Track' Options, and More

Windows/Mac/Linux: The lastest version of Firefox, Firefox 21, isavailable for download now. What will you find in this new release? A few major new features, including three "Do Not Track" options, a tune-up tool called Firefox Health Report, and performance-boosting startup suggestions. More »

TouchPal Wave Types Sentences the Way Other Keyboards Type Words

Android: TouchPal Wave is the latest beta for the TouchPal Keyboard (which we've mentioned before). Wave combines gesture typing and predictive text to let you type out entire sentences in the time you would spend typing words with other keyboards, all with fewer errors. More »

iTunes Updates to 11.03, Brings a Better MiniPlayer

Today, Apple released an update to iTunes that brings much needed improvements to the MiniPlayer, including a playback bar with a scrubbing playhead. More »

Why It's Always Worth Asking for a Hotel Upgrade

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT

A lot of people are uncomfortable with haggling, but just one quick question at a hotel's front desk has a great chance of earning you a better room on your next vacation or work trip.

Consumer Reports recently published the results of a huge survey of hotel guests, and the results were impressive. Only 28% of respondents reported asking for upgrades or a lower rate when they checked in, but a whopping 78% of those who did were successful. Even if you can't get a bigger room, you might be able to get Wi-Fi or parking fees reduced or eliminated if you just ask nicely.

There are a few things you can do to tilt the odds even further in your favor. As we've mentioned before, you shouldn't ask for any special treatment when other guests are within earshot. You should also try to check in late, if possible, which will give the front desk clerks a better idea of available inventory. And if you're traveling for a special occasion, you should always call ahead of time to inform the hotel in case they have any special packages available. Even if none of these are possible, it never hurts to ask; your odds of success are better than you might think.

Hotel room buying guide | Consumer Reports via Real Simple

Photo by kzenon (Shutterstock).

Twipster Strips Twitter's Cluttered Interface Down to the Essentials

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT

Safari/Chrome: If Twitter's web interface is a little too busy for your liking, Twipster converts it into a minimal and responsive list of Tweets, with none of the clutter.

The extension automatically redesigns Twitter's entire interface, removing sidebars, menus, and background images, leaving behind a simple, readable list of Tweets. I really love how responsive the design is; you can use the web interface as a makeshift Twitter client by making your browser window skinny, as Twipster will adjust the layout to fit. It's not a complicated download, but it's definitely worth checking out if you like to use Twitter on the web.

Twipster (Free) | jxblnk via One Thing Well

Garden Without The Back Strain with this DIY Seed Gun

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

Everyone loves a good backyard garden, but hunching over a pile of dirt to plant all of your seeds isn't much fun. If you want to take some of the back bending out of the equation, this PVC seed gun should do the trick.

ThinkMan's Blog shares the tutorial for this clever contraption. You'll need to cut the end of a PVC pipe into a "V" shape to dig into the soil, and close it off with a retractable metal flipper. Once you're finished, you can drop a seed or two in a funnel at the top so they slide down the pipe, then just pull the trigger to open up the flipper and release it into the soil. This is probably over-engineered if you're just planting a small herb garden, but it's perfect if you have a bigger yard and want to do a little more landscaping.

A Homemade Seed Planter | A Geezer's Ramblings

Cut Lemons Lengthwise to Get More Juice

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

When you need lemon juice for a recipe, nothing beats fresh-squeezed, but it's always a struggle to coax a lot of juice out of the fruit. As it turns out, the secret is to cut the lemon lengthwise.

Ian Knauer at Gourmet demonstrated this surprising trick by cutting two lemons, one lengthwise, and one the "normal" way, across its equator. He then juiced the lemons, and found that the one cut lengthwise yielded him nearly three times as much juice. For added juice, he also recommends warming the lemon up in the microwave for a few seconds if it's coming from your fridge. Once it's warm, be sure to give it a firm roll on the counter too before you cut. Lemons cut the "wrong" way might work a little better with a handheld reamer, but if you're using a citrus juicer, or just squeezing by hand, there aren't any downsides to cutting lengthwise. Click through the source link to check out the video.

The Test Kitchen: How To Get the Most Juice from Lemons and Limes | Gourmet via The Kitchn

Photo by Topseller (Shutterstock).

Add Custom Backlighting to Your Keyboard

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

A lot of nice gaming keyboards come with backlit keys, but you don't get any say over the color of the light. Some don't even let you make fine-grained adjustments to brightness. Luckily, it is possible to make some alterations on your own.

José Faria discussed adding custom lighting to his Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard at his blog, cocasdaneve. The keyboard came with blue lights that he didn't really care for, and the included software only offered a few limited brightness settings. The easy part was replacing the blue LED's with store-bought 3mm white ones. It seems like the BlackWidow's LED's popped out without much fuss, but some keyboards might require you to take out a few boards and resolder the lights. Personally, I'd want my number keys, function keys, and letter keys to use different colored lights, but you can customize it however you wish.

José then proceeded to build his own controller into the keyboard to adjust the keys' brightness based on ambient light. The process is pretty complicated, and involves patching in a custom AVR chip, but he includes all the code and some diagrams in the blog post. If you're brave enough to try it yourself, be sure to check it out. If not, at least enjoy the video of his completed masterpiece.

Custom LED Color and Brightness on a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate | cocasdaneve via Hack a Day

Sip Grabs Color Codes From Anywhere, Instantly

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

OS X: If you see a color on the web or in an app that you particularly like and want to save for later, Sip makes it incredibly fast and easy to store it for later use.

Sip lives in your menu bar, but you can invoke it at any time with a customizable keyboard shortcut. Activate the app, and you'll get a magnifying glass to zoom in on any pixel on you screen. Click on the one you like, and its color code will copy to your clipboard to use in the image editor of your choice. You can choose your preferred color code format (CSS Hex values, CMYK, RGB, etc.) in the app's settings, and switch between your favorites quickly in the menu bar dropdown. If you're looking for something similar on Windows, Instant Eyedropper is an oldie but goodie.

Sip ($.99) | Mac App Store via One Thing Well

Top 10 Everyday Life Hacks That Take 10 Seconds or Less

Whitson Gordon — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, you can do something the fast way, or you can do it the right way. Other times, those two things are one and the same. Here are 10 everyday tasks that you can do in 10 seconds or less.

10. Tie an Emergency Tie Knot

Ever get to the point where you're already 5 minutes late, but haven't even tied your tie yet? With this method, you can tie your tie in five seconds flat, meaning you can get out the door faster. It'll take a bit of practice to learn—and you may have to adapt it to fit your preferred type of knot—but once you get it down, you'll feel like a well-dressed version of The Flash.

9. Cure Your Hiccups

You've probably heard a million hiccup cures over the years, but when our own Adam Dachis got hiccups that lasted over 36 hours, the one remedy he—and many others—found worked best was just a quick shot of applce cider vinegar. It only takes a few seconds, and works shockingly well.

8. Deseed a Pomegranate the Easy Way

I think the deliciousness of food is directly proportional to how much work it takes to eat. Case in point: pomegranates. They're delicious, but you have to work forever to get all those little seeds out into a bowl to eat it, right? Wrong! All you need is a wooden spoon and a little instruction. If you're of a plum fan, though, we've got tricks for that too.

7. Tie Your Shoes Faster with the Ian Knot

Tying your shoes isn't exactly a long, drawn-out process, but every second counts—especially when you're in a rush. The Ian Knot is a super-speedy way of tying your shoes, and while it takes a few minutes to learn, it's pretty easy. Check out the video above to see it in action, and while you're at it, check out this method for untying double-knotted shoes with ease.

6. Open a Bottle of Wine (Without Struggling with the Foil)

Most wine bottles come with a foil wrapper on top that, often, is a task to get off. Many of you wine experts may already know this, but for the rest: don't try to unwrap the foil. Just grab it, twist, and pull—you'll be enjoying your wine in no time.

5. Peel an Entire Head of Garlic

Peeling garlic is messy and sometimes difficult, particularly if you have a lot of cloves. Why go one by one when you could stick them all in a bowl, shake it up, and be done in less than 10 seconds? It sounds crazy, but it works—check out the video above for proof.

4. Unload a 12 Pack of Soda in One Swift Move

These days, soda comes in some pretty handy "fridge packs" meant to dispense cans in your fridge, but they're not great. They won't fit into every fridge, and once you get a few cans into the box, you have to reach all the way in there to fish out the last few cans. Instead, unload the entire box in one swift move—just open up both ends and push the cans through, as shown above. Simple, huh?

3. De-Fog Your Mirror After a Shower

We've all been there: you take a nice, long, hot shower, get out, stand in front of the mirror to shave/brush/whatever and your mirror is fogged beyond belief. Intsead of trying to wipe all that moisture off, just give it a quick blast of hot air from a hair dryer. After a few seconds, you'll be able to use your mirror as it was originally intended.

2. Fold a T-Shirt in Two Moves

Everyone's always looking for a way to speed up laundry, the world's most boring chore, and nothing's better than the tried-and-true Japanese t-shirt folding technique. In fact, you guys voted it your favorite Lifehacker tip of all time, and with good reason—once you get it down, it's mind-blowing how fast you can get through your shirts. Check out the video above for more time-saving clothing tips while you're at it.

1. Do All Kinds of Mental Math

When you were in school, you probably learned all sorts of quick math tricks, like how to multiply numbers with your hands or square large numbers (if not, you should brush up on those methods now). But those aren't the only tricks you can do: there are a lot of quick solutions for real-world problems too, like converting standard time to military time, converting farenheit to celsius, and even figuring out the day of the week that any date falls on. The complexity of the problem may make it a bit longer than a few simple seconds, but it's amazing what you can do with the right tricks up your sleeve.

Buy a New Toothbrush Whenever You Buy Toothpaste

Shep McAllister — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Dentists recommend buying a new toothbrush every 3-4 months, but it's hard to remember when it's time to get a new one. One simple way to remember is to just buy a new toothbrush whenever you buy toothpaste.

One poster on reddit offers up this clever tip. A full-sized toothpaste tube should last roughly three months if only one person is using it, so once it's empty, you know it's about time to get rid of the worn-down brush. If you don't trust yourself to remember this trick at the store, just stockpile some extra brushes in your bathroom, and replace yours whenever you've used up the very last dollop of toothpaste.

LPT: Buy a new tooth brush when you buy tooth paste | Reddit

Photo by Stocksnapper (Shutterstock).

Find a Quick Exercise Routine You Can Actually Stick to This Weekend

Adam Dachis — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Exercise: most of us hate it and wish we did it more often. The key? Finding a routine that doesn't take too long but also doesn't try to pack two hours of work into four minutes, leaving you feel like you're lucky to be alive. Over the last couple of years, tons of of quick exercise routines you can actually stick to have surfaced. Pick one and get started this weekend.

Simple Circuit Training

Circuit training workouts are great because you can pick a few key exercises for the day and just keep doing them for 20 minutes (or until you can't go on anymore). The downside, of course, is that these workouts tend to be a little difficult in the beginning but if you stick with them and don't expect too much of yourself right off the bat, you'll get in better shape with a small time commitment.

Our guide to getting a complete workout with nothing but your body features plenty of simple exercises you can start with. Just pick three to five that focus on different parts of your body and swap them out with other routines during the week. You can also spend different days concentrating on specific parts of your body (e.g. arms, legs, or core) when you want more focus but try to work in some sort of cardio whenever possible. For some assistance, check out previously-mentioned mobile and webapp Sworkit. It creates randomly-generated circuit training workouts, walks you through them, and tracks your progress. The app is free to use, but a pro version offers additional features.

Tolerable Interval Training

Interval training proves that you only need about 20 minutes worth of exercise per day to get in shape. Like circuit training, interval training tends to require harder work for a shorter amount of time but it can be a lot easier than you might think.

Researchers found that the single most effective exercise regimen may be spending 20 minutes on a stationary bike performing micro intervals. You simply pedal slowly for 12 seconds, pedal as fast as you can for 8, and then repeat this process 60 times (for a total of 20 minutes). The exercise itself isn't that hard, but it requires a lot of attention. Thinking about exercising for 20 minutes can feel like torture even when it isn't. To help solve that problem, I developed an app to keep you on track with this specific flavor of interval training. That way you can watch TV, listen to a podcast, or engage in a variety of other activities and only sort of pay attention to the fact that you're working pretty hard.

A Comprehensive Micro Routine

A full body workout doesn't require a gym or much time at all. In fact, you can manage on in just seven minutes. The American College of Sports Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal highlighted an effective, quick routine that uses your body weight to provide a comprehensive work out and help you get you in better shape. Like the bike interval training method mentioned about, this routine was essentially developed in a lab to find a simple and quick way for people to exercise on a tight time budget. If you're in a rush, this is the routine for you.

Don't Forget About Your Diet

Exercise is only one piece of the puzzle. A healthy diet matters just as much. Different diets work better for different people, so you'll have to find the right one for you, but you should be able to make a significant impact by simply limiting your portion size to only what you need and making healthy substitutions for unhealthy foods. Whatever you do, don't expect exercise to turn you into a Greek sculpture. Diet matters, too, so don't make it an afterthought!

Good luck, and happy Friday everyone!

Google I/O 2013: A Photo Journal

Adam Dachis — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:55:00 GMT

Google broadcast the I/O 2013 keynote live on YouTube today, giving a detailed peek into the latest updates to their various technologies across Android, Chrome, and the web as a whole. The I/O conference consists of a lot more than announcements, however, with displays showing off all kinds of technologies Google and third parties employ to make the web and mobile devices better.

We registered on Tuesday to ensure we didn't run into any delays when getting to the keynote the next morning. Registration was super simple. You just checked yourself in with a QR code or confirmation number on a Chromebook and proceeded to the appropriate table to pick up your NFC-enabled badge. If you had an NFC-enabled Android phone, you could just tap it to the badge to get a variety of information. It also included personal data for I/O conference workers to confirm your identity.

Whitson and I had a surprise visit from Pash at our hotel, who brought along his Google Glass. It's very interesting to watch someone use it because they're having a very specific experience, seeing something only they can see. It looks like they're rubbing their glasses but they're actually navigating an interface. When Glass talks to you, it uses the bones in your head to amplify the sound so it tickles a little when making noise.

We woke up at 6:00 AM to get ready for the keynote and headed to the Moscone Center around 7:00 AM. From there we got to hang out in a press room and eat pastries while we waited for Google to escort us to the keynote room. After that, we waited outside the doors for a bit then went into the press area up front. It was a great view, and we were surrounding by some of the most enthusiastic developers I've ever met. People came from all over the world. It was really neat to see different development teams from so many different cultures.

Despite Google's advanced technology, they still can't get Wi-Fi to work well in the Moscone main room. I was able to get a hotspot running on my Nexus 4, but Whitson and I couldn't use it at the same time. He needed to relay instructions to the other writers so he used the connection and I made due with the Wi-Fi when it worked. It gave me a chance to enjoy the keynote a bit more and take lots of pictures.

Google announced a lot of little things during the keynote, but Google Maps provided some of the best imagery.

Larry Page came out to talk in front of one of the most stunning images.

For the first time, he answered questions live during the keynote. Naturally, Robert Scoble was first in line.

Two young people made it to the front of the question line. Google seems to be sponsoring a lot of young, intelligent developers. It's great and almost intimidating how smart kids are now.

Also, this Jon Hamm look-alike.

After the three-and-a-half hour keynote, we were all very hungry. Fortunately Google had lots of good food and excellent cupcakes.

Beyond the keynote (and lunch) there were lots of awesome booths and displays. Everywhere you looked, you could find plenty of Android guys—including these flying ones.

A big roundtable let people try out and learn about Google Glass.

I'm not entirely sure what this Chromebook Pixel display was supposed to do, but it was interesting to watch.

The Chrome display had all sorts of Chrome web app demos and developer resources.

Then there was the photosphere, which displayed—you guessed it—photospheres!

Inside you could watch different photospheres from various locations around the world.

We were told to expect some Google TV updates but didn't really find any. It just seems a few new TVs are running the latest version we already knew about. No surprises here.

Although mostly just for display, this Google Voice Search Phonebooth was pretty awesome.

There were tons of other cool booths. This one was really fun to look at.

There were so many other things to see at I/O—too many to show them all. This Google Maps hiking bot was pretty amazing, though. They let people strap it on and see what it's like to map out a hiking trail for Google Maps.

Lastly, this motion-tracking flying game was a lot of fun and reminded me of Pilotwings.

Beyond the booths were tons of sessions on the future of Android, Chrome, and the web. While not as outwardly exciting as the sorts of announcements that come out of I/O each year, some very cool technologies are coming that will make mobile devices and web apps significantly better. By 2014, the web, especially, should change for the better in some pretty amazing ways. If nothing really excited you at I/O's keynote today, stay tuned—some really great stuff is coming not necessarily from Google but the developers they help to create great things.

For more photos of I/O, check out the full Flickr collection.

What's the buttoning protocol for a two-button suit?

Walter Glenn — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT

Great discussions are par for the course here on Lifehacker. Each day, we highlight a discussion that is particularly helpful or insightful, along with other great discussions and reader questions you may have missed. Check out these discussions and add your own thoughts to make them even more wonderful!

Discussion of the Day

What's the buttoning protocol for a two-button suit?

Other Great Discussions

Great Discussions Any Time

For great discussions any time, be sure check out our user-run blog, Hackerspace. And today being Friday, don't forget to check out this week's Open Thread.

If you've got a cool project, inspiration, or just something fun to share, send us a message at tips@lifehacker.com. Better yet, start posting to your very own Kinja blog so the whole world can participate in your awesomeness. Just be sure to send us a link to your post and if we like it, you might even see it on the front page of Lifehacker!

Happy life hacking, everybody!

Lifehacker This Chart Helps You Find the Right Career Based on Salary and Growth | Gawker We Are Rai

Lauren Bertolini — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:32:00 GMT

Lifehacker This Chart Helps You Find the Right Career Based on Salary and Growth | Gawker We Are Raising $200,000 to Buy and Publish the Rob Ford Crack Tape | Gizmodo Warning: Don't Drink and Internet | Jalopnik Lexus LFA Owner Forces Town To Remove Speed Bump Because He Can

"Self-Delusion Is One of the Greatest Inventions in Human History"

Adam Dachis — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:30:00 GMT

At some point you've been told to fake it 'til you make it, and that's because with a little effort you can delude yourself into believing—and then becoming—whatever you hope to be. As A.J. Jacobs, author of Drop Dead Healthy, points out in this quote, we're a lot more flexible and less stubborn than we may think. He explains:

Our behavior greatly affects our thoughts and attitudes. If you are feeling a lack of confidence or have an urge to change something within yourself, you must “act your way into a new way of thinking,” rather than trying to think your way into a new way of acting.

Not sure how to fake-act? A few body language changes can make a big difference.

Insights from A.J. Jacobs, Joe Gebbia, Charlie Todd, & More at the 2013 99U Conference | The 99U

Photo by VLADGRIN (Shutterstock).

Why the Shower Gets Hot or Cold When You Flush (and How To Prevent It)

Tessa Miller — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

A sudden burst of piping hot (or freezing cold) water is a showering human's worst nightmare. But what's the cause? And how can you prevent it? The DIY experts at Stack Exchange provide a few tips.

When the shower is running and someone flushes a toilet, why does the shower get cold (or sometimes hot) in some houses, but not others? More importantly, would fixing that require replacing the water heater, or re-doing the piping in the entire house? Or is there some cheap/easy way to fix it?

See the original question.

Tester101 answers:

Why You Get Burned

One of the most common plumbing configurations is a trunk and branch system. This is where a larger diameter pipe runs from one end of the building to the other, and smaller diameter pipes branch off to supply rooms or individual fixtures. If any of the branches demand water (you flush the toilet), there is less water available to all the other branches. Since the toilet only uses cold water, there is less cold water available to your shower when the toilet is filling. This causes the water in the shower to be warmer, because there is less cold water mixing with the hot water. There are a few ways to reduce or eliminate this burning feeling. Probably the cheapest is to reduce the amount of water going to the toilet.

Reducing Toilet Water

You can reduce how quickly the toilet uses water by simply closing the supply valve slightly. This means the toilet will take longer to fill, but will reduce the temperature fluctuation in the shower. Adjusting the supply valve can also have negative side effects, such as increased fill times and noise. You can also reduce the overall amount of water the toilet needs by either buying a low flow toilet, or placing a brick, jug of water, or other object in the tank. However, this method will reduce the amount of water available for each flush, so you may encounter difficulty clearing solids from the bowl.

Smarter Mixing

Installing a new mixing valve in the shower can reduce or eliminate the temperature fluctuations. Thermostatic mixing valves automatically balance the amount of hot and cold water being mixed, which will prevent drastic fluctuations in shower temperature. If the cold water flow is reduced (due to a toilet flush), the valve automatically adjusts the amount of hot water being mixed. This keeps the shower temperature more consistent, even when other fixtures are using water.

Increasing Available Water

Increasing the amount of water available in the system can alleviate the problem, but will likely require a major change to the plumbing. If you have a trunk and branch system, increasing the trunk pipe diameter and/or the branch pipe diameter (if the branch feeds the entire room) will increase the amount of water available to the fixtures.

Distributing Water Evenly

A more drastic solution would be to install a manifold with home runs. This would likely require a major plumbing renovation, with almost all of the plumbing changed. In this type of system, there is a central load balancing manifold. Then for each fixture in the house, a dedicated pipe is run between the fixture and the manifold.

Supply and Demand

In the end, it's all about supply and demand. If the demand is greater than the supply, you end up with a burnt butt. The only way to avoid uncomfortable showers is to reduce demand or increase supply.

Matthew PK answers:

The shower temperature changes when you flush (or use water) because the pressure in that supply line has changed. This means less supply to the mixing valve in the same setting. Modern thermostatic mixing valves are designed to keep the total pressure constant. This means that a reduction in cold water pressure (from a flush) is detected and the mixing valve responds by reducing corresponding flow in the hot water. So, the solution to shifting shower temperatures is to install a thermostatic mixing valve.

Tester101 comments:

The shower would get cold if somebody used hot water for something (almost certainly not a toilet flush), instead of cold. It could be caused by an over-enthusiastic thermostatic mixing valve, which reduced the hot water flow too much. Using up all the water in the hot water tank would also lead to a cold shower. And yes, you do have to install a thermostatic mixing valve at each shower/tub. They are used to replace the plain old standard mixing valve.

bcworkz comments:

I believe Matthew is suggesting that upgrading your shower valves is the best solution. I agree. A different water heater will do nothing. Changing the piping so the pressure change is minimal will help but not eliminate the problem. A thermostatic mixing valve is the best solution, but note it still takes a brief time for it to adjust to a sudden change in pressure, so a brief cold period will still be noticed.

Find more answers or leave your own at the original post. See more questions like this at Home Improvement, the DIY site at Stack Exchange. And of course, feel free to ask a question yourself.

Image via Mark Sayer (Shutterstock).

How To Turn Your Android Phone Into A Gaming Powerhouse

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Your Android phone isn't just for widgets, talking, Google Now and photos. It can also be one of the world's best gaming platforms, if you're willing to spend a little time on it.

Once the domain of tinkerers and super-nerds, Android devices have exploded in popularity over the last couple of years, spurred on by the emergence of superphones like the Samsung Galaxy S 4, HTC One and Google's own Nexus 4.

Despite this increase, there remains the perception that - at least in terms of gaming - Android phones are somehow a step behind the iPhone. That things like piracy, a lack of apps and convoluted system specs are hindering the development of games on the platform.

I'm here to tell you this is bullshit. Chances are that if you own an Android phone, and picked it up within the last 18 months, you've got in your pocket a silent killer in terms of portable gaming.

Below you'll find four steps you can follow to turn that humble little smartphone into something a little more gamey.

1. USE GOOGLE PLAY

Well, duh. But if you're a new user, or someone contemplating making the switch, this is important.

Android users have a bad reputation for pirating software, including games, and in many ways that's a fair assumption. Pirating games for the platform is way too easy.

Don't be that guy.

Be the guy that visits the newly-redesigned Google Play Store (Android's equivalent of Apple App Store) and sees that, hey, nearly every big (and small) iPhone game is there too. Just as cheap. Just as plentiful.

To get you started, here are ten of the best games available in the store.

You'll even find some hot exclusives. Kairosoft's entire catalogue of addictive-as-hell management games is on the Play Store, for example, while only a handful have ever made it to the App Store.

Seriously, there are enough quality games on there already that we could end the guide right here and you'd be set. Luckily, we're not ending the guide here.

Those remaining developers who either delay bringing their games to Android, or don't do it at all, usually cite piracy as one of the big concerns. The more people actually pay for apps and games on Android, the more of these developers will be encouraged to bring their wares to the platform. So do it.

2. GO RETRO

Let's say you want to play something more substantial than most mobile titles can offer. Or a classic game from your childhood that, for better or worse, isn't available on the Play Store. The great thing about Android phones is that you can still play these games, and it's a lot easier - and more legal - than you might think.

Two of the most popular means of running old PC games on modern systems - DOSBox (for old DOS games) and ScummVM (for old adventure games) - both have versions available for Android devices.

Before we go any further, then, you're going to need install these three applications:

While that last link isn't necessary, you're really going to want it. What DOSBox Manager does is let you create a quicklaunch screen for the games, so instead of having to enter command prompts every time you want to play a game (which is normally how DOSBox works), you just tap some box art, same as a regular app/game.

The quickest, easiest and most legal way to get hold of old PC games is to visit a site like Good Old Games. Many titles you can purchase there are supported by DOSBox, so all you need to do is download the game to your PC and copy the files over to your phone.

Tom DuPont has written a great in-depth guide to this process which you can read here.

If you need help using DOSBox Turbo and/or getting your games running, the best place to start is the app's site, which has helpful (and easy to understand) walkthroughs and guides.

ScummVM is an easier proposition, but if you have trouble setting it up, the official guide gives you a great walkthrough on getting set up.

A word of caution, though: be careful which games you bring over. Your phone has limited inputs, most likely just a touchscreen, so trying to play a fast-paced RTS or shooter might not be the best idea. Slower, mouse-driven genres like adventure and turn-based strategy are a good place to start.

Unless, that is, you want to...

3. GET A CONTROLLER (OR USE A MOUSE)

It sounds crazy, I know. Buying an external controller for your phone defeats the entire point of playing games on a portable device. But the fact of the matter is, as phones become more powerful, phone games become more powerful, and it's a tragedy that people try to play something like Real Racing using touchscreen or tilt controls. Stick a pad on there and some of these newer games will feel like a console game, instead of just looking like one.

There's also the benefit it brings to the retro games you'll be playing. Use a gamepad and suddenly all those amazing old shooters are playable. Connect a bluetooth mouse to your phone and anything you can't play with a pad, you can probably play with it.

Doing this is pretty simple; provided they don't need drivers, Android natively supports bluetooth peripherals, including keyboards, mice and control pads. It'll even display a mouse cursor if it detects one. Just find your phone's bluetooth settings and pair it up.

To save you buying a gamepad, there's an app that lets you connect a PS3 pad to an Android device (though note: your phone needs to be rooted for this to work). Alternatively, you can sync a Wii Remote, since it also connects via Bluetooth (and can be configured with this app).

If you don't have a spare controller or mouse already lying around, or are looking for something a little more tailored, you can always try dedicated controller solutions like the MOGA Pro.

Again, this might sound crazy since you can do this a lot more easily on a regular computer, but consider this: old PC games weren't designed to run on giant 23" desktop monitors. You either stretch their visuals until they look like garbage, or run them in a window.

Phone screens, though, are at the cutting edge. Relatively tiny yet packing amazing colours and now sometimes even 1080p resolution, they breathe new life into your old games. Trust me, fire up something like Colonization or X-Com on a contemporary phone and it'll look better than ever.

4. GET A BIGGER BATTERY (OR BATTERY PACK)

The one major downside to the crop of modern Android smartphones is that, almost to the last, they've got terrible battery life. Most can barely last a single day, even with infrequent use. If you're planning on playing a game at home, that's not a problem, but let's be honest, how often will you be playing a phone game at home?

Running 3D graphics - or even just leaving a big bright screen on for long stretches - will kill your battery. So if you're serious about gaming on your Android phone, you should think about getting a bigger battery (if your phone supports removable batteries) or an external battery case/charging pack (if it doesn't).

5. SIGN UP TO ONLIVE

It's easy to forget about the company these days after all the problems it went through last year, but streaming service OnLive is still around, and it works on Android devices. Your mileage may vary depending on your device - it's more suited to tablets than phones - but if you've got a gamepad solution for your phone, and your connection is fast enough to pull it off, you can play all kinds of games that would normally never be available on the platform.

OnLive runs through an app you can get here. It's currently only available in North America and the UK.

—-

That should about cover it! There's enough here to get you started on turning your Android phone into a go-to games platform. If you've got something to add, though, let us know below!

Howtu is Kotaku's guide on how to get the most out of your gaming.

What's Your Favorite Cheap Home-Cooked Meal?

Adam Dachis — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Cooking at home can save you a lot of money, but you can also rack up a huge grocery bill learning to make certain dishes that don't always turn out better than their cheaper counterparts. What are your favorite inexpensive, home-cooked meals?

Personal finance blog Wise Bread shares a number of recipes that cost as little as $2 each to make. That seems a little on the excessively cheap side, however one of my favorite cheap meals—which comes out to about $2—is just rice, beans, and veggies. What's yours? Share a recipe if you've got it!

Best Money Tips: Dinner Recipes for $2 or Less | Wisebread

Photo by wavebreakmedia (Shutterstock).

Use Caulk to Paint Straight Edges Like a Pro

Melanie Pinola — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

Getting that precise, straight line on edges of a wall or where the wall meets ceiling is one of the hardest parts of painting. It's even worse if you have textured walls or ceilings. The Make It & Love It blog reveals this "pro painter's secret" to sharp lines perfection.

Actually, Ashley posts two methods. The first, her preferred method, is one we've mentioned before. It's the error-free method of painting a ceiling and wall or two walls different colors. Tape the edges where the two walls (or wall and ceiling connect), then paint the first wall right over the tape and into the other (still unpainted) wall and let it dry. The dried paint prevents the other paint from seeping under the tape.

The second method is useful if your ceiling or other wall is already painted and you just want to paint one wall. Tape the edges, but also apply a line of paintable caulk into the edge of the tape. Smooth the caulk out with your finger, paint over the caulk and tape, and pull off the tape before the caulk tries.

The results will look quite professional. Hit up the link below for full directions and photos.

Home Improvement: Painting a Straight Line on Textured Walls (a Pro Painter’s Secret) | Make It & Love It

Office Supplies, Ranked

Joshua Rivera — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Every day at Lifehacker, we share with you tips on how you can work or live better using stuff you probably have just lying in front of you. But like our compatriots at Gawker, we've decided to make a definitive list that tells you which of those things is the best.

First, a few rules to explain a few of the things that didn't make the list: Nothing that plugs in to something else. Nothing that's meant for human consumption. And finally, nothing that's supposed to be "fun:" bobbleheads, action figures, and their ilk have been excluded. Besides, you can have plenty of fun with this stuff here. Just ask around.

Roll film!

23. Pegboard

22. Cork boards

21. Thumb tacks

20. Label Makers

19. Highlighters

18. Calendars

17. Whiteboards

16. Dry erase markers

15. Scotch Tape (not to be confused with the superior, but not-really-office-supply Duct Tape)

14. Staples

13. Staplers

12. Hole punchers

11. Scissors

10. Packing tape

09. Paper clips

08. Index Cards

07. Pencils

06. Rubber Bands

05. Post-It Notes

04. Notebooks

03. Pens

02. Crossbows

01. Binder Clips

Photo by Roscoe Ellis.

This Chart Helps You Find the Right Career Based on Salary and Growth

Melanie Pinola — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

If you haven't settled on a career yet, this interactive chart from Rasmussen College can help you find the best options. It organizes occupations into four quadrants based on salary, expected job growth, and number of opportunities available.

The chart looks confusing at first, since it's a bunch of dots spread on a grid, but the data visualization is actually very smart. The higher the dot is placed on the vertical axis, the higher the median annual salary (that top spot belongs to anesthesiologists, by the way). The farther to the right the dot is on the horizontal axis, the more opportunities there are, based on total number of people employed in that occupation for 2011. And the color of the dot represents how much the occupation is growing (or declining).

The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of April 2013). You can find out more about each occupation by clicking on the dot.

Naturally, your skills and interests should inform your career decision, but an occupation's salary and other economic factors also are important. Rasmussen College's What Career Is Right for Me? page is a good guide that covers all of these considerations.

Check out the chart yourself via the link below.

What Career Should I Choose? | Rasmussen College