Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 PDT

What Plants Are Cubicle-Friendly? [Ask Lifehacker]

Dear Lifehacker,
I am thinking of decorating my cubicle with plants to make it feel less dreary and a little more alive/fresh, but I don't sit at a cube with access to a window. What sort of plants are good for cubicle-decorating? More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:30:00 PDT

Gnome Gmail Tightly Integrates Gmail into Linux Desktops [Downloads]

Linux (GNOME-based): There are work-arounds to set Gmail as a default mail app in Linux, but they don't cover right-click file sending and complex mail links. Gnome Gmail does a much better job of integrating Gmail. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:00:00 PDT

Phonebooth a Strong Alternative to Google Voice [Telephones]

Google Voice is a solid option for your personal phone needs, but it might not be professional enough for freelancers and small business owners. Phonebooth is a great alternative that gives you a dedicated phone number, free minutes, and more. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:30:00 PDT

The Internet Is Up for the Nobel Peace Prize [Internet]

The internet is one of 237 nominees for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. From the BBC: "The nomination for the internet is supported by 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and the founder of the $100 laptop project Nicholas Negroponte. It is unclear who would accept the prize if the internet were to win." [BBC via Wired] More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:00:00 PDT

"Get YouTube" Bookmarklet Grabs YouTube Videos in One Click [YouTube]

You'll find no shortage of browser add-ons and specialty sites to help you grab clips off YouTube, but they all lack for the simplicity of a single-click bookmarklet. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:30:00 PDT

Build a Waterproof Camera Case [DIY]

If you've ever wanted to take to the water with your camera Jacques Cousteau-style but didn't want to spend a ton of cash on waterproofing your gear, Instructables' guide to building a waterproof camera case looks like a good starting point. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:00 PDT

The Complete Guide to Google Wave Now in Print! [Announcements]

I'm thrilled to announce that the online book by Adam Pash and myself, The Complete Guide to Google Wave, is now in print! Order your copy here. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:30:00 PDT

Flixtime Creates Multimedia Slideshows with Ease [Slideshow]

If you want to make a slideshow of photos and music but you don't have the know-how or time to use an advanced video editor, Flixtime is a web-based solution that will have you cranking out slideshows in minutes. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:20:00 PDT

Trim and Prepare an Artichoke Properly [Food]

Artichokes are, like mangoes, pineapples, and avocados, not inherently easy to cut up and prepare for eating. Serious Eats suggests getting some lemons, water, and a sharp knife ready, then digging in to pull out every single edible piece. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:35:00 PDT

What the Gmail Team Is Working On [Feature]

Developers and product managers from the Gmail team hosted a jam-packed panel at SXSW Interactive yesterday, and talked in a refreshingly honest manner about what they've done and what's coming next—including speed improvements, new features, Buzz, better Contacts, and more. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:30:00 PDT

Create an Event Card to Make Conference Networking More Productive [Social Networking]

You need a plan of attack if you want to make your social networking experience productive. Create an event card to help you navigate your next networking engagement and come out with fruitful new contacts. More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:05:00 PDT

Instapaper Adds Email Functionality for Easy Article Saving [Updates]

Instapaper does a bang-up job of saving, organizing, and stripping down articles for your reading pleasure through its web bookmarklet and its iPhone app. If you're on another platform and want to stash some reading away for later, you can now send it to a personalized email address, listed near the bottom of the "Extras" link when you're signed into Instapaper's webapp. It's a great feature for non-Apple smartphones and for those whome email is closer at hand than bookmarklets. [via Steve Rubel's Lifestream] More »

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:30:00 PDT

StreamTransport Grabs Hulu Videos for Offline Viewing [Downloads]

Windows: It may not stick around that long once the powers that be find out, so if downloading and watching Hulu videos offline could help you out, grab StreamTransport. The tricky little app provides full-quality captures of streaming shows and movies. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:00:00 PDT

More Shelves! An Office Makeover [Featured Workspace]

You can never have enough storage in your office, especially if your office is also where your store your books and media. Today's featured workspace is a home office turned personal library. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:00:00 PDT

Learn to Cook Steak Sous-Vide for Perfection Every Time [Cooking]

Sure, throwing a steak on a fire-hot grill feels pretty manly, but don't pretend it's easy to cook it just right. Cooking steak in a sous-vide water bath is all the rage now, and will get you perfectly cooked beef every time. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:30:00 PDT

Ask the Commenters Roundup [Hive Mind]

• Can I dedicate one of my processor's cores to a specific task or program?
• I have an energy saving schedule on my computer that turns it on and off frequently. Is this bad for my computer?
• I'm new to Lifehacker—what do all the hearts and stars mean?
• I'm in high school—How do I decide on a college and a major?
• Is there any way to use my PC's wireless card as a wireless access point?
• Has anyone used the new Intel i5 and i7 processors? Is the Core 2 Duo really outdated?
• Is a chiropractor worth the money?
• Can I put my old dumphone SIM card into an iPhone and add a data plan without any negative effects on my contract?

More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:00:00 PDT

LastHistory Graphically Visualizes your Last.fm History Through Time [Downloads]

Mac only: Just when you thought you couldn't possibly need more statistics on your music listening habits, free Mac app LastHistory comes along and graphically analyzes your Last.fm logs, over time, while also integrating with other Mac apps like iPhoto and iCal. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:00:00 PDT

Use Boiling Water to Make a Perfect Wine Bottle Cut [Recycling]

If you were impressed with the swanky recycled wine bottle cups we shared with you, but had trouble cutting the bottles cleanly, you'll definitely want to check out this guide to getting perfect cuts. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:00 PDT

The Guitar Hanger Saves Space by Storing Guitars in Your Closet [Stuff We Like]

Having your musical instruments out and ready to play is convenient, but if you've got a small apartment or dorm, rambunctious friends, or are just plain clumsy, The Guitar Hanger will keep your guitars stored nice and upright in your closet. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:00:00 PDT

Five Best Tax Preparation Tools [Hive Five]

Nobody is fond of tax time, but the right tools can help you get your taxes done on time and maybe even net you a little refund for your effort. This week we look at the five most popular preparation tools. More »

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:00:00 PDT

Mend a Sweater Snag with Nail Polish [Repair]

Whether you're still sporting a sweater thanks to the chilly local climate or you're boxing up your sweaters thanks to spring's arrival, this simple trick will help you fix a snag. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:00:00 PST

This Week's Top Downloads [Download Roundup]

• Tableau Public Brings Your Boring Data to Life (Windows)
  Free application Tableau Public creates beautiful visualizations from your data and lets you publish them to the web, where users can interact with your charts and graphs with live updates.
• SecondBar Puts a Menu Bar on All Your Mac's Monitors (Mac)
  Multiple monitors do great things for your desktop space, but your menu bar sticks to one screen. If you're looking for more menu access, free utility SecondBar puts one at the top of each monitor.
• Mini Wide Fullscreens Gmail, Is Very Netbook Friendly (Firefox/Chrome)
  Small netbook screens make you really appreciate every last pixel on your device. The Mini Wide userscript for Gmail adds a "netbook mode" shortcut to Gmail that removes navigation and ads for a streamlined, netbook-friendly, message-focused view of your inbox.
• Launchy 2.5 Beta 2 Improves Performance, Lands on Macs (Windows/Mac/Linux)
  Launchy, the little application launcher that could, has introduced a Mac version with its latest beta. Bug fixes, performance overhauls, and new shortcuts and controls are also baked into this beta for every system.
• Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Customizer Tweaks, Enlarges Your Superbar Thumbnails (Windows 7)
  Hailing from the camp of "software that does exactly what its name implies", Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Customizer fine-tunes the size, spacing, and margins of your Windows 7 Superbar previews.
• FeelHome Gives Easy Remote Access to Your Files Across Platforms (Windows/Mac/Linux)
  If you would like to easily access, edit, and save files across multiple computers, free application FeelHome allows you to share files across operating systems and over the web.
• SuperbarMonitor Puts System Monitoring Right on Your Windows Superbar (Windows 7)
  If you like visual indicators for things like disk capacity, battery life, memory usage, and speaker volume, and you like them prominent and easy to find, SuperbarMonitor puts easy to read indicators right on your Superbar.
• Alfred Is Another Nice Application Launcher, Quicksilver Alternative for Mac Users (Mac)
  We've been fans of Quicksilver for years, but the universal application launcher and-then-some hasn't been in active development for a while. Alfred aims to pick up where Quicksilver left off.
• FastestChrome Soups Up Search, Auto-Loads Pages (Chrome)
  Chrome is a terrific browser on its own, but FastestChrome makes it even better. It adds extra search options to the Omnibar, creates "endless scrolling" for multi-page articles, fixes text-only URLs, and tunes up other Chrome features.
• Kiwi Monitors Your Running Apps, Performs Actions Based on Their Status (Windows)
  Kiwi is a free utility that monitors any application and springs into action when that application meets any user-defined criteria within a set of basic rules—like restarting an application or emailing you when its memory use exceeds a pre-defined level.

More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:00:00 PST

Turn an Old PC into an Aquarium [Weekend Project]

It's a sad fact of life: PCs get old, become obsolete, and you have to buy a new one. Instead of throwing your old one away, turn it into a snazzy aquarium fit for a geek with this guide from DIY web site Instructables. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:00:00 PST

Have a Conversation Instead of Writing Questions for Interviews [Interviewing]

Most of us, when we interview someone, compile a list of questions and go through them one by one. California Radio Personality Colin Marshall suggests that what you should do is the opposite—have a conversation led by the interviewee instead. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:00:00 PST

Make Potato Chips in the Microwave Without Sacrificing Crunch [Food]

Microwaves have gotten a bad rap with some people because they just don't cook some things as they should be cooked—food blog Savory Sweet Life attempts to squash this misconception with a lesson on cooking potato chips in the microwave. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:00:00 PST

Reset the Tab to Fix a Faulty Light Socket [Lighting]

If it seems like a lamp or light fixture in your house practically eats light bulbs compared to the other fixtures, you may not be imagining it. This ten second fix can keep your bulbs burning longer. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:00:00 PST

Use Linux to Scan Unusable Windows Drives for Viruses [How-to]

Often, even if we do catch a virus, it's not so difficult to eradicate it using installed antivirus—but if your system has been crippled, try using Linux to scan the drive for viruses instead. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:00:00 PST

Top 10 Google Apps Marketplace Apps [Lifehacker Top 10]

Google's Apps suite for domain owners and businesses has finally received some star treatment with the launch of the Apps Marketplace. Which Google-friendly apps are free, worth the cost, and entirely useful? These 10 are definitely worth a look. More »

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 PST

Make Plantable Greeting Cards Using Seed Paper [Crafts]

If you've run out of clever greeting card ideas, try a card you can plant into the ground. Craft blog Make and Takes demonstrates how to make "seed paper" and turn it into a plantable greeting card. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:00:00 PST

From the Tips Box: Defrosting Meat, Packing Materials, and Remembering Secret Numbers [From The Tips Box]

Readers offer their best tips for defrosting meat in the microwave, shipping items with just a paper bag, and remembering sensitive numbers like Social Security or bank PINs. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:00 PST

This Week's Most Popular Posts [Highlights]

This week we took a look at the best jobs in America, made the most from our point-and-shoot cameras, improvised an impressive laptop bag from a hoodie, and more. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:00 PST

FastestChrome Soups Up Search, Auto-Loads Pages [Downloads]

Chrome is a terrific browser on its own, but FastestChrome makes it even better. It adds extra search options to the Omnibar, creates "endless scrolling" for multi-page articles, fixes text-only URLs, and tunes up other Chrome features. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:00 PST

Have You Done your Taxes Yet? [Reader Poll]

It's a little over a month until the taxman cometh. That's still plenty of time to do your taxes if you haven't yet, but we're curious: Have you filed your tax returns already? More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 PST

Fix Uneven Skin Tones in Photoshop Elements [Photoshop]

Adjusting skin tones in photos can often be harder than adjusting for other colors, but Photoshop guru Helen Bradley has some quick tips for smoothing skin tones as effectively as possible. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 PST

Stretch Your Phone's Battery Life by Choosing the Right Network [Batteries]

We've offered our best tips for getting the most from your smartphone's battery, but The New York Times revisits the mobile users' favorite topic. While most of the tips are familiar, he did suggest one somewhat drastic idea we'd never highlighted: More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:30:00 PST

Google Voice Turns One; Here's How to Get the Most from It [Birthdays]

Google Voice turned one yesterday, and in the year since Google reopened the service previously known as GrandCentral, we've:

• Helped you decide if Google Voice is a good fit for you
• Eased your transition to Voice
• Showed you how to make free VoIP calls from Voice
• Detailed how to make unlimited free calls from your cellphone using Voice

More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:00 PST

GoPetFriendly Finds Pet-Friendly Hotels, Campgrounds, and Much More [Travel]

We love traveling with our pets, but we don't like gambling on whether the hotel where we want to stay allows animals. Web site GoPetFriendly helps figure out where to rest your head without leaving Rover behind. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:30:00 PST

The Business Card Is Alive and Well After All [What You Said]

Earlier this week we asked if you still carried business cards, pointing out that the business card feels more and more outdated in a digital age. Your response: Digital age be damned! Around 70 percent of you still carry business cards—37 percent carrying them wherever you go, 33 percent making sure they're on hand where people commonly exchange them. Only 13 percent of you have gone the "who needs 'em" route, while 14 percent of you have them but don't carry them often. Photo by boblet. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:00:00 PST

Screwpop 4-in-1 Keychain Tool [Stuff We Like]

We're a little obsessed with great tools that fit on our keychains, so it's no wonder the Screwpop 4-in-1 keychain multi-tool caught our eye. It's a Phillips-head screwdriver, flat-head screwdriver, a hex nut driver, and a bottle opener in a key-sized package. More »

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:30:00 PST

Put Your Headphones On in the Open Thread [Open Thread]

Another long week under your belt and you deserve a little reward. Grab a warm cup of coffee or tea, turn up your favorite relaxing tunes on your headphones, and step inside. Our weekly open thread starts now. More »