Lifehacker

Quickly Send an Email with a Hotkey [Downloads]

The How-To Geek — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Reader Alex writes in with his ubergeeky solution for sending a quick email from his Gmail account—a tiny AutoHotkey application assigned to a hotkey.

Similar to Alex's solution for quickly adding events to Google Calendar, you'll need to add your Google Account credentials to the logon.txt file, launch the AutoHotkey script, and then use the Ctrl+` shortcut key sequence to bring up the quick-send dialog. Since it's written in AutoHotkey, you can customize the script or the shortcut key to something that you prefer, and if you don't want to expose your credentials you can always store the whole thing on an encrypted TrueCrypt partition.

Hit the link for the download, or for more, check out how to send email reminders to yourself with Launchy, use the Caps Lock key for hand-friendly navigation, or add Gmail shortcuts to Outlook with Gmail Keys.

The Computer Hardware Chart Identifies Your PC's Parts [Hardware]

Adam Pash — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Whether you're a first-time computer builder or a seasoned pro, deviantART user Sonic480's computer hardware poster, which helps you identify countless different types of hard drives, RAM, ports, CPU sockets, power connectors, and more, is a great reference.

Chances are you don't know the ins and outs of every single connector or piece of computer hardware you'll come across (even if you do have experience), and while we're sure the poster could cover even more territory (if we're being picky), it's a pretty great visual reference.

WhatsTheCost Shows You the True Expense of Things [Money]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

WhatsTheCost is a financial calculator designed to show you how much something really costs you over time whether it's your mortgage, credit card debt, or even your pack a day cigarette habit. Photo by Andres Rueda.

Looking at the short term picture when it comes to debt and expensive hobbies or habits can be a real money sink. WhatsTheCost is a simple financial calculator that lays out the long term cost. There are calculators for loans, mortgages, rate changes, savings, credit cards, debt snowballing, and even smoking and drinking. Curious about costs?

A pack a day at $5 a pack costs you $1,825 a year. If you're unlucky enough to be a smoker in New York City, the taxes there mean you'll spend $4,015 per year to keep the habit up.
A car loan for $10,000 at 7.5% over 48 months actually costs you $11,605.
A mortgage for $150,000 at 5% over a standard 30 year repayment plan will cost you $289, 883.

The calculator just gives you the raw data, it's up to you to decide what that data means to you. Taking the amount you would save by not smoking and plugging it into the savings calculator might be a sobering moment and tinkering with the repayment window on your mortgage might convince you to change the length to the mortgage you select—a 15 year mortgage in the above loan scenario yields a savings of over $70,000.

The default currency for WhatsTheCost is Pounds, change it from Pounds to Euros or Dollars via the small currency box on the right hand side of the screen. In the number-crunching mood? Check out other calculators we've shared like the debt snowball calculator, the rent or buy calculator, and the credit card repayment calculator. Have an all around useful calculation tool to share? Sound off in the comments below.

Time Warp Provides Offsite Backup for Time Machine [Downloads]

Adam Pash — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:45:00 -0700

Mac OS X only: We've been fans of Time Machine ever since the system snapshot utility was introduced in Leopard, but if you'd love to take your Time Machine backups offsite, Time Warp might be up your alley.

Currently in beta, the application deliver Time Machine data of your choosing to Amazon's S3 storage, where you pay a relatively low price for transferring said data. Specifically:

$0.15 per GB per month for storage
$0.10 per GB to backup data into S3
$0.17 per GB to restore data from S3

Time Warp helps keep those costs as low as it can, compressing and filtering backups to just what you need. You can, for example, choose only to backup Time Machine data from your Home folder, specific folders within your home folder, or you can go hog-wild and aim for all of your data. You can keep track of your storage costs with Time Warp's configuration tool and scale back if Amazon costs go too high. Lastly, Time Warp encrypts all your backups to keep your data safe.

Granted, we'd still recommend using something like previously mentioned Mozy for your serious backup needs, but if offsite Time Machine backups are worth it for you, Time Warp seems like a good solution. The application is currently free while in beta, will cost $25 after that. If you'd simply like the option to do your Time Machine backups over a local network, check out previously mentioned iTimeMachine.

ManualsOnline Keeps Your Manuals Organized [Manuals]

Erin Schwendemann — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for an easy way to store the manuals you've collected over the years or just want all the online information in one spot, then web site ManualsOnline is for you.

Once you've created your free account, you're ready to set up and compile your manuals. Choose the room, category, brand, product type, and model, and ManualsOnline adds it to your profile. After you're done, you'll have an organized collection of all your household manuals in one easily accessible spot.

Next time you're consulting your manual but still aren't able to stop that VCR from blinking (hey, I've still got one), the site also provides a forum where you can ask for product help from the ManualsOnline community.

But before you go ditching those paper manuals, upload and share any unlisted manuals if you can. Someone, somewhere will be grateful you did. If you like the idea but aren't keen on the site, check out previously mentioned SafeManuals for another take on the same idea.

Do You Avoid Shaking Hands? [Ask The Readers]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:30:00 -0700

A firm handshake is a solid building block in a business relationship and also a fantastic way to share in whatever germ-laden trip the owner has recently taken it on. Do you abhor the handshake?

Over at the Boston Globe, Neil Swidey poses the question: will we ever get rid of the handshake? It's a well-aged practice dating back millenniums and long thought to be a way for two people to demonstrate that they were unarmed. These days we tend to settle more matters with rapier wit and less with actual rapiers, so the gesture has certainly lost some of its swashbuckling flair.

Last month, swine flu officially became a pandemic. Public health officials have said so-called "social distancing" strategies — sharply reducing contact with others — have proved most effective in slowing the spread of previous outbreaks, such as the 1918 flu pandemic. And they told us to cut down on our handshakes as much as we could. Northeastern University heeded the advice, asking its graduates not to shake hands when receiving their diplomas during the school's commencement ceremony in May.

Even before public health officials were urging us to stop grinding our collection of pathogens into the hands of strangers, many people were growing tired of the hand shaking ritual.

Have you eschewed the handshake for another greeting? Still keep shaking but keep a hand sanitizer in your briefcase? Sound off in the comments below with your stance on handshakes.

Avoid These Automobile-Destroying Foods [Safety]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Who hasn't partaken of a little dining while on the road? While the best bet is keeping your hands at ten and two with no interstate munching, at minimum avoid these accident-prone foods.

Photo by srslyguys.

Insurance companies are interested in the things that make people go crash, boom, and oops-I-totaled-my-car. While rapid changes in the weather and treacherous driving conditions might lead to some accidents, it turns out a significant number of accidents are self inflicted as people lose control of their cars thanks spills and other food-related mishaps.

Wired offers a humorous interpretation of the top ten offenders:

1. Coffee. It's hot. It can spill. That's bad. That said, we're guilty of this. So are you. Admit it.
2. Hot soup. It's hot. It can spill. That's bad.
3. Tacos. Very messy.
4. Chili. It's hot. It can spill. That's bad. And it's very messy.
5. Hamburgers. Greasy hands and a steering wheel do not mix.
6. Barbecued food. Um, that should go without saying.
7. Fried chicken. You think burgers are greasy?
8. Jelly or cream-filled donuts. Ever bitten into one and not had it squirt all over the place?
9. Soft drinks. Big threat of spillage, says Insurance.com, and unacceptable risk of "fizz up your nose." Huh?
10. Chocolate. It melts on your fingers, which makes a mess on the steering wheel.

You might be saying "No burgers? No coffee? Geez you might as well just not eat in the car!", which is what the insurance companies that compiled the list are in fact urging you to do.

If you must absolutely grab a bite while driving, we'd urge you to choose foods that lend themselves more to "Oh (#%* I stained my pants!" and not "Oh dear #(!%^*$ God the burning!" Perhaps it's time to get up a little earlier and have a nice breakfast burrito and a tasty cup of coffee at home?

RIAA Says DRM Is Dead [Drm]

Adam Pash — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:00:00 -0700

The RIAA have finally declared DRM dead for music, according to all-things-BitTorrent weblog TorrentFreak. You won't see us arguing, having avoided DRMed music like the plague ever since it started gaining ground in the post-Napster 2.0 world, but the steady decline of digital rights management in recent months has been a welcome move all around.

Photo by Martin Krzywinski.

Jonathan Lamy, chief spokesperson for the RIAA declared DRM dead, when he was asked about the RIAA's view on DRM for an upcoming SCMagazine article. "DRM is dead, isn't it?" Lamy said, referring to the DRM-less iTunes store and other online outfits that now offer music without restrictions.

As TorrentFreak points out (with at least some amount of hyperbole):

All DRM has ever done is annoy consumers who actually paid for their music. No single piece of DRM has ever stopped anyone from pirating music, it's quite the opposite as the music industry now realizes.

Your thoughts on the subject? Let's hear 'em in the comments. [TorrentFreak]

Beat the Heat Roundup: The Best of Icy Cool Tricks [Beat The Heat]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Today we draw our Beat the Heat theme week to close, and what better day to end on than National Ice Cream day? Photo by lepiaf.geo.

Over the course of the week we shared all sorts of tips and tricks to help you stay cool this summer. Let's recap the icy cool goodness:

One of most enjoyable ways to stay cool in the summer is to enjoy an icy and refreshing treat. We shared our favorite homemade ice cream recipes, how to make frozen yogurt pops, and the best summer foods to help stay cool.

On the automotive side we showed you how to cool your car as quickly as possible and recharge an air conditioner that has lost its mojo. We didn't neglect your home's air conditioner, it's important to give it a check up at least once a year. If you're in desperate straights and the air conditioner is on the fritz, we even showed you how to make your own air conditioner out of a cooler and some fans.

In the clever tricks category don't forget to use a damp towel to cool a room, the "Egyptian Method" to sleep well on a hot night, and a wet scarf to cool your body off.

Sometimes you can't flat out beat the heat so you might as well use all that summer sun to your advantage. Learn how to cook dashboard cookies, build your own sun jar, and other creative DIY solar projects.

For more tips and tricks, including an excellent roundup of your heat-beating advice, check out the rest of the offerings from Beat the Heat week.

Ask the Commenters Roundup [Hive Mind]

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0700

We're still experiencing a bit of wonkiness with the comments, we promise to have the bugs ironed out as soon as possible. If you're having trouble with the links above, hop on over to the open thread to read and comment. Our apologies!

Turn a Shoe Organizer into a Vertical Herb Garden [Clever Uses]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Don't have enough space in your place to grow some herbs? Turn a shoe organizer into a vertical garden and as long as you have even a balcony railing with sun exposure, you'll have more than enough room.

Whether you're living in an apartment and dreaming of a garden's worth of fresh herbs for use in your kitchen, or you already have a garden and you want to put the bare side of your potting shed to work, this simple hack will turn your vertical space into an herb growing high rise.

The design is simple. Hang a canvas shoe organizer, fill with potting soil, and plant your favorite herbs in the pouches. With some strong sun and adequate water you'll have a thriving spread of herbs to flavor your favorite dishes. For more details on the design and implementation, check out the full tutorial at the link below.

Make a Fruit Picker to Snag Out of Reach Fruit [DIY]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Don't let the height of your favorite fruit tree stand between you and a fresh apple, orange, or other delicious treat. Bring the lofty prize right down to your hand with a DIY fruit picker.

It isn't much to look at, but this DIY fruit picker is quite effective at bringing hard-to-reach fruit right down to your hand. With some basic materials like a length of PVC pipe, a pole, and a razor, you'll have a mechanically simple but effective fruit picker. From the author of the Instructables tutorial:

This fruit picker was designed for oranges, but it works for other fruit also. The body of the picker holds several oranges before needing to be emptied. That speeds up the picking process when there are lots of fruit.
The main feature of interest is the "J" shaped channel at the end of the pipe. One makes a spear-like thrust with the picker to get the fruit inside the pipe. The stem of the fruit follows through the "J" channel. A twist and pull of the picker put the stem at the end of the "J" slot, where a sharp razor blade cuts it. The fruit falls into the head of the picker.

If you're lacking a fruit tree to use your picker on, check out Neighborhood Fruit, a previously reviewed service that connects people with available vegetables and fruit in their communities.

Build a Ping-Pong Pistol [Fun]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for some good, clean—albeit semi-reckless—fun this weekend, you can't beat taking some household items and assembling them into a combustion-based ping-pong ball gun.

If you've ever built a spud gun, the PVC pipe constructions that help launch unlucky potatoes into the stratosphere, you'll be more than familiar with the design of the ping-pong pistol. Unlike the marshmallow gun we previously shared with you, this design eschews lung power for good old combustion.

All you need is a paper towel tube, duct tape, hair spray, a utility lighter, and a ready supply of ping-pong balls. If you're feeling particularly industrious you can upgrade the paper towel to a sturdier material, but the paper towel tube should last at least long enough for a more responsible friend to insist you put it down before someone gets hurt.

As always, exercise good caution and judgment but most importantly don't come crying to us when you burn the hair off your arm. If you have your own fun backyard tricks involving fire or otherwise, sound off in the comments.

Take Better Pictures by Studying Studio Layouts [Photography]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Whether you're interested in learning more about lighting to add to your photography skill set or you're just curious how proper studio lighting works, this handy guide will provide some photo-enhancing insight.

Studio lighting can range from something as simple as a single key light for dramatic portraits to an array of hair, kicker, background, and fill lighting. While most amateur shutterbugs won't be running out any time soon to outfit a garage studio with a half dozen strobe lights, knowing how lights are arranged for traditional studio shots can help you choose where to place your subject to take advantage of similar natural light conditions. I've discovered a spot on my driveway, for example, where the afternoon sun bounces off the white siding on the house and creates a natural and soft fill light.

The guide at photography site Shot Addict covers traditional arrangements like Three-Quarter, Paramount, and Rembrandt lighting, among others. If a particular lighting arrangement sounds interesting definitely hit up Google Images for some examples of the style in action.

For some DIY studio lighting that won't break the bank, check out how to build your own soft box, make a DIY beauty dish, and create a basic ring flash. If have your own lighting tips and tricks, sound off in the comments.

Five Best GPS Devices [Hive Five]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

GPS devices are quite the modern marvel, allowing even the most disoriented traveler to take advantage of guideposts in the sky and find their way. Step inside to see five great tools to guide you on your way.

Photo by mil8.

Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite GPS device, whether it was a stand alone tool or build into another device you owned. You responded, and now we're back to share the top five candidates for the prize of Best GPS Device.

Note on this Hive: We did our best to divide the wide range of votes into easy to digest categories. Garmin and TomTom, for example, both make a wide variety of models, but Garmin appears twice on the list because both their handheld line and their dashboard line received a large number of votes separately. In the same vein, the iPhone received a large number of votes independent of the general pool of votes for GPS-enabled cellphones.

Garmin GPSMap($200-400)

The Garmin GPSMap series received much praise for its rugged and compact design coupled with useful features. Many of you noted that because of the waterproof design of the hand help GPSMap units, you could easily take the unit from a day of hiking and mountain biking to the city streets on a dashboard mount. The GPSMap line tends to be very sensitive, tuned to pick up signals when you're deep in a canyon or a dense forest thicket, a trait that transfers well to being deep in the urban jungle. The GPSMap line integrates with your computer via microSD and USB. If you're using it away from car, you'll be able to squeeze nearly a day of continuous operation out of the GPSMap series while still taking advantage of the bright, sunlight-friendly, high-contrast display. Whether you're out geocaching or taking a road trip, the GPSMap handheld units can keep pace.

iPhone ($99-299 with 2 year contract)

Although most people wouldn't run out and buy a phone and sign a contract for two years just to get a GPS device, the built-in GPS device in the iPhone is capable and has one advantage most of the other contenders don't. On top of being hand held and nearly always with you, the iPhone GPS chip can be used by applications downloaded from the Apple App Store which greatly extends its usefulness. You can use the basic Map + Compass features—although the digital compass is only available in the new 3GS series—or one of the current or upcoming GPS apps from the App Store to get around with more than adequate tools like turn-by-turn directions, route creation, and such. Add in some other free or low-cost applications from the App Store, however, and you can do all sorts of interesting things, like turn the iPhone into an exercise companion, a geocaching buddy, and a tool for other specialized location-based tasks.

TomTom ($120-400)

TomTom is an old face in the car-based GPS arena; they've been cranking out dash mounted GPS units since 1991. On the low end of the TomTom line, all their products offer spoken directions, proprietary quick-release dashboard mounts, and their Map Share technology for easy map updating. As you work your way up the product line, TomToms add dozens of useful features like spoken directions, advanced lane guidance that displays a mock up of the actual road you're driving on, voice input for destination addresses, integration with Bluetooth phones for hands-free calling, FM transmitters to link into your car's stereo system, and a built in media player. TomTom devices are designed for ease of use while driving and the large screens and easily read text and maps reflect that.

Garmin Nüvi ($199-$499)

The Garmin Nüvi is Garmin's offering in the automotive category. The units are sleek, wide-screened, and sport of a host of features beyond basic navigation. In addition to the basics (like turn-by-turn navigation, voice prompts, and the ability to switch between bird's eye and street level views), the more advanced Nüvi units offer even more. When you're using higher-end models you can use the ecoRoute feature to track your gas mileage and have your Nüvi plot out the most fuel-efficient routes. If things "turn south," you can use the "Where am I?" emergency tool—tap the screen and you'll be instantly given your latitude and longitude, the nearest intersection, and the nearest hospitals and police stations. Higher-end models also include a build in media player, an audiobook player, and an FM transmitter.

GPS-Enabled Phones

GPS has become common and popular enough that more and more phone manufacturers are including GPS chips in their designs. While the GPS systems in many phones are not as full fledged as, say, the large screen navigation and features provided by dashboard models like the Garmin Nüvi or the TomTom (although TomTom makes a version of their Navigator software for Windows Mobile) they get the job done and are almost always in your pocket. From the HTC Touch to the Nokia N-line, many of you cast a vote for your personal phone as your go-to GPS device.

Now that you've had a chance to see the tools your fellow readers use to keep it between the navigational beacons, it's time to cast your vote for the best GPS device:

Love your GPS device? Can't image life without it? Once almost drove into a lake because of bad turn by turn instructions? Sound off in the comments below with your GPS-related stories and tips.

Drive Manager Provides a Detailed Overview of Your Drives [Downloads]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Windows only: A plethora of tools are available for checking drive information, status, and health, but Drive Manager conveniently rolls a multitude of such features into a single application that covers a variety of needs.

Drive Manager has tools to manage your hard drives, optical drives, and removable drives. Drive Manager can show you a huge amount of information about your drive, including physical specs, file system flags, and S.M.A.R.T. data to help you assess the health of your hard drives.

You can use it for something as simple as getting detailed information about the drives you have installed on your machine or for something as advanced as hiding drives from Windows Explorer or mapping folders to a drive letter. Drive Manager is freeware, Windows only.

This Week's Top Downloads [Download Roundup]

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:00:00 -0700

Foto-Mosaik-Edda Creates Stunning Photo Mosaics (Windows)
If you're going to create a photo mosaic, you might as well invest the time to do it well. Foto-Mosaik-Edda is a powerful tool for creating impressive, detailed, finely-tuned photo mosaics.
Ultimate Windows Tweaker Updates, Improves Windows 7 Support (Windows)
Ultimate Windows Tweaker adds new features to an already excellent tool for tweaking all of the hidden Windows settings you normally can't access.
Google Gears Officially Updated for Firefox 3.5 (Windows/Mac/Linux)
Google's popular offline browser plug-in Google Gears has been broken ever since Firefox 3.5 was released weeks ago. Frustrated users created their own workarounds, but now Gears is officially back up and running with Firefox 3.5.
SweetFM Brings LastFM to Your Desktop, Saves Songs to iTunes (Mac)
Free application SweetFM is a dual-purpose iTunes and Last.fm controller complete with keyboard shortcuts, remote control support, and more. Oh, and did we mention it also saves your favorite Last.fm tracks directly to your iTunes library?
Google Voice Apps Land on Android and BlackBerry (Android/Blackberry)
Google's official Google Voice app for (two) mobile phones does pretty much what one would expect. It dials out using your Google Voice number, displays new voicemail transcripts and text messages, and simply makes Google Voice easier to use.
EditPad Lite Makes Customizing Your Text Editor Easy (Windows)
Whether you're a fan of green on black text, blinking cursors, split windows, or any of the things you won't find on a basic text editor, EditPad Lite has the tweaks you crave.
GNOME-Do Adds Docklets to App Launching Bar (Linux)
If you're using GNOME-Do and not using the up-to-date repository for the app launcher, you really should be. That's where you'll find goodies like the newest "Docklets," helpful widgets that respond to both clicks and text commands.
CrunchBang Linux Updates for 64-Bit Support, Faster Start-Up (Linux)
CrunchBang Linux, a lightweight, Ubuntu-based, thumb-drive-friendly operating system we previously toured in screenshots, is now available in 64-bit editions for version 9.04.01, which also adds support for the ext4 hard drive format and more wireless networking support.
Getting Things Gnome Manages Your GTD To-Do List (Linux)
To-Do list application Getting Things GNOME! manages your to-do items easily, complete with tags and nested subtasks.
FavBackup Backs Up and Restores Any Browser (Windows)
Portable backup utility FavBackup archives your settings, bookmarks, passwords, and more from any of the major browsers.

Learn the Economical Art of Wet Shaving [Shaving]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Shaving cartridges are expensive—the current crop of Gillette's razors, for example, cost over $2 a pop to refill. Refilling a traditional razor, on the other hand, can cost mere pennies and shave just as well.

Photo by joebeone.

That's right, pennies. How few pennies? The batch of razors I just ordered cost $19 for 100 double edged razors. Assuming I use each side of the razor I could shave with a brand new edge every day for a month for $2.85. Realistically nobody throws a blade away after a single shave so my actual cost for the whole month is almost always under a dollar.

Shaving with a safety razor isn't as scary as busting out a straight razor and going to town on your mug. Check out the video below to see how easy it can be with a little practice:

Once you've had a chance to watch the video, make sure to read over the full guide to getting a wet shave at Painless Frugality. If you shave with a traditional safety razor, we want to hear about it in the comments. Interested in more methods for a better shave? Check out our introduction to wetshaving.

Make Frozen Yogurt Pops For a Unique Summer Dessert [Beat The Heat]

Dustin Luck — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0700

If you're looking for something other than sugary store-bought popsicles for a cool, delicious treat this summer, the kid-centric web site Family Education has a recipe for frozen yogurt pops.

Photo by Jeherv.

You've probably seen or even made your own DIY popsicles, but a simple twist using yogurt instead of fruit juice makes for a healthier alternative.

To make the pops, you'll need yogurt, small paper cups, aluminum foil and popsicle sticks. (You could also use a commercially available mold.) Preparation is simple: Just fill the cups with yogurt, cover with foil, insert the sticks, and freeze until solid. You can use your favorite store-bought yogurt or make your own.

Since most yogurts contain gelatin, yogurt pops should melt slower than popsicles. That means slower eaters may not need to resort to coffee filters or Dixie cups to contain drips. Before you go wild and make up a year's supply though, a comment on the Family Education site says these do have a shelf life:

Any frozen yogurt product will change in texture if frozen too long, so try not to freeze up much more than you intend to use within a week.

You can keep things interesting by changing up the recipe here and there too:

Add chopped fruit
Layer different flavors of yogurt
Use ice cube trays for a bite-size version
For bigger pops, put the sticks straight into the yogurt cups through the foil lids
Use pudding instead of yogurt

What kind of homemade desserts do you like to make? Share your favorite recipe in the comments.

DIY Combination Sunscreen and Bug Repellent [Beat The Heat]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Are you wasting your summer days applying both sunscreen and bug spray in succession? That's an outrageous use of time better spent enjoying the summer. Web site Instructables features a handy tutorial on brewing up your own combination sunscreen/insect repellent lotion.

Photo by National Media Museum.

Whether you'd like to have fine control over the things you put in and on your body or you're just looking to make a really economical lotion that will repel bugs and protect you from sunburns, this DIY lotion is a solution to your problem.

DIY web site Instructables offers a tutorial for cooking up some home made sunscreen infused with bug repelling oils from a spread of ingredients like coconut oil, vitamin E, and citronella (among others). It isn't as easy as, say, mixing a Margarita, but you'll be able to create it in bulk and customize it to your own bug- and sun-repelling needs. Check out the full tutorial for step by step instructions and pictures.

Refocus Tracks Your Goals for the Month on One Page [Goals]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Refocus is a simple printable template that allows you to lay out a handful of goals and track your adherence to those goals over the next 30 days.

Tracking goals in a concrete and visual way is an excellent motivational tool. The Seinfeldian Chain, previously covered here, is certainly a strong example of the effectiveness and popularity of the technique when used as motivation for a single goal. The ReFocus worksheet allows you to track up to five goals over a month. From the author's web site:

The end result looks like a cross between a Scantron form and Benjamin Franklin's Thirteen Virtues form. The purpose of this form is purely to give me a sense of accomplishment and to give feedback when I'm being unfocused. I still need to keep track of tasks that need to get done, but management of tasks and analysis of progress are now separated.

Each circle is filled in completely, halfway, or not at all to indicate whether you made progress. If your goal was to eat healthy food and you ate a great breakfast and dinner but went out for lunch and ate fast food, you might, for example, fill in a half circle for that day. To the side there is space for notes.

If you like the layout and want to check out another well-designed planning sheet, check out the previously reviewed Day Grid Balancer.

Pack a Wrinkle-Free Suitcase by Stuffing Your Folds [Folding]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Packing a wrinkle-free suitcase can be quite a challenge, but the real key to keeping your clothes smooth across all your bumpy miles of travel is in the way you fold them.

At the web site The Art of Manliness they've put together a guide to packing a travel bag. Among the gems they share is a step by step guide to packing your clothing so that it unpacks without wrinkles.

The magic comes from artfully nesting folded clothing within other clothing so that the most likely to wrinkle items are on the outer most layer of the bundle. The goal is to minimize the severity of the curve in the fabric so wrinkles are less likely to form and the creasing in the fabric isn't prominent.

Check out the full writeup below to see a step by step photo tutorial. We've highlighted a few tips for packing without wrinkling your duds in the past, too, but if you have a trick or two for keeping clothes packed smoothly, sound off in the comments to share them. If packing speed is something you're more interested in, check out this classic video covering how to fold a t-shirt in two seconds.

Drive Yourself to Distraction to Make Exercise Fun [Fitness]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Television has long been vilified for its power to distract us from more important pursuits, but it doesn't seem all that bad when you harness that enormous power of distraction into a tool to help you lose weight or get in shape.

Photo by SashaW.

The vast majority of people don't get enough exercise to ensure optimum cardiovascular health and keep unwanted pounds off. Couple that with how terribly boring logging hours on a treadmill or elliptical machine can be and most people aren't in any hurry to make sure they work enough cardio time into their day.

At self improvement and productivity weblog Stepcase Lifehack, they undertook a simple experiment in weight loss. During every commercial break they would use an aerobic step to do mini bursts of cardio activity. Over the course of a year all those little bursts add up. While squeezing in a little activity during the commercial breaks is great, we have a different approach in our household. You don't watch television unless you're exercising.

We've got an elliptical machine and free weights at a comfortable viewing distance from the television and the standing rule is, when watching television you have to be doing something fitness related. Want to watch every season of Desperate Housewives? Not only do you get to indulge in some trashy and entertaining television, but you'll also run hundreds of miles in the process. Need to catch up on How It's Made? You'd be amazed how many curls and squats you can fit into a couple episodes.

Whether you're working out at home or at the gym, you may be surprised at how powerful of a distraction television can be. There is no way I'd log 20 miles on the elliptical machine just staring out the front window at my lawn, but watching Chappelle Show re-runs? An hour easily flies by without notice.

Have a favorite show that keeps you on the treadmill? Maybe podcasts are more your thing? Sound off in the comments with the tools you use to take your mind off the monotony of some exercises and keep yourself trucking along.

Top 10 DIY Projects that Harness the Power of the Sun [Lifehacker Top 10]

Kevin Purdy — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Cheap, powerful, and available almost everywhere—solar energy is a truly great thing. With these 10 sun-powered projects, you can turn a sunny day off into some brag-worthy, possibly money-saving backyard tech.

Photo by david.nikonvscanon.

10. Engrave wood with a "sun laser"

Leave them alone long enough, and nearly every kid will investigate, or at least hear about, the devastating effects of magnifying glasses and clear, sunny weather on insects. Route that fascination with concentrated sunlight into some wood engraving. Aluminum foil (or, preferably, foil tape), sunglasses, a razor blade, and a magnifying glass are all you need to get creative with an old piece of wood or other dark objects. You'll need to provide supervision, lest bad aim turn into a kindling incident, but it's a great project for kids, as well as a unique way to leave your mark with style. (Original post)

9. Heat water in your backyard

It's not an efficient way to keep your hot tub filled, but the kind of solar-powered water heater detailed at the Instructables link above can get a big batch of water up to 170F without requiring any work from your water heater, and the kit costs around $5 with the right parts suppliers. Even if you pay a bit more, think about how often the backyard grill, deck, or pool could use a little cleaning with some hot, soapy water. This project gets you a free source of ever-ready cleaning water, and at a pretty neat price. (Original post)

8. Start a fire with a soda can and chocolate

This little project is the most reliant on a strong bit of sunlight, but totally worth the effort when you pull it off. The chocolate polishes the bottom of a soda can, which better focuses and intensifies sunlight reflections, creating a cone of fire-starting power that leaves your fellow campers impressed—or the other attendees at the park picnic grateful you were there when they forgot the matches. (Original post)

7. Convert a lawnmower to solar power

If you've got a small-ish lawn, a battery-powered mower is much easier on your and your neighbors' ears, and it saves you the hassle and cost of gas refills. Take those eco-benefits to the next level by converting a gas-guzzling push mower to use a solar-charged battery. Appropedia's version is a definite weekend project for an older model, but if you've got a newer battery mower, it's not too hard to simply start charging it with a solar panel instead of your wall socket, and this guide will help get you there. (Original post)

6. Estimate your home's solar potential

A solar-powered house sounds like a neat idea in abstract, but how would you know if your house's roof could really sustain worthwhile energy? Luckily, a big search company has overhead images of just about every house out there, and mashup tool RoofRay can use that image, plus your location's average sunlight and some roof details, to get a starting estimate on whether you can use the sun to push back on your power meter a bit. (Original post)

5. Extend Wi-Fi to your backyard

Probably the least practical and most expensive of the projects listed here, the solar-powered Wi-Fi extender is definitely the most rewarding from a geek cred and green power perspective. Popular Science explains in great detail how to solder and network together a semi-standard Linksys Wi-Fi router, range extender, solar panel, battery, and higher-powered antenna, and then set it up to grab Wi-Fi from your household's main network and expand it to the great outdoors—or, at least, the outdoors behind your house. That leaves you with regular web access anywhere around your property, without having to worry about running cables across the lawn. (Original post)

4. Cook with a cardboard box

There's an entire realm of recipes and cookbooks that purport to help you get cooking done in the summer without turning on your oven. Skip the gazpacho and the house-warming heat with an oven built from aluminum foil, construction paper, plastic, and a few other household items, including a firm cardboard box. It's great for saving energy, saving time, and feeling like you really made the most of a warm, sunny day. Want to get a bit more efficient and physics-y with your outdoor oven? Try a parabolic solar cooker. Photo by thescarletmanuka. (Original post)

3. Build a greenhouse for $50

If you're lucky enough to live where plants and food grow all year, you already know the power of photosynthesis. For those who could use a little more prep time for their seedlings, a longer growing season, or just a buffer against the occasional plant-punching dry spell, The Door Garden explains how to take some light construction materials—$50 if you happen to have most of it lying around, about $150 purchased new—and build a greenhouse that will withstand most winters and thrive in every other season. Just got a few plants you want to get started with condensed solar power? Try the mini-greenhouse made from a window. (Original post)

2. Charge an iPhone/iPod with the sun

We're big fans of the MintyBoost DIY USB charger kit, a great project for electronic beginners and pros alike. It was only a matter of time, then, until someone switched the power source from AA batteries in an Altoids case to a lithium-ion battery with solar charging capabilities. Completing the modified kit isn't a great leap more difficult than the original, and once you do, you'll be glad to get a lot more use out of your windowsills, and hand over a lot less money at the grocery store every few weeks. It's not necessarily the most effective method of charging, but it's undeniably cool. (Original post)

1. Sun jar garden light

The solar-powered outdoor lights they sell at your local garden/home improvement store can be subtle or original-looking—if you want to pay a premium. Otherwise, you're stuck with painted plastic and models that hold a pretty weak charge. The sun jars constructed by our own Jason, on the other hand, cost only about $11 each—less if you have jars or batteries on hand—and give off a pretty neat glow, powered entirely by solar energy from earlier that day.

What sun-powered projects are in your mental queue for some sunny weekend? What great solar hacks have you pulled off already? Tell us all about them in the comments.

Prepare for the Worst by Drafting an Advance Directive [Planning]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Nobody likes to spend too much time mulling over the end of their life, but taking the time to create an advance directive gives you control over the situation when you can't voice an opinion.

Photo by takonmabibelot.

The best advice regarding the utility of wills and advanced directives was given to me by an estate attorney, who said succinctly "Nothing changes the fact that you're going to die. Having the proper legal paperwork filed means you respect the people you're leaving behind enough to not put them through any more emotional turmoil and stress than necessary." It's tough to argue with that kind of pragmatism.

Fortunately it isn't difficult to draft an advance directive, the legal document which specifies what you want to happen at the end of your life in the event that you are not able to provide consent. Advance directives typically cover things like what kind of life support systems you would want or not want to be put on and in what situations should medical staff attempt to revive you. At 25 for example, you might want them to go full bore and hit you with a lightning strike if that's what it takes. At 95 you may have a different perspective and not want to live to 100 hooked up to a plethora of machines. An advance directive allows you to legally specify these things before the event of an emergency where you may be unable to specify them yourself.

Caring Connections, an initiative from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has a directory of advance directive templates for each state. Fill out the document, get it notarized if it's a requirement in your state, and store it in a safe place. Make sure someone besides yourself can access the place you choose to store your document, or your wishes won't be acted upon. If you want to take it to the cloud, Google Health now supports the uploading of scanned documents.

This Week's Most Popular Posts [Highlights]

Adam Pash — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:00:00 -0700

We cooled down, made better coffee, and managed to get our finances under control in this week's most popular posts.

Mythbusting: Four Myths About Staying Hydrated Debunked
Your mom wasn't completely wrong about the need to stay hydrated in hot weather, but your sweet old mum, and many others, have been needlessly worrying about the wrong things.
Use The "Egyptian Method" to Sleep Well on a Hot Night
Tossing and turning all night because the scorching heat wouldn't let you get your much-needed sleep is most unenviable. Next time the temperature gets too hot to handle, incorporate these tricks to help you sleep comfortably through the night.
Create Your Own Sun Jar: Lifehacker Edition
If dashboard cookies got you thinking about other ways to put the sun to work, here's a step-by-step guide to building sun-capturing jars that create outdoor lighting at a fraction of the retail cost.
Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Coffee
Coffee doesn't always make work better, but you can definitely work to get better coffee. From four-cup hotel machines to French presses, from home-roasted beans to decorative foam—we've got a wealth of tips for enjoying a better cup.
Cool Down a Scorching Car as Quickly as Possible
Decrease the amount of time it takes to cool your car off after it's been sitting in the summer sun by using this simple six-step process.
Build a DIY Portable Air Conditioner
We've shown you how to make an air conditioner (even for as low as $30), but what if you wanted something you can put in your car and take with you?
Hang a Damp Towel to Cool a Hot House
If the air in your house is hotter and more humid than it is outside, you don't have to crank up the air conditioning. A damp towel, as suggested by a Death Valley park ranger, can even things out.
Get Rid of Dark Under-Eye Circles and Puffiness
Whether you had a late night out or just a late night, those dark circles under your eyes are casting you in a less than pretty light. Here are some quick tips to look better, with absolutely no cucumbers involved.
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Every financial life has a rough patch here and there and sometimes temporarily stretching things from paycheck to paycheck is unavoidable. Avoid making living paycheck to paycheck your way of life with these tips.
Learn the Hidden Benefits of Credit Cards
Extended care warranties, car rental insurance, trip cancellation protection—you know they're just margin boosters for companies, but you can't shake that vulnerable feeling.
Recharge Your Car's Air Conditioner
If you have a car that isn't showroom fresh anymore, there's also a good chance it's lost a little of its air conditioning mojo. Get things icy cool again with this simple fix.

Our Favorite Homemade Ice Cream Recipes and Tricks [Beat The Heat]

Adam Pash — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Ice cream may not be the best choice when you really want to cool down, but that doesn't stop it from being a favorite summertime treat. Here's a quick look at our favorite ice cream recipes and tricks.

Note: Not a fan of this gallery format? You can view it all on one page here.

Got a favorite ice cream tip, trick, or recipe of your own? Let's hear it in the comments.

Make a Choco Taco

Do you sometimes secretly crave that pseudo-Mexican dessert concoction that is the Choco Taco, but there's no diet-killing package in your grocer's freezer? Create your own Choco Tacos with this recipe. Read more >>

Five-Minute Homemade Ice Cream

Got five minutes and a hankering for some tasty homemade ice cream? We can help. Read more >>

Vanilla Ice Cream Made Easy

Foodie site Slashfood divulges a delicious homemade vanilla bean ice cream recipe. Read more >>

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag

Family site Kids Domain has a recipe for making ice cream in a bag, a perfect project for a hot summer day. Read more >>

Ice Cream as Hangover Recovery

That's right, you, too, can make your own Pepto Bismol ice cream or St. Patty's Mylanta ice cream. Soothingly delicious.

How to Scoop Your Ice Cream Better

Ever been in the middle of fighting your frozen treat and thought to yourself: "There's got to be an easier way than this teaspoon at a time business"? Read more >>

Keep Your Ice Cream Fresher

Loyal reader Kathy Davies writes in with a great tip about keeping ice cream fresh. Avoid those ice crystals that form at the top of your ice cream by placing a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the ice cream. It keeps the air out and everything stays fresh. Just make sure to leave a bit of wrap that extends beyond the ice cream so it's easy to pull off. Read more >>

Treat Sweaty Palms and Feet with Black Tea [Beat The Heat]

Azadeh Ensha — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0700

Sweating is a critical bodily function, but that doesn't make having sweaty hands and feet any more tolerable. Here's how to treat both using tea bags.

Photo by aussiegall.

How to website eHow offers a six step solution for tackling sweaty feet. The instructions can also be applied to sweaty palms. Either way, you'll need one pint of water (for boiling purposes) and two black tea bags. Both regular and decaffeinated varieties will work. You'll next need to dilute the tea solution with two quarts of cold water.

Once you've created the mix, soak your feet or hands in it for one week, 30 minutes daily. You can lower the count to twice weekly once you see some results. The remedy apparently works because of the pore-clogging capabilities inherent in the tannic acids found in black tea.

Fair warning: using black tea provides only short-term relief from sweating. NY Mag tested out the method on their feet and found it to be effective, but only for twenty minutes.

If you're a heavy sweater, how do you combat your glands? Let us know in the comments.

DIY Pocket Fishing Pole [Weekend Project]

Adam Pash — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Looking to spend some time in the great outdoors this summer and want to be prepared to do some survivalist fishing at the drop of a hat? This DIY pocket fishing rod and reel is for you.

Instructables user Toglefritz details how to build a pocket fishing rod and reel on the cheap with fun household supplies, including a telescoping radio antenna, Bic pen, binder clip, washers, some various other nuts and bolts, glue, and a few other sundry but common items. When you're done, you've got a simple-but-effective pen-sized fishing pole that fits in your pocket. Hit up the Instructables post for the full walkthrough.

PicPick Covers Your Image Capturing, Editing Needs [Downloads]

Erin Schwendemann — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Windows only: If you're looking for an all-in-one image capture tool that offers more than just capturing, look no further than PicPick.

With a built-in image editor (similar to but more feature-rich than Microsoft Paint), a color picker, a color palette (which offers outputs in HTML, C++, RGB, and Delphi), a magnifier, a pixel ruler, a protractor, a crosshair option, and a whiteboard, PicPick covers common designing/editing needs without slowing down your system.

Offering support for four image formats and five output options (including the option to open the capture in your editing program of choice), along with multiple capturing options, PicPick is customizable to your needs.

While our resident favorite Snagit takes the cake as the best screen capture tool, those of you looking for a good, all-in-one, portable capturing app should take a gander at what PicPick has to offer. PicPick is a freeware application for Windows users only. Thanks Art!

How to SMS with Google Voice from Any Mobile Phone [Google Voice Tip]

Gina Trapani — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Just because you don't have an Android phone or BlackBerry (or even, unofficially, an iPhone) doesn't mean you can't text from your cellphone using your Google Voice number. In fact, you can use Google Voice SMS capabilities on any phone.

Even if you do have an Android phone, BlackBerry, or iPhone, you can still use this method to use the native SMS app on it. It's an inconvenient kluge, but it works.

First, log into Google Voice and configure it to forward text messages to your cell phone. When someone sends a text message to your Google Voice number, you'll receive the text on your phone–but not from the recipient's phone number. Instead, it will be a 406 number you've never seen before, with the person's name preceding the message (as pictured here). Add that number to your recipient's address book entry as "Other" or a custom label (like "GV SMS"). Each one of your text recipients will have a different 406 number.

From there on in, if you SMS that 406 number, your recipient will receive text messages from you—and it will look like they're coming from your Google Voice number. Their replies to any messages you send to that number will go back to your Google Voice number and come to you via the 406–meaning, your recipient never sees the 406 number. Like I said, it's a kluge, but it works.

We already mentioned this tip in our guide to easing your transition to Google Voice, but it's an important feature worth repeating.

Smarterware is Lifehacker editor emeritus Gina Trapani's new home away from 'hacker. To get all of the latest from Smarterware, be sure to subscribe to the Smarterware RSS feed. For more, check out Gina's weekly Smarterware feature here on Lifehacker.

From the Tips Box: Negotiation Tips, Lost Credit Cards, and Floating Stereo-Coolers [From The Tips Box]

Erin Schwendemann — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:30:00 -0700

We dodge punches to achieve our goals, negotiate our way to bargains, say bye-bye to satellite radio in the car, and make a floating stereo.

Don't like the gallery view? See all the tips on one page here.

Punch-Packed Motivation

Photo by JasonRogersFooDogGiraff eBee

It's perfectly ok to disagree with a post, particularly when you explain your thoughts as well as chip19 did in response to our post on achieving your goals by keeping them quiet:

I tend to agree with the opposite of this article, that if you tell someone then you are more likely to do it. However, I think this article does make a good distinction between telling another person as a satisfaction versus a dissatisfaction.

About a year ago, I really wanted to talk to someone about something, but I was really nervous about it. I told a few of my close friends that I was going to do it on Tuesday at 9 a.m. I even told my one friend who practices amateur boxing to punch me in the face if I didn't do it. When the time came, I was nervous as hell, but I just thought about how disappointed everyone would be if I failed — and how bad getting punched by my friend would hurt.

I suppose it really depends on your personality. I like to be successful and determined in the eyes of my friends and family, and so if I tell them I'm going to do something, I am very likely to do everything in my power to keep my promise

Old Pillows go to the Dogs

Photo by dickuhne

Muddle-headed has a great idea on what to do with those old pillows of yours:

If your pillow is a little past its prime, it will make a great dog cushion. Commercial dog bedding is expensive, and I don't think it provides enough padding for comfort, especially for older animals with joint problems. But a "people" pillow that has become flatter with age seems ideal for dogs.

I put two old pillowcases on, with the openings in opposite directions so the pillow is completely covered. Your dog will love the fact that his new bed smells like you

Negotiate Your Way to a Bargain

Photo by jenn_jenn

Love a bargain? Sweetmonkey has some pointers for you if you're willing to negotiate to get your way:

Here are a few thoughts on negotiations, whether on craigslist or elsewhere. I'm sure I'll repeat a few thoughts from others' comments:

Know the going price of the item elsewhere, as well as the rarity of the item. This will help you to determine a reasonable set of expectations, as well as spot prices that are too good to be true.

Know the maximum you are willing to pay BEFORE you start negotiating. This is your "reservation price", the point at which are you indifferent between the item and the money. Anything above this, and you're better off keeping your money. Anything below this, and you've negotiated a good deal.

Figure out what you'll do if you don't make a deal. This is your "BATNA", the best alternative to a negotiated agreement. For example, if I want to buy a camera but it turns out to be too expensive, my BATNA might be to borrow a vacuum from a friend. Alternatively, suppose I need to get flowers for an anniversary, and I'm talking to the only person in town who has flowers. My BATNA might be to get some other kind of gift, which might be a poor substitute. This makes getting the deal done more important.

In a related point, think about walking away ahead of time. If you convince yourself that you HAVE to have the item in question, you're likely to adjust your reservation price on the fly, which is always a bad idea. This happens with frequency in timed auctions, where people tend to incorrectly perceive scarcity and feel urgency just because the auction is about to end. Just before the end of the auction, the adjust their reservation price upward and end up paying more than they really wanted to. This can lead to a "winner's curse" scenario. If you've already considered walking away, you're much less likely to get into this situation.

While we're on the topic of walking away, don't walk away in order to convince the other person to lower the price. This kind of "brinksmanship" is a hard-ball tactic that isn't usually a good idea. It makes people upset and less likely to be rational.

Understand who you're negotiating with. If this is someone with whom you might negotiate again, you need to take this into account. If you establish a positive, productive relationship with a seller, they often remember that going forward, and may be willing to give you a better deal or advise you of interesting items before putting them up for sale to the general public. Plus, you might build up some good karma by treating others well. If you are POSITIVE this will be a one-time deal, you might be willing to push a little harder. Think carefully about this.

Understand what you want to get out of the negotiation, and if possible, find out what the other person wants. Sometimes, it's just about the money, but often, there is more to the story. Let's say you're buying a puppy. Maybe the person selling the dog just wants to get rid of it or make a little cash, but maybe they are really attached to the puppy. In that case, they may want most of all to "find a good home" for it. Can you give them some assurance that your home is the one? Maybe talk about why you want a dog and what it will mean to you to have one.

Determine whether money is the only way to trade. If cash is an issue, you can ask the other person if they'd be willing to trade or accept something else in lieu of money. If you're buying a camera, for example, and are an avid photographer, you might be able to offer to take and print a family portrait for the seller in exchange for the equipment. The more you know the other person, the easier this is.

Know yourself. Negotiating in person isn't always better—it depends on your personality. Be honest with yourself: are you a people-pleaser who is likely to cave in on a negotiation in order to avoid conflict or make the other person happy? If so, an email negotiation might be better. On the other hand, if you want to use some of the other points above, it will be much simpler in person.

Practice, practice, practice. Opportunities to negotiate exist everywhere, not just in purchases. The more comfortable you get, the better you'll be.

Saying Goodbye To Satellite Radio

Photo by Gerard Eviston

Reader WB shows us a sweet way to dump satellite radio in the car without missing out on any tunes:

I use the Slacker Radio app on my Blackberry as a music player when I exercise. They have a pretty wide variety of channels that cover almost all genres of music. Well, it occurred to me this morning as I got in my car to drive to work, that maybe my iPod jack (cassette player variety – 1.99 on eBay) might work to broadcast the stream over my car stereo – and it worked. I might not be the first to figure this out, but I figured it was worth passing along, just in case. With this hack, there is basically no need to pay for satellite radio.

Floating Tunes

Keith wrote in about the floating stereo he made out of a portable cooler, similar to the DIY portable air conditioner:

I love to tube the river in the summer, but what's a hot Texas day, beautiful countryside, and cold beer without good music? It's possible to buy floating or waterproof radios, most of which double as coolers, but I have never found one that actually generates serious volume. Worse, central Texas rivers are often in deep canyons, with little or no radio reception. I had seen people on the river with what appeared to be standard chest coolers that had been custom fitted for audio, but I couldn't find anyone online that made them or even any information about how to do it. So, I embarked on a project to make my own Stereo Cooler, and what follows may be the first Internet Guide on how to build one.

For a picture by picture walk through, detailed instructions, and a waterproof disclaimer, hit up How to Build a Stereo Cooler.

Cancel Those Cards

Photo by Andres Rueda

Even though Matt lost his wallet, he's coming to the aide of other travelers:

When I lost my wallet in a taxi in Eastern Europe last summer, I knew I needed to cancel my credit cards. Unfortunately I wasn't able to "locate the customer service phone number on the back of your statement" while standing on a street corner in Croatia at 11pm.

After this episode I created CancelThatCard.com, a website that lists credit card customer service numbers in the US as well as 60 other foreign countries.

User Script Disables Google Reader's "Like" Feature [Downloads]

The How-To Geek — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Firefox only (Win/Mac/Linux): If the new social features in Google Reader are cluttering up your reading space, you can use a simple user script to get rid of that "Liked" feature.

The solution is a very simple user script, which can be installed with the Stylish or Greasemonkey extensions for Firefox, or even potentially adapted to work with other browsers. To install, either visit the userstyles page and click the "Load as user script" button—or if you don't have either extension, you can add the following to your userContent.css file in your profile folder's chrome directory:

@-moz-document url-prefix(http://www.google.com/reader) , url-prefix("https://www.google.com/reader/view/"){ .entry-likers, .entry-actions > .like { display: none !important } .like { display: none !important; } }

If you are using Greasemonkey you'll need to reload the page, Stylish will show the changes instantly, and the userContent.css method will require restarting your browser. Either way, the Like buttons should be gone, along with the "35 people liked this".

For more Google Reader customizations, check out our own Better GReader extension, or take a look through our top 10 Greasemonkey user scripts for 2009.

Assemble a Zero-Waste Dining Kit [Food]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Disposable utensils and bags are wasteful and over the course of your lunch-packing life more expensive than using more permanent goods. Build a zero-waste dining kit to be kind to the environment and your wallet.

Photo by alexkerhead.

We highlighted the importance of having a sturdy lunch container and nice implements for dining back when we showed you how to make a brown bag lunch more appealing. At the financial blog WiseBread they decided to build a zero-waste dining kit that covered nearly every dining situation including those that involve hard liquor.

First of all, whatever we came up with had to fit compactly in the front briefcase sections of the rolling laptop case / mini office / business travel luggage pieces we have. We specifically chose these his and her pieces because we can fit a few toiletries and clothing items in the back when necessary, yet still leave the front part set up every day with office supplies, files and room for the laptop sleeves.

You may not need quite the array of stuff they've managed to squeeze into a small space—their goal was to have a set of reusable tools they could use for dining on the road—though you can easily adapt their zero-waste kit to meet your needs and the space constraints of your lunchbox.

Check out the full article for some excellent ideas—they've got collapsible silicone shot glasses!—for your lunchbox. If you've gotten away from disposable items and reuse the same things over and over again in your lunch box, we want to hear about it in the comments below.

The Iceorb Keeps Your Chilled Foods Chilly [Stuff We Like]

Adam Pash — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700

Love a cool summer dip or homemade ice cream but wish it would retain its chilly disposition when you set it out for consumption? The clever iceorb is just what you've been looking for.

Essentially, the iceorb is a nested storage container in which the outside container is full of little ice cubes so that, when in use, the contents of the inner container remains nice and cool for as long as the ice in the outer container lasts.

As with many clever little products, you could also work out your own DIY method, so if the $16 price tag seems a bit steep, the DIY route may be for you. Got an even better method for keeping your chilled food cold after you set it out? Let's hear it in the comments.

The Stylish Ubuntu Desktop [Featured Desktop]

The How-To Geek — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Reader naaamo2004's Ubuntu desktop proves that Linux can be slick, stylish, and functional all at the same time.

The desktop is a combination of:

Ubuntu with a custom theme.

Avant window navigator with custom icons.

Conky with custom scripts for resource usage, clock, and now playing.

Great job, naaamo2004!

Want to see your own Linux desktop featured here? Read up on how to customize Conky for ambient Linux productivity, and then post your productive desktop over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.

Shop at Local Ethnic Markets to Lower Your Grocery Bill [Groceries]

Azadeh Ensha — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:30:00 -0700

We need food to survive, and yet groceries can be quite expensive. Budget blog Wise Bread says you can offset your supermarket bill by hitting up local ethnic markets to do some of your shopping.

Photo by eliazar.

Writer Paul Michael talks about how he saves a "bundle" by shopping at his local Asian market. Specifically, he says that both the meats and produce are cheaper there than at larger chains.

A pound of Dragon Plums was just 79 cents! Regular black plums were $1.29/pound. And in Safeway, the same plums were over $3/pound. Big, big difference. We also found fresh ripe blueberries for 99 cents/pound, over four times less than in Safeway. Onions, potatoes, carrots, leeks, melons, broccoli, cabbage, they were all at least a third cheaper than Albertsons or Safeway.

Of course, the above advice is predicated on living near an Asian or other local market, and the quality of items will probably vary depending on the market in question. But if you do hit up ethnic stores, let us know if they help you save cash in the comments. And while you're looking to lower your bill, remember to avoid these grocery marketing tricks.

Use the Magic of Flash Evaporation to Stay Cool [Beat The Heat]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Running through the sprinklers might be a fun way to cool off, but it involves getting soaked with water. A misting system will cool you with water sans the thorough soaking.

Photo by Todd Baker.

If you live in an area that has high summer temperatures but generally low levels of humidity, a misting system is a great addition to your outdoor spaces. Misting systems are used everywhere from rabbit farms to theme parks and require very little materials and a very small amount of water to work effectively.

How do misting systems work? Water is forced through small diameter pipes or hoses to tiny nozzles which release the water in such a fine mist that it appears almost fog like. The droplets are so small most of them will evaporate before even touching your skin and effectively lower the temperature around you 15-20 degrees via the magic of flash evaporation. The amount of water required to cool a large residential deck is only a few gallons an hour since the water is being released through such tiny holes. To put that in perspective you could cool an entire dinner party for as much water as one guest will use flushing a toilet and washing their hands.

At the home improvement website DIY Network, they have a step by step guide to installing a misting system. Their instructions can easily be modified for a variety of spaces and can cover a whole patio or just a few lounging chairs. You can find misting nozzles at big box hardware stores like Lowe's and farm supply stores. If you have a misting system or have helped install one, sound off in the comments below.

Make Some Noise in This Week's Open Thread [Open Thread]

Adam Pash — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:30:00 -0700

The week's almost over, but rather than counting each agonizing second until you can punch out at work, start your weekend off a little early in this week's open comment thread.

Photo by naughty architect.

You know the rules, folks. The open comment thread is your weekly opportunity to mix it up in the comments with your fellow readers, discussing anything and everything your hearts desire. Ask your burning questions, wax philosophical, or just unwind with a little water cooler chat. You'll need a comment account to participate, but don't worry—if you don't have one already, getting one is easy. Happy Friday!

Display Just the Items You Liked in Google Reader [Google Reader]

The How-To Geek — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Yesterday Google Reader updated with more social features, including a "like" feature—but didn't give you a way to view all the items that you "liked". Reader Michel writes in with the solution.

To view a list of all the items that you liked, simply navigate to this URL in your browser to see the list of your liked items—no doubt the link will eventually be added somewhere in Reader, but for now you can see the list this way.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/user/-/state/com.google/like

What we'd really like to see is a list of all the items that everybody else liked, sorted by the amount of people that liked them, but so far there doesn't appear to be a way to do that. Thanks, Michel!

For more, use the Google Reader Notifier for Windows, or the Google Reader Watcher for Firefox to keep an eye on your feeds, or check out how Google Reader Gadget brings feeds to the desktop.