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Computers make us more productive. Yeah, right. Lifehacker recommends the software downloads and web sites that actually save time. Don't live to geek; geek to live.
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Support Details Makes Troubleshooting Remotely a Bit Easier [Webapps]

28 July 2010 - 1:30am
#webapps Visit web site Support Details and it'll quickly round up your system information, including operating system, browser, IP address, and more. Sure, you know that info by heart, but the site comes in particularly handy when you're helping someone else out. More »


Categories: News

Repurpose an Old Washing Machine as a Backyard Fire Pit [DIY]

28 July 2010 - 1:00am
#diy Want a backyard fire pit but would like something more unique than your basic fire pit DIY? Check out how a clever user at DIY site Instructables made an attractive fire pit from a stainless steel washing machine drum. More »


Categories: News

Remains of the Day: Google Touches Nearly Every Corner of Your Browsing [For What It's Worth]

28 July 2010 - 12:15am
#forwhatitsworth A Firefox-extension-as-art-project demonstrates how deeply Google services are embedded in most web sites, Ask.com returns to its roots, and maybe cellphones at the dinner table are an inevitable part of our future. More »


Categories: News

Campfire for iPhone Does Collaborative Group Chat On-the-Go [Downloads]

27 July 2010 - 11:00pm
#downloads iPhone: Campfire is a popular web-based group chat application (we've been known to use it around Lifehacker HQ from time to time), and starting today, it's available as a free native iPhone application. More »


Categories: News

Set Up a Simple Recharging Station for Guests [Timesavers]

27 July 2010 - 10:00pm
#timesavers Almost everyone's carrying portable electronic devices in their pockets, and a guest in your home is likely to have at least one device that needs juice. Tuck an extension cord away to serve as an immediate and accessible guest recharging station. More »


Categories: News

Firefox 4 Beta 2 Adds App Tabs for Keep-Open Sites [Downloads]

27 July 2010 - 9:30pm
#downloads Windows/Mac/Linux: Firefox is out with another beta of its improved and redesigned Firefox 4. This second early release gives Macs the same tabs-on-top look as Windows, and adds an "App Tabs" mode for sites you want to keep an eye on. More »


Categories: News

Use System File Checker to Repair Your Unbootable Windows PC [Windows]

27 July 2010 - 9:00pm
#windows The System File Checker (sfc.exe) is a command-line tool built into Windows that helps you repair corrupted system files. If you can't boot your PC, the Winhelponline blog explains how to use it from the install disc. More »


Categories: News

Earth Tones and Wide Open Spaces: A Well Appointed Home Office [Featured Workspace]

27 July 2010 - 8:00pm
#featuredworkspace It's easy to take a bunch of tech gear, cram it in a space, and call your home office complete. It's a much more delicate affair to put your gear in a space while keeping the space pleasing to look at. More »


Categories: News

The Height of Your Ceilings Can Impact Your Work [Mind Hacks]

27 July 2010 - 7:45pm
The height of the ceiling in a space can seriously influence the way you work or interact within that space, according to behavior web site Psychology Today. The short version: We're more creative when ceilings are higher, feel crowded and want people to stay away from us when the ceiling is below nine feet tall, can't get cozy in spaces with really high ceilings, and benefit when ceiling heights vary from place to place. Good stuff to keep in mind when you're looking for a good place to get work done. [Psychology Today] More »


Categories: News

Notes Is a No-Nonsense Note-Taking App and Manager that Syncs with Simplenote [Downloads]

27 July 2010 - 7:10pm
#downloads Windows only: Notes is a free, portable, no-nonsense note-taking application for Windows based on Notational Velocity (Mac only). It's fast, keyboard friendly, and in the beta release, supports syncing with Simplenote. More »


Categories: News

The Net Index Compares Broadband Speed and ISP Quality Across the Globe [Broadband]

27 July 2010 - 6:30pm
#broadband Net Index is a free service that ranks and compares download and upload speeds, quality of broadband connections, and internet service providers across the globe using data obtained from the popular Speedtest.net and Pingtest.net online tests. More »


Categories: News

Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day [Dealhacker]

27 July 2010 - 6:00pm
#dealhacker Discounted laptops, HDTVs with inches to spare, and portable gear with bargain basement prices all await you in today's Dealhacker roundup. Don't worry, if you're short on cash the only thing bigger than our love of discounts is our pile of freebies. More »


Categories: News

How to Rebuild Your Attention Span and Focus [Focus]

27 July 2010 - 5:00pm
#focus Most people who click on this article won't finish reading it. So says Nick Carr. The New York Times will remind you that you'll probably forget it in a few minutes. This idea's so prevalent, even the Onion has started taking jabs. More »


Categories: News

Fwix Aggregates Hyper-Local News for Nearby and Relevant Stories [News Aggregation]

27 July 2010 - 4:30pm
#newsaggregation Fwix is a news aggregation service focused on dishing the dirt on hyper-local news stories to help you stay on top of what's happening right in your backyard. Fwix is available both in the US and select countries abroad. More »


Categories: News

What's Your Favorite Single-Use Tool? [Ask The Readers]

27 July 2010 - 4:05pm
#askthereaders An organized, non-cluttered home isn't supposed to have many, if any, of them. But weird, single-use tools, be they bacon flippers or niche office supplies, are sometimes irreplaceable by common tools. We want to hear why you love your own esoteric items. More »


Categories: News

Facebook Testing Permanent Account Deletion [Privacy]

27 July 2010 - 3:30pm
#privacy Reports have recently spread around the web that Facebook is showing a select group of accounts a different kind of account deletion—one that doesn't make you wait 14 days and instantly re-activates on any log-in, and which promises to "permanently delete all your account information including anything you have shared." That kind of yes-I'm-serious option sounds like a change long in the making, but consider quitting Facebook without really quitting first, or getting back to the privacy you've always wanted. [The Next Web via Boy Genius Report] More »


Categories: News

New MapQuest Gets Full-Width Maps and Scroll Wheel Zoom [Maps]

27 July 2010 - 3:00pm
#maps Web mapping spot MapQuest has been quietly making their app much more convenient and easy to get around. Maps can now go nearly full-screen, zooming can be done with a mouse wheel, and Live Traffic covers thousands more roads. More »


Categories: News

Radian Is a Radial Mouse-Centered Application Launcher [Downloads]

27 July 2010 - 2:30pm
#downloads Windows: If you'd like to keep your shortcuts and favorite applications close at hand without jumping back to the Start Menu, Radian is an open-source application launcher that centers your favorite and frequently launched applications right around your mouse. More »


Categories: News

Magic Trackpad Gives iMacs and Mac Pros Multitouch Powers [Trackpad]

27 July 2010 - 2:00pm
#trackpad Along with hardware upgrades to their Mac Pro, iMac, and Cinema Display lines, Apple unveiled something entirely different for owners of their desktop computers: a fully functional, stand-alone "Magic Trackpad" that offers the same multi-finger control of the MacBook trackpad. More »


Categories: News