GeekSugar

Geeks We Love: Adam Pash of Lifehacker

GeekSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:00:46 PST

Continuing on with our Geeks We Love interview series, I'd like to introduce you to Adam Pash, the editor of one of my all-time favorite blogs, Lifehacker. This past January, Adam took over the helm at Lifehacker when Gina Trapani stepped down from her position, and he's been doing an amazing job ever since. Aside from running a site that's filled with more productivity tips, organizational tools, and useful downloads than you can imagine, Adam has also co-authored the book How to Do Everything with Your iPhone and can be found whipping up helpful web applications of his very own.

GS: Lifehacker is one of the most popular blogs on the Internet today. How do you explain the appeal of your "Lifehacks"?

AP: It's no huge secret: Everyone likes doing things better. We cover a lot of stuff every day - often with a tech-heavy slant (everyone also has computers) - aimed at helping our readers streamline their lives. Lifehacker gets really good when we find a great trick for doing something completely banal a thousand times better or more efficiently. Them's the goods.

GS: You just created a useful, printer-friendly website called Printable Checklist. How often do you build online tools like this one that help make your life a little easier? Which ones do you regularly use that you would call favorites?

AP: It's actually a side-hobby I've just started. Over the past year I've been working in my spare time on a much more ambitious music site that I'm hoping to launch in the next few weeks, and in doing so I've significantly improved my HTML, CSS, and JavaScripting skills. So when I had the idea for Printable Checklist (or, rather, when I wished something like it existed), I realized that making it myself wouldn't take all that long. So. . . chances are I'll make more similar one-use web applications in the future. But MixTape.me (the music site) is my real baby.

To learn more about Adam, including some of his favorite gadgets and hobbies,

read more GS: What are your five "must have" gadgets that you can't seem to live without and why? AP: Oh boy. Contrary to what one might assume, my personal gear isn't all that impressive - but here goes anyway:

iPhone: There are a lot of improvements I'd like to see from the folks at Cupertino, but I still am gaga about my iPhone. It's an awesome multi-room music remote, music player, mini-app monster, and it's not a bad phone, either.
My Hackintosh: I love Apple gear, but it is ridiculously expensive for my taste. It gets less expensive if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and built your own. I've been using the same Hackintosh for a couple of years, though, and I'm looking and updating my build (and my guide at Lifehacker) very soon.
Xbox 360: I don't do all that much gaming, but currently my 360 is the centerpiece of my home theater. I use it as a DVD player (lame, I know), Windows Media Center extender, and Netflix streamer. I only own two or three games for it, and the only one I ever play is Halo. (I suppose that's also pretty lame).
Logitech Harmony Xbox 360 Remote: It's a universal remote that works really well with the Xbox. It works with other stuff, obviously.
My Linksys Router: This router has served me oh-so-well, both at home and at Lifehacker. I've written about it twice on Lifehacker - once for a guide to installing the open-source router firmware DD-WRT, the other time for a guide to installing the also open-source router firmware Tomato. They're both awesome router upgrades, and their corresponding guides at Lifehacker remain two of our most popular posts of all time.

GS: Would you say your wife is as tech savvy as you are? Are there certain types of posts she inspires you to write? AP: I hate to say that "the wife's not big on technology," but she's really not. I mean, she's good with computers and all that, but her main interests lie outside technology. She's a big Internet lover, though. She also casts a broader net than I do when she's doing her internetting, so I've gotten a lot of great non-tech ideas from her for Lifehacker - which is very important to the site. GS: When you're not "geeking-out" so to speak, what are some things you like to do for play? AP: As bad of an answer to your question as this may be, my main hobby for the last year has been working on my music site. I love music, play guitar, etc., (yeah, okay, I play Rock Band, too). I'm a regular jogger, like hanging out with friends, taking hikes. . . wait, I think I confused my geeksugar and Match.com emails.

Gina Trapani Champions Keyboard Shortcuts, Low Tech Tools

GeekSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:30:00 PDT

I might like to feature male tech titans and their ladies, but I know you're more interested in tech girls! Gina Trapani, whose book, Upgrade Your Life which I mentioned a couple of months ago, is a geek girl role model for us all - as a web developer and programmer and editor of Lifehacker.

In an interview with the New York Times, she does a Q&A with advice on what her book and blog is about, and all of it is refreshingly simple. The most basic of her tech advice is to learn keyboard shortcuts to reclaim wasted time going from peripheral to peripheral:

"Moving your hand from keyboard to mouse, double clicking, moving the pointer, putting your hand back - that’s a lot of movement and it’s inefficient versus just hitting the keyboard combinations while your hands are on the keys."

To hear the old-fashioned device Trapani calls "the ultimate tool" just

read more. I like that she is not completely go-go-gadget and appreciates low-tech options - she mentions the most simple of tools: a pen and paper.

"Technology is deeply embedded in my life, but nothing can replace the feel of a pen against paper. . . It’s the ultimate tool. It’s affordable, compatible with everything, widely available."

Source

Read Lifehacker Editor Gina Trapani's New Book!

GeekSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:45:35 PDT

Geeky girl, Lifehacker founder and editor Gina Trapani has released a new book full of the kind of tips that has made Lifehacker a phenomenal one-stop Internet shop and me a devotee, called Upgrade Your Life.

I've always appreciated the way Lifehacker has not only made an impact on the geek community by writing awesome extensions (they're perennially in Download of the Day), but the site also gives you ways to hack your real life, away from your computer, with DIYs and simple tips, like the awesome iPod cord detangler trick.

On that note, take some time away from your computer screen, order Upgrade Your Life, and sit down for a great read. In 3-D.

How Long Has That Been In Your Fridge?

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:11:39 PDT

You've probably been here before: you're cleaning out the fridge and you get to that open jar of mayonnaise. You wonder how long it's been there, and when you opened it. Then you realize that even if you could remember when you opened it, you wouldn't know if it was still any good. The labels, if they're even there, are often confusing. So what do you do? Well luckily I've got the tip and the answer to help you out. To find out

read more
The folks at ShopSmart were recently on the CBS Early Show and offered some practical advice regarding how long things last once opened. Here are some of their tips:

Mayonnaise lasts 2 months once opened.
Eggs last 3-5 weeks.
Leftovers should be good for 3-4 days.
Jarred pasta sauce is good for 5 days once opened.

These are just general guidelines, you should just use your best judgement. And as I always say, when in doubt, toss it! So how do you know how long stuff has been in your fridge? It may sounds ridiculously simple, but all you have to do is label the jars when you open them. Simply put today's date on the labels and then next time, you'll know how long it's been in there. I have a set of adhesive labels that I use, but a set of "Hello My Name Is" stickers could be a lot of fun too. How about you, do you have any labeling tips? Source: LifeHacker and CBS News Image Source and Image Source

Yummy Links: From Red Bean Kit Kats to Tastier Coffee

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:59:19 PDT

I obviously need to go to Japan, or have someone in Japan send me a package (hint hint!), because where else am I going to get Red Bean Kit Kat? - Candyblog
Sorry that the rest of you are suffering through winter, but here in San Francisco we've got weather so warm that Shuna's Lemon Sherbet is going to hit the spot. - Bay Area Bites via Eggbeater
Sam over at becks & posh, tackles one of Heidi Swanson's granola recipes. This one looks amazing and simple, give it a go you guys. - Becks & Posh
Table Manners ponders whether or not vegetarians have the right to demand meat-free environments. Sorry veggies, in my opinion, if you demand meat-free environments, your friends are going to stop calling you. - Chow
There's a motion to get more women involved in judging and testing, and since women do most of the buying shouldn't the industry know which wines women want? - Cheap Fun Wines
Since commercial nut butters (like peanut butter) contain extra sugar, salt and shelf-sustainable chemicals, why not make your own homemade nut butter? - The Daily Tiffin
Want better tasting coffee? Clean your coffee maker with vinegar every so often. - lifehacker

Savvy Links: How to Cut Your Grocery Bill By $30

Emily Co — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:46:55 PST

How to cut your grocery bill by $30 - All You
The best 10 items to borrow - Wise Bread
Men pay more when women are scarce - HuffPost Women
The ultimate restaurant tipping guide - Real Simple
Office decor: How nice is too nice? - Corporette
Behold the $1.5K business card - Newser
How to plan a cheap road trip with multiple stops - Money Crashers
How to prioritize when everything is important - Lifehacker

Savvy Links: The Top 4 Reasons Young People Divorce

SavvySugar — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:03:51 PST

The top four reasons young people divorce - HuffPost Women
Five things to do with your coffee beans - Wise Bread
How to invest at every age - All You
Six worst home fixes for the money - Bankrate
How do I build my credit score to buy a house? - Credit Karma
Food stamps to $75,000 in seven days - Budgets Are Sexy
Spend money where you spend your time - Lifehacker
Beware of these three holiday scams - Mint

How to Break Your Brand Loyalty Habit

Emily Co — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:00:50 PDT

You might favor a particular brand because of nostalgia or because your friends swear by it, but the truth is the generic brands are worth looking at too. Not only are they cheaper, but they usually are of the same quality. Lifehacker advises to treat your brand loyalty as a habit:

"In order to get over brand loyalty you shouldn't necessarily have, you need to look at it like a bad habit. We've discussed ways to break a bad habit, and many of those strategies apply here as well. You're not trying to kick your fingernail munching issues, but you are attempting to let go of something that brings you comfort through familiarity and letting go will make you anxious all the same. Here's what to do.

First things first, you need to understand how your brand loyalty actually affects you. Perhaps you're regularly frustrated by the use of a particular product or you're overpaying for brand-name medicine when you can get the exact same thing for less when you buy a store-brand alternative. Make a list of these problems so you have a concrete example available next time you're shopping. This may seem a little silly, as you're basically making a list to remind you not to buy a new Blackberry, Tylenol, or whatever else, but that's because it seems like a silly problem you shouldn't even have. The thing is, if you're frustrated or spending too much or having other difficulties because of what you buy, it's a real problem for you and you'll be causing yourself more trouble by ignoring it."

Brand loyalty is founded more out of defending your choices and self image rather than being loyal to a company, says Science Daily. Customers have become so involved in the brand to the point where they become attached to it and associate themselves with the brand. In other words, it's not really the company or the product that's inspiring you to be loyal; it's because you feel so personally linked to it that it's hard to backtrack.

Are there any particular brands that you stay loyal to?

Be Unforgettable With Interactive Business Cards

Emily Co — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:53:09 PDT

Make yourself unforgettable by carrying interactive business cards. Lifehacker found these awesome engaging business cards designed by Saul Wyner, someone who works in the user experience field.

When Saul did some initial research, he noticed that people who were able to handle a large volume of business cards had a habit of immediately marking the card soon after the meeting. He knew from past research that when people annotate small items, there is a higher chance of keeping them. Saul then went about creating a card that garners a higher amount of interactivity.

The design of Saul's cards is very user-friendly. He tries to make it easier on users by inserting options so all they need to do is check the box instead of writing out the details. The only thing they need to write is the place where they met Saul. It's such a great idea because the higher the level of interaction, the more likely Saul will be remembered when he reaches out to his contacts.

Source

Savvy Links: Dos and Don'ts of Drugstore Shopping

SavvySugar — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:40:02 PDT

Dos and don'ts of drugstore shopping - Yahoo! Shine
Budget-friendly alternatives to cable TV - Kiplinger
10 things worth paying more for - Bundle
Do you really need a warranty? - All You
The gluten-free business lunch - Corporette
Becoming vegetarian on the cheap - 20 Something Finance
Revisiting the bank of dad - Mint
How to save money when dining out - Lifehacker