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6 ways tech can solve life's little annoyances
Minor tech annoyances can seem small at the moment. But in the grand scheme of things, they can cause stress and wasted time. If you don’t want tech issues to have a significant impact, cut them off with these tech life hacks.
They can even help you when you’re away from your computer. Read on for a few easy ways to make your life easier.
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1. Stop missing important emails
Most email providers let you turn on alerts. This way, you know immediately whenever an email comes in. You may read this and think, “I get too many emails. If I turned on alerts, my phone would constantly blow up!”
Hold on a second. You can turn on alerts for specific email addresses. This way, you’ll never miss an email from an important contact.
Using Gmail as an example, here’s how to use this feature:
Follow these steps on your iPhone, iPad or Android:
- First, open the Gmail app.
- Tap Menu > Settings.
- Select your account.
- Then, tap Email notifications > High priority only.
2. Stop forgetting what you need at the store
Always forgetting that one thing at the store? Have your phone remind you to pick it up when you walk through the door. Make a shopping list in the notes section of the Reminders app on your iPhone. Here’s how:
For iPhone:
He’s a real blockhead: In Minecraft, most gamers stick to building houses, but a college kid took it to the next level by building a massive 32-bit computer in-game. He’s just halfway done, at 1,107,419 blocks, but he’s already racking up millions of views. Share this with your favorite Minecraft fan.
1/2 teaspoon
Amount of cinnamon to consume each day to shrink your waist. The changes are small, but, hey, anything that lowers my BMI with basically no work is OK in my book. You can take cinnamon in capsule form, or sprinkle it on your morning oats or in your coffee.
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Wheelie having a good time: On the web version of Google Maps, click Layers, then Biking. You’ll see all the smaller paths and dirt trails on the map alongside the main roads.
⚫ Change the record: If you have a Spotify account, don’t sleep on your custom “Discover Weekly” playlist. It’s refreshed every Monday with 30 new tracks you’ll like based on your past listens. Find it in the Made For You section of your library.
Superior sorting: Gmail on the web auto-sorts your emails into tabs like “Social” and “Promotions.” But what if Google gets it wrong? Drag a message into a different tab, and Gmail will remember your choice for that sender next time. Pro tip: Drag my email into Primary so you always see it front and center!
⛈️ Tell me the weather: Type “weather” into the address bar at the top of Chrome on the desktop to see a mini forecast — you don’t even need to hit Enter. Want to see the conditions somewhere else? Just add a place name after “weather.”
🛑 Step away from Netflix: It’s easier when it doesn’t autoplay the next episode of a show you’re watching. On the web, click your profile picture and Manage Profiles. Click your profile picture again, then uncheck Autoplay next episode in a series on all devices.
📼 Be kind, but no need to rewind: If you’re tired of your old VHS tapes gathering dust (and your kids asking what they are), you’ve got options. Digitize the tapes with a dedicated converter or bring them to your local Walmart, Costco or Walgreens to get it done for around $20 a tape.
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Cool new Google search trick: Open your camera, point it at something (like a tree), ask a question (e.g., “What fruit is this?”) and Google Lens will find the answer. To use it, opt into AI Overviews here. Yeah, they’re desperate to keep up with OpenAI.
📱 Gloom and doomscrolling: In case you didn’t know, doomscrolling is when you get caught in a cycle of viewing negative posts on social media. You can set time limits for certain apps, but those are easy to bypass. I have a phone-addicted friend who has her husband hide her phone after 8 p.m. Weird but it works!
😴 Enable this on your Apple Watch: Sleep apnea is seriously dangerous, and the Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2 can spot the signs. Open the Health app on your iPhone, search for “breathing disturbances,” then tap Set up. Follow the directions on screen and you’re good to go.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
150 minutes per week
Exercise time found to lower your risk of diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension and 250-plus other diseases. You don’t need to work out daily to hit that goal, either. A new study shows weekend warriors who go on long hikes, bike rides — whatever — instead of exercising a bit each day experience the same benefits. I hear you: “Exercise? I thought you said extra fries.”
🐲 Time keeps on tickin’: Check the time commitment before you let someone lure you into the extended-cut “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Bingeclock is great for movies. Tiii.me has TV show times. (Btw, it’s 11 hours and 22 minutes for LOTR.)
In a world of e-signatures and PIN numbers: Kids can’t sign their own names anymore, and traditional signatures are becoming a thing of the past. Only one-fifth of young adults ages 18 to 24 have a personal signature. Some can’t even produce the same one consistently. Yessiree, writing my name in cursive is no longer a signature move. (Did I just see you shake your head?)
Calling all gamers: If you’re on an Android device and spend a lot of money on apps and games, you should know about Google Play Pass. For $5 a month, you’ll get access to more than 1,000 paid apps and games — no ads or in-app purchase pop-ups, either.
No service? No problem: Spotify’s new Offline Backup kicks in when you don’t have a stable connection. It’s a playlist made up of songs you’ve listened to recently since they’re downloaded to your account. This feature is just for paying users right now.
Can’t remember the name of your new fave show on Netflix? On the web, sign into your Netflix account, click Account under your profile pic, and then click your pic on the next screen. You’ll see View next to Viewing activity. Pro tip: You can delete shows and movies from this list, too, to improve your recommendations.