Real Simple magazine's weblog recommends dropping a raisin into a bottle of champagne that's lost its effervescence and give it a couple of minutes before pouring. The last gasps of carbon dioxide left in the wine will stick to the raisin's ridged surface and release as bubbles. More »

There have been shady ways in the past to unlock your iPhone or Android smartphone and use a SIM card from a prepaid service, but in the wake of AT&T's recent decision to unlock phones for customers who leave their service or travel overseas you can officially switch your phone to prepaid and potentially save a lot of money without being a technological genius or deal with shady services. More »

• Windows users, what are you using to rip DVDs?
• Any idea how I can automate my Gmail so that I can send my mom a photo of her granddaughter daily?
• I want to run an application at startup on my Ubuntu server but it requires a GUI; how can I launch it at startup and bring it into the foreground when I ssh -x in?
• People who boot into multiple operating systems: How do you manage your boot screen?
• Is there a way to set my iPhone 4S to take videos in a lower resolution?
• Any tips on how I can transfer files 3gb+ from my windows pc to mac?
• I want a fun RPG to play on my iPhone during the bus ride to work. I'm feeling something old school-like, maybe turn based. Can anyone recommend something?
• Is there any way to sync my Facebook contacts with my Google contacts?
• What's the best way to do a thorough test drive of OSX?
• Is there a way for me to close my Macbook Pro so I can only have the external monitor on without making the Macbook have to go to sleep when close it?

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Have you ever shared your internet connection with another person? Many users are protesting arbitrary price hikes from ISPs by sharing Wi-Fi connections. Typically this only works well if you're within a few hundred feet, but outdoor wireless access points can extend this range up to 2,000ft if you don't have any trees blocking line-of-sight. More »

Measuring cups and spoons are necessary if you follow recipes, yet they seem to disappear easily. Household weblog Infarrantly Creative found a great way to keep them on hand in your kitchen by using paint sticks and cup hooks to put together a storage system for your measuring cups and spoons. More »

If your glass cooktop or range needs a thorough cleaning but you don't have any specialized glass cleaners on hand you can use baking soda along with hot water and regular dish soap to get the cooktop clean. More »

When you're ready to take your data into your own hands and run your own blog, own your own photos, and host your own apps, it's time to find a good web host that can put it all on the web for you, give you the tools, bandwidth, and storage you need, and support you when you need help. Thankfully, there are dozens of great companies looking for your business, and this week we're going to look at five of the best, based on your nominations. More »

Did you know that you can make your own version of popular maple-flavored syrups such as Aunt Jemimas, Mrs. Butterworths, etc using nothing more than white sugar, brown sugar, water, and a little Mapeleine (maple flavor extract). Sure, nothing beats real Maple syrup but if you can't get the good stuff you can make your own syrup for around fifty cents per bottle. More »

Interesting article about converting an old swimming pool to raise fish and plants!

Alarm Clock Ultra Brings Power-User Features to a Beautiful Alarm Clock App More »

Dutch Baby pancakes, also known as German pancakes, are pancakes made with flour, butter, and milk that are prepared in a special pan and flipped out when ready forming a ridge that can be filled with cream cheese, fruit jams, or other fillings. If you like this style of breakfast you can easily replicate a smaller version at home by using a muffin tin. More »

Harsh chemical drain unclogging solutions can actually be abrasive enough to make your pipes leak after the clog is dissolved. Instead considering pouring a half bottle of white vinegar down your drain every three months to keep clogs from forming. More »

I grew up making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (PB&Js) using the simplest method possible. Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread, spread the jelly on the other side, and combine. The problem with that is the jelly can make the bread soggy and can leak out after you take a bite. Reddit user ChickenMcFail uses a trick I call the "Jelly Pocket Method". More »

If you love to homebrew but live in an area where summer temperatures get too hot for proper fermentation you can resolve yourself to wait to brew or you can build a badass Arduino Nano-controlled UberFridge which will maintain temperatures set to a tenth of a degree and can be monitored or controlled using a custom webapp. If you have a spare working fridge the build will cost around $100 in parts. More »

When you need to seriously clean your bathroom take the towels out and assemble an arsenal of spray cleaners and wipes and go to town. To keep these supplies close at hand you may want to consider adding a towel rod to your laundry room to ensure your cleanings supplies are always ready to go. More »

To save money or avoid a trip to the store you can make your own reusable dryer sheets by dipping white wash cloths or rags into a little liquid fabric softener until they're completely saturated and allow them to dry completely—you'll be able to use each rag around a dozen times until you need to repeat the process. More »

Ever been told that you should fully discharge your battery to prolong its life? Or that jailbreaking your phone is illegal? Or that you should wait for the newest Intel processor because it's going to be "so much faster"? These are tech myths we hear all the time, and likely spread to our friends—but most are just a waste of your time (and in some cases, they can actually harm your gadgets). Here are some of the worst offenders. More »

We've covered many mouse traps over the years, but they all need to be reset once you've caught a mouse. This means if you have lots of furry intruders you'll need to have several traps or just build this version using a 5-gallon bucket, an aluminum beverage can, a small piece of wood, and a wooden dowel. More »

The human body and its brain are pretty incredible. They're also fragile and dumb. Realizing this can make your life miserable, or you can look at it as an opportunity and take control. This weekend, learn a few built-in superpowers you may not have known you had. All they take is a little practice. More »

Verizon relents a little on unlimited data, Congress considers fighting for some "hearts and minds" at home, and Mac folks can relax about lost hotkeys. More »