Check this ultimate list of no common sense tech hacks that makes your life easier.
#1 – Need to jot down something quickly? Open a temporary notepad in your browser by typing “data:text/html, <html contenteditable>” into the address bar.
Remember to bookmark and rename it as Notepad.
#2 – Ambient music to boost your productivity:
Believe me, you have to try this combo if you haven’t. Open these links in separate tabs:
#3 – At website login pages, you can view masked passwords by changing the password input type as text.
Most software and web developers probably know this. So, don’t leave your PC on!
#4 – Test battery easily by dropping it few inches from the ground. A fully charged battery bounces very little, whereas a dead battery bounces around.
#5 – Broken keyboard feet? Replace them with binder clips.
#6 – Find expensive stuff for cheap on Craigslist using the following search terms:
- divorce
- wife
- husband
- new baby
- pcs
- Kia
- health
- surgery
- moving
These listings are usually from Craigslist sellers trying to offload stuff for cheap.
#7 – In Windows, create a new folder and name it “Control Panel Shortcuts.{ed7ba470-8e54-465e-825c-99712043e01c}”. Access any control settings in the folder.
#8 – No description needed.
#9 – Google “[food] vs [food]” to compare nutritional values.
#10 – Use wall hooks to attach iPad to the wall.
#11 – Amplify iPad speaker with tennis ball.
#12 – On calculator, the C (clear) button is to clear all entry, whereas the CE (clear entry) button is to clear the most recent entry only.
#13 – Project Naptha is a browser extension that allows you to select, copy, modify, erase, and translate text in images.
#14 – Not sure whether your remote control is working? Use any camera to check whether it emits light when you press a button.
#15 – Watch age restricted YouTube videos without signing in by adding “nsfw” before “youtube.com”.
Alternatively, replace watch?v= with v/. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LZM3_wp2ps to http://www.youtube.com/v/6LZM3_wp2ps.
#16 – Sugru is a Play-Doh-like substance, but it’s much stronger, durable, resistant to heat, and flexible. A nifty product for life hacking.
#17 – Use LEGO minifigure as cable holder.
#18 – Sleepyti.me helps you to calculate the best time to go to bed/wake up for optimal sleep.
#19 – Ninite.com helps you to install many programs at once. Just select all the apps you want. No more junk software and clicking next.
#20 – HowLongToReadThis.com estimates time required to read a book. Pretty accurate for me.
#21 – Laptop charger keep falling out? Use Velcro.
#22 – Want to sign up for free trials? Use a gift card.
#23 – Add a fake email address into your contact list. If a bot starts sending out spam using your email address, you’ll get an undeliverable mail notice.
#24 – Before going to a porn suspicious site, Google “safebrowsing:(website)” to see a 90-day history of malware attempts on its visitors.
#25 – Check whether a username is taken or available on popular sites using Namechk.com.
#26 – To avoid spam from certain sites, use disposable temporary email services to sign up for stuffs:
#27 – AccountKiller.com guides you on how to delete your online accounts from popular websites.
#28 – Search recipes by ingredients you have at Supercook.com.
Try also: MyFridgeFood.com
#29 – HaveIBeenPwned.com checks if your email has been compromised in a data breach.
#30 – Want to convert YouTube video to GIF? Add “gif” before “youtube.com”. Here’s an example.
#31 – SumoPaint.com is the closest online free version of Photoshop.
#32 – Always accidentally close your important tabs? Pin them.
#33 – Time to clean your email inbox. Search “unsubscribe” and unsubscribe from useless newsletters. Do it now!
Try also: Unroll.me
#34 – Forgot where you parked? Amplify the car remote signal with your head.
#35 – Organize and filter your Gmail by using address aliases.
#36 – Your laptop is overheating? Place 2 forks underneath.
#37 – To extend laptop’s battery lifespan, try to keep the battery meter between 40% and 80%.
#38 – Read free magazines at Magastack.com.
#39 – Super glue a dot on your phone charger so at night you don’t fumble around like a fool.
#40 – Use different color for your earphone tips to differentiate left and right side easily.
#41 – Want to edit an online image in Paint? Paste the image URL directly into Paint to open it.
#42 – Currently in foreign country? Use Google.com/NCR to avoid country specific URL redirect. NCR stands for No Country Redirect.
#43 – Bypass expensive airport Wi-Fi by adding “?.jpg” at the end of any URL.
#44 – Get free Wi-Fi passwords for local places in Foursquare’s comment sections.
#45 – In-flight entertainment system.
#46 – If you want to turn off your phone to avoid calls, remove the battery instead. Switching off phone will notify mobile switching centre (MSC) and callers will receive the switched off notification.
#47 – Set “@@” as the keyboard shortcut for your email address. Now you don’t have to type your email again and again.
#48 – Lost your Android phone? Ring, erase, or lock your smartphone remotely using Android Device Manager. Ringing works even if your phone is in silent mode.
#49 – You can also Google “find my phone” to locate your Android.
#50 – Put a folded up bill in the case of your phone for emergencies. Do it now!
#51 – Text and walk at the same time.
Android: Type While Walk. iOS: Type n Walk.
#52 – Can’t wake up in the morning? Boost your smartphone’s volume by placing it into a cup.
#53 – Turn binoculars into smartphone zoom lens.
#54 – Turn a paper clip into a simple phone stand.
More ways to make phone stand:
#55 – If you haven’t seen this video, it has some pretty cool smartphone photography tips & tricks.
#56 – If you find a locked iPhone and Siri is still enabled, ask “Who do you belong to?” to see the owner’s contact information.
#57 – Writing an essay? Copy and paste it into Google Translate. Listen to it. This can help you to find errors easily.
#58 – Roommate’s alarm going off? Calling the phone will disable the alarm.
#59 – Create a book from Wikipedia articles.
#60 – Can’t finish your assignment before deadline? Corrupt-a-file.net corrupts your assignment files so that you can ask for extra time.
Not every professor accepts corrupted files, but worth a try if you desperately need extra time.
#61 – Whenever you need to study for an important test, google “site:edu [subject] exam”. You’ll find tons of sample and similar exam questions.
#62 – BetterExplained.com explains tough math concepts in a better and intuitive way.
See also: Animagraffs.com – Animated infographics
#63 – No Internet? No problem. In Chrome’s error page, press spacebar to start the T-Rex game.
#64 – Search “Atari Breakout” on Google Images.
More Google awesomeness:
#65 – Search “Do the Harlem Shake” on YouTube.
More YouTube awesomeness:
#66 – Some fucking awesome websites:
#67 – Anyone can be a hacker at HackerTyper.net. Press F11 to enter full screen and ALT to show “Access Granted” message.
More prank sites: GeekTyper.com, FakeUpdate.net
#68 – Build your own theater at home. To watch Frozen of course!
#69 – To find direct download link for movies, search “[movie name] -inurl:(htm|html|php|pls|txt) intitle:index.of “last modified” (mkv|mp4|avi)”.
Example: spider man -inurl:(htm|html|php|pls|txt) intitle:index.of “last modified” (mkv|mp4|avi).
If you want to find musics, simply change the last part (mkv|mp4|avi) to (mp3|wma|aac|flac). It tells Google to show webpages with any of these terms: mp3, wma, aac, or flac. You can also replace with terms of other file formats like pdf, zip, rar, etc.
#70 – Watch feature films and documentaries legally at Internet Archive.
#71 – RunPee.com tells you the best time to pee while watching a movie.
Thanks to CarlCheo.