Book of Hacks

A list of life hacks
everyone should know.

Test batteries by dropping them to the ground.

A fully-charged battery bounces very little, while a dead battery bounces around.

Credit: John Sullivan/Princeton University, http://bit.ly/1JM7auR

Watch video

Amplify your iPad's sound with a tennis ball

Credits: /u/mcmenamin309, http://bit.ly/1M85xJI

Use clothes hanger to clip notes side-by-side with display

Credits: /u/SyedMehmeed, http://bit.ly/1DqSMIc

In Chrome’s error page, press spacebar to start a game

Credits: François Beaufort (see http://bit.ly/1M1jxJy)

On calculators, the C (clear) button is to clear all entries...

...while the CE (clear entry) button is to clear the most recent entry only.

Credits: Oliver Salzburg on Super User, http://bit.ly/1ObvYCH

Get nutritional values from within Google

Google “[food] vs [food]” and it'll show nutritional values.

Credit: Google, http://bit.ly/OTYJJF

Try it

Use a LEGO minifigure as a cable holder

Credits: http://sugru.com/go/lego

Play video

Laptop charger keep falling out? Use Velcro.

Credits: /u/siddv, http://bit.ly/1JM9RMX

Get expensive stuff on Craigslist for cheap

To find discounted stuff, search with the following keywords:

• divorce
• wife
• husband
• new baby
• health
• surgery
• moving

Credits: /u/SteelBadger, http://bit.ly/1M85vld

Use wall hooks to attach your iPad to the wall.

Credits: /u/etothepowerof3, http://bit.ly/1iUeu1T

In-flight entertainment system.

Credits: /u/claque, http://bit.ly/1iUnB2t

Put a folded up bill in the case of your phone for emergencies.

Credits: /u/dzt, http://bit.ly/1ObDPAn

Laptop overheating? Place 2 forks underneath.

Credits: /u/jacknappier, http://bit.ly/1jFWKIp

Get free Wi-Fi passwords for local places in Foursquare’s comment sections.

Credits: /u/dirtyfries, http://bit.ly/1iUnl3v

Bypass expensive airport Wi-Fi by adding "?.jpg" at the end of any URL.

Credits: Felix Geisendörfer/Debuggable, http://bit.ly/1DVHME6

When shopping, begin the checkout process but don’t complete it...

...most online stores will send you coupons codes to encourage sales.

Credits: /u/surfinonthejohn, http://bit.ly/1Gk9qcS

Turn a paper clip into a simple phone stand

Play video

Paste text into Google Translate and listen to it to find errors

Credits: /u/jpplayer1, http://bit.ly/1WDXmwa

Convert YouTube videos to GIFs

Add "gif" before "youtube.com" (ex.: http://gifyoutube.com/watch?v=zKx2B8WCQuw)

See example

Search "unsubscribe" to stop receiving newsletters and clean up your inbox

Credits: /u/onanym, http://bit.ly/1FOuFIJ

Can’t finish your assignment before deadline?

Corrupt-a-file.net corrupts your assignment files so that you can ask for extra time.

Credits: Kartik Bansal (see http://bit.ly/1L5cPwU)

Go to corrupt-a-file.net

Search “Atari Breakout” on Google Images

It'll turn into a game.