Readers offer their best tips for accessing web sites quickly, taking group photos, and manually counting large numbers.
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About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, share it here, or email it to tips at lifehacker.com.
Access Web Pages from the Keyboard with Spotlight
Chrisdenny1 shares a way to access web sites from Spotlight with just your keyboard:
I prefer Mac spotlight to Quicksilver, but wanted to go directly to websites without first opening Google Chrome. So, I figured out that if you just drag the url to Finder, it will save it as a web location which is indexed by Spotlight. Just cmd-space, type your frequented website, Enter, and you're there.
Take Blink-Free Group Photos
Photo by Urdarntootin.
Mattwigway lets us know a neat trick for avoiding group shots with closed eyes:
Got this one from a photographer at an event: to make sure everyone's eyes are open during a group picture, have everyone close their eyes, count to three and have them open their eyes, then snap the photo a split second later. Chances are, no one will be blinking just a second after they've opened their eyes.
Count Using Word Syllables to Avoid Losing Your Place
Photo by Horia Varlan.
Flynn Siy shows us an easy way to count higher without getting confused:
For repetitive counting such as counting money, items, etc, it gets tiring after awhile especially if you are pronouncing the words by your mouth or in your head. Some numbers (within a one hundred for example) are very long such as Seventy Seven which is 5 syllables.
Instead of counting by pronouncing the words, try singing a song with a specific number of notes. Mary Had A Little Lamb, for example, has exactly 26 notes. To get to one hundred (well, 104), simply sing this song 4 times. This tool is great for recounting stash of 100 pieces bills. Find other uses with this tip.
Use Touchpads Through a Napkin to Keep Your PC Clean
Curlymeatball38 tells us a good way to avoid getting food grease all over your touchpad:
If you're eating greasy food and using your laptop, just cover you're touchpad with a napkin or paper—your touchpad won't get greasy, and it still works perfectly.