All the New CarPlay Features in iOS 26

All the New CarPlay Features in iOS 26

Apple didn't end up building its own car, but it did give us CarPlay. With iOS 26, CarPlay is getting a few neat enhancements, which includes improved design, an option for bigger font sizes, and useful accessibility features too. Here's everything new coming to CarPlay with Apple's upcoming update:

Widgets and live activities

A car head unit with navigation instructions on the left and Live Activities on the right.
Credit: Apple

With iOS 26, Live Activities come to CarPlay. These pop-ups allow you to keep a tab on important updates without fiddling with your phone or the head unit. Live Activities on your iPhone is useful to track deliveries, flight statuses, and much more, and while not all iOS use cases will be relevant here, some of these will also be available in CarPlay. (I think the flight status feature will be especially useful for airport pickups and drop-offs.)

You don't need to do anything to see Live Activities in CarPlay. As long as it's visible on your iPhone, it'll show up on the CarPlay dashboard, or appear as a popover on top of other apps such as your navigation app. Apple says you'll be able to disable Live Activities if you don't want to see them, and even control their appearance by setting different Focus modes.

CarPlay is also adding support for widgets, including things like calendar entries, weather, and sunrise/sunset times. You'll be able to select which widgets you see on the CarPlay dashboard by going to Settings > General > CarPlay on iPhone, selecting your vehicle, and choosing the widgets.

A new compact view for incoming calls

A car head unit showing an incoming call in a small popover near the bottom of the screen, overlaid on a navigation screen.
Credit: Apple

The redesigned CarPlay with iOS 26 now includes a compact view. For example, when you receive a phone call, it will show up as a small pop-up on the screen, instead of taking up more space. This means that other important information, such as driving directions, aren't hidden when you receive a phone call.

A few Messages upgrades

A car head unit showing Tapbacks in Messages.
Credit: Apple

With iOS 26, the Messages app in CarPlay will allow you to use Tapbacks—Apple parlance for reacting to text messages with emojis. This will let you quickly tap an emoji to respond to someone via the car's display. Messages will also let you view your iPhone's pinned conversations, which makes it easier to text people you're frequently in touch with.

Brand new icons

A car head unit showing the new Liquid Glass icons in dark mode.
Credit: Apple

Yes, Liquid Glass is coming to your car as well. The icons from iOS 26 have made their way to CarPlay. Whether you love them or hate them, you'll see this new design on your car's display.

Improved accessibility features

CarPlay with iOS 26 will also support Large Text, which increases font sizes and makes text easier to read on your car's screen. Apple is also adding Sound Recognition to CarPlay, which will notify drivers and passengers when iOS detects certain sounds. The notifications can warn you when CarPlay detects sirens, a crying baby, horns, or other important sounds.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/LSHGi3M
https://ift.tt/BRYaENF
Read More

Amazon Now Has a Discounted Prime Membership for 'Young Adults'

Amazon Now Has a Discounted Prime Membership for 'Young Adults'

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon is expanding discounted benefits to more than just students. Now, any "young adult" from 18 years of age up to 24 can get all of the perks of Prime for 50% off. The expansion of the discounted program comes a month before Amazon's biggest sale of the year, Prime Day, which is set to run from July 8 to July 11.

If you're lucky enough to be in the ages that Amazon considers a young adult, your Prime Membership will cost your choice of $7.49 per month or $69 per year. And yes, this will include all of the perks that come with a regular subscription. That's a great value for all of the perks you get. If you don't believe me, here's the math.

To get the 50% off subscription, you will first need to finish a six-month free trial (bummer, I know). Afterwards, your membership will automatically renew for $7.49 per month. Keep in mind that you can cancel your membership at any time. But before you do, remember that Prime Day starts next month, and being a member will get you better deals, free shipping, and access to "invite-only" deals. This membership also gets you some other limited-time perks, like 5% cash back on categories like beauty, apparel, electronics, and personal care (it doubles to 10% on Prime Day).

Once you turn 25, you will no longer be eligible for this discounted membership, unless you're still a student (Amazon will consider you a student for a max of four years if you pass its student verification process).



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/IXbl9u3
https://ift.tt/t8KxfCR
Read More

You Can (and Should) Do Joint Peloton Workouts With Friends

You Can (and Should) Do Joint Peloton Workouts With Friends

The at-home fitness space is more or less dominated by Peloton, which probably makes you think that whether you're stretching with the company's app or riding one of its machines, like the Bike, you're working out alone. One of the major drawbacks of at-home workouts, honestly, is that you miss the collaborative, communal experience of heading to the gym—and in its absence, you can fall off your schedule or lose accountability or motivation altogether. Even though you might assume exercising with Peloton's offerings is a solo experience—and of course, it can be—the brand makes it surprisingly easy to take classes and do exercises with friends. To add some variety and accountability to your fitness routine, you really should.

How to set up on-demand classes with friends

The Peloton app makes it easy to schedule a ride, stretch, walk, run, or more with a friend. (Note: This feature is technically called "Sessions," so if you see that terminology, it just means "an on-demand class with friends.") First, you have to make sure you and the person you want to work out with are following each other's Peloton profiles. Navigate to any on-demand class in the app (and I do recommend doing this on the phone because it's much simpler than trying to finagle on the touchscreen of one of Peloton's proprietary devices, like the Tread or Row), and you will see a row of options. The first is the button to add the class to your Stack, which is like a playlist of classes you can make so all your routines, from stretching to riding to cooling down, flow into each other when you're ready to work out. The second button is a Schedule, so if you want to, say, take a particular yoga class at noon in two days, you can schedule it so you can get calendar notifications. The third button is the one we want, Invite, while the fourth button is Preload and allows you to preload a class so it doesn't buffer or suck up too much cell data while you're taking it. The fifth button is the Bookmark button, which adds a class to a list of ones you want to save to review later.

Obviously, we're targeting that third button, Invite. Tapping it first brings you to a list of members you follow. Select the one you'd like to work out with—or more; it's unlimited!—and hit Continue. On the next page, select a date and time you'd like to take the class with your chosen friend(s) and hit Continue again. You can then choose a reason for the joint workout, like a celebration, a birthday, or "just because." The final screen is a confirmation page that details the class, time, and invitees.

How to take live Peloton classes together

Any time you select a class, whether on your Bike, Tread, Row, phone, tablet, or Roku, you can find that Invite button. You don't need to pre-schedule with the calendar feature, necessarily. If a friend is available, they can hop on and join you. This is nice because it means you can also do live classes pretty easily. As you enter the class, just look for that Invite button, select the name of the person you'd like to work out with, and proceed as normal.

Peloton Bike
Waiting for cycling Session to begin. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson

It goes without saying, but it's a lot easier to coordinate all of this by text or call rather than just sending random invitations to people. Agreeing on workout type, music genre, and time of day are pretty key components of exercising together effectively, so flag to your friends if there's a class you're interested in taking and want them to join, then use the Peloton app to make it all official.

Taking Peloton classes with friends

Once your invitee confirms their attendance, it's on both of you to show up at the specified time. It's helpful to set a calendar reminder. From the home page of the app, look for the Calendar icon in the top right. That's your schedule and you should see the class you pre-scheduled with your friend. Tap on it and hit Add to calendar, then select Google Calendar or iCal and set an alert notification.

Actually taking the class is as easy as opening the app, whether on your phone or a Peloton machine, a few minutes before the start time. From the Home screen, navigate to that Calendar button, then select My schedule in the top left. A countdown to the class you scheduled will appear along with a button that says Start class, which you can tap if you and your friend(s) are ready—or you can just wait for the countdown to finish and start right at the selected time.

I tested this out a few different ways. Once, I did a meditation class with a mutual follower and followed along on my phone. As the class went on, I could see their name under Here now and could send an in-app "high five," the same as I could to any stranger who might be taking a class at the same time as me. Next, we moved on to the Bike after pre-scheduling a class using the mobile app. There, the same thing: I could see their name on the leaderboard with me, send a high five, and see their output reflected by their name.

To be clear, there isn't much more to it than that. There's no audio or video component, meaning you can't hear or see your friend(s). At the completion of the class, there is no breakdown of your stats vs. theirs or anything like that (although you do get a "Dynamic Duo" achievement badge if it's your first joint workout). You're only doing this "together" in the sense that you're both doing it at the same time, vaguely aware of each other while focusing on your own workout.

I like it, though, because it can introduce some accountability into what might otherwise risk becoming a structureless pursuit. Even just knowing someone is expecting you to hop on your Bike at a certain time can get you to do it. That's why I love in-person classes so much and am a little weary—but still supportive of—virtual-only options.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/v3lHnRV
https://ift.tt/eDMk9y7
Read More

Threads Is Experimenting With Spoiler Alerts on Posts

Threads Is Experimenting With Spoiler Alerts on Posts

Try as I might, I can't seem to quit scrolling on social media. Most of the time, it isn't a huge problem—other than raising my anxiety or stress, as any good doomscroll will do. But what's worse than doomscrolling through bad news? Spoilers, of course.

Spoilers for movies and TV shows are probably the main thing that makes me consider ditching these apps for good. For some reason, my social media feeds think I've seen any and all popular pieces of content that exist, and the second they air, I should see every discussion and meme possible—spoilers be damned.

Luckily, this way of digital life might be changing soon, at least on Threads. On Monday, Mark Zuckerberg made a short announcement on Meta's social media site. If you view the post from Zuckerberg's main Threads page, you'll see: "Spoiler alert:" followed by a gray bar (desktop) or an animated blur effect (mobile) covering the rest of the post. Click or tap that censored space, and you'll reveal the rest: "We're testing a way for you to hide spoilers in your Threads posts."

This feature is currently in testing, so only a limited pools of users will have access to it, but I welcome it. (Not that I particularly use Threads all that much.) As you can see in the images below (via TechCrunch), once the feature rolls out, you'll be able to highlight a selection of text in a thread draft and choose a new "Mark spoiler" option that appears in the pop-up. Your selections will be hidden from others who come across your post, unless they choose to tap in and see what you wrote.

https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/threads-spoiler.png

Threads, of course, isn't the first platform to offer this type of spoiler mask. Other social media companies, like Discord, Reddit, and Mastodon, have offered ways for posters to mind spoilers for years. There's no way to enforce the feature, but it's just considerate: You never know who your post will reach, and if you care enough about a show or movie to post about it, you likely appreciate allowing people the opportunity to watch that content on their own before being spoiled.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/O27bHWk
https://ift.tt/E5xybqB
Read More

This Massive Amazon Fire TV Is on Sale for Less Than $450 for Prime Members

This Massive Amazon Fire TV Is on Sale for Less Than $450 for Prime Members

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

A massive smart TV that PC Mag called one of the best-value options on the market is currently as even better buy—provided you're an Amazon Prime member. The 75"-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is currently at a record low price of $449.99, but you'll only see that price if you're an active Prime member and logged in to your account.

For anyone looking to upgrade their screen size without overspending, this smart TV is a decent bet, offering features typically found on higher-end models, according to PC Mag's review. Its QLED display supports Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive for vibrant visuals, while a built-in sensor adjusts brightness based on your room’s lighting to reduce glare.

One standout feature at this price point is ambient mode, which turns your screen into a customizable digital art display and powers down when you leave the room to save energy. Gamers will appreciate the low input lag, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR, ALLM support, and four HDMI inputs, although the 60 Hz panel may fall short for serious next-gen gaming.

For those who are part of the Alexa ecosystem, the built-in Alexa mics allow you hands-free control, which is a must during those dreaded moments when someone has misplaced the remote. While some Amazon reviewers are underwhelmed by the audio quality, the Alexa Home Theater feature lets you pair Echo speakers via the Alexa app or connect a soundbar for an improved experience. However, the sometimes clunky Fire TV interface might be a dealbreaker, with some reviewers complaining about lagginess and glitching compared to the competition. 

If you’re shopping for an under $500 large-screen 4K QLED TV, the value-friendly Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is a dependable pick. But if you’re looking for a more polished and tech-savvy option with perfection in details like internal audio or 120 Hz gaming, you may want to invest in a higher-quality model, or at least an additional soundbar or streaming stick that will let you use a different interface. 



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/eHJztVD
https://ift.tt/DafyFk8
Read More

The Nintendo Switch OLED Is at Its Lowest Price Ever Right Now

The Nintendo Switch OLED Is at Its Lowest Price Ever Right Now

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

At $249.95 on Woot, this Nintendo Switch OLED (International Model) is the lowest price we’ve seen it go for (according to price trackers), beating even the usual sale lows by $50.

Amazon’s listing still sits at $349, which makes this offer tempting, especially if you're already a Prime member, since you’ll get free standard shipping (otherwise shipping is $6). This unit doesn’t include a manufacturer’s warranty but does come with a 90-day limited warranty from Woot. It also won’t ship to Alaska, Hawaii, APOs, or PO Boxes. As for the console, it’s fully compatible with all Nintendo Switch games and accessories.

This OLED model shares the same core features as the U.S. version but includes some upgrades over the original Switch. (For more details, check out PCMag’s in-depth review of the Nintendo Switch OLED.) Its main upgrade is the larger, brighter seven-inch OLED screen, which makes handheld play look and feel noticeably better. Its vibrant colors and sharp contrast reportedly make even older games look better. Storage is doubled to 64GB; the stand on the back is actually usable now (wide, adjustable, and stable); and the speakers are surprisingly punchy for a handheld device. In docked mode, it supports wired LAN via the dock’s Ethernet port, which is helpful if your wifi isn’t the most reliable (though you’ll need to supply your own LAN cable). The bundle includes the dock, Joy-Cons, grip, wrist straps, HDMI cable, and a U.S. power adapter—so you’re not left scrambling for extras.

Still, a few trade-offs come with this price cut. You’re getting an international model without Nintendo’s standard warranty, so if long-term coverage matters to you, this may not be ideal. Also, you’ll want to manage expectations on things like internal storage—64GB fills up quickly with digital games, so an SD card is pretty much a must-have. But for most people, especially those who just want a better screen and don’t care about a warranty they may never use, this deal makes sense. That said, if you're eyeing the next big thing, the Nintendo Switch 2 is worth the upgrade—but there's no rush, says our associate tech editor.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/p26PMOC
https://ift.tt/J4qHKRo
Read More

The Most Important Manual Settings I Mastered After Eight Months With My Vitamix Ascent X5

The Most Important Manual Settings I Mastered After Eight Months With My Vitamix Ascent X5

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

It actually only takes one time blending a smoothie to forever learn that you should check that the lid is on your blender. The feeling of banana chunks in my hair after I had already showered is seared into my memory, and finding dried up fruit splatter weeks later provides long-term reminders of how to properly secure my Vitamix Ascent X5 before pressing start. But beyond this big lesson, there are many smaller ones. Here are the most important manual-ish settings and tools I’ve mastered after eight months using the Vitamix Ascent X5.

Presets are only the beginning

I admit, I completely fell in love with the presets on this machine before venturing off into manual territory. Frankly, if you are the set-it-and-forget-it type, that’s reason enough to buy this top-of-the-line blender, and you could be perfectly happy with navigating the hot soup, nut butter, smoothie, frozen dessert, and dip settings forever. (Read my full-review to see the tests I ran on the preset functions.) However, I’m naturally the experimental type, and occasionally I’ve run into times where a preset doesn’t seem to fit my needs. So I’ve branched out and taken matters into my own hands.

The manual speed dial

A person rotating the speed dial of a blender.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

One thing I’ve learned from watching the presets run is what happens with the timing and blade speed. Essentially, these two things make up any given preset, whether it’s the smoothie function or the hot soup function. They start off slowly and after a few or several seconds, the speed ramps up to level 10 (the highest speed) and stays there for some amount of time. Occasionally, the speed reduces again and ramps up again before stopping. 

After a few attempts at blending my own salsas, marinades, and sauces, I began to realize that there’s a reason for the slow start and quick increase in speed later. Starting off at a high speed might mean flinging ingredients up to the lid and maybe never maneuvering them down again unless you stop the machine to scrape the sides. That’s annoying, and it can make the process take longer overall.

Instead, I got comfortable with the manual speed dial by keeping it down at the level 1 setting (the slowest speed), which chops up the ingredients slowly, either loosening up the mixture, or breaking down bigger ingredients into more manageable chunks. After about five to 10 seconds, I would ramp up the speed to level 10, all while keeping an eye on my mixture and the texture. Maybe I’d end up staying at level 8 for a time and decrease the speed back down to level 2 to check on the consistency. I use the same technique as the presets, but customized to the recipe’s particular needs.

The + :15 seconds button

The control panel of the Vitamix Ascent X5
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

This function is related to the presets, but it’s important in my weekly operations, so I think it’s applicable here. The + :15 seconds is one of only a few buttons on the display and yet I ignored it for some time. It is a simple idea and makes a huge difference, though: You press this button when you think your blend needs another 15 seconds of processing—or press twice for another 30 seconds, or press "stop" somewhere in between. I make a fruit smoothie a few times a week, and this is especially useful when my fruit mixture doesn’t get off to a strong start. For example, if I added spinach or large hunks of apple and they get stuck at the top of the canister for half of the blend. I’ll just tap the all-powerful + :15 button until I’m satisfied that those items are fully incorporated. 

The tamper

A hand holding a plastic tamper for the Vitamix blender.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

On the topic of ingredients getting stuck at the top, I’ll come clean: I’ve been tamper resistant. The tamper is a plastic baseball bat-looking thing that comes with the Vitamix blenders, and it’s meant to help drive ingredients safely into the blades. It's not hard to use, you just cram it into the container through the opening in the lid. However, as a lazy person who shies away from dirtying additional kitchen tools, I started my Vitamix journey by waiting and hoping for the blender to do its blending duty. Then I’d get irritated when the preset would end and pieces of fruit were stuck at the top. Meanwhile the display has a little tamper symbol telling me, “Hey, hello, use this now.”

I’ve finally come around: I now start most blends with my tamper in hand at the ready. Only I am to blame if my food takes longer than intended if I don't use it. It’s not even hard to clean; it’s smooth plastic (but I am a work in progress).

The pulse button

A finger pressing the pulse button on the Vitamix Ascent X5
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

As for the only other button left on this control panel, I’ve finally started to embrace the pulse button too. It’s funny because when I use a food processor, a cousin of the blender, I love the pulse button. I rely on pulsing far more than the on button. I started using the pulse button on the Vitamix when I wanted to keep a closer eye on the texture. 

The pulse button only blends while you hold it. It allows you to do short bursts at whichever speed you want and stops as soon as you remove your finger. It takes the commitment out of starting a preset or even starting a blend manually and the texture getting away from you before you know it. I’ve been using the pulse button for making blender cakes, which works out great but you do want to be careful not to overwork the batter. The pulse button is ideal for a one- or two-second blend, just to incorporate your ingredients. 

Things I learned the hard way

Don’t tilt the container while the machine is running. Why would anyone do this? Definitely not to avoid using the tamper and instead try to shake the stuck material down into the blades. It makes a horrifying grinding sound, and you’ll scare your cats out of their slumbers. Also, it’s not effective. The container gently sits atop the gear powered by the incredibly strong engine; it’s not locked in with a clip or anything. If you tilt the container, you’re just grinding the very expensive metal cogs, not so much affecting what’s inside the vessel. Remember, the tamper is our friend.

Do check that the lid is on. The Vitamix does not detect if the lid is on like many food processors do. If the lid isn’t on the container when you press start, she will run like it is. Of course, you want to keep your hands and any other items and body parts safe while the machine is running, but you will almost certainly end up wearing your food if you run the machine without the lid on. Just a quick glance up is all you need to blend safely and mess-free. 



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/4NXVUbH
https://ift.tt/3HZUbx2
Read More

Amazon Is Super-Sizing Prime Day for 2025

Amazon Is Super-Sizing Prime Day for 2025

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

While there was no question we'd be getting another Prime Day in 2025, despite the uncertainty of tariffs on online shopping, now it's official: In a press release, Amazon has confirmed the return of what is sure to be the biggest online sales event of the year. And now we have the official dates, which come with a surprise. Here is everything we know so far about this year's sale.

What is Prime Day?

While Amazon holds several sales throughout the year (including its recent Big Spring Sale and last year's October Prime Big Deal Days), the summer sale is typically Amazon's biggest, most-hyped annual event. It's typically a two-day affair (until this year), with deals in virtually every product category you can think of. Prime Day is usually when you can expect to see some products drop to record low prices, though not all deals are as great as they seem (I always vet deals with price-tracking tools to make sure they're legit).

When is Prime Day 2025?

Amazon has announced that the event will take place between July 8 and July 11. This is the first time Amazon has changed the length of the sale, doubling its usual length. We will be in uncharted territory, likely with more and longer deals during the sale, but we will be here to cut through the noise and bring you the best deals Amazon will offer.

Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop during Prime Day?

You will need to be a Prime Member to shop all of Amazon's Prime Day deals and get free shipping. Prime membership starts at $14.99 per month ($139 per year). It's easy to figure out if yearly Prime membership is worth it for you, but remember you can always cancel your Prime membership once the sale is over—Amazon offers free 30-day trials, so you can shop both days of the event and still have time to cancel before you get charged. (Here's how to sign up for a Prime account.)

What sales can you expect during Prime Day?

Since Prime Day happens in the summer, you can find deals on outdoorsy stuff, like gardening equipment, but the best discounts are usually on tech and Amazon devices. Amazon has already announced some categories that will be on sale, including electronics, kitchen, beauty, and apparel. You'll be able to find deals on top brands like Apple, Dyson, Bose, Beats, Sony, and many more.

Prime Day is a good time to shop other retailers' sales too

You can always expect major retailers to have their own competitive sales, the big ones being Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Like in the spring sale, the dates for these sales might start earlier, overlap, and run longer than Prime Day. There are usually a couple of deals that are better than Amazon's Prime Day from each of the retailers, but the majority of the good deals will be on Prime Day. I will be updating this post with details on those offerings as soon as they've been announced.

No, Amazon won't have a tariff pricing feature

You might've heard that Amazon was going to show customers the tariff-related price increases. However, Amazon ultimately reversed its decision after the White House accused the company of a politically motivated "hostile act" against the administration.

Some tips for shopping during Prime Day

If this will be your first Prime Day, you need to know some basics:



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/8ETUteM
https://ift.tt/Knf5xXu
Read More

How to Make the Most of Safari's iOS 26 Redesign

How to Make the Most of Safari's iOS 26 Redesign

iOS 26 has introduced a few changes to the browser your iPhone ships with—Safari. There's a bold new design, called Compact, that reduces the address bar to the size of a small pill when you're scrolling. Plus, you can also now use a few new shortcuts and gestures for browsing the web. Here's how you can make the most of Safari's new layout in iOS 26, or switch back to the old layout if you just can't stand the redesign.

The fastest way to bookmark a webpage

Bookmarking a page in iOS 26 Safari.
Credit: Pranay Parab

In Safari's new Compact layout, when you open a website, you'll see a three-dots button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Double tap this icon to quickly bookmark the page. This will not work with other layouts.

Quickly copy URLs

The copy URLs button in iOS 26 Safari.
Credit: Pranay Parab

Safari now lets you quickly copy page URLs. Just tap and hold the address bar and swipe upwards to the Copy button. This will copy a link to the page you're on. Alternatively, you can long press the address bar and tap the Copy button in the pop-over menu that shows up.

Hidden address bar features 

The Paste and Go button in iOS 26 Safari.
Credit: Pranay Parab

Holding down the address bar now reveals multiple useful new options. The most prominent is Close Tab, which will close the active tab, and Close Other Tabs, which closes all tabs except the active tab. My favorite feature here is the Paste and Go button, which is revealed only when you've copied text to the clipboard. The button shows up as Paste and Go when you've copied a URL, but it changes to Paste and Search when you've only copied normal text.

Disable website tinting

Disabling website tinting in iOS 26 Settings.
Credit: Pranay Parab

Website tinting is another one of Apple's radical design choices for iOS 26. It changes the color of the address bar to match the site you're browsing. Some people may love the new look, but others might have difficulty finding the address bar with it active. Fortunately, you can easily disable website tinting. Once your iPhone is updated to iOS 26, go to Settings > Apps > Safari, navigate to the Tabs section, and disable Allow website tinting.

Find the forward button

The hidden forward button in iOS 26 Safari.
Credit: Pranay Parab

In Safari's new Compact layout, the forward button has been hidden by default. Find it by holding the back button in the bottom-left corner. You'll see the forward button in a pop-over menu. This menu also reveals your browsing history.

Switch back to the old layout

Changing the Safari tab bar layout in iOS 26 Settings.
Credit: Pranay Parab

If you'd rather return to a less radical design, iOS 26 has a couple of options for you. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Safari, scroll down to the Tabs section, and choose either Bottom or Top. The Bottom option will take you to a design that's reminiscent of the old one, just with the controls in a floating bubble. The Top option moves the address bar to the top of the screen and leaves navigation buttons near the bottom of the screen, for a somewhat hybrid approach. Note that, by swapping away from the Compact layout, you'll lose access to the new bookmarks shortcut, although the forward button will be immediately available again.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/YbZSGUl
https://ift.tt/1k70B2v
Read More

The Out-of-Touch Adults' Guide to Kid Culture: 'Dark Mango Psychology'

The Out-of-Touch Adults' Guide to Kid Culture: 'Dark Mango Psychology'

This week's trip into the cultural subconscious of younger people is bleaker than usual. The memes are more chaotic, the Pokémon cards are harder to get, and the ex-boyfriends are somehow worse than usual. From the unexplainable "Dark Mango psychology" to TikTok’s parade of horribles, this week’s youth culture has the distinct energy of an evil amusement park. Let's descend into the gloom, together.

What is "Dark Mango psychology?"

To understand Generation Alpha's "dark mango psychology" memes, you have to go to some weird places and make peace with brain rot: Gen-A's self-referential, exclusively online style of meme-making resists logical explanation, but I'm going to try to anyway, god help me.

In late May, TikTok user @rip_mango20 posted, "Dark Mango psychology explained," the first video on the subject. In it, a distorted voice asks "Have you ever played Blox Fruits with your life on the line while having a bunch of mangos in your mouth? Well this is called dark mango psychology..." it goes on like that, but no psychology is ever actually explained. You can watch the video here:

If this clip had a few hundred views, you could dismiss it as a self-conscious, "aren't I so wacky?' thing, but it's been viewed millions of times, so it means something to someone. Anyway, here's my best stab at an explanation, with help from knowyourmeme.com:

The character featured in the video is a variation of "trollface," a online icon that's been around since 2008. Blox Fruit is a mini-game within Gen A's favorite game/gaming platform Roblox. The line "Have you ever played X with your life on the line," is a reference to an anime called Blue Lock, in which the question is asked about a game of soccer. "Mango" is a reference to this video, that features a "phonk" song about mango, based on audio ripped from this video. "Phonk" is a musical subgenre featuring heavily distorted, lo-fi instruments playing a slower-tempo variation of EDM music. (It is unlistenable.) For reasons that resist explanation, this video caught on among the brain-rotted, who started remixing the original post, adding other nonsense words like "mustard" and "jellybean" (references to even more obscure brain-rot memes) and using the phrase "dark mango psychology" to describe something like—chaotic energy? It's hard to tell. I'm sure there are layers of meaning here that are understandable only by people under 15 years old, but I've done my level best. Perhaps this is something you and I aren't meant to understand and we should just wait for it to go away.

What is the "man of the year" trend?

Let's talk about memes made about people—specifically, memes about toxic men, a reliable source of bitter online comedy. The new trend on TikTok is called “Man of the Year," and it is not a celebration of men behaving awesomely. Instead, women are sharing evidence of the abuse, manipulation, and general grossness visited upon them by ex-boyfriends, accompanied by a few bars of Lorde's "Man of the Year." It's a simple idea, but these are some powerful videos.

Man of the year candidates include this guy, who remixed his girlfriend crying into a truly terrible EDM song:

Or this young gentleman who abandoned both his girl and his child:

There's even a famous man of the year, Justin Bieber:

And the number of cruel texts is just way too high.

Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover causes controversy

In other news from the frontlines of the gender wars, singer Sabrina Carpenter dropped some photos and the name of her upcoming album, and it's pure provocation. What might be the cover of Man's Best Friend looks like this:

The cover is Carpenter playing against her type, taking her bubblegum pink pop princess image somewhere darker and more provocative. I'm sure causing buzz is the point, and it's clearly working. Top Instagram comments include: "Sabrina this is not the slay you think it is… :/," "Love sabrina - but this picture - why is the man in there like that? its not a very empowering image for women. i think its a mistake." and "Explain to me again how this isn’t centering men? How this isn’t catering to the male gaze?" I think Madonna in her prime would have literally killed these kids.

It's quaint that anyone can still get worked up over pop stars creating imagery designed to inflame cultural ire and/or sell records, but I think the online critics are wringing their hands for no reason. We won't really know until the album comes out in August to provide context, but judging by the single, "Manchild," about idiotic dudes who can't take care of themselves, and by the fact that Carpenter is a smart person, it seems the intention is to mock the "male gaze," and the statement is like, "can you believe that these numbskulls see us this way/want us to be this way?"

Also, Spinal Tap did it first:

Gen Z messing up going to bars

Gen Z is bad at going to bars. Apparently, younger people refuse to leave bar tabs open. This could be because they're more budget-conscious than preceding generations. Or it could be just ignorance. "These kids never learned the proper way to be a barfly,” a bartender told the New York Times.

The bartender has a point, but I do not blame Gen Z for their poor drinking etiquette (if that's what this is.) If it's born of money consciousness, I get it: Have you seen how much cocktails cost in 2025? if it's ignorance, I get that too. Going to bars can be confusing if you're new to them. They're loud, busy, chaotic, and ruled by a set of practices and assumptions that no one is taught, and that don't have any precedent in other kinds of transactions. Particularly the bar tab: It's not like we hand over our cards and just leave them with any other kinds of shopkeepers.

I love that Gen Z is educating each other, though, and expressing their feelings through TikTok videos like this:

Viral video of the week: Pokemon scalpers

Even this week's viral video is dark and dystopian, but it's also educational. Before I saw this week's viral video I didn't even know Pokémon scalpers existed.

As you can see, Leo is a little kid who loves Pokémon, and he wants that special edition Pikachu with the kind of pure desire only a pre-teen can have. So he and his mom and dad have spent 151 days trying to beat the scalpers to their local sales kiosks so the little guy can get his packs. But they never beat the scalpers, and Leo never gets his Pikachu.

In economic terms, the scalpers are expending resources (time, money, Red Bull) to gain an uncompensated transfer of wealth from others without creating new value. It's classic rent-seeking behavior: manipulating a market to extract profits rather than producing anything of value. As Adam Smith, the father of economics, put it, scalpers are trying to “reap where they never sowed”—though Smith probably didn’t foresee a future where the invisible hand of the market would slap a Pikachu card out of a child’s hands and give it to a grown man who smells funny and doesn’t shave. Leo not getting his Pikachu is a negative externality—a cost borne by someone who isn’t party to the transaction. His tears are not priced into the secondary market, which is disturbingly efficient at delivering disappointment.

Look, I get that it's not the worst thing happening in this wicked world—I hope this is the worst thing that ever happens to Leo, honestly—but maybe capitalism could take some time off for kids who like Pokémon?



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/vdKynT0
https://ift.tt/HIRTc4C
Read More

This Logitech Keyboard Case for the iPad Pro Is at Its Lowest Price Ever

This Logitech Keyboard Case for the iPad Pro Is at Its Lowest Price Ever

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Right now, this Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case for the iPad Pro 11" is 61% off—its lowest price to date. This is Logitech’s thinnest keyboard case yet, and it connects instantly via the Smart Connector, meaning no Bluetooth pairing or charging required. The iPad itself powers the keyboard, which attaches magnetically and also supports magnetic charging for an Apple Pencil. There are 16 levels of backlighting to give you visibility in low light; an adjustable kickstand; and a detachable, click-anywhere trackpad.

Reviewers call this case a game-changer for digital art, studying, and working. It’s also a helpful accessory for anyone traveling who doesn’t want to be weighed down by a laptop but wants a full keyboard. It’s worth noting that at 1.27 lbs, it's heavier and larger than some Apple tablet cases and the pricier Magic Keyboard, but it offers more protection and durability. Additionally, it works best on flat surfaces—if you work on your lap or in a bed, it won’t be ideal. The quality of the kickstand is debated in Amazon reviews; some people call it flimsy, while others describe it as flexible yet secure and stable once positioned. 

While there are cheaper third-party keyboard cases on the market, Logitech is a trusted name with a reputation for responsive, high-quality tech accessories. It’s also a major perk that the iPad powers the keyboard. If you’re an iPad 11 Pro owner who wants laptop-style functionality without buying a new computer (and you don’t mind a slightly bulky footprint), the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case is a strong option at $140 off. 



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/Pa38Xyr
https://ift.tt/ilMTexS
Read More

Your Older iPhone Might Not Run These New iOS 26 Features

Your Older iPhone Might Not Run These New iOS 26 Features

Apple announced a ton of new features and changes across its products during the company's big WWDC 2025 event. iOS 26, in particular, is chock full of updates, with a long list of iPhones that support the newest update. However, some of these new features will only run on newer iPhones. Even if your iPhone can update to iOS 26, you might be missing out on the full experience.

Most of the features on this list are powered by Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of generative AI features. As it happens, Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer to work. That includes, of course, iPhone 15 Pro Max, but also iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. If you don't have one of those six phones, you can't use any Apple Intelligence features—both the existing ones released throughout the iOS 18 era, as well as any of the new features in iOS 26. It's a little confusing, since there are a lot of iPhones that can run iOS 26 that aren't these iPhones—basically iPhone 11 and newer—but that's the way Apple wants it, unfortunately.

Here's what you're missing out on if you don't have a newer iPhone:

Live Translation

Apple's Live Translation features for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe seem great. Live Translation uses AI to translate both text and audio in real time across various apps and services. So, you might see translations appear next to messages sent in a language you can't read, or hear translations when on a call with someone who speaks a language you don't understand.

Visual Intelligence

Visual Intelligence itself isn't new this year. The Apple Intelligence feature debuted with iOS 18.2, and lets Apple's AI analyze anything in your camera feed. The feature started as an iPhone 16 exclusive, but Apple did bring it to 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max models as well.

With iOS 26, Visual Intelligence is now able to analyze the contents of your iPhone's screen as well, via screenshots. In addition to pointing your camera at something for Visual Intelligence to analyze, you can take a screenshot, and the AI will be able to process its contents.

Lens cleaning alert

It's always a bummer when you spend the day taking photos on your phone, only to notice when you're home that those photos came out smudgy—all because your camera was dirty.

iOS 26 has a (presumably AI-powered) feature to fix that. Apple didn't announce this one, but beta testers discovered that when the camera is dirty, the new Camera app now warns you to clean the lens before taking a photo.

Genmoji and Image Playground

Genmoji and Image Playground are getting updates with iOS 26—the AI features rolled out last year, allowing you to generate emojis and images with text-based prompts.

This year, Apple is adding the ability to mix together different Genmoji and emoji to create brand new icons, which introduces an Emoji Kitchen-like feature to the iPhone. In addition, Image Playground now lets you add ChatGPT styles, like anime, oil painting, and watercolor, to your generations.

AI-integrated Shortcuts

Shortcuts has been available on all iPhones since iOS 12, but with iOS 26, Apple is integrating AI features to the automation tool. These shortcuts will let you summarize text, generate images, or utilize Apple Intelligence models to power your shortcuts.

If your iPhone can't access AI tools at all, you probably won't feel the absence of these upgrades much anyway.

Messages features

Messages is getting some useful new features this year. Two key features are polls and backgrounds: You'll be able to make polls for your friends and family to answer, and choose from a set selection of backgrounds for your chats. Other chat apps have had these features for years, of course, but it's cool they're finally in the Messages app—and both are compatible with all iPhones running iOS 26.

That said, each feature has AI integrations that will only work on iPhone 15 Pro and newer. First, polls: In addition to choosing your own poll questions, newer iPhone owners will also see AI-generated poll suggestions. (I'm not entirely sure why you'd want this, but it's there.) In my opinion, Backgrounds' AI feature is more useful, since you can use Apple Intelligence to generate a background for your chats. I'd prefer to choose my own image to set as a background, but this at least opens up the background possibilities.

Reminders

If you have one of these iPhones compatible with Apple Intelligence, you'll notice iOS 26 suggests new reminders based on the contents of your messages and emails. If you're chatting with your roommate about needing to buy more coffee, for example, you might see a suggested reminder to add it to your grocery list.

Plus, iOS 26 will categorize task lists for you using Apple Intelligence. There's a new "Auto-Categorize" setting, complete with an Apple Intelligence logo, if you want to outsource that task to Apple's AI.

Apple Wallet

On iPhone 15 Pro and newer, iOS 26 will use AI to automatically pull data from your emails to show you up-to-date order tracking in Wallet. The app already has non-AI support for order tracking, but it's not particularly used by stores and merchants.

Lock Screen

iOS 26 has exactly one non-AI feature that isn't supported on all compatible devices: The Lock Screen has a new 3D effect that automatically adjusts the size and position of the time depending on the the photo you choose, prioritizing the subject of the photo. It's neat, and only works on iPhone 12 or newer. If you have an iPhone 11, you're out of luck.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/ysvVram
https://ift.tt/psajY2d
Read More

I’m a Certified Spin Instructor, and I'd Buy a Used Peloton Every Time

I’m a Certified Spin Instructor, and I'd Buy a Used Peloton Every Time

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

I love my Peloton Bike—which I got directly from the at-home fitness giant in 2021—and anyone who knows me will tell you that. As of today, I'm on an 89-day streak of consistent, daily use (though a small portion of that streak is made up of other Peloton offerings, like walking, stretching, and meditation classes).

But just because I'm into it doesn't mean everyone is. I am, after all, an actual spin teacher, so I'm always trying to take classes, learn new techniques, and stay on top of my game for my own unique reasons. My Peloton, honestly, is just one of many different bikes I use in a given week and have used over the past decade of being dedicated to spinning. Unlike me, many people are looking to get rid of their bikes, treadmills, row machines, and more—whether because they're back in a gym, they're upgrading to something better, or they just don't have the time or desire to work out as much anymore. If you want to get into at-home fitness, let their loss be your gain.

Why fitness equipment resale is a good idea

While we were discussing this post, Lifehacker's senior health editor Beth Skwarecki made an excellent point: There are simply fewer to buy new Pelotons, given how many are out on the market now and the fact that the Peloton Bike itself hasn't changed much since its debut. Many of the company's newer innovations are software-focused, not hardware-focused. You can upgrade your operating system, download Peloton's apps, and continue to engage with the content, games, and classes it's still continually rolling out—all with machines that already exist.

If you're looking for non-Peloton equipment, the argument still stands. Some spin bikes and treadmills have better features than others, but they're all basically doing the same thing at the end of the day. As long as the thing's been maintained well, a 15-year-old bike still does exactly what a bike that was built yesterday does. You don't need a new one to get a good workout.

You can save a lot of money, fight consumerism, and still access a great product by buying used, provided you use a safe, trusted platform to do it. And Peloton agrees: The company announced recently that it's launching its own resale platform.

Even prior to that, people were buying, selling, and trading not only Peloton equipment, but other at-home fitness machines as well. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other platforms have been awash in these kinds of listings for years.

I'm a proponent of buying used stuff: I love saving money, renewing my wardrobe, and selling my own things to get money to get new—or new-to-me—things. Still, I understand that some people have hangups about owning, wearing, or using items that once belonged to someone else. Break free of the limiting mindset of capitalism, my friend. Save your coins. You can absolutely obtain a quality piece of used equipment that looks and functions similarly a new one.

How to find good used at-home workout equipment

As mentioned, Peloton is getting into the resale game, but the company's platform is in its nascent stages: Right now, you can only list your own pre-owned Bike, Tread, Row, or branded accessories. In the coming weeks, you'll be able to buy, but first the marketplace needs to gather inventory.

I don't recommend using Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist if you're specifically buying Peloton equipment. There are too many horror stories out there of buyers not being able to log into the devices with their own accounts because the machines are registered to someone else. Some people even report that there are fake bikes and machines on the market.

For equipment that doesn't require a complex software component, like a regular old spin bike, go ahead and use a person-to-person marketplace if you're comfortable—provided the seller is communicative, is willing to answer your questions or provide more photos, and, ideally, lets you examine the equipment before you take it home. Use common sense. Bring someone with you, meet in a public place if possible, and be prepared to back out if anything feels off.

If you're looking for a more formal, managed experience or seeking a Peloton instrument, use a trusted platform that can act as an intermediary and keep everything on the up-and-up. Try Trade My Stuff, an online marketplace at the forefront of at-home gym equipment resale. There, you can get a Peloton, a Bowflex, or even a sauna. The platform offers some security, providing delivery and working with you on the transaction.

With Trade My Stuff, the seller pays a fee—between 10% and 20%, depending on the category of item sold—and the delivery contractor inspects the product at pickup before bringing it to you. You can even ask the delivery team to video call you so you can participate in the inspection before telling them to go ahead and bring it.

Shayne Boyle, a Peloton Bike user who purchased a used treadmill, tells me that his experience was surprisingly robust: The delivery driver traveled hours with the treadmill, even toggling on his location so Boyle could track the machine's progress to his house. Trade My Stuff offers an optional 12-month warranty to protect the equipment. If anything goes wrong, you'll get a replacement machine within a week. Yes, you're paying a delivery fee, but it beats being ghosted by a scammy Craigslist seller.

What to keep in mind when buying used fitness equipment

When you're buying something used, you have to keep two things in mind: condition and price. Boyle was looking for a Tread, but he wanted it to be near-perfect. He only searched for ones that had been originally purchased in the last year or two, so he was prepared to spend a little more. "For us, price was a big factor, sure, and how old and how used the machine was," he says.

When I'm using resale apps to shop for a specific accessory or clothing item, I play a bit of a waiting game. I know its retail value, what I'm willing to spend, and the condition the item will likely be in if it aligns with my personal budgeting goals, but I also know there are people out there who just want to get rid of something as fast as they can and may be willing to sell me a piece in great condition for a low price if I just wait it out.

If you want your item to be in top condition, it'll likely cost you more. If you don't mind a little wear and tear, you'll spend less. That's fine for me when I buy clothes—I'm a savvy stain remover and seamstress—but when you're considering fitness equipment, exercise caution. A device that doesn't run right can pose a safety issue for you. The continued function of your knees is worth the extra few hundred dollars you may have to spend to get a spin bike with pedals that don't jam up.

Don't forget that Peloton charges $95 to activate used bikes and other equipment. That price is coming down to $45 soon, but it's still a factor you need to budget for. (On Trade My Stuff, you can use discount code ACTIVATE4FREE to trigger a $95 rebate that will cover the fee.)

No matter what, communicate extensively with your seller. In my experience, if someone is unwilling to send more photos or answer questions, they're hiding something or otherwise just aren't great at customer service. Even though you're paying less than retail, you're still paying, so you have the right to deal only with sellers who are willing to play ball. Ask for videos, details, and pictures. If you're getting slow responses or a weird vibe, move on to the next. There are thousands of listings out there.



from Lifehacker https://ift.tt/LwxVeBd
https://ift.tt/4QXnBM3
Read More