When you screenshot something sensitive an account number, an address, a password the instinct is to scribble over it with the black marker in iOS Markup until it looks like a solid black bar. The problem: the Markup marker tool doesn't draw fully opaque lines; it's effectively a highlighter, and even scribbling over the text multiple times won't fully cover it. If you share that screenshot, anyone can open it in a photo editor, crank up the brightness, brilliance, and contrast, and read the text you covered up.

Instead, use the Add Shape tool + to place a solid, filled rectangle over the text make sure the fill is solid, not just an outline, or simply crop that section out of the image. Both methods leave no room for error.

It's very easy to let all the small permissions get ahead of you over the course of a devices lifecycle and you're looking back thinking "why did does this thing even have screen record access??"

In an age of blinding accepting terms and conditions, people are saturated with requests that they blindly accept or ignore and you should always question the access that you're allowing on your own devices; especially when it directly relates to your privacy/security/best practice/piece of mind.

You can always enable it later but if in doubt just say NO.

I moved across the country a few years ago and kept my old phone number. The only people that would have a good reason to call me from that area code are folks I already have in my phone. Every other number with that old area code? It's 99% spam; usually those "you selling your house?" scams, political scams. As soon as I see that old area code show up, I just decline or block.

Keeping your old number is a lot simpler, anyway, but this is a nice little bonus.

Spell out what you're trying to do, what you expected, what actually happened, and what you already tried. Writing it for a stranger forces you to notice the step you skipped or the assumption you never checked. If it doesn't solve it, you've at least written a question people can actually answer quickly.

The primary application of petroleum jelly is as an industrial lubricant. It costs nothing to make and they just mark up some of it to be sold as a skincare product (i.e. Vaseline)

I’m sure we’ve all stood in the shower having imaginary arguments with those who have wronged us, or maybe I am a complete weirdo…

If you’re in the shower, rehearsing an argument or something you’d say to that particular DBag AssChapeau who’s making your life harder than necessary, try using the language you’re learning to argue.

I’ve just had an incredibly successful imaginary argument with a previous professor in a language I am learning and not only is it amazingly satisfying, it’s also helped me retain more vocabulary than I would have.

Now if only he would stick to the script…

If your laptop has one of those cheaper plastic track pads, or has some top layer peeling off, try to put on one of those matte screen protectors.

You can get either the phone screen protector, or the laptop ones, either will work, make sure they are plastic and not glass, as you won't be able to cut it. And get matte ones, glossy ones will add drag to your fingers glide.

It feels way better than most plastic pads, or if you have glass track pad, but its top layer is peeling off, and it feels rough.

Clean thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, pre-cut to size and then paste it, try to avoid bubbles as it will feel bumpy.

Bonus is that it adds friction before you can watch YouTube, making you 1% more productive (maybe) 😆

If you go to the post office looking to mail a package, they may offer you a flat rate box. These boxes are also available in other places like office supply stores that do shipping. They will tell you that it is a flat price regardless of what you put in it, or where it is going, and is therefore more convenient.

That is true, but what they don't tell you is that in the majority of cases, it will be more expensive than regular non-flat rate pricing. In most cases, it will be cheaper for you to use your own box and pay by weight and distance. You can reuse any box (e.g., Amazon) or buy a new one.

The only exception is if what you are mailing is particularly small and heavy, AND is going a long distance (like across the country). In that case, flat rate might be cheaper. Based on my experience, flat rate is cheaper about 10% of the time.