We never have a wealth of cheese leftovers in my house since we love the stuff so much, but I’m always happy after a cocktail party if we do, because I know I can turn it quickly and easily into fromage fort. To create this incredible French spread, all you need to add to your cheese scraps is a clove of garlic and some white wine.

Fromage fort translates to “strong cheese,” and it’s a brilliant way to make good use of those cheese odds and ends that hang around in the fridge. It’s part of the culinary tradition in the French city of Lyon where home cooks would keep adding cheese to the pot… more

As one of the most heavily utilized map applications out there, it’s worth mentioning when Google Maps introduces changes big and small into its app. In the case of the most recent update, it’s not so much of a change that they’ve made as much as it is an improvement.

With version 9.3, you can now seamlessly share directions with anyone. All you have to do is enter navigation mode to map out your journey, tap the three-dot menu icon, and select “Share directions.” From there, you can share to any compatible app, like Gmail, Facebook, and even Google Translate.
Share menu..

Directions ready… more

Early last year, Google purchased Quest Visual, acquiring the immensely popular augmented reality translator app Word Lens in the process. While Google did put the feature on the Google Glass, they spoke more about implementing Word Lens into their Translate app sometime in the future.

Well, that time has now come.

Google Translate’s latest update brings Word Lens’ live translations to your Android and iOS device. Check out the guide below to learn how to use live translation, as well as take advantage of the highly improved conversation mode in Google Translate.
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Live Translation… more

These last few months have been a Lollipop lovefest, and I’m not talking about the candy. Android’s latest OS has been exalted for its embrace of Material Design, and we’ve certainly given Lollipop its fair share of coverage as well; check out all its new features and ways to make older devices get some of the new look and feel of Android 5.0.

But the much talked-about release just isn’t yet available for the vast majority of devices, evidenced by the fact that Lollipop isn’t even listed in Google’s version reporting. So, in the spirit of giving devices on Jelly Bean and KitKat (Android… more

WhatsApp is the go-to application for sending a message (or 100) to friends at home and abroad. And the best thing is, the service has remained true to its roots after Facebook acquired the company for $19 billion.

Despite its awesomeness, there’s one thing that WhatsApp is lacking: a Notification Center widget. While the official app doesn’t have a widget available, there is another way to get one so that you can access your favorite WhatsApp contacts even faster on your iOS 8 device.
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Step 1: Install “Shortcut for WhatsApp Plus”

Go ahead and install the free Shortcut for WhatsApp… more

Marmite: either you love the stuff or hate it. (“Love” meaning you are British and grew up eating it, and “hate” meaning you are everyone else.)

Yet even though Marmite is an acquired taste, it’s an ingredient a surprising number of people keep in their kitchen cabinets. Why? Because it excels at adding and amping up umami (that savory, delicious “fifth taste” that makes things like cheese, mushrooms, beef, and soy sauce taste so mouth-smackingly good) to all kinds of dishes. It’s also vegan (but not gluten free), so you can serve it to almost anyone.
This stuff makes food taste better… more

On-screen navigation buttons offer many distinct advantages over physical buttons—they can change orientation along with your device, they’re capable of visually morphing to indicate secondary functionality, and the user experience is more consistent when buttons and app elements require the same amount of force to press. Add to that the fact that they’re far less likely to fail and can be themed or even switched out altogether, and it’s hard to come up with an argument in favor of physical buttons at all.

Really, the lone knock against on-screen buttons is that they occupy precious screen… more

Getting caught using your iPhone at school or work (when you’re using it for personal reasons) can be a little bit embarrassing. Even worse, it can be detrimental to how you’re perceived by your teacher or boss. But sometimes you just have to beat that next level of Candy Crush, view a risqué photo on Snapchat, or send an important WhatsApp message.

To save yourself some embarrassment, I’m going to show you how to interact with your iOS display using your computer, which is different than simply mirroring it as you can with apps like AllCast and Reflector. Of course, this will only work if… more

Are you dreading a big, tedious task on your to-do list? Commit to only doing 10 minutes of it or only the very first minimal step. By lowering the hurdle for getting the task started, it is very likely that once you start doing it, you won’t feel so bad about getting the rest of the task completed.

Another mind hack to avoid procrastination is to project how you will feel in the future when you complete the task, and compare it to how bad you will feel if you don’t complete it. You can also scare yourself into getting the task done by projecting what you would be losing in your life (income… more

When you’re trapped at your desk before a jumble of data just waiting to be categorized, or zoning out during an important meeting, your mind wanders and, chances are, you feel a little guilty because of it. Yet you shouldn’t try to reign in that distracted thinking. Instead, let your brain get distracted, and you’ll unconsciously strengthen your memory.

Get Focused by Getting Distracted

Before you chastise yourself for taking yet another unplanned daydreaming break, you might want to consider thanking your brain for its supposed lack of focus. Daydreaming can both improve our memory and… more