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Homebrew is the package manager you wish your Mac shipped with. Once you set it up, Homebrew lets you install and update apps quickly and securely. It launched as a command-line interface, where you would type commands into the Terminal app on your Mac to install, update, or uninstall your apps. Recently, Homebrew launched its own GUI, which makes it easier than ever to use the service. Here are 10 Homebrew hacks that you should know, great for new and legacy users alike.Try Homebrew's new GUI to discover apps Credit: Pranay Parab Once you update to Homebrew version 7.0.0 or newer, you'll notice that the service has a new GUI-enabled app for you...

A VPN conceals your IP address by routing your internet traffic through a remote server, preventing anyone surveilling the network from tracking your online activity. Theoretically, that means no one should be able to identify you when you connect to a network and browse the internet, even your ISP. In practice, though, there are plenty of gaps that hackers can exploit. A while back, Lifehacker covered browser fingerprinting, which uses hundreds of data points, like your hardware specs, operating system version, web browser, and GPU signature, to establish a shadow profile that follows you around even when your VPN is enabled. There's another way cyberattackers can intercept your data, and it involves exploiting a communication leak right inside your browser. Major browsers like Chrome, Fi...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I now have the Apple Watch Series 12 in my hands—or, rather, on my wrist—and have spent the past 24 hours putting it through as many tests as I can manage. I'm pleased with the step counting and the availability of "recovery HRV" (as opposed to the cardiac-health-focused HRV that the Apple Watch previously used) but I'm not sure if the heart rate accuracy is living up to the hype. I'll be putting this device to more rigorous tests, but here are my first thoughts. ...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Unless you're shopping from a wishlist, buying a book for a big reader is always a fraught prospect. Have they read it? Will they like it? Will they be offended at the mere suggestion that you think it's the kind of book they might like? Will you be crushed when you give them a copy of your favorite book and they never get around to reading it? Buying a gift for someone who prefers to read e-books—whether on a Kindle or one of the many excellent non-Kindle alternatives—can be much less emotionally charged: Instead of risking everything by giving them a book, just get them a cute e-reader accessory (if not a new e-reader) that they will thank you for every time they dive into a good read. A truly pocketable travel e-rea...