The 5 Best Sites to Find Free Clothes Online

Clothing is one of our most basic needs, yet it can often be one of the most expensive. Even with the rise of fast-fashion and lower prices, getting your hands on clothing can still be a financial burden.

If you’re cash-strapped but in need of some clothing, the internet can help. There are sites where you can find free clothes near you, helping you dress up in no time.

Here are five of the best places to find free clothes online.

1. Freecycle

Freecycle is best known as a second-hand marketplace for furniture and other home furnishings. However, the free exchange site has a large selection of free used clothes too.

One of the benefits of Freecycle is that it allows you to find items local to you. To use the site, you need to enter a specific area, like Brooklyn, New York, for example. This keeps the listings within a reasonable distance of where you are.

To search posts, you’ll need to be a signed-up member of the site, but registration only takes a moment. Once signed in, you’ll be able to search posts for keywords like clothes or free women’s clothes, for example.

You should also select the option to display only “offer posts”, rather than wanted listings. Opening an offer post should give you some detail on the item and allow you to reply to the post to arrange collection.

2. Freegle

Although Freecycle is available in locations around the world, if you’re after free clothes in the UK, then Freegle is the best place to start. Freegle is a UK-based organization promoting waste reduction and product reuse. Their website operates in a similar way to Freecycle.

To get started, you enter your postcode, and then you can browse all available offer posts. If you often find yourself donating items to sites like these, you may also be interested in these social impact apps that’ll help you change the world.

As Freegle is not as well-known as Freecycle, there are usually fewer postings. However, it allows those in the UK to find free clothes online and complements the Freecycle service.

Since both are free to use, there is no downside to having multiple options when searching for free clothes online. To send a reply to an offer post, you’ll need to be registered with the site.

3. Craigslist

You’ve probably heard of Craigslist. The site was one of the first to bring traditional classified ads online back in 1995. It was designed to look like the classifieds page at the back of your newspaper and hasn’t really changed over the past two decades.

Don’t let the reasonably functional look put you off, though; Craigslist is one of the world’s most popular websites and is a great place to get free clothing near you.

When you first visit Craigslist, the site will determine your approximate location from your IP address and direct you to your local Craigslist domain. So, those in New York would be directed to newyork.craigslist.org, for example.

As a source of classified ads, Craigslist differs slightly from the previously discussed options. The majority of posts on the site are for paid services, or those looking to sell their items.

However, don’t let that dissuade you from using the site to locate free used clothes. From the main page, select clothing for sale and use the filters to set a maximum price of $0. That will allow you to see all the clothing listings that are available for free.

The range of listings means that, if you can afford to spend a bit of money on new clothes, you can find a wide variety of options available to you, even for modest budgets.

4. Rehash

The sites we’ve discussed so far feature clothing but aren’t specifically geared towards finding free clothes. Rehash is a dedicated website that allows you to trade and exchange your clothes with other users. So, you’ll need to start with at least one item of clothing you’d be willing to swap, but it does mean that you can refresh your wardrobe without having to pay a dime.

Once you’ve created an account, you can list the clothes and accessories you want to trade. You’ll then start to get offers from other users who may wish to exchange with you. Once you’ve found an offer that fits, you can exchange clothes.

There are no fees for listing or completing a swap. In fact, the only thing you need to pay for is shipping your old clothes to your exchange. To date, the site has swapped almost 10,500 items between 61,000 members.

5. Swap.com

Thrift stores are a great way to find affordable second-hand clothes. However, if you can’t make it to a store, or don’t have one nearby, your options used to be limited. However, the online thrift store Swap.com has a modern take on the used clothes market. Thrift shopping can be quite time consuming, as each store holds a different stock. Swap has a much more extensive inventory of clothes for you to browse.

If you are the buyer, you’ll be able to browse a large collection of second-hand and pre-owned clothes, all available at low prices. While Swap isn’t a place where you can get free clothes, it does offer an affordable alternative to full-priced clothing.

If you are interested in finding a specific item, use one of these apps to find clothes from pictures, and then hunt for it on Swap.

Selling second-hand clothes can also be a hassle, as you typically have to maintain a listing and field questions from buyers. Swap handles all the admin for you. All you need to do is send them your pre-worn clothes, and they take care of the rest. Once your items have sold, you’ll be paid.

Where to Find Free Clothes Online

There’s no getting around the high cost of clothes. Even as mainstream fashion brands have been able to reduce prices, clothing is still an expensive necessity. Not everyone is always in the position to afford the expense of a new wardrobe. Fortunately, there are plenty of generous people willing to give away their used clothes for free.

These sites are among the best places where you can get free clothes. However, if you have some items you need to sell, you may want to use one of these Craigslist alternatives to buy and sell used stuff online.

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6 Unique Ways to Use Google Maps With Other Google Tools

Google Maps is easily one of Google’s greatest achievements. It allows millions of people, every day, to find their way, share directions, and make it to their appointments on time.

The usefulness of the application extends far beyond the basic features that you find on the website’s homepage, and part of this usefulness is due to Google’s other services being so neatly integrated with it. Here are some unique ways that you can use Google Maps with other applications.

1. Google Now Features Have Been Integrated Into Google Maps

Google Now is technically still functional: its app launcher is available through Google Play, too. However, Google Now as a brand is no longer being advertised.

That’s because Google has restyled Google Now as the Google feed. It’s also worked a lot of its features directly into Google Maps along with its burgeoning Google Assistant.

For example, Google Now used to let you look for a business close to your current location: all you had to do was ask for nearby coffee shops, gas stations, or convenience stores. Within seconds, you would be able to get a map with all your locations plotted out.

Currently, this feature and others are directly available in Google Maps. So long as you have location services enabled on your phone, you can take advantage of this quick directory for stores and services.

2. Use Google Maps With Google Drive

If you have a Google account, the odds are pretty high that you use Google Drive on a regular basis. Did you know that you can also create and organize Google Maps within your Drive account itself?

To create a new map, click on New> More > Google My Maps. This takes you to a Google Maps page where you can plot out your desired location using different layers.

When you finish creating the map, just close the tab. All these changes are automatically saved to your Google Drive account, so make sure you give the map a name that you’ll remember!

You can also sort your maps into different folders. This organization is useful for planning an extended family trip where you’ll be visiting a lot of different places, or you need to keep all your travel maps in the same folder.

The integration of Google Maps with Google Drive is probably one of the most convenient ways you can make use of the app with very little effort.

3. Embed a Google Map Into a Google Site

If you use Google Sites to publish a web page, you can embed a Google Map into your website without much effort or coding at all.

In the edit mode on your website, just click Insert > Map. On the next screen, you can type the address that you want to display on the page, and Google will pull it up. You’ll see a preview of the map in the window pane.

After the map is inserted, you can adjust how the map will be embedded into your webpage. You can adjust the width and height, or additional visual elements to emphasize it.

For more direction:

• If you’re worried about the complexity of this process, have no fear. No coding is required, nor any special external add-ons or widgets, either.
• If you want to use one of your customized maps that you’ve created in My Maps, you can click on My Maps instead of Maps on the Select a map screen. You’ll see a list of maps stored in your Google Drive account.

4. Embed Google Maps in Google Sheets

Now there are several ways that you can convert a spreadsheet address to embed it in a map. These methods usually involve a KML file, so you can transfer the address data to Google Maps.

This is not a bad way to accomplish this task, but there’s an easier way to embed a Google Map in a Google Sheet.

The first thing you need to do is install the Mapping Sheets add-on. Once installed—from inside Sheets—click Adds-ons > Mapping Sheets.

Afterward, you’ll see the Mapping Sheets window pop up on the right side of the spreadsheet.

Once you have the map data in your spreadsheet—using whatever headers you want for title, filter, or location—you can click on the View button at the bottom of the Add-on window. This will instantly map and pin all those addresses to Google Maps.

Please note: While Mapping Sheets is free, it has also introduced a subscription plan.

5. Embed a Google Map in a Google Doc or Gmail

If you want to insert a Google Map into Google Docs or embed a Google Map in Gmail, there’s technically a simple solution to this. If you take a screenshot of it, you can actually embed it as an image in either place.

However, Google has rules and regulations about how you can use Google Map images.

The basics of it:

• Google Maps are okay for non-commercial intent, so long as there’s clear attribution and it falls under the category of Fair Use.
• These rules also apply to embed a map in Google Slides, too.

Even still, the demand for static Google Maps remains high.

Over the years, online map-making image tools have risen up to meet this demand. Several years ago, we even wrote about a Google Map image generator called Prodraw. It allowed you to input your address coordinates and get a picture of your map in return.

After revisiting this tool, we found that Prodraw’s ability to consistently provide accurate images was unreliable.

Another tool that you can use to generate static maps is the Static Map Maker. It requires an API key to work.

The API is a great mapping tool for Google Map developers. However, if you aren’t a programmer and you don’t have an API key, then you’re out of luck. Sure, you could sign up for a key, but if you only plan on using this key once or twice, is it really worth it? Probably not.

6. Add Google Maps to Google Calendar

Another great integration of Google Maps with other Google products is the ability to link a map to a scheduled event in your Google Calendar.

When you enter the details for your event, click on the Add location or conferencing text box. Type the address or focal point where your event will be held. Google will automatically pull up a list of the most closely-related addresses with those words in the titles.

Click on the correct address to add it to your event. When you’re done including the details, press Save.

Later—when you want to check the address for your event—expand the event on your Google Calendar. Click on the link to your location. Google will then take you directly to the map of that location. From there, you can get directions.

Use Google Maps Everywhere

An online map is a useful tool for a lot of things you may do every day. Whether it’s sending someone directions to your house or saving maps to your Google Drive for your upcoming family trip, these integrations are very handy.

If you’re curious about other timesaving map tips, pull up your mobile and try these Google Maps tricks on your Android.

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5 Ways to Print Documents When You Are Out of the House

Being out of your house and in need of a printer can be a stressful experience. Just where do you go when you need to print documents? Perhaps you need a copy of your lease, a crisp resume, or a character sheet for your favorite tabletop RPG.

“Places to print near me” is a common Google search. But you have several more options for printing away from home—if you know where to look.

Thanks to mobile and cloud technologies, the best “out of house” printing solutions are just a click away. Here are five ways you can print documents on the go.

1. Try Copy and Print Shops

Image credit: fables98/Flickr

Copy and print shops aren’t as common as they used to be but exist solely to help you print documents.

Many of the print shops you’ll come across aren’t big chains, but rather locally owned. This is great if you try to support local businesses, but prices at these establishments can vary considerably.

To find a copy or print shop nearby, open your favorite search engine and enter: “copy print shop [zip code]”. It’s as easy as that!

2. Print in an Office Supply Store

You might not need to buy office supplies at these stories anymore, but if you need something printed, and you need it fast, office supply stores are a great place to go. Staples Cloud Printing and Office Depot/OfficeMax Printing Services both offer on-the-spot printing and copying in the United States. Staples and Office Depot are also present in the UK.

Prices are generally good at these stores: at Office Depot, a single-sided black-and-white page is $0.10, and color is $0.59 (Staples advertises $0.17 and $0.60). You can also get volume discounts if you’re printing hundreds of pages. This could save a lot of money if you need conference handouts or one extremely large document, like a dissertation.

Printing documents at office supply stores also afford you a wide variety of options, e.g.:

• Stapling
• Hole punching
• Collating
• Perforation
• Lamination
• Binding

…and other features, making office supply stores some of the best places to print documents. Plus, you can print anything you want, from simple documents to large posters, and business cards to brochures.

3. Use Printers in Public or University Libraries

Image credit: Aotearoa People’s Network Kaharoa/Flickr

Can’t find an office supply store or a shipping provider when you need a document printed right away? Why not use a printer at a public library?

While it’s hard to estimate prices, typical prices are $0.10 for black-and-white pages and $0.50 for color pages.

Many public libraries also offer cloud printing services. Sometimes, as with this image of Stratford public library, they’re integrated with Google Cloud Print. To find out how to print at your local library, head to their website for details.

University libraries may allow non-students to use their computers and printers, although this isn’t a general rule.

For non-students, if you just need to print an email or something else small, it might be okay. For complex, large documents, look elsewhere.

4. You Can Print With Shipping Providers

You might not think of shipping providers as obvious places to print documents. However, services like UPS Professional Printing Services and FedEx Copying and Printing Services demonstrate how these businesses have diversified.

So, you can use branches of these couriers to print documents when you’re out and about. UPS even lets you print from the HP ePrint app so you can get prints super-fast on the go.

FedEx Office even lets you print documents from your Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box accounts. So, it’s always best to copy and sync your document to the cloud. That’s one advantage of using cloud productivity tools like Office Online or Google Drive.

The UPS Store offers prices that beat Office Depot, at $0.09 per black-and-white page, and $0.49 per color page. Just upload your documents online or bring them into the store and you’re set to print whatever you need.

FedEx’s pricing is a little hard to find; however, it looks like they charge $0.13 for black-and-white. $0.70 for color.

As with office supply stores, UPS and FedEx also offer stapling, punching, binding, etc. Different paper sizes and media are also available. So, you can print to business cards, pamphlets, brochures, banners, envelopes, magnets, presentations, all with zero hassle.

5. Online Document Printing Options

Everyone knows that you can print photos cheap online, but did you know that you can also print documents? This is a great alternative if you can’t find somewhere to print on the go nearby.

If you know where to look, you can get good deals on anything from black-and-white documents to full-color self-published magazines.

Best Value Copy offers black-and-white copies from $0.027 and color from $0.09, considerably beating every other option on price. However, shipping is not included in the price, which can significantly skew the value of ordering online.

For very large orders, though, the shipping costs could be worth it, something that is also true of other providers.

Uprinting.com is reputed to have good prices, but you’ll need to be ordering at least 100 copies to really benefit.

If you have time to spend looking for a way to print documents online, you’ll no doubt find a bargain. However, you may need to go through the ordering process several times before committing.

One quick tip: when you’re searching online, search for “copies” or “copying” instead of “printing.” The latter will often send you to sites that only do brochures, business cards, posters, and other more complicated projects.

Other Document-Printing Options?

If you ever need to print something on the go, these options will help you find nearby places to print. It’s a great option if you don’t own your own printer. To quickly recap, places you can print documents while you’re out are:

• Office supply stores
• Shipping service providers
• Copy and print shops
• Public and university libraries
• Order from an online printing service

Don’t have your own printer yet but thinking about buying? Take the time to read our list of things to check when buying a new printer.

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No Numpad? No Problem! How to Get a Numeric Keypad in Windows

Did you purchase a laptop or a mini-keyboard and find yourself missing your numpad? Many Windows applications work better with a numpad, and it can be easy to underestimate its use until its gone. But not everyone wants a full-size keyboard, and very few laptops come equipped with numpads.

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Still, there are plenty of ways to use a numpad on your computer, even if your keyboard doesn’t have one. Windows offers built-in solutions, and additional options exist outside your PC as well. If you need a numpad for your laptop or keyboard, these solutions will fit your needs.

1. Windows 10’s On-Screen Keyboard

The on-screen keyboard in Windows 10 has a virtual numpad that you can use. While not always as fast as a keyboard numpad, the customizable options available for the on-screen keyboard make it a worthy numpad emulator.

To access the on-screen keyboard, you can take a few different routes. The fastest route involves holding down the Windows logo key + Ctrl + O to open the on-screen keyboard. You can also turn the on-screen keyboard on or off from anywhere with the same keyboard shortcut.

If you prefer to go through Windows’ settings, follow these steps:

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Press Settings.
3. Scroll down and click Ease of Access.
4. On the left sidebar, scroll down to Interaction.
5. Click on Keyboard.
6. Under Use the On-Screen Keyboard, press the slider to On.
7. Closeout or minimize the window.

When the on-screen keyboard first appears, there will be no number pad. You’ll need to click the Options button in the lower-right corner, and then check Turn on numeric key pad.

Finally, hit the NumLock button to bring up the keypad.

Now, whenever you need to type a number from the numpad, just click it on the on-screen keyboard. If you select the Hover over keys option, you can also simply hover your cursor over a key in place of a mouse click. By adjusting the hover duration, you can also customize the time it takes before it registers as a press.

If you strictly want to use an in-built keyboard but need to save screen space, you can shrink down the keyboard to mostly focus on the numpad.

2. Numeric Keypad Emulators

For a more specialized and space-saving option, you can download a numpad emulator. While there are many options, you want a virtual numpad with the specifications that fit your needs.

Numpad Emulator offers a variety of options including the ability to scale the button-size, change what keys appear on the numpad, and place special symbols using alt codes without an actual numpad.

If you don’t need any customizations, the virtual numpad works just as smoothly as Windows’ on-screen keyboard.

Download: Numpad Emulator (Free)

3. Laptop NumLock

Many laptops address the lack of a number pad by including a hidden numpad activated by the NumLock key. The numbers will usually be highlighted in a color different than that of the regular keys (usually gray or blue). If you’re trying to locate them, they often share the 7, 8, and 9 keys in the top number row.

To activate the number pad, find the number lock key (usually labeled NumLock, Num Lk, or Num). After locating it, look for the Fn or Alt key. If either the Fn or Alt key’s color matches the alternate numbers, press it in conjunction with the number lock key.

You can tell you’ve succeeded by the number lock key lighting on or off. Now, the alternate color keys will function as the numpad for your laptop. Just remember to turn number lock off afterward using the same key combination.

4. iPhone and iPad Number Pads

There are a few app options that let you use your iPhone or iPad as a numpad emulator but not many feature direct Windows support.

Image Credit: Edovia Inc.

NumPad supports Windows as long as you use a VNC server such as TightVNC to connect to your computer. While the iOS app does cost a small amount, it’s still cheaper and saves more space than an external numpad.

Download: Numpad ($3.99)

Download: TightVNC (Free)

5. Using AutoHotKey as a Number Pad

If you want a built-in solution that doesn’t require an on-screen keyboard or a laptop, AutoHotKey is a great solution. If you’re not familiar with the app, check out our quick AutoHotkey guide for beginners.

Here’s a script that will let you use the Caps Lock key to send your number keys as numeric keypad keys:

SetCapsLockState, AlwaysOff
#If GetKeyState("CapsLock", "P")

1::Numpad1
2::Numpad2
3::Numpad3
4::Numpad4
5::Numpad5
6::Numpad6
7::Numpad7
8::Numpad8
9::Numpad9
0::Numpad0

This script keeps your Caps Lock key from doing its normal function, but how often do you use that key anyway?

If you want to use the Caps Lock key as a toggle for sending numeric keypad keys, replace the first two lines with this single one:

#If GetKeyState("CapsLock", "T")

Now, whenever the Caps Lock is on, your numbers will function as keypad numbers.

You can do all sorts of useful things with AHK and the numpad. For example, I needed to create bullets in Excel, which you can do with Alt + Numpad 7. I don’t have a number pad, so I whipped up a script that made Alt + # send as Alt + Numpad # (!7::!Numpad7). If you’re willing to experiment, you can solve just about any problem.

6. Buy an External Numpad

If you need to use a numpad a lot, you may want to go with this option. External number pads are exactly what they sound like: a small numpad that you connect to your computer via USB or Bluetooth.

While this option costs the most, it does make it dead simple to use numpad keys on your laptop. The physical keyboard makes it infinitely faster to type out lots of numbers too.

No Number Pad? No Problem!

With the six numpad options above, you’ll be able to find a solution that best fits your needs. Whether you need a numpad for everyday use or the occasional activity, an emulator or external option can speed up your typing.

If you’re still looking for more shortcuts to make your life easier, why not learn to type accented characters without annoying alt codes?

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10 Most Common Programming and Coding Mistakes

Programming is all about working smart and finding effective ways to build useful software. Whether you’re creating software programs, web apps or mobile apps the principles of programming remain the same.

When first learning to code it’s important to understand good habits and bad habits. Knowing mistakes coders make, and how to avoid them, can help you build a better foundation in your programming. Here are 10 very common mistakes to avoid.

1. Repetitive Code

Don’t Repeat Yourself is one of the basic principles of programming that you will come across as you learn. This is often shortened to DRY, and code that is written using this principle is called DRY code.

Repeating code is an easy trap to fall into, and often takes some review to understand just how much code is repeated. As a good rule of thumb, if you’re copying and pasting code it’s probably repetitive and should be changed.

Get comfortable using loops and functions to do your work for you and this problem will go away.

2. Bad Variable Names

Variables are essential in programming no matter which language you’re working in. Because they are so widely used, it’s important to have good habits naming variables.

Variables should be named accurately and neatly. Avoid using general terms that don’t mean anything. It’s quick and easy to throw something together, but when you need to come back to your code later it makes it much more difficult to figure out what is going on.

Let’s say you’re writing a program that uses an interest rate to make a calculation. You write a variable to use in the program.

 let rate = 0.1;

All we really know about this variable is that it’s a rate. What kind of rate?

The code will work just fine, but it’s hard to tell what is going on here.

Instead, name your variables more clearly.

 let interestRate = 0.1;

3. Not Using Comments

Use comments! Comments are the documentation of your code. They’re the best way to describe what exactly is happening in your code as it grows. Sure, it seems a little bit more work to explain your code but you will be thanking yourself later.

Write a brilliant function? Write a comment about what it does. Creating a new object template for Object-Oriented Programming? Break it down with a comment. Comments are used in every language, and they are there for a reason.

Comments make your code cleaner, easier to navigate and make you the hero to the next developer that may need to work on your project.

4. Language Overload

A problem that seems to overload growing developers is the barrage of new languages and technologies. Online developer communities are full of questions about language choices.

Should I write in my app in JavaScript, or should I use a framework like Node.JS or Express? Should I use Python, Scala, or Ruby for development? C or C++ or C#? Which framework is best? Should I learn MongoDB or SQL or SQLite for a database? Is this language outdated??

Don’t worry about that.

Step back, focus on the basics. Languages come and go, but the most successful developers are problem solvers. Build your programming on algorithmic thinking and everything else will fall into place.

These technologies are just tools and if you know what the problems are, you will know which tool to use to solve them.

5. Not Backing Up Code

Not building the right habits to protect your code is frustrating to new developers, and disastrous to experienced ones.

As a programmer, it is so important to save and backup your work constantly. It’s no different than working on an important document or spreadsheet, which is saved frequently.

Learn how to manage your files with Git. Any version control really, the software you use does not matter as much as knowing how to use it well. You don’t want to lose an important change if your computer crashes or a network fails.

6. Complicated Code

Coding is not an IQ test. It’s not a challenge to see who can use the most intricate functions or impressive looking files. The code should be written in the spirit of solving problems efficiently. Simple code is easier to write, easier to maintain, and easier to manage.

To be clear, simple code does not mean taking shortcuts. Simple code means getting down to the heart of the problem you want to solve, and solving it effectively.

7. Not Asking Questions

Programming is hard to do well, and getting better means learning new things constantly. The best thing you can do is read and study programming to get better, but when you need some additional guidance do not be afraid to ask questions.

Asking questions can be intimidating, but most veteran programmers are glad to share knowledge and ideas.

Just make sure you’ve done your research and have given it a real effort. Experienced developers are more likely to mentor you if they see you’re dedicated to learning. Maybe keep a programming journal to get better, by keeping track of the important questions and answers.

8. Not Planning in Advance

Writing effective software starts with good planning and design. If you wanted to build a house you would draw up a blueprint before building. Programming is no different.

Before you even write one line of code, identify what you actually want to accomplish. Know what the problem is, how you want to solve it. If you try and figure problems out while you’re writing code, you may find yourself missing the right solutions.

Separate the problem solving from the coding and life is good.

9. Not Taking Breaks

Take a break, really! Programming is mentally taxing, and going hours on end pushing your brain to the limits will eventually wear you down. Even worse than fatigue, you could suffer headaches or neck pains which are signs of computer eye strain.

When you hit the wall, it’s time to take a break. Get away from the screen for a little bit and do something you enjoy. Read a book, hit the outdoors, go hiking, go out for dinner, anything that gets you away.

You’ll be mentally refreshed, and when you return you might find a new perspective on your code.

10. Not Having Fun

Programming can be challenging, frustrating, and can sometimes be a downright grind. Make sure you enjoy the little things that you love about coding and don’t forget to have a little fun.

Whether you got into it to solve complex problems, build beautiful designs, or just to learn a new skill use what you love to keep you going. There’s a lot to love about coding so get inspired! Get excited to make something new, and see it through to the end.

Don’t Make These Programming Mistakes

It’s easy to get into a rut, either trying to get your head around something that should be simple, or trying to remember what some code does. Whatever the problem, avoid making all of these mistakes and you should find your code improving.

Still struggling? Don’f forget, there are plenty of hobbies for programmers that don’t involve code.

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Spotify Wrapped 2019 Reveals Your Music Tastes

Spotify has revealed Spotify Wrapped 2019. Every year, Spotify reveals your listening habits for the year, and 2019 is no exception. However, with this being the last year of the decade, Spotify can also reveal your music tastes throughout the 2010s.

How to Reveal Your Spotify Wrapped 2019

When you open Spotify on your mobile you should see a banner advertising Spotify Wrapped 2019. If you aren’t interested in seeing your top artists and songs of 2019 or the decade as a whole, click “Dismiss”. Otherwise, click “Take a Look” to get started.

You’ll then have a wealth of content to explore. The first thing to do is “See how you listened in 2019”. This will “reveal your top artists, songs and genres of the year and more”. All presented in a pleasing audio-visual slideshow.

What to Look for in Spotify Wrapped 2019

You’ll see how your music tastes changed with the seasons, your favorite artist, your favorite song of theirs, and how long you spent listening to them, your mix of genres and global tastes, your favorite songs, and your favorite podcasts (if applicable).

Assuming you’ve been using Spotify for more than just 2019, you’ll then get statistics for the decade as a whole. This includes your time spent listening, your favorite artist and song for each year, and (ultimately) your artist of the decade.

If you want to delve even deeper you should see two new playlists: “Your Top Songs 2019” and “Best of the Decade For You”. Both of which are self-explanatory. There are also a host of other playlists, artists, albums, and podcasts to explore.

Spotify Knows Which Artists You Stan

The Spotify Wrapped website offers a wealth of information about you and your music tastes. Sure, this means Spotify is tracking which artists and songs you’re listening to, but if you’re not comfortable with that, you should probably start collecting vinyl instead.

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5 Cheap AirPods Alternatives: Affordable True Wireless Earbuds

The Apple Airpods are among the most popular wireless earbuds in the world right now. However, they’re not the only true wireless earbuds on the market.

Despite their success, Apple AirPods are expensive. If you’re after earbuds that don’t break the bank but give you a similar experience, you do have options.

Here are some of the best cheap AirPods alternatives available today.

1. House of Marley Liberate Air

House of Marley Liberate Air House of Marley Liberate Air Buy Now On Amazon $149.99

The House of Marley Liberate Air are affordable true wireless earbuds and make a great cheap AirPods alternative. Given the name, you won’t be surprised to learn that the company was founded by one of Bob Marley’s children. Their products are designed in line with the reggae legend’s values and are made from sustainable materials like bamboo, aluminum, and REWIND fabric composed of recycled plastic.

Fortunately, they don’t prioritize ethics over function. The Liberate Air are among the best true wireless headphones available today. They are IPX4 rated for sweat and weather resistance, have a nine-hour battery life, and come in a portable charging case. Like with the Apple AirPods, placing the earbuds into the case turns them off and can provide up to an additional 32 hours of battery life.

Although they don’t have quite the same integration with Apple’s products, the Liberate Air still play well with your other devices. There is a touch control on each of the earbuds that allows you to play/pause audio, pick up calls, and start conversations with your phone’s voice assistant. They come with three tip sizes, allowing you to find the right fit for your ears. Each earbud can be used on its own, or you can use both together.

2. TicPods Free

TicPods Free TicPods Free Buy Now On Amazon $49.99

Apple’s earbuds are expensive, that doesn’t mean you can’t find cheap AirPods, though. The TicPods Free are aesthetically very similar. Okay, so they aren’t technically AirPods, but they certainly look the part. You’ll even find many of the same features here, too.

That said, these are in-ear tips, so they are closer to the AirPods Pro than the original AirPods. The TicPods Free have touch controls on each earbud, allowing you to receive calls, play/pause audio, and interact with your phone’s smart assistant. Since they are IPX5 rated, you don’t have to worry about wearing these in the rain or at the gym.

The earbuds have four hours of battery life, which can be extended by 14 hours thanks to the charging case. They also feature in-ear detection, so audio playback will pause when you take them out, and resume when they are back in your ear.

3. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Earbuds

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Earbuds Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Earbuds Buy Now On Amazon $99.95

The UK-based company Cambridge Audio has a reputation for high-quality devices, and the Melomania 1 Earbuds are no exception. Despite their heritage, these earbuds cost roughly half the price of the AirPods, marking them out as a cheap AirPods alternative. Each earbud weighs just 4.6g, and they integrate with both Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

The Melomania 1 Earbuds achieve nine hours of playback, and the case can recharge them four times, for a total of 45 hours of playback. Once depleted, the earbuds take just 30 minutes to recharge, while the case takes a further two hours. Like the second-generation AirPods, the Melomania 1 use the latest Bluetooth 5 technology for up to 30 meters of connectivity.

4. RHA TrueConnect

RHA TrueConnect RHA TrueConnect Buy Now On Amazon $99.95

Apple’s AirPods have a distinctive look and are as much a fashion item as a set of earbuds. If you’re after a cheap AirPods alternative that emulates that striking design, then you should consider the RHA TrueConnect. While many true wireless earbuds feature the same in-ear design, the TrueConnect shares the AirPods lower extension. That’s not where the similarities end, though.

The TrueConnect are IPX5 rated for sweat and water resistance, use Bluetooth 5, and have a five-hour battery life. The companion case can recharge the buds to give an additional 20 hours of playback. They also support fast charging, taking just 15 minutes to provide 2.5 hours of audio. Like most true wireless earbuds, they also integrate nicely with your phone’s digital assistant—whether that’s Siri or Google Assistant.

5. Samsung Galaxy Buds

Samsung Galaxy Buds Samsung Galaxy Buds Buy Now On Amazon $109.98

Choosing a set of AirPods not only means you get high-quality earbuds but also tight integration with Apple services and products. If you use Samsung devices but want this level of integration, then you should opt for the Samsung Galaxy Buds. They quickly pair with Samsung devices but also work with any iPhone or Android smartphone.

Like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds come with a charging case. The case gives an additional nine hours to the Galaxy Buds six-hour battery life. As with other Samsung audio products, the earbuds are tuned by AKG for high-quality sound reproduction. For Android users, the Galaxy Buds also offer an Ambient Aware mode. This blends outside noise with your audio so that you can maintain awareness of what’s going on around you.

There’s splash-resistance, too, and three ear tip sizes for you to choose from. The adaptive dual-microphone mixes inner and outer microphone audio for clear voice calls, too. Another neat feature is that the earbuds can detect when you remove them from your ear. When this happens, they automatically pause audio playback and resume when you put them back in.

The Best Cheap AirPods Alternatives

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a good pair of wireless earbuds, Apple Airpods aren’t always the way to go. The options we’ve laid out all sync well with both iPhones and Android phones, sound fine for day-to-day usage, and fit well in the ear.

These earbuds all emulate Apple’s own true wireless earbuds and are considered among the best cheap AirPods alternatives available today.

If none of these alternatives entirely do the trick, you may find yourself still considering a set of AirPods. In that case, you’ll need to decide whether the AirPods or AirPods Pro are right for you.

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8 Brilliant Search Tools Hidden Within Google Photos

Google has become synonymous with searching for things online. We’ve always exalted the company for its brilliant search tools, including some you’ve probably overlooked. Such as the Google Photos search tools.

One of the lesser known facts about Google Photos is that its search parameters have powerful algorithms that are on a par with Google’s main search engine. These tools work well, whether you’re using Google Photos on your desktop, Android, or iOS device.

Here are the different Google Photos search tools to use.

1. How to Search Google Photos by Name

If you’re using Google Photos on your phone, you can search for people using the Selfie category. Google also has the ability to recognize faces through the mobile app.

To connect a face to a specific person:

1. Click on a photo with a person in it. Make sure you’re in edit mode.
2. Under the picture, you’ll see a category called PEOPLE.
3. Click the link that says face(s) available to add.
4. Once you’re on the new page, tap on the face icon of the person you want to add to your library. Then press the + sign to Create a new person.

On the browser version of Google Photos, the option to search people by their face is more limited. However—if you haven’t tagged them on the mobile app—you can still search for them by their name if you add their name to the photo itself.

To search by name:

1. On the edit screen for your photo, you’ll see an Info line.
2. Click on it to add the person’s name.
3. Later, if you decide to do a Google Photos search by name, the app will bring up the picture.

You can repeat these steps to add as many people as you want to your photos. Doing so will make the hunt for photos of your family a breeze.

NB: While most Android users will use Google Photos by default, we’ve previously asked, should you be using Google Photos on your iPhone?

2. How to Search Google Photos by Location

Provided that your phone’s camera has geo-tagging turned on—or you add the location manually—you can do a Google Photos search by address, city, or general location. The only downside? You need to type the address exactly as it appears, or Google might not pull it up.

For example, typing “Melbourne VIC, Australia” in my search bar displays all of the different pictures I took in Melbourne that were saved to my account.

3. How to Search Google Photos by Date

One of the most straightforward ways to search for a picture in Google Photos is by date. It’s also the most commonly known way to search, as it’s the one that people default to when they’re not familiar with the other options.

When you search by date, you can type a specific time, such as “August 22, 2019.” You can also enter an approximate time like “August 2019,” or even just a general year to see all the photos taken during that time frame.

You can also search for words like evening, morning, summer, and winter. All of these search terms will pull pictures that were roughly taken during these time frames.

It should be noted, however, that Google can get the “time of day” category wrong. This is because it confuses bright indoor photos with daylight photos.

4. How to Search Google Photos by File Type

One really great way that you can learn how to search Google Photos is by file type.

Let’s say you’ve got a lot of images stored on your account, but you’re specifically searching for JPEG (or JPG) images to use on the web. Google Photos allows you to search for all photos with this file type, just by typing it in.

In this case, the JPEGs will automatically be listed from newest to oldest.

5. How to Search Google Photos Albums by Event

Among all of the searches we’ve conducted, searching by event “types” was the one that surprised us the most.

You can look for picnics, birthdays, parties, weddings, or sporting events. These search results will not always be 100 percent accurate—for example, any photo with a cake will appear as “birthday”—but the fact that Google can still recognize these events is impressive.

6. Do a Google Photos Advanced Search by Objects or Items

Another great way that you can search Google Photos is by looking for pictures based off of specific objects, items, animals, or landmarks. Try searching for:

• Water
• Sky
• Cake
• Flower
• Tree
• Lake

If you do, each of these keywords should produce accurate search results. For example, typing in “forest” on my own account immediately brought up dozens of pictures of forests that I have taken throughout the year.

7. How to Search Through Scanned Photos

Google has a free app called PhotoScan which lets you digitize your old photos. If you’ve installed the app, you can use it by opening up PhotoScan to scan your documents. Next, upload your scanned pictures to your Google Photos account.

Going forward—when you do a Google Photos search—all you have to do is click the PhotoScan button on the dropdown menu beneath the search bar. You can also type in the word “Photoscans” to see all your digitized images.

Download: PhotoScan by Google Photos on Android | iOS

8. How to Combine Values on a Google Photos Search

This tip is probably one of the best for using Google Photos, and it’s also my personal favorite. Basically, all you have to do is combine two of the values mentioned above to create a more specific search term.

For example, typing “plant 2019” displays all the pictures I took during 2019 with plants in them. “Fall road” displays all fall-oriented pictures that feature a road.

If you want to search for people, type in your friend or family member’s name, plus the year or month that you took a picture of them. Searching “party Spain” displays results for parties that were geotagged to Spain, and so forth. You get the idea.

More Google Photos Features Worth Exploring

Knowing that you can find any photo in seconds is evidence that Google’s search tools have extended way beyond their original purpose. We even recommend Google Photos over iCloud Photos, as Google Photos compensates for its minor flaws by offering you so many different ways to search.

However, the ability to search is not all Google Photos can do. Here are some amazing Google Photo features you probably didn’t know about.

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How to Recover an Unsaved Microsoft Word Document in Seconds

The consensus is that most computer mishaps occur because of carelessness and an itchy trigger-happy finger. And when it comes to Microsoft Office, the lesson to save early and save automatically should be taught early.

Even with the right MS Office file saving etiquette in place, at times, documents disappear from the screen before you can hit the save button. If you suffer a Window blue screen, or even if your local power cuts out, your work will disappear from the screen.

Thankfully, a little Microsoft Office 2010 feature lets you almost instantaneously recover your lost document. Here’s how.

Bring Back Your Microsoft Office 2010 Draft

Here is my open Microsoft Word document that is going go through some deliberate steps to demonstrate the “life-saving” feature that is present in Microsoft Office 2010.

1. Recover Your Microsoft Office 2010 Unsaved Document

If you close your Microsoft Office 2010 Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file unwittingly, quickly open the Microsoft Office program again and create a new document. Go to File > Info > Manage Versions.

In Word 2010, click on the little dropdown and select Recover Unsaved Documents. In Excel 2010, click on Recover Unsaved Workbooks, and in PowerPoint, select Recover Unsaved Presentations.

Microsoft Word opens the location where a copy of the draft resides.

2. Save Draft As…

Now, select the draft and open it in a new Microsoft Word (or Excel or PowerPoint) document. Once your data recovers, select Save As, enter a document name and save it. Microsoft Office keeps copies of unsaved drafts for four days. After that time, the draft is deleted automatically.

While opening the recovered unsaved document, you can also make use of the Open and Repair feature. Open and Repair troubleshoots documents that have become corrupted or damaged in the process.

3. Manually Open Saved Drafts in Microsoft Office 2010

If the recovery draft doesn’t appear automatically, you can browse to the following locations and search manually. The location depends on the Windows version you are using.

• Windows 7 onwards: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\<Application_Name>
• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\<App Name>

Microsoft Office automatically saves drafts. The AutoRecover option kicks in after 10 minutes. You can easily change the AutoRecover interval to a higher frequency to give you better peace of mind. Head to File > Options > Save. Check the existing AutoRecover period and reduce it accordingly.

Remember that AutoRecover is a lifesaver at times, but it is no substitute for good file saving habits. That means save often and save to more than one location where possible.

Bring Back Your Microsoft Office 2019 Draft

Modern versions of Microsoft Office do most of the document recovery legwork for you. Not that Microsoft Office 2010 made document recovery difficult. But since Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Office Document Recovery returns your drafts automatically the next time you start an Office program.

1. Microsoft Office 2019 Document AutoRecovery

The first thing to do is to open the Microsoft Office program you were using. Once it opens, you’ll meet the Microsoft Office Document Recovery panel. The Document Recovery panel lists the unsaved files that were in use before the system crash.

Select the files you want to recover from the list, then save the documents you want to keep.

2. Microsoft Office 2019 Manual Document Recovery

There is a second Microsoft Office 2019 document recovery method. If the automatic recovery option doesn’t work, you can attempt to recover your work manually.

Open the Microsoft Office program you were using, then open a new document. Head to File > Info, then select Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents. Browse through the Microsoft Office autosave files and find your lost document, then select Open. Once open, make sure to save your file.

3. Search Windows for .asd or .wbk Files

If for some reason the default AutoRecover location is empty, you can always attempt to search your system for the Microsoft Office draft file extensions. Microsoft Office autosaved files typically use the .asd or .wbk file extension.

Press Windows Key + E to open File Explorer. In the top-right search box, input “*.asd OR *.wbk“, without the quotation marks. Please note that “OR” is part of the search function.

Customize Microsoft Office 2019 AutoRecover Settings

If you are fortunate enough to retrieve the unsaved Word document, you should now take steps to make sure it never happens again. And if you didn’t recover the document, you should also move to protect your future work efforts.

While AutoRecover will save your work, the default option is to automatically save every 10 minutes. Even if you work at a slower pace, 10 minutes is an epoch when it comes to computer work.

Head to File > Options > Save and reduce the default AutoRecover time. Also, tick Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving. That option helps to recover your work if you accidentally close Microsoft Office without saving.

AutoRecover Is Your Friend

AutoRecover is a feature to rely on. More often than not, it will help save you from all that can go wrong while working on a long document.

Microsoft Office 2010 made it slightly easier to get back an unsaved document than the earlier versions of Office. Microsoft Office 2019 streamlines that process further. If you are still on Microsoft Office 2007, check out how you can use AutoRecover to come to your rescue.

Of course, Microsoft Office cannot always stop the loss of an important document. At times, you need to dig deeper into your storage in the hope the lost file still exists. If that sounds like you, check out the best free data recovery tools for Windows.

Image Credit: Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock

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A video game that helps us understand loneliness | Cornelia Geppert

A video game that helps us understand loneliness | Cornelia Geppert

Step into artist Cornelia Geppert's visually stunning video game "Sea of Solitude," which explores how battling the "monsters" of loneliness and self-doubt can help us better grapple with the complexity and struggles of mental health.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

300M-user Imgur launches Melee, a gaming meme app

10 years after debut, 300 million monthly user Imgur is one of the last massively popular yet unpersonalized home pages on the internet. Since everyone sees the same upvoted posts when they open Imgur, it creates a shared experience full of inside jokes and running gags. But while you can switch to a feed of topics and creators your follow, Imgur has focused on a one-size-fits-all approach over catering to niche audiences.

The gaming community deserved better, and Imgur needed to seize this opportunity. Video and board game tags were the most popular on Imgur, with 46% of users following them. Esports, Twitch, and streaming stars like Ninja have gone mainstream. And there’s a whole world of esoteric memes about absurd in-game moments, highlights from epic wins, and commentary about the industry. That stuff gets diluted and buried on cross-functional apps like Imgur, is tough to easily browse on Reddit, and often times content about all games is mashed together even though you might only play certain ones.

That’s why today, Imgur is launching Melee, the company’s first app beyond its flagship product. Melee lets users subscribe to the games they love to get a feed of memes and gameplay clips. It’s an elegant way to prevent you from seeing jokes you don’t understand or feats of skill you don’t care about. You can also scroll through a popular posts feed if you’re curious about unfamiliar games. Melee debuts today on iOS with an Android version coming in Q1 2020 and a desktop version down the road.

“Gamers are constantly taking recordings and screenshots of the games they’re playing” Imgur founder and CEO Alan Schaaf tells me. “But we found that there’s no place for gamers to share those clips. We want to give these highlights a home.” If 92% of surveyed Imgurians consider themselves ‘gamers’, and the average one already spends 30 minutes per day on Imgur despite it being a general purpose image sharing network, there was clearly room to build something just for them.  Schaaf says “Imgur is interested in building things that the Internet wants.”

There’s an immediate in-group feel when you play with Melee. Whether you’re into Fortnite, Smash Bros, or Dungeons & Dragons, you can find your people to geek out with. There’s certainly already forums on Reddit, Memedroid, and elsewhere dedicated to specific games, but those can get a bit exhausting. Melee keeps things spicy by combining content about your picks in one feed. It’s actually a savvy way to browse any genre of memes. I could see Melee expanding into letting you follow your favorite TV shows, movies, and bands…or someone else might with a copy of its format.

I was glad to hear that Imgur took safety seriously with Melee after stumbling into building messaging into its main app without proper protections in 2016. It has multiple layers of community and staff moderation, will remove obscene content, and won’t tolerate bullying. That’s critical in the gaming space that has a nasty habit of turning toxic. If Imgur can keep things on the rails, it plans to monetize Melee with the company’s expertise in display ads.

Eventually, Schaaf hopes Melee can also help up-and-coming game streaming stars find a following, since on Twitch and YouTube they’re often overshadowed by the biggest stars. “If you start a stream today, you have virtually no chance of attracting an audience and competing in this market. Streamers need a place to post their gameplay in order to grow their audience on streaming platforms” Schaaf tells me. “Melee is that place.” He plans to add more robust profiles and ways for broadcasters to promote their streams in 2020. Viewers will benefit as Melee lets them bypass watching a multi-hour stream just for the best parts.

Imgur remains one of the biggest internet communities no one talks about, despite being a top 15 most popular site in the US according to Alexa. Schaaf bootstrapped the company from his bedroom and beyond for the first 5 years before taking a $40 million Series A in 2014 from Andreessen Horowitz. Now it’s focusing on becoming a more lucrative business. The startup took a $20 million funding round from strategic partner Coil which is going to help Imgur launch a premium subscription tier to its free site.

Imgur started at the end of the web era, and took years to build a full-fledged mobile app. Melee is truly mobile first, and offers a lifeboat to Imgur in case its original tribe disperses. It’s a smart way to harness the massive untapped energy of gamers, the way Instagram harnessed our newfound phone cameras. Finally, meme culture is getting purpose-built social networks.

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