Pranay Parab
@pranayparab.com
Independent Technology Journalist Bylines: Lifehacker, PC Mag
Your iPhone already has a super-fast, free document scanner. No, it's not the one in Apple Notes. lifehacker.com/tech/iphone-...
Your iPhone Is Hiding a Powerful Document Scanner
iPhones running iOS 26 or newer ship with a fast and powerful document scanner, which is located in an unusual app.
lifehacker.com
Feels great to see more people complimenting @hiro.report's great work. Right as the newsletter completed its third (!) anniversary, it gets a shoutout in one of my favorite publications: @advisorator.com! advisorator.com/members/2026...
Opera's "Paste Protect" is a security feature that stops you from copying malicious code when browsing the web lifehacker.com/tech/opera-r...
Opera Just Rolled Out a Way to Block ClickFix Attacks in Its Browser
Opera's new Paste Protect feature blocks you from copying malicious scripts or commands. It lets you bypass blocks on certain sites you trust, too.
lifehacker.com
It’s been a long time coming. Apple’s waving goodbye to Intel Macs. lifehacker.com/tech/apple-d...
Apple Is Officially Dropping Support for Intel-Based Macs
Apple announced macOS 27 at WWDC, but only Macs with Apple silicon chips will be getting the update, marking the end of an era for Intel-based Macs.
lifehacker.com
Now @arsenalfc.bsky.social has won its first Premier League title in 22 years, it feels like a great time to post about my love for the club. I first heard about it from a few newspaper articles all the way back in 2005, liked the yellow O2 away kit, and hopped in for a wild ride. #Arsenal
Going underground till I’m done with A Parade of Horribles. Every book in Dungeon Crawler Carl is awesome, so I hope this one lives up to the hype. See you on the other side! #BookSky #TeamDonut
Just finished reading The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson. Really enjoyed the world building in this one, and the connection to the Stormlight universe. Always a fan of a good underdog story. I wish the antagonist was less of a pantomime villain, but the book is enjoyable regardless. #BookSky
I compiled a list of HomePod tips based on my 8+ years of experience with these speakers. I've had a love-hate relationship with this product, but I've learned how to work around its issues and enjoy the HomePod to the max. Pretty sure you'll find something useful here lifehacker.com/tech/homepod...
10 Hacks Every Apple HomePod User Should Know
The hacks will help you make the most of Apple's HomePod smart speaker.
lifehacker.com
My favorite #CES announcements are the ones with a clear launch timeline and pricing details. The Clicks Communicator and Power Keyboard both meet those criteria lifehacker.com/tech/this-ne...
This New Android Smartphone Is For Everyone Who Misses the Blackberry
Clicks Communicator is a BlackBerry-like smartphone with a physical keyboard. There's also the Clicks Power Keyboard, which is a power bank with a sliding keyboard.
lifehacker.com
Eternal Storms Software, makers of the useful iPhone and Mac apps like Yoink and ScreenFloat, have a Black Friday sale where 30% of the proceeds are going to the Austrian St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute. blog.eternalstorms.at/2025/11/27/e...
Eternal Storms Software’s Black Friday 2025 Deals With A Good Cause – Eternal Storms Software | Blog
blog.eternalstorms.at
This is my new favorite Apple Music app for Mac. It's also how I discovered that my library has an album that lasts exactly 666 minutes! :D lifehacker.com/tech/why-i-u...
Why I Use 'Albums' Instead of the Official Apple Music Mac App
Albums for Mac focuses on playing whole albums from your Apple Music library, instead of single songs.
lifehacker.com
Apple Podcasts has a voice boost feature in iOS 26, but it doesn't work particularly well yet. Hope they fix it in upcoming betas, but otherwise I'm going to continue with Overcast.
How to Boost Voices in Apple Podcasts in iOS 26
Apple Podcasts is getting an 'Enhance Dialogue' feature in iOS 26. It suppresses background noise and makes it easier to hear voices in podcasts.
lifehacker.com
Finally got my hands on Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde. My relatives from London handed it to me recently. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I’ve wanted to read for over 10 years! Big props to @biggreenbooks.bsky.social and the generosity of @matt-also-writes.com who bought this copy for me. 🙌🏾
I'm using my new Kindle without an Amazon account and that sent me down a rabbit hole looking for DRM-free ebook stores. Turns out that there are lots of options and you don't really need the Kindle store to buy books at all. lifehacker.com/tech/how-to-...
I 'De-Amazoned' My Kindle, and Here's How I Buy DRM-Free EBooks
A guide on how to legally buy DRM-free ebooks and send them to your Kindle or other ereader. DRM-free means you own these, and can read them on any device you have.
lifehacker.com
Found some apps that sync your iCloud photos with an external hard drive, which significantly reduces the chances of losing precious memories
Three Ways to Back Up iCloud Photos to an External Hard Drive
iCloud Photos is great for keeping an online copy of your iPhone pictures, but you should also store an offline backup just in case. Here's how.
lifehacker.com
Ergonomics is my favorite iOS 26 feature! No more finger yoga to reach the search bar
I Have a Pro Max iPhone, and iOS 26 Makes It Way Easier to Use One-Handed
iOS 26 has made it easier for your fingers to find important features such as the search bar, call controls, and much more. This is a welcome change for people who use Plus or Pro Max sized iPhones.
lifehacker.com
FINALLY! You can select partial text from your iPhone's Messages app in iOS 26. There's no need to select the whole message and then delete unwanted things. Can't believe it took them this long to ship this. https://lifehacker.com/tech/all-the-ios-26-features-apple-barely-mentioned-at-wwdc-2025
All the iOS 26 Features Apple Barely Mentioned at WWDC 2025
iOS 26 has plenty of under-the-hood improvements. Here are 36 of the best iOS 26 features that Apple briefly highlighted during WWDC 2025.
lifehacker.com
RIP iPhone XS! No more iOS updates for the phone I used until January of this year. https://lifehacker.com/tech/these-apple-devices-wont-get-software-updates-anymore
These Apple Devices Won't Get Software Updates Anymore
A lot of Apple devices support iOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26, but Apple is leaving a few old products behind. Here's a full list of all the iPhones, Macs, and iPads that will not get upgraded to version 26 of their respective operating systems.
lifehacker.com
I just realized that I have around 250 games in my Epic Games library but I haven't bought or played a single one of them. I keep claiming the free games whenever I see them, not even sure why lol
Bluesky has way too many verification types. If that's confusing, I'm here to simplify the whole thing https://lifehacker.com/tech/how-to-get-verified-on-bluesky
How to Get Verified on Bluesky
Bluesky now allows you to submit an application for verification. Here's what you need to know to get yourself that blue badge.
lifehacker.com
Even though my MacBook doesn't have a display notch, I still enjoyed using Alcove because it's really well-designed https://lifehacker.com/tech/alcove-brings-iphones-dynamic-island-to-your-mac
This App Brings the iPhone’s Dynamic Island to Your Mac
The notch in the MacBook Air and Pro is not dead space if you have the right apps. These notch apps bring the Dynamic Island from the iPhone to your Mac. This is most useful if you have a MacBook with a display notch, but it works just as well if your display doesn't have a notch.
lifehacker.com
I just finished book 5 of Dungeon Crawler Carl and wow… this series just keeps getting better. It really goes beyond the stats and power progression, and sets up a much bigger endgame. Can't wait to read the rest of this series.
Got back to using my PC after a bit of a break, and enjoyed playing around with the app switcher: https://lifehacker.com/tech/5-hidden-windows-app-switcher-secrets
Five Hidden Windows App Switcher Secrets
The Alt-Tab shortcut is well-known for switching between apps, but there's much more to the Windows app switcher than you might think. This guide includes tips that let you keep the app switcher on-screen permanently, change the look and feel of the app switcher window, and even open the app switcher in full-screen.
lifehacker.com
In a car, I start to feel nauseous if I look at a screen or read a book. Since Apple launched Vehicle Motion Cues last year, I've finally been able to use my iPhone when I'm a passenger in vehicles. So glad it's coming to Mac lifehacker.com/tech/ios-abo...
iOS Is About to Get a Lot More Accessible
Apple has revealed all the new accessibility features coming to the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro in 2025. These features will be available with the launch of iOS 19, macOS 16, ...
lifehacker.com
The Switch 1 should've shipped with these features, but it's better late than never! Can't wait for Switch 2 https://lifehacker.com/entertainment/the-switch-2-has-two-great-new-features-for-battery-health-and-security
The Switch 2 Has Two Great New Features for Battery Health and Security
Nintendo Switch 2 allows you to lock the console with a PIN, which will prevent unauthorized access of the device. Charging limits will help you use the console for longer without replacing its battery.
lifehacker.com
Had fun testing a whole bunch of podcast apps for this roundup. If I could justify the price of Castro's subscription, I'd probably make it my default podcast player. Having said that, all of these are really good apps: lifehacker.com/tech/the-bes...
The Best Podcast Apps of 2025
The best podcast apps have incredible features, such as setting podcasts as alarms, tweaking every part of the playback controls interface, and automatically adjusting playback speed. This guide evalu...
lifehacker.com
Apple's security prompts are bordering on paranoia now. I took a screenshot on my iPhone and sent it to my Mac, and now Apple won't let me open it. This is ridiculous!
