Easy tips

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 10 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. You can find me on Instagram (Photo: Molly Flores) But times have changed andphone camerashave gotten better and better. The latest models offer imaging and video that's often superior to budget point-and-shoot cameras, and offer nifty software tricks to blur backgrounds, just like an interchangeable lens camera with an f/2 lens. Check out these tips to get the best images you can get from your phone. But remember, even with the latest tech, phones aren't as versatile imaging tools as modern interchangeable lens cameras. An Start With a Good Camera Phone The iPhone 14 has a fantastic camera system (Credit: Eric Zeman) Smartphone camera quality has enjoyed a big leap forward over the past couple of years. If you're using an older handset, chances are the camera isn't up to snuff. If camera quality is a priority when shopping for a new one, make sure you peruse our list of the Look for the Light Window light adds some depth to this scene shot by the iPhone 11 Pro (Credit: Jim Fisher) Smartphones have very bright lenses and include special modes for making images in very dim light—the Night modes in the latest iPhone and Pixels do a much better job than point-and-shoot cameras. Even so, it's a good idea ...

What is a healthy diet? Eating a healthy diet is not about strict limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and boosting your mood. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. The truth is that while some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. The cornerstone of a healthy diet should be to replace processed food with real food whenever possible. Eating food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a huge difference to the way you think, look, and feel. By using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create—and stick to—a tasty, varied, and nutritious diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body. The fundamentals of healthy eating While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. You don't need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest options from each category. Protein gives you the energ...

We’re all different when it comes to upgrading our phones. Maybe you get a new one every year or don’t even think about it before having your device for at least five years. But no matter how often you swap your handsets, you want to make sure you’re giving your gadget the best chance at a long life by properly looking after it. This will result not only in a better experience for you but in not having to upgrade your phone as quickly as you otherwise would, saving you a substantial pile of cash along the way. [Related: Esthetics are not the only factor to consider, so think carefully about which one you want. Thicker cases offer more protection but obviously add more bulk to your device. Besides shielding your phone, some cases also offer extras like an additional battery pack or slots to store your credit cards. Streamline the software Sometimes it’s not the hardware that prompts an upgrade, but the software—Your phone has slowed down to a crawl and apps are crashing or taking ages to load up. There are ways to give your device a longer life by improving your device’s performance but know that you can’t put it off forever. There will always be a point of no return where you’ll either have to lower your expectation as to what you can do with your phone, or get a new one. First and foremost, keep your phone updated with the latest versions of its operating system and individual apps. This will allow it to run optimized code at all times, with the latest bug fixes and effic...

US families have so many expenses to balance from monthly bills to rent to gas, and costs can pile up quick. It's possible to save some money by simply changing a few habits around the houselike doing laundry the energy-efficient wayand making your own coffeeinstead of buying from a coffee shop, but I also recommend saving money on groceries. Specifically, I suggest planting and growing your own herbs. They grow well indoorsand outdoors. And that eventually translates to fewer trips to your local grocer. Plus, a hint of fresh basil or rosemary on your pasta, poultry, roasted meats and veggies will punch up the flavor of any dish. Growing your own herbs really isn't difficult (so don't fret if you have a black thumb). All that's required are proper materials, planting pots and a workable plan. Here's what you need to do. (You can also check out whether or not it's cheaper to buy groceries online than in the store, and if meal kits are more cost-effective than buying individual ingredients 1. Pick some pots One huge appeal of a home-grown herb garden is it's always ready for action. Need to spice up that pasta or chicken roast? Just grab a few leaves of basil, sage or a sprig of thyme. With a pot, you can place your herbs in convenient locations, like on your porch, your deck or your kitchen counter. The material of your container can vary. Mason jars are pretty to look at, but they don't make the best herb gardens. Without proper drainage, your herbs will eventually experie...

Unless you live a charmed life, chances are there are aspects of it you’d like to improve. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, to find time for family and friends, to tackle that to-do list of mundane tasks, to get the printer to actually work. Out of these everyday difficulties, a Experts, ranging from authors to academics, offer their bite-size, low-lift advice on how to live a better life. While these tips are meant to be easily implemented, by no means should you attempt them all — just try what speaks to you and your circumstances. Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. Try to get natural light every day (and treat sleep like your friend) “Number one in my mind is having light during the day, particularly in the morning. Sunlight is free. Even if it’s overcast, there’s still lots of bright light outdoors. It’s a triple whammy of being good because you get light, you get fresh air, you get to move your body. Going outside during the day is such a good thing for your sleep and overall mental and physical health. My number two is to treat your sleep as you would treat your friend. This means prioritizing them and making sure you have time and space for them, but also not being overbearing and chasing them down and forcing sleep to happen. If you strike that balance between being there and holding space for your friend, sleep, but also being chill about it and not being too overbearing, then you’re going to have an easier time having the s...

Besides the upkeep of watering and feeding your precious plants or homegrown veggies, they also need a good fertilizer to give it nutrients and a healthy boost. The key nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — which are found in most commercial fertilizers. But, did you know you can make homemade fertilizer using simple things in your kitchen? In fact, these surprising items (that we often throw out), all contain the same essential nutrients needed to help your plants grow healthy and green. Without these nutrients, your plants will show signs of deficiency, like yellowing or wilted leaves. Simply mix one tablespoon of white vinegar to 4 1/4 cups (1 litre) of water to create a solution. Then, water your plants every three months or so. Experts suggest using this as a replacement for soil acidifiers, and houseplant fertilizers. To check the acidity levels, you can invest in a pH meter like this SONKIR Soil pH Meter ( $10, Amazon), to ensure your soil is in good condition. In fact, white vinegar makes an effective weed killer, and can repel all sorts of pests such as insects, slugs, snails, ants and other common pests. However, never use undiluted white vinegar, and also avoid these 7 things you should never clean with white vinegar. 2. Grass-clipping tea Grass clippings being held (Image credit: Shutterstock) After mowing the lawn, we tend to either bag up the waste, or compost it. However, grass clippings are nitrogen-rich, and can be reused in several ways. To ...

US families have so many expenses to balance from monthly bills to rent to gas, and costs can pile up quick. It's possible to save some money by simply changing a few habits around the houselike doing laundry the energy-efficient wayand making your own coffeeinstead of buying from a coffee shop, but I also recommend saving money on groceries. Specifically, I suggest planting and growing your own herbs. They grow well indoorsand outdoors. And that eventually translates to fewer trips to your local grocer. Plus, a hint of fresh basil or rosemary on your pasta, poultry, roasted meats and veggies will punch up the flavor of any dish. Growing your own herbs really isn't difficult (so don't fret if you have a black thumb). All that's required are proper materials, planting pots and a workable plan. Here's what you need to do. (You can also check out whether or not it's cheaper to buy groceries online than in the store, and if meal kits are more cost-effective than buying individual ingredients 1. Pick some pots One huge appeal of a home-grown herb garden is it's always ready for action. Need to spice up that pasta or chicken roast? Just grab a few leaves of basil, sage or a sprig of thyme. With a pot, you can place your herbs in convenient locations, like on your porch, your deck or your kitchen counter. The material of your container can vary. Mason jars are pretty to look at, but they don't make the best herb gardens. Without proper drainage, your herbs will eventually experie...

Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Unless you live a charmed life, chances are there are aspects of it you’d like to improve. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, to find time for family and friends, to tackle that to-do list of mundane tasks, to get the printer to actually work. Out of these everyday difficulties, a Experts, ranging from authors to academics, offer their bite-size, low-lift advice on how to live a better life. While these tips are meant to be easily implemented, by no means should you attempt them all — just try what speaks to you and your circumstances. Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. Try to get natural light every day (and treat sleep like your friend) “Number one in my mind is having light during the day, particularly in the morning. Sunlight is free. Even if it’s overcast, there’s still lots of bright light outdoors. It’s a triple whammy of being good because you get light, you get fresh air, you get to move your body. Going outside during the day is such a good thing for your sleep and overall mental and physical health. My number two is to treat your sleep as you would treat your friend. This means priorit...

We’re all different when it comes to upgrading our phones. Maybe you get a new one every year or don’t even think about it before having your device for at least five years. But no matter how often you swap your handsets, you want to make sure you’re giving your gadget the best chance at a long life by properly looking after it. This will result not only in a better experience for you but in not having to upgrade your phone as quickly as you otherwise would, saving you a substantial pile of cash along the way. [Related: Esthetics are not the only factor to consider, so think carefully about which one you want. Thicker cases offer more protection but obviously add more bulk to your device. Besides shielding your phone, some cases also offer extras like an additional battery pack or slots to store your credit cards. Streamline the software Sometimes it’s not the hardware that prompts an upgrade, but the software—Your phone has slowed down to a crawl and apps are crashing or taking ages to load up. There are ways to give your device a longer life by improving your device’s performance but know that you can’t put it off forever. There will always be a point of no return where you’ll either have to lower your expectation as to what you can do with your phone, or get a new one. First and foremost, keep your phone updated with the latest versions of its operating system and individual apps. This will allow it to run optimized code at all times, with the latest bug fixes and effic...

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 10 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. You can find me on Instagram (Photo: Molly Flores) But times have changed andphone camerashave gotten better and better. The latest models offer imaging and video that's often superior to budget point-and-shoot cameras, and offer nifty software tricks to blur backgrounds, just like an interchangeable lens camera with an f/2 lens. Check out these tips to get the best images you can get from your phone. But remember, even with the latest tech, phones aren't as versatile imaging tools as modern interchangeable lens cameras. An Start With a Good Camera Phone The iPhone 14 has a fantastic camera system (Credit: Eric Zeman) Smartphone camera quality has enjoyed a big leap forward over the past couple of years. If you're using an older handset, chances are the camera isn't up to snuff. If camera quality is a priority when shopping for a new one, make sure you peruse our list of the Look for the Light Window light adds some depth to this scene shot by the iPhone 11 Pro (Credit: Jim Fisher) Smartphones have very bright lenses and include special modes for making images in very dim light—the Night modes in the latest iPhone and Pixels do a much better job than point-and-shoot cameras. Even so, it's a good idea ...