Pranay Parab

Mumbai

Independent Tech Journalist at Lifehacker

Independent tech journalist. Bylines @lifehacker @howtogeek Formerly: @Gadgets360. ❤ science fiction, trekking, swimming, and running. https://t.co/lmGGJTxk67

Articles

arbee Is the Bartender Replacement I've Been Looking For

1 week ago | lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

As someone whose job involves testing and writing about Mac apps, a crowded menu bar is an occupational hazard. Until its ownership change last year, my go-to recommendation for tidying up your menu bar was Bartender. But once it became clear that we don't really know who owns Bartender now, I tried a few alternatives, and none of them had all the features I was looking for.
How to Use Your Android Phone as a Webcam

1 week ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is sitting right in front of you. If your problem is that you need a webcam, you can try using your Android phone for the job instead of buying a dedicated device. This is especially useful if you have a spare Android phone lying around and you need it for video calls on your PC or Mac.
You Can Bring Back One-Tap 'Do Not Disturb' to Your Google Pixel

2 weeks ago | lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

Software updates are great when they make features better, but that doesn't always happen. Case in point: a recent Google Pixel update that's brought in a flurry of complaints. One of the least popular changes altered how Pixels handle the Do Not Disturb feature. Previously, you could swipe down from the top of your Pixel's screen and press the Do Not Disturb button in quick settings to toggle it on or off.
Try These Fixes If YouTube TV Stopped Working on Your Roku

2 weeks ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

The YouTube TV app has been disappearing for some Roku users. Luckily, if you are among those affected, there are a few fixes you can try for this issue. Starting this week, several users on both Reddit and Roku's forums have separately reported issues opening the YouTube TV app or even locating it on their Roku devices. Those who tried reinstalling the YouTube TV app were able to see an Open App button, but pressing it simply resulted in an error.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Might Be Compatible With the Webcam You Already Own

3 weeks ago | lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

As someone who's planning to buy the Nintendo Switch 2, I've had my eye on the accessories I'd need to get with the console. Since Super Mario Party Jamboree, which is getting some new mini-games in its Switch 2 port, is one of the games I'm very interested in, the Switch 2 Camera accessory caught my eye. After all, who doesn't want to make dramatic faces while playing with their friends? You can even use it for chat, too.
'Text Lens' Can Copy Any Text From Your Mac's Screen

3 weeks ago | lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

There are many ways to copy text that can't be easily selected, but few that are as simple and fast as Text Lens ($6)—a new Mac app by prolific developer Sindre Sorhus. Text Lens lets you select any part of your Mac's screen and automatically copy all of the text from that part. This makes it easy to copy text from images, videos, scanned pages, settings menus, and other types of text that are otherwise impossible to grab. Text Lens vs.
'Text Lens' Can Copy Any Text From Your Mac's Screen

3 weeks ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

There are many ways to copy text that can't be easily selected, but few that are as simple and fast as Text Lens ($6)—a new Mac app by prolific developer Sindre Sorhus. Text Lens lets you select any part of your Mac's screen and automatically copy all of the text from that part. This makes it easy to copy text from images, videos, scanned pages, settings menus, and other types of text that are otherwise impossible to grab. Text Lens vs.
Why I Pay for Kagi, the Ad-Free Google Search Alternative

3 weeks ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

Google search has steadily been getting worse, but most of its free alternatives just aren't as good at surfacing the things I'm looking for. Since Google makes money through advertising, its primary incentive is to boost revenue by showing you better ads. Of late, this has resulted in a noticeable decline in the quality of my search results. That brought me to the idea of using a paid search engine instead of Google. Enter Kagi. What is Kagi?
iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 Sneakily Enable Automatic Updates on Your iPhone and Mac

3 weeks ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

Apple just released iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 for the iPhone and Mac, respectively. Once you complete the update, you'll see a prompt informing you that, as part of the update, the company has enabled automatic updates on your device, even if you had previously switched them off. This means that, unless you do something, Apple will start downloading and installing future software updates to your devices on its own.
This App Gets Rid of Autoplaying Videos, Trackers, and Other Modern Browsing Annoyances

1 month ago | au.lifehacker.com | Pranay Parab

The modern internet is full of annoyances designed to make your experience worse. Sites disable copying, right-clicks, and shove all kinds of massive banners and autoplaying videos in your face, even when they hide the content you're there for. If this kind of thing bothers you, and you happen to browse on your iPhone or Mac, there is a solution: the StopTheMadness Pro app ($15). It works with Safari on your iPhone or Mac, and with Firefox and Chrome for Mac.