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Archive for November 1st, 2008

This Week’s Top Downloads [Download Roundup]

Posted by Lifehacker on November 1st, 2008


Dilate or Shrink Your Pupils on Command [Body Hacks]

Posted by Jason Fitzpatrick on November 1st, 2008


If the eyes are the window to the soul, being able to manipulate how your eyes appear to others is a rather tricky lifehack. Over at WikiHow they have a tutorial on methods of training yourself to shrink and enlarge your pupils. Why might you want to do this?

Scientists have actually studied how the way we feel about the things we see affects the size of our pupils (welcome to the world of pupilometrics). You can gain some insight as to how someone feels about you (or someone or something else) by observing changes in their pupils, and you can also affect the way someone feels about you by changing the size of your pupils!

The tutorial goes on to elaborate on several methods all of I, as your dutiful editor and purveyor of fascinating lifehacks, put to the test. In my unscientific testing, the most effective trick on the list was number two:

Look in the mirror. Try tensing your stomach in a variety of ways and see if it increases your pupil size. Some people can dilate their pupils in this way, although the underlying mechanism is unidentified. It could be connected to the feeling of "butterflies in your stomach" that you get when you like someone.

Or perhaps connected to the deep belly laughter of a maniacal genius bent on world domination! If you test out any of the odd (but safe) methods listed in the article, share in the comments below. For other body related lifehacks, check out our Top 10 Body Hacks.


PicoPad Wallet Notes [Stuff We Like]

Posted by Jason Fitzpatrick on November 1st, 2008

PicoPad wallet notes ensure you'll always have a pen and paper handy. Each notepad is the size of a few credit cards stacked (width and length is the same, but slightly thicker than a single card) and contains a mini pen and a stack of Post-It notes to scribble your impromptu notes on. While a PicoPad isn't a replacement for a full out notepad or stack of 3x5 cards, it's extremely small and will be with you whenever you have a wallet or purse handy. Use a similar product or DIY creation? Share with your note-taking-brethren in the comments below.


Web utility iPhoneThemeGenerator remakes your iPhone in your image. The site holds your hand through icon, background wallpaper, and dock changes, allowing you to customize every element to your liking. You can choose pictures from the default galleries or—if you're the creatively talented sort—you can upload your own images. When you're finished, the webapp compiles the theme in an iPhone friendly format. To get it on your phone, you'll need to have jailbroken your iPhone, then follow the instructions on the site. If you don't really feel like you own a gadget until you've fully customized it to your liking, this one's for you.