So, yesterday happened. And today we’re waking up in a new Facebook-news-free Australia. If you’d like to catch up on what exactly went down with the Australian media and Facebook yesterday, you can read about that here .

Today, however, I’d like to take a peek at one of the more popular news content aggregators out there, Apple News.

If you’re familiar with the service – awesome. If you’re new to it however and would like some insight into how best to use it, I’m here to help. I chatted with the team at Apple for a quick rundown on the app and got some tips on how to make sure you’re curating your news experience to suit your needs and preferences i.e. all Lifehacker, all the time (I’m joking).

What’s Apple News?

In short, it’s a free new service through Apple that pulls together a selection of news pieces on current events. The collection is managed by Apple News editors, and it’ll shoot you nifty notifications to let you know when breaking news has hit.

How about Apple News+?

Back in September 2019, Apple launched Apple News+ in Australia. This service is a paid subscription (you can sign up for $14.99 per month, after a one-month free trial) that pulls together the content from a solid chunk of popular magazines and newspapers. The platform will suggest articles based on your interests, and past reading habits.

If you’re signing up for the service, Apple recommends looking at an Apple One membership which bundles as many as six memberships including Apple Music, Apple TV, Arcade, iCloud, News and Fitness+ subscriptions. If you’re a fiend for an Apple service it may be worth considering. It’ll set you back $39.95 per month for all six, so crunch some numbers and see if it works out better for ya.

Anyway, I digress.

How to use Apple News, properly

Just by using the Apple News app, the service will begin to learn about your preferences and will start making suggestions on what you may like. But the service is customisable.

If you have a particular topic or outlet you’d like to be kept across, head to the Following tab. From here you can use the search bar to find those favourites of yours. Tap the plus symbol to add them to your feed. Pretty simple stuff.

You can also block channels (outlets) or topics if you’re not keen on seeing stories from them. To do this, tap the “more” button (the ellipsis) next to the title or term, and select Block Channel/Topic.

Tap Following > Blocked Channels & Topics to see the channels and topics you’ve blocked.

It’s worth noting here that Apple states although you won’t see blocked content in your Today Feed, you may see articles pop up if they’re featured by editors elsewhere on the app.

Lastly, scroll down to the bottom of the Following tab and click Discover Channels and Topics to find a selection of suggestions that you may not have thought of just yet.

If you’d like a super curated experience, you can also choose to only see news from pages and topics you follow in your daily news feed. For those who are very particular about what they read, you’ll want to head to Settings > News then turn on Restrict Stories in Today .

(These tips are tailored to iOS 14, so may be slightly different if you’re not using the latest operating system.)

Tailor your notifications

Stick around in the Following tab if you’d like to manage how many notifications you receive from the app. Scroll down and select Notifications & Email , then use the toggle to edit which updates you get pinged about.

And there you have it. A quick and simple guide to getting your Apple News app in order. If you’d like advice on other news sources, check out our write up on the best ways to stay informed after Facebook’s Australian media ban.

The post How to Get the Most Out of Apple News Now That Facebook Is a No-Go appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

This month hails a new era of content on Disney+. The new ‘Star’ hub will launch on the platform on February 23, providing a space for Disney’s more mature content.

Star is set to bring nearly 450 new movies and 155 TV series to the platform, basically doubling the size of the existing content library. To compensate for this, the price of Disney+ is also going up (details on that, here ). There is a workaround if you want t o hold onto cheaper prices for a while, however.

There’s some great new stuff to choose from including the Deadpool movies, Love Victor, Titanic, Alien and Die Hard, so that price hike looks like it’ll be worth it. To see if your favourite show or movie is hitting Disney+, however, we’ve compiled a list of all 600+ titles that will be hitting Star in Australia at launch.

Star originals

• Big Sky
• Love, Victor
• Helstrom
• Solar Opposites

Movies on Star

• 12 Rounds
• 127 Hours
• The 13th Warrior
• 25th Hour
• 27 Dresses
• 28 Days Later
• 28 Weeks Later
• 42 to 1
• 500 Days of Summer
• 9 to 5
• A Gift of Miracles
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
• Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
• Aftermath
• Air Force One (1997)
• Air Up There, the
• The Alamo (2004)
• Alien
• Alien Resurrection
• Alien Vs. Predator
• Alien: Covenant
• Alien3
• Aliens
• Aliens Vs. Predator – Requiem
• All About Steve
• Amelia
• Anna and the King
• Annapolis
• Another Earth
• Antwone Fisher
• Anywhere but Here
• Arachnophobia
• Armageddon
• The Art of Getting by
• The A-team
• Babylon a.d.
• Bachelor Party
• Bad Company (2002)
• Bad Company (Aka: Tool Shed)
• Bad Girls (1994)
• Baggage Claim
• The Banger Sisters
• Battle for the Planet of the Apes
• Battle of the Sexes
• Be Water
• Beaches
• Because of Winn-dixie
• Before and After (1996)
• Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
• Beloved (1998)
• Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• Best Laid Plans
• Bible, the
• Big Trouble
• Billy Bathgate
• Black Nativity
• Black Swan (2010)
• The Blue Max
• The Book of Life
• The Book Thief
• Bootmen
• Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation …
• Boys Don’t Cry
• The Bravados
• Braveheart
• Breakthrough
• Bringing Down the House
• Bringing Out the Dead
• Broadcast News (Aka: Nachrichtenfieber)
• Brokedown Palace
• Broken Arrow (1996)
• Broken Lizard’s Club Dread
• Brothers in Exile
• Bubble Boy
• Bushwhacked
• Butch and Sundance: the Early Days
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
• Calendar Girls
• The Call of the Wild (2020)
• Can You Ever Forgive Me?
• Can’t Buy Me Love
• Casanova
• Cedar Rapids
• Chasing Tyson
• Choke
• Chronicle
• Cinderella Man
• The Clearing
• Cleopatra (1963)
• Cocktail
• Cocoon: the Return
• Cold Creek Manor
• The Color of Money
• The Comebacks
• Commando (1985)
• Con Air
• Consenting Adults
• Conviction
• Corky Romano
• Courage Under Fire
• Coyote Ugly
• Cradle Will Rock
• Crazy Heart
• Crazy/beautiful
• Crimson Tide
• Crucible, the
• Damien – Omen Ii
• Dangerous Minds
• The Darjeeling Limited
• Dark Water
• Date Night
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• The Day After Tomorrow
• TheDay the Earth Stood Still (2008)
• The Day the Series Stopped
• Day Watch
• Dead Poets Society
• Dead Presidents
• Deadpool
• Deadpool 2
• Deception (2008)
• The Deep End
• Deep Rising
• Deion’s Double Play
• Deja Vu
• Delivery Man
• Demolition
• The Descendants
• Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Devil’s Due
• Die Hard
• Die Hard 2
• Die Hard With a Vengeance
• Doc & Darryl
• Doctor Dolittle (1998)
• Dodgeball: a True Underdog Story
• The Dominican Dream
• Double Take
• Down and Out in Beverly Hills
• Down Periscope
• Downhill
• Dragonball: Evolution
• Drive Me Crazy
• The Drop
• Dude, Where’s My Car?
• Duets
• The East
• Ed Wood
• Eddie the Eagle
• The Edge
• Edward Scissorhands
• Enemy of the State
• Enough Said
• Escape From the Planet of the Apes
• Ever After (Aka: Ever After: a Cinderella Story)
• Evita
• The Fab Five (2011)
• Face Off
• The Family Stone
• Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)
• Father of the Bride
• Father of the Bride Part Ii
• The Fault in Our Stars
• The Favourite
• Ferdinand
• The Fifth Estate
• Firestorm (1998)
• Flicka
• Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
• Flightplan
• The Fly (1986)
• For the Boys
• Four Falls of Buffalo
• French Connection Ii
• The French Connection
• Fright Night
• From Hell
• G.I. Jane
• Garage Days
• Gone in Sixty Seconds
• Good Day to Die Hard, a
• Good Morning, Vietnam
• The Good Son  (1993)
• Good, the Bad, the Hungry, the
• Goodbye Christopher Robin
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Greatest Showman
• Grosse Pointe Blank
• Guilty as Sin
• Gun Shy
• Hand That Rocks the Cradle, the
• He Got Game
• Hello Dolly!
• The Help
• Her Infidelity
• Hidalgo
• Hidden Figures
• Hidden Life, a
• Hide and Seek
• High Fidelity
• High Heels and Low Lifes
• The Hills Have Eyes
• The Hills Have Eyes 2
• Hitchcock
• Hitman
• Hitman: Agent 47
• Hoffa
• Holy Man
• Hope Floats
• Hope Springs (2003)
• The Hot Chick
• Hot Shots!
• The Hundred-foot Journey
• I Hate Christian Laettner
• I Heart Huckabees
• I Origins
• I Think I Love My Wife
• In America
• In Her Shoes
• Independence Day
• Into the Grizzly Maze
• Inventing the Abbotts
• Jenniferâ´s Body
• Jingle All the Way
• John Tucker Must Die
• Johnson Family Vacation
• Jojo Rabbit
• Jordan Rides the Bus
• Joshua
• Judge Dredd
• Juno
• Just Married
• Just Wright
• Keeping Up With the Joneses
• Kid Who Would Be King, the
• King Arthur
• Kingdom Come
• Kingsman: The Golden Circle
• Kingsman: The Secret Service
• Kinsey
• Kissing Jessica Stein
• The Ladykillers
• Last Dance (1996)
• The Last King of Scotland
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
• Let’s Be Cops
• The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
• Like Mike
• Little Big Men
• Little Miss Sunshine
• Live Free or Die Hard
• Logan
• The Longest Ride
• Mad Love (1995)
• Marked for Death
• The Marrying Man
• Martha Marcy May Marlene
• The Martian
• Mash
• Max Payne
• The Maze Runner
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
• Medicine Man
• Megan Leavey
• Melinda and Melinda
• Men of Honor
• Metro
• Miami Rhapsody
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: the Movie
• Mission to Mars
• Mistress America
• The Monuments Men
• Moonlight Mile
• Morgan
• Moulin Rouge (2001)
• The Mountain Between Us
• Mr. Popper’s Penguins
• Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
• My Cousin Rachel (1952)
• My Cousin Rachel (2017)
• My Cousin Vinny
• My Father the Hero
• Mystery, Alaska
• Nature Boy
• Need for Speed
• Never Been Kissed
• Never Let Me Go
• The Newton Boys
• Nixon
• No Mas
• Notes on a Scandal
• Nothing to Lose
• Notorious
• Of Miracles and Men
• Office Space
• Omen, the (1976)
• One Good Cop
• One Hour Photo
• The Other Side of the Door
• Other Sister, the
• Other Woman, the (2014)
• Our Family Wedding
• Out to Sea
• Paper Towns
• Patti Cake$
• Patton
• Pearl Harbor
• People Like Us
• Phenomenon
• Phi Slama Jama
• Picture Perfect (1997)
• Planet of the Apes (1968)
• Pony Excess
• The Poseidon Adventure
• Powder
• The Preacher’s Wife
• Predator 2
• Predators
• Pretty Woman
• Primeval
• The Proposal(2009)
• Quills
• Quiz Show
• Ramona and Beezus
• Ready or Not
• Rebound
• Red Tails
• Renaissance Man
• Revenge of the Nerds Ii: Nerds in Paradise
• Rio
• Rio 2
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes
• Robin Hood (1991)
• The Rock
• Romancing the Stone
• Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
• The Royal Tenenbaums
• Ruby Sparks
• Runaway Bride
• Rushmore
• The Scarlet Letter
• Scary Movie 4
• Sea of Shadows
• The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• The Secret Agent
• The Secret Life of Bees
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
• The Sessions
• Shadow Conspiracy
• Shallow Hal
• Shine (2018)
• Shining Through
• Sideways
• Signs
• Silver Streak
• Simple Twist of Fate, a
• The Sitter
• Six Days, Seven Nights
• The Sixth Sense
• Sleeping With the Enemy
• Snake Eyes
• Someone Like You
• Soul Food
• Sound of My Voice
• Speed
• Spies in Disguise
• Spy
• Spy Hard
• Stagecoach
• Starship Troopers
• Step
• Stoker
• Stuber
• Summer of Sam
• Sunshine (2007)
• Super Troopers (2002)
• Super Troopers 2
• Surrogates
• Sweet Home Alabama
• Table 19
• Taken (2008)
• Taken 2
• Taken 3
• Taxi (2004)
• Terminal Velocity
• Terminator: Dark Fate
• Thank You for Smoking
• That Thing You Do!
• The Shape of Water
• There’s No Place Like Home
• There’s Something About Mary
• This Means War
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Three Fugitives
• Three Men and a Baby
• Tim Richmond: to the Limit
• Titan a.e.
• Titanic (1997)
• Tolkien
• Tombstone
• Tora! Tora! Tora!
• Trance
• Transporter 2
• The Transporter
• Trapped in Paradise
• Tristan & Isolde
• True Identity
• Turbo: a Power Rangers Movie
• Unbreakable
• Under the Tuscan Sun
• Underwater
• Unstoppable (2010)
• Up Close & Personal
• The Verdict
• Veronica Guerin
• Victor Frankenstein
• The Village (2004)
• Viva Zapata
• Volcano (1997)
• Waiting to Exhale
• Waitress
• Waking Life
• Walk the Line
• Wall Street
• War for the Planet of the Apes
• War Horse
• The War of the Roses
• Warlock (1959)
• The  Watch(2012)
• Water for Elephants
• The Waterboy
• We Bought a Zoo
• What Carter Lost
• What’s Love Got to Do With It
• When a Man Loves a Woman
• While You Were Sleeping
• White Men Can’t Jump
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit
• Why Him?
• Wild (2014)
• Wild Hogs
• Wilson (2017)
• Win Win
• Working Girl (1988)
• The X-Files
• Year of the Scab

TV Shows on Star

• 24 S1-8
• 10 Things I Hate About You S1 and 2
• 2000s, the Decade We Saw It All S1
• 24: Legacy S1
• 24: Live Another Day S9
• 8 Simple Rules S1 and 2
• The 80s Greatest S1
• The 90s Greatest S1
• The 90s: the Last Great Decade? S1
• 9-1-1 S1 to 3
• According to Jim S1 to 8
• Alias S1 to 5
• Alone Together S1 and 2
• American Dad S1-s15
• American Housewife S1 to 4
• Angel S1 to 5
• Animal Fight Night S1 to 6
• Apocalypse World War I S1
• Apocalypse: the Second World War S1
• Area 51: the Cia’s Secret
• Army Wives S1 to 7
• The Astronaut Wives Club S1
• Baby Daddy S1 to 6
• Benched S1
• Betrayal S1
• Beyond S1 and 2
• Black-ish S1 to 5
• Bless the Harts S1
• Bless This Mess S1 and 2
• Blood & Oil S1
• Blossom S1 to 5
• Bob’s Burgers S1 to 9
• Body of Proof S1 to 3
• Bones S1 to 9
• Bordertown S1
• Brickleberry S1 to 3
• Brothers & Sisters S1 to 5
• Bunheads S1
• Buried Secrets of WWII S1
• Burn Notice S1 to 7
• Castle S1 to 8
• The Catch S1 and 2
• Chance S1 and 2
• The Chi S1 and 3
• The Cleveland Show S1 to 4
• Commander in Chief S1
• Cougar Town S1 to 6
• Dawn of the Nazis (Aka: Apocalypse: Hitler’s Rise to Power) S1
• Desperate Housewives S1 to 8
• Devious Maids S1 to 4
• Dirt S1 to 2
• Dirt S2
• Dirty Sexy Money S1 to 2
• Dollface S1
• Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 S1 to 2
• Drugs, Inc. S2, 3, 4 and 7
• Eli Stone S1 and 2
• Ellen S1 to 5
• Emergence S1
• Empire S1 to 6
• Family Guy S18
• Felicity S1 to 4
• The Finder S1
• Firefly S1
• The Fix S1
• Flashforward S1
• For the People S1 and 2
• Fresh Off the Boat S1 to 6
• Galavant S1 and 2
• GCB S1
• Genius S1 and 2
• The Gifted S1 and 2
• The Glades S1 to 4
• Glee S1 to 6
• Grand Hotel S1
• Grandfathered S1
• Greek S1 to 6
• Grey’s Anatomy S15, 16 and 17
• Grown-ish S1 to 3
• Heroes of the Long Road Home With Martha Raddatz
• Hill Street Blues S1 to 7
• Hitler Youth S1
• Hitler’s Death Squad S1
• Hitler’s Last Year S1
• Homeland S1 to 8
• The Hot Zone S1
• How I Met Your Mother S1 to 9
• Inside North Korea’s Dynasty S1
• Inside the SS S1
• Jane by Design S1
• Kevin (Probably) Saves the World S1
• The Kids Are Alright S1
• The Killing S1 to 4
• Kyle XY S1 to 4
• LA 92
• Lance
• The Last Man on Earth S1 to 4
• Last Man Standing S1 to 8
• Lie to Me S1 to 3
• Life in Pieces S1 to 4
• Locked Up Abroad (Aka: Banged Up Abroad) S5, 6 and 10
• M*A*S*H* Goodbye, Farewell & Amen – TV Special
• Make It or Break It S1 to 4
• Mars (Yr 1 2016/17 Eps 1-7) S1 and 2
• Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger S1 and 2
• The Mayor S1
• Melissa & Joey S1 to 5
• The Mick S1 and 2
• Mistresses S1 to 4
• Mixed-ish S1
• Motherland: Fort Salem S1
• My Name Is Earl S1 to 4
• My So-called Life S1
• My Wife and Kids S1 to 5
• Napoleon Dynamite S1
• Nazi Megastructures S1 to 6
• Nazi Megastructures: America’s War S5
• Nazi Megastructures: Russia’s War S1
• New Girl S1 to 7
• North Korea From the Inside With Michael Palin S1
• O.J.: Made in America – TV Special
• The Orville S1 and 2
• Outmatched S1
• Perception S1 to 3
• Prison Break S1 to 4
• Prison Break Event Series
• Private Practice S1 to 6
• Quantico S1 to 3
• Raising Hope S1 to 4
• Raising the Bar S1 and 2
• Real O’Neal’s S1 to 2
• Red Band Society S1
• The Resident S1 to 3
• Resurrection S1 and 2
• The River S1
• Rosewood S1 to 2
• Salem S1 to 3
• Samantha Who? S1 and 2
• Scandal S1 to 7
• Secrets & Lies S1 and 2
• Single Parents S1
• Sleepy Hollow S1 to 4
• Son of Zorn S1
• Star (Lee Daniel’s) S1 to 3
• Station 19 S1 to 3
• Stitchers S1 to 3
• Stumptown S1
• Trophy Wife S1
• Ugly Betty S1 to 4
• Ultimate Survival WWII S1
• What About Brian S1 and 2
• When We Rise (8 Eps)
• The Whispers S1
• White Collar S1 to 6
• Wicked City S1
• Witness to Disaster (Fka: Eyewitness) S1
• The X-Files S1 to 11
• Young & Hungry S1 to 5

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Still with me after all that? That is every single one of the 600 titles coming to Disney+’s new Star content hub. Get your watch list ready because they’ll be hitting your screen in a few weeks on February 23.

You can start streaming on Disney+ here .

And if you want more content to stream, check out our write up of everything available on all other streaming services for the month of Feb, here .

The post Every Title Coming to Star on Disney+ in Australia At Launch appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

It’s Friday friends, and man are we glad the end of the week is here. Not only because it means a glass of vino is patiently waiting for us, no. We’re glad because we’re bringing you the best available tech sales today and who doesn’t love a bargain ?

From mobile phones to headphones and internet deals, we’ve collected the best available deals in the tech space; ready for you to enjoy.

Check out some of our favourites below.

Mobile phone deals

Samsung sale

Image: Samsung

Telstra is offering a $480 discount on the newly released Galaxy S21 Ultra, which works out to be a $20 per month saving on a 24-month plan. Plans start at $112 per month with 40GB.

iPhone 12 deal

Telstra is also slinging a solid deal for those keen on getting themselves an iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro. If you register to get the new phone, they’ll throw in free Beats Flex. This deal is valid until March 1, 2021.

Best internet deals

There’s a solid selection of deals available on internet plans at the moment. SpinTel comes in at the cheapest at $74 per month for your first six months on a NBN 100 plan.

More on internet deals here .

Apple sales

(Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Apple AirPod deal

Apple AirPods Pro – $315 (down from $399)

Massager sales

RENPHO Massage Gun – Save $20 with Amazon coupon

Breo iSee Electric Eye Massager – $199.99 (save $30)

Dashcam deals

Uniden’s iGO CAM 65R – $154.95, down from $279.95

Garmin 010-02231-11 Dash Cam 56 – $213.95, save 23%

Smart home device sales

Google home sale

Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker (2nd Gen) – $44, save $35

Google Home Max – $338, save $111

Amazon deals

Image: Amazon

Echo Dot and Fire Stick Bundle – $89 (save $29)

Gaming deals

PS5 Controller Dual Charging Station – $29.99 (down from $39.99)

SteelSeries Arctis 7 headset – $182.77 (down from $339)

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (PS4) – $69 (down for $99.95)

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (PS5) – $69 (down for $99.95)

Ghost of Tsushima – $65 (down from $99.95)

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (PS5) – $59 (down from $89.95)

The post Tech Sales: The Best Deals from Samsung, Apple, Amazon and More appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Vision. Hearing. Smell. Taste. Touch. Proprioception. Proprioception? Few people are familiar with this sense, although its pioneer studies in the 19th century were by some of the giants of neuroscience: Claude Bernard who had a French university named after him, Sir Charles Bell, and Sir Charles Sherrington who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1932 and who coined the term proprioception.

So what is proprioception? It is the sense allowing us to feel and locate our body parts. Close your eyes, ask someone to move your right foot, and you will still know where it is. In fact, you can describe your body posture thanks to the integration by the nervous system of neurophysiological signals from receptors – proprioceptors – in the muscles, tendons, joints and skin that are sensitive to muscle length and force, to joint rotation, and to local bending of the skin. Proprioception is a key component of our “global positioning system”, which is essential in our daily life because we need to know where we are in order to move somewhere. Proprioception enables us to determine each body part’s position, speed and direction, whether we see it or not, and so enables the brain to guide our movements.

To understand the role of proprioception, researchers have studied rare patients who are deprived of it by disease of their peripheral nerves. Those individuals are unable to perform coordinated movements. The reason for the motor impairment is made clear when a patient, asked to move the legs by a neurologist, answers “Sure, Doc, as soon as I find them”. Oliver Sacks described such a subject in the chapter, “The disembodied lady”, in the best-seller The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1985). There, Christina is a young woman who has lost proprioception. She can hardly stand and even if she observes her hands carefully, she can barely use them. Other related cases were studied by scientists: Ian Waterman’s story about his “ missing body ” was the basis of a 1997 BBC documentary, The Man Who Lost His Body . It also appeared in two of Peter Brook’s plays, The Man Who (1993) and The Valley of Astonishment (2014), as well as Jonathan Cole’s books Pride and a Daily Marathon (1995) and Losing Touch: A Man without His Body (2016).

Ian was 19 when he lost proprioception and touch as a result of an autoimmune reaction to a viral infection. It is difficult to understand his sensory deficit, since his loss cannot be simulated like a visual or hearing loss can be, by blindfolding or plugging one’s ears. The closest we come to it is in anaesthesia, in really cold weather when we cannot feel our fingers, or when we experience a “dead limb” from awkward positioning and cutting off the blood supply to the sensors. But none of these really match Ian’s permanent loss. Our inability to conceive of its absence may be one reason proprioception remains such a poorly known sense. Another is that much of its activity occurs automatically and unconsciously. But studying participants like Ian can highlight how crucial proprioception is in everyday life.

When Ian was deprived of proprioception and touch, he also lost his ability to control his body. He spent 17 months in a rehabilitation centre learning to move, sit, feed himself, dress and then stand and walk, all the time looking at each moving part and having to think his way into actions. His need for vision and mental concentration was absolute; if he sneezed he would fall over, daydreaming was out of the question, and a head cold sent him to bed. Forty years later, Ian still has to think out each action. Though his functional recovery amazed researchers, all his everyday actions still depend on attention and vision, and neither can completely compensate for the loss.

For the handful of similar cases known across the globe, standing and walking has been too perilous, so they live from a wheelchair. We are fortunate that several of them have collaborated with scientists, mostly in Europe and North America, to help uncover the effects of proprioceptive and tactile loss and exploring their ingenuity in recovering movement. Ginette and Wenche-Lise have a severe sensory neuropathy similar to Ian’s: they may need an hour to peel a few potatoes as their manual dexterity is impaired .

Sana was born with a severe proprioceptive and tactile deficit and, at 31, has coordination issues as well. Movement is possible but far from normal when proprioceptive signals are missing.

Research has shown that the nervous system is a fairly slow processor and a critical aspect of movement is devoted to making predictions about the state of the body in the near future. Consider that when you interact with a friend, your perception of their words and movements occurs at least ¼ second after they act. Thus, we are always “behind the times”, and we solve this delay by making predictions of future events, using current information and stored memories. When someone throws you a ball, you predict where it will fall to place your hand at the right place at the right time to catch it.

It turns out that a big role of proprioception is to be able to quickly determine where our body parts are, so that we can make an appropriate motor plan. When you reach for your coffee cup, you don’t need to look at where you hand is before you move, you simply look at the cup and reach, employing an unconscious process to plan your movement. In contrast, Ian and Ginette must use vision to inform their brain of the state of their hand and body parts every time they move. Among other problems, this cognitive process is exhausting. Nor does it fully allow individuals deprived of proprioception to produce as accurate movements as those we produce with proprioception.

These participants’ efforts in laboratories have allowed researchers to unveil the paramount role of proprioception for motor coordination and can teach us not only about proprioception, but about the limits to rehabilitation for others too. For example, some of those with stroke, Parkinson’s and various neuropathies have proprioceptive deficits which contribute to their impairments and which are not always identified.

Society richly rewards those with the best motor coordination, whether they are athletes or artists. To achieve excellence, performers practice many hours per day. Ginette, Ian, Sana, Wenche-Lise and others have much in common with elite performers, practising and thinking about movement all day long, but are appreciated by a far smaller group of people – neuroscientists. While the loss of proprioception causes persistent deficits in posture and movement, the ingenuity and mental effort of these extraordinary people also reveals much about our capacity to explore the limits of what is possible in the face of previously unimagined impairment.

Fabrice Sarlegna , Chercheur/researcher CNRS @ Institut des Sciences du Mouvement, Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) ; Chris Miall , Professor of motor neuroscience, University of Birmingham ; Jonathan Cole , Professor, Bournemouth University , and Robert Sainburg , Professor of kinesiology and neurology, Penn State

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

The post The Real Sixth Sense You Don’t Even Notice You’re Using appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

If the idea of leaving your fur baby at home alone gives you separation anxiety , it might be time to invest in a pet camera. Not only do they allow you to see their cute little faces all day every day, but they’re also a great way to ensure they’re not tearing your furniture to shreds every time you leave the house.

Pet cameras are specifically designed to keep watch over your furry friends. They can dispense treats, allow you to interact with your dog or cat via two-way audio and even video chat, meaning you minimise those usual pet-teething problems like separation anxiety and boredom.

Whether you have a new puppy, an older cat, or even a different fury pet (this is Australia after all), there’s a pet camera out there to suit your needs and budget. Ahead, we take you through some of the best pet cameras and their price tags.

Before we get started it’s also worth noting that like any other smart home device that connects to Wi-Fi, you should always be mindful that there’s a chance it could be hacked and compromise your privacy. So made sure you have the correct privacy measures in place.

Pet Cameras for under $50

Reolink Pet Camera

As far as basic pet cameras go, this Reolink Pet Camera is affordable and does what it says on the lid. You can easily control the camera to rotate 355° horizontally and 50° vertically to scan every corner in the room for your furry friend. It also has night vision capabilities, motion sensor alerts, multi-channel and account sharing and works with google assist.

Reolink Pet Camera, $42.99

Faleemi HD Camera

Faleemi HD 720P Pan & Tilt IP Camera is a simple to use and can be remotely controlled from your computer, tablet or Smartphone. It features crystal clear picture quality, capturing video in full HD 720P and includes a built-in microphone and speaker to allow for two-way audio capabilities.

Faleemi HD Camera, $49.90

Pet Cameras for under $150

Victure 1080P FHD Pet Camera

The Victure 1080P FHD Pet Camera connects to both iOS and Android and can detect motion and sound, has two-way audio, send alerts and offers panoramic viewing at the touch of a button so you can keep track of your fury babies with ease.

Victure 1080P FHD Pet Camera, $98.40

EZVIZ C6TC WiFi Indoor Security Camera

While the EZVIZ C6TC WiFi Indoor Security Camera isn’t exactly a ‘pet camera’ per se, it’s more than capable of acting like one. It offers 1080P HD resolution, 355°horizontal rotation and 100°vertical rotation with full control via your phone. It also has motion detection, night vision and two-way audio so you can communicate with your little furry babies.

EZVIZ C6TC WiFi Indoor Security Camera, $146.89

Pet Cameras Under $300

CANARY Indoor Security Camera

Designed for Total peace of mind, you’ll never feel far from home or your pet with the CANARY Indoor Security Camera. See and hear what’s happening day or night in HD with a 147 Degree wide-angle lens. It’s also got automatic night vision, and motion detection so you can monitor everything your pet is up to… including destroying the furniture.

CANARY Indoor Security Camera, $228.36

Furbo Dog Camera

The Alexa-enabled Furbo Dog Camera is one of the most popular pet cameras on the market. It’s specifically designed for dogs (sorry kitties) and includes real-time barking alerts, treat tossing capabilities, two-way audio and night vision. It’s also a pretty sleek looking device so you can happily display it in your lounge room or main area.

The Furbo Dog Camera, $269

Pet Cameras under $500

Petcube Play 2

Petcube’s Play 2 is a Wi-Fi enabled camera that features 1080p HD video, 160º wide-angle view, and night vision. You can talk to your pet from anywhere with convenient two-way audio and get real-time notifications for sound and motion alerts (read: know when they’re up to mischief). The PetCube Play 2 also features a laser pointer and built-in Alexa assistant so you can play music, hear the news, control your smart-home devices, or entertain your pet while you’re out of the house. PetCube also has their Bites 2 version that’s super similar offers a treat dispenser instead of a laser.

PetCube Play 2, $457.39

The post The Best Pet Cameras So You Can Keep an Eye on Your Fur Baby appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

I don’t know about you, but every year when the Australian Open rolls around I get the sudden urge to take up tennis. However, since I’ve never stepped onto a tennis court in my life, it’s hard to know where to start and what beginner tennis equipment to buy.

The equipment required for tennis seems pretty basic — a racquet and a ball. However, it’s important that you get the right style and fit for both. When it comes to racquets, the better you get at tennis the more technical and advanced your racquet needs to be. But generally speaking, for a beginner, a lightweight racquet with a bigger head size is best. This will make returning serve easier and be a little more forgiving if you’re not a future Federer.

As for balls, there are actually different balls for different skill levels — professional, championship and practice balls. Each ball kind of does what it says on the lid, the pro balls are used in professional tennis games, they’re high quality, don’t fray easily and usually the most expensive. Championship balls are the next step down in pressure, quality and price. And practice balls are just that, practise balls — or in this case, beginner balls.

Other things you should consider investing in if you’re going to take up tennis is a good pair of sunglasses or a visor/hat, grips, dampeners, a tennis bag/racquet cover, and a lightweight, cotton tennis outfit.

Below, we rounded up some beginning tennis equipment so you can ace your future grand slam career… or you know, a spot of recreational tennis this weekend.

The best beginner tennis equipment

Best beginner tennis racquets:

Wilson Adult Recreational Tennis Racket, $33.40 – $161.42

HEAD Ti. Reward Tennis Racket, $55.63

Wilson Roger Federer 26 Tennis Racket, $39.95

oppum Adult Carbon Fiber Tennis Racket, $59.55

Best tennis balls for beginners:

HEAD Radical Tennis Balls, Triple Pack (12 Balls), $23.79

Slazenger Advantage Grasscourt 4 Ball Can, $11.99

Wilson Prime All Court Tennis Balls 4 pack (12 balls), $35.90

Dunlop Tour Brillance Tennis Balls, $23.32

The best tennis bags/ racquet covers:

Wilson Universal Tennis Racquet Cover, $14.99

Athletico 3 Racquet Tennis Bag, $53.85

Wilson Match III Tennis Bag, $49.95

HEAD Tennis Racquet Cover Bag, $25.12

The post Beginner Tennis Equipment if You’re Feeling Ballsy Thanks To the Aus Open appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Positioning your monitor higher up can make for a more comfortable working environment, along with saving space on your desk. Plus, being able to properly and fully adjust your monitor’s position can make a world of difference to your ongoing health. Here are the main things to consider when choosing a monitor stand.

If you buy a a monitor it always comes with a stand of some kind, but you’re frequently stuck with a single position and single height point. If you’re very lucky, you might be able to mildly tilt your monitor to reduce neck strain or onscreen glare, but that’s often it when it comes to adjustments.

Now, if you do have a monitor with a fully adjustable arm for height and tilt considerations, then all you need to do is read up your product manual and adjust it on your desk when you’re working from home.

If your monitor doesn’t allow for that, you’ll need to get yourself a stand or a monitor arm to elevate and properly place your screen at an optimal viewing angle. Here’s what you should consider when buying:

• Monitor stand or monitor arm? The choice largely rests on how and where you’re actually placing your monitor, with most stands acting as simple risers – meaning that they’re easy to install or move around but lack flexibility – while monitor arms typically work off desk or wall clamps, which means more installation work but a wider range of position possibilities once they’re in place.
• Clamp or VESA? If you opt for a monitor arm, you’re generally better off with a VESA-compliant arm, but that presumes that your monitor also has VESA mounting ports. If it doesn’t you may need to look into a clamp style arrangement, or simply use a riser-style stand instead.
• Height adjustment, angle adjustment or both? Most people think of a monitor stand as being just a matter of raising your monitor upwards, but it’s also possible to adjust tilt with many monitor arms. This can make for even more comfortable viewing, especially if your working from home arrangement involves areas that get sun glare throughout the day.
• How many monitors do you need? If you’re used to working in a multi-monitor environment, you may need to look for multiple mounts, or a monitor stand that can clamp onto more than one screen. You’re going to lose a lot of the benefit of a monitor stand arrangement if you have to look down on your second or third monitors.

What about setup? While there’s a degree of personalisation depending on your monitor size, desk arrangement and needs, there’s some simple rules to follow to minimise the ergonomic impact of staring at a monitor all day:

• Chair first: Make sure you’re adjusting your viewing position relative to the normal position of your work chair. If it’s a fixed chair that’s set, but if you have a gas lift capable model you may want to adjust it to your normal working position. There’s no point adjusting your monitor view if it’s not relative to the way you typically sit to work.
• Work to your eye line: This isn’t a makeup tip, but a good rule of thumb for raising and placing your primary monitor. If your eyeline is sitting towards the top third of the screen, then you’re typically in the zone for best ergonomics. If you look over the top of your monitor it’s probably too low, but if you’re looking at the middle from your normal eyeline position, it’s too high.
• Primary monitor first: Adjust your secondary monitors to the same viewpoint as your primary monitors. While you may have to turn slightly to view them – preferably by turning your chair rather than twisting your neck – there’s no point in having one high monitor and then a much lower one if you use them all the time.

Monitor Stand and Arm options

North Bayou F160 Dual Monitor Full Motion Desk Mount $109.99
If your home working environment involves a multi-monitor setups, it makes sense to have the maximum adjustment possibilities to raise both monitors at once. The North Bayou F160 uses a gas spring mount for its two arms which can take up to 6.5kgs per arm, and it’s workable for displays between 17″ and 27″ in size.

FITUEYES Clear Computer Monitor Riser $33.99
If you’re just after a little raise in your monitor profile but don’t want a stand that makes a large visual impression because your work from home space is also your living space, the FITUEYES riser could be a good match. It’s a tempered glass riser-style mount with adjustable legs, so you’re not fixed to a single position. The claim is that it can take up to 25kg on the glass, which is more than enough for any monitor, or even most all-in-one computer styles.

Kensington 52785 Monitor Stand $27.30
Kensington’s simple monitor stand uses snap-in risers to enable optimal viewing angles for monitors up to 21 inches in size, although you might be able to enable a larger display if it’s got a smaller base in play.

FITUEYES DT204201WB 2 Tiers Monitor Stand $36.99
You don’t get adjustability with the FITUEYES DT204201WB, so it’s essentially just adding 14cm of height to your monitor experience. However, where other risers tend to leave blank space underneath, this one includes a distinct shelf, which means you can make the most of your desk space while using it, especially if you need somewhere to store paperwork or other gadgets and cables.

WELL WENG Bamboo Dual Monitor Riser MR1-TP $49.99
Making the most of your desk space is also a trick that the Well Weng MR1-TP should handle well, with a central shelf that places dual monitors on either side and enough space underneath the primary riser for a small laptop or desktop unit. For those of an environmental bent, the bamboo build could be an attractive point too.

Editor’s note: Descriptions and features are as taken from manufacturer/seller claims on Amazon.

The post 5 Monitor Stands for Every Working Setup appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

When it comes to matters of the heart, we often have things confused. I read a quote recently and I think sums up our constant mishandling of one-another’s feelings pretty damn well. Richard Weissbourd, director of Harvard University’s Human Development and Psychology master’s program told Quartz :

“I think we’ve failed epically to prepare young people for the tender, subtle, courageous work of learning how to love someone else.”

The reason I bring this quote up now is because of how we universally see love. It’s a little mixed up, I think. Many of us hold the idea that romantic love should look like grand gestures and lavish gifts and constant contact. Maybe it does look that way for you, but it’s also important that we draw a clear line between genuine acts of affection and excessive displays that border on manipulation.

When “romantic” acts cross that line, you’re moving into dangerous territory, friends. And this is where the term love bombing comes into play.

If you’re new to the concept and want to learn more, you’re in luck. I was able to chat with Ash King, Psychology Researcher and Mental Health Practitioner with The Indigo Project , who offered some more insight.

To begin, what is love bombing?

In a nutshell, this is the term that describes “over-the-top, excessive displays of love used (consciously or unconsciously) by a partner to overwhelm, manipulate and control the recipient,” King shares.

This could come in a number of different forms. Whether it’s gifts, compliments or just an insatiable need to be with you, the behaviour seems flattering on paper, but “this often occurs after only a relatively short period of time together,” and usually seems intense.

Why is it a concern?

Rather than genuinely taking time to get to know you and take steps to make you feel loved and attended to, love-bombing takes a “one size fits all” approach to love.

As King puts it:

“…these are often not genuine displays of affection, but rather, calculated and manipulative attempts at making the recipient feel indebted – like they owe the love-bomber something.”

It’s typical ‘Nice Guy’ behaviour (that term does not only refer to cis men) where “kind” acts are used to win a prize (you or your attention).

How to tell it’s love-bombing

King shared that the key warning signs of this kind of behaviour usually look like the following:

• Excessive, over-the-top flattery and compliments
• Big calls for commitment early on, like moving in together, engagement, going on long trips, etc.
• An overwhelming, one-sided onslaught of texts and phone calls.
• They get very sensitive and hurt when you ask for space, or assert your need for boundaries.
• They seem to not have much of a life (friends, work, relationships, etc.) aside from you and them.
• You’re feeling unbalanced in the relationship and overwhelmed by their intensity.
• You question the sincerity of their behaviour.

What should you do if you think you’re experiencing love bombing?

If you’re worried, you should always reach out to someone you can trust like a friend or therapist.

As King shares, “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

You have no need to feel indebted to anyone for their acts of kindness. The entire point of selfless acts is that they’re meant to make you feel good. Not earn your partner brownie points.

“Remember healthy love and positive relationships are built on a foundation of sincerity, transparency and mutual respect – if that’s not what they’re serving, then be wary.”

The post Love Bombing: When Excessive Affection Becomes Manipulative appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .

Eggs are a wondrous food. They can be used for so many different things and eaten in so many different ways. Scrambled, boiled, fried, beaten, you name it.

Being such a versatile food item means there are so many easy ways to get eggs wrong. Here on Lifehacker, we love writing about eggs and their many uses. So to save you scouring the internet meaninglessly, we’ve collected a bunch of our most eggcellent hacks to get you going.

Scrambled eggs

Scramble Your Eggs in a Jar

Did you know that a great way to scramble your eggs is in a jar? This hack may just change your life. Give it a try here .

How to Scramble your Eggs in the Microwave

We all revert to the glory of the microwave every now and then. Check out our guide for cooking scrambled eggs in your microwave here .

How to Cook Perfect Scrambled Eggs

If you’re going to scramble your eggs, you may as well do it right. Check out our guide to all the ways to cook perfect scrambled eggs here .

Boiled eggs

How to Peel a Boiled Egg

Opinions differ but this TikTok hack may just be the weirdest and best way to peel an egg. Make up your mind for yourself here .

Alternatively, there’s also the jar method which you can read about here .

And to top it off, there is a theory that using a rice cooker both steams your egg and makes it easier to peel.

Butter Your Boiled Eggs

For a transcendent hard-boiled egg, smother it in butter. This is why .

Poached eggs

The Easiest Way to Poach an Egg is…

Could vinegar be the secret to poaching eggs perfectly? Find out in our article here .

You can Poach or Fry Your Egg in the Microwave

Using the work microwave makes it easy to have a warm egg at lunch. Here’s a foolproof way to making a fried or poached egg in your microwave.

Poach Your Eggs In Instant Miso

Look, it sounds weird but poaching your eggs in miso soup makes for a delicious savoury breakfast. Find out how and why here .

Fried Eggs

How to make Over-Easy Eggs

More of an American thing but if you’re looking to make over-easy eggs this is how to do it .

Fry Your Eggs in Extra Butter

Another tip for great fried eggs? Use butter, lots of it .

Omelettes

Add Pancake Batter to Your Omelette Mix

This hack claims that adding pancake batter to your omelette mix will result in a fluffier omelette. Yum! Read all about it here .

Ultimate Cheese Omelette

Cheese is one of the best parts of an omelette, but how much cheese is too much cheese? Find out with this recipe for the ultimate cheesy omelette .

Cooking with eggs

How to Separate Your Egg Yolks from the Whites

A TikTok hack has the answer to the easiest way to separate your yellow yolk from the goo of the white. Read about it here .

How to Tell If Your Eggs have Gone Bad

Expert minds suggest that if you put an egg in a bowl of cold water you can tell if it’s gone rotten. Read up on it here .

What To Do With Leftover Egg Whites and Yolks

Sometimes you only need one part of an egg. So to save that extra yolk or whites from going to waste here are some ways to make use of them.

Bonus: How to make a McDonalds McMuffin

An egg McMuffin may be the rare drawcard that gets you to break your no-McDonalds diet after a big night. If a cheeky drive-through option isn’t available to you, here’s how to make an egg McMuffin at home .

There are countless egg hacks out there, but this round-up will get you started. We egg-courage you to try them out.

The post All the Egg Hacks You’ll Ever Need appeared first on Lifehacker Australia .