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How to pair AirPods to your iPhone, MacBook, and other devices

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Apple Airpods

When the AirPods first made their debut, it took me quite some time to realize that my friends were not, in fact, talking to themselves, but were rather using their handy new wireless headphones to take calls, listen to music, and everything in between.

Apple has sold well over 30 million AirPods thus far, and the product is doubtless one of the company's most popular offerings. As convenient as they are, they're a bit less straightforward to use than traditional earbuds, though only be a slim margin.

Read on to find out how to pair your AirPods to all kinds of devices.

How to pair AirPods to an iPhone

  1. Exit out of apps.
  2. Stay on the Home screen of your iPhone.
  3. Open the AirPods case (with the AirPods in them) and hold it next to your iPhone.
  4. Look for the setup animation. It should appear automatically on your iPhone screen.
  5. When it does, tap Connect, then tap Done.
  6. Listen for the connect chime. You can alsotest the connectivity by donning your AirPods and playing some music.
  7. If you're signed into your iCloud account, your AirPods will be automatically paired to all other devices on your account, including your Apple Watch.

If you find that you're having trouble connecting your AirPods to your Apple device, you can force a manual setup by following these steps:

  1. Go to Settings then Bluetooth.
  2. "Forget" your AirPods.
  3. Once in the Bluetooth menu, find the AirPods from your list of connected devices and select "Forget this device".
  4. Place your AirPods in their case.
  5. Close the lid, wait 15 seconds, then reopen the lid.
  6. Press and hold the rear button on the back of the case.
  7. Hold this button until you see the light flash amber and then white.
  8. Hold your AirPods in their case next to your iPhone.
  9. Follow the instructions that display on your iPhone screen.

 



How to pair AirPods to a MacBook

  1. Open your AirPods case.
  2. Press and hold the rear button. The rear button can be found on the back of your AirPods case. Once you press and hold this button, you'll initiate the pairing mode.
  3. Open System Preferences and click on Bluetooth.
  4. Once you've navigated over to this screen, you should see a list of available devices. Select AirPods.
  5. Pair your AirPods.
  6. Once you've selected AirPods from the Bluetooth menu, the earbuds should be paired, and you should now be connected!


How to pair AirPods to an Android device

  1. Open your AirPods case.
  2. Press and hold the rear button.
  3. The rear button can be found on the back of your AirPods case. Once you press and hold this button, you'll initiate the pairing mode.
  4. Open the Settings menu and tap Bluetooth.
  5. Once you've navigated over to this screen, you should see a list of available devices. Select AirPods.
  6. Pair your AirPods.
  7. Once you've selected AirPods from the Bluetooth menu, the earbuds should automatically pair, and you should now be connected!


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The best kids rain boots you can buy

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  • Finding great footwear for kids is hard enough before you take bad weather into account. Children's rain boots need to be comfy, durable, and tolerable enough for picky little ones to wear.
  • The Hunter First Classic Waterproof Rain Boots are a bit of an investment, but they'll hold up and keep feet dry through torrential downpours. Plus, they're super cute.

Rain footwear is tough to nail down for anyone, but when you add the constantly changing feet of toddlers and children to the mix, it becomes nearly impossible. Children tend to be more active — and more prone to purposefully leaping into puddles — than adults, and so kids' rain books need to stand up to a lot, without breaking the bank.

By design, kids rain boots are pretty similar to their grown-up counterparts, typically made of rubber and sometimes with additional features like handles for easy on/off. They tend to come in a variety of fun colors and patterns ranging from silly and fun to simple one-color designs.

Of course, the challenge when shopping for any kids' clothing items is that toddlers and children grow fast. You don't want to drop a ton of cash on rain boots that won't fit in a few month's time, but you do want to find something durable and effective at keeping your tot's socks dry. These picks rise to the challenge.

Here are the best kids' rain boots you can buy in 2019:

Keep scrolling to check out our top picks.

The best kids' rain boots overall

The Hunter First Classic Waterproof Rain Boots are a bit of an investment for kids boots, but they are built to last and suitable for both hot and cold weather.

Hunter boots are pretty much the gold-standard in rain gear. The brand's most iconic style, the Hunter First Classic Waterproof Rain Boots, are available in miniature for children as young as five months and as old as eight years.

While they aren't cheap for kids' boots, they're made of durable latex rubber that releases a protective film of wax in humid weather that can be easily cleaned off with a damp cloth. Hunter boots are unlined, but they can be paired with warm socks in cold weather. They come with removable insoles and are available in a selection of classic solid colors.

According to Best Products, these boots "feature a wider shaft to make them easier for toddlers" to slip on and remove without help. As The Baby Swag points out, this roomier shape also allows for more wiggle room as your kids' feet grow, further justifying the steep price tag.

Experienced Mommy, Slate, Mom Loves Best, The Bump, and The Strategist also recommend Hunter boots for kids. This particular pair has 581 reviews on the Nordstrom website. "Perfect for my 4-year-old, he is incredibly hard on rain boots and these are still holding up really well," writes one shopper.

Pros: Durable, easily cleaned, removable insoles, wide enough to slip on and off

Cons: Expensive, no top handles, unlined

Buy Hunter First Classic Waterproof Rain Boots on Nordstrom for $55



The best kids' rain boots with handles

The Crocs Kids' Handle It Rain Boots have oversized handles on the rim that put kids in charge of their own footwear destiny.

Some kids' rain boots feature handles to help tykes get the hang of putting on and removing their own shoes. The Crocs Kids' Handle It Rain Boots are perfect for slightly older kids who are starting to get dressed by themselves, due to oversized handles built into the top sides.

Made of traditional breathable Crocs material, these have chunky soles with lots of traction, making them a great option for playing on rough terrain. There's also a giant Crocs logo on the side, so they're perhaps not the ideal pick for the logo-averse. But the heels do feature a reflective logo as an additional safety feature.

Writers at publications like The Strategist, The Baby Swag, Mom Loves Best, Best Products, and Experienced Mommy love these rain boots, especially for their durability. The reviewer at Experienced Mommy writes, "The seamless design of the boots makes the Crocs Handle It less prone to leaking or splitting" around the handles than similar options from competitors.

The boots have over 2,300 reviews on Amazon and a 4.5-star rating and are the top Best-Seller for the retailer in their category. "The number one thing I love about these boots: the super light weight!!" writes one reviewer. Keep in mind that most shoppers seem to agree you should size up, because they run a bit small.

Pros: Lightweight material, huge handles, reflective detail

Cons: Not warm enough for cold weather, run a little small

Buy Crocs Kids' Handle It Rain Boots on Amazon starting at $23.98



The best kids’ rain boots under $20

Cat & Jack's Toddler Rain Boots come in a variety of fun prints and colors, plus, they're available for only $19.99 at Target.

Kids are difficult to shop for, not only because they can be picky, but because they grow so darn fast. Target's children's brand Cat & Jack has an adorable selection of affordable rain boots for toddlers for $19.99 and options for slightly older kids for $24.99.

All of them come in cute colors and patterns that will appeal to fun-loving boys and girls. There are ice cream cone boots, shark boots, glitter boots, strawberry boots and more, all highly rated on the Target website.

Most are made of sturdy rubber and designed to come to about mid-calf height on most kids. Some feature pull-on handles attached to the upper rim.

"These strawberry rain boots are super cute and durable. My daughter loves them and they kept her feet comfortable and dry even while jumping in puddles," one shopper writes about the Maddison Strawberry Rain Boots.

The Strategist also recommends Target's Cat & Jack range for inexpensive picks.

Pros: Affordable, some styles have handles, cute patterns

Cons: Not all options have handles, unlined, prices range

Buy Cat & Jack rain boots at Target from $19.99



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The best floor lamps you can buy

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

the best floor lamps

  • A good floor lamp can brighten up an entire room or provide direct light right where you need it most. We've picked out the best floor lamps you can buy to suit your needs.
  • The Brightech SKY LED Torchiere Floor Lamp is our top pick because it offers versatility with dimmer settings, a lamp socket that pivots, and a few different finishes.

If you grew up at a time when floor lamps were popular, you probably have a few memories of them. You almost certainly knocked one over at some point by running through the house or — even worse — playing ball in the house. Or, if you were lucky enough to have a floor lamp with a three-way bulb, you could spend hours entertaining yourself with the bright/brighter/brightest settings. Admittedly, I may not have had the most exciting childhood.

You may not have thought much about floor lamps lately. Or maybe that 100-year grounding your parents gave you after breaking the lamp as a kid technically remains in place, so you have a mental block about floor lamps. But modern floor lamps offer different and contemporary designs versus their counterparts from a few decades ago. Newer lamps may use LED lighting, which provides a pleasing type of lighting that's also cost-effective and efficient.

How to choose a floor lamp

Selecting a floor lamp becomes an easier process if you understand how you want to use it. Floor lamps come in many different designs and use different types of lighting.

  • Height: Do you want the lamp to provide task lighting for someone sitting on the couch? Or are you looking to light up an area of the room? Do you have tall ceilings? All of these considerations can help you select the height of the floor lamp you'll want to purchase. For example, as Homeclick says, a short lamp doesn't look great in a room with high ceilings.
  • Base: The base of the floor lamp plays a role in the sturdiness of the lamp. A lamp with a wide base will be more difficult to tip over than one with a small base. Lamp bases are available in wood, glass, ceramic, or metal. 
  • Finish: The finish on the lamp usually carries through the pole, sockets, and base. Common finishes for floor lamps include antique bronze, oil-rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, and satin nickel, according to Lowe's.
  • Lampshade: Although some modern style floor lamps don't make use of lamp shades, you can add color and style to the lamp with a custom lampshade, as Pooky explains. The lamp shade also cuts down on the intensity of the light, as it shades your eyes from the light bulb. Different materials will allow different intensities of light to be visible through the lampshade.

Designs of floor lamps

Floor lamps are about more than just the type of lighting they provide. Floor lamps are about style, too. Now, we know we can't tell you what you should or should not like since style is a very subjective matter. The lamp you choose contributes to the décor of your room. However, most lamp designs fall into a few categories. Here are the main designs you can choose from as explained by LampsUSA and Decorated Life.

  • Classic/Console: The classic or console floor lamp has a single fixture directly above the pole, and it's the most common type of floor lamp. This type of floor lamp provides accent lighting if a lampshade is attached.
  • Arch/Adjustable: An arch or adjustable style of floor lamp has a curved pole that allows you to direct the light to a specific area. For example, you might place the arch floor lamp behind a chair and then have the fixtures of the arch hang directly over the chair, providing a directed light source. Some arch floor lamps allow you to adjust the positioning of the angle of the arch.
  • Tree: The tree style of floor lamp has a single pole that leads to several small branch poles, each of which has a light fixture attached to it. With some floor lamps, the branches of the tree lamp are adjustable.
  • Torchiere lighting: Torchiere lighting mimics overhead lighting by projecting the light from the lamp upward. The shade is shaped like a bowl, which directs the light upward. It enhances the room's ambient light.

We researched buyer reviews and expert opinions on floor lamps to find the best floor lamps you can buy online. We tried to select a number of different styles and types of floor lamps to suit most people's needs. Read on to learn more about our top picks. You should also consult our light bulb buying guide for tips on how to choose the best bulbs for your new lamp.

Here are the best floor lamps you can buy:

Updated on 05/13/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

SEE ALSO: The best light bulbs you can buy

The best floor lamp overall

If you want plenty of versatility in a floor lamp, the Brightech SKY LED Torchiere Floor Lamp offers four dimmer settings, a pivoting light source, and four different finishes.

The versatile Brightech SKY LED Torchiere Floor Lamp has four dimmer settings to provide the perfect mood lighting and adjust to your lighting needs as natural light dissipates. The torchiere design of the Brightech lamp aims the light upward, providing light that spreads through the room.

Even though the base of the SKY LED Torchiere floor lamp doesn't look very big, it has a solid weight that keeps this tall lamp sturdily in place, according to Geek News Central. As Hooked To Books points out in its review, the small base and thin pole mean that the unit won't occupy much space in your living room, either.

It's a simple, minimalist lamp that fits in anywhere. Brightech's lamp is also very practical and has smart design features that make it easy to place in your home. The Home Lights review highlights the SKY LED Torchiere Lamp's long cord, which runs longer than 7 feet to reach far away outlets.

One Amazon buyer liked this LED floor lamp so much he purchased two more for his home. Although this is a very popular model among Amazon reviewers, one customer reported problems with the power switch not working after a few days. If you run into problems, contact Amazon or the seller right away.

Additionally, the thin LED segment at the top of the lamp can pivot to an angle, allowing you to direct the extremely bright 30-watt LED light wherever it's needed. It's available in four different finishes, black, brushed nickel, silver, and white.

Pros: Extremely bright torchiere-style floor lamp, minimal design that doesn't occupy much floor space, available in four finishes, offers four dimmer settings, head of lamp can slightly pivot to redirect light

Cons: Some customers report problems with power switch, doesn't use a lampshade

Buy the Brightech SKY LED Torchiere Floor Lamp on Brightech for $65.99 (Use coupon code INSIDER10 at checkout for a special discount)



The best tree style floor lamp

The Brayden Studio Morrill Tree Floor Lamp has a stylish and graceful look that'll mesh with almost any décor, but it doesn't sacrifice usability or versatility.

The stylish Brayden Studio Morrill Tree Floor Lamp has a simple design that will look great in any room in your home. The thin stem of the Utecht floor lamp splits into three smaller branches that each hold a drum-style lampshade and a socket.

The lamp shades have a 12-inch diameter, and the lamp measures 82-inches tall. It's in an antique bronze metal finish. The Brayden Studio Morrill Tree Floor Lamp has an E26/E27 bulb base. You can decide how bright or dim you want the lamp to be based on which bulbs you choose. For help with choosing a great light bulb for your lamp, check out our light bulb buying guide here.

As far as downsides go, there aren't many. Some buyers on Wayfair said the lamp's assembly was difficult, while others didn't like the quality or had issues with damage. However, the product has received 5 stars from more than 2,700 commenters.

Editors' note: This lamp replaces our previous pick, the Utecht Tree Floor Lamp, also from Brayden Studio and sold by Wayfair. Both lamps are similar in style and function.

Pros: Nice-looking design, simple drum lamp shades provide a great look, four-way switch for turning on individual lamp sockets

Cons: Price is a little high, some customers complain of difficult assembly and workmanship

Buy the Brayden Studio Morrill Tree Floor Lamp on Wayfair for $142.58



The best traditional floor lamp

It's tough to beat the classy and traditional look of the Barnes and Ivy Florencio Antique Gold Floor Lamp, which has a heavy, sturdy build quality and a torchiere-style design.

If you have an image in your mind of what a traditional floor lamp should look like, there's a good chance the Barnes and Ivy Florencio Antique Gold Floor Lamp matches the image in your head. This classy lamp makes use of an antique gold finish with black accents to look classy and traditional in any room.

The thick lamp pole and the heavy, ornate base provide a perfect look for a traditional décor. The top of the lamp contains a torchiere style light socket, which directs the light upward using a 5-inch height and 18-inch diameter amber glass shade.

The 72-inch lamp can accept incandescent light bulbs of up to 150 watts or lower wattage CFL or LED bulbs. For help with choosing a great light bulb for your lamp, check out our light bulb buying guide here.

One Amazon buyer appreciated the sturdy build quality and feel of this Barnes and Ivy floor lamp, which weighs more than 40 pounds. You shouldn't have to worry about knocking this lamp over. Another Amazon reviewer liked the style of the Florencio floor lamp, even though it was more bright gold than the antique gold color they expected.

Pros: Ornate design on the base and near the light socket, antique gold and black finish looks stylish, torchiere light design aims light upward, up to 150-watt bulbs accepted, traditional design looks great

Cons: Extremely heavy floor lamp, high price

Buy the Barnes and Ivy Florencio Antique Gold Torchiere Floor Lamp on Amazon for $299.99



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

I got access to the richest zip code in the US, an island off Miami where the average income is $2.2 million, the beaches have sand imported from the Bahamas, and the preferred mode of transportation is golf carts. Here's what it looks like.

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fisher island miami

Fisher Island, a man-made island off the coast of Miami, is the richest zip code in the US, according to Bloomberg.

The average income of the island's residents is a whopping $2.2 million. 

To become a member of the elite Fisher Island Club, you must pay a one-time $250,000 equity contribution and $22,256 in annual dues. And that's after residents have bought one of the condos on the island, which cost an average of $3.2 million. About 700 families live on Fisher Island in almost 30 luxury condominium buildings.

Dora Puig, the top-ranked real estate broker in Miami-Dade Countyby sales volume in 2018, who sells some of the most luxurious condos on Fisher Island, told me people move there for three main reasons: privacy, security, and the amenities. 

Residents of the island include real-estate developers, high-power litigation attorneys, CEOs, people in the finance industry, and some who are simply "old money," Puig said.

Tech CEOs and hedge-fund managers from New York, Silicon Valley, and other high-tax areas are moving to Miami in droves, and highly amenitized Fisher Island is one of their top picks. 

Read more: NYC hedge-fund managers and Silicon Valley CEOs are flocking to Miami as 'tax refugees,' and it's sparking record, ultra-luxury real-estate sales in the area

Members of the Fisher Island Club get access to private beaches with sand imported from the Bahamas, a beach club, eight restaurants, a golf course, two deep-water marinas, a spa, 18 tennis courts, and more. The marina's boat slips are "highly coveted" and will cost you a minimum of $125,000 and potentially well into the millions, publicist Lauren Marks told me. 

The island also has its own fire and rescue station, medical facility, bank, mail facility, dog park, and even an independent day school with students from age 2 through seventh grade. About 600 employees work on the island. And because only about 30% of residents live there year-round, that means there are often more employees on the island than residents, Marks said.

I got the chance to take a tour of Fisher Island on a recent afternoon. Here's a look inside the super-exclusive community.

SEE ALSO: NYC hedge-fund managers and Silicon Valley CEOs are flocking to Miami as 'tax refugees,' and it's sparking record, ultra-luxury real-estate sales in the area

DON'T MISS: Miami's 'Billionaire Bunker' is a high-security island that has a 13-person police force for its 42 residents. A real-estate agent got me past the guardhouse — here's what the exclusive community looks like.

Fisher Island, a 216-acre members-only island off the coast of Miami, is the richest zip code in the US.

The average income of the island's residents is $2.2 million, according to Bloomberg.

Fisher Island is a man-made island created by the government in 1906, when a canal was dug between South Beach and what is now the island, in order to ease traffic in the area.



My journey started at the Miami Beach Marina, where a small private shuttle boat was waiting to take me to the island.

The boat is a private shuttle for prospective and current residents of Palazzo Del Sol and Palazzo Della Luna, two of the island's newest and most luxurious condominium buildings.



The boat was small yet luxurious, with 11 leather seats in an enclosed interior.

It's only about a seven-minute boat ride from the Miami Beach Marina to Fisher Island.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

33 practical and cool Father’s Day gifts under $100

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

headphones

  • With a $100 Father's Day-gift budget, you''ll be surprised at all the thoughtful, unique, and useful gifts you can get this year. 
  • Here are 33 ways to stretch your Benjamin and make this Father's Day one to remember. 
  • Find more Father's Day 2019 gift ideas for Dad here.

Though it may feel like you just conquered Mother's Day gifting this year, here's a reminder that another important holiday, Father's Day, is just around the corner on June 16 — and will probably catch up on you sooner than you'd expect. 

Setting a spending limit is a good way to make sure you don't blow your 2019 personal budget by mid-year, and we think $100 is reasonable enough for Father's Day. There are many under-$100 gifts that you can gift Dad and feel good about, whether he's a complete pro or utter disaster at cooking, style, grooming, or joke delivery. 

Shop these 33 under-$100 Father's Day gifts that he'll actually use. 

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' Father's Day gift ideas for 2019, in one place

An insulated bottle that keeps his beer cold and protects it from drops

Gift the BottleKeeper Standard 2.0, $34.99

If your dad is the type who's never seen at the barbecue without a beer in hand, he'll appreciate the BottleKeeper, an insulated bottle that he can stick his beer bottle in to keep it cold, crisp, and carbonated

 



A smart home device

Gift the Amazon Echo, $64.99

By now, you've probably heard about the many things the Echo can do, from playing music through its high-quality Dolby-powered speakers to playing games like Jeopardy with you. It's smart, convenient, and even a little fun. Amazon offers wood and fabric finishes to suit your dad's style. 

 



The coolest (literally) shoes on the block

Gift the Allbirds Tree Runners, $95

These textured sneakers are made from eucalyptus tree fiber, so they're not only cooling and breathable but also more environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, the insole is lined with Allbirds' signature merino wool fabric, making them extremely soft and comfortable. 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to clear or block cookies on an iPhone to help it run more efficiently

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iPhone XS Max

  • If Safari isn't displaying pages correctly, or your iPhone is running out of space, you might need to clear your cookies.
  • You can clear cookies on an iPhone with just a few taps in the Settings app.
  • You can also block cookies entirely, if you're concerned about third-party websites collecting your personal information and browsing history.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Cookies are small files that websites store on your phone or computer to help them remember information about you and your visit. In this way, they can customize and personalize your web experience. Your bank might use cookies to remember your login email address, and how to display the web page. A retailer might use cookies to remember what's in your shopping cart.

Cookies can sometimes be a problem, though. You might need to clear your cookies on an iPhone to resolve a problem with the way your browser is behaving, or to save storage space. And some privacy advocates recommend blocking cookies entirely, so that websites can't glean personal information about you.

That said, while occasionally clearing cookies can be beneficial, we recommend leaving your cookies enabled because blocking them leads to an inconvenient and unsatisfying web experience. If you've blocked cookies and later decided to turn them back on, see our article, "How to enable cookies on an iPhone to help streamline your web browsing."  

How to clear your cookies in Safari on an iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap "Safari."

3. Tap "Advanced" at the bottom of the page.

4. On the Advanced page, tap "Website Data." On the Website Data page, you can see the size of the cookie files for every website stored on your iPhone.  

  • To delete cookies for just certain sites, tap "Edit" and then tap the red icon to the left of the site's name. Tap "Delete" to confirm your choice.
  • To delete all your cookies at once, tap "Remove All Website Data" and confirm this by tapping "Remove Now" in the popup window.

cookies 1

You might want to remove not just the cookies, but all history information from Safari as well— this saves additional storage space and can help you troubleshoot if Safari is misbehaving. To do that:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap "Safari."

3. Tap "Clear History and Website Data." Then confirm this by tapping "Clear History and Data" in the popup window.

cookies 2

How to block cookies in Safari on an iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap "Safari."

3. Turn on Block All Cookies by sliding the button to the right, and then tap "Block All" to confirm.

cookies 3

How to clear your cookies in other browsers on an iPhone

If you are using a browser other than Safari on your iPhone — like Firefox or Google Chrome, for example — you can clear the cookies in those apps as well. You won't find the controls for cookies in Settings, though. You will need to look in the app itself. In Firefox, for example:

1. Open the Firefox app.

2. Tap the menu in the lower right corner of the app (it's shaped like three horizontal lines).

3. Tap "Settings," and then tap "Data Management."

4. Tap "Clear Private Data" and confirm your decision by tapping "OK" in the confirmation window.

Other third-party browsers let you clear cookies in a similar way. Here's how to clear cookies in Chrome:

1. Open the Chrome app.

2. Tap the menu in the lower right (it looks like three horizontal dots).

3. Tap "Settings," and then tap "Privacy."

4. Tap "Clear Browsing Data" to go into a menu where you can select what you want to clear.

5. Select "Cookies, Site Data" and whatever else you'd like to erase, tap the red "Clear Browsing Data" button, and confirm when it asks you to.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried $600 smart glasses and learned why they haven't replaced smartphones yet

Nearly 60,000 people have already signed up for an international scavenger hunt for a $1 million bitcoin prize

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National Treasure Disney

Thousands of cryptocurrency enthusiasts are taking part in an international scavenger hunt to find clues that promise to lead the winners to a prize of $1 million in bitcoin.

It's called Satoshi's Treasure, and it's a game that's part logic puzzle and part scavenger hunt, with clues found in both the digital and physical worlds. Each clue will reveal a fragment of the digital key used to access the game's bitcoin wallet, and the winner will be the first person or team to put together at least 400 of these fragments to be able to claim the $1 million worth of bitcoin, according to cryptocurrency news site CoinDesk.

Nearly 60,000 people have signed up on the Satoshi's Treasure website to recieve notifications about new clues and game updates, CoinDesk reported Sunday.

The game is being run and funded by a group of crypto investors. One of the co-creators of Satoshi's Treasure, crypto investor Eric Meltzer, told CoinDesk that no single person knows all the locations of the clues or all of the key fragments. 

Satoshi's Treasure

"There are so many unknowns in this game that we kind of just want to see what happens," said Meltzer, founding partner of crypto investment firm Primitive Ventures. "Part of the meta game that I think people are going to like is trying to figure out who is behind this."

Read more: A crypto manager lays out the market improvements to the currency and says 2019 will be a year to watch

Game organizers say that since the first clues were released on April 16, many teams have been formed to work together toward finding key fragments and solving the game. A team organizing tool called Ordo has already been created, which will help to properly credit those who solve clues, and fairly divide up the $1 million prize at the end for the winning team.

According to the Satoshi's Treasure website, the hunt is intended to "test the mettle of anyone who wishes to add some excitement to their lives." The game has a simple set of rules that revolve around the tenant of "do no harm" — keys will not be hidden on private properties, no clues will require any destruction, and participants need to "always show respect" for fellow hunters.

CoinDesk reports that teams comprise of not only veteran crypto users, but also those new to bitcoin and those who are in it for the thrill of the hunt. The game's creators say Satoshi's Treasure prioritizes accessibility to anyone who wants to participate. For example, the latest clue was found on physical business cards distributed at the Magical Crypto Conference this weekend in New York.

"I'd say Satoshi's Treasure is so exciting because it's the pure joy of a treasure hunt," crypto investor Nic Carter told CoinDesk. "It's global and anyone can participate."

SEE ALSO: The story of Chris Hughes, who made a fortune by helping Mark Zuckerberg create Facebook, but now thinks it should be broken up

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried the $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold and it's impressive for a first-generation foldable phone, though far from perfect

13 products we swear by for getting us through our commutes every day

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Commute products 4_3

  • As product reviewers who often carry a lot of stuff to and from work every day, the members of the Insider Picks team have become experts at commuting. 
  • Most of us can agree that our commute is one of the less enjoyable parts of our day, but we've gotten pretty good at making it less miserable. 
  • Here are the 13 products we rely on every day to make our commutes a little more bearable. 
  • Read more: 21 products we were hesitant about at first but ended up really liking

Here on the Insider Picks team, we're no amateurs when it comes to commuting. We've spent mornings pushing through crowds on the subway platform, sweating through long rides without any air conditioning in the summer, and have dealt with more delays, service changes, and unexpected stops than we can count. Most of these days, we have heavy bags full of products we're testing for articles.  

No matter where you live, how you get to work, or how long it takes you, most of us can agree that commuting can be a pretty dismal experience. 

Unfortunately, we're not the MTA or magicians, so we can't just make your commute disappear. But what we can do is help you out with some product recommendations we swear by that have the power to make your commute a little less miserable, and maybe even a little more enjoyable. 

Here are 13 products we rely on to make our commutes better: 

Kindle Paperwhite

Connie Chen, reporter: "I could probably sit (and yes, even stand) on the train all day as long as I have my Kindle and a few books loaded up. I used to carry physical books on my commute, but they just got too heavy and cumbersome to hold. I have the older Paperwhite version, but many of these statements still stand: it’s light and comfortable to hold, glare-free, and has a good battery life. What’s great about the newest one is that it’s now waterproof and has double the storage."

Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks Editor: "I absolutely hate commuting, but a Kindle makes it about 50% better. It's easy to read from while sitting or standing on the subway, particularly because it doesn't require two hands to turn pages. Even if I'm squished between 100 people and grasping for balance from a nearby pole, I can keep my place in the book and not worry about accidentally closing it without a bookmark."

Get the Kindle Paperwhite for $129.99 at Amazon



RHA Wireless Earbuds

Sally Kaplan, editor: "I truly love these headphones. They sound amazing, and they create a seal that blocks out the noise of my commute, which includes dreadfully loud screeching trains and honking trucks. The back of each earbud is magnetic, so when I'm done listening, I just pop them out of my ears and the magnets meet to create a necklace of sorts so they never fall off. Plus, they pair easily and seamlessly. You can read my full review of them here, but suffice it to say, I'd rather be hit by a train than commute without them."

Get the RHA Wireless Earbuds for $99.95 at Amazon



Jaybird Tarah Pro Earbuds

 

Connie Chen, reporter: "No matter how much you're jamming out, no one likes to hear what you're listening to on your commute. These wireless sports earbuds have great sound quality and immerse you fully in your music, without subjecting your fellow passengers to it. What's cool about these earphones is that you can customize the bass and treble through the Jaybird app, and they have a really impressive 14-hour battery life."

Get the Jaybird Tarah Pro Earbuds for $159.99 at Best Buy



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Four Seasons has a new private jet that will take wealthy passengers on 3-week trips around the world for $147,000 — take a look inside

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four seasons private jet

Four Seasons has a new private jet — and it has the widest and tallest cabin in its class.

According to Bloomberg and Robb Report, Four Seasons will begin booking trips on its new aircraft in mid-2019. A luxury Airbus, the private jet will serve as transportation for 48 guests on vacations designed for the superrich. The Four Seasons is among other hospitality groups who have added luxury travel components to their arsenals, including the Ritz-Carlton.

Read more: The new Ritz-Carlton luxury cruise ships for the '1% of global travelers' look like incredible super yachts — and you can start booking next month

The forthcoming 2021 model will include more spacious seating than the Four Seasons' 2015 private jet does, in addition to an onboard cocktail lounge. The new jet comes with a $10,000 price increase compared to the 2015 jet; packages now begin at $147,000 per person.

Keep reading for an inside look at the Four Seasons private jet, from its luxury seating to its redesigned bathrooms.

SEE ALSO: You can now fly from London to Paris on a private jet for less than $850, fine dining and Champagne included

NOW READ: Outrageous photos show what flying on private jets is really like, from private bedrooms with plush bedding to exquisitely crafted meals served with Champagne

The original Four Seasons private jet was unveiled in 2015.

Source: Four Seasons, Bloomberg, Robb Report



The new Four Seasons private jet — an A321LR neo — is a luxury Airbus. Booking will begin in mid-2019 and the jet will take flight in early 2021.

Source: Four Seasons, Bloomberg, Robb Report



The older model featured an all-white interior with orange accent pillows on 52 passenger seats.

Source: Four Seasons, Bloomberg, Robb Report



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

High-fat diets like keto are nearly impossible to maintain, research suggests — but there's an easier way to eat well

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keto diet foods

  • The keto diet is a popular weight-loss strategy that hopes to get dieters into a state of ketosis, in which their bodies burn fat as a primary fuel source instead of carbohydrates.
  • Going keto is not easy: Dieters strictly limit all carbohydrates, cut many fruits and vegetables out entirely, and consume mostly fat.
  • This strategy makes sense for some people, especially those with a few specific health conditions. But researchers who study human habits and dieting behavior say the plan is unsustainable for most people.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If food is fuel, then adopting a ketogenic diet is akin to overhauling your body's gas tank. 

Keto, as it's more often known, is an eating plan that coaxes your body to burn fat for energy rather than using up carbohydrates first, as is typical.

This metabolic state, called ketosis, is the same thing that happens when we are starving — the body burns fat stores to stay alive. Keto dieters trigger that fat-burning mode by cutting out almost all carbs from their meals. On a well-planned keto diet, people get 70 to 80% of their daily calories from fat and 20 to 25% from protein sources, saying goodbye to sugar.

Doctors recommend keto diets in certain circumstances: It's an established way to help control Type 2 diabetes, and the plan has been used to reduce instances of childhood epileptic seizures for nearly 100 years. Scientists even have some limited evidence that keto diets might help overweight people keep extra pounds off, though other studies reject the idea.

But for most people, a high-fat, low-carb keto diet can be really hard to maintain. Instead, habit experts recommend a different way to eat healthy: creating simple, sensible eating routines that are easy to follow and can become almost hardwired over time.

ketogenic keto diet review 5375

The keto diet is highly restrictive 

Although the keto diet has become popular, doctors and nutritionists stress that no one should start a keto plan on their own. If you want to try it, it's best to consult your physician and work with a nutritionist to figure out the healthiest way to implement the high-fat plan. (It's especially important to avoid relying too heavily on proteins and meats, which can be dangerous for kidney health and lead to gout.)

Aside from the metabolic shift into a fat-burning state, the keto diet is hard to adjust to psychologically. If you're going keto, daily eating often becomes a math equation. Some fresh fruits and vegetables, for example, can be very high in carbs. Cauliflower and avocados are staples of the keto plan, but forget about carrots and apples — they're too naturally sugary (carb-loaded) to keep you in ketosis.

The keto diet can help people cut down on processed foods and eat less sugar, which are both positive changes. But  keto dieters also miss out on some great anticancer foods that fight inflammation.

The regimented and restrictive nature of the diet is a downside that even some keto die-hards acknowledge. 

"That's a big problem with keto, right? It's not simple to do it," the cardiologist Ethan Weiss, who lost 20 pounds on the keto diet and is now developing a ketosis breathalyzer test, previously told Business Insider. "You have to be able to figure out how to get the food. Unless you're cooking for yourself a lot, it can definitely be a challenge."

Strict diets are quickly abandoned

The physiology professor David Harper, who is studying how the keto diet might help cancer patients, believes going keto should be a long-term choice, not a fad to try willy-nilly. 

"You need to be committed, and you need to really say, 'I've been on the wrong path for a long time, and I'm willing to give up a lot of these foods that I really love, that I'm emotionally attached to,'" he previously told Business Insider.

Unfortunately, psychologists say most people do not approach a new eating plan with that kind of commitment.

"When most people go on a diet, they're not trying to form new habits," Wendy Wood, a psychology professor who studies habit formation at the University of Southern California, recently told Business Insider. "They are getting themselves to eat in a very different way, and they do so with a lot of energy, and effort, and self-control, and willpower. So, at the end of, say, three weeks, they're just tired of it. They're over it! And we can almost predict how long people will stay on these fad diets."

Wood said part of the problem is that being "on a diet" like keto requires people to make a lot of extra decisions throughout their day about what they can and can't eat. That's not how most people prefer to go about their lives. Humans excel at autopilot: About 40% of what we do every day is habitual and thoughtless. 

"If we constantly have to struggle and make ourselves figure out how to make something happen, we're just much less likely to do it," Wood said.

She added that restrictive diets could also be socially isolating — another deterrent. 

"You can't just hang out with your friends anymore and go grab lunch somewhere or meet someone after work for a drink, because the food that is generally available to us doesn't fit that diet," Wood said.

You can eat healthy and be lazy at the same time

carrots and hummus snack healthy

It's often said that nine out of 10 dieters will fail, but that statistic is largely unproven. Instead, an overwhelming body of scientific evidence suggests that the most successful diets are plans that encourage people to munch in moderation and avoid overeating.

A 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that it doesn't really matter how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates dieters consume — any diet can be successful if it's healthy and easy to maintain. Nutritionists are increasingly rallying behind this more nuanced, personalized approach to eating: No single diet is right for everybody.

Wood offered a few research-backed ways to hack your body's autopilot system in order to develop better eating strategies. 

"None of this is going to seem very powerful, but over time, it really does influence our behavior," she said.

First, she said, make it harder for yourself to access sweet treats and unhealthy foods. So, for example, if you work in an office where there always seems to be free cake, keep healthier stuff at your desk (or at least closer to you than the cake) and let your intrinsic laziness work to your advantage.

Another trick: make healthy choices the norm by training your body over time, rather than depending on willpower. In one study, Wood trained research subjects in her lab to choose carrots as a snack when they were hungry, reinforcing that carrot-picking behavior "hundreds of times." Once those people were accustomed to snacking on carrots, they continued to select them even when presented with M&Ms as an alternative. 

"If you can form a habit to choose healthy foods to eat, then that habit perpetuates even when you are faced with unhealthy options," she said.

A third strategy applies to any eating plan you adhere to: prepare in advance. Business Insider recently asked two registered dietitians and nutritionists — Jason Ewoldt from the Mayo Clinic and Julia Zumpano at the Cleveland Clinic — what they eat on a typical workday. Both said they pack their own lunches and snacks at home, and both select food that's high in fiber and protein but low in sugar, such as nuts, cheese, and fresh veggies. (Harper said he also carries a stash of nuts around with him in case he gets peckish.)

Whatever you eat, it's important is to find a plan that makes you feel good and stick to it.

"Food is intensely emotional," Weiss said. "It's personal, and it's very easy to judge people based on what they do or don't do, and how different it is from what you do."

SEE ALSO: A celebrity fitness trainer says a $10 jump rope is far better than the elliptical for getting fit

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The popular keto diet can help you shed weight, but it comes with some serious side effects

Save up to 30% on top outdoor brands at Backcountry — and 7 other sales and deals happening now

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on outdoor gear and apparel at Backcountry, computers at Dell, and Casper mattresses. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

Backcountry

1. Save up to 30% on brand-name outdoor gear at Backcountry

Backcountry is a one-stop shop for all things related to the outdoors. The huge variety of top brands available at the store is reason enough to shop there year round, but Backcountry is having a great sale that all adventurers are going to want to take advantage of today. Right now, you can save up to 30% on top brands like Patagonia, Marmot, Mammut, and Big Agnes. To potentially save more at Backcountry, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Backcountry Big Brands Sale now.

dell laptopt small business deal

2. Save up to 45% on computers and electronics at Dell

May is Small Business Month, and Dell is celebrating with great savings on tech. Right now, you can save up to 45% on Vostro computers and laptops. You can also save 35% on select Latitude, OptiPlex, and Precision systems by using the promo code "SAVE35" at checkout. For more deals and savings at Dell, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Dell sale now

Graco

3. Save 20% on car seats over $99 at Best Buy

If you're a parent, an expecting parent, or you're shopping for someone else's baby registry, Best Buy is having a big baby sale that you'll want to check out. My Best Buy members can save 20% on cars seats over $99. The sale includes everything from rear-facing car seats for newborns to 3-in-1 car seats that'll grow with the child. If you're not a My Best Buy member, you can sign up here for free. For additional deals and savings at Best Buy, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Best Buy sale now

Anker

4.Save up to 37% on Anker charging accessories on Amazon

Keeping all of your electronic devices fully charged can be hard to do when you're on the go, but Anker makes a great selection of products for fast and efficient charging. As an Amazon Deal of the Day, you can save up to 37% on charging accessories, including power banks, USB-C and Lightning charging cables, car chargers, and wireless charging pads.

Shop on-sale Anker charging accessories on Amazon now.

Banana Republic

5. Save up to 40% on your order at Banana Republic

Banana Republic is a great place to find premium wardrobe essentials without paying high-end prices. Right now, you can save 30% on orders under $200 or 40% on orders of $200 or more automatically. In addition to the great discounts, cardholders can save an extra 10% by using the promo code "BRCARD" at checkout.  For other deals and savings at Banana Republic, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Banana Republic sale now

51enJNK70sL._SL1500_

6. Get a free Echo Dot when you buy an Echo Show

Featuring a vibrant 10-inch screen and premium stereo sound, the all-new Echo Show is the ultimate smart display. You can use it to stream your favorite shows on Hulu, video chat with loved ones, and check on baby monitors and security systems. With the power of Alexa, you can check the weather, get the news, and control smart home devices. For a limited time, you'll also receive Amazon's best-selling Echo Dot for free when you buy the Echo Show. With both of these Echos, you'll be able to create a network of smart devices in your home.

Echo Dot and Echo Show Bundle, $229.99 (Originally $279.98) [You save $49.99]

Macy's

7. Save an extra 25% on thousands of items at Macy's

It might seem like spring just started, but summer will be here before you know it — and Macy's is having a big sale to help you get ready for the season. Right now, you can save 25% on thousands of items by using the promo code "ESCAPE" at checkout. Here, you'll find dresses, bathing suits, shorts, sandals, polos, chinos, and a lot more. To potentially save more at Macy's, visit Business Insider Coupons here

Shop the Macy's sale now

Casper Hybrid Mattress

8. Save up to $300 on Casper mattresses and bedding

Today only, you can save $100 for every $1,000 you spend (up to $300 in savings) when you use the promo code "SHUTEYE" at checkout. In addition to the brand's award-winning mattresses, the sale can be used to save on sheets, pillows, blankets, bed frames, and more. For more deals and savings at Casper, visit Business Insider Coupons here.

Shop the Casper sale now.

Join the conversation about this story »

Cars from ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft are dirtier than taxis, rentals, and even toilet seats, according to a study that collected bacteria from 9 vehicles

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Riding in a car, backseat

  • A small study from the insurance-shopping website NetQuote found that ride-share vehicles had far more germs than taxis or rental cars.
  • NetQuote swabbed surfaces in three ride-share vehicles, three taxis, and three rental cars.
  • The ride-share vehicles had 6,055,963 colony-forming units per square inch, while the rental cars had 2,000,510 and the taxis had 27,593.
  • According to NetQuote, a colony-forming unit is "the number of viable bacteria cells present in a sample."
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ride-share cars have more germs than taxis or rental cars, according to a study from the insurance-shopping website NetQuote.

The company swabbed surfaces in three ride-share vehicles, three taxis, and three rental cars. Samples were taken from a seat belt, a door handle, and window buttons in the ride-share vehicles and taxis and from the steering wheel, gear shift, and seat belt in the rental cars.

Read more:Uber and Lyft drivers reveal the things you should never do while taking a ride

The ride-share vehicles had 6,055,963 colony-forming units per square inch, while the rental cars had 2,000,510 and the taxis had 27,593. According to NetQuote, a colony-forming unit is "the number of viable bacteria cells present in a sample." NetQuote did not disclose which ride-share, rental-car, or taxi companies it took samples from.

The ride-share vehicles also had more germs than toothbrush holders (2,140,953 colony-forming units per square inch), coffee reservoirs (32,635), and toilet seats (172), according to the study.

For ride-share vehicles, the window buttons had the most bacteria, with 5,054,000 colony-forming units per square inch. Seat belts had the most bacteria (26,000 colony-forming units per square inch) in taxis, and the gearshifts had the most bacteria (1,000,093) in rental cars.

Ride-share vehicles were found to have the highest proportion of bacillus germs, relative to other forms of bacteria. Bacillus germs can cause infections and food poisoning, according to NetQuote.

SEE ALSO: It's time for Tesla to go into stealth mode for the rest of 2019

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How Emirates makes 225,000 region-specific meals a day for its passengers

A British 'genius' painstakingly made 23 pocket watches by hand in his lifetime — and one of those just sold for a whopping $1 million more than expected at auction in Geneva

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daniels grand complication watch

One of 23 existing George Daniels pocket watches sold for over $2 million.

Named the "Grand Complication," the pocket watch is one of late watchmaker George Daniels' most complicated watch creations. According to recent reporting from Robb Report, the timepiece sold at Phillips' Geneva Watch Auction: NINE— which took place on May 11 and May 12 — for $2.4 million. Previous reporting estimated the watch would sell for at least $1.5 million.

As predicted, the piece sold for more, exceeding expectations by nearly $1 million. Another one of George Daniels' originals — his legendary Space Traveller pocket watch — sold at a Sotheby's auction in London for $4.3 million in 2017. Both Sotheby's and Phillips — alongside massive watch shows such as Baselworld— feature some of the rarest and most expensive timepieces in the world.

Over the course of his lifetime, Daniels made 27 watches total, all of them entirely by hand: 23 pocket watches and four wristwatches.

Read more: I went to NYC's biggest luxury watch show, and the most memorable part wasn't the $1.8 million diamond watch or the $182,000 piece they let me try on

george daniels

"Genius" George Daniels is perhaps best known for creating the co-axial escapement, an invention adopted by Swiss watchmaking powerhouse Omega and considered the greatest advancement in design since the 1700s.

A self-taught, independent watchmaker and former Master of the Clockmakers' Company of London, Daniels began fixing friends' watches as a teenager in the army. With his army stipend, Daniels opened his own repair shop, where he would later design the first of his famed watches — a feat that took him two years.

Daniels made his watches alone and completely by hand. Most watchmakers — even highly regarded ones — require assistance and would never claim to make every component; Daniels was one of the few who could construct an entire timepiece, each considered a work of art.

daniels grand complication watchRobb Report quoted Phillips watch specialist and head of sales Alexandre Ghotbi, who said the rarity of independent watchmakers' work makes their pieces more popular. Additionally, Bloomberg recently noted that some of the best new watches from this month's Baselworld show came from independent watchmakers— craftsmen like Daniels.

SEE ALSO: The 15 most expensive watches and accessories sold in Sotheby's Geneva auction, ranked

NOW READ: Popular watch startup Daniel Wellington has sold over 11 million watches to date — after wearing one, I understand their universal appeal

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Rolex watches are so expensive

IHOP is getting slammed for an anatomically incorrect Mother's Day post that joked about pancakes in a uterus

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ihop pancakes

  • IHOP posted a joke tweet about pancakes and Mother's Day Sunday morning with a photo of an ultrasound that included a stack of pancakes. 
  • People quickly pointed out that the uterus and stomach are different organs and not connected. 
  • This misperception could exist because as kids many are told "that we grew in our mommy's 'tummy,'" author and sexual health expert Martha Kempner wrote for Rewire in 2015. 
  • And there's a knowledge gap about anatomy in general, making it hard for doctors to diagnose patients, one researcher has written
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Nothing says "Happy Mother's Day" quite like pancakes.

That's probably what IHOP had in mind when it tweeted about the holiday this morning. But things quickly got a lot weirder.

"If you have pancakes in your tum tum, does that make you a pancake mum mum? Happy Mother's Day to ALL the moms out there!" the pancake chain wrote, attaching a photo of an ultrasound with a ghostly stack of pancakes visible. 

People had a whole lot to say about the joke. Some rushed to point out that the scan is supposed to show the uterus and other organs, not the stomach. 

IHOP's marketing strategy of late has been described as "bold." It included, for instance, temporarily rebranding to the "International House of Burgers" last year, which the company said caused burger sales to quadruple.

The company did not immediately respond for comment.

It's not the first time that the two organs have been muddled. In 2015, an Idaho lawmaker made headlines after asking a physician expert a question implying that the stomach and uterus were connected. (The lawmaker has said he was trying to make a rhetorical point.)

But it's possible someone could believe that, author and sexual health expert Martha Kempner said in a Rewire article at the time.

"After all, most of us are told as children that we grew in our mommy's 'tummy,'" Kempner wrote. "Unless that oversimplification is corrected either by our parents or a sex ed class, misunderstandings can easily remain." 

A woman's belly does protrude out during pregnancy. That's because the uterus expands out over the 40 week period to accomodate a growing fetus, pressing on organs like the stomach in the process. 

Read:This is what it looks like as a woman's organs shift inside her during pregnancy

After doing research that asked 63 people to map out organs in the body, Lancaster University's Adam Taylor has described the public's anatomical understanding as "sketchy."

Taylor's team's research has shown that only half of people can correctly locate the stomach's position, and they are currently working on data around the uterus. 

Even so, "the stomach and uterus are not usually confused," he said in an email to Business Insider. "The stomach is a muscular structure in the gastrointestinal system, whereas the uterus is a muscular structure in the reproductive system." They are also located in different places in the body, with the stomach at a higher position than the uterus, he noted.

Understanding anatomy matters because better information about where symptoms are "can help in identifying when things aren't right and seeking appropriate medical help," Taylor wrote.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A cardiologist revealed the truth behind red wine's health benefits

6 online jewelers changing the way couples shop for engagement and wedding rings

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

catbird engagement ring, JUNO THE SWAN

  • We recommend shopping at these six online jewelry brands before you check out a traditional retailer: Vrai & Oro, Couple, Holden, Mejuri, Ritani, and Catbird
  • They often offer more customization opportunities, more responsible manufacturing processes, better curated ring styles, and better prices. 

Choosing someone to spend your life with is a big decision. No one has ever doubted that. Buying your engagement and wedding rings is, too, but it can be a little ridiculous when the stress and financial burden of that process overtakes why you're even looking for a nice ring in the first place. 

Your rings are but a tiny blip in the grand scheme of your marriage, and they should be just as easy to shop for. New online jewelry companies are starting to take on the confusing and expensive shopping experiences of traditional fine jewelry retailers, so you can find a beautiful and affordable ring to last a lifetime — then move on with the rest of your lives. 

In addition to offering more unique ring styles, these online jewelers are giving shoppers more control and power than ever to make the exact rings they're imagining, and at non-exorbitant prices.

To match the visual and tactile strengths of brick-and-mortar stores, they send the rings to you through home try-on programs or to a convenient location near you. Reflecting the preferences of the progressive and socially aware clientele they'd like to attract, they're taking the extra step to be ethically and environmentally responsible with their materials and manufacturing processes. 

Below, you can learn more about the specific expertises of each new jewelry brand, then browse their sites to see if the styles and prices are a fit for you and your partner. If you want to skip right to browsing, here's the basic what-to-know about the six brands: 

Find beautiful engagement and wedding rings at one of these 6 non-traditional jewelry retailers.

For the curated boutique experience, online: Catbird

Shop engagement and wedding bands at Catbird here

Read more about Catbird here

There's no shortage of beautiful, out-of-the-ordinary rings at Catbird, whose name has far outgrown its Brooklyn boutique roots. In addition to its own exclusive collection of rings, which starts at $230 for a simple gold wedding band and goes up to $12,500 for a brilliant, three-diamond ring, you can find unique, eye-catching silhouettes from beloved independent designers like WWAKE, Satomi Kawakita, Kataoka, and a few dozen others. 



To preview your perfect ring: Vrai & Oro

Shop engagement and wedding rings at Vrai & Oro here

Read more about Vrai & Oro here

If you want to design your own ring (there are over 3,500 style combinations possible), Vrai & Oro is the perfect place to do so. If you prefer to hand over the reins to the experts, Vrai & Oro is still the perfect place to do so. It knows buying a ring is a big commitment, so it offers a Home Try-On program where you receive three sample designs for a $50 refundable deposit. You have seven days to find your dream ring. 

 

 



For lab-grown diamond engagement rings: Couple

Shop engagement and wedding rings at Couple here

Read more about Couple here

In addition to price and design, couples today care about where their rings are sourced and how they're made. Couple's diamonds are made above ground in a lab, but you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between theirs and mined ones. Best for shoppers who are overwhelmed by the choice of traditional retailers, Couple sells just four beautiful and classic styles, but you can still choose the setting, karat, and metal type. 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Uber driver in Pennsylvania charged with kidnapping after allegedly telling two female riders 'you're not going anywhere'

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Uber

  • Uber driver Richard Lomotey was arrested over the weekend and charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and harassment in Pennsylvania, according to police.
  • Pittsburgh police say the suspect told his two female passengers, "you're not going anywhere," and tried to lock them inside his car, but the women escaped.
  • Lomotey, an assistant professor at Penn State University, has been put on leave and won't be in the classroom, according to a university spokesperson.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

An Uber driver in Pennsylvania has been arrested in connection with a report that he allegedly tried to lock two female passengers inside his vehicle early Saturday morning.

Police have arrested 36-year-old Richard Lomotey, an assistant professor at Penn State University. Lomotey has been charged with two counts each of kidnapping, false imprisonment, and harassment, according to court documents.

Two women told police that their Uber driver picked them up early Saturday morning but did not follow the app's GPS route to their destination. The driver also commented on their looks, according to the Pittsburgh police report.

The driver pulled over and told the female passengers, "you're not going anywhere," the women told police. The Uber driver allegedly tried to lock the backseat doors of his vehicle, but one of the women was able to open the door and jump out. The two women then ran from the car and shouted for help, police say.

Police were able to identify Lomotey and the car he drove using the Uber app. In a statement, Uber told Business Insider that Lomotey's access to the Uber app, and his ability to drive for the ride-hailing company, has been revoked.

"What's been described is unacceptable," an Uber spokesperson said. "The driver's access to the app has been removed and we stand ready to cooperate with law enforcement to support their investigation."

Lomotey has not responded to a request for comment from Business Insider. Court documents show Lomotey has posted bail following his arraignment over the weekend.

An online search of Lomotey shows that he's an assistant professor of information science and technology at Penn State University's Beaver campus. Penn State spokesperson Wyatt Dubois told Business Insider that Lomotey has since been put on leave.

"These allegations are deeply troubling and while we gather more information, he has been put on leave and will not be in the classroom," Penn State said in a statement. "This is a criminal matter and we cannot comment further."

Lomotey is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 23, according to court documents.

SEE ALSO: Nearly 60,000 people have already signed up for an international scavenger hunt for a $1 million bitcoin prize

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried $600 smart glasses and learned why they haven't replaced smartphones yet

50 baby products that new parents actually want, according to Amazon

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

baby

  • If you're looking for a gift for a baby shower but don't have a baby registry to go off of, you may be wondering what products new parents actually want. 
  • Ultimately, you want to get new parents something that will help keep their little one safe, healthy, and happy, and hopefully make this time of their lives easier. But there are so many products out there, it can be hard to know which ones actually live up to their claims, and which most parents could live without.
  • Luckily, for those of us who are stumped, Amazon has a list of the top 50 gifts new parents are adding to their wish-lists and registries on the site. Check them out, below.

Gift-giving is hard. No matter how thoughtful, there's always a hesitation that it might not be the right gift — maybe the recipient doesn't like it, maybe they don't need it, or maybe they just don't want it for some other reason. 

When it comes to finding nice gifts for new parents, gift-giving can get even harder — there's a new little human to add to the equation. You want to get them something that, first and foremost, is safe for their newborn, and it helps if it makes the parents' lives a little easier too. 

If you're looking for some inspiration for gifts to bring to a baby shower, or you need a thoughtful holiday or birthday gift a new parent will appreciate, check out Amazon's list of the top 50 most wished for baby products. This list is updated daily with the products that new parents are adding to their wishlists and registries. 

Keep reading to find the top 50 most wished for baby products on Amazon right now, below:

A soft, foam changing pad that keeps baby secure

Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad, $18.99



A one-month supply of diapers

Pampers Swaddlers, 198 count, $48.28



A carrier that lets them hold their baby four different ways, depending on their little one's size

Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier, $29.69



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10 ways to trick your brain into being more productive, according to a neuroscientist

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99U conference

  • Despite the fact that workdays look drastically different than they did 50 years ago, our bodies have not adapted to advances in technology, leading neuroscientist Sahar Yousef explained at Adobe's 99U conference.
  • You can trick your brain into getting more done by keeping smartphones out of sight, focusing on one task at a time, and wearing the same clothes everyday. 
  • Here are 10 ways to trick your brain into getting more done.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you've ever complained about being too busy, it may not be your boss overworking you — your brain could be the problem.

Aside from actual work, employees waste more time with constant distractions, meetings, and emails than ever, according to software company Atlassian. Technology hasn't helped: on average, Vox found workers send Slack messages every 12 minutes in an eight-hour workday. 

Read more:15 top companies that let you have a life outside of work

In conjunction to the constant barrage of distractions, employees and executives around the world complain of burnout and stress, particularly at large tech companies.

The paradox between the decline in productive work during the day and the feeling of being constantly overworked could boil down to your biology, UC Berkeley cognitive neuroscientist Sahar Yousef told the audience at Adobe's 99U conference, which brought together creative experts in fields from virtual reality to interactive art.

Everything about the workday has changed, Yousef said: most communication no longer occurs in person; technology allows workers to constantly be plugged into work regardless of a 9-to-5 schedule; you have coworkers around the world; and open offices have replaced cubicles.

Our bodies are the only thing that haven't changed, Yousef added. Many of us have not adapted our biology or rewired our brains to the tech that transformed our workplaces.

"We've created amazing new tech and devices, but the crux of the problem is that we're not changing — we're still ancient, we still have this old biology," Yousef told the audience. "Until we actually stop fighting our biology and embrace it and leverage it, it's going to feel like an uphill battle."

Yousef explained ways to rewire your workday to get the most out of your body's optimal performance ability. Here are 10 ways to trick your brain into getting more done, according to Yousef. 

SEE ALSO: 20 things you should never say to your coworkers

Keep smartphones — whether yours or someone else's — out of sight.

Distraction is the number one effectiveness killer, Yousef said. The main distraction culprit? Your smartphone.

In fact, a study out of the University of Texas-Austin found that if subjects were in the same room as any iPhone, even one that's not turned on and not theirs, basic intelligence, memory, and attention scores all dip. "By having your smartphone out, you are literally bringing the IQ of the entire room down," Yousef told the audience. 

Smartphones distract humans because, psychologically, they are no longer just objects to place phone calls. People become emotionally attached to feelings of value or memories, whether through emotional phone calls you remember having or with pictures of relatives you store. 

"These phones are emotional, we care about them, and this is why they are the most distracting thing in human history at this point," Yousef said.

Keeping iPhones away help you detach from the emotional connection you have with your phone.



Ditch your open office.

Open offices have caused a net decline in productivity: Harvard researchers found with open office plans, face-to-face interaction time got cut by a factor of four, and workers sent 56% more emails at double the length.

In an open office, people constantly interact with coworkers with whom they have emotional connections to, Yousef said. Since humans are biologically social beings, having emotional connections keeps you more engaged with your "tribe," or your community, and less engaged with the tasks in front of you.

For this reason, doing work in a busy coffee shop can be more productive because you don't have any connection with those around you.

"The human brain isn't designed to be in a massive open space," Yousef said. "You're physiologically more stressed out. It's like trying to get work done at a daycare center."

 

 



Remember that it's physically impossible to multitask.

When humans switch from one task to another, our brains must take time and energy to focus on the next task. The time wasted in switching between tasks is called a "switch cost." 

"Every single time we switch there is a cost," Yousef said. "It's draining. It's taking longer to do the same thing."

Yousef instead encourages people to mono-task, or even schedule intentional time to do one thing, called a "focus sprint." To do a focus sprint, you must set aside a block of time to intentionally get a single task done, set a timer, and turn off all other notifications. 



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How to edit Google Docs files offline, on a desktop computer or mobile app

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man working from home laptop

  • Making your Google Docs available for editing offline is useful for whenever you're going somewhere that doesn't have a steady internet connection.
  • It can also be a useful productivity tool for those who like to work offline and avoid the temptations of things like social media.
  • Google Docs, Sheets and Slides — Google Drive files — all come with the ability to be edited offline.
  • You can turn on offline editing for all of your documents, or to save space, you can choose specific ones to save to your device.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google Docs are great — until you lose your internet connection and suddenly that tiny-but-vital addition that just popped into your head has to stay unwritten until you reconnect.

It's frustratingly common, but avoidable: Google Drive files, such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides, can be edited offline if you have the foresight to turn on that feature.

There are a few other things you'll have to do before you can turn on offline editing:

  • Sign into your Google account, if you aren't already signed in.
  • Use the Chrome browser (and don't use a private browser tab).
  • Have access to an internet connection.
  • Install the Google Docs Offline browser extension.
  • Make sure your device has enough space to save the files you plan to edit while offline.

Once you've handled those, here's how to enable and use the extension on desktop or via the mobile app:

How to edit Google Docs offline: Desktop

1. Open Google Chrome and go to drive.google.com/drive/settings.

2. In the Offline section, tick the box next to "Create, open and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets and Slides files on this device while offline."

SCREENSHOT EDIT GOOGLE DOCS OFFLINE 1

3. Reload the page for each of the Google Drive files that you want to edit while offline (you should also see a notification to that effect on any open Google Docs in your browser).

To save space, you could instead opt to save specific Google Docs. For that, you'd go to drive.google.com, find your Doc, right click it and toggle on the "available offline" option.

SCREENSHOT EDIT GOOGLE DOCS OFFLINE 3

How to edit Google Docs offline: Mobile app

The kinds of files you'll be able to save for use offline will depend on your phone. Both Android and iPhone users will be able to save Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. But only Android users can view or edit videos, images, and PDFs that are saved to their Drive.

Regardless of your phone model, here's how to enable offline editing within your mobile app:

1. Open your Google Drive app.

SCREENSHOT EDIT GOOGLE DOCS OFFLINE 4

2. Next to the file you want, tap "More" (three stacked dots).

SCREENSHOT EDIT GOOGLE DOCS OFFLINE 5

3. Tap "Make Available Offline."

Once you're offline, you can simply open your Drive app, go to the menu (three stacked lines) and tap "Offline" to find and access your saved, edit-ready files.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: How to avoid tolls on Google Maps and save yourself money on your next road trip

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried $600 smart glasses and learned why they haven't replaced smartphones yet

The best stainless-steel cleaners for appliances and kitchenware you can buy

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  • More and more people are choosing stainless-steel home appliances because the metal is durable and adds a sleek and modern appearance.
  • Unfortunately, a stainless-steel finish is susceptible to fingerprints, streaks, and smudges.
  • TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish can get rid of those blemishes and leave your appliances gleaming.

After spending years drooling over the burnished, industrial look of commercial kitchens, I finally had the chance to bring stainless steel into my home kitchen. I envisioned the gleam of my cooktop, oven, sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator next to stone countertops. What I did not get was the kitchen staff to help keep the stainless steel shining.

Stainless steel has plenty of great qualities. It is extremely durable and resistant to water damage and rust. But it can show every fingerprint and smudge left by hands and every water spot that is not properly wiped away. As I shopped for new appliances, I discovered that stainless steel is offered in three finishes: mirror, brushed, and matte. As you can guess, a mirror finish is very shiny and reflective, a brushed finish appears more textured and is offered in a range in brightness, and a matte finish is very flat without any appearance of shine.

I chose a brushed finish because when it comes to maintenance difficulty, it is right in the middle. I did not want to see every problem immediately on a mirror finish, and the matte finish seemed to suck all the light from my kitchen. A brushed finish conceals many of the fingerprints but still brings some brightness to the room.

As you learn about each cleaner we tested, you'll also read about wiping the metal following the grain. As with wood grain, it is important to clean and buff stainless steel by following the grain, to get a shiny finish. Stainless steel is a combination of several metals and during production, a grain is developed. Some appliance manufacturers apply the metal sheets with a horizontal grain, some a vertical. Take a few minutes to look your appliances over and then follow that grain (slight streaks of color variation) when cleaning and polishing.

Before we reveal the best in stainless-steel cleaners, I must share a list of what not to use to clean stainless steel:

  • Harsh scouring powders and abrasive sponges
  • Steel wool
  • Ammonia
  • Chlorine bleach
  • Oven cleaner

If you use the wrong type of cleaner, there is no way to reverse the damage and nothing will restore the finish. If you live in an area with extremely hard water, cleaning is going to be difficult because of the minerals in the water that will leave spots.

Since equipping my kitchen with stainless steel a few years ago, I have been testing various cleaning products and care tips. Frequent cleaning with less elbow grease appeals to me. I'm always looking for the most effective, the easiest to use, and the best value in products for myself and others.

One tip I swear by is using a microfiber cloth when I clean stainless steel. Often, I can skip any type of cleaner by simply wiping down the appliances daily with just a dry microfiber cloth. Tough stains need a cleaner and I do thoroughly clean the appliances weekly and finish with a wipe-down with a dry microfiber cloth to polish away any streaks.

Here are the best stainless-steel cleaners you can buy:

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

Best overall

TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish eliminates grease and smudges, and it helps prevent them too.

Since I first coveted stainless steel in commercial kitchens, I turned to the expert users who recommended TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polishfor my home appliances. Professionals have been using it for years to keep commercial refrigerators shining.

Not only does TriNova remove food splatters, grease, and smudges easily with a non-abrasive, water-based product, it also coats the surface of stainless steel to help repel fingerprints and dust so it stays shiny longer. Simply give the bottle a good shake and spray-on the cleaner. The solution is slightly thick so it doesn't run down the front of appliances too quickly.

TriNova includes a large microfiber towel with each cleaner purchase. Fold it into quarters and use one side to wipe the cleaner in the direction of the grain. Finish by using a dry side of the towel for a final buff of the surface to increase the shine. TriNova can be used on any stainless-steel surface including small appliances like toasters and stand mixers, the exterior of pots and pans, and even car wheels.

With more than 300 reviews on Amazon, most customers give TriNova a 5-star rating. One said, "This cleans more than stainless steel! It works like magic on glass cooktops. It also works on hard plastic. I have a raised dog feeding station that is about 14 years old. I've tried everything made to get the spots off but in all these years, nothing worked. I could get it clean but not back to its original gloss without spots. Yesterday, cleaning cloth in hand, I tried this stuff on the feeding station and I again have a glossy stainless station for my dog's dishes. This stuff is great. I recommend it."

Pros: Removes grease and smudges easily, leaves no streaks, comes with a microfiber cloth, water-based formula

Cons: Not readily available in mass-market stores

Buy TriNova Stainless Steel Cleaner in an 18-ounce spray bottle with microfiber towel on Amazon for $12.97



Best wipes

Perfect for tight spaces and quick cleanups, Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipes can make fingerprints vanish.

Any surface is easy to clean if you do it frequently, and this rule applies to stainless steel. In between deep cleaning, Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaning Wipesare perfect for quick, everyday cleanups like cooking splatters and fingerprints on refrigerator doors.

The wipes are offered in a convenient, resealable pop-top canister to keep them from drying out — similar to other household cleaning wipes you may already have. To use, simply wipe in the direction of the metal's grain and then buff with a soft, dry cloth to prevent streaks. Smudges, water spots, and stains will be gone.

I also love to use these wipes to remove greasy smears and splatters on my outdoor grill. And nothing will fit into the tight spot where handles join a stainless-steel panel like Weiman Wipes. When I attempt to clean those spots with some liquid cleaners, the cleaner runs down the panel before I can get my cloth in there to clean.

With more than 800 hundred reviews on Amazon, these wipes are rated with 4.7-stars. Even with the convenience, at a cost of just $0.23 per sheet, Weiman Wipes are more cost-effective than some spray-on cleaners.

Pros: Wipes conform to tight spaces, useful for quick clean-ups, disposable, removes fingerprints and smudges

Cons: Darkens some types of metal like aluminum, wipes will dry out quickly if the canister is not properly closed

Buy Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes in a two-pack of 30-count canisters (60 wipes) on Amazon for $13.96



Best aerosol cleaner

With just one spray, CLR Stainless Steel Cleaner will leave stainless steel clean and streak-free.

Almost every stainless-steel cleaner recommends using the product to clean away soil and stains and then coming back with a soft, dry cloth to buff away any streaks the cleaner has left behind. With CLR Stainless Steel Cleaner, the second step is eliminated — no buffing is needed.
 
My microwave is mounted at eye-level which makes the top of the appliance above my head. Cleaning anything above my head is not a favorite chore so I like a one-step process. Just a good shake of the can, a quick spray with the cleaner, and one pass with a microfiber cloth leaves the finish shiny and streak-free.
 
With more than 200 reviews on Amazon, 78% give the CLR a 4 or 5-star rating. One reviewer found a use I hadn't thought about: "Used at work on a water fountain that hasn't seen a good scrubbing in three years (really, really hard AZ water). Every white piece of mineral deposit plus the hard water stains were 100% gone. I don't mean kinda gone, TOTALLY gone. No chemical smell or oily residue. Bizarre, but true." Another said, "This is the only stainless-steel cleaner I have found that actually cleans and polishes without leaving residue behind. I have recommended this product to several people, all with excellent results. Be sure to follow directions, clean with the grain of the stainless not in a circular motion."
 
While the product is scented, it is very light and dissipates quickly. The steel can is recyclable.
 
Pros: One-step cleaning, works well to remove smudges

Cons: Petroleum-based product, should never be used near a gas flame or hot appliance

Buy CLR Stainless Steel Cleaner in a 12-ounce spray can on Amazon for $7.91



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