You wanted sci-fi recommendations chosen by scientists, eBay tech deals and food safety myths. Kick off your Monday by checking out the ten most popular posts from Lifehacker Australia last week:
- The World’s Best Science Fiction, Chosen By Scientists
Tales of strange alien worlds, fantastic future technologies and bowls of sentient petunias have long captivated audiences worldwide. But science fiction is more than just fantasy in space; it can educate, inspire and expand our imaginations to conceive of the universe as it might be. We invited scientists to highlight their favourite science fiction novel or film and tell us what it was that captivated their imagination – and, for some, how it started their career. - The Best Tech Deals From Ebay’s Mammoth Valentine’s Day Sale [Updated]
In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, eBay has knocked 20 per cent off more than 300,000 products on its website. Close to 30 major tech stores are participating, with hundreds of dollars off products such as the iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner and iPad Pro. Here are some hand-picked deals that are worthy of your consideration. Click on the links to land yourself a bargain! - Home Theatre Software Showdown: Kodi Vs Plex
Who needs Netflix? With home theatre apps like Plex and Kodi, you can roll your own sweet-looking library with all the TV shows and movies you like, with none of the junk. But which software should you use? Here’s how the two biggest solutions stack up against each other. - Coles And Woolworths Lettuce Linked To Salmonella Outbreak
Several brands of pre-packed lettuce mixes sold at Coles and Woolworths have been recalled following a major salmonella outbreak in Victoria. Affected products include Coles 4 Leaf Mix, Woolworths salad mix, SupaSalad Supamix and Wash N Toss salad mix; all of which are sold in multiple states and territories. - Why Do Oil Prices Keep Going Down?
Global stock markets have been in a tailspin this week. And the sinking price of oil received at least some of the blame. Producers keep pumping more oil, even as prices are falling to fresh 12-year lows every day. What’s driving this? - Four Food Safety Myths That You Probably Still Believe
You get told a lot of things throughout your life. Everybody has a few nuggets of ‘facts’ they would like to share with you. Many of them relates to how to prepare and store edible goods to avoid food poisoning. Australia’s government agency for scientific research CSIRO is aware of this and has decided to use science to debunk five prevailing food safety myths. - Turn The Chromecast Into A Standalone Media Player, No Internet Required
The Chromecast is a pretty awesome media player that pays for itself. If you want to use it without the internet, though, you’re fresh out of luck. This custom ROM can change that. - Is It Better To Live In Sydney Or Melbourne? [Infographic]
“Which city is better — Sydney or Melbourne?” It’s a question that has caused countless pub debates on both sides of the border. While the answer is usually highly subjective, it is possible to reach an unbiased conclusion based on comparable factors such as weather, population and cost of living. This infographic from Cheap Flights looks at which city comes out on top in various categories. [Spoiler: Sydney wins, natch.] - Planhacker: The Best No-Contract Deal On Each Mobile Network
Contract phone plans are a bad deal: not only are you stuck with the same phone and network for two years, you often end up with smaller data and call allowances than with a no-contract prepaid or month-by-month deal. We’ve eliminated the also-rans and come up with one firm recommendation for the best value no-contract prepaid deal on each of Australia’s mobile networks. - Classic Hacks: Repel Flies With A Plastic Bag
You may be planning a barbecue or two this summer — but how do you deal with all the flies? Do you use a spray, or do you just rely on the good old Aussie salute? As it turns out, the solution may be as simple as a plastic bag full of water.
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