From The Tips Box: Hidden Wi-Fi, Google Docs Conversions, Inbox Zero

Readers offer their best tips for finding hidden Wi-Fi networks, converting documents for Google Drive and keeping a clean inbox by using the right wallpaper.

Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favourites. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments or send it using the contact tab on the right.

Use In-Store Devices To Find Hidden Wi-Fi Networks

Dyan654 seeks out Wi-Fi at electronics stores:

If you need to look-up a product on the internet at a retailer but have lousy reception, it makes sense to use the store’s Wi-Fi. However, the SSID is generally hidden, and if you just have a mobile phone, it’s unlikely you can use any software to find it. Instead, hit up one of the store’s iPads or laptops to find the SSID. Problem Solved.

Photo by Adam Tinworth

Open Files With Google Docs In Two Clicks

Ajcord shares a quick Google Docs trick newbies might not know:

I found out an easy way to convert Office files to Google Docs format once they have already been uploaded to Google Drive. Just right click on the uploaded file, go to Open with, and click Google Docs. It will automatically convert the file and open it for editing instead of opening the original Office file as read-only.

Some of you Google experts might already know this one, but it’s handy for those that don’t use Docs a lot.

Motivate Yourself to Inbox Zero with a Good Gmail Background

Alisia Revitt finds simple motivation to empty her inbox:

I use Gmail’s custom background to put a picture with the interesting part roughly in the middle/bottom of the screen. The placement of the action matters: that way, if emails backup in my inbox, they cover the interesting part of the picture, so I want to deal with messages and get them out of my inbox so it’s unobstructed. I’ve attached an example of my work inbox with grumpy cat as an example. (This has the added bonus of making me laugh every time I look at my inbox.)

This relies on being slightly obsessive, but that’s a pretty standard Lifehacker attribute! It’s so subtle that it took me a few weeks to realise I was doing better at clearing, then a while to figure out why.