I treat my earbuds rough, so every year or two they break. And every time, as I walk around the world without a constant soundtrack of Spotify and podcasts, I think to myself, "I really ought to do this more often." And then I have ideas.

With iOS 11, Apple changed up how you activate the Night Mode on your phone. The company originally introduced Night Shift in iOS 9.3 as a way to make screens a little easier on the eyes at night (and help you get some sleep in the process.

In 2005, two recent university graduates launched a website with a simple idea: They would let the online community decide what was newsworthy and what wasn't by letting them post their own links and information. They'd then allow the site's users to vote on those posts, with the idea that the very best would rise to the top.

For iOS 11, Apple has completely overhauled the Control Center. The Control Center is that tray that pops up when you swipe up from the bottom of the display on your iPhone or iPad (it will come from the top right side of the screen on the iPhone X). Traditionally, it's offered quick access to things like your phone's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controls, Aeroplane Mode, the torch and music controls. It's essentially a place for shortcuts to different phone controls and with iOS 11 it's gotten a lot smarter.

If you've been using your computer to manage the apps for your iOS device, that time has come to an end. The latest update to Apple's iTunes removes its access to the iOS App Store, as well as the ability to manage iOS apps, with the company expecting you to handle all that app-related business on your iOS device itself. So long, app syncing.

If you've installed iOS 11 on your iPad, then you've probably come face-to-face with the operating system's new keyboard feature, Key Flicks. Basically, Apple has taken its regular keyboard and overlaid numbers and symbols on each letter.

Here is a quote from Roman philosopher Seneca's On the Shortness of Life, a 2000-year-old treatise on how we spend our time that still rings true today.

iOS 11 is lying to you. Sure, the operating system is full of new features, fixes, and a generally more pleasant aesthetic, but one change is rubbing me (and other battery-conscious users) the wrong way. The revamped Control Center's actions when dealing with the disabling of wireless connectivity are misleading, telling users their Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections are off when that isn't the case.

iOS: Having an elaborate, secure password on your Wi-Fi network can be a great thing. A great thing until that weekend you have guests visiting from out of town and they have to try your 20-character Wi-Fi password a dozen different times because a zero looks like an O or they couldn't tell from your chicken scratch which letters are capitalised and which aren't.

iOS/Android: Instagram is a great place to share all kinds of fun visuals — except for your favourite GIFs. Instagram won't let you upload them. Fortunately, the Giphy app will let you do exactly that right on your smartphone.

Everybody wants better sleep. Many of us invest considerable money, time and effort in search of that perfect night’s rest. We spend on pharmaceutical sleep aids, gadgets and devices, anything that promises to help us sleep easier.

Too often our issues stem from what we do immediately before bedtime. In the interests of promoting better sleep for all, let’s take a look at some nightly habits, and whether they lead to forty winks or tears at work the next morning.

iOS: You might not want to upgrade to iOS 11 just yet, but you should update these top-shelf iOS apps.

iOS: Before you download iOS 11, you should make sure all the apps you rely on will work with the newest version of the operating system.

Jet.com president Liza Landsman was recently promoted from her role as Jet's Chief Customer Officer. She previously worked in executive roles at Etrade, BlackRock and Citigroup. She's also on the board of directors of GO! Project, a New York City-based foundation that provides educational opportunities for children in need. We asked her how she gets her work done.

iOS: When you're a few hours into your favourite tower defence game, an unwarranted pop-up can break your concentration and end a previously flawless run through a challenging level. Luckily, one of the many updates in iOS 11 is designed to curb the number of pop-ups and interruptions from app developers looking for positive feedback. The new option lets you rid yourself of the dreaded app rating request (or, as I like to call it, the beggar's box).

iOS 11 is now available for download, which means you can upgrade one of your many iOS devices to get features such as a smarter Siri, a new app dock on the iPad, and improved multitasking support. It also means you'll be downloading the first version of a major software upgrade, which isn't the best idea, especially on launch day. Issues ranging from slow download speeds to frozen devices often plague the first version of new operating systems, and the potential for something to go awry on day one should be enough to make you consider waiting until Apple irons out the kinks.

Dealing with anxiety or depression is challenging enough as it is, but trying to be productive at the same time can feel downright impossible, like swimming against a current. There are some small productivity hacks that can help.

The dual-monitor setup is an enticing way to make it look like you're extra-productive. Multiple monitors just scream power user. Practically, however, the set-up can be more of a hindrance than a help. What if using a single display allowed you to improve your focus and get even more work accomplished?

Hi Lifehacker, I'm a self-employed tradesman and struggle to keep good records of the work I've done and when. Obviously a physical diary would do the job but it would be great to have something that syncs with google calendar and allows photos to be added. Any recommendations?