26 must-have apps for college life

So yay, you're in college!

Less yay: you have no idea what you're doing.

I mean, I don't care what anyone says, adulting is hard. But I believe in you, I believe you can pull this all together. You just need the right tools. Below, we've assorted the best apps for studying, money management, time management, health and exercise, job hunting and finding cheap textbooks.

(And yeah, older grown-ups use a lot of these, too.)

See all 26 apps in Carmen Triola’s article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/28/must-have-college-apps/.

5 Tips For Giving The Perfect Toast No Matter The Occasion

Not sure what to say? Keep these rules in mind and you'll nail it.

You're at an awards dinner. Or maybe it's a grand opening, or even a retirement party. You're asked to say a few words, but you aren't sure how to do it. How do you find the right level of mush—not too mushy, but just mushy enough? It's a special occasion, so you want to give your audience a warm feeling, but you don't want to get too corny and make them cringe. Here are five simple tips to bear in mind for your next toast.

1. Start with the obvious
2. Share something about yourself
3. Stick with short sentences
4. Dare to be different
5. Make sure you don't embarrass anyone

Toasts can be nerve-wracking because it's only on rare occasions that we actually have to stand up and give them. But keep these basic pointers in mind and you'll leave your listeners with something memorable—for the right reasons.

Read Anett Grant’s complete article at https://www.fastcompany.com/3063094/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/5-tips-for-giving-the-perfect-toast-no-matter-the-occasion.

Update your iPhone immediately to protect yourself against spyware

You can never have too much security.

Apple released iOS 9.3.5 with yet another "important security update for your iPhone or iPad" on Thursday. The update is available for iPhone 4S and later and iPad 2 and later and iPod touch (fifth-generation) and later.

The update is the second security patch pushed out in August. iOS 9.3.4 was released earlier this month.

According to Apple's security update page detailing changes in iOS 9.3.5, the update mainly closes up a few security holes that could be exploited by nefarious hackers and prevents them from running "arbitrary code with kernel privileges."

Sounds like the rudimentary update, but a report from The New York Times says the update patches up a serious vulnerability that a company called the NSO Group has been using to secretly track a user's data.

Data like text messages, emails, calls and contacts, audio and passwords are all at risk unless you update to iOS 9.3.5.

Apple got to work on iOS 9.3.5 after two researchers discovered the exploits 10 days ago.

"The company sells only to authorized governmental agencies, and fully complies with strict export control laws and regulations," Zamir Dahbash, an NSO Grop spokesperson, told the Times. The invisible spyware is crafted to target dissidents and journalists in places like United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Kenya, Mozambique, Yemen and Turkey.

If you're not on the latest version of iOS, now's the time to update it.

Source: Raymond Wong’s article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/25/ios-9-3-5-apple-update-prevent-hackers/

How to opt out of sharing your WhatsApp info with Facebook

Yesterday WhatsApp announced a huge change in its privacy policy that will see it begin sharing data on its users — such as their mobile phone number and last seen status on the app — with its owner company Facebook, and any other company Facebook owns.

If you're not happy about that, you have two choices. You can either stop using WhatsApp entirely — if you want to be sure that none of your WhatsApp data ends up on Facebook's servers.

Or you can exercise the partial opt out WhatsApp is offering users for a short period of time.

WhatsApp has already started pushing out the updated terms and conditions. Learn more in Natasha Lomas' article at https://techcrunch.com/gallery/how-to-opt-out-of-sharing-your-whatsapp-info-with-facebook/.

Google will soon start punishing mobile sites that show hard-to-dismiss popups

Google today announced two major changes related to its mobile search results. The one you’ll probably notice first is that Google is removing the “mobile-friendly” label that highlighted pages that were easy to read on mobile from its mobile search results pages.

In the long run, though, the second change may be more wide-reaching: starting on January 10, 2017, the company will start punishing mobile pages that show intrusive interstitials when a user first opens a page and they will rank lower in its search results.

Read Frederic Lardinois’ article at https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/23/good-riddance/.

10 Tips for Your Best Stroke Recovery

Strokes occur in more than 795,000 in the United States each year, killing about 130,000. Survivors have an increased risk for long-term disability and face challenges completing daily activities.

Rehabilitation is a crucial component of care following a stroke. At top stroke centers some form of rehabilitation begins virtually immediately after a patient is admitted to the hospital — to get them on the right path to the best possible outcomes.

However, there are several things patients can do to ensure they are maximizing their recovery starting the second they suspect a stroke. Here are 10 tips:

1. Seek urgent care immediately.
2. Keep your medical information handy.
3. Choose a top care center for your rehabilitation.
4. Eat well.
5. Compliance is key.
6. Exercise, but within your limits.
7. Limit stress.
8. Stay positive.
9. Do your homework.
10. Stay vigilant.

Read details of Ira Rashbaum, MD’s tips at http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/health-answers/10-tips-for-the-best-stroke-recovery/.

Fourth grade teacher makes a back to school music video

Nothing makes going back to school less exciting than when your teacher greets you with a boring old syllabus.

That's why Dwayne Reed, a fourth grade teacher from Chicago, wrote a rap and filmed a music video to welcome back his students.

The song prepares the students for what they can expect in Mr. Reed's class throughout the year, which thankfully includes singing songs as a way to memorize information.

See the video at http://mashable.com/2016/08/23/fourth-grade-rap/.

The world's tallest and longest glass bridge opens to crowds of daredevil tourists

After several "safety tests" that involved smashing the bridge with sledgehammers and driving an SUV over it, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon bridge in China finally opened to the public over the weekend.

On Saturday, almost 8,000 tourists went down to the site for a chance to try out the world's tallest and longest glass bridge.

See Alicia Tan’s article with photos at http://mashable.com/2016/08/22/zhangjiajie-bridge-opens/#s5z8YaS_z5qX.

11 jobs the internet is destroying

IIt’s hard to think of an invention that has changed the course of human history quite like the internet has. Being able to connect people all over the world and give them access to a million books worth of information is truly amazing. But the world of modern capitalism is struggling to keep up.

For every job that’s been created by the internet (like writing cool articles for a great website that the nicest people read), there’s a job that’s killed by it. Artificial intelligence, distributed computing, and other advances are removing the human element from customer service, professional consulting, and more.

Not every profession stands the test of time. Read K. Thor Jensen’s article to learn which jobs are on the way out at http://www.geek.com/news/11-jobs-the-internet-is-destroying-1665747/.

35 Most Exotic Destinations For Your Next Vacation

We live on a beautiful planet that offers many stunning landscapes, tropical paradises, mist shrouded volcanoes and unbelievable beaches. Raising a toast to the explorer within you, here are a few exotic getaways for you to consider for your next vacation: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/35-most-exotic-destinations-for-your-next-vacation.html.

14 things you should do to get the most out of a test drive

So, you’re in the market to buy a new car.

You’ve done some online and in-real-life automobile window-shopping, and then used online sites like KBB.com to complete some preliminary research, which helped you narrow down your list to a few final makes and models for consideration.

Now comes one of the most fun steps in the car-buying process: The test-drives.

It’s exciting – and extremely important – to get behind the wheel and give prospective vehicles a try-before-you-buy experience, but your test-drives should be much more than simply driving a car around for a few minutes to see how it handles. You’ll want to take the time to really get to know the car, since, you know, it’s likely you’ll be driving it for the next few years. The test drive is crucial in helping you make sure you’re purchasing the one that best fits with your wants and needs.

Read 14 things you should keep in mind and make sure you do when you’re test-driving a new car, from before to during to after at http://mashable.com/2016/08/08/test-driving-cars-tips/#wH7CQ1fp.sqb.

11 Things Highly Organized People Do on Their Smartphone

Take advantage of these neat tips and let your phone keep your life together.

1. They master their to-do list
2. They grocery shop as they go
3. They pay without plastic
4. They make multitasking look easy
5. They download key documents anytime, anywhere
6. They protect their passwords
7. They organize receipts—easily
8. They sync their calendars
9. They keep the whole family on top of things
10. They keep it simple
11. They stick to time limits

Learn the details in Abbey Schubert’s article at http://www.rd.com/advice/work-career/get-organized-smartphone/.

Kroger has a new plan that should terrify Walmart and Target

Kroger is going after Target and Walmart by expanding a new type of store featuring home goods, clothing, and kitchen appliances.

The store, called Kroger Marketplace, features nearly everything you would find in a Target or Walmart store, but with a greater focus on groceries, alcohol, and prepared foods.

The company says Marketplace is one of its "primary growth formats of the future" — in other words, it's expanding rapidly.

Kroger has nearly 3,000 stores, more than 120 of which are Marketplace stores.

We went to three Marketplace stores in the Richmond, Virginia, area to check them out. Check out Haley Peterson's article for photos and details at http://www.businessinsider.com/kroger-has-a-plan-to-to-take-down-walmart-2016-8/.

Facebook’s next big platform: Your camera

Facebook can’t build everything. For a decade, its strategy has been to provide the canvas, then let developers paint it however they want. That’s because there’ll always be another game. Another app. Another… selfie filter?

The hot trend in consumer social networking has progressed from text update sharing to gaming to one-off utilities to basic photo sharing to now, when content creativity apps have taken the spotlight. People are tired of sharing the same old picture of their face, food or sunset; they want tools that help them make and share something unique.

Hence, the rise of Dubsmash and Musical.ly for lipsyncing, Periscope and Facebook Live for broadcasting, Prisma and Artisto for reimagining images and Boomerang and Phhhoto for generating GIFs.

Read about Facebook's move into the realm of rainbow puke in Josh Constine's article at https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/12/the-creativity-ecosystem/.

Oreo's latest flavor sounds a little fishy

Combining two of your favorite childhood sweets sounds like a confectionary dream.

However, Nabisco's newest venture is a bit surprising: the Swedish Fish Oreo.

Read Sophie Hirsh's article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/10/new-oreo-flavor-swedish-fish/#VIkY89jJ.qqw.

S'mores cookies are the Girl Scouts' newest treat

Just when you thought Thin Mints and Tagalongs were as good as it got, Girl Scouts of the USA is raising the bar.

Today, which happens to be national S'mores Day, the organization had announced two new s'mores-inspired cookies to its 2017 cookie lineup.

There is a chocolate-coated graham cracker cookie double dipped in a crème icing and a graham sandwich cookie with chocolate and marshmallowy goodness filling. Both are, true to form, called "Girl Scout S’mores."

Read Sarah Spigelman Richter's article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/10/girl-scouts-cookies-smores/#yQXBH.Li58q3.

Your guide to the potentially awesome Perseid meteor shower this week

One of the best meteor showers of the year will grace skies around the world this week, culminating in a potential "outburst" of shooting stars during the overnight hours between August 11 to August 12.

The Perseid meteor shower is bound to impress people lucky enough to watch the meteor display from very dark skies this year.

The shower peaks in the early morning on Friday.

Your best chance to see the peaking of the Perseids will be to head outside and get somewhere dark by around 3 a.m. local time on August 12.

Get more info and viewing tips at Miriam Kramer's article: http://mashable.com/2016/08/07/complete-guide-perseid-meteor-shower/#7Nw6xF3q.Zqs.

We compare Snapchat Stories to Instagram Stories

Instagram caught many by surprise this week when it revealed it was launching a new feature called Instagram Stories, which looked almost exactly like the Snapchat feature of the same name.

While close observers likely weren't surprised that Instagram was putting its own spin on the feature (Facebook has been trying to clone Snapchat for years), many were shocked at just how blatant the move seemed to be. More shocking still, Instagram didn't even try to hide where its "inspiration" came from.

Now that some of the dust has settled and we've had some time to really try out Instagram Stories for ourselves, we thought we'd put the two side by side to see how they stack up.

Read Karissa Bell's article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/05/snapchat-stories-compared-instagram/#XxyeNnvc5mqQ.

China built an elevated bus that travels above car traffic

China's Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) is not only a real thing, but had its first road test today in Qinhuangdao City.

The whole thing is powered by electricity, is about 72 feet long and 25 feet wide (so it can span multiple lanes of traffic) and can carry 300 passengers (but future versions could probably be coupled together to carry even more). And, when it’s actually launched and operating, it should hit max speeds of around 40 miles per hour, making it a pretty speedy mode of public transportation.

Read the complete article and see a few videos at https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/02/china-has-actually-built-that-elevated-bus-that-travels-above-car-traffic/.

3 simple ways to avoid making big mistakes as a teen using social media

Social media may connect and empower a teenager, but it can also become a permanent record of a young person's disgraceful behavior.

Karlie Hay, the newly crowned Miss Teen USA, learned this lesson the hard way. Soon after Hay claimed her mantle on Saturday, it became apparent that the 18-year-old Texan used a racial slur on Twitter four times in 2013 and 2014.

Even teens who may never imagine themselves as a public figure or a flashpoint in a debate about race and culture, for example, can benefit from the following tips:

1. Consider social media a permanent record of your behavior.
2. Remember that you're bound to make mistakes.
3. Don't underestimate who you'll become.

Read Rebecca Ruiz's article at http://mashable.com/2016/08/01/social-media-miss-teen-usa/#yQXBH.Li58q3.

Spiral-Cut Pool Noodle Hacks

Have some extra pool noodles around? This video is chock-full of great pool noodle tricks, including a way to spiral-cut them into padding you can wrap around almost anything.

See the video at http://lifehacker.com/spiral-cut-pool-noodles-make-great-all-purpose-cushions-1784487295.