| Google Maps Adds Multiple Search Function [Google Maps]
July 22, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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|  Google Maps has a lot going for it, but there's always room for improvement. Which is why today the search giant added the ability to simultaneously search for and display destination points alongside its directions.
The new feature means users can now search for restaurants, bars, gas stations, and other destination points along their journey. To use the function, look for a blue bar at the bottom of the left panel (after your second search). Click on it to expand the widget so that you can activate both searches simultaneously. To help distinguish between the pair, Google has provided color-coded circular markers. Clicking on the check boxes will turn the searches on and off. Try out the multiple search feature for yourself and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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| Remains of the Day: Windows 7 Officially Released to Manufacturing Edition [For What It's Worth]
July 22, 2009 at 7:00 pm
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|  Windows 7 is released to manufacturing, Google is building 3D hardware acceleration into Chrome, Amazon buys a whole lot of shoes, and you get a free burrito.
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| Email Is the Most Popular Tool for Sharing Links [What You Said]
July 22, 2009 at 6:30 pm
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|  Earlier this week we asked you how you share links over the internet after having read a dubious claim that Facebook was the most popular. After conducting our own unscientific poll amongst Lifehacker readers, email handily bested the competition with a whopping 30% of the vote. Instant messaging trailed with 23%, Facebook was able to muster up 20%, and Twitter pulled in 9%. Photo by Max Klingensmith.
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| Listen to "Complex" Music to Get a Song Out of Your Head [Mind Hacks]
July 22, 2009 at 6:00 pm
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|  Been singing the same refrain for what seems like hours on end and can't seem to get the annoyingly catchy ditty out of your head? Here's how to rid your mind of the song.
Photo by Ferrari + caballos +fuerza=cerebro Humano. Real Simple Magazine consulted James Kellaris, a University of Cincinnati professor who studies why catchy tunes stick in our heads. James says that to stop the looping, "listen either to complex music, like Mozart, or unfamiliar music that lacks a hook, like New Age." And if that doesn't work, try singing the song all the way through or simply listen to it in its entirety. This will give your brain a sense of completion and should relax your need to continue repeating the lyrics. As for situations where you can't remember some or all of the lyrics, just rewrite the end to get the song out of your head. If you have suggestions for complex and unfamiliar music that you've used to thwart the song in your head (or other tricks to achieve the same goal), leave them in the comments.
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| Do You Prefer Your Email on Your Desktop or the Web? [Reader Poll]
July 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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|  There was a time when—if you were a serious email power-user—desktop email clients were the only way to go. Nowadays, robust web-based email applications like Gmail have completely changed things.
Photo by DJHeini. Earlier today we mentioned that Thunderbird 3 Beta 3 is available for download, and it got us thinking: There was a time, in the earlier days of Firefox, when the two open-source applications shared a lot of the Mozilla limelight. Now Firefox is clearly enjoying a time in the sun, but Thunderbird, for whatever reason, isn't. We'd suspect a lot of it has to do with users who've become accustomed to handling their email on the web, but whether or not that's the case, we're wondering:
What's Your Preference for Email?(online surveys)
Whichever way you lean, expound on your reasoning in the comments.
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| Chromegestures Adds Mouse Gestures to Google Chrome [Downloads]
July 22, 2009 at 4:00 pm
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|  Windows only: The experimental chromegestures extension for Google Chrome adds a full set of mouse gestures to those using the development releases of Chrome.
Installing the gestures requires first switching to the development channel, modifying your Google Chrome shortcut to include the --enable-extensions parameter, and then heading over to the download page to install the extension (by simply clicking on the ChromeGestures.crx link). Once you've installed the extension and restarted the browser, you should be able to hold down the right mouse button and swipe the mouse right or left to navigate back and forward, Down -> Right for a new tab, or even up to search with the selected text. If you get stuck, you can use Up -> Right -> Down -> Left -> Down to open up the help file, or you can do Up -> Down to open the options dialog and tweak the sensitivity. If you're a big fan of mouse gestures, this is definitely worth the effort of getting it installed.
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| MetatOGGer Automatically Identifies, Tags Your MP3s and More [Downloads]
July 22, 2009 at 3:30 pm
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|  Windows only: Free application MetatOGGer is an advanced MP3 (and OGG Vorbis, FLAC, Speex, Musepack, Windows Media, WavPack, and Monkey's Audio) tag editor that can automatically tag your music by creating audio fingerprints and comparing them with online database, MusicBrainz.
(Click the image above for a closer look.) And while MusicBrainz already has its own dedicated application for this (the previously mentioned Picard), we've always found Picard to be a little clunky. MetatOGGer, on the other hand, seems quite a bit more user friendly. Likewise, MetatOGGer can automatically search out and add lyrics to your tags from web site LyricWiki. This one didn't make our list of the six best MP3 tagging tools, but then again, we didn't even know it existed. And while it may not be as efficient as something like MP3Tag (our Hive Five winner), it does show a lot of promise. MetatOGGer is freeware, Windows only, requires .NET 3.5 SP1. If you give it a try, let's hear how it worked for you in the comments.
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| Use the Stranger Test to Reduce Impulse Purchases [Money]
July 22, 2009 at 3:00 pm
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|  When faced with a purchase, many people fall into the trap of only considering that they want it and can afford it—but that doesn't mean they should buy it. Cut down on impulse purchases by using the Stranger Test.
Photo by JMRosenfeld. The Stranger Test is an excellent way to frame the financial significance of the purchase. How does it work? A reader from Five Cent Nickel explains: When considering a purchase, picture a stranger offering you [the cash value of the purchase] or the item in question. Which is of greater value you? Which would you choose? If a stranger were to come up and offer you $3 to not buy that cup of coffee you might reply "Thanks, but I'd really like this cup of coffee." But if your response over a bigger purchase like a new HDTV set or a computer would be "Hmmm $800 would be a pretty nice credit card payment..." it's probably best to put your funds to use fixing more immediate problems. What tricks do you use to help yourself be more frugal? Sound off with your favorite ones in the comments below.
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| Thunderbird 3 Beta 3 Available for Download [Downloads]
July 22, 2009 at 2:30 pm
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|  Windows/Mac/Linux: Mozilla has just released a new beta version of their desktop email application in the form of Thunderbird 3 Beta 3, adding better Gmail integration, smart folders, and more.
The update promises several improvements beyond what we saw when Mozilla released Thunderbird 3 Beta 2, both for developers and users. Specifically: - Tabbed Email Messages
Double-clicking or hitting enter on a mail message will now open that message in a New Tab window. Middle-clicking on messages or folders will open them in a Tab in the background. When quitting Thunderbird, visible tabs will be saved and will be restored when you open Thunderbird the next time. There is also a new Tab menu on the Tab toolbar to help you switch between Tabs. - New Message Summary View
Selecting multiple messages will give you a summary view of the emails you have selected. - Column Headings
The column headings that are displayed and the order in which they are displayed can now be set on a per-folder basis. - Smart Folders
The folder pane offers a Smart Folders mode which combines special mailboxes (e.g. Inbox) from multiple accounts together. - Improved Gmail Integration
Better recognition and integration of Gmail's special folders such as Sent and Trash including non-English versions of Gmail. Thunderbird also uses All Mail as the Archives folder. For more, check out the release notes. Before you upgrade, you may also want to take a look at the known issues to make sure that a little beta bugginess doesn't disrupt your email flow. Thunderbird is a free download for Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. If you're a Thunderbird die-hard and you've tried out the Thunderbird 3 betas, let's hear how it's been working for you in the comments.
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| The Elemental LiteStep Desktop [Featured Desktop]
July 22, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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|  Reader technoftw's desktop combines the LiteStep alternative desktop environment with Rainmeter configurations and an awesome wallpaper image to make a light, pleasing desktop configuration.
The desktop is a combination of:
Great job, technoftw! This desktop not your style? Why waste time complaining? Instead, get started creating your own killer desktop with the easy-install Enigma 2.0 package and show the world what you can do. If you get stuck and need some help, join up with the Lifehacker Desktop Customization Google Group to collaborate on new ideas for desktop configurations. Once you've created your own beautifully tweaked (and hopefully productive) desktop, post it over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.
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| Sign Up Now to Test Google Wave in September [Beta Beat]
July 22, 2009 at 1:30 pm
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|  Yesterday we told you that Google Wave was opening to 100,000 regular folk at the end of September, but on closer examination, it looks like Google's already allowing users to get in line for their invite to the limited preview. Just head over to the Google Wave's sign up for updates page, enter in your email address, and select the Enlist me! option (you should be willing to actually report bugs and give feedback if you select this option) and sign up. (It's the same signup-for-notifications page that's been available since Wave was first announced, but Google now officially stated that invites would be sent to these users.) After that, it's a matter of waiting and hoping you were one of the first 100,000 to sign up. Now you could just anxiously twiddle your thumbs until September 30th rolls around, or you could obsessively watch our Google Wave highlight reel and hands-on Q&A for the next couple of months. Thanks @orionghf [Google Wave - Sign up for updates]
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| Pho.to Edits Pictures and More [Photos]
July 22, 2009 at 1:00 pm
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|  Whether you need a one-click instant fix, the ability to crop and edit, or you just want to make a goofy avatar for your favorite forum, Pho.to has a variety of photo editing tools to help you.
Source by Hamed Masoumi. There are several editors available at Pho.to including a quick-fix enhancement tool which applies a variety of canned fixes like tweaking the contrast and saturation all in one click. If you need more hands on control you can switch to the photo editor and gain the ability to crop, resize, and adjust various aspects of the photo. On the sillier side of things you can use the funny photo feature to put your face in a variety of situations similar to previously mentioned PhotoFunia. You can also tweak your photo in the caricature generator and the—potentially seizure-inducing—avatar creator. If you need more editing tricks than Pho.to can supply, make sure to check out the Hive Five: Best Online Image Editors for some advanced photo-editing magic.
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| How to Troubleshoot a Flaky Internet Connection [Home Network]
July 22, 2009 at 12:00 pm
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|  You're zooming down the information superhighway getting things done when your usually-trusty browser throws up the dreaded "Server not found" message. Argh! Now what?
Roll up your sleeves and get troubleshooting, that's what. When your internet connection goes down or starts acting up, here's what to do. (First: save this article to your computer's hard drive. It will do you no good out on the internet when you can't get online.) The best way to resolve ANY computer problem is to use the process of elimination. Narrow down a wide field of possible problems to come up with the right solution. There are two types of connectivity downage: when you can't get to ANY web site or online service at all, and when you can't get to a single specific site or family of sites. To determine which situation you're in, try getting a response from a few different web sites, including one that most likely is not down, like Google.com, Yahoo.com, or Microsoft.com. At this point command line lovers skip the browser and go straight to ping, a simple tool that sends data packets to a server and receives a response back. Ping a server by typing ping google.com in your Mac's Terminal, Windows command line, or shell. You'll see immediately whether or not you're getting a response. In the screenshot here, Google is responding within 106 milliseconds or so. 
(Hit Ctrl+C to stop; otherwise ping keeps pinging.) Try to ping google.com or yahoo.com, as well as a few smaller sites like Lifehacker and whatever site you were trying to reach when things went down. If you can't reach Google, Yahoo, Lifehacker, or any other site, your whole connection is borked. If ping ain't your cup of tea, you can also use a web browser to reach a few different sites. Just make sure you try more than one browser when you do, just in case a specific browser's settings or add-ons are actually the problem. Ping is the best way to see if you can reach a given server, not your browser. Now you know whether your connection is totally down, or if it's just one or a few specific web sites. If you've got more than one computer or device on your network, try the same process on each one to make sure the problem isn't specific to a single computer. You can even grab your Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone, hop on your network, and check to make sure that the same sites or the whole internet are unavailable as well. Is it the same type of downage on all devices and computers? Ok, let's go from there. (If the problem is specific to one computer, skip to Scenario 3.) Scenario 1: You can't get online at all from any device or computer In a typical home wireless network, there are three main components: the computer(s) and other devices, your wireless router, and your cable or DSL modem. Of course, many more devices are involved in any network connection from your computer to a web site on the internet, but these are the ones you have control over. If you've been surfing away happily on your computer on your home network and then for no apparent reason you stop being able to go down, the first places to check are your modem and router. Twitter user Jesse Glacken put it well (and geekily) when he described what he does to fix a broken connection. 
In non-programmer style English: If your modem's lights are out, reboot it. If your router's lights are out, reboot it. In short, rebooting the modem and the router will solve 90% of your home internet connectivity problems. Generally I unplug the router first, then unplug the modem. (Neither of them have power buttons, so it's a matter of pulling the power cord out of the box. Don't be fooled by the standby button on the top of your modem, that's not the power button. You have to actually pull the power cord out of the modem.) Count down to 10, then plug the modem back in and then the router. Give them both time to boot up and connect by watching the activity lights. Then try connecting to the internet again on your computer.  At this point, if all the lights are on but you still aren't getting ping responses or are able to load web pages, it's time to continue down the elimination road. Grab the cable that your ISP gave you and connect your computer directly to the modem to eliminate the router. Reboot the modem again. Try pinging or getting online. No dice? It's time to call your ISP.
If you can get online while you're connected directly to your modem, but not when you're connected to your router, the problem is somewhere on your router. Unless they've installed the router for you, most ISP's won't offer tech support for your router. Troubleshoot it by visiting its administrative page and checking whether or not it's getting a connection from your provider. This is the time you want to have your router's user guide handy. Skip down to Scenario 4 for more on the care and feeding of a troubled router. Scenario 2: You can't get to a specific web site or set of web sites from any computer or device If it's just one web site that you can't reach, the problem most likely isn't you; it's that web site's server.  My favorite tool for checking a web site is the super-useful Down For Everyone Or Just Me tool, which tells you if the whole world can't reach that web site as well. If it's not just you, and that web site is indeed unavailable to anyone, use Notify Mee to get an email alert when that web site is back up. (Thanks, warplayer!)
 If it turns out it is just you, you're in an interesting pickle. You can reach DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com and Google.com, but not this particular web site—but the rest of the world can. At this point, it's time to start thinking about DNS servers. Your ISP's DNS servers are the ones which figure out what internet domain names (like lifehacker.com) map to what IP addresses. If your ISP's DNS server doesn't have the correct address for a web site name, you're not going to the right server. To see if the problem is DNS, try switching to the free OpenDNS service.
To get more exact information about the source of the problem, skip down to the section on using traceroute. Scenario 3: One computer can't get to certain web sites, but other computers on the same network can If you're here reading Lifehacker, chances are your computer is free and clear of viruses and other malware. If you're visiting Aunt Mitzy and Uncle Ralph, however, that might not be the case. If a specific computer can't get online but other devices can, the problem is local to that machine. First, make sure the problem isn't browser-specific. Install Firefox (or create a fresh, extension-free Firefox profile) and check to see if you can get online with it. Try Chrome as well. (If the computer can't get online at all, use one that can to download the browser installation files, or bring along a portable version on a thumb drive.) If all the browsers on the system can't get online, disable the anti-virus software and check the firewall. Sometimes corrupt AV software that's not entirely turned off or uninstalled can mess with the network connection. Try creating a whole new user on the system and logging in as that new user to make sure no process is running in the background that's getting in the way. If you suspect malware IS at work, scrub down the machine. In the worst case scenario of a totally crap-laden system, wipe the hard drive clean and install Windows from scratch. Scenario 4: Your router requires constant resets or slows down connections If your wireless router seems to slow down your connection or goes on vacation often and without warning, there are a few things you can do.  For routers that become unreachable or lose connectivity often, try updating the firmware to the latest version. Search the router's manufacturer's web site for the latest and greatest and install it using your router's administrative interface. If you're feeling very adventurous and have compatible hardware, try third-party firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato.
For router slowdowns, try reducing interference or changing the wireless channel. The New York Times advises: The base station may be getting interference from a new nearby device that was recently installed and is using the same radio frequency. This can include cordless phones, microwave ovens, baby monitors, wireless speakers, mice or keyboards. See whether the network speed improves when these devices are moved or turned off. Moving the base station itself may also help. For apartment dwellers, having neighbors with their own wireless networks crowding the airwaves may also impair performance, especially if everyone's network is set to use the same default channel. To change the router's channel, you need to go into its configuration file (you usually need the base station's password to gain access to these settings). The steps for changing the channel will vary based on the manufacturer, but Linksys has its instructions at snipurl.com/3iibn. Apple's AirPort and AirPort Express base stations can be adjusted by using the AirPort Utility software. Experiment with Channels 1, 6 or 11, as they are far enough apart not to overlap with other channels and may provide a better network signal. For more, see our top 10 Wi-Fi boosts, tweaks, and apps. Photo by philcampbell. The Command Line Tool of Network Ninjas: traceroute Every good network administrator reaches for the age-old command line tool traceroute to troubleshoot broken network connections. Traceroute maps the path data packets take from your computer to a web site, and includes every single stop along the way and how long it took to get there. For broken connections, traceroute reveals at what exact point the broken connection is failing, and gives someone with a little knowledge of ping and IP addresses more information about how to resolve the problem. 
To give traceroute a spin and see what its output looks like, try this online version (which obviously doesn't help if you can't get online at all). To run it from your computer, on Windows from the command line type tracert google.com (notice the missing o, u, and e). In a Mac Terminal window, type traceroute google.com. Check out this awesome traceroute tutorial or this traceroute primer to learn more on interpreting traceroute output, which will look something like this on a broken connection where the connection fails on hop 4: 
What are your most common internet connection maladies? How do you resolve them? Drop your network troubleshooting knowledge in the comments. Gina Trapani, Lifehacker's founding editor, never wants to see a "Server not found" message again. Her weekly feature, Smarterware, appears every Wednesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Smarterware tag feed to get new installments in your newsreader.
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| Tame Freezer Burn to Keep Food Tasty [Food]
July 22, 2009 at 11:00 am
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|  Don't let freezer burn ruin good food. With a little preventative measure and proper storage you can keep those steaks you stashed away delicious and fresh instead of freezer burned and chewy. Photo by Clicksy.
Freezer burn is, technical terms aside, the effect of water slowly being drawn out of food in your freezer and redeposited on the surface of the food. Everything from steak to ice cream can succumb to freezer burn. The process doesn't make the food unsafe, assuming the food has remained in the freezer during the whole process, but it does alter the taste significantly. Freezer burned steak for, for example, will taste tough and bland because the process of freezer burning essentially turns the meat into jerky. Freezer burned ice cream takes on a strange chewy texture like that of taffy. You could safely eat both, but—blech—only if it's for dire need of sustenance. What can you do to stave off the onset of freezer burn? Over at wikiHow, they've put together a how-to guide to combating freezer burn. The biggest thing you can do is to ensure stable temperatures. Strong fluctuations in temperature within your freezer are almost a guarantee of freezer burn. - Try to not open the freezer unless you have to and, when you do, don't linger with the door open, peering into the frozen abyss.
- Fill plastic containers with water and put them in the freezer. Make sure there's room for expansion. This will help stabilize the temperature in the freezer.
- Don't put hot food directly into the freezer. Sticking hot food in the freezer can cause a drastic change in temperature. Put it in the refrigerator first to let it cool before freezing.
For more tips on keeping your food free from freezer burn, check out the full guide at the link below to learn more about packaging and storage. If you've got a trick or two of your own for keeping frozen food nice and fresh, sound off in the comments below.
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| How Cash Over Credit Can Save You Money [Saving Money]
July 22, 2009 at 10:30 am
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|  Avoiding pricey credit card fees isn't the only reason to opt for cash over credit (although it's a good one).
Nowadays, using cash over credit has some additional post-recession benefits. After all, with consumer demand low, some businesses, including auto dealers and electronics retailers, are offering better deals for cash-carrying customers. Other service providers may cut you a deal, too. So why pay cash over credit? Let us count the ways: Flee the Fee-Fest: With new credit regulations coming down the pike next year, card carriers are rushing to add new fees and charges to card holders before the hammer comes down next February. Some of the new fees, like fees for paying bills over the phone via credit card or higher fees for tardy payments, may drive cardholders over the edge, and have them leave their plastic at home and more cash in their wallet. Use Cash, Cut a Better Deal: Retailers are beginning to rebel against the automatic fees that come with credit card purchases. Car dealers, hotels, and high-end electronics dealers are increasingly open to offering lower prices if a buyer pays with cash. Take the travel site Tripadvisor.com. The online site offers more hotels stays and at better prices for customers who give up the greenbacks. Doctor Dollars: Paying your doctor bill with dollars gives new meaning to the term cold cash. If you need to see the doctor for a virus or other malady, offer to pay your bill in cash. Physician's offices are overrun with paperwork, and could be amenable to lightening the paper trail if you offer a couple sawbucks on a $50 tab. That's a 20% discount – and don't be surprised if your doctor goes along with the deal. Instant Accountability: People who pay bills with plastic may spend more knowing that bill really doesn't come due until 30 days later, when their credit card bill shows up in the mail or via email. But paying a tab using cash means the money is coming out of your pocket right now. Being more cognizant of how fast your household budget is being depleted should save you more money in the long run. Credit card holders who have become attached to the perks of plastic, things like card rewards, theft protection and the convenience of avoiding ATMs and waiting at the counter for change from a $50 bill, may balk at using cash. But stand firm. By weaning yourself away from the plastic with the big bank logo on the bottom, you're saving money, gaining some leverage, and sticking it to the very same people who drove your interest rate up when went over your limit. As the old saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold … and paid for with cash.
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| Gmail Offers to Automatically Unsubscribe You from Mailing Lists [Spam]
July 22, 2009 at 10:00 am
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|  Ever get an email from a legit mailing list but went ahead and marked it as spam anyway because you just don't want it? Gmail has smartened up to this common behavior, offering to automatically unsubscribe you from certain messages.
From Gmail's help pages: We don't think you should be burdened with managing messages you don't want to receive. We do our best to put messages in Spam when we're pretty sure you won't want or need them. But everyone has different preferences about the mail they want to see. You may not want to read any messages sent by a certain company or mailing list, while another Gmail user finds these same messages to be valuable. To help solve this problem, we're providing you with an unsubscribe tool for some messages. You'll see the unsubscribe tool when you mark a message from particular types of mailing lists as spam. If the particular message is a misuse of a mailing list you like to receive, you can Report spam as usual. But if you never want to receive another message or newsletter from that list again, click Unsubscribe instead. We'll send a request to the sender that your email address be removed from the list. It's that simple! Basically, when you're annoyed enough to mark a message as spam but not enough to go and unsubscribe from the mailing list, Gmail now offers to do the more time-consuming part for you. They won't offer to unsubscribe you from just any list, though, and keep in mind that it can take a few days to process your unsubscribe request. Still, it's a really nice feature to provide. Thanks Gregory!
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| The Big Book of Everything Organizes Important Personal Information [Organization]
July 22, 2009 at 9:30 am
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|  There is a whole host of information in our lives that is important—bank accounts, tax records, credit card information—but not usually easily organized together. The Big Book of Everything helps keep important information organized and in one place.
The Big Book of Everything is a workbook created as a free and compact alternative to the massive and expensive It's All Right Here, a life organizer created by Mark Gavagan. While The Big Book of Everything weighs in at nearly a tenth the size of It's All Right Here, it covers the basics quite nicely. Printed off and stored in a folder or binder it makes it easy to organize important personal information for your own use or the use of your next of kin in the event of your death. There are pages for passwords, bank accounts, insurance policy information, tax records, and more. If you fill out a few pages a night you'll have the entire thing filled out before the end of the month. The Big Book of Everything is available as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet.
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| Pack Your Leftovers Before Eating to Lose Weight [Diet Hacks]
July 22, 2009 at 9:00 am
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|  Whether you're trying to lose weight or successfully manage your diet, portion size is key. Here's how to "right-size" your meals to ensure you don't overeat.
Photo by oosp. Reader's Digest outlines 10 ways to achieve proper portion control. One suggestion involves packaging your leftovers before you sit down to eat. The aim is to make getting seconds less appealing by literally presenting less food on the table. If you're not dining solo, this will also work because there will be less food to go around and, psychologically speaking, you might not want to appear as if you're hoarding. Check out the full post for the other tips including an explanation on why you should never eat directly out of the box, then tell us how you manage to control your cravings in the comments. And since the goal is to manage your portions without sacrificing necessary nutrients, browse through our previous post on the food combos that provide the best nutritional synergy.
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| AirBnB Finds a Place to Stay On the Cheap [Travel]
July 22, 2009 at 8:30 am
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|  Looking to see the sights but not looking forward to paying high hotel prices? Take advantage of AirBnB to find some nice, usually economical, local accommodations.
Similar to previously mentioned iStopOver, AirBnB lets you search for accommodations in your city of choice. People with a spare room put up listings complete with photographs, amenities, and ratings from other AirBnB users. You can currently find a room in 77 countries and 1102 cities. Mix in a little flexibility on your part and you'll be hard pressed to find metropolitan areas short a room or two. Accommodations range from something as simple as a spare room to even guest houses and cabins. If you're looking to see the world but your wallet is on the light side, make sure to check out another travel tool we've talked about, The Couch Surfing Project and score a couch to crash on free of charge.
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