We all know we’re supposed to drink plenty of water.
And if you’re one of the lucky ones who loves water, great!But a lot of people, myself included, will take the migraines and afternoon slump over exerting ourselves to drink the recommended 8 cups per day. Dr. Barbara Levine, director of the Nutrition Information Center at NYU-Cornell Medical Center, has called America a “dehydrated nation.” And I get it. I mean, water is not a particularly inspired beverage. It’s hard to stay motivated to drink it all day, every day, forever.
I’ve tried different ways to stay hydrated, like adding flavor packets to my water and pre-filling bottles the night before, but every effort lasts a few days at best and then fizzles out.I was curious to see if a smart water bottle would be any different.
While I’m low-tech and always skeptical of new trends, I figured: if there are teams out there whose full-time work it is to develop a bottle with this ONE goal in mind, there’s possibly something to them.I tried 4 different smart water bottles:

• Water.io
• HidrateSpark Pro
• Gatorade Smart Gx Bottle
• WaterDrop bottle with LUCY® Smart Cap

I approached with caution, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised.The smart technology proved to be more helpful than any of the standard hydration tips I’ve tried so far.
So now the question is — which smart water bottle is best? I’m going to break down my experiences with these 4 seemingly similar bottles and then reveal my top pick at the end.

Contender 1: Water.io

Contender 1 came in strong with a delightful app download experience. It was smooth and intuitive, offering step-by-step guidance with fun surprises along the way. I continued to find this app very easy even beyond the initial setup. I could always find what I was looking for in no more than a few seconds. If I wanted to mute notifications or change my color preferences, for example, it was always straightforward. I even liked hanging out on the app when I didn’t need to just to check my bottle fill status, add other forms of hydration, and do the breathing exercises (“me time”).Out of all them, this bottle’s app felt most like a game. While all the apps had some gamey features, like earning badges and unlocking options when you hit milestones, this was the only one where I could check my ranking against other app users.

The bottle itself is insulated stainless steel, so it kept my water cold. It’s on the smaller side, 17oz, so it was conveniently lightweight, but I also had to refill it several times throughout the day. Likewise, the narrow opening is great for drinking but makes it a bit harder to clean and fill. It took me a few days to learn to stop filling before spilling it all over the counter!
I found the drink reminders the most effective out of all the contenders. The bottle lit up and vibrated whenever it was time to take a drink.

The vibration added a multi-sensory element — light, sound, and touch — which I found more helpful than light alone (in keeping with a 2023 study that suggested multi-sensory hydration nudges can be more effective than a single-sensory nudge).It was also nice not to be inundated with phone notifications.

I especially loved the rainbow party when I hit my daily goal!

But my favorite feature of all was that you could check your drinking status at any point by tilting your bottle sideways. If you were on track, it would turn green. If not, orange. Being competitive, this invariably motivated me to drink until I got it to turn green.
I definitely drank the most with this bottle.

Contender 2: HidrateSpark Pro

This bottle and I got off to a rocky start when I had to fiddle around to remove the sensor to charge it prior to use. It was designed in a way that made it hard to hold and twist. On the plus side, I loved the insulation which kept my water cold all day, and the wide opening made it very easy to clean. The built-in straw would also be a plus if you like them.The app experience was mostly smooth except for 2 setup frustrations:

1. I had trouble initially calibrating the bottle. I kept getting an error message even though I was doing everything right. Eventually it worked on attempt #5.
2. I had to scroll back manually, month by month, for over a decade until I reached my date of birth!

Beyond those setup glitches, the app was user-friendly and helpful. I liked the way your daily goal appeared as a circle, and there was a marker that moved as time passed.

The drink reminders came through my phone, which I didn’t love. Cutesy poems, quotes, and questions like, “Feeling the spark of thirst yet?” just didn’t motivate me.If I wasn’t by my phone, I missed the nudges, and if I was, I mostly found myself ignoring them.I did like that the bottle “talked” to me by turning blue when I filled it up and fuchsia after I took a drink. The only problem was that there was a long delay between the action and the glow — so much so that it took me a while to realize they were connected at all.Overall, the HidrateSpark Pro was a more-than-decent contender.

Contender 3: Gatorade Smart Gx

This bottle had the same familiar design as the classic Gatorade sports bottles I see everywhere. Same design, but with a smart cap.
The initial charge and app download experience were really straightforward. The app was sleek and I liked that it was highly customizable, from the hydration goal, 32 to 300 oz, to the color you want to see when your bottle lights up.

Drink reminders were bottle-based in the form of flashing lights on the cap. I could customize how frequently I wanted to be reminded, from every 15 minutes to hourly. I found the lights bold enough to keep me on track without being obtrusive, as long as I was by my bottle.
I also found it exciting to watch the light display gradually fill up towards the target goal as I drank throughout the day.

The bottle itself is fairly large, 32 oz, and durable. You’d have to work hard to break it or cause it to leak, which makes sense for athletes (their primary audience).It conveniently fits into most car and bike cup holders, and I enjoyed the rubber textured grip. This was also the only contender that was a squeeze bottle. Again, great for athletes.
Two drawbacks with the bottle itself:

1. Lack of insulation meant water didn’t stay cold
2. Slow air intake after drinking caused for a disjointed drinking experience

It’s also worth mentioning that the GX app is only available for iOS. So if you’re not Apple-based, you might want to keep scrolling.

Contender 4: WaterDrop

I was excited about this one because in addition to all the standard features of a smart bottle, the LUCY cap also purifies water using UV-C light technology — an effective water sterilizer.
I’m not sure it can take water from swampy to safe, but it does claim to deactivate “up to 100% of potential germs in drinking water.”

This was also the only contender that used a standard USB-C cable and didn’t require a custom cord to charge.

The app is smooth and intuitive. It’s easy to customize and find what you need. 

You can even use points you’ve accrued towards free accessories.

(A word of caution: the app is available in many countries, but not all. So I’d advise double checking before committing.)
The WaterDrop drink reminders come both through your phone and in the form of flashing lights on the cap. Since I don’t find app reminders helpful, and the lights were so subtle that I often missed them, I did not find myself drinking more with this bottle.
Like contender 1, the bottle’s opening is on the narrower side which is both good to drink from and harder to clean and fill. The cap does screw onto most WaterDrop bottles, so you have a variety of materials and design to choose from, but the opening will always be narrow to fit the LUCY cap.All in all, this was an excellent final contender. 

The post Best smart water bottle for 2024? appeared first on Online Storiez.

Feeling a little stressed and need some release? In the above video, Guava Juice introduced some fun, de-stressing, chillest gadgets. We know what it’s like to come home after a bad day, not having any outlet or presence to comfort you.

It’s helpful to have tools that can get you to practice mindfulness and they are fun adult toys, perfect combinations of technology and fun!

Keep reading to see what these gadgets are and where you can get ’em!

The post 10 Gadgets for De-Stressing appeared first on Online Storiez.

I think most women have a closet full of clothes. It takes a lot of efforts to stuff all your outfits into your suitcase when you travel. But when it comes to picking what to wear for the night, we wonder “Where are all of my clothes? I might just have to cancel. I got nothing to wear.”

Unlike men who can follow Steve Jobs’ looks of rocking the same t-shirt and jeans every day, us girls have to be very conscious about not wearing the same outfits too often. Besides, one small tear or spill can easily ruin some of our most adored clothing.

But 123 Go! released this awesome video recently to offer us easy tips for creating fabulous brand new couture using ordinary or even ruined fabric.

So here are some tricks to turn generic into FLY.

The post Brilliant Clothes Hack for Women – No Clothes Wasted appeared first on Online Storiez.

For all the 90s babies and fans, every year we feel a bit of nostalgia for all things 90s. denim from head to toes, Justin Timberlake and Brittney Spears, studs on everything…

If you want some reminders and unique ideas for 90s arts and crafts projects, you’ve come to the right place.

In this fun video, The Try Guys attempt to create some artwork and outfits that will make them look like they’re straight out of N Sync video. We also did some digging and found more DIY projects that will fix your 90s flare cravings.

You can get together with your friends and do a 90s themed slumber party. Think about how #kewl your photos will be.

The post The Most Nostalgic 90s Crafts appeared first on Online Storiez.

Good Mythical Morning’s another hilarious food review is here. This week, they tasted popcorn from 6 different movie theaters and rated them. There were 6 contenders including 4 national chains and 2 regional cinemas. The contenders were: Pacific, Cinemark, AMC, ArcLight, Laemmle, and Regal.

Let’s see which movie theater has the popcorn worthy of our movie experience!

(We will also share some unique popcorn recipes for those who enjoy watching movies in your own homes)

The post Which Movie Theaters Have the Best Popcorn? appeared first on Online Storiez.

‘Dirty John’ is a godsend for all true crime lovers. Based on a real-life tale and characters, the new Netflix original show tells a story about a disastrous love affair between a successful Orange County divorcee Debra Newell and an ex-con, lifelong conman John Meehan who was addicted to opioids. This shocking story has all the components of a satisfying true crime series – psychopathic mind games, sex, family drama, lies, clash with the law enforcement, violence and a shocking yet happy ending where the good guys win.

Eric Bana and Connie Britton delivered an amazing performance; Britton received Golden Globes nominations for her portrayal of Debra Newell. Watch the video above to listen to Eric Bana talk about what it was like playing the psychopathic villain.

If you are fiending for more juicy details around this worse-than-fiction story, we got you. We have summarized additional facts about the destructive life and death of Meehan. SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t seen the show yet, many of the truths we share here will give away the plot/ending!

The post Dirty John – More About the Deceptions and Downfall of John Meehan appeared first on Online Storiez.

Jeff Bezos, the richest man on earth, had some scandalous accusations to share on Medium against American Media Inc. (A.M.I.) which owns The National Enquirer.

How did it all start?

To understand this legal drama, we first have to go to the beginning of January this year. Soon after the announcement of Bezos’ divorce from his wife of MacKenzie, NE ‘ published an investigative article about Jeff Bezos’ alleged extramarital affair with a former host on Fox Lauren Sanchez. Read the full article here. The original article included quotes, messages, and tales of hotel rendezvous between the two lovers.

What did The National Enquirer want from Jeff Bezos?

After NE’s expose about his affairs, Bezos launched his own investigation into how NE was able to obtain his private messages and what their motive might have been. When David Pecker found out, he reached out to Bezos with a threat.

Bezos claims that Pecker threatened to leak intimate pictures of Bezos’ private parts if he did not stop his investigation and publicly affirm that NE’s expose was not politically motivated.

However, Jeff Bezos did not back down. He said, “Of course I don’t want personal photos published, but I also won’t participate in their well-known practice of blackmail…”

Then Bezos announced that he’ll make public the letters American Media Inc. (A.M.I.) had sent him about their ‘proposal.’

Was The National Enquirer politically motivated?

The National Enquirer was recently in the spotlight due to the revelations about their role in the campaign finance prosecution related to President Trump and Michael Cohen (hush payments to the women). The publication narrowly escaped massive legal troubles by agreeing to cooperate with the federal prosecutors.

It is well-known that President Trump and the media company are close. And President Trump has not been quiet about his hatred towards Bezos. He has tweeted many insults targeting Bezos mainly due to the negative coverage of him by The Washington Post, which Bezos owns.

So naturally, there are speculations about NE’s motivations especially since it rarely targets tech executives for their tabloid. Was it to embarrass President Trump’s enemy? Did they use illegal methods to obtain those private messages? These are the questions Bezos’ investigation is exploring.

The agreement A.M.I. had with the federal authorities stipulates that the company will be subject to prosecution if it commits any crimes over the next 3 years. Thus, if A.M.I. had used illegal means to obtain the messages and photos of Mr. Bezos, it will be in big trouble. In addition, a blackmail charge will also put them in serious legal jeopardy.

How did A.M.I. respond to Bezos’ accusations?

David Pecker’s attorney, Elkan Abramowitz, denied Bezos’ claims in the ABC News interview. Abramowitz also insisted that the story was not extortion but journalism. The source of the affair story, he claimed, came from a reliable source close to both Bezos and Sanchez.

He reaffirmed that Bezos’ claims that A.M.I. was trying to curry favor with the White House and Saudi Arabia were absolutely false.

Currently, federal prosecutors in Manhattan are reviewing the allegations.

The post Jeff Bezos vs. National Enquirer – Claims of Extortion appeared first on Online Storiez.

Here you go.

Spaghetti Tacos

Making Fresh Tomato Sauce

1. Sauté chopped minced small onion until translucent
2. Add one teaspoon of red pepper flakes, one teaspoon of dried oregano, four cloves of chopped garlic, and 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
3. Then sauté for a minute
4. Put everything in the food processor and add a can of San Marzano tomatoes
5. Mix them again in a pan nice and slow
6. Add chopped fresh basil
7. Partially cover and bring the pan to simmer
8. Then lower the heat to ‘low’ and stir every 10 minutes for an hour
9. Once the sauce is done (after an hour), add al dente pasta into the sauce with kosher salt, 2 tablespoons of butter and a good drizzle of olive oil
10. Toss if possible

Making Meatballs

1. Mix a pound of ground beef, an egg, panko breadcrumbs, little garlic powder, a little splash of milk, and a shake of oregano
2. Use your hand to make 1-inch-balls and bread them
3. Deep-fry the meatballs using a quart of vegetable oil

When both the meatballs and pasta are done, you put them in a taco shell. You can also shave some Parmesan cheese on top!

The post Weird, Unique Recipes for Taco Tuesdays appeared first on Online Storiez.

The result, as captured in the video, was stunning. Many strangers delivered a standing-ovation worthy speech to the bullies. The young actress who played the victim, Jillian, actually grew up with Tourette and has personally experienced this type of bullying.

It was hard to watch the bullies mocking and verbally assaulting a helpless kid. Many kind Samaritans got very upset; in fact, one of them even started tearing up. They all tried to educate the bullies about sympathy towards other human beings and Tourette’s.

When the bullies called her weird, one stranger responded, “We’re all weird. We’re human beings. Don’t make fun of her.” Jillian found this to be such kind, amazing words. The same man also told the bullies, “I don’t like it when people bully people or demean them for something they are not educated about.”

Some gently advised the bullies to learn about the condition. All of them sternly told the bullies to leave Jillian alone and tried to comfort Jillian.

This video was similar to the Burger King commercial/anti-bullying PSA back in 2017. In that commercial, however, most customers remained silent. So the Burger employees tried to teach those customers a lesson using their Whoppers.

What is Tourette Syndrome?

Tourette syndrome is a lifelong neurological disorder, which most often begins between the ages of 2 and 21. Not all who have this condition swear involuntarily. Only about 10% does. About 1 in 162 children (0.6%) have diagnosed or undiagnosed Tourette. In addition, most children diagnosed with Tourette reportedly also have at least one other mental or developmental disorder.

How Bad is Bullying in the US?

A kid gets bullied every 7 minutes in the US. And only 4 in 100 adults will intervene. According to a CDC report, 19% of high schoolers were recently bullied on school property and 14% have been cyber-bullied.

Besides the psychological and physical toll on the victims, bullying has profound impact on socioeconomic construct. Studies show that both bullies and bullying victims are more likely to experience poverty and professional failure their adulthood. They are also more likely to commit crimes and suffer from substance addictions.

Louisiana ranked #1 as the state with the worst bullying problems, followed by Arkansas and Missouri. See the full list here.

How Do We Stop Bullying?

Adults can reduce bullying by responding consistently and quickly when they witness such acts in their community. In fact, this is the only way to eliminate bullying behavior long-term.

Some suggestions for what to do when you see youth bullying:

• Question the bullying behavior
• Redirect the conversation using humor
• Take a walk with the target of bullying to help diffuse the situation
• Intervene as a group with other bystanders
• Reach out to the victim privately later to check in

The post Heart-Warming Video of Stranger Preaching the Bullies appeared first on Online Storiez.

WIRED’s regular YouTube channel regularly has celebrities answering questions most searched about them. This week’s celebrity host was Daniel Radcliffe and we got to learn some fun facts about the actor whom most of us have known since he was 10 years old (now he’s 29!).

His Favorite Harry Potter Movie

Radcliffe’s favorite Harry Potter movie was the 5th one even though that wasn’t the most popular one among his fans. He explained that he liked the fifth movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because of the blossoming relationship between Harry and his godfather Sirius Black.

He also talked a little bit about his fellow actors, mainly Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley). While his fans expect all of the HP actors to remain best friends forever, Radcliffe said only the three of them have such a tight bond.

Daniel Radcliffe’s Origin

Surprisingly, one of the most asked questions regarding Radcliffe was “Which country is Daniel Radcliffe from?” despite his very strong British accent.

Today, he lives in London and New York, splitting his time between the two cities.

The Song Radcliffe Rapped

Another question was about a song that he rapped on Jimmy Fallon, the video of which got nearly 91 million views. He rapped Alphabet Aerobics by Blackalicious. Here’s the adorable video of his rap performance.

Obviously, we know that he is musically talented. Following his success as the most famous wizard of our generation, Radcliffe performed in a critically acclaimed musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” It was also recently announced that he will be returning to Broadway in “The Lifespan of a Fact,” based on an essay written by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal about Levi Presley’s Las Vegas suicide in 2002.

His American Sports Team

Apparently, Daniel Radcliffe is a loyal fan of New York and Detroit sports teams. He is a Detroit’s Lions fan as his girlfriend of 6 years, Erin Darke, is from Flint, Michigan, which is just a few minutes outside Detroit. They met on the set of ‘Kill Your Darlings’ and had instant chemistry. The director of the film made Radcliffe and Darke do improv on camera so there’s a recording of them meeting and flirting for the first time.

His Recent Movie Set in New Zealand

He was in New Zealand last year shooting a film called Guns and Kimber where he plays a guy who wakes up to find a pair of guns surgically attached to himself. He knew he wanted to do the movie when within 10 pages, he came across a scene where the character tries to go to the toilet very carefully with guns for hands.

His Hair Extensions

Daniel Radcliffe got hair extensions when he was playing Igor Strausman in the movie Victor Frankenstein. He recommended his fans do not try it if they can avoid it; it was like having a mini snake on your head.

Radcliffe’s Revenge on Paparazzi

He wore the same jacket and jeans every day for 6 months when he was performing on Broadway. Radcliffe thought this would frustrate the paparazzi as all the photos would look like they’re from the same night and said he couldn’t resist “any opportunity to annoy the paparazzi.”

Why He Doesn’t Have Tattoos

Radcliffe fans wanted to know why he doesn’t have tattoos. While he really likes and wants tattoos, Radcliffe said he could hear the voices of his make-up artist friends who would not enjoy coming in half an hour early to cover his ink every time he has to be shirtless. He’s a considerate gentelman.

Radcliffe’s Career as a Child Actor

The first movie Daniel Radcliffe was ever in the Tailor of Panama where he played the young son. He also gave us more details about how he got signed on to play Harry Potter. The producer David Heyman approached Radcliffe’s parents about the 7-movies deal but they initially declined the offer as the film had originally been set in L.A. and his parents thought that’d be too disruptive for their young child. However, they changed the film location to London and soon after they had a chance run-in with the producer. His parents thought it was fate and…you know the rest!

Some Weird Questions Searched About Radcliffe

There were some odd questions in the mix: Is Daniel Radcliffe the next Wolverine? Does he have a son? Did he play Moaning Myrtle? What is Daniel Radcliffe? Oh, the internet.

The post What You Didn’t Know About Daniel Radcliffe appeared first on Online Storiez.