If you see a celebrity trending, don’t automatically assume they died. It might just be their birthday. — Every time a celebrity’s name pops up in Twitter’s trending timeline, I like to play a little game: are they actually dead, or, did they make a politically controversial statement? …

Faced with powerful automated filters on Gmail, criminals have found a new, annoying way to catch your attention — My email inbox is a mess. Ever since my work email address became public, spam has torn through it like a Tasmanian devil trying to sell little blue pills. I’ve resigned myself to the disorder in my inbox, but my calendar is sacred. It runs my entire life, from work…

Paprika may just do the same for you, too — This is “I Can’t Live Without,” a column about the apps, gadgets, and services that make all the difference. My mother is weirdly protective of her recipe box. The little handwritten cards can’t leave the kitchen, despite the fact that only a few of them are truly irreplaceable. …