AccessMenuBarApps Tames Your Menu Bar on Small Screens [Mac Downloads]

Mac: If you're running a bunch of menu bar apps on a laptop you may have noticed they disappear when you run a program with a large set of menu options. AccessMenuBarApps is a simple little program that allows you to expand your menu bar when you need it.

When you're working on a small screen laptop like a 13-inch Macbook, programs with a lot of menu options like Photoshop clutter up the top menu bar and you right-side menu bar apps get covered up. AccessMenuBarApps is a tiny icon and when you click it, the menu bar expands to give you access to your apps. You can load up AccessMenuBarApps with a keyboard shortcut, mouse gesture, or by clicking the icon. If you're on a smaller screen and use a ton of menu bar apps like Dropbox, Caffeine, or Sparrow, AccessMenuBarApps is a handy utility to have around. It's a free download from the developer's site below.

Smartphone Screens, Blocked Android Apps, and Headphone Isolation [Video]

 Readers offer their best tips for avoiding blinding phone screens in the dark, downloading blocked Android apps, and improving the isolation of your headphones. Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page.Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, email it to tips at lifehacker.com, or share it on our tips and expert pages.