28JUL2024
An iOS App, a Mac app, an essential design resource, a killer audiobook, and something that totally sucks.
Happy Sunday, everyone! It was an action-packed week here in Austin between seeing The Aquabats!’ 30th Anniversary tour, enjoying some killer omakase and cocktails, and even a round of laser tag. On the web, I’ve been exploring the Light Phone 3, Boox Palma, and some Digital Minimalist themes for inspiration to cut down on my iPhone’s dopamine production. Maybe the secret is to keep planning fun weeks like this one and avoid doom scrolling?
On to the good stuff!
- 💨 Hoto Suck and Blow* - OK, technically, it’s not called the Suck and Blow, but I prefer that over the official title: “HOTO Handheld Vacuum Cleaner Cordless, Desk Vacuum Cleaner Compressed Electric Air Duster 15000Pa Suction, 4-in-1 Portable Vortex Vacuum Dust Buster Air Blower for Computer, Keyboard.” Hoto makes fantastic, small, beautifully designed tools, and this one is a great addition to my collection. I use it to clean up ground coffee, blow dust out of my keyboard, and other little clean-ups that don’t merit lugging out the big vacuum. To quote Wayne Campbell, this thing certainly does suck.
*Amazon-affiliate link. - 🌩 Lazy Weather for iOS - I love weather apps, and this minimalist concept for iOS is fun. It tells you if it will be warmer, colder, or the same as the day before, and if it’s going to rain or snow. All of this is done with a clean, lean aesthetic, and it gives you more data if you want. It’s a nice change from the information overload of my usual weather app, Carrot (which I still love).
- ✅ Done for MacOS - This is a unique take on productivity tracking. Instead of a to-do list, it’s a “done” list to track everything you’ve accomplished during the day. I’ve been doing this off and on in my note-keeping system, but I like having this little app running in the menu bar to celebrate my wins (however small) throughout the day.
- 🔠 Butterick’s Practical Typography - Matthew Butterick’s excellent web-based book on typography principles is delightful. I’ve referred to it for years and always learn something new. If you want to understand what makes a good typeface, how to choose the right ones, or just need recommendations, this book is a gem and beautifully designed.
- 🚀 Project Hail Mary - Thanks to Mr. BC for the recommendation, I recently devoured this amazing sci-fi novel by Andy Weir, author of The Martian. This book has so many fun twists that I recommend learning as little as possible before starting. If you liked The Martian or any sci-fi where the protagonist overcomes obstacles with legit, non-fictional science, you’ll love this book. The Audible performance is fantastic and won the 2022 Audies award for best audiobook.
That’s it for this week. Be well, everyone!