The official biography of Steve Jobs. Jobs was a very private person, yet his bio is said to be full of stories and information that have never been told before. My wife and I both love to read biographies. It is the ultimate look into how someone lived, what was important to them, how they prioritized their time and energy, and what…
Long have I been a fan of MuteMath. These guys write great music that packs tons of punch. Their most-recent album, Odd Soul, is Mutemath at their finest. Fun, energetic, thoughtful, artistic, and crazy. (Also available on Amazon MP3 Store.)
This little black beauty is an oldie but a goodie. I purchased an Apple TV last fall when these new ones came out, and it though it's the cheapest addition to my home entertainment center, it is perhaps the most important. Well, other than the TV and stereo. But that's just it: you don't need much more than a TV and an…
Knitted from 100% merino lambswool, these fashionable and warm gloves let you operate your iPhone without taking the gloves off. Stylish and convenient. UPDATE: After posting this item I received several emails from readers who have heard negative things about these gloves; primarily that the quality is poor. I recommend you check out Agloves' iPhone Gloves instead.
I have a pair of Bodum double wall glass coffee mugs, and they are fantastic. They keep the coffee (or tea) nice and hot for longer than a standard ceramic mug does, and they keep the outside of the glass cool enough to hold. And so this new-to-me double-walled french press sounds wonderful. I currently have a classic Bodum french press, but…
I pity da foo' who doesn't have one of these for his son.
For a long time the well-known Pilot G2 0.38mm was my favorite daily driver pen. I love the ultra-fine tip because it's fine but not over-the-edge fine like a 0.28mm. I love that the tip is just a little bit scratchy because I find that it makes it easier to write with. I love that it's gel ink. And I especially love…
My wife bought this extremely cute and extremely nerdy onesie as her way of telling me I was going to be a dad. And as much as I think it's adorable, please don't leave me to be the only parent who dresses their kid in this outfit.
Sometimes you simply need an inexpensive watch. Something that is light, minimal, and you don't mind if it gets scuffed up after a while. The Timex Weekender is exactly that. It has a classic look, striped or solid nylon band, and won't set you back at all. It comes in more than one style of face and band.
A few years back, when my wife didn't know what to get me for Christmas, she happened across a Gerber Multitool. Little did she (and I) know that every man should own one of these. I use my Gerber around the house all the time and take it with me on any outdoor trips. However, the Leatherman Wave is likely what I…
Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits is a new book by Debbie Millman. In it Millman interviews 20 leading designers and thinkers in branding, including some of my favorites, Malcom Gladwell and Seth Godin. Also available in the iBookstore.
Calphalon makes fantastic cookware at a fantastic price. Anna and I received two Calphalon non-stick omelet pans almost 5 years ago for Christmas and they still look and feel as if they were brand new. When we next purchase new cookware it will be this exact set — we prefer the stainless over the non-stick, and we love the way the Calphalon…
Brewing coffee with my siphon vacuum pot is a blast — especially when guests are over. The coffee is delicious and the process is enjoyable and gratifying. Most siphons come with a glass container with a wick meant for burning denatured alcohol to boil your water. This works, but it can be messy and dangerous, and is especially not wise for storage.…
I recently stepped into the world of home coffee roasting, and I may never go back. My home roasting journey is beginning with a 1970's WestBend The Poppery, which means I am currently air roasting my beans. However, word on the street is that if you're serious about home roasting then a domestic drum roaster is the way to go because they…
With a son on the way, you can now look forward to some cool kids items showing up here on Tools & Toys. And so, what better way to kick off the Kids Category than with this kid-friendly, chalkboard laptop? This geeky toy encourages kids early on to understand what a laptop is truly meant for: creating things (not checking Twitter).
I've long been a fan of the genuine music that Switchfoot makes. They're classy and they rock. Their latest album, Vice Verses, is fantastic. I've been listening to it at least once a day (Preferably very loudly) since it came out. (Also available on Amazon MP3.)
And so long as we're on the subject of patented iPod nano wrist bands, here is another one from the iWatchz folks, but this time it's in leather. A silver cased, multi-touch, digital watch face with a leather band? What is it about a combination like that that looks so cool?
As we've discussed before, the iPod nano can make for one snazzy watch. And so, if you're in want of an equally snazzy wrist band, this Q collection of bands from iWatchz are inexpensive and not ugly. They have no complicated assembly or rubber housings for holding your nano, rather you just slide and click the nano into place. And the Q…
The first Mac I ever owned was a 12-inch PowerBook G4. Affectionately named Reepicheep, the G4 had a 1.33 GHz processor, 1.25 GB of RAM, and an 80 GB, 4200 RPM hard drive. I used that laptop every day for three years. I cut my teeth for design and development on that PowerBook. I started writing my weblog on that PowerBook. And…
This little iPod nano has turned out to be quite the utility device. Not only does it provide musical entertainment while you're working out, but it can also help you track your walking or running. Plus it has an FM radio, a slew of awesome-looking watch faces (because the nano makes a great watch), and it comes in a handful of colors.…