When you work on a 23-inch monitor a good full-screen writing app can be hard to find. Apps that look good in full-screen mode on a 13- or 15-inch screen don’t necessarily scale well to 23 inches. Byword, however, scales quite well. It looks great regardless of if I’m writing on my laptop display or my cinema displays. And the dark color…
The day you start wearing an automatic watch is akin to the day you start shaving with a classic safety razor. Automatic watches are self-winding and need no battery (the movement of your arm throughout the day is what keeps them going). And they are normally quite expensive. However, this classy watch from Seiko is currently on a fire sale over at…
We know that you know that the best way to keep your roasted coffee beans fresh is to store them in an airtight container that doesn't see any sunlight. Most coffee aficionados find the nearest jar with an airtight lid and call it good. But after you've closed that jar what about all the air that is still inside it? That's where…
So long as we're talking about music today, here's another recommended album: The Social Network soundtrack. I spend most of my working day writing at my desk. And writing is, for me, a mostly quiet endeavor. Too much noise or distraction and I can't concentrate. But there are times when I really do need some background music and for those moments soundtracks…
Oddly enough this album was recommended to me by the record store employee in this Rdio promo video. And the truth is I really do like the new Foster the People album. Maybe you will, too. (Torches is also available in CD, vynil, and MP3 versions on Amazon.)
They say people who work with their mind like to unwind by working with their hands. When I'm not writing I enjoy woodworking. I built my own desk (the very one I am typing this parenthetical sentence on), and my next project will be a storage trunk slash coffee table for our den. When doing fine woodworking a hearty and comfortable apron…
In some offices you simply cannot get by without a stapler, pencil sharpener, or tape dispenser nearby. And if these are the tools that you need, why use something ugly? Good design inspires. But never should style get in the way of usability. These desk accessories from Restoration Hardware have both.
Let's be honest. There's something irresistible about the juxtaposing intersection of vintage and modern.
Advertising is not a dirty word my friends. And this fun and entertaining (as well as award-winning) documentary is all about the power and importance of the creative professional. Designers and writers and photographers and editors are all vital contributors to a good marketing campaigns, and this film is all about them. If you have even the slightest interest in the creative…
The best way to describe Power Grid is to say it's like an amalgamation of The Settlers of Catan and Ticket To Ride. Power Grid is a strategy game that requires time and attention. It's like Settlers because you build cities and collect resources. It's like Ticket to Ride because you connect those cities across a map and you have to think…
I carry my 13-inch MacBook Air in an old Timbuk 2 bag. The kind of bag that came around before dedicated laptop messenger bags were popular. And so I needed a good sleeve to keep the Air protected. There are many sleeves out there, but I like this Acme Made one because it's padded and reinforced. And the top of the sleeve…
That super-long cable is ideal for certain times, and then this super-short cable is ideal for other times. Such as traveling. Also, this little guy wins the award for cutest white cable ever.
Reading Natalie’s book is a lot like sitting in on a question and answer time where people ask all the right questions and she gives all the right answers. You don’t have to read the book front to back. The chapters are short and fast and can be read completely out of order because each one is its own nugget of advice…
You want to grind your own coffee, and you want to grind it with a conical burr grinder. What many people do not know is that there is a big difference between a plain burr grinder and a conical burr grinder. In fact, most inexpensive burr grinders do a worse job grinding your coffee than a cheap blade grinder would. With conical…
I received one of these cables for my birthday this year and I now use it all the time. I never realized how handy a double-length, 30-pin cable would be until I had one in my possession. One would think that the last thing an Apple nerd needs is yet another white cable. But in this case, it's a welcome addition. Trying…
As much as we love going digital, there are still parts of our life that are kept analog. Sometimes out of necessity and sometimes out of desire. And so, when using pens and papers for whatever reason, why not do so with class? Enter this set of Brass Index Clips. They are a beautiful and fanciful way to label, organize, title, or…
[Insert Star Wars Theme Song here.] I have a habit of collecting classic trilogies on Blu-Ray. First it was Back to the Future, then it was Lord of the Rings, and now, both Star Wars trilogies are coming out in a single dual-trilogy box-set: the good trilogy and the bad trilogy. The set comes out in two weeks. It's cheapest on Amazon,…
Because you and your outfit look better with a pocket square. Available in white, blue, and grey. If you can't pick which color, get white — it's timeless, classic, and goes with just about any tie so long as you're wearing a clean, white shirt.
Designed just for Banana Republic in collaboration with Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant, this tie clip is part of the limited edition Mad Men collection. It's silver plated, measures an inch and three-quarters long, and makes a great companion to those cufflinks you've been meaning to dust off.
These stackable, arrangeable drawers are all sorts of fun. I think they would come in especially handy in near an office desk that's short on drawers. Minimal, standing desks are all the rage these days, but where then shall we put the items which naturally clutter? Placing one of these fun and useful drawers right underneath that big monitor of yours may…