A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
Tell us what you love.I got so annoyed by an article from two travelers wanting to lock the door behind them that I wrote a 3,000-word blog post in one sitting as a rebuttal. If you care to read it, here are my reasons why this is the best time ever to take off and become a digital nomad.
As if Delta Airlines’ recent sub-splitting of its fare classes into nine different categories wasn’t bad enough, now they plan to make it even more confusing by letting an AI bot decide how much YOU should pay. Yes, you specifically for your next flight search. They’re rolling it out slowly and experimenting now, but your real-life Black Mirror nightmare is coming soon.
Time to check the label on your portable charger if you’ll be flying within China. It needs a CCC marking and not too much juice or they’ll confiscate it. “Power banks with a capacity of under 100Wh can still be carried on board; those between 100-160Wh require airline approval, while those with a capacity over 160Wh are outright prohibited.” To make things more confusing, Wh is not the same as mAh, the measurement used in most of the world. Best to get a power bank at 20,000 mAh and 5 volts or less to comply. I’d link to Amazon here, but online retailers don’t specify Chinese CCC certification and usually don’t picture the fine print label, so this is a case where you’re better off buying in a retail store.
It is now crystal clear that 10 years after the experiment first kicked off, Iceland’s four-hour workweek push has been a huge success. Participation is now at 90% and most workers toil away just 35 or 36 hours over four days. Studies show they’re getting just as much done, if not more, which won’t be a surprise to anyone who has wasted time in an office waiting for the chance to duck out and go home. The most recent syndicated article I’ve seen on this is showing up on dicey websites, but here’s a Guardian story from late last year on how it has played out in practice.
A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.
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