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Cool tools really work.
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.
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DJ, newsletter writer, optimist. Making people smarter and happier. My weekly email is crammed full of tips for a better life - and a musical recommendation 🎧. — Matt Rutherford
PHYSICAL
Paper Republic Grand Voyageur XL Leather Journal — I'm a firm believer in hand writing notes to make them stick. Whilst I like drafting things online, I use disposable fountain pens to gather my ideas and record memories on squared paper.
Nikon Prostaff 7S Binoculars — I recently moved near the sea, and my wife bought me these binoculars. I get an immense amount of joy watching boats sail in and around the Dublin Bay area.
Samsung Viewfinity S9 Display — I’ve come to the conclusion that the monitor set up that works best for me is one screen, with lots of resolution (at least 4K). I’ve tried curved screens, dual monitors and even triple displays, but getting the most real estate right in front of my eyes works best. This one is the sweetspot in terms of function, size, features - and it has a great webcam to cut down the connections & cables.
DIGITAL
Ghost — This newsletter/website platform has revolutionised the way I work, cutting down the amount of time spent fiddling and fixing sites and helping me focus on writing content and hitting publish. It hasn't fixed my imposter syndrome, but it has helped with procrastination.
Magnet — With all the screen real estate, you need a great window management tool. Magnet is the tool that helps me arrange everything I need in front of me. For a few dollars, this gives me ALL the options for moving windows into the right place, and hotkeys to speed things up. Invaluable software.
INVISIBLE
Fail we May, Sail we Must
Advice for any creator who needs to move forwards.
