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Search everything instantly
Swurl.com is a web search engine that is optimally designed for mobile. It instantly searches Google, LinkedIn, Instagram, Amazon, YouTube, Images, News and Reddit, and all results are viewed by scrolling or swiping — no clicking. Definite timesaver. — CD

3 rules for gift giving
This article “How to become a truly excellent gift giver” has some great advice for gift-giving, including 3 questions to consider when gift-giving. “Can I introduce someone to something they might not otherwise know about? Can I get them a nicer version of something than they would buy for themselves? Or can I make them feel seen?” Another helpful trip is to write a mini-bio of the recipient to help you hone in on their enthusiasms and interests. — CD

Cheap collapsible selfie stick
I bought the ​​Ustine Portable Selfie Stick Tripod for $8 to take better selfies of my wife and myself while traveling. It exceeded my expectations. It has a detachable bluetooth button on the handle that makes it easy to take photos and video. It extends from 7 inches to 22 inches. And it has tripod legs so I can set it on the ground and take photos from farther back. I wish I’d gotten it sooner. — MF

Fun incremental game: Progress Knight
I had fun playing the “incremental games” A Dark Room and Universal Paperclips a few years ago, and someone recently recommended Progress Knight. (There are a lot of different versions available for web and mobile; search to find one that works on your computer or device.) You start the game as a beggar with few skills or resources, and by wisely allocating your time and money, you try to level up as much as you can in the 70 years allotted to you. Once you die, you can start again with an added experience boost. — MF

Best shoe store
I’ve noticed that shoe stores have fewer and fewer styles or sizes. Their selections are particularly slim for anything not trendy. I’ve gone back to Zappos, the online shoe store, because they have fantastic choices in all sizes and widths. I order a bunch of variations at once, to get the perfect fit, and they make it super easy to return the unused for free. Despite this apparent inefficiency in shipping to and fro, in the end, Zappos is the most efficient way for me to find the kind of untrendy (and wide) shoes I like. — KK

Best of Recomendo
We are proud that we’ve published Recomendo every week for the past 6 years. It’s free, but not cheap. You can show your support for our service by forwarding an issue you enjoyed to a friend, or sharing your support on the socials with a link. We also still have copies of the “best of” Recomendo book (2020) which makes a great holiday gift, with over 1,000 of our best recomendos. — KK

— Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson

12/11/22