2025-11-09 18:01:09
I am releasing my brand new book: Colors of Asia. In it I present some of my favorite scenes from Asia, but instead of being arranged geographically, they are entirely arranged by color—a whimsical way of paying attention. Out of the dozen books I’ve made, I had the most fun making Colors of Asia. It was a blast to put together, and it made me smile the whole way. The book is exuberant, unique, life-affirming, exploding with color and strangeness—and special for me, it is short (144-pages) and portable (standard hardcover size). Colors of Asia covers the same territory as Vanishing Asia, but with a much lighter touch, and a much more affordable price. This is the book for travel enthusiasts, photography lovers, designers seeking inspiration, and anyone interested in Asian styles. I am not trying to maximize the possible profit for this book; Instead, I am trying to serve my 1,000 true fans. So I am limiting the production run to only 1,000 copies. Once they are gone, it’s gone. I have set up a small-time shop on Shopify to distribute Colors of Asia ($35). Pre-order now, and the hardcover, ink-on-paper books will be shipped starting early December. Sadly we can only send books to US addresses. More about the book here. — KK
I think I can retire my packing cubes—recently, I fit two weeks’ worth of clothing into a carry-on using just four of these compression bags. No vacuum or pump needed: just roll to compress and shrink your clothes. I even had enough room to bring back gifts from my trip. The 10-pack set includes three different sizes, is reusable, and costs only $10. — CD
book.sv, is a free book recommendation engine built by scraping 43 million Goodreads users. I entered about ten favorite books, and the results impressed me. It surfaced other books I’ve read and loved, validating its taste-matching algorithm. More exciting were the new titles it suggested: intriguing picks I hadn’t encountered before (like Black Wings Has My Angel by Elliott Chaze). Unlike Goodreads’ algorithm, this feels like getting suggestions from someone who actually understands my reading taste. — MF
I just returned from another intense two weeks of travel in China so I’ve put together a document with all the most essential apps I needed there; I wished someone had told me about them before I left. I encourage everyone to visit China now that it is moving so fast, but you need a different set of apps to get around. Here are my 9 essential apps for independent travel in China. — KK
When small things go wrong—spilled coffee, traffic jams, stubbed toes—we often think “this shouldn’t be happening!” Psychologist Patricia Zurita Ona suggests a better way, based on a therapy method called ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) that separates unavoidable pain (the actual problem) from avoidable pain (getting upset about it). Her three-step approach: Notice what you’re feeling in your body (tight stomach, racing heart). Name it: “I’m frustrated.” Ask yourself: “Will my reaction serve me later on or help me live the way I want to live?” This isn’t about liking what happened — just not making it worse by fighting reality. — MF
I’m one of those people who loves to look up the menu before arriving at a restaurant, but I often get confused by menus full of complex food jargon. Now, I use AI to translate them for me. My go-to prompt: “Translate this menu into simple, everyday language and describe the taste and flavors of each dish.” This has even helped me become more adventurous and order dishes I’d normally avoid. — CD
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-11-02 18:01:41
One of my favorite newsletters for creatives is Jane Friedman’s Electric Speed. Jane is a publishing industry expert who generously shares her wisdom and recommendations. Every two weeks, she sends out Electric Speed, offering digital tools, resources, and advice for creative professionals, especially writers. Each issue feels hand-curated, personal, and encouraging, and I always find something useful. Here’s a link to her archive. — CD
Neanderthals were more closely related to us than we had been taught by modern culture. They had language, fire, buried their dead, made ornaments and simple tools. I really enjoyed the book Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art, which lays out all the evidence we have about our country cousins, and what may have happened to them. It is well written and deep. I am reading about the other sentient beings our ancestors met, because AIs are not the first time we’ve had to deal with other intelligences. – KK
Japan or Die, one of my favorite newsletters, is all about traveling in Japan. The advice applies to travel anywhere in the world, not just Japan. The recent issue has an article about “buying back your time while traveling,” with tips to help you avoid wasting time on negative experiences (not flying direct, not waiting two hours for “ramen that is only marginally better than another ramen joint a half a block away”) so you can “waste” time on “lingering at a cafe, watching the sun set, chatting with locals, and purposely getting lost just to see what you’ll discover.” — MF
The Netflix movie A House of Dynamite is well worth watching despite its annoying lack of a climax or resolution. It is a fast 2 hours. You are present in the believable reality of a nuclear missile crisis to see how actual humans behave amid the fog of chaos and lack of information. The authentic details and open ending are meant to get you questioning the whole system, and you do. It is a thrilling ride until the end. – KK
This video shows the best way to hang posters without damaging the walls or the posters. Use painter’s tape to secure four paper clips to your wall, positioned at the corners where your poster will hang. Then sandwich your poster between small magnets and the paper clips. Unlike poster putty or command strips, this leaves no residue, doesn’t tear the poster, and is completely reversible. It’s also easy to adjust the poster if it is slightly tilted. — MF
I love when others synthesize what they’ve learned and share lists like these—102 Lessons from 102 Books, organized by theme. Here are a few of the insights:
On Focus: Even having a phone nearby reduces our mental bandwidth and makes us seem less attentive in conversations.
On Reflection: Asking yourself “what went well?” at the end of the day can give you a big boost to your happiness.
On Outreach: Friendliness is irrationally undersupplied. In one study, subjects were asked to either stay quiet or talk to a stranger during their commute. People predicted they’d prefer solitude, but they enjoyed the conversation more.
Discovered through Johnny Webber’s blog. — CD
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-10-26 10:00:32
A sensible little book is The Great Mental Models (Vol.1) by Shane Parrish. It presents nine different “General Thinking Concepts,” or what I might call, best practices for critical thinking. You may already use some of these when approaching unknowns, but others may be unfamiliar. The tone and strength of this book are ideal for young people and students, starting out on their journey of lifelong learning. It is a great little chest of handy tools for grappling with complexity. These are all post-AI skills. — KK
The Dark Patterns Hall of Shame was created by a team of researchers and designers to raise awareness about manipulative design techniques used by companies and websites. There are lots of visual examples of dark patterns — including hard-to-cancel subscriptions, hidden costs, nagging, and tricky wording. I wasn’t at all surprised to see Amazon Audible as a repeat offender. Although it’s called a “hall of shame,” the aim isn’t just to call out bad companies. The website serves as a cautionary guide, offering suggestions for better approaches, examples of what to avoid, and explanations of what isn’t a dark pattern (and why). — CD
I‘ve been using my left pinkie to support my Kindle for so many years that it feels permanently damaged. Recently, I noticed my sister had an elastic hand strap on her Kindle. It lets you slip your hand between the strap and the Kindle, so you don’t have to grip the Kindle. I bought one made by Kowjaw, but there are many different designs available. Too bad I didn’t learn about this sooner; I wouldn’t have ende up with a sore pinkie. — MF
I’m not a big YouTube watcher, but if I were going to subscribe and consistently follow anyone’s channel, it would be Bon Appétit’s sommelier André Mack. He is incredibly likable and nothing like what I imagine when I think of a traditional wine expert. He’s naturally charming and generous in the way he shares his knowledge about wine and spirits, along with practical advice on how to buy, pair, and taste wine. I have an upcoming trip to Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, and I’ve learned so much from him about what makes bourbon truly “bourbon.” I highly recommend checking out his entire playlist on YouTube. — CD
The Comet Browser combines Perplexity’s AI engine with daily browsing tasks. After a month, it keeps surprising me: it can navigate websites, compare deals, summarize articles and videos, automate online purchases, draft and organize emails, manage my calendar, and intelligently group tabs using language requests. I migrated my Chrome bookmarks and extensions with no hassles. Here’s a demo video, plus a free trial of the Pro version for a month. — MF
Fifty years ago Brian Eno invented ambient music. The music was intended to stay in the background while being present, like furniture. For best results ambient was meant to be always on, but that was easier said than done. Constantly changing disks or setting up multiple playlists is a chore. What we’ve been doing at home is tuning a music streaming service to play “Eno and Eno-like music” round the clock. The channel is always on, low volume, and it rarely repeats, so what we get is the endless ambient music Eno originally had in mind. Try it. – KK
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid subscription, now at $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.
2025-10-19 17:00:49
Here’s a new hack for me. I occasionally want to capture a moment I heard while a podcast is playing on my phone. I’d like to keep that passage as a note. So when I hear something I want to keep I yell to my phone “Siri (or Google), take a screenshot.” It captures an image of my podcast app (Overcast) with a timestamp showing. Later I forward that image to a certain email and within a minute I get back the text transcript of the previous 90 seconds, which I can file. This service, called Podcast Magic, requires no app, no sign-in, no ongoing subscription. In the beginning they are free; at some point they ask for a one-time $20 lifetime fee if you use it a lot. — KK
While exploring Berlin, my phone battery was draining fast from constant Google Maps use and museum audio guides. I had a portable charger and cable, but they were awkward to use while walking. I stepped into Berlin’s Apple Store and walked out with an Anker 621 MagGo magnetic portable charger. This slim 5,000mAh power bank magnetically snaps to newer iPhones. No more fumbling with cables and separate battery packs. It warms slightly during use, but the convenience far outweighs this minor issue. Perfect for travel, it slips easily into any pocket. — MF
Directories like the OpenWebcam Database always help me reset between tasks. This website has more than 2,000 live cameras streaming daily from over 50 countries, all searchable by category. You’ll find natural landscapes, airports, construction sites, and warehouses like this one. I love these windows into everyday life around the world. — CD
Adolescence, on Netflix, is one of the most intense, surprising, and satisfying dramas I’ve ever seen. It deserves all the Emmys it’s won. The story explores the consequences of crime on an accused family. Filmed in northern England, you should keep the subtitles on. The drama’s self-imposed, innovative constraint of containing no cuts, no editing (!), for each of its four hours, means that each episode is like a theatrical performance but incredibly intimate via a camera. It is mesmerizing and heartbreakingly memorable. Highly recommended. — KK
Scriber Pro is a $3.99 macOS app that delivers incredibly fast, private audio recording transcription. It processes everything locally on my Mac. Unlike cloud services charging $10+ monthly, Scriber Pro requires no subscriptions and never uploads your files. It supports all common audio/video formats and has multiple export options. — MF
I’m enjoying Curated Supply’s once-a-week email because I get to discover beautiful tools and objects selected by Justin, the curator, who prioritizes design and utility over disposable consumer goods. While there are always links to buy, I don’t feel like that’s the purpose of this newsletter. It’s an appreciation of craftsmanship, timeless design, and beautiful form. — CD
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.
2025-10-12 17:02:24
Our subscriber base has grown so much since we first started nine years ago, that most of you have missed all our earliest recommendations. The best of these are still valid and useful, so we’re trying out something new — Retro Recomendo. Once every 6 weeks, we’ll send out a throwback issue of evergreen recommendations focused on one theme from the past 9 years.
Two Minute Papers is a YouTube channel featuring short videos (sometimes 5 minutes long) created by a professor who reviews new research papers in visual programming, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer graphics, simulations, and other state-of-the-art computer science. He explains the research’s significance, while running very cool graphics demo-ing the results. I find it a painless way to keep up in this fast moving field. — KK
Isaac Asimov’s 768-page Understanding Physics clearly explains the principles of motion, sound, heat, light, magnetism, and electricity in a historical context. It gave me a better understanding of physics than four years of mechanical engineering school, and was actually fun to read. — MF
NASA has a page dedicated to their Citizen Science Projects where you can volunteer to help make scientific discoveries, like mapping bird diversity, cloud gazing, tracing patches of kelp, or identifying celestial objects in search of Planet Nine. Currently, there are 30 projects open to anyone in the world, and most can be done with just a cellphone or laptop. — CD
Often science documentaries these days are fluffy with wiz-bang graphics, slick re-enactments, endless repetitions, and fancy hosts, but Doug’s Geology Journal, a series on Amazon Prime, has none of those. Doug is a regular-guy geologist who draws his own graphics with pencil, and carries his own camera as he trudges across the landscape, giving the big picture of what has happened to shape the land, and how that shapes the culture on it. He gives you the right level of details, at the exact place on the land, which makes the big picture visible. He’s my favorite geology teacher. — KK
I have a small collection of mid-century science books for young adults, and one of my favorites is The Human Body: What It Is and How It Works. Published in 1959, this beautifully illustrated book describes how our muscular, reproductive, digestive, endocrine, respiratory, skeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems work in simple English. Out of print but inexpensive used copies are easily found online. — MF
This iPhone/iPad app does just one thing — it gives you a feel for the fourth dimension by moving from 0 dimensions to 4. I’ve had this jewel of an app on my phone for years and still open it from time to time. It’s a great companion to Flatland. — MF
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Springsteen released an album of demos? Bon Iver nearly quit before his best album? Dylan lived in a frat house? Subscribe to The Listening List for weekly song recs with the stories and context you’ve never heard.
Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others. Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.
2025-10-05 17:01:30
I’ve tried many different T-shirt brands, and I’ve finally found one that checks all the boxes — Pair of Thieves. Their shirts are soft, very thin, slightly stretchy, and breathable. I bought a 3-pack on Amazon, gave them a test run, then bought two more 3-packs. — MF
Long before plastic, the Japanese developed innovative ways to package goods using materials at hand: straw, bamboo, leaves, vines, paper. This peculiarly named book How to Wrap Five Eggs ($25) is a stunning gallery of everyday examples of this traditional Japanese packing, which has long disappeared. Photographed with studio black and white in the 1960s, each object is exquisite in its clever design. This thick book with two hundred examples is one that I return to often. The beauty never gets old. If you are at all partial to product design, or any type of presentation, this is a classic research source, a motherlode of how to think different. — KK
This blog post, “How To Become Wiser,” offers a great list of questions for reflection, organized around three main purposes: Seeking Perspective, Examining Yourself, and Developing Compassion. Introspection is my favorite tool for cultivating self-awareness and emotional regulation, and you don’t need a therapist or coach to develop your own practice—just a good set of questions. I wish I could memorize all 25, but instead, I’ve bookmarked them for those times when I’m confused, stuck, or need a journaling prompt. Here are a few of my favorites:
What do I need in order to see this situation from a wiser perspective?
Is this choice helping me move closer to my values or further away from them?
What assumptions am I making right now?
What needs is this person trying to fulfill right now?
— CD
When I want to check the speed of my internet connection (or if I’m connected at all), I use Fast.com. It starts testing instantly with no ads, measuring download speeds (plus upload and latency if needed) on any device, globally. — MF
This website is my favorite internet find this week. Offline.church can only be accessed on your mobile device, and you can only enter the church by switching to airplane mode. Inside, you’ll find a meditative space and music, and an opportunity to be with yourself offline. It reminds me of the pocket shrines I used to carry as a child and it feels like a digital room of silence, or one of those interdenominational prayer rooms found in airports. — CD
Three digital artists that I follow on Instagram. Each of their work is hard to explain in words:
Andy Thomas creates weird biological-like abstract shapes which move and behave with life-like energy; it’s a brilliant fusion of high tech and nature.
Zach Lieberman produces programmatically generated patterns, rich in color and light, that are animated with patterns of motion as well.
Adam Hale manufactures strange shifts in perspective, playfully collapsing dimensions, and toying with visual norms.
All three of these artists create art that is in motion, that are in between gifs and video, and are therefore ideal to catch on a social media stream. And while they are “generated” they are not generated with AI. — KK
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.