Issue 7
Secret Apple Shortcuts, three summer playlists (on all platforms), what's in my shopping cart right now (sale season), and a ton more!
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👋🏽 It’s been a while—I’ve been preoccupied with landing new work (FYI still looking for contract and full-time interactive design projects), but alas, here’s what’s been on my radar:
Technology
Google is testing new ways to combat ad-blockers. While many exist, my favorite has been Vinegar from And a Dinosaur. It works on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, letting you skip ads, use picture-in-picture, and control streaming quality. It’s bundled with Baking Soda for other web players. Link
Want to download Instagram, Threads, X, and TikTok media directly from the share sheet? There are iOS shortcuts that make it a breeze to save high-quality media without watermarks. Shortcuts here • Developer link
Eyeing a new hacking project? This touchscreen controller for music and lighting is perfect for desk setups, might be what replaces my soon-to-be-e-waste Spotify Car Thing. Link
Jabra’s latest headphones include a 3.5mm to USB-C cord, turning the case into a Bluetooth transmitter. Brilliant for air flights, this should be the standard moving forward. Link
Apple’s iOS 18 accessibility features were announced in May, bringing eye-tracking and a whole lot more to iOS. Huge for accessibility. Undoubtedly influenced by Vision OS experimentation. Personalized speech recognition reminds me of Star Trek’s universal translator — I think this will be huge for people who think, speak, and process things differently, and will vastly improve how we understand and communicate with one another — despite ruining my attention span and contributing to mental distress, these devices do (and now even more) improve our daily lives. Already, accessibility advocates are touting the iOS 18 features to be life changing. Link
Loving the return to playful, maximalist UI design. Check out Vijay Verma’s “chaos button” in Swift UI. Preview • Open source.
AI writing tools have been a game-changer for clarity. Ruben Hassid shared some prompts for writing in the style of Apple advertising. Link
I’ve been refining my Notion setup for capturing thoughts, journaling, and habit tracking. Here are some useful shortcuts. Guide • Step by step • More tips
Check out Caseology’s new MagSafe cases, inspired by the Finder folder and Wallet icon, reminiscent of Nik Bentel’s folder wallet. Link • Nik Bentel’s wallet
Dumbphone revival: KDDI’s Apple Watch case looks like the 2003 Sanyo Infobar, tempting me to ditch my iPhone for my cellular Watch. Review.
The Light Phone iii, designed for minimal distractions, now includes a camera and maps. Preorder for $399 (down from $7999). More info (Yes, I bought one)
Some lovely, interactive eye candy: Panorama website Link; Super Little Troop Link
Media
0/1 is a mix about the push and pull of falling in and out of love. Listen.
Glimpse is an ode to summer, featuring Hudson Mohawke, Nikki Nair, Tinashe, Chris Lake, Azari & III, Wombo, Cassius, Enya, and Sinéad O'Conner. Good one for the beach, for a bike ride, for baking in the sun. Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube
Dispatch is a mix featuring Plastikman, Eli Escobar, Hercules & Love Affair, The Supremes, Audion, Mood II Swing, and more. Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube
In a surprise announcement, the family of the late SOPHIE is bringing the artist’s first and final posthumous self-titled album SOPHIE to the public on September 27, 2024. SOPHIE was a favorite artist I’ve followed now for a decade, from before SOPHIE’s identity was revealed, through live performances, and my favorite streamed performance from 2020 (accompanied by work from the great laser artist LaserStroopWaffle). SOPHIE’s first single “Reason Why”, featuring B.C. Kingdom and Kim Petras, is out now with a stellar visualizer. Link
Spotlight on SOPHIE is a 15 minute mix of my favorite tracks from over the years. Link
Fashion and Products
Neil Zhao’s fashion designs are grand and humorous. Check out his measuring tape garment with a giant button made from a dining plate. Link
Laurent Allard reimagines the Hermès Kelly bag as a rotary phone. Link
Trompe de l'oeil¹ is EVERYWHERE, but I especially love this interactive version of ripped jeans from bokunou. Fashion should be fun AND flexible! Link
Found some great Birkenstock slide alternatives from Camper and more. Check them out: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].
Parisian eco-brand 900 makes locally produced, refillable items with no plastic waste. While their branding could use some refinement, the concept is solid. I’m torn between wanting to see it in major retailers for impact and worrying about big brands maintaining quality. Link.
What’s in my shopping cart right now²:
Acne Studios Musubi mini crossbody, now $453 (down from $800). Link
Cat Pink Opal Necklace, $30. Link
Colbo Desert Shirt, $365. Link
Cookman Striped Chef Pants, $39. Link
Dries Van Noten SS24 printed tank top, now $146 (down from $325). Link
Issey Miyake vintage white long-sleeved button-up, $190. Link
JW Anderson Mini Tassel Bag, $650. Link
JW Anderson moon bumper coin purse, now $118 (down from $285). Link
JW PEI Metallic Bow Sneakers, $100. Link
Los Angeles Apparel Verde Leather Shopping Bag, now $60 (down from $104). Link
Maison Margiela FW23 denim long-sleeved shirt, now $190 (down from $650). Link
Marland Backus Silver Bow Earrings, now $77 (down from $90). Link
Prada SS19 printed viscose short-sleeved button-up, $535. Link
Simone Rocha FW23 Black Beaded Platform Sandals, now $444 (down from $925). Link
Tanner Fletcher Mohair Stripe Sweater Vest, now $180 (down from $290). Link
VETEMENTS SS22 runway printed wool turtleneck, $400. Link
Vintage Loewe Triangle Coin Purse, $128. Link
Z*ra Heeled Sandals, $70. Link
¹ — highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface… in case you didn’t know!
² — you can always peep what’s in my shopping cart over on Pinterest. Link
Design
Designer Kay van den Aker’s “Tiles” prototype is a fascinating blend of a physical vinyl collection and Apple’s Cover Flow interface. It uses a projector for display and communicates with ProtoPie through an Arduino. Details.
Studio Omar Aqeel’s recent interiors for Only Love Strangers in NYC are a stunning mix of pinks, peaches, and vibrant blues. Link.
Claudia Keep’s 11x14” “sparkles” painting captures the joy of light reflections on the Hudson. View here.
Maneken, a browser-based mockup editor, makes creating mockups easy without Photoshop. The product is fantastic, and the branding by Studio Heed is beautiful. Product link • Branding.
Bonus: current reads in my bag
The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions by Larry Mitchell Ned Asta. Link
Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein. Link
Ways of Seeing by John Berger. Link