Cool
One cool tune, one cool thing, one cool quote. Every week.
Music selections are also in this convenient Spotify Playlist.
2023
Week 52
Bitter Sweet Symphony by Deco (the only repeat song ever on my lists)
Journaling to look back and plot the points of where you've been to see where you're going, and choose to aim better as required.
“Life must be lived forward, but can only be understood backwards” ― Soren Kierkegaard
Week 51
Pizza Guy by Touch Sensitive
PS5 mount being able to change from vertical to horizontal is a thing of beauty. The way it screws to the back for vertical, and in horizontal mode intersects with the curved case of the PS5 and contains a hidden clip to store the screw. A truly elegant piece of design, kudos to Sony.
“Unfuckwithable” ― adj. When you're truly at peace and in touch with yourself. Nothing anyone says or does bothers you and no negativity can touch you.
Week 50
I Hope You Knew by Paige
Thinking Machines CM-2. Remember when super-computers were designed instead of merely architected? The physical form of this machine is a reflection of it's internal hypercube architecture, and was a predecessor to and inspiration for the NeXTcube and Power Mac G4 Cube.
“What I cannot create, I do not understand” ― Richard Feynman
Week 49
Blue Jeans - RAC Mix by Lana Del Ray, RAC
AirPods 3 Spatial Audio I finally replaced my AirPods 2nd generation and for movie watching the spatial audio is astounding. The presence and clarity is astonishing, I have to keep checking the sound is not coming out of my existing sound system.
“When you're in a relationship with somebody, what matters to them matters to you.” ― Cinema Therapy on how Astrid models couple goals in How To Tame A Dragon
Week 48
Babydoll x The Perfect Girl (TikTok Remix) by TommyMuzzic, ZeddMusique
Columns in Apple Reminders macOS Sonoma and iOS 17 introduce columns in Apple Reminders. The built in Apple apps get better with every release, and this particular feature is exactly how I want to visualise my tasks.
“Kamila Khan has Weapons Grade Enthusiasm” ― podcast perfectly describing the delightful and infectious energy in the Marvels and Ms Marvel.
Week 47
New Lands by Justice
ADHD Exhaustion specifically discovering that this is a thing (hyperactive thoughts causing mental and emotional exhaustion), and what causes it (ADHD emotions set in more quickly, last longer, and require superhuman strength to escape), and how to handle the recovery of it (pause everything, reflect, rest).
“When I say "Does that make sense?" it's not because I don't think you're smart. It's because I think that I am incoherent.” ― Dr Amy on Twitter
Week 46
Altay by Ummet Ozcan, Otyken
Formula One in Las Vegas despite all the trepidation and naysaying beforehand, this turned out to be an amazing race and a great addition to the race calendar.
“I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now.” ― Edna Mode / The Incredibles
Week 45
Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling
Glass Onion is a perfect clockwork mechnism of a script, with the added delight of skewering the elite rich. Completely rewards a second viewing, a delight of a movie.
“It's a dangerous thing to mistake speaking without thought for speaking the truth. Don't you think?” ― Benoit Blanc / Glass Onion
Week 44
Send Me An Angel by Gunship
Strange New Worlds: Those Old Scientists The cross-over episode between Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks is quite probably the best episode of Star Trek ever made. Hilarious, revealing, and testing everyone in sight with an almost fourth wall breaking level of meta commentary. Cannot stop rewatching.
“You notice how slow everybody talks?", "Yeah and quietly!” ― Boimler and Mariner discussing people in the Star Trek future present.
Week 43
Wannabe by why moana
ChatGPT is surprisingly great at solving code problems, in particular getting the Typescript typing right on complex functions. It's not going to replace coders, but it's a powerful tool to add to your toolkit that can remove the tedious parts of coding.
Week 42
Cosby Sweater by Hilltop Hoods
Making my first open world game | Dev Log #1 A pitch perfect series of Dev Log videos. These are so hard to get right, yet Ryan nails it.
“Spicy déjà vu” ― is a much more palatable and fun way of describing PTSD.
Week 41
In the Meantime by Spacehog
Paris the new villain in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning. Such a calm collected powerhouse of a character.
Week 40
Overture to Imagineering / The Imagineering Story by Jeff Kryka
Crush Talks at Disneyworld. I've seen this in person and it's good, but the level of improvisation and hilarity captured on social media is surprisingly great. Kudos to the actors driving this experience.
“Then we're the same. We can't go to heaven. Because you're not good, and I'm not a person.” ― Alphie / The Creator
Week 39
The Radio by ZEE MACHINE
Procreate Dreams looks to be an amazing piece of software for animation. Takes everything great from the original Procreate app and extends it for animation
Week 38
Far From Home by Juno Dreams
watchOS 10 redesigned experience and far better use of the hardware buttons. Everything is cleaned up and polished and that much better and more logical and predicatable in use.
Week 37
Makeba by Jain
Foundation Season 2 I was unsure how this was going to go, but they nailed it and stuck the landing. This show is simultaneously epic and tied into the criticval minutiae of human interactions. Enjoyed this so much. I want all 8 proposed seasons!
“You know the difference between us, Tom? Anyone could have been you, whereas I've always been anyone.” ― Agent Smith / Matrix Resurrections
Week 36
Blue Song by Mint Royale
Nanoleaf Lightstrips are bright and easy to use, but more importantly rock solid reliable and fast in part due to using Matter over Thread.
Week 35
Tag You're It by Melanie Martinez
General Magic Documentary proving yet again that being right isn't enough, having the best people in the world isn't enough. Focusing on what the customer wants, and how to solve that for them, is the key.
“Failure isn't the end, failure is actually the beginning” ― General Magic
Week 34
Find Me by Birdy, Sigma
Garage Office. I've spent the last few months converting half of my garage into a home office. Only today did it occur to me that if I now start a company from my home office, it's following the Silicon Valley tradition of starting out in a garage...
“The computer is simply an instrument whose music is ideas.” ― Alan Kaye
Week 33
More Than A Woman - SG's Paradise Edit by Bee Gees, SG Lewis
Affinity Designer is fast, and the tools are well thought out and you get fast very quickly. My new favourite vector editor.
“All ideas are bad ideas. They only become good through craft and love.” ― Anonymous
Week 32
Never Be the Same by Camila Cabello
Walt Disney Concert Hall beautiful example of a huge structure that manages to not be imposing but instead be humane, organic, and chock full of beautiful spaces for people to inhabit.
“A brand is a promise performed consistently over time.” ― the best definition of a brand I've ever heard
Week 31
Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
Presonis monitor speakers in my home office, attached to my desk and mounted at head level. Even at very low volumes the sound is details, crisp and clear and the stereo separation is astonishing.
Week 30
Crying in the Club by Camila Cabello
In Your Face app provides unmissable alerts for meetings and appointments. I'm on time for meetings for the first time ever. Immediately indispensable.
Week 29
VILLAIN by K/DA, Madison Beer, Kim Petras, League of Legends
Alacritty is a lightning fast, minimalistic terminal app that uses your GPU for rendering. It provides a level of responsiveness I haven't seen since using a Silicon Graphics Indy back in the late 90's.
Week 28
Money Trees by Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock
From TV series is a blend of the fantastical mystery of Lost and straight up horror. Utterly compelling watch.
Week 27
Crown by Sammus
Spotify Car Thing was on sale and it turns out to be perfect as a desk controller for Spotify. Was even more delighted to discover that it's actually a web app running Chrome in 512MB of RAM under the hood.
Week 26
edamame - Diplo Remix by bbno$, Rich Brian, Diplo
Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop watch bands are overpriced but so comfortable, especially for people with sensory issues like myself. My favourite watch bands for any watch ever.
Note: purchase one size too small - they relax / stretch over time.
Note: purchase one size too small - they relax / stretch over time.
Week 25
Good Things Fall Apart (with Jon Bellion) by ILLENIUM, Jon Bellion
Crazy Random Happenstance discovering on a flight from L.A. during a conversation about Horizon Zero Dawn, that I'm sitting next to the cinematographer of Mythic Quest one of my favourite shows ever! Fun conversations ensued about everything from in-cabin lighting to filming the quarantine episode of MQ.
“hygee” ― [hue-gah] noun. verb. adj. an atmosphere of warmth wellbeing and cosiness, where you feel at peace and able to enjoy simple pleasure and being in the moment.
Week 24
Why Boy by Steff Da Campo, Dave Crusher
WWDC the new format of highly produced videos that can be as long or short as required, instead of captures of live sessions forced into fixed time allotments is a huge improvement, and I'm glad Apple stuck with it.
Week 23
No One Dies From Love by Tove Lo
visionOS the UI and UX experience for the Apple Vision Pro headset. So much thought has gone into this, it's the most Apple thing that Apple has created in years.
Week 22
Steal My Clothes (ft. Bea Miller) by Kito, Bea Miller, LP Giobbi
data-attributes in HTML and how you can access them from javascript, css media queries. So crazy powerful and fun to use.
Week 21
Sans Soleil by Miike Snow
Auckland Zoo is celebrating it's 100 year anniversary, and with all the new exhibits open it's an amazing day out. The theming and storytelling in the exhibits rivals Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Week 20
Are You Lonely (feat ISÁK) by Steve Aoki, Alan Walker, ISÁK
Fenix ARE-A4 Battery Charger. I've had a bunch of battery chargers over the years but this one is perfect. Charges any kind of battery type, each battery is charged independently so you can do odd numbers, and best of all it has delightful blue LED readings and graphs for each battery charging. Can't recommend this enough.
Week 19
So Heavy I Fell Through The Earth - Art Mix by Grimes
Hu.ma.ne TED Talk released this week and finally gave us a look at the device that's been shrouded in mystery and acruing high profile Apple employees and design people for years. I like the gist of it but I'm not seeing how it's better than a phone yet and that worries me.
Week 18
10:35 by Tiésto, Tate McRae
Death Stranding Playing through on super easy mode and with the expectation it's a story with moments of interaction, with that perspective this game is fun and involving.
“We are stardust. We are the consciousness of the universe looking back upon itself.” ― Anonymous Astronomer
Week 17
On & On by Armin van Buuren, Punctual, Alika
Unstable Netflix TV show. It could have been corny, but instead it's heartfelt and deliciously quick with it's humour. Despite being a father-son comedy, the core of the show is actually the relationship between CEO Ellis Dragon (Rob Lowe) and his CFO Anna Bennet (Sian Clifford).
“Set yourself up for success, and you'll have a good time.” ― David Kennedy
Week 16
Awake by Cecily
“Why are video games so much better designed than office software? Because people who design video games love to play video games. People who design office software look forward to doing something else on the weekend.” ― Ted Nelson
Week 15
Say Say Say by Kygo, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson
“Documentation is a love letter that you write to your future self” ― Damian Conway
Week 14
Call on Me (with SG Lewis) by Tove Lo, SG Lewis
“Debugging is like being the detective in a crime movie where you are also the murderer” ― Filipe Fortes
Week 13
Tattoo by Loreen
LAX Star Alliance Lounge. LA is a strange place, and LAX even more so. But this lounge is one of the best I've used and is a respite from the madness of getting into the airport. From the semi-secret outside lounge deck with firepits, to the dark chill rooms, to the luxurious showers, it's the perfect preparation for the 13 hour flight back to New Zealand.
Week 12
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey
Guillermo Del Toro The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work book that describes in fond detail how the director connected with, and grew because of, each movie he made.
“I'm not that interested in recreating reality. I'm interested in recreating an emotional truth.” ― Guillermo Del Toro
Week 11
Tulugaq by Aasiva, Terry Uyarak
Gamepad API for web browsers, it's so easy to use. Web Browsers really are the modern day Amiga.
“May saints receive you and forgive what can be forgiven.” ― Inej / Shadow and Bone
Week 10
I am not a woman, I'm a god by Halsey
Firewatch the game is still a great adventure and experience, even on a second playthrough.
“A film is only as good as the reasons for making it.” ― What is true for Hollywood is also true for products and businesses. It’s not what you make, it’s what you believe in. That’s what people respond to. That’s where your enterprise lives or dies.
Week 9
Say It Right - sped up by iykyk, ida moe, ky karter
Birthday didn't I just have one of these last year?
“ 'Entrepreneur' just denotes that you recognize that you're doing things across disciplines and that you're blazing your own path.” ― Pharrell Williams
Week 8
When You Say My Name by Chandler Leighton
Mimestream has instantly become my favourite mail client. Elegant and fast, everything good Mac software should be.
“The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards.” ― Arthur Koestler
Week 7
Compliance by Combichrist
Beat Saber on the PS4 VR. A delightfully zen way of being in the moment.
“The job of science is to stand on the edge of the known, and explore.” ― The Infinite Monkey Cage
Week 6
Punching in a Dream - Stripped by The Naked And Famous
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” ― Albert Einstein
Week 5
Helden by Apocalyptica, Till Lindermann
iCloud Photos Sync An open project that provides an easy way to backup your full iCloud Photos Library to your local filesystem. The missing puzzle piece to complete my backup processes.
“Do not optimise for efficiency, optimise for passion” ― the most effective approach to managing an ADHD mind.
Week 4
You'll miss me when I'm not around by Grimes
The Art and Soul of Dune book is a love letter to the movie, it's source material, and the production team. Unlike other movie art books that merely go through the motions, executive producer and author Tanya Lapointe ensures this book gets access to the entire production and it's people. The result is indepth, fascinating, and a joy to read.
“It's driven Apple from the beginning. This compulsion to take incredibly powerful technology and make it accessible, relevant, and ultimately personal.” ― Jony Ive / Apple
Week 3
Bullit - Bonus Track by Elephanz
Mac Mini with M2 Pro - crazy powerful, completely silent, multiple monitor support, Bluetooth 5.3. Instantly makes the Mac Studio look antiquated and feel unnecessary.
“Most deadly errors arise from obsolete assumptions” ― Bene Gesserit adage / Children of Dune book
Week 2
Liberation by Harold van Lennep
luna display A tiny USB-C gizmo that lets you use an iPad as a second display on a Mac. Faster than Apples' own Sidecar product, and you can use the iPad touchscreen for input which SideCar inexplicably doesn't support. It also doesn't require you to sign in and use AppleID, which makes it great for corporate environments.
“There is a time for any fledgling artist where one's taste exceeds one's abilities. The only way to get through this period is to make things anyway.” ― Dov / Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow book.
Week 1
Diamonds + And Pearls by DPR LIVE, DPR IAN, peace.
IMAX 3D laser projection I rewatched Avatar: The Way of Water with my kids in IMAX and the difference is astounding. The amount of additional detail is captivatingly immersive and the 3D is the sharpest I've ever seen. Elevates an already stunning ride to astonishing.
“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” ― André Gide
2022