Why I hate technology journalism
Introduction
Tech journalism has many great, thoughtful articles about the numerous gadgets and inventions that make up so much of our lives. While such writing has the power to educate, excite and inspire, much of it also diminishes us.
As a simple fan of tech and tech news, I want to draw a line in the sand about how amazing tech journalism can be, how dangerous it can be, and how writers and readers can make it better.
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Essential iPhone apps: the Music and Videos apps
Introduction
Every iPhone owner can do the basics on the device; that’s the beauty of its intuitive simplicity. But there are plenty of power tips for savvy users to discover. In this series, I explore how to make the most of the core Apple apps.
This post gets under the skin of the iOS Music and Video apps, what I like about them and don’t, how to make the most of them, and ideas for alternatives when they just don’t cut it.
I don’t have all the answers, so please share your own thoughts, tips, suggestions in the comments.
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Multitasker Monday: lemons
Introduction
Multitasker Monday highlights a tool with many uses (so we can make the most from what we have and not add clutter to our homes). This week: the humble lemon. It may not be a superfood but it is super useful all around the home.
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Multitasker Monday: contact lens cases
Source: evilmadscientist.com
Introduction
Multitasker Monday highlights a tool with many uses (so we can make the most from what we have and not add clutter to our homes). This week: contact lens cases. These tiny pots are super useful, especially when space is at a premium.
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Multitasker Monday: Pyrex Bowls
Source: Alineaphile.com
Introduction
Multitasker Monday highlights a tool with many uses (so we can make the most from what we have and not add clutter to our homes). Enjoy, comment and email me with multitasking tool suggestions. This week: pyrex bowls – a versatile, sturdy, cheap kitchen staple good for food prep, cooking, serving and storing.
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Multitasker Monday: Dryer Sheets
Introduction
Multitasker Monday highlights a tool with many uses (so we can make the most from what we have and not add clutter to our homes). Enjoy, comment and email me with multitasking tool suggestions. This week: dryer sheets.
Origins of dryer sheets
Fabric softeners entered home use and became popular in the 1960s but required interrupting the wash cycle to add them in after the detergent. However, Dryer sheets came along in the 1970s to provide some of the benefits of liquid softener, while reducing static build-up during drying and being placed in at the same time as the clothes. It has been a winning combination, and one which has made their key features useful for much more than just the laundry:
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Multitasker Monday: Dental Floss
Introduction
Welcome to my second Multitasker Monday post, where I highlight a tool with many uses (so we can make the most from what we have and not add clutter to our homes). Enjoy, comment and email me with multitasking tool suggestions. This week: dental floss.
Origins of dental floss
Interdental cleaning began thousands of years ago with pointed sticks. But it took until 1815 for a New Orleans dentist to recommended cleaning teeth with silk floss. The first dental floss patent only arrived in 1898, but popularity took another forty years – until nylon floss was invented.
Today, there are loads of types of flossers but classic floss is the great multitasker due its strength, shape and variable length.
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Declutter by going digital: digitising documents
Source: unknown
Introduction
Welcome to the third post in my series about decluttering your audiovisual media by going digital. This post will set out a clear process and tips for digitising your piles of paper-based documents, essentially scanning them all in an efficient way.
Selecting documents to scan
Almost every document you have can be stored digitally in an effective way which obviates the need to maintain the physical original. As mentioned in my introduction to this series, I have gone from ten overstuffed lever-arch binders to about an inch worth of physical documents. I achieved this by digitising:
- Official papers like bills, bank statements, receipts, payslips, tax forms.
- Personal papers like sketches, school notes or handouts, journals, letters, birthday cards.
- Other records like instruction manuals, certificates and school reports.
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Multitasker Monday: Ice cube trays
Introduction
Welcome to the first in a new series called Multitasker Mondays. Each Monday I highlight a tool with many uses, removing the need for unitasksers and helping declutter your home. It’s inspired by Unclutterer’s funny and sometimes sad Unitasker Wednesdays. Enjoy, comment and email me with your best multitasking tools. Today, a great multitasker: ice-cube trays.
Origins of ice cube trays
So Wikipedia tells us, the rubber ice-cube tray was invented in 1928 by Lloyd Groff Copeman (who is interestingly Linda Ronstadt’s grandfather). While walking through some woods collecting sap for maple syrup, he noticed that slush and ice flaked off his rubber boots rather than adhering to them. Experiments with rubber cups and various patents followed.
Directions for using the first rubber ice cube tray
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Essential iPhone apps: the Maps app
Every iPhone owner can do the basics on the device; that’s the beauty of its intuitive simplicity. But there are plenty of power tips for savvy users to discover. In this series, I explore how to make the most of the core Apple apps.
This post gets under the skin of the iOS Maps app, what I like about it and don’t, how to make the most out of it, and ideas for alternatives when it just doesn’t cut it.
I don’t have all the answers, so please share your own thoughts, tips, suggestions in the comments.