Issue 61
  1. A collapsible, portable laptop stand
  2. A beautiful podcast player
  3. An affordable electronic coffee grinder
  4. A traveller's credit card
  5. An very Swedish backpack
  6. A simple note-taking app

Hello everyone!

It's finally layout time here at the Offscreen HQ (AKA our spare bedroom). So I'll be spending most of this week in Indesign and making some very final edits to the content. This issue is shaping up really nicely. A big emphasis will be on the concept of the attention (and sharing) economy.

I'm honoured to have Dan from Magpile guest-edit this issue of TMD. I have a lot of respect for Dan, not just because he single-handedly built a massive magazine community/directory/shop, he's also just a really nice guy who I share a lot of similar values with. Originally from the UK, Dan is currently living with his wife and kids in Mauritius, moving there from Finland and before that from the Middle East. Take it away Dan...

Kai

 

Our Guest Editor

Dan Rowden

Dan is a freelance website maker, magazine reader, founder of Magpile and the Magpile store, host of Mag Heroes podcast, and father of three.

 
 

This Weekʼs Line-Up

A collapsible, portable laptop stand
01

I got tired of looking down at my laptop last year. The Flio Stand raises my laptop to a near-perfect height and is amazingly portable. It used magnets to dismantle into two boards; very compact. With multiple wood finish options, it would fit in any office or coffee shop.

 
A beautiful podcast player
02

One of my favourite parts of the day is listening to a podcast while I get our four-months old settled in the evening. It's a calm part of the day where I can get inspired by design, development or business discussions, or learn new things about the world, while spending quality time with our daughter (and I'm 100% certain she's learning stuff too).

 
An affordable electronic coffee grinder
03

For anyone wanting good coffee at the office or home without spending thousands on a grinder, the Wilfa WSCG-2 is a great option. It costs around €80 and has grind settings from moka pot, through aeropress, filter, plunger to cold brew, fitting every coffee method but espresso. It's an essential tool of my work day.

 
A traveller's credit card
04

This app is a game changer for people who live abroad or travel frequently. Your Revolut account can hold balances in Euros, British pounds and US dollars, and offers zero fees and mid-market exchange rates when spending money with the free Mastercard or withdrawing at an ATM. The app lists every transaction as they happen, and you can also send money to anyone (even if they don't have Revolut) via SMS, email or even Whatsapp. It's a charm and ever-present on my phone and in my wallet.

 
An very Swedish backpack
05

Working between home, coffee shops and sometimes summer cottages in the Finnish countryside, it's important I have a sturdy bag to carry and protect my 15" laptop. The Hans backpack from Sandqvist – a Swedish company founded by two brothers and their childhood friend – reflects its very Nordic roots; simple, functional and stylish.

 
A simple note-taking app
06

My true digital companion. I throw everything into Simplenote (new ideas, project plans, passport details) and use simple tags to categorise them into topics; search is fast, and you can search within a tag, too. I install Simplenote onto every device I own so I can add to an idea or jot something down wherever I am (a web version exists too).

 
The last thing one discovers in composing a work is what to put first.
— Blaise Pascal