Issue 101
  1. Flexible lamp
  2. Pop balloons to form habits
  3. Tiny Bluetooth FM transmitter
  4. Podcast reviews in your inbox
  5. Aluminium mouse pad
  6. Instagram on your Mac

Hi there!

This is the last The Modern Desk newsletter. Starting next week, you'll receive this email under its new name, Offscreen Dispatch. It will look different too. So make sure you check your spam folder if you haven't received anything by mid-week. 

I'll be in Berlin by then too, overseeing the print of the new issue of Offscreen. I'm excited to share the new design with you all. Not too much longer!

Kai

 
 

This Weekʼs Line-Up

Flexible lamp
01

"LIMINAL is a minimal and multifunctional lighting unit. It can transform itself into numerous variations v​ia its kinetic joints and adjustable modules.​ LIMINAL draws its inspiration from a single line and provides many scenarios via its rotatable joints." I quite like the flexibility this lamp provides. The Kickstarter campaign has ended successfully, but I'm sure they'll be selling them on their site soon.

 
Pop balloons to form habits
02

Another app that wants to make forming habits easier and fun: "Life is too short for boring checklists! Pop balloons when you finish a task, celebrate your productivity and stay motivated with delightful rewards."

 
Tiny Bluetooth FM transmitter
03

We own a pretty old VW Golf, a car we only use once a week or so. Unfortunately, there is no way to connect our iPhone so we can listen to music. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a new radio, I ordered one of these from China a few weeks back. The device connects through an app on the phone and plays music through a dedicated FM signal received by our existing car radio. The sound is not perfect, but certainly good enough for the few hours we're using our car. For $40, it's an easy, cheap workaround that looks like any other USB charger. And best of all, we didn't have to throw away a perfectly fine car radio.

 
Podcast reviews in your inbox
04

Do you like discovering new podcasts? Sign up to Review Cast, a newsletter that delivers "hand-curated, critically reviewed podcast recommendations".

 
Aluminium mouse pad
05

It's a little opulent, but this mouse pad made from aluminium is sure to attract a lot of attention. What is it about brushed aluminium that makes us go cuckoo? (Also available in other colours.)

 
Instagram on your Mac
06

Flume is what Instagram for Mac would look like if Instagram made a Mac app. The app essentially replicates all the features you know from your phone app, including the ability to upload photos straight from your Mac (pro version). 

 
A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.
— Herbert Simon