Blade Runner 2049/Lynda for free/Bear
World building
For science-fiction buffs, I highly recommend the new Blade Runner sequel. It is less a movie and more of an experience. It feels like an immersion into virtual reality without 3D. The unmusical sound track, slow-pace editing (it runs almost 3 hours!), breathtaking visual details, all deliver a stunning alternative world, with even more persuasion than its famous prequel. The plot is merely a vehicle for the main character: this totally felt world. Worth seeing on a big screen with full-scale sound. — KK
Lynda for free
Lynda.com has an excellent collection of training videos for learning programming, design, bitcoin fundamentals, bookkeeping, and much more. Lynda charges a monthly fee, but if you have a library card, the chances are you can become a Lynda member for free. Here's a link to Lynda (and other great stuff, like the digital edition of the New York Times) for free. — MF
Pretty note app
I use Evernote for work and personal note keeping, but I have to admit Bear, which is referred to as the “beautiful writing app”, is more enjoyable to use on my phone. It’s so clean and pretty and easy to format. I’ve been using it as a daily journal and for poem writing. — CD
IKEA as platform
People have been hacking Ikea furniture forever, customizing and upgrading its modular units. Now Ikea has become a platform that high-end designers create skins for. You buy the economical guts of an Ikea kitchen, shelving, or a sofa, and then apply new doors, or handles, countertops, fabrics created by legendary designers. This is a great New York Times summary article describing the ecosystem with links to the many companies that offer refined design layers for the Ikea platform. — KK
Learning game for preschoolers
My three-year-old brother is obsessed with watching Youtube on his iPad and playing app games. I wanted to find a non-tech activity that he would have fun playing with and maybe learn something. The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game — a color matching game — was fun for both of us! You spin a spinner, you pick up acorns and you try to be the first to collect all the colors. He practiced saying all his colors out loud and worked on his motor skills with the squirrel squeezer. He also learned to “cheat” by landing on the “sneaky squirrel” and being allowed to steal acorns. It was really cute. — CD
Small parts storage
My daughter and I have converted part of the family room into a maker space. We needed something to hold and organize lots of small parts, and that didn't eat up a lot of tabletop space. This $28 cabinet with 44 drawers was just what we wanted. It's tall, but some double-sided tape on the bottom has anchored it to the table to prevent tipping over. — MF
— Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson