Do you think we might like E for Effort’s product line? I think so. With the tongue-in-cheek notebook paper t-shirts to the finely crafted eraser jewelry, E for Effort is definitely “our kind of people”. Upscale but office-centric.
(shout out to my cubcile-mate Esther for the tip)
RealMac has created a desktop and iOS to-do list app called Clear that is simple and easy to use. I have tried just about every to-do app I can find and this one seems simple and not too annoying. I have had a couple to-do apps I had to delete because I couldn’t get them to stop yelling at me.This app never seems to yell or alert so you’ll have to open the app to see your list.
I downloaded the iOS version and it works really well. The quick tutorial makes most of the gestures intuitive before you know it. The only difficulty I had was squeezing a list closed to reveal the group list view if a list only had two items in it. If you intend to just use one big laundry list, then there should be no issues. Its very quick and easy to add, move, delete or check-off items. If you need timed alerts or repeating alerts you’ll need to use a different app.
The NORAD color view is nice: things at the top of the list are marked in red and then they fade to orange and yellow but it doesn’t seem to ever fade to green or blue. I guess its always at a state of alert.
It appears that by using iCloud you can sync lists between the desktop Clear app and your iOS device. At $9.99 for the desktop app though, I am a bit hesitant.
Currently, I use SimpleNote on my iOS devices with Notational Velocity on my laptop which is a free list/text solution but slightly limited. A full “premium” version of SimpleNote is $19.99/year. SimpleNote and Notational Velocity act as more of a text receptacle than a list-maker and I would say the same thing about Evernote as well. Clear is definitely a DO THIS task list-maker rather than a great big catch-all.
The iOS version of Clear is $1.99 and the desktop app is $9.99.
Pens and Ink
Pencils
Tools and Topics
I posted some halfway point images of notebooks and diaries earlier is year but this end-of-year image on the Moleskine myMoleskine gallery is a delight to see. This is a well-loved and fully-utilized planner.
Do you keep a daily paper record, be it notebook or planner or do you plan to do so in 2013? Send a photo of your well-loved book or planner and I’ll post them here.
Today’s question comes from Victoria at Paper & Type:
Most sharpeners I’ve come across sharpen to a depth/length of about 3/4″ to 1″. I’m looking for one that sharpens closer to just 1/2″. Am I making sense, & might you happen to know of one? I’d appreciate if you could point me in the right direction!
She was specifically asking about electric sharpeners but the only adjustable-depth sharpener that I am know is the Stad T’Gaal from Japan. The only other sharpener I could find on my exhaustive search with the rare DUX adjustable brass sharpener which is stunning but unfortunately out of stock everywhere I looked. The last-known stockist was Kaufmann Mercantile at a cost of $19.90.
The Stad T’Gaal may not be as elegant as the DUX but it is infinitely useable and only $6.25 at JetPens. Each number on the dial indicates a different pencil length from a short stubby tip to a very long point. Its also available in a variety of candy-colors. I have an earlier model which seems to have vanished so I need to order a new one. The same sharpener is available from Holbein via Dick Blick or other art supply shops. Its a bit more pricey at $13.46. Bill Brandon wrote a review of the T’Gaal on Pencil Revolution which demonstrates its flexibility.
I do use a Alvin/DUX inkwell desk sharpener which sharpens to a slightly shorter point than the average sharpener and is a bit more accessible than the brass adjustable. I reviewed the inkwell sharpener several years ago on Pencil Revolution as well.
Other options are the KUM long-point sharpener if what you want is the longest point possible. The sharpener is designed to be a two-step process, first sharpening the wood casing then refining the point. Pretty much any pencil sharpener that uses the KUM blades will be a good sharpener, especially if it includes replacement blades or fits the standard replacement blade size.
Hope this helped!
Feel like dropping a quick note to a friend or loved one using a lovely stamp and those friendly folks at the post office? Then check out the downloadable templates at LetterFu that let you print out a foldable paper letter/envelope. Learn how to fold a standard letter-sized or A4 sheet into an envelope and start sending those missives! Several styles are available and LetterFu encourages you to create your own designs as well. Write on!
This video shows the intricate workings of an 18th century mechanical desk from France. Its really quite a feat.
(via the Getty Museum and a shoutout to mjh for the tip!)
