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Spiral Eye Needles
These ingenious sewing needles can be threaded blindfolded. You pull the thread into a spiral from the side, and for the most part the thread will remain in the eye as you sew. That is not true for...
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Magnetic Doorstop
I frequently have windows open in the house and have for years put up with doors slamming closed when the wind catches them. I have finally found a solution in the form of these magnetic door catches...
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Bottle Scraper
I first used this bottle scraper twenty years ago while boarding with a family in the Netherlands. At the time, Dutch pudding came in glass jars similar to traditional milk bottles. This spatula was...
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SnapWare Glasslock
Storing food in plastic containers is an imperfect solution. Not only is there the likelihood of the plastic deteriorating and contaminating the food, but it also tends to stain and retain the taste...
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Collapsible Silicone Funnel
My kitchen is on the small side, which means every inch of space must be efficient and tidy. While most funnels are bulky and take up valuable room, this one is compact enough to fit in a studio-size...
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Madeline Ashby, Science Fiction Writer
Our guest this week is Madeline Ashby. Madeline is a futurist and science fiction writer living in Toronto. Her most recent novel, Company Town, is available from Tor Books. Subscribe to the Cool Tools...
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AR glimpses/Tours by Locals/Google Calendar tricks
AR glimpses I’ve been writing about the future of Augmented Reality (AR), where you can see virtual things in the real world. Two short video fantasies by Keiichi Matsuda are key illustrations of what...
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Fujitsu ScanSnap ix1500
[I wrote this review in 2010. I now have a newer model, the ix1500 ($420) and have edited the following to include the new features — MF] I once left a box of important files out in the rain and wasted...
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Pocket Chain Saw
This little saw ($24) is excellent, fast cutting, light weight (at 3 oz without the case), and folds up small making it highly portable. It can quickly saw branches and trees up to about 4-6 inches in...
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Cable Tie Gun
Zip ties are essential tools when it comes to managing cables (among other things), but it can be difficult to get the ties very tight and/or flush. The best tool for the job is a cable tie gun ($13)...
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Timbermate
I have used Timbermate wood filler for about a year year and I make a point of having it with me in my tool bag at all times as I am a renovation contractor. What I like about it is that it doesn’t...
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GarageMate
GarageMate ($50) is compatible with all the major garage door openers. It comes with a simple Android or iPhone app. Suppose you’re going biking and you want to open the garage door and you don’t want...
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Tommy Honton, Experience Designer
Our guest this week is Tommy Honton. Tommy is a Los Angeles-based experience designer who specializes in weaving interactivity and game mechanics into narrative storytelling. Across the United States,...
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News from the Future/Brave New Work/Russian Doll
News from the Future In addition to Recomendo, I also write a newsletter for Institute for the Future, called “News from the Future.” It comes out twice a week and each issue has four or five short...
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MMX Plus Juggling Balls
Having the right weight in a juggling ball is extremely important. You need a weighted ball. The bounce of the ball, how hard it is, and whether it’s likely to bounce is extremely important. You want a...
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King Arthur Dough Whisk
I try to bake by hand as much by hand as possible because it’s a nice contrast to working in front of a computer every day. But one part of baking I never used to enjoy was the mixing of the dough. At...
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Rock N Roller MultiCart R2 Micro
What I find most useful and unique about this adaptable rolling cart ($100) is that it folds to a relatively compact size that I can easily fit into a normal car while being able to unfold and expand...
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Battery Powered LED Spotlight
We live on a country road near the Mendocino coast. The walk from where we park our cars to our house is a pathway about 100 feet long. It gets quite dark there at night and now and then the power goes...
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Fixnzip
This product allows you to replace a broken zipper slider without having to buy and install an entirely new zipper. The slider on my favorite alpaca sweater disintegrated in my hand. I went to a tailor...
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Elon Schoenholz, Commercial Photographer
Our guest this week is Elon Schoenholz. Elon is a former guest editor of Cool Tools and has been working as a commercial photographer documenting art and architecture in L.A. for the past 20 years....
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