Without deviation from the norm, ‘progress’ is not possible.

– Frank Zappa

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Artwork by Karolis Strautniekas

Dense Discovery
Dense Discovery
 

Welcome to Issue 35!

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I’m happy to officially announce that Offscreen Magazineis coming out of hibernation! Issue 21 will be released in July. (Offscreen readers and subscribers will hear from me in another email later this month.)

There’ll be some smaller changes, mostly to reduce my workload and make Offscreen manageable as a part-time gig that, along with Dense Discovery, will hopefully provide a steady livelihood for me. Speaking of, both projects will continue to rely on the support by sponsors, so if you’re interested in sponsoring an issue of Offscreen, please get in touch. Sponsoring an issue of Dense Discovery can be done through the self-serve processI set up, but feel free to reply if you have questions.

I’m excited about bringing Offscreen back. The many heartwarming emails and tweets by readers and fans definitely contributed to this decision. Thanks so much to all who continue to support my work and what it stands for. ? – Kai

Dense Discovery is currently read by over 20,500 subscribers. Support us by (1)  Sponsoring an issue, (2)  Booking a classified ad, or (3)  Sharing this issuewith friends and colleagues.

 

The Ideal Everyday Shoe

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Atoms →

Quarter-Sized Shoes Are Changing The Game

The new classic is here. Atoms shoes have a timeless design with modern features, including a customisable quarter-size fit, cloud-like cushioning, and copper linings for a fresh feel. Shop Now.

 

Apps & Sites

Flotato →

Create mini apps from websites

This is such a lovely idea: Flotato creates small, browser-based Mac apps for any website and adds handy features such as ‘pin to top’ or notification badges in your dock.

Mac Menu Bar →

Menu bar app directory

A curated directory of more than 230 Mac menu bar apps, neatly categorised with screenshots.

Workona →

Shared tab manager

Workona is another tab manager that allows you to create workspaces (tab groups) that sync with all your other devices and can be shared with your team mates.

Consider →

A calmer email client

A new (currently invite-only) email client that focuses on an inbox experience based on three principles: Email runs on your schedule; Focus on conversation; Your inbox is a to-do list.

 

Idle Knowledge

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Icon by Scarlett McKay

Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!

The etymology of the word ‘spam’ meaning ‘unwanted messages’ is not entirely clear, but most evidence points to a Monty Python skit from the ’70s. In the comedy skit, a restaurant serves all its food with lots of spam, and the waitress repeats the word several times in describing how much spam is in the items. As she does this, a group of Vikings (don’t ask) in the corner starts singing: “Spam, spam, spam, lovely spam! Wonderful spam!”, drowning out other conversation, until they are finally told to shut it. When exactly this first translated to internet messages, such as chat messages, newsgroups, etc., isn’t entirely known. It sort of happened all over the place in a very short time with the first documented case in early 1993. ( Source)

 

Goods & Accessories

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Chimera →

5-in-1 Cable

Is this the solution for your dongle anxiety? The Chimera claims it’s capable of charging 99% gadgets on the market: attached to one end are Lightning, USB-C and Micro USB, as well as USB-C and USB-A on the other end. (Currently on Kickstarter)

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WPRT Modular Pack →

Modular, weather-proof backpack

This backpack’s “modular attachment system combines German-engineered magnetic hardware and failsafe mechanical clasps” that allow you to add modular packs to the main pack. “The clean modern aesthetic and premium performance textiles are right at home in the city, and the airflow back panel, 3D shoulder straps & IPX-06 waterproof rated construction make it clear that this pack can go anywhere.”

 

Overheard on Twitter

The real end of history is when the choice is between counting on ethical AI to protect us from unethical capitalism and counting on ethical capitalism to protect us from unethical AI.

@evgenymorozov

 

Food For Thought

History of the Capital AI & Market Failures in the Attention Economy →

Read

A fantastic, long read that considers “capitalism as a highly efficient objective function (or ‘AI’) with its parameters optimised for the satisfaction of our short term desires rather than our long term interests.”

The Art of Not Having an Opinion →

Read

“It’s perfectly okay to say ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t have an opinion on that’ to those who are desperate to engage in some bad faith discourse on the wild headline of the day. Because tomorrow that wild headline will be gone, and all you’ll be left with is your own exhaustion.”

How one local fashion site became a world first in accessibility →

Read

How a wheelchair user created a pioneering online store that makes accessibility a priority: “For example, if I’m looking to buy a dress and I look at that dress on a model who is standing up, I could go to put it on and it will look totally different on me because I’m wearing it sitting down.”

 

Aesthetically Pleasing

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Australia’s pet shop chain Petbarn got a playful rebrand that hides cute animals everywhere.

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Alia Bright creates amazing art from paper.

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These images are made purely from HTML and CSS, created by the talented engineer Diana Smith .

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Gangster is a new, free typeface that ”celebrates the beauty of contrast in typography and in people. Because everyone has a lil gangster in them.”

 

Classifieds

Send and receive emails in Slack. Collaborate effectively on shared emails like support@ without sharing passwords among team members. Get started for free .

Concepts for iOS, Windows & Chrome OS. A flexible space to think, plan and create. Sketch plans on the infinite canvas, write notes, doodles, product sketches and design plans.

To-do app that’s simple as paper with all benefits of being digital? Yes please!

To celebrate our new Visual Design + Branding online course we’re pairing it with select coding courses until May 12th. Save up to $360 with a Code x Design bundle at SuperHi.com !

Classifieds are paid ads that support DD and are seen by 20,500 subscribers each week.

Book yours →

 

The Week in a GIF

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Email us the URL to your favourite GIF and we might feature it here in a future issue.

[email protected]

 
 
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