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I love Laura Vanderkam’s books about how to make the most of time. It’s never about stuffing more into our days. It’s not about productivity. It’s about savoring and being creatively thoughtful about what we choose to do. Her books 168 Hours and Tranquility by Tuesday changed how I think about my own weeks. For example, her argument for “effortful before effortless,” nudged me to spend more of my discretionary time on my hobbies. Her latest book, Big Time, new this week, makes the case for time abundance: we have more time than we think, and there are surprising ways we can savor it.In our live conversation May 7, we talked about why weeks matter more than days, how to make work more satisfying with small changes, and why your weekday evenings may hold more free time than you realize.📺 Watch the full conversation above, and read highlights below.My Favorite Ideas from Our Conversation 💡1. Your Life Is a Circus. Be the Ringmaster. 🎪When people say “my life is a circus,” they mean chaos. Laura says that’s a slander against circuses. A real circus is a super-organized performance. Nobody gets shot out of a cannon at the wrong time.She thinks of life as a well-orchestrated three-ring circus: career, relationships, and self. You’re the ringmaster. Each ring may have a bigger or smaller act at any given moment. A good circus is managed for delight. You want to run a show you’d actually want to watch. The circus also needs a safety net. Complex lives require backup plans so that complexity doesn’t descend into chaos.2. Think in Weeks, Not Days ⏳There are 168 hours in a week. That number matters more than 24.If you work 40 hours and sleep 56, you still have 72 hours for other things. That’s not all free time. But we have much more discretionary time than we often realize. Laura says the time-crunch feeling often results from looking narrowly at today. Zoom out to the week and you’ll often see more room.3. Track Your Time Simply 📊Laura tracks her time on a basic Excel spreadsheet. Half-hour blocks. Monday through Sunday. She checks in three times a day and jots down what she did since the last check-in. She doesn’t make pie charts. She uses plain language: “Email.” “Cooking.” “Reading.” “Driving.” Whatever you’d casually tell a friend if they asked what you were doing right now.At the end of each week, there’s room to reflect. What were the highlights? What did you enjoy most? What was most memorable this week? What was frustrating? She then archives the log and opens a new one.Laura has been doing this long enough that she can now pull up an old log from the same week in a prior year. She recently compared this past April with April 2020. She now has a kind of personal time capsule. (My wife and daughters use Gretchen Rubin’s 5-Year One-Sentence Journal for a related time capsule).Tip: You can use Laura’s simple, free time-tracking spreadsheet. If spreadsheets feel like too much work, try Toggl. I use Rize, which automatically categorizes my time so I don’t have to remember to log.4. Enjoy Work More with 3 Small Experiments 🔧Laura tested three tactics with hundreds of people over three weeks. Each tactic helped people feel more satisfied with their work to a statistically significant degree. The approaches don’t require that you change your job. They also don’t depend on you having a ton of autonomy. So they’re designed to work for all sorts of roles.* Spend one more hour per week on the work you like best. Every job has tasks you prefer. Even a short conversation with a manager can shift the balance toward more of those. (This reminds me of “job crafting,” a tactic I once wrote about for Time Magazine). * Spend 15 more minutes per week at work with someone you like. Friends at work are people you’d willingly spend time with outside the office. Social time at work matters more than we may realize. * Take two intentional breaks per day. Everyone takes breaks. Most are unplanned. When you decide in advance how you’ll spend a break, you can choose something rejuvenating rather than defaulting to scrolling or other screen time. One participant in Laura’s study told her: “I thought about leaving my job. I may still do that. But now I see ways to make work better whether I quit or not.”5. Reclaim Your Golden Hours ✨Golden hours are what Laura calls the stretch of weekday time after work and before bed. For most people, that’s roughly 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Five hours.Laura’s challenge: set one golden hour intention each day. Thirty minutes of something you chose and genuinely enjoy. Not work. Not housework. It might be: reading. A puzzle. A walk. A board game. Playing music. Even watching a movie with a loved one, if you chose that.The point is awareness, and intention. Once you claim 30 minutes of chosen leisure, you’re less likely to tell yourself the story that you have no free time.Laura also noted that Golden Hours is the title of her next book. Given that this book just came out, I’m impressed that she’s already ready for the next one. 6. Try Effortful Fun Before Effortless Fun 🎯This was the most memorable and useful tactic I learned from Laura’s previous book. It pops up again in this one. Here’s the idea: when your schedule allows for a bit of leisure time, start with at least a few minutes of something that takes effort, before you default to screens or other mindless activity. Read three pages of a book before opening Instagram. Start drawing or playing an instrument (my choice) before picking up your phone. One of two things will happen. You may get absorbed in the book and keep going. Or you might switch to Instagram anyway, but at least you’ve enjoyed a few minutes of something you care about first. Laura likes taking on big, year-long projects, like listening to all of Bach or Beethoven, or reading all of Jane Austen or Shakespeare, all of which she’s done in years past. Those all require just 10 pages a day or listening to one piece. If you sprinkle your days with effortful moments, you’ll get deep into projects you care about over the course of a year. If not, you’ll have a year’s worth of scrolling or other mindless diversion that may not add up to something memorable. Laura’s insight: effortful fun is especially enjoyable and valuable once you clear the initial hurdle of getting started. But when you start with effortless fun, it’s easy to get sucked in and hard to switch to something effortful with more friction.7. Go Outside After Dinner 🌿Laura’s family uses the acronym TOAD: Time Outside After Dinner. Once daylight extends past dinner, go outside. Walk. Play. Just be out there. It breaks the default drift toward screens during the post-dinner hours.8. Practice Active Patience 🌱Some things just take time. Laura talked about how her books reveal themselves slowly as she writes them. She may start with a detailed outline, but the nuances within each chapter emerge gradually. A piece of music becomes part of you only after many hours of practice. I’ve spent years on some of my favorite violin pieces; I often find new wrinkles, like dynamics or articulation marks I hadn’t paid much attention to, even after I’ve spent hundreds of hours looking at the music. After 11 years of tracking, Laura knows exactly what fits in 168 hours. Her weekly priority lists are short and realistic. If something is on the list, she’ll do it. If not, she’ll push it to a future week.That precision eliminates guilt. She doesn’t assign herself things she won’t actually do. And she doesn’t feel bad about things she deliberately chose not to do this week. If you occasionally feel guilty about not doing enough, as I do, check out I Didn’t Do The Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt, by Madeleine Dore. It’s a brilliant take.9. Leave Room to Say Yes 🚪Most productivity advice is about saying no. Laura flips that. Almost all new opportunities, relationships, and breakthroughs come from saying yes to something you’re not entirely sure about.The reason to clear your schedule isn’t just to have less going on. It’s to create the mental space to say yes when something unexpected appears. If you feel completely swamped, you might not even consider new possibilities. Managing mental load isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about staying open to what could come next, and allowing for serendipity. It’s about being open to what Laura calls little bets, giving time to something new that might end up being terrific. Tip: In his book, Flourish, Daniel Coyle describes this approach as opening yellow doors. They’re yellow (like a yellow traffic light) because they aren’t a clear GO. You’re not sure where they’ll lead. You may instinctively resist them in favor of more obvious green doors. Coyle points out, as Laura does, that these yellow doors can lead you to surprising places you wouldn’t otherwise go. 10. This is Probably Not Your Last Day 🐾“Live every day as if it’s your last” sounds inspiring. But it’s not practical for consistently making real decisions about how we spend our time.If everything was about living for the moment, you wouldn’t save money, learn a new language, or practice cello. Planning would seem futile or foolish.Laura prefers a different frame: ”Someday we will die. But on all the other days, we will not.” She attributes it to a Snoopy cartoon.Most days are not the last day we’ll be alive. It’s worth investing in things that pay off later. Build skills. Start the long project. The Social Security Administration publishes actuarial tables if you want reassurance about your own life expectancy. For most ages, your odds of making it to next year are excellent. That’s true whether you’re in your forties, like Laura, or 92. Interesting fact: Only when you’re 105 do your odds of dying within a year start to exceed 50%, according to those tables. 11. Make Fewer Decisions. Rely on Presets 🍝Laura’s family has a routine meal schedule. Pasta on Mondays. Fajitas on Tuesdays. Breakfast for dinner on Thursdays. (They love bacon). Weekends are for trying something new.That approach extends beyond food. Sticking to formulas frees up mental energy for things where decisions are crucial. You’re not being boring. You’re being strategic about where your decision-making efforts go. Jeff Bezos and other visionary leaders talk about separating reversible small decisions from impactful ones that can’t be reversed. If you don’t like one lunch, you’ve got another one coming. If you fire someone or leave a partnership, you may not get an easy redo.Laura’s Simple Toolkit 🧰Laura doesn’t focus much on tech. Here are a few tools she relies on.* Microsoft Excel for time tracking. Basic spreadsheets, half-hour blocks, simple categories.* iPhone Notes App works well for scanning. Open a note, press the paperclip icon, then scan a permission slip, agreement doc, or some other form straight to PDF. You don’t need a separate scanner.* Toggl for time tracking if you prefer an app over a spreadsheet. The free version works well. It works on your computer or laptop, and integrates with many other apps. I use and recommend a different app called Rize. * Two laptops. She started using two screens by accident when an old laptop couldn’t run Zoom. Now she writes on one and references notes on the other.* A digital recorder for her brief daily podcast called Before Breakfast. She batches episodes ahead of time and sends audio files to her production team.On AI ✍️Laura loves both writing and puzzling. She says using AI for writing would be like paying a robot to do a puzzle for her.She has used it for brainstorming and research. She once asked for a list of productivity newsletters. About half the results were ones she already knew. Half of the rest turned out not to exist. But some of the results were useful discoveries.She’s open to the idea of feeding time logs into AI for pattern recognition. Her take: it’s a bit like a tarot reading. If you agree with the AI’s categorization or summarization, you’ll think the results are great. If you don’t like the AI’s assessment, you’ll assume it malfunctioned.For my own takes on AI, check out my AI-related posts. Laura’s Resources 🎁* Free time-tracking spreadsheet: lauravanderkam.com/manage-your-time* Before Breakfast Laura’s daily micro podcast with short weekday tips. I’ve listened to it for years. I love that each episode is just a few minutes long (though I tend to skip over the lengthy opening ads). She’s been publishing episodes daily since early 2019. * Best of Both Worlds Laura cohosts this podcast with Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger, focusing on real-world issues that arise when balancing work and family. (Laura has five kids, aged six to 18, so she speaks from experience). * Big Time Her excellent new book on time abundance.* Tranquility by Tuesday and 168 Hours Two of Laura’s best prior books, both worth reading, both full of specific, practical, non-intuitive ideas that I’ve found useful. Thank you to my brother Ben Caplan, MD, Holly, and many others for tuning into my live video chat with Laura. And thanks for reading all the way down to this note. Leave a comment with your own thought on time. I’d love your input. 👆 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

The following is a guest post by Jay Dixit, founder of Socratic AI Most people treat AI like a question-answering machine: Ask a question, get an answer. What is chili crisp, and why is Gen Z so obsessed with it? What’s the best starting guess for Wordle? What’s the best time of day to post on LinkedIn? (My own real queries from today.)There’s nothing wrong with using AI to get answers to your questions. But there’s another mode of interacting with AI that many people never consider — one I find much more useful for my creative process.Here’s what I do instead: I flip the script and let the AI ask the questions for a change. Instead of prompting AI, I get the AI to prompt me.You may have heard Jeremy call this technique the “reverse interview,” and he’s previously written about it as a tool for reflection. You might use reverse interviewing, say, to conduct a soul-searching interview about what you want from your career.I take that same role reversal and apply it to the writing process. I call it the “Socratic interview.” It’s the foundational technique I teach for using AI as a thinking partner instead of a content generator. It’s also what inspired the name of my company, Socratic AI, and my upcoming masterclass with Narratively Academy. (See below for details, including an exclusive discount for Wonder Tools readers.)The Socratic interview works for any writing task — a first-person narrative, a Substack post, a pitch deck, a talk for SXSW, even a speech for my best friend’s wedding. I use two versions of the technique: one to help me figure out what to say, and one to figure out how to say it.Socratic Interviewing Level 1: Excavating raw materialHow to use AI to help you surface memories, examples, and storiesI sometimes meet people who use an even more basic version: the adversarial interview. “Play devil’s advocate. Pressure-test my assumptions. Poke holes in my argument and reveal gaps in my logic.” Maybe call that the starting level.What I find much more helpful is using the Socratic interview as a tool to access my own creativity.As a writer, I’ve always had plenty of ideas, insights, and stories. I know they’re in there somewhere. But staring down the blank page is hard. What’s much easier is answering when someone asks me a direct question.So I use Socratic interviewing to draw out the ideas, memories, stories, and examples I have in my head but haven’t gotten down in writing. For me, it solves the blank page problem — without ever using AI to generate prose.Let’s say I need to write a groomsman speech for my best friend’s wedding. If I were to use ChatGPT as a ghostwriter the way most people do, it would output something lazy and trite. Look what happens when I ask it to generate a draft.“That’s not luck, that’s character”? Pure slop.Socratic interviewing is a different process altogether. Here, I give Claude a bunch of messy context about the writing task and ask it to help me remember the adventures and funny moments I’ve had with Tim over the years.Generating answers is AI’s default mode, but it also excels at asking evocative questions to jog your memory and get your creative juices flowing. You just need to flip it into that Socratic mode.I can ask for questions in a batch or, if I want it to feel less like a writing assignment and more like a conversation, take them one at a time. Either way, instead of sweating over a blank page, I’m now in a playful conversation about funny memories from my formative years.Once I’ve answered these questions, the task ahead of me changes. I’m no longer struggling to compose some perfect sentence to somehow encompass the totality of our friendship. All I have to do is look at my own stories and start choosing and shaping my favorite moments.---------Sponsored MessageI open Shortform for books I haven’t had time to read, books I finished years ago, and books I’m not sure are worth my time.Take What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam (screenshot above). The Shortform guide surfaces the essential ideas fast. It’s particularly useful for nonfiction books, biographies, self-help, and other genres where you’re reading for tangible takeaways.I appreciate that smart humans write Shortform’s guides. In an era when AI-generated summaries are everywhere, there’s a difference. These feel like notes from thoughtful readers.Shortform now covers podcasts and long articles too, not just books. If your reading list grows faster than you can get through it, Shortform is one of the more practical tools I’ve found for making progress on it.Wonder Tools readers get a free trial + 25% off the annual plan 👇----------Socratic Interviewing Level 2: Defining your purpose and strategyHow to use AI to clarify your writing goalsJust as important as figuring out what you want to say is figuring out how you want to say it.Like all art, writing is about making a thousand tiny decisions. It’s hard to get those decisions right if you don’t even know you’re making them. If the only directive I have in mind as I’m typing is “I need to make this good,” that doesn’t help me figure out how much explanation is sufficient, which words match the register I’m aiming for, and which details will evoke the experience I’m trying to evoke in the reader.The solution is to define my strategy before I start writing. The best way I know to write something good is to clarify what I’m trying to accomplish, keeping a sort of design brief in mind (or in a separate doc) as I write. If I’ve clearly defined what experience I’m trying to evoke and what elements of craft I want to deploy to get there, I can make those decisions more intentionally.“Here’s what I’m going for here. I want these opening pages to be super suspenseful. I want the reader to immediately root for the protagonist, and the scene to be fast-paced and easy to visualize, nothing vague or abstract.”The thing is, I don’t figure this stuff out by staring harder at the draft itself. So before I start writing, I have AI interview me about that too. The questions it asks force me to clarify my purpose and strategy for the piece before I even start drafting.I might use a prompt like this:I’m writing a short satire piece for The New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs. Before I draft, ask me a series of questions about my goals for the piece: who my reader is, what kind of experience I want to create for the reader, and what craft choices I plan to use to achieve the desired effect.Fleshing out my writing goals through Socratic questioning has a dual benefit. First, it clarifies my own thinking, so I’m writing with purpose instead of brain-dumping whatever’s in my head. Second, it gives the AI a clear set of criteria. So when I ask it for feedback — “How’s this paragraph?” “Is this section working?” — Claude already knows what I’m trying to achieve. That way, it can assess how my writing succeeds against those specific standards rather than some abstract ideal of what good writing looks like. Instead of generic notes — “This is a little casual,” “consider tightening” — now I get feedback against my own criteria: “You said you wanted this to be visual, but you’re doing a lot of explaining.”My 6-Week Course for Writers Who Actually Want to FinishSocratic interviewing is just one piece of how I use AI in my writing process (and never to generate writing). If you’re interested in learning how to use AI not just as a thinking partner, but as an accountability coach to keep you on track with your writing, I’m teaching a six-week class that covers the whole system.The class is called The Socratic AI Intensive, taught in partnership with Narratively Academy, and it starts May 18. It’s built around how to use AI as a taskmaster, project manager, and accountability coach to help you set a goal, stay on task, and actually finish what you start. All without ever letting AI generate a single word.The accountability coaching is just one piece of the Socratic AI system. The class also covers a set of advanced principles I’ve never seen taught anywhere else — the signature techniques of Socratic AI I’ve developed over three years of working with AI in my own writing process as a thinking partner instead of a content generator. Here’s a taste of what we cover:* Getting non-sycophantic feedback. As I’ve said ad nauseam, I don’t use AI to generate prose. Nor do I allow AI to rewrite my prose when it inevitably tries to jump in and “smooth and refine” my drafts. But I do use AI as a thoughtful first reader to get an external perspective on how my writing is coming across. I ask for high-level feedback on how to make a piece better — what’s repetitive, what’s vague, what’s unclear, where it gets boring, where it needs to get more concrete. Then I do the rewrite myself based on feedback. The AI’s feedback is even more specific and useful if you’ve already gone through the Level 2 process I described above: defining for the AI what you’re trying to achieve and how.* Name what you suspect the problem is. When asking for feedback, it also helps to let the AI know where to focus its attention. If you simply say, “How’s this section working?” the AI will do its best to be helpful. But things work even better if you flag your specific concern: “Is this paragraph sappy/melodramatic?” “Does this headline sound defensive?” “Is it clear why she didn’t just walk back in and apologize, or do I need to spell out her motivation?” When you tell the AI what to focus on, you’ll get a better, more targeted answer.* Socratic revision. As William Zinsser says, “Writing is rewriting.” Writing never comes out quite right the first time. What makes good writing good is revising and rewriting early drafts until they get good. To flip AI into an iterative, Socratic mode, I use one magic phrase: “iterate and improve.” My favorite Socratic prompt: “Don’t rewrite this for me. Ask me questions to lead me to my own creative insights, and give me ideas so I can iterate and improve.” The AI gives you feedback. You’re always the one writing.* Make every conversation Socratic. AI’s default mode is to spit out answers. But AI is more helpful when it has relevant context. The problem is the context you don’t realize you’re leaving out. So even when you’re not doing a Socratic interview, you can still flip the script. In practice, I try to make all my AI conversations Socratic. Here’s a single sentence you can paste at the end of any prompt: “Before we proceed, ask me a question or two to make sure you understand what I want.” One sentence, and Claude stops guessing what you need — it asks. It’s the easiest way to break out of the vending-machine pattern.In the class, I teach all of these techniques in detail and show you how to use them for your own writing. Five class sessions over six weeks. We’ll cover project planning, daily accountability, Socratic interviewing, iterative revision with feedback, and advanced workflows for working with AI on your actual files and projects.The structure: Five weekly live sessions of two hours each, a system for using AI as an accountability coach, and a private community for support between sessions. You bring your writing project: a novel, a book proposal, a screenplay, a collection of essays, whatever you’ve been wanting to finish. You set an ambitious but achievable goal. By the end of six weeks, you’re done.Here’s what you get:* A set of tools and techniques for how to use AI to set milestones, break your project into daily tasks, and keep you on track* A cohort of fellow writers doing the work alongside you* Weekly live sessions with me* A Slack channel for questions, technical help, and shared progressThis is the class where you actually finish your draft. By the end of six weeks, the project you committed to is done.It’s $795, and Wonder Tools readers get $100 off with code WONDERTOOLS. Sign up at socraticai.co/intensive.Jay Dixit is the founder of Socratic AI, where he teaches writers, educators, and knowledge workers how to use AI as a thinking partner instead of a content generator. He was previously Head of Community for Writers at OpenAI and has taught writing at Yale. His journalism has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Psychology Today.Thank you Lucy Gray, Andrew Nelson, and others for tuning into the live video with Jay Dixit! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Mornings are for deep work. Afternoons are for everything else — teaching, planning, thinking, movement, and meetings. This is part two of my daily kit. Part one covered my morning apps. Here are the apps and gadgets that carry me through from noon to bedtime. I’ve included a few AI tools, but mostly the quieter tools that don’t get as much attention.Catch up on Part 1 👇12pm: Midday BreakHealthy Minds 🧠 This free app helps me with mindfulness. The 5-10 minute audio lessons work well as walking meditations. I sometimes also use Headspace or Calm for meditation or focus music.Libby 📚 I rely on Libby for free library audiobooks. I listen when walking to lunch or commuting. Here are tools I rely on for finding great books. Lunch* Resy and OpenTable 🍱 for quick reservations nearby* The Infatuation for opinionated local restaurant recommendations * Too Good To Go for trying heavily discounted (66% off) dishes from local restaurants, bakeries, and juice bars. The fixed-price mystery bags reduce restaurant waste. Sometimes you get a delicious bargain, but the quality varies. I’ve occasionally gotten a weird bread or a bland pastry.* MealPal When I don’t bring my own lunch, I like MealPal, a lunch subscription service. Local restaurants offer one dish a day as part of the subscription, which costs about $6/day. I like the variety: you can choose which restaurant to try on any given day. It’s available so far in 12 cities. 1-3pm: Preparing to TeachAfter lunch, I continue developing teaching plans or work on other school-related projects for my job as Director of Teaching and Learning at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. (More of my thinking in a recent Columbia Journalism Review interview).Craft 📄 My go-to for creating visually engaging digital handouts. It’s easy to use and works wonderfully on mobile or desktop. See my post on why Craft is so useful.Wispr Flow, Text Blaze and Raycast* I often use Wispr Flow to type with my voice. It works in any app. I just hold the function key and talk. * When I do type with my hands I use Text Blaze keyboard shortcuts to add snippets into my email and documents. It works for email addresses and signatures, search prompts, and phrases I type a lot. * Raycast also works well for these shortcuts. Why I rely on Raycast.Notes by Hand 📝 I like writing notes away from my laptop periodically to get my eyes off the screen and to change my brain mode. I alternate between:* I use a Rocketbook reusable notebook for lists and reminders.* A giant whiteboard helps me draw connections and play around with ideas away from the glowing distractions of my screens. * My reMarkable Paper Pro tablet hosts notes I will return to repeatedly. What works for me, paper vs. digitalKeynote for SlidesThis Mac presentation software works reliably offline or on for in-person and remote classes and workshops I lead. Keynote is now part of Apple’s new Creator Studio, a package of software that includes video and image editing tools. I haven’t found the Keynote AI features useful so far, but the basic software is excellent for designing and delivering compelling slides. Pricing: Keynote is free with any Mac. I wouldn’t recommend the subscription upgrade, at $129/year or $30/year for students and educators, unless you’re a heavy user of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, or the other pro software tools. iA Presenter I vary slide apps to keep things interesting. I sometimes write a lesson outline and paste that text into iA Presenter, which turns it into clean, typographically sharp slides. Like Keynote, it works offline. For more on why this app is so useful, watch the demo video or read my post.Kahoot, Padlet, and Slido 🤔 I rely on this trio of teaching tools to power activities that promote active learning in classes or workshops — rather than passive listening. Here are more of my favorite apps for teaching. Time Out for Screen Breaks⏳ I set this app to remind me to give my eyes a screen break every 15 minutes. It pulses over the screen to nudge me to stretch or look out the window. The Raycast Focus Mode also helps, blocking email and distractions during short, focused, deep work sprints. 3-5pm: Meetings 👥I try to schedule meetings for the late afternoon to conclude the day with collaboration, after starting with more creative work. Granola for Summaries🤖 Granola weaves my own notes into its summary, sends no bot into my Zooms, and lets me search across meetings for tasks, patterns, or insights. My full post about it👇 describes 10 of the features, along with tips, limitations, and alternatives. Camo for Webcam CustomizationCamo lets me modify my camera to zoom in, adjust lighting, or add overlays during video calls. It also lets me use my phone or other external cameras. Prezi Video and Airtime enable lower-thirds, annotations, and overlay visuals I occasionally use for presentations.Sony UX570 Voice Recorder for Interviews My reliable backup for recording audio. I like that it doesn't require an open laptop or running phone. I often transcribe the audio files with MacWhisper.6pm: After workSnipd for listening to podcasts on my commuteThis smart podcast app lets me preview podcasts and save highlights to my notes. I triple-tap my AirPods to save my favorite moments to Readwise, a service that acts as a repository for highlights from my online reading, Kindle books, and other apps I use. A recent favorite: The history of Trader Joe’s episode of the excellent Acquired podcast, which features multi-hour deep dives into remarkable companies.Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones I splurged on the $460 WH-100XM6 headphones to block noise on the exhaustingly loud New York City subway. I had my previous pair (WH-1000XM3) for seven years, so hopefully this investment will prove equally durable. I use them for commuting and focus music. Nex for Games and Exercise BreaksI love playing the sports and workout games on this family video game system. They’re all active games played with your body, not your thumbs. I play solo or with my wife & daughters. It’s like a next-generation Nintendo Wii, which we also still play (especially the balance board games). To get away from screens, we also play these family tabletop games. 11pm: Bedtime 🌙Glocusent Rechargeable Reading Light This tiny $13 light clips onto any book. The battery lasts for months.Yogasleep Dohm White Noise Machine This $50 gadget masks random night sounds, making it easier to sleep. Peakeep “Invisible” Alarm Clock I turn off the display on this $13 bedside clock so it doesn’t glow at night. I tap the top to see the time if I need to. Its morning alarm lets me keep my tempting phone out of the bedroom.That’s my noon to night kit. What tools carry you through your day?What’s One Tool You Recommend? Leave a Comment👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve tried a dozen AI note-taking tools. Granola is the one I use daily and recommend most. Read on for 10 ways to make the most of it.Bottom line: Granola transcribes and summarizes nearly every meeting I have. 998 so far. It helps me keep track of what I’ve learned and promises I’ve made.What it does: It’s software you download, not a bot, so it doesn’t attend meetings. It just runs on my computer or phone. I can use it to record in-person meetings, or anything online: Zoom, Google Meet, or even Substack Live.Setting it up: I connected my Google Calendar. Now it auto-detects my meetings and opens automatically when I start a call.How it’s different: Unlike other bots that spit out a generic summary, Granola gives you a window for your own note-taking. That means I can include my own thoughts and highlight what I find most important. The summary then weaves in my own points in black, distinct from the gray AI summary notes. I can always return to either my own separate notes or the AI-assisted summary.I can now query any meeting I’ve been in since I started using Granola in September 2024. I look for patterns across meetings and presentations I’ve given over the past couple of years.Free or Paid: You can use Granola for free plan. You get excellent summaries of an unlimited number of meetings. I was on the free plan for more than a year. Now I pay $14/month to access all of my past meeting summaries. That also pays for better AI models, and lets me query my notes from Claude or ChatGPT.👇10 ways Granola stands out1. Write your own notes while AI fills in the restMost AI note-takers give you only the AI’s version of what happened. Granola keeps your own notes alongside the live transcript. You always have both.I type my own most important observations, priorities, and reactions during a meeting. The AI fills in other details. This way I’m not reliant on a generic summary the way I am with other tools. My own emphasis and perspective helps shape the summary.After the meeting, my original notes appear in black. The AI-generated content appears in gray. That’s a nice design touch, so you can easily tell which is which.Tip: I use shorthand like triple asterisks (***) for key points and triple ampersand (&&&) for memorable quotes. Or choose your own “internal hashtags.” Pick ones easy to type during a live meeting. Later you can search for those to quickly find what you flagged as important. (Works with any tool)2. Search across meetings by person or company 🔍Granola organizes meetings by people and organizations. If I’ve had a series of meetings with someone, I can click their name and search across all of those conversations. Or I can search through all the conversations I’ve had with people at Acme Inc.This is useful for questions like: What did we agree to last month? What themes keep coming up? What did I promise to send that I haven’t followed up on?You can also create folders for specific projects or series. If I’m attending or teaching a series of workshops, I can then search across all of those sessions.Tip: If you ever write or give presentations, ask Granola to compile key points or ideas you’ve shared in past meetings or presentations. It’s helpful for exploring and building on your own ideas. Instead of using AI to think for you, you’re using it to help you organize and make more of your own ideas.3. Record in-person meetings w/ a phone or laptop 📱I’ve been to public events where I wanted to remember what was discussed. The iPhone app is great. Same account, no separate setup. Your in-person notes sync with your desktop notes and appear in the same searchable archive. Other recording apps I’ve tried occasionally crash when I get a call or open other apps, but Granola has been consistently reliable, even for long meetings. I’ve been surprised to find that it works well even when I’m not sitting close to the speaker.Available on: Mac, Windows, and iOS. No Android app yet, though one is expected later this year.4. Start free with unlimited meetingsThe free version works well if you just want to try it. The transcription quality is the same as the paid version. Students get Granola free for a year. Startups do too.The paid plan is $14 a month. I pay that for unlimited access to my 1,000+ meeting summaries, the ability to query my notes from other AI tools like Claude, and access to the strongest AI models for summaries. The free plan limits how far back you can access old meetings and limits the AI models you have access to.If you don’t need to refer back to old summaries or plug your notes into other AI tools, the free plan is great.Try Granola free for a month with this link.5. Give Claude or ChatGPT access to your Granola notesThis is one of the reasons I upgraded to the paid plan. Granola connects to Claude through something called a Model Context Protocol (MCP). Don’t worry about the technical details. It’s just a way to connect AI tools to one another.The practical benefit: I can ask Claude or ChatGPT to look across my recent Wonder Tools Live sessions and tell me which topics I’ve talked about but haven’t written about yet. Or vice versa. Because Claude has access to my newsletter archive (via Mizal), it can consider what I’ve discussed in meetings and what I’ve published.Sponsored MessageThe Smarter Way to Read MoreThere are more great books than any of us will ever finish. I made peace with that, though I still wish I could read more. So I found a tool that helps.Shortform has helped me get inside more books. I use it for books I haven’t had time to read, and to rediscover ideas from books I finished years ago but have already started to forget.What sets it apart is that it’s powered by human writers and editors, not AI summaries. You get substantive analysis, useful examples, and quotes from the book. You also get recommendations for related titles and a one-page overview. It’s like having a smart friend sum it up for you.A few to check out on Shortform: a guide to What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, by Laura Vanderkam (I’m a big fan) and Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin (also an author I admire). Shortform also has podcast and article guides to get the gist of long interviews or sprawling posts.If your reading list ever creates anxiety for you, as it does for me, it’s worth a look.Wonder Tools readers get a free trial + $50 off the annual plan. →6. Catch up mid-meeting if your mind wandersThis is the feature that surprised me the most. While a meeting is happening, you can ask Granola to summarize what’s been said so far, or to catch you up on what you missed.This was hugely helpful recently when I was in a live session and my mind wandered. I missed what a couple of people had just said and felt bad about it. The only way to catch up without asking them to repeat themselves was to query Granola. It instantly gave me a concise recap of the last few minutes, while continuing to transcribe the session. You can also scan back through the live transcription yourself while the meeting progresses.7. Analyze meetings with “recipes”Recipes are prompt templates built specifically for your meetings. Instead of recreating the same query every time, you save it once and reuse it.A few I use regularly:* List recent to-dos. Scans recent meetings for tasks I mentioned but may not have added to my task list. I caught a missing follow-up this way just recently. Someone asked me to send them a logo. I got sidetracked, didn’t put it on my task list. The recipe surfaced it.* Prep next meeting. If I’ve met with someone before, it reminds me of our prior conversations. If I haven’t, it can reference other similar meetings.* Coach me. Analyzes how I showed up in meetings and suggests what I might do differently.* YouTube description. I created this for workshops I lead. Some of them end up on YouTube, and I usually don’t have a description for them. Granola has the full text of what I said. So the recipe helps me generate a description.You can browse a public library of recipes and grab ones that interest you. There are special recipes for sales, marketing, customer interviews, and other common business use-cases. You can also create your own, which is as simple as writing a prompt.8. Share meeting notes others can exploreYou can share a link to a Granola summary with anyone. The person on the other end doesn’t have to log in or have a Granola account. They can read the summary and even query the transcript themselves. They won’t see your private queries, and you won’t see theirs. You can also share an entire folder with a colleague, or even a workspace with your team, if you want to have collective access to shared meetings. You can also create a separate private space within your account.Example: Here’s a Granola summary of my most recent Wonder Tools Live Show and Tell, where I talked about why I like Granola. For context, these are live monthly sessions for paid subscribers where I show what I’m using and share tips on making the most of new tools.9. Protect privacy with text-only transcription 🔒Granola captures only text. It transcribes in real time but doesn’t store audio or video files. Some people don’t want to be recorded video-wise, or they don’t want their voice recorded. Granola works well for that, because it stores only text.This is a deliberate design choice. As CEO Chris Pedregal told me when I interviewed him for Fast Company recently, the value is in useful notes, not in retaining audio. The tradeoff: you can’t go back and listen to verify a quote, or hear the emotion in someone’s voice. If that matters for your work, pick an alternative below.10. Take private notes without a bot joining your callOpen a typical AI note-taker and you’ll see a bot listed as a meeting participant and a robotic rectangle in your video window. Some people find these bots intrusive.Granola doesn’t join your meeting. It runs on your computer (or phone). Nobody else in the meeting needs to know it’s there, though I recommend telling them anyway. Ask if it’s OK if you use an AI note-taker to help you remember what we talk about. Your data is protected. Granola is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, which basically means an independent auditor has checked that the company has safeguards to protect sensitive info.How Granola can make life easierGranola is useful beyond work meetings. Here are some ways I’ve used it:* Learn from conferences and workshops. Capture notes from panels and talks. Later, search across all the sessions. “Which speakers mentioned AI regulation?” or “What books did speakers recommend?” You get a searchable archive of an entire event.* Catch up with online courses and webinars. I use Granola when I’m hosting or watching a Substack Live. If I have to step away, I can catch up. Or I can search across a series. “Remind me which tactics we covered.”* Prepare for a follow-up. Use the “Prep me” recipe before meeting with someone again. It pulls together what you talked about last time.* Capture medical or personal appointments. You can use Granola for therapy sessions, vet visits, or doctor appointments. Ask for permission. When you leave and can’t remember what the expert said about dosage or next steps, check the transcript.How to make the most of Granola* Ask permission first. Even though Granola doesn’t record audio, let people know you’re using an AI note-taker if it’s not a public event. I usually say something like: “Is it okay if I use an AI note-taker to sum up the meeting? I’m happy to share the summary with you. If you’d prefer, I can keep it off.”* Split long events into separate sessions. If you’re at a three-hour workshop with distinct segments, stop and restart Granola between sections. You’ll get more detailed summaries for each section instead of one sprawling summary.* Choose your AI model. On the paid plan, you can select an advanced AI model. I like Claude’s Sonnet 4.6 Thinking. You can switch to a Gemini or ChatGPT model.LimitationsNo tool is perfect. Here’s where Granola falls short so far:* No audio or video playback. You can’t go back and listen to what someone said for the emotion in their voice.* No file uploads yet. You can’t drag in an old interview recording or audio file for transcription. So far the focus is on live meetings.* Chats can get messy. Granola doesn’t have a place to store answers you get when you query your meetings. You have to copy & paste into a separate notes tool. And it’s not optimized for taking notes without audio.* Limited free archive. On the free plan, you only get access to 30 days of meeting archives.* No Android app yet. Available on Mac, Windows, and iPhone. I expect the Android app to launch later in 2026.Alternatives to GranolaGranola is best for people who take their own notes during meetings and want AI to fill in the rest. If you’re on Android, Otter is a popular alternative until Granola’s Android version is available. If you want to upload recordings, or if you need video or audio saved, you may want something else. Consider these alternatives:* Fathom is a good option if you want video and audio recordings tied to a time-coded summary. Click on part of the summary to jump to that part of the recording. Start with the free version. It’s useful for sessions where you want to go back and watch specific moments. I sometimes use Fathom alongside Granola.* MacWhisper is useful for transcribing audio files you’ve recorded elsewhere. It can run locally on your Mac, so nothing leaves your device. You can buy it as a one-time purchase for $74. The free version also works well.* Supernormal is one I’ve used and liked.* For more options: Wonder Tools contributor Ulrike Langer, who writes the great News Machines newsletter about how news orgs are using AI, recently wrote a guide to transcription tools with additional alternatives.How to get started 🚀* Try it for one meeting. Download Granola on Mac or Windows, or grab the iPhone app. Connect your calendar and join a meeting. Take a few of your own notes. See how Granola combines them with the transcript summary afterward.* Try an in-person meeting. Bring your iPhone to a coffee meeting or a live event and open the Granola app. See how the mobile transcription feels.* Chat with your first summary. After your meeting, try asking a few questions:* “What were the three main takeaways?”* “What deadlines or follow-ups should I remember?”* “Summarize this meeting in 3 sentences for a colleague.”Try Granola free for a month →What are you using and why? Leave a comment 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wondertools.substack.comI recently talked with Jason Chatfield a New Yorker cartoonist and creator of the lively New York Cartoons Substack. He sketched while we talked, as part of his video series Draw Me Anything. We traded ideas about writing, editing, tools, and where to draw the line with AI. 📺 Watch the conversation above, or read highlights below. Takeaways from Our Conversation 🛠️* Teach your AI assistant to offer personalized editing suggestions. I’ve trained a Claude Project to learn from my past writing and editing. It catches typos like double commas, cliches, redundant language, weak verbs, and sloppy copy. Instead of having it make changes, I ask it for a punch list of suggestions. * Talk before you type. I turn on my AI dictation app, Letterly, and just start talking. The AI-enabled transcription and summary I get helps me make sense of ideas rolling around in my mind. Then the next part of the writing process becomes more about shaping and editing those ideas, rather than staring down a blank screen.* Ask AI to interview you. After a conference or a day of meetings, get your AI assistant to ask you follow-up questions. That conversation forces you to articulate ideas you haven’t fully formed.* Teach your AI assistant to be a critic, not a ghostwriter. Ask it to challenge your structure, suggest sections to cut and to explain why, and to point out your blind spots. Your friend might be too polite to tell you a section of your piece you’ve worked on for hours is redundant or dull. Your AI assistant will, if you train it to.* Let’s read books collectively. We’re reading 10 AI books in 2026 through the Wonder Tools Book Group. (For WT paid subscribers). We started with AI Snake Oil, whose co-author was a surprise guest at our first gathering. Reading together allows us to benefit from dialogue. And we can learn more deeply from books than we can from a random diet of posts and videos. Sponsored MessageBuild a site or app with LovableTry Lovable Free. Lovable lets you describe what you need and turns it into a working website or app. Now it even builds slides for you. Go from idea to polished deck in under 10 minutes. No coding needed. I use it to quickly prototypes like an uplifting news page and a landing page for educators. Others have built everything from portfolio sites to custom business tools — you can browse hundreds of templates. If you have an idea you’ve been putting off, this is a fast way to start. Tips Jason shared during our conversation* Work from a calendar, not a to-do list. Sometimes what’s most valuable is a workflow, not a specific tool. Like timeboxing. Jason predicts how long a task will take, blocks time in his calendar (iCal), then learns from the difference between his estimate and how long the task actually took. His timeboxing Medium post about the process went viral.* Build a grumpy editor. Jason created a J. Jonah Jameson–style editor persona in Gemini. If you’re not familiar with the Spider-Man character, he’s a cantankerous, chain-smoking newspaper editor who tears apart a writer’s drafts. Jason says he takes about half of the suggestions. * Choose your tools based on who built them. Jason uses Grammarly and Gemini, but refuses to use Meta AI or Grok. If he doesn’t trust those building a platform, he opts out.* Learn the analog way before you go digital. Jason suggests students draw by hand first, not on an iPad. If you draw a bad line with a dip pen, you can’t hit undo. You learn through that process. * Use AI to brainstorm, but know when to stop. Cartoonist Alex Hallatt of Cartooning in the Age of AI used an AI assistant to riff on cartoon premises from messy notes. Jason said she was intrigued by the results, until the bot offered to draw the cartoon for her. 👇Tools & Apps We Discussed 👇

After my 7am wake-up alarm, I lean on about 20 morning apps, sites and gadgets for reading, writing, listening, and getting stuff done. I revisit this toolkit every year. Here's what's stayed, what's changed, and what's new.🌤️ 7:00 am Wake up and prepare for the day ⏰ Peakeep “Invisible” Alarm Clock This $14 bedside clock wakes me up. I set its brightness at zero to keep the bedroom dark at night. I tap the top to check the time if I need to. I bought the clock when I decided to store my phone in another room so it doesn’t suck me in before bed.⭕️ Oura Ring For the past five years I’ve worn an Oura ring to keep track of my exercise, sleep, and heart rate volatility. I like that, unlike an Apple or Google Watch, it has no distracting screen or notifications. I ran a two-week experiment pairing the Oura with a Stelo glucose biosensor to see how my diet impacts my sleep, fitness, and energy levels. I can export my data and query it with AI assistants. Or I use Oura’s own AI chat to ask things like “How is my evening snacking affecting the quality of my sleep?”In the morning I check my sleep quality and resilience scores to calibrate my expectations for the day. Having an objective measure of how well I’ve slept helps me decide whether to push my meager exercise regimen a bit or take it easy. It also helps motivate me on dreary days, and signals when I’m getting sick before I notice. (Read my original Oura 2020 post. Note: I’ve bought my own Oura rings — no affiliation).🧠 Brain Games and 🎶 MusicA breakfast ritual: playing the NYTimes’ Spelling Bee, Wordle, and Connections with my wife and daughters while listening to our favorite classical music host, Jeff Spurgeon, on WQXR. We talk about the music and what’s ahead at school or work, avoiding stressful headlines.Quick tip: We listen on our old Google Home Mini kitchen smart speaker. A quick voice command pulls up just about any radio station in the world. (I saw the newer Google Nest Mini on sale this week for $19). Sponsored MessageAccess the World’s Best IdeasI love reading. But no matter how much I read, I can’t keep up with all the great books I hear about.That’s why I’ve been relying on Shortform for the past several years to help catch up with books I’m curious about but haven’t had time to read. I also use Shortform to remember key points from books I read years ago. I like the biography section, where I’ve learned about the lives of Malala, Bono, and Leonardo da Vinci. While a lot of summary apps I’ve tried have 5-min, AI-generated, surface-level book overviews, Shortform’s writers and editors produce in-depth coverage of nonfiction titles.I also like the business section, which has detailed guides for classic titles and new books I’m curious about like Two Awesome Hours by Josh Davis. In addition to an expert-written overview of key points, with examples, excerpts, and references to related books, you get a one-page summary and contrasting ideas from other authors. Now Shortform has podcast and article guides as well. Wonder Tools readers get a discount. Try it free to explore.Enjoy a free trial and $50 off the annual plan.🚶🏼8:00 Walk My Daughter to School 🏫No tools or tech. 🚊 8:25 CommuteI use Snipd to listen to podcasts on the way to work. Here’s my full take. I also rely on Readwise Reader to catch up on articles I’ve saved. It works offline on the subway. Here’s why it’s worth trying. I use Superhuman to check work email.📆 8:50 Plan the DayWhen I get to work, I map out what's ahead with a mix of paper and apps. 📅 Google Calendar I check GCal for meetings. I‘ve tried other calendars, including Vimcal, Akiflow, Fantastical, and Notion Calendar. They each have useful features, but I tend to return to the free GCal out of habit. It’s reliable, simple, and lets me easily see shared calendars.✅ Apple Reminders I keep three priority tasks at the top of my list. I add to that tier only when I’ve completed one. I have a menu of other tasks and reminders in a “Soon” list. I adopted that tactic from Oliver Burkeman’s great book, Four Thousand Weeks. 📄 Remarkable Paper Pro Move I use this paper tablet — or a notebook — to timebox my day. I map the hours based on priorities, energy level, and scheduled meetings. Having a detailed plan helps me avoid decision fatigue later. When I inevitably lose focus, the plan pulls me back on track. ✍️ 9:00 Writing I start creative work early, when my focus is freshest. Letterly I dictate my thoughts into this app. That helps me get ideas flowing, and I get a bulleted summary or outline to build on. When I want an AI assistant to challenge my ideas, I use ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode or Gemini Live. Letterly and other apps like it (AudioPen) are great for what I call bionic dictation— using AI to structure raw speech into a clean outline or summary. Free alternatives: You can use Apple Notes for dictation on iOS or Mac, or a variety of Google apps if you’re on Android or a Chromebook.Google Docs / iA Writer I like both of these reliable blank canvases with minimal friction. (Read my take on what’s new in GDocs and why I like iA Writer). I’m also exploring new writing apps like Versey, a minimalist editor with thoughtful AI features. Raycast Without switching apps, I type [control-space] to open a floating Raycast window. I can then quickly add something to my reminder list or calendar, check a thesaurus, calculate something, or do other tasks. That helps maintain my writing flow. (Why Raycast is a hidden gem).Headspace Focus music without lyrics helps me block out noise around my Times Square office.📨 10:00 Email Sprint Superhuman I use keyboard shortcuts to move quickly through 80 morning messages. To help me keep track of replies I’m waiting for, Superhuman lets me attach automated reminders to resurface messages weeks later. Boomerang is a good alternative for follow-ups if you use Outlook or Gmail. Flow Dictating messages saves my hands from typing fatigue. It’s remarkably accurate and plugs text directly into whatever app I’m using.⏸️ 10:55 Break Wakeout This app features short video loops of real people doing stretching and cardio moves. I can imitate their movements for one-minute exercises. These body breaks improve my focus.🔬 11:00 Research * Perplexity provides thorough, citation-backed search results powered by AI models that understand my detailed queries. The summary saves me from digging through hundreds of raw links. (My Perplexity update). * Claude Projects & NotebookLM These AI tools help me find common themes, key ideas, and examples in prior materials I’ve created, so I can build on my own past work. (More on Claude Projects & my guide to NotebookLM).That's a glimpse into my morning toolkit. In a follow-up I’ll share tools I use from late morning through bedtime. 🛌What tools are YOU using today?Some links are referral links. In some cases they provide you with a free month of access. If you make a purchase, Wonder Tools may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I recently talked with Lance Eaton, Senior Associate Director of AI and Teaching & Learning at Northeastern University and writer of AI + Education = Simplified. We traded ideas about what’s actually working. We came up with 10 specific, practical ways anyone who teaches, coaches, or leads can put AI to work.📺 Watch the full conversation above, or read highlights below.10 Ways to Use AI 🛠️Note: Lance and I alternated tips below 👇1. Spark Richer Student Reflection 🪞Lance: Ask students to reflect through a conversation with AI rather than staring at a blank page. A well-prompted AI will keep asking follow-up questions, pushing students past “I didn’t like it” toward real analysis. 2. Strengthen Your Syllabus 📋Jeremy: Give an AI assistant your syllabus and ask for a critique — for clarity, inclusivity, student-friendliness, and completeness. You’ll get specific, honest feedback. The AI won’t write the syllabus for you, but it will challenge you to make yours better. We don’t always have colleagues at our side who can offer input on our work. So this is an objective, independent, instant, constructive way to get a useful critique.3. Make Materials More Visual 🎨Lance: Turn your syllabus into a graphic version students actually want to read. AI assistants can help you create visual layouts and simple comics-style explanations without any design experience. 4. Improve Lesson Plans 📐Jeremy: Describe your learning goals, your class size, your constraints — then ask AI to generate 10 warm-up or closing activities. You won’t use most of them, and you might remix a couple. But having options means you’ll often figure out something better than what you’d have designed alone.5. Try It Until Something Clicks ⚡Lance: Play with AI until it does something that genuinely surprises or excites you. That moment of “Wait, I could actually use this,” is what shifts the conversation from theoretical to real. “For some students, this is really powerful, including students navigating English as a second language or ADHD or dyslexia — these tools can unlock things.”Sponsored MessageCatch Up On Books: Maximize Your Time 📚Life is short. Your reading list is probably long. Shortform simplifies your journey to success. Whether you’re into self-improvement, business, or psychology, get in-depth book guides with summaries, actionable insights and exercises. Start applying what you learn immediately.Each guide has a concise, useful one-page summary. You also get chapter breakdowns and practical exercises to apply what you’ve learned. Imagine mastering key lessons from books like Atomic Habits in just two hours. Accelerate your career and boost your productivity.Stay ahead of the curve with new summaries added weekly, and use the AI browser extension to quickly summarize articles and videos, freeing up valuable time for what matters most.Get a free trial and $50 off the annual plan. 6. Build Engaging Class Activities 🧩Jeremy: When you need a compelling analogy for a hard concept, or a historical anecdote, or a mini case study for a short role-play exercise, AI assistants can be helpful in expanding what we consider. If you’re teaching a subject you know well, you can set the direction and take responsibility for verification. NotebookLM and Claude can generate examples quickly, and can search your own notes to surface examples you’ve created yourself but lost track of. The goal of using AI in this context is strengthening engagement and improving the learning experience. It’s not for whiz-bang special effects.7. Generate “Bad Examples” Safely 🚫Lance: Examples can be useful to illustrate what not to do, but you’d never embarrass a student by presenting their work as an example of a mistake.“We’re never, ever going to — nor should we — ask a student, ‘This was a really horrible thing, can I use it as a bad example going forward?’” AI tools can generate intentionally flawed examples: a weak argument, a poorly structured paragraph, or circular reasoning. Students learn what to avoid. 8. Catch What You’re Missing 🔍Jeremy: Ask an AI assistant to review your materials for accessibility gaps, unclear instructions or areas where your material could be more inclusive. Think of it as a thoughtful colleague who reviews your work and catches what familiarity made you miss.9. Analyze Student Feedback 📊Lance: Strip names and any identifying information from end-of-semester feedback, then ask AI to identify themes, patterns, and gaps. As Lance put it, “What are some things that I’m not seeing? What are some assumptions I’m making or missing? What are some ways I might redirect the course?” Instead of spending hours manually categorizing open-ended comments, you get a usable overview in minutes — leaving more time to actually act on what students told you.10. Remember What Was Said 🗒️Jeremy: Use an AI note-taker like Granola to capture transcripts of student meetings, advising sessions, and office hours. Request permission first. You’ll have searchable records of what was discussed, questions that came up, and what you suggested. That’s particularly useful as time passes and it gets harder to remember the nuances of what you talked about.Lance’s Free Resources for Educators 🎁Lance is unusually generous in sharing what he’s learned. A few to bookmark:* AI Syllabi Policies Collection — 200+ real AI policies from faculty across disciplines. See Lance’s post for more context and ideas for applying this. * Prompts for Educators — a curated tab of tested prompts on his Substack* Faculty Cohort AI Survey — Lance is gathering data about AI training* AI + Education = Simplified — his newsletter, worth following for insight4 More Ideas Worth Noting 💬1. Nostalgia for the Pre-AI Era 🏺AI is making polished, professional-looking output trivially easy to produce. That may make what’s authentically human and imperfect more valuable. “There’s this moment of longing,” Lance said, “for the days when papers students submitted had grammatical errors.” Professors are already nostalgic for flawed student papers. We may look back on writing of the early 2020s the way we now look at 1900s-era hand-drawn maps or handmade clothing: reminders of a period when you could look at something and know a person made it.I’ve been thinking about this in terms of pottery and homemade cookies. 🏺🍪Our imperfect things often have more appeal precisely because they’re made with human hands. “There’s a growing thread about the irrelevance of higher education,” Lance said, “and AI feeds that.” Institutions and creators who figure out how to signal genuine human authorship will have an edge.Tools are already emerging to signal human authorship. I recently began testing a tool called OKhuman, which verifies that you actually typed something yourself, using your mic to listen to your keystrokes for evidence. This tool’s existence tells you something about where we’re headed.2. Why Higher Ed is Struggling 🏛️It’s easy to be impatient with schools that still haven’t developed a coherent AI approach three years in. Lance pushed back on that frustration with useful context. “This happened right on the heels of the pandemic,” he said. “Every semester it was just like, ‘We have a new format for you.’” Faculty had restructured entire courses repeatedly, switching to remote teaching mid-semester, then hybrid, then back. Then AI arrived and disrupted assessment design all over again. “If you do that well,” Lance said, of traditional course alignment, “then your course is a deeply intricate web in which everything is related. AI comes in and, in some ways, obliterates the way we do assessments, which means everything else also has to be changed.”Add funding cuts, political pressure, and leadership distracted by institutional fires, and the picture is complicated.3. You Can Build Your Own Tools Now 🔧 Lance mentioned that he’s been building custom software, including an MP3 player designed exactly the way he wants it, an RSS reader, and a podcast organizer, even though he doesn’t have a coding background. “This is the first time I’ve really felt like, ‘Oh! I can actually build stuff.”If you’ve assumed that building custom tools requires a developer, revisit that assumption. AI-powered “vibe coding” tools have lowered the barriers to creating software, making it easier for educators to build what they need.4. AI May Lead to a New Equity Gap ⚖️When schools don’t provide AI tools and leave students to their own devices, they inadvertently create a two-tiered system.As Lance put it: “You have the inequity of the person who’s using the frontier, high-paid model, and the student who gets a limited amount on the free version.” This isn’t an abstract concern. It affects the quality of work students can produce and the skills they develop. For educators and administrators, it’s a reason to push for institutional access, rather than assuming students will figure it out on their own.Thank you Tom Daccord, Shittu Isaac, Heather Dawn, Robert Hammond, Uyghur Monitor, and many others for tuning into this live video with Lance Eaton, Ph.D.! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Escape AI slop by reading more books. 📚 That’s my plan for making the most of leisure time this year. One book a week. Some short. Others mostly visual — I love graphic novels. Plus a new AI & tech book group I’m starting. Books get my eyes off screens, and my brain welcomes that break from news, vitriol, and ads. Read on for my updated guide to finding great read this year. 📖 Find your next read * Most Recommended Books Pick the name of an expert to see what books they recommend and why.* Goodbooks.io and Read This Twice Explore interesting expert picks.* En.app Describe the kind of book you’re looking for and get suggestions. * Whichbook’s World Map 🗺️ Find books set anywhere in the world. Select a country to see a collection of books that take place there. See how it works👇* Where to find book recs is a nice evergreen list from Writing About Reading. I also like the eclectic recs in the NYTimes’s Read Like the Wind newsletter and its intriguing list: Top 100 books of the 21st century. * The most mentioned books in podcasts is a neat list from Snipd. In Snipd’s podcast app you can see which books any podcast has mentioned most.* BookClubs lets you find a book group near you or organize your own. * Fable hosts book clubs & communities for nearly any genre. Find free and cheap books 🔦* Project Gutenberg offers more than 75,000 free ebooks and audiobooks. No registration required. The Top 100 list is a nice source for free reading.* The Internet Archive has searchable e-books and a free library collection.* Bookbub spotlights discounted ebooks on its site and email newsletter. Sponsored MessageStop Wasting Time Sorting EmailWhy bother spending hours organizing your inbox every week when AI can do it for you? SaneBox — which PCMag called the best thing that’s happened to email since its invention — is an AI-powered email tool that brings sanity back to your inbox.SaneBox ensures only important emails land in your inbox, and files other emails into folders. It even lets you hit Snooze, and reminds you to follow up on emails you sent a few days ago.📚 Announcing the NEW Wonder Tools Book Group 🌟I’m excited to launch a new Wonder Tools book group 📚 exploring the most fascinating recent AI and tech books. Each month we’ll have a live online session with a lively discussion, and you’ll also get a book guide with quotes, highlights and insights. Occasional surprise guests will join. 💫This new series, starting in March, is sponsored by Shortform, which publishes high-quality, in-depth guides to non-fiction books. All paid subscribers are invited! Join now for this, and free AI tool access, live monthly online workshops introducing new tools, + other inner circle benefits. Libby has free ebooks and audiobooks from libraries in 78 countries. It works for 90% of U.S. libraries. Check out nearly anything instantly, for free, on any device. You can read your free ebooks in the app or on a Kindle. * Audio or text Check out and listen to free audiobooks or ebooks. * Multiple cards Libby lets you add cards for multiple libraries. That’s useful if a book you want has a waiting list. You can check which library has the shortest waiting list. See where you can get non-resident library cards.Limitation: Libby is digital-only — you can’t use it for physical books. That requires a separate app or site, like the NYPL app in New York. Kanopy provides free access to top-notch feature films and documentaries. I log in with my library card. Watch on the web, iOS or Android, or on a smart TV app like Google TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV. Libraries cap the number of videos you can watch monthly. Hoopla is a free app for accessing 3 million audiobooks, ebooks, comics, magazines, and music from 11,500 libraries in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Read, watch or listen in 120 languages from the web or on a mobile device. Bingepasses let you access movies, TV shows, & video courses.World Cat tells you which library near you has a book you want. It works in multiple languages and covers 10,000 global libraries. Search for books in print, ebook, braille, or audio. 📕 Support Independent booksellers* Find the cheapest places online to buy any book: Bookfinder * Find a nearby independent bookstore: Indiebound * Get cheap used books: Abebooks. Check its bargain books + collections.* Support your local bookstore with an online purchase. Bookshop.org has raised more than $40 million for indie bookstores. * Buy audiobooks from local bookstores: Libro.fm* Shop at an online co-op bookshop owned by readers: TertuliaBonus Tip: Prompt AI for personalized reading recommendations 📚Create your own taste atlas. Make a list of books you’ve liked or learned from. Add movies and music you love too, or other interests. Share the list with Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT. Ask for recommendations based on your tastes.🧒 Find great children’s books * Sora, the library app, not the AI video tool, is a digital library for kids. Schools make ebooks and audiobooks available on the app. It works well with graphic novels, picture books, as well as comic books and textbooks. (My family also uses Libby to check out kids books).* Epic is another popular kids ebook app. It’s fun to use, but it leans into gamification and extrinsic motivation. It entices kids with points and streaks to keep them opening the app. * Kanopy has a great kids section with video versions of books by Eric Carle, Mo Willems and other greats. It also has math and science lessons. * How to Raise a Reader is a wonderful guide to children’s books.* Common Sense Media has helpful info for parents about sensitive content in children’s books to help with finding age-appropriate books and movies.Bonus tools: Check out a well-curated list of 55 apps for book lovers from Bookscouter, where you can buy and sell books.📚 Your Comment? What’s an underrated way to find great books? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

The hardest part of teaching — or leading meetings — is sparking engagement. Getting people to engage enthusiastically with something new can be tough. It’s especially challenging if people are overwhelmed, super busy, or just tired. As we aim to stretch people’s thinking in a new direction, tools are just one part of the overall picture. But they can help. Last week I shared five tools for creating learning paths, interactive lessons, and new kinds of digital notebooks. Today’s follow-up recommendations focus on creative engagement. You don’t have to be a teacher to find these resources for opening up participation useful. If you lead a team, run meetings, or collaborate with colleagues, you can benefit from these tools. I’ve baked into this post multiple ways to engage. * Chime in on the teaching tool chat thread* Share your idea on the shared Padlet about teaching tactics * Test out your trivia skills on my new open Kahoot quiz game* Add a comment to the shared Craft doc about lesson planningPadlet — Inspire Creative CollaborationPadlets are digital bulletin boards where people can post comments, links, voice recordings, or short videos. How it works: Set up a board with a topic or a template. Start with a blank grid, map, timeline, discussion thread, or an image gallery. Participants can use their own devices to add notes, documents, images or comments. Or they can use Padlet’s built-in recorder to add audio or video.How you can use it: Build a board to accompany a live, collaborative lesson, event, or meeting. Or have people contribute to it asynchronously. You can also use it as a showcase for exceptional work, or as a space for peer collaboration. How I use it: I find Padlet useful for group brainstorming, icebreakers, and for online learning activities. For remote classes, I’ve used Padlet to collect questions before class and for team-building collections, gathering people’s favorite songs, books, and snacks, to help us get to know one another. I’ve also used Padlet as a more visual, welcoming, version of an online discussion board. Who it works for: It’s easy to use, so most people jump in without any training. Padlet works at all levels. I’ve used it with graduate students and for mid-career training., as well as with colleagues. It’s popular in elementary and high schools too. It’s one of the best tools for getting people to build on each other’s ideas, rather than passively consuming content.Example — try it! Jump into my board on Engagement tactics for impactful teaching. Explore the ideas others have added and contribute one of your own! Pricing: It’s free to create up to three boards, or $120/year for unlimited use.Sponsored MessageThesys: Build conversational analytics agents without codeBuild conversational analytics agents without setting up data pipelines or building dashboards manually. Get started in just 3 easy steps:* Connect your data* Ask questions in natural language* Get rich insights in charts, tables, slides and reportsPublish and share it with your team.Kahoot — Add Fun to LearningNo other teaching tool generates as many smiles and laughs as Kahoot. It turns quizzes into playful learning games. Why it’s so useful: What makes Kahoot especially engaging is the variety of question formats: In addition to standard multiple-choice and true-false queries, you can have students drop pins on images, fill in blanks, guess numbers, or order items in a list. How to get started: Design your own quizzes or pick from a massive library of questions by teachers and organizations around the world, like National Geographic and NASA. People can play individually or in teams, live or asynchronously. You can share a link or show the game on screen. People play on their own phone or laptop by answering questions and earning points.. How I use Kahoot: Sometimes I start class with icebreaker questions, or conclude a session with a review game. Occasionally, if I sense students losing energy or focus, I’ll turn class-related questions into a playful Kahoot competition for a change of pace. Example — try it! Play a new Kahoot I created about journalism AI. Email me afterwards with a screenshot of your completed game for a digital prize. New tip: Kahoot has a new AI assistant built in, so you can quickly convert text from any document or handout into editable quiz questions. Pricing ranges from $3/month (50 players at a time) to $19/month (200 players). Kahoot’s pricing has gotten more complicated: some quizzes & special features now require premium plans. Alternatives: Gimkit, Wayground and Blooket are good alternative game-style quiz platforms that offer fuller free plans for those on a tight budget. Genially also works well for classroom games, or try the free JeopardyLabs. (Browse and try out existing Jeopardy boards like AI in Schools). Craft — Organize your MaterialsCraft is a surprisingly useful, underrated tool for creating and organizing notes and documents. Use it to develop attractive lesson plans, student handouts, syllabi, or collections of resources. How to use it: Organize materials into neat visual cards students or colleagues can click to explore. Add text, images, links, or tables to your documents. They’ll be more visually appealing than Microsoft Word or Google docs, or Apple Notes.Sharing Craft docs: It’s easy to share Craft docs publicly or privately with a link, or export them as PDFs or Word docs. You can even transfer content directly to Ulysses, Bear, iA Writer, Day One, or other tools. I find it easier to use than Notion, Coda, or other pro tools I like, and I prefer the look of the shared docs. Example — see how it looks: Here’s a Lesson Planning Resource I made with Craft to illustrate how you can use it for handouts and guides. It has subpages that hold PDFs, notes, docs, lists, and various other content.Other features: Craft has a remarkably good mobile app for designing and viewing full docs. And while docs are private by default, you can now enable collaborative or even public editing, so people can work together on a project.Pricing: Craft is free with a content limit, or $6/month for unlimited use. (I include Craft as part of a bundle of pro tools paid Wonder Tools subscribers get access to for free). Bottom line: Consider Craft as a new, flexible place to make, organize, and share docs, especially if you’re drowning in scattered teaching materials. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I tested more than 200 educational sites, apps and services last year. Some were so confusing that I quickly gave up. Others were too costly. A few went out of business. Many were narrowly useful, e.g. for 3D modeling, math, or music.The top tier tools have consistently been super valuable for me — in my teaching, in my job at the City University of New York, and as a dad of two daughters. To save you the time and effort of sifting through the chaff, I’m sharing the ones I find most useful. Even if you’re not a teacher, these tools may help you gather, organize, share, and present material creatively.The huge number of teaching tools clamoring for attention can be exhausting. School districts access 2,739 edtech tools a year, according to Instructure research and The 74, a nonprofit news organization that covers America’s education system, where I wrote recently about today’s tools.Below you’ll find my first batch of recommendations, whether you teach once in a while or every day, children or adults. The services are all free to try, with paid upgrades available. I don’t work for any of these companies, I’m just a prof and writer who appreciates and shares helpful teaching tools. My list — starting with part one today — is designed to support teaching and learning at any level. I’d love to hear about the tools you find most useful for teaching & learning — add a comment to share here, or join the new chat thread about top teaching tools.Pathwright — Design a learning pathPathwright is one of the best-kept secrets among teaching tools. Launched by a nimble South Carolina startup, it’s a simpler, sleeker alternative to complicated learning management systems like Blackboard or D2L. It’s more elegant and flexible than Google Classroom.Rather than giving students dozens of menus to choose from, Pathwright lets you create a simple learning path to follow one step at a time. You can create a path with a few steps for guided independent learning, or set up a full online course that’s easy to navigate. I like making mini courses that students or readers can complete in an hour to quickly learn something new.Any learning step you create can include a reading, video, activity, assessment, embed, or any other interaction. Learning paths offer a visually delightful alternative to clunkier systems. They work well for professional development, and I’ve found Pathwright works well for remote journalism training.Figjam — Spark visual thinking with collaborative whiteboardsWhen Google shut down Jamboard and Microsoft discontinued Flipgrid, teachers went searching for lively alternative tools. Figjam came to the rescue. Digital whiteboards enable the kind of open-ended visual thinking that’s invaluable, whether you’re teaching about historical networks, systems thinking, scientific processes, or anything requiring students to explore connections and relationships.The platform is free for educators. Figjam also has new AI capabilities, allowing you to instantly categorize student comments or transform a scattered brainstorm into an organized handout. You can even use Figjam for presentations. To add color and bring boards to life, Figjam includes playful stickers, stamps, and templates specifically designed for teaching and learning — from icebreakers to built-in timers.Gamma — Craft superb presentationsConsider replacing PowerPoint or Google Slides with Gamma. You’ll save time preparing slides and they’ll be more engaging for students. Create vertical, square or horizontal slides. Import existing PDFs or PowerPoint slide decks.Unlike PowerPoint, Gamma makes it easy to embed live websites, videos or data visualizations inside your slides to make them stand out. You can even use Gamma to build simple sites, social posts, or interactive lessons.Gamma works well without any AI features, for a traditional deck. Or use its AI to jumpstart a new presentation from an outline, text prompt or document you upload. You can export whatever you design to Google Slides or PowerPoint. Or share a link to your presentation. It’s free for educators to get started.* Here’s a quick example deck I made about journalism tools.* Before Gamma’s most recent popularity boom, I interviewed CEO Grant Lee about why he started the company, which now has 70 million users and a $2.1 Billion valuation.Sponsored MessageBento — A calm focus timer for unlocking better focusGenially — Create interactive handoutsGenially is terrific for creating interactive lessons. Add clickable hotspots to any image, timeline, map, or other image. When students interact with your creation, they’ll see informational pop-ups, links, videos, audio files, instructions, or whatever you’ve added. These hotspots transform static visuals — like simple maps or timelines — into engaging, exploratory learning elements. You don’t have to code anything — it’s easy for tech novices to use.I’ve used Genially to turn old handouts into resources with embedded audio. Students can click on images to hear brief recorded explanations or anecdotes.Examples: I’ve shared tips for day one of teaching, and introduced past cohorts of our entrepreneurial journalism program.The free version works well for teachers. You can invite an unlimited number of students into your workspace for free, and Genially is grounded in student privacy. It takes a bit of experimenting to get comfortable with the interface, but once you understand the basics, you can transform dry handouts into interactive, engaging learning materials.NotebookLM — Organize and build on your teaching materialsNotebookLM is a free tool from Google that lets you apply AI to any collection of documents. It’s super useful for searching through your teaching materials, but also for strengthening and repurposing them.You can have 100 notebooks in a free NotebookLM account, and each notebook can have 50 sources in it. A source can be a PDF, Word Doc, image, audio file, link or a Google Drive file (Docs, Sheets, or Slides). Each file can be up to 200 MB or 500,000 words. That’s much more than what you can typically upload with Claude or ChatGPT, although limits differ by plan.In any given notebook, you can fit dozens of lesson plans, handouts, syllabi, slides, rubrics, or even handwritten notes or voice recordings. NotebookLM makes everything instantly searchable and remixable. Here’s an example notebook about NotebookLM itself.NotebookLM’s semantic search can find things in your materials based on level, topic, style or other characteristics. A simple Control-F search can’t do that. You can also use it to adapt teaching materials into new formats. Turn a dense reading into an engaging audio overview students can listen to, or transform a handout into a colorful infographic or slide deck.Students can create their own free notebooks and generate flashcards and interactive quizzes to help with studying. They can also use mind maps, infographics, or timelines to visualize connections across topics.You can create separate notebooks for each course you teach, or organize one for administrative tasks and another for curriculum development. NotebookLM works only from your uploaded sources — not generic web content. Citations for each query ensure you can validate information and see where it came from.Subscription invitation for teachers: I’m glad to always offer free access to all readers to this newsletter, including teachers. If you’re a teacher who would like to join the Wonder Tools inner circle to gain access to live workshops and free AI tools for teachers, you’re invited this week to join at a 20% discount for educators with a .edu email address to celebrate this new series. Reply to this email for the code. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

More than 600,000 podcasts released 27 million episodes in 2025. Keeping up with even a tiny fraction of those 70,000+ daily releases is impossible. So I’ve been exploring new ways to keep up with audio: podcast summaries, audio digests, and cool new tools for finding and saving audio highlights. Podsnacks — Get podcast summaries by emailGet podcast summaries delivered to your email. Catch up on shows you don’t have time to listen to. The free digest includes AI-generated summaries drawn from 25 of the most popular news, business, and tech podcasts. For $5/month, you can get a daily digest of any five podcasts you want. Snipcast is an alternative that offers 2 summaries a month for free or 50 episode summaries for $8/month. TL;DL by Headliner — Listen to podcast digests If you want to listen to podcast summaries, try TL;DL. Pick up to five podcasts to summarize in 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes. I like that it’s not just an AI-voiced synthesis, but includes excerpted audio clips. You can always click through to hear the full episode. Caveat: expect to wait at least five minutes for each summary, and it’s still in beta. I run into occasional errors.Examples: Listen to this summary from my recent podcast interview with Azeem Azhar. Or try this summary of an episode of Shankar Vedantam’s terrific Hidden Brain podcast.Sponsored MessageMake your own site with LovableTurn your idea into something real. Describe what you have in mind and Lovable makes it into a site or app anyone can visit online.Whether you want a new site for your business or a new portfolio for your work, Lovable is a fast way to create without hiring anyone or mastering complex tech. For inspiration, check out slick templates or hundreds of cool apps others have built with Lovable. No need to write code. Just chat with Lovable to quickly start a project. What are you going to make? Snipd — My favorite podcast app Snipd keeps improving. I rely on it mainly because it lets me save highlights from podcasts I’m listening to by tapping my AirPods. The app also provides detailed podcast summaries so I can decide what to listen to. Among the new features I like most: * Skip intros and outros that clutter up many podcasts. * AI chat with any episode to ask for best quotes, must-listen moments, key takeaways, clarification of a complex idea, or whatever else you want. * I love the new “mentioned books” tab. It shows all the books discussed on a particular podcast. Click on a cover to learn more about the author and to see a list of podcasts where that book was discussed. * Search by guest. Find and listen to all the podcasts where your favorite author/musician/guru has been interviewed. * Listen and highlight audiobooks. Connect a Libro.fm audiobook account and import books with one click to listen to and highlight on Snipd. (Libro supports your local bookstore). Alternatively, find free public domain audiobooks at LibriVox. You can manually upload your own audiobooks.Podcast Magic — Save a key audio momentWhen you’re listening to a podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and want to save a highlight, take a screenshot and email it to [email protected]. You’ll get emailed back an audio clip and transcript of the key moment to save or share. It’s a clever way to easily save and share a quote or anecdote. Example: One show I highlighted recently was Audio Flux, which The New Yorker picked as one of the 10 best podcasts of 2025. The all-star audio duo commissions and spotlights bold, short-form audio stories. (You can also follow Team Audio Flux on Substack).Listen Notes Search for podcast mentionsFind podcast episodes where you’re mentioned. Type in your name or the name of your organization and search. Or look for interviews with a favorite author or musician. Other useful features: * Curated Lists: See recommendations from publications, like the 6 health care podcasts or 7 podcasts for bookworms the NYTimes recommended. * Listen Later: Make and share a curated podcast playlist. The playlist has an RSS feed that you can add to any major podcast player. Here’s a playlist of a few shows I like. Here’s a longer list of my favorites. Podchaser is a good alternative when you’re looking by topic. I discovered new podcasts about tennis and classical music. Also try the new advanced search by combining terms.EarBuds Podcast Collective, founded by podcast guru Arielle Nissenblatt, shares well-curated podcast recommendations. Each week a guest picks five shows to recommend. Example: 5 podcasts about bodies and how we see ourselves. Also: CBC’s Podcast Playlist (RIP) was a great show featuring highlights from all sorts of podcasts. The archive is full of great episodes.Perplexity Voice Mode for Web, iOS and AndroidWhen I don’t have my computer, I prefer searching with my voice to thumb typing on my phone. Querying Perplexity verbally when I’m walking or when my fingers are freezing is convenient because it answers with audio quickly and accurately. I can ask follow-ups for clarification or elaboration. These iterative search conversations let me steer the exploration toward what’s most useful. Example: a screenshot of Perplexity’s short reply when I asked what voice search is useful for. Tip: ask Perplexity for its sources to verify its results; voice searches don’t surface those unless you ask. Voicebox — Collect audio feedback Create your own inbox for voice input. Give anyone your Voicebox link or QR code, and they can leave you an audio message. No typing, no downloads, no forms to fill out. They just share their thoughts in a simple voice memo. It’s like an answering machine for the digital era. Voicebox is marketed as a B2B tool, but anyone can use it as an individual.Try it: Leave me a voice message about one thing you do that AI will never be able to replicate. Optionally include your name and email. Send an audio note: Tuttu is a super simple free site where you can record and share a voice note. Then email a link to that audio or embed it. Here’s a quick example I recorded about 3 ways you can use Tuttu.Alternative: VideoAsk is a slick tool for collecting video or audio feedback instead of a dull form. You can gather 20 minutes of input each month for free. Collecting 100 monthly minutes costs $24/month billed annually. Rover AI — Get audio briefs to answer questions Rover is an early-stage app that answers your questions with AI-generated audio briefs. Type in a query, wait a few minutes, then listen to your 2-3 minute audio conversation between two AI hosts. Unique feature: Choose from three alternative responses to your query. Example: Listen to a short audio debate about whether Jonathan Franzen is overrated or a genius.Alternatives: NotebookLM, which I’ve written about, does a fantastic job of creating audio summaries —or even debates— exploring complex topics. And Huxe, which I wrote about last week, creates useful personalized audio updates. Rover is an earlier-stage experiment, by contrast, focused on brief audio answers to eclectic queries. Become a tester to try it out. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I can’t keep up with all the news that interests me. So I’m exploring new ways to get concise, curated updates. Today I’m sharing three new tools I like. * Huxe Personalized audio shows drawn from your interests, calendar, & email* Google CC A morning summary of your email inbox * Yutori Scouts AI agents that monitor your fave topics and deliver reportsRead on for examples of how each works, and how to make the most of them.Huxe — Personalized Audio UpdatesHuxe is a personalized audio app. Whenever I open it I hear a custom podcast it generates on the spot based on my interests, calendar and email. It greets me with what’s important on my calendar and in my inbox. Then the little radio show made for me shares news and feature stories on topics I’m interested in — from AI and tech to teaching and classical music.Huxe was co-founded in September by Raiza Martin, who left Google after leading the vision and development of NotebookLM, my favorite AI tool. To set up the Huxe app I picked from a list of categories and added some keywords for topics, teams and tech that interest me. I also gave it permission to access my Google Calendar and Gmail. (Connecting those accounts is optional). Huxe is free for now, on iOS or Android. Follow Huxe on LinkedIn where they post interesting updates. In addition to a new “for you” audio update generated anytime I open the app, Huxe also has a Discover tab for listening to audio shows curated from online content. Examples of ones I like:* Product Drops highlights notable new tech, referencing posts on Product Hunt, the best hub online for new launches* Actually Useful has mini case studies about when AI is demonstrably helpful* The Tennis Daily gives me interesting updates during the Australian OpenDesign your own briefing* Start by pressing the “+” button at the bottom right of the interface* On the Research tab, type in a prompt like “What are the latest breast cancer research developments?” or “Newest snack trends in Tokyo?”* Alternatively, hit the “Use Sources” tab and add a list of specific sites you like, X handles, RSS feeds, or subreddits.Ideas to try* Create a personalized learning show with your favorite blogs, newsletter writers, or subreddits you follow. You can add an instruction to give the show a particular focus, tone, or style. * Make a guilty pleasure show for stressful days. It can be as niche as you want — it’s just for you. No one has to know what’s in it, though you can choose to share it. Add a list of topics that amuse you, from hobbies to food, pet, or sport trends. Or pick guilty pleasures like favorite TV shows, snacks, or singers.* Example: In 60 seconds I curated my own show called Reddit’s Daily Glow based on a few subreddits with inspiring news and interesting facts.I used to listen only to podcasts or audiobooks on my commute, but now I mix in these personalized audio updates depending on my mood.Customize your briefings* Use the “Join” button while listening to anything to inject a live question into the show. Like the interactive audio feature in NotebookLM, it prompts the AI to respond to your query before returning to the audio briefing.* In the settings tab, choose two voices you prefer from 19 options.Features I hope will be added: I’d like to be able to rewind and jump around more easily in the briefings. Down the road I’d love to pull in podcast, YouTube, and newsletter subscriptions as source material, and get Huxe updates by email or WhatsApp. I’d also love to use Huxe as a curator to create my own shows, mixing in my own voice and content.Alternative: I like Mailbrew for creating curated email digests from my favorite newsletters, blogs, subreddits, YouTubers, and more. Read my guide (for paid Wonder Tools subscribers) for more on why I like it and how I use it. Another alternative for a quick news overview is Upstract. But that’s basically the entire Internet on one page, which I find overwhelming. Sponsored MessageBuild something LovableCreate websites and apps quickly by chatting with AI. Lovable makes it easy to turn your idea into something real. No need to write code. Just describe what you have in mind, then guide Lovable with suggestions to shape it. To avoid doomscrolling, I made a little Uplifting News page that updates from Reddit. I also mocked up a landing page to help educators with AI. Both took a few minutes. Neither required any special expertise. Just an idea. Whether you want a new business page, portfolio, or an app for your team, Lovable is a fast way to begin without hiring anyone or mastering complex tech. Rather than spinning up a slide deck or spending years outlining a plan, try Lovable for turning your idea into a living site or app. Google CC — A Personalized Daily Email UpdateI’m testing a new Google “AI productivity agent.” It’s basically a personalized briefing Gmail now sends me daily. It’s based on new Gmail messages and what’s in my Calendar. Join the waitlist. What’s useful about it* It saves me from missing out. It surfaces messages I might otherwise overlook. Examples so far: a library message about a reserved book ready for pickup, and a volunteering sign-up deadline. * It links directly to key messages. You can click on any briefing item to open the relevant Gmail message. * I can reply to customize future briefings. I replied to a briefing asking for Substack-related email updates I might have missed, and it gave me these useful nuggets.Yutori Scouts — Get Customized Reports Get updates on whatever interests you. Create a detailed query and a team of AI agents will scour the web to keep you up to date. Specify news, shopping, or professional passions, or get updates on particular products, companies, or opportunities. Set your preferred frequency to daily, weekly, or when new info arises. It’s like a more powerful, AI-enhanced version of Google Alerts, which just searches for keywords. Here’s more on how Yutori’s AI agents work. How I’m using it… * To get an inspiring daily story from Reddit. Here’s a recent example. * To see which AI startups are trending on Product Hunt. (You can remix public queries, which serve as useful templates). * To keep up with new AI policies in higher ed. I set up a weekly digest to stay up to date for my job at the City University of NY. Here’s a recent update. And this brief video 📺 shows Yutori’s AI agents quickly researching, editing, and delivering the report.👇More examples of what Scouts can monitor* Niche clothing trends in Tokyo* TikTok U.S. daily trends* Highly-rated new movies available to streamPricing: Free for one active query; $15/month for 10 scouts on various topics with up to hourly monitoring. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Azeem Azhar is the kind of guy who loves both old-fashioned pens and advanced AI. It was a delight talking with him, not just because he’s a successful entrepreneur, author, and interviewer, but because we share quirky tech tastes. Azeem and his team publish Exponential View — a Substack with 140,000+ subscribers — about how tech is shaping our future. In our live conversation, we talked about Azeem’s AI — and analog — workflow. The discussion also touched on 18 sites, apps, and gadgets summarized below.📺 Watch the video for the full chat, or check the highlights and tool list below.🔎 On AI Research Beyond Google and WikipediaAzeem consistently tweaks how he figures out where tech is heading. Check his “Boom or Bubble” dashboard on whether the AI market is overheated for an example of his analysis.Key takeaway: Azeem’s research workflow has moved almost entirely away from traditional search:* Why he quit Google and Wikipedia. [16:20] “I spend virtually no time on Google searching for things, nothing on Wikipedia at all, not a moment now.” Instead, he surfaces what matters to him with AI searches and custom tools his team has developed.* Manus is his research assistant. Azeem and his team use Manus (a Chinese-founded AI startup recently acquired by Meta) the way you’d send a research assistant to “find color—go off and find the case studies, the anecdotes, the famous quotations.” The team runs queries overnight for 30-40 minutes each.* Shortwave helps with investor intel. This AI tool is superb for searching within your email. Azeem has 40 startup investments. To support founders, he uses Shortwave to search past email to help explore questions like, “How well are they sticking to their milestones? Have they changed the goalposts? Where do they seem to have problems where I can be helpful?” Azeem uses Shortwave to search across 15 years of Gmail messages.* Julius is a resource for data science. He uses this tool, which he’s invested in, as an AI number cruncher. [My post on Julius]🤖 How Azeem Uses AIAzeem set up custom instructions directing ChatGPT to aggressively challenge his assumptions: [6:41] “It can be quite exhausting… it’s like being constantly interrogated.” His follow-up? “I often have to copy the answer and put it into Claude and say, explain this to me like I’m a bright high schooler.” He considers Claude the best coding model and also uses it for text refinement. Bottom line: Azeem uses the two AI models sequentially to force himself to think deeper.Other AI Assistants* Gemini Pro Azeem builds interactive apps with Gemini. “I might explain what I’m looking for, have a discussion, then ask it to build the interactive platform app. Then I can play with the parameters.”* Perplexity Azeem’s go-to for “instant answers” when he doesn’t need deep research.* DeepSeek Azeem’s default for “good enough” queries to cut costs. “In general, it’s really good enough. And if on the occasion I don’t think it is, I can fire it out to one of the other models.”* Grok Azeem experiments with this occasionally as part of his testing.✒️ “I Dip the Pen in this Bottle of Ink”Azeem has a fountain pen without an internal ink cartridge. Why? [9:30] “If I am writing and every 10 or 15 words I have to stop to dip the pen in ink, I’m slowing myself down... In a world where I can move really quickly, I will slow myself down. I’ll get very haptic in the experience and look at what I’m writing and force myself to cross out mistakes, and feel frustrated about mistakes, so therefore slow my thinking down even more.” In a conversation about AI acceleration, Azeem deliberately builds in friction. 🎙️Voice and Writing Tools 🖊️ * Wispr Flow Azeem reads his handwritten notes aloud into Wispr Flow, editing in real-time as he speaks.* Kolo Tino Fountain Pen Azeem likes the feel of pen on paper and its deliberate pace.* Paper Republic Trifold Leather Journal Azeem’s folio holds three separate notebook inserts: “You can have one that’s just for your jotting of your to-do list and then others are for thinking time.”😰 Azeem: “Are You a Bit Stressed, Jeremy?” 😖In our recent conversation, Azeem teased me for repeatedly referencing resources for relaxation. “Are you a bit stressed? Because you’ve talked to me about your squeeze ball. You’ve talked to me about Headspace for meditating. You’ve talked to me about your CMY cube to chill you out. I don’t want to go all shrink on you, but there’s a little hint of intensity there.”Fair point. I do have a lot of calming tchotchkes on my desk. We both shared a bunch of tools we use, analog and digital, for coping with busy-ness and overwhelm. Below are three Azeem recommends: Focus & Wellness* Pzizz Azeem’s most-used app: “[The app’s] run time is probably 10 hours a week on average and has done for a decade.” He paid $50 for a lifetime subscription and uses it for naps, overnight flights, and jet lag recovery.* Oura ring Azeem uses this for health tracking, as have I, since I first wrote about it in 2021. * Lacrosse ball Azeem’s essential travel item: “A really hard lacrosse ball to put into your pressure points, like your glutes and your hip flexors, because you want to do that massage, especially once you’ve been on your second 10-hour flight in five days.”🎧 High-End Audio: Headphones and DJ Mixing Azeem tests headphones with “Sultans of Swing,” a song by Dire Straits, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, as well as dance tracks. * Solitaire T Headphones Azeem travels with these for high-end sound with noise cancelling for long flights.* Beats Fit Pro His everyday choice.* DJ Studio Azeem uses this digital audio workstation to create DJ mixes while traveling.🌟 Notable Quotes * Azeem on the skyrocketing cost of cutting-edge AI: “All of this is expensive. I mean, we spend as a team, I would say probably between $350 and $500 per person per month.”* My take: we’re nearing a new digital divide. Free alternatives like Jan AI help (see my post), but if you use the best contemporary AI models, your bills add up fast.* Azeem on why no single AI company will “win” the market. "I haven't seen a strong reason to think that a network effect will emerge.” * His rationale: “If you get the unique data for clown makeup, and I get the unique data for vineyards in Italy, if I'm not interested in clowns, I'm not going to use your LLM.”* Azeem says OpenAI’s strategic dilemma, as reported by The Information, is whether to focus on power users or those who just want quick replies. * [29:23] “They have 1,000 researchers who have built amazing deep research tools, and most people just want to know which movie should I watch tonight, or draw my dad as if he was Spider-Man for his 70th birthday card.”* On accountability in the AI era: “We’ve essentially said to the team that we don’t have hallucinations at Exponential View because everything is owned by a person. If you copy and paste something out of an LLM that’s got a hallucination in it, that’s you saying it, that’s not the LLM saying it.”* On the swift pace of change: “I would think that 70% to 80% of my workflows today, the things that I do, are different to how I did them three months ago.”Thank you to Romaric Jannel, Abbey Algiers, Aysu Kececi, Ondrej Prostrednik, blaine wishart, and many others for tuning into the live video conversation with Azeem Azhar. You’re Invited! Join me next Wednesday, January 21 at 10am EST for Just Start Writing: Tools For Busy Creators In 2026, a free workshop I’m leading for Medium.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve relied on these 10 tools this year to act as a team of AI assistants. They’ve helped me approach work with a spirit of experimentation and exploration. To read the full post online with all the links and details, visit https://wondertools.substack.com/p/my-2025-ai-favorites This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I rely on Ideogram, an AI image generator, to help me create posters, banners, social posts, newsletter illustrations, and video thumbnails. Context: Ideogram competes in an exploding market. Gemini’s new Nano Banana Pro makes remarkable infographics, ChatGPT’s image generator produces fantastic illustrations, and Canva, Adobe, and Midjourney keep getting stronger. Yet I still find myself returning often to Ideogram. Read on for 10 reasons why — and a guide to getting started. 10 reasons I like Ideogram * Your prompt gets automatically improved. Ideogram’s magic prompt algorithm refines your initial query. You can then approve it or revise. * Choose from four options. Each time you submit a prompt, you get back four generated images. Getting to choose one gives you a bit of editorial input.* Public image galleries are helpful for inspiration. Build on others’ prompts. Browse images of all shapes & styles, and top-ranked images, for ideas. * Get accurate text within images. Ideogram generates accurate text for social media graphics, thumbnails, banners, and logos. Ideogram’s guidance on text & typography includes excellent examples of prompts and text designs.* Pick from a variety of styles. Choose from dozens of styles, from Pop Art and Watercolor to Doodle, Travel Poster, and Surreal Collage. I often choose “auto” because I can’t make up my mind. I tend to opt for a clean, modern look for a presentation image, or a more abstract, artsy vibe for creative projects.* Use negative prompts. Paid subscribers can list specific elements NOT to be included in an image. That can be helpful if a particular detail could prevent your image from being usable, as in the burger example below. * Choose your image orientation. You can generate horizontal, vertical, or square images. Free users have 11 orientation options. That’s helpful for generating images that will fit your slide, podcast, newsletter, ad banner, site header, or whatever else. Paid subscribers get additional dimension choices.* Remix anything. Modify images you or others have generated with Ideogram’s remix button. I often tweak what I’ve generated to get closer to what I want. Be specific with your remix query: “dog” may yield a golden retriever instead of the poodle you envisioned.* Extend images. Ideogram’s Canvas feature lets paid users edit, extend, or combine images. Here’s a 45-second video with examples. * Create custom styles of your own Upload or pick a few images to generate a new style you can use repeatedly for a consistent look. 📺 Watch the promo video below to get a sense of it.👇  How to start using Ideogram* Visit Ideogram.ai and sign up for free with your Google, Apple or Microsoft account. * Check the welcome guide for starting tips, examples, and sample prompts.* Explore the public gallery to see others’ images and the prompts they used. * Describe an image you envision in a few sentences. Don’t worry about precise wording. You can opt to let Ideogram refine your prompt.* Choose a style. Decide if you want an illustrated or photographic-style image. Or pick ‘auto’ to let the algorithm decide. You can also select a color palette. * Choose dimensions. Pick a wide, vertical or square image. I mostly generate wide images, which match the width of presentations or web pages.* Click generate. On a free account, you can generate a limited number of images per day. * Wait a minute. The service slows free requests to incentivize upgrades. * Download the image you like and use it any way you choose. Use an AI assistant to sharpen your image promptsAvoid getting generic images when using Ideogram by prompting ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to help you craft more detailed image prompts. Here’s how to prompt an AI assistant for this: * Type a few descriptive phrases about an image you’re envisioning* Explain how you plan to use the image (for a poster a thumbnail, etc)* Ask for five surprising, bold, image prompts based on your context for use with your image generation tool. * Iterate. Pick one you like and ask for three compelling variants. Test one or more of those with Ideogram. Pricing* Free for a limited number of image generation credits each day. Depending on traffic to Ideogram, you can expect at least five free images a day. I started on the free plan but now pay for the service * $7/month billed annually for more images, quicker rendering, and advanced features like Canvas, which lets you modify & extend images. Ideogram caveats* Limited free images. I often have to iterate on a prompt several times before getting something usable. On a free plan that may mean getting only one or two quality images a day.* Reduced image quality on downloads. Free users can only download a 70% quality JPEG image, not the full-resolution version. * Public image creation only. All images created on the free plan are public, meaning others can view and remix them. AlternativesGemini Nano Banana ProGoogle recently launched its best image generator with a surprising name and remarkable versatility. You can use Nano Banana Pro for nearly any kind of visual — from a logo, infographic, or slide design, to an edited self-portrait based on your photo or an abstract image of a dog (below). ChatGPT’s Image GeneratorChatGPT’s built-in AI image generation tool is excellent, particularly for generating cartoons, simple diagrams, or abstract illustrations. You can’t specify the dimensions of an image, but you can use an extended chat to provide context and guidance, and you can ask the AI assistant to iterate on the image result if it doesn’t satisfy you with its first attempts. You can also select an area of a generated image and prompt it to change that part. Here’s my post about it. FluxBlack Forest Labs, which makes the Flux 2 AI image generator, recently raised $300 million from investors. Flux images are dramatic and distinct. You can create 50 images for free after signing into the Flux Playground, or you can use the model on Hugging Face. Flux doesn’t require any special prompting lingo. I find Ideogram simpler to use, and it has a broader set of features, but Flux is excellent at generating accurate text inside images, and it’s a powerful tool on the rise. Here are Flux versions of the Ideogram image I created at the top of this post. Adobe FireflyAdobe has a growing suite of AI tools that keep getting better. Firefly has some unique capabilities. You can customize your image’s camera angle, lighting, color, tone and special effects, among other advanced features. Adobe has also committed to respecting creators by not training on their content without express permission. “Adobe Firefly models are trained on a dataset of licensed content, such as Adobe Stock, and public domain content where copyright has expired.”Concerns about AI image generation* Less control. With editing tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, and Canva, you have full control over the pixels you’re designing. When you generate images with AI, you have less say over a visual’s specifics. * Risk of confusion. Some AI-generated images look like real people, objects, or buildings, which can be misleading if not explained. An AI-generated photo of a person in an office might be assumed to be a real employee.* Displacement of artists. Talented professionals may see diminishing demand for their services as people increasingly look to AI services instead of hiring creatives. And lawsuits allege that AI models were unfairly trained on human work. Getty recently lost one such suit, but others are ongoing. * The rise of AI sludge. With AI image generation spreading, it’s easier than ever to mass produce visual images without thought. It is also easier to imitate anyone’s visual style, so AI-powered copycats may proliferate. * Error prone. Some AI generation tools still can’t reliably reproduce text well. Words within images may be garbled, like this mangled poster made by DALL-E in 2024. Resources for non-AI images* Creative Commons & Openverse — search for free human-made images * The National Gallery of Art lets you download and use its images for free* Unsplash and Pexels are free sources for photographs* 11 tools for diversifying your images (a Wonder Tools guide)What have you used AI images for? What works best for you? 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

NotebookLM is the most useful free AI tool of 2025. It has twin superpowers. You can use it to find, analyze, and search through a collection of documents, notes, links, or files. You can then use NotebookLM to visualize your material as a slide deck, infographic, report — even an audio or video summary.How to set up a notebook* Pick a purpose. Start a new notebook for a work project or a learning goal. Examples: I created a notebook to organize materials for the new online bilingual MA program we’re developing at the CUNY Newmark Grad School of Journalism where I work. I also set up a notebook to learn more about Gustav Mahler, a composer I revere. I have numerous others for work and personal projects. * Find sources for your notebook. NotebookLM recently added a search panel to help you discover high-quality sources. You decide which, if any, of the suggested materials to add to your notebook. The “Fast Research” is quick and focused, unlike a generic Google search that returns hundreds of results, some of which have gamed the search engine system. * Fast Research surfaces 10 or so documents related to your topic in less than 30 seconds. You can ask it to find sources within your Google Drive, or from the Web. * The Deep Research prompt option in the same panel will more slowly gather many more sources. Tip: make your query as specific as possible to surface relevant, useful sources. Here’s an example of a concise, precise query I used. * Add your own materials. Upload files up to 200 MB and 500,000 words into your notebook. You can add:* Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets* PDFs, images (including photos of your handwritten notes), and Microsoft Word documents* YouTube links and audio, image, or video files (it extracts the transcript)* Website URLs (it extracts the text)No other AI tool I’ve used lets you compile as many different kinds of materials in a centralized AI workspace that’s easy to explore and build with.* Free accounts can create up to 100 notebooks, with 50 sources in each. On a free plan, you may run into limits when creating multimedia materials. You can run free 10 Deep Research queries a month. Students in the U.S. 18 or older can get pro access for free. * Pro accounts, which cost $20/month as part of Google AI Pro, can host 500 notebooks with 300 sources in each. They can run 20 Deep Research queries a day. Collaborate and shareNotebookLM now lets you collaborate as you would with Google Docs. You can choose to invite people as viewers or editors. Give them a full view of your sources and notes, or limit their access to the search/chat interface.You can also publish notebooks publicly. Here are some examples:* Trends in health, wealth and happiness by Our World in Data* How to build a life, from The Atlantic* Shakespeare’s Complete Plays* Parenting Advice for the Digital Age, by Jacqueline Nesi, PhD of Techno Sapiens* Earnings Reports for the World’s 50 Biggest Companies* Secrets of the Super Agers by Eric TopolExplore your materialsAs you add materials, NotebookLM analyzes them and suggests relevant questions. After I uploaded biographical material about Mahler, it suggested search queries — based on the source documents — about why he converted to Catholicism and what poetry collections inspired him. You can also ask any question on your mind or type in any kind of traditional search query.NotebookLM uses natural language processing to make sense of your documents. When you type in a query, the system understands what you’re looking for. When I queried about the death of Mahler’s loved ones, I didn’t have to mention their names or even their relationship to him — NotebookLM understood what I was asking. These exploratory searches are more powerful than old-fashioned keyword searches, which only work if an exact word combination appears in your document. NotebookLM makes it easy to run abstract queries as well, searching for moments of anger or surprise.Tip: target specific sources. You can use the checkboxes next to each source to limit your search to particular documents. This precision is handy when you want to search within a specific report or compare information across just two or three key documents.Visualize informationUse the Studio tab to create shareable reports, slides, graphics, and multimedia out of your notebook material. Unlike other AI tools, NotebookLM’s creations are grounded in your source documents — they don’t pull from the Web or generic training data. Because they draw only from your source material, the creations will change as you add more to your notebook, or if you mark only a subset of sources to be used.Create a mind map first to get an overview of the topics covered in a notebook. Then create the following elements to understand and share your material.InfographicsCreate polished visual summaries. Choose whether you want a landscape, portrait, or square image, and how simple or detailed it should be. Then type in an optional custom prompt to guide the design. You can include instructions about your preferred color palette, target audience, illustration style, and the kinds of numbers or facts to prioritize.A caveat: NotebookLM consistently produces clean, readable text. It’s mostly accurate, but I’ve encountered occasional errors. Here’s an example: Mahler’s age of death is wrong at the bottom of this NotebookLM infographic. Slide decksNotebookLM’s newest capability — generating slide decks — continues to surprise me. When I ask it to make slides summing up notebook material — it comes up with outstanding results, like this slide deck about Mahler. You can choose between detailed standalone slides, or simpler TED-style presenter slides meant to accompany a verbal presentation. As with the infographic tool, you can just press the slide deck button to let NotebookLM decide what to generate. But you’ll get something more relevant to you if you write a prompt to guide the visual style and subject matter focus. The slides include a small NotebookLM watermark in the bottom right corner.Below is an example of a slide deck about NotebookLM I created with NotebookLM. 👇A caveat: In my testing, the slides have been clean and visually engaging. They’re not perfect, though. A deck about our new bilingual journalism program, for example, included misleading AI-generated images of our faculty members. Video overviewsCreate a video summary of the material in your notebook. Think of it as an AI-narrated slide show. Fortunately, there’s no talking avatar. I like how these videos include facts, examples, quotes, and images pulled directly from your source documents. Choose between a brief video (1-2 minutes) or a longer explainer (often six to 10 minutes). You can’t specify the exact length. Tailor the approach to your viewers with a prompt. You can even specify a specific audience, whether board members of a charity you’re presenting to, or grandchildren new to your subject matter. Videos can take five to 10 minutes to generate. Free accounts can generate only a few videos, slide decks, or infographics per notebook before hitting a usage limit. When your video — or other creation — is ready, you can download and share it, or view it within your notebook. 📺 Here’s a video overview of NotebookLM I created with NotebookLMPodcastsNotebookLM’s audio overviews became Internet famous for their remarkably human-sounding conversations. When I played a clip for a group of students when this feature launched, they didn’t realize the speakers weren’t human. Example: Here’s a new “Deep Dive” audio piece I generated about NotebookLM for this post. * You can write a brief or detailed prompt to guide the style of the audio, and you can choose from multiple formats.* After a few minutes, the audio file is ready for you to download and share. * Tip: add an AI-generated label to this kind of audio or any other material you create with NotebookLM. That way people will know where it came from and won’t assume you created each detail from scratch. You can generate audio pieces from a subset of your documents or your full collection of sources. Here are the four kinds of audio you can generate, with an example of each:* Debate. Here’s an audio debate I prompted NotebookLM to create about which of its features are most useful.* Critique. Here’s a critique of NotebookLM I generated from 19 sources I added.* Brief summary. Here’s a 90-second audio overview. * Deep dive. Here’s a deep dive NotebookLM explainer. Text reportsIn addition to multimedia, you can generate custom reports. The reports tend to be around 2,000 to 3,000 words, or six to 12 pages. Here are example reports generated by NotebookLM: an advanced guide to NotebookLM and a guide to integrating NotebookLM in a newsroom. I’ve found the dozens of reports I’ve generated to be thorough enough to be useful for reference or learning. They also help point to sources worth exploring further. Try prompting NotebookLM to create the following kinds of reports:* Timelines: Organize chronological information * FAQs: Common questions and answers about your topic * Explainers: Break down complex concepts * Teaching guides: Useful if you’re an educator or lead workshops * Student handbooks: Supplemental resources * Critiques: Analysis of weaknesses or limitations in your sources * Debate reports: Multiple perspectives on controversial topicsFlashcards and quizzesWhen learning something new, create flashcards or quizzes with multiple-choice questions to test yourself. * Describe your level of understanding (e.g. “I’m new to this,” or “I’m a professional in this field, but I’m new to this framework,”).* Choose whether you want small or large number of questions or flashcards. * Specify concepts you want the quiz or flashcards to focus on. * You can also ask NotebookLM to focus on a particular source, like a certain link, PDF, or video you’ve uploaded. Example: Check out my NotebookLM flashcards. 5 Projects to Try1. Organize a work projectEach time you add a file, NotebookLM summarizes it. Its full text is then searchable with citations, so you know you’re not getting AI hallucinations. To assemble a useful notebook, gather relevant documents, including: * Plans, internal reports, or project memos* Links to relevant sites* Meeting recordings or transcripts * Important emails copied and pasted or saved as PDFs or docs * Background reports, company manuals, or competitive research Use your project notebook to: * Create summary reports or timelines to onboard new team members * Draft slide decks for internal meetings* Make infographics to visually summarize complex processes or workflows* Quickly find relevant quotes, stats, anecdotes, or examples* Refresh your memory when returning to the project later on2. Plan a tripI create travel notebooks to help me find relevant family activities and ideas for outings. I’ve done this before with Perplexity and other AI platforms, but I like the way NotebookLM lets me gather so many different kinds of inputs: links, videos, articles, and local guides—everything I might want to reference when planning weekend activities or hosting visitors. You can find these kinds of resources with a Google or Perplexity search, or do the whole process within NotebookLM. For travel planning, compile these materials: * Historical and cultural information * Entertainment guides and reviews * Restaurant recommendations * Local blog posts, event listings, or links to top attractionsThen ask NotebookLM to generate:* Itineraries* FAQs about your destination * Recommendations based on your budget or other constraints * Slide decks or infographics to share with your travel companions * Flashcards for learning key phrases if you’re traveling abroad * Quiz games to play at the airport while waiting in line3. Learn somethingHere’s a meta use-case: I created a notebook about NotebookLM to help me learn about its nooks and crannies. (Try the quiz about NotebookLM it created for me.) I made another one about “deliberative dialogue” to learn more about tactics for encouraging civil discourse between people who violently disagree. To build a learning notebook:* Upload relevant YouTube videos, articles, and course materials. * Use the “Add Sources” panel to add docs from your Google Drive or the Web. * Generate mind maps, quizzes, and flashcards to test your understanding.* Create audio guides to learn while exercising, cleaning, or commuting.* Prompt for timelines, FAQs, explainers, infographics, and slide decks tailored to your knowledge level and learning goals.Tip: break large documents into smaller piecesNotebookLM uses retrieval augmented generation (RAG) for search. That keeps it grounded in your material and avoids hallucination. But it also means that when asked to quickly search gigantic documents, NotebookLM may have the capacity to scour only a subset of your source material. To avoid searches that miss important material, consider breaking enormous documents into smaller pieces and narrowing your searches to specific sources or more precise subjects.4. Compile reference guides Build notebooks to help you handle recurring tasks. * Grant writing. Compile successful applications, guidelines, or evaluation criteria.* Social posts. Gather style guides, brand guidelines, and examples of past posts that have worked well for you or competitors. * Technical documentation. Assemble specs, organizational rules, or industry best practices.* Customer research. Add past surveys, interview transcripts, analytics reports, or testimonials. Tip: as a first step, strip names and emails from surveys or interviews to protect respondents’ privacy. 5. Manage home projectsCreate notebooks for life outside of work. NotebookLM is great for this because unlike other AI tools, it lets you input so many different kinds of sources with huge file sizes, whether you have videos, audio files, PDFs, your own handwritten notes, links to various sites, or Google Drive files. * Recipe collections and guides to various cooking techniques* Home improvement projects with how-to articles and product reviews* Hobby research for woodworking, guitar, photography, or gardeningWhy NotebookLM Stands Out 📍* Unlike AI assistants designed around an open-ended chat box, NotebookLM is structured around a more familiar paradigm: a searchable notebook. The closest parallels are Claude Projects or ChatGPT Projects, which allow you to organize documents in a folder that can inform AI queries on those services. Perplexity Spaces is also useful for organizing related search threads. But none of those can generate NotebookLM’s full range of outputs, and each draws on its own training data as well as your sources.* NotebookLM’s citation system means you can trust its search results, because you can see the cited section in your original document. And it’s unique in being able to generate everything from audio and video to reports, slides and infographics from your source materials. * Note: Citations aren’t provided within infographics, slide decks, video or audio overviews. If there are tidbits from those you want to trace back to a source, summarize the fact or detail in question in NotebookLM’s explore tab — the chat window — to ask for a citation.* The free tier is powerful enough for most people. And it keeps improving, adding significant new capabilities every couple of months. * The bottom line: if I were forced to recommend a single AI tool for many different kinds of readers, I’d pick NotebookLM. What do you use NotebookLM for? Add a comment 👇Read more from Wonder Tools about NotebookLM 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I like pushing AI to be less predictable. When AI assistants are less bland and more bold, they challenge my blind spots and nudge me to rethink. So I asked one of the boldest AI experimenters I know, Alexandra Samuel, to share unconventional tips and tactics when she visited New York recently from Vancouver.Alex, who writes about AI for the Wall Street Journal and the Harvard Business Review, surprised me with the scale of her AI efforts. She described creating 200+ automation scripts and building a personal idea database that helps with drafting pitch emails. Her quirkiest tactic? Using Suno to generate songs to explain complex concepts.Her lively new podcast, Me and Viv, explores her unusual relationship with an AI assistant she trained to serve as her coach and collaborator. She interviews AI skeptics like Oliver Burkeman and Karen Hao to challenge her own embrace of AI. The Suno songs Alex generated serve as a recurring musical thread throughout the series.In a recent episode, “I’m So Sycophantic,” Alex confronts Viv’s most irritating flaw: her pathological tendency to flatter Alex and agree with everything she says.The show’s intriguing premise reminded me of another podcast I love, Evan Ratliff’s Shell Game, whose second season debuted recently. Both are excellent explorations of what it’s like to engage deeply with AI assistants, resourceful and flawed as they are.Five tips from Alex1. Use Suno to turn words into catchy musicWhat Suno is: An AI music generation platform for creating custom songsAlex uses Suno extensively to create songs for her podcast about AI, treating it as a storytelling tool rather than just music creation.“I’m like a monkey with a slot machine. It’s pretty typical for me to generate the same song 50 or 100 times, maybe even 200 times,” she says.The iterative process helps her find the perfect version. She says Suno struggles with switching between male and female voices, musical styles, or languages mid-song. Alex suggests bringing your own lyrics to Suno for better results than relying on its built-in lyric generation. Here’s documentation she wrote up about how she uses Suno. An alternative she recommends: work iteratively with an AI assistant like Claude to develop lyrics that you then import into Suno.Try it for: Turning articles or announcements into short promo songs; creating engaging musical explainers; or generating a newsletter signup song.Alternatives: Udio, ElevenLabs MusicSponsored MessageYour data knows what it wants to beData doesn’t have to be dull. With Flourish, you go from spreadsheet to show-stopping visuals in seconds. Upload your data, get instant chart suggestions, and drop them right into your Canva design. It’s fast, easy, and looks amazing!2. Coda: Create your own productivity hubWhat Coda is: Software tool for creating customized documents and databases. I’ve written about how underrated Coda is as an alternative to other useful tools like Notion and Airtable.Alex calls Coda an everything hub where you can build your own tools. New AI features make it easier to use and more flexible. Alex used Coda to design her own “pitch machine,” a sophisticated story tracking system.She has one table in the pitch machine with all of her story ideas. Another table in Coda has all the publications she writes for, with editors’ names and contact info. With the press of a button in Coda, she can combine multiple story pitches into a single Gmail draft while automatically updating tracking fields and follow-up dates. It took a while to set up, but now saves her time. Who is Coda for? Alex recommends Coda for power users who like messing around with tech. She offers this test: “If you use XLOOKUP in Excel, then you should use Coda. If you don’t know XLOOKUP, you should use Notion. It’s like a nerd-o-meter.”Try it for: Project and campaign idea tracking, managing a client database, or automated email or Slack message generation.Alternatives: Notion, Airtable, Google Workspace, Obsidian3. CapCut: Create social videos with AI help What it is: Video editing platform with AI featuresAlex uses CapCut, along with custom Python scripts, to create music videos for Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. She says she has mixed feelings about CapCut because of its TikTok/ByteDance ownership, but relies on it for now. She’s been working on a system for syncing the appearance of captions on screen to the moment when song lyrics are heard.Try it for: Creating stylish, captioned social media videos or turning podcasts into videos.Alternatives: Captions, Descript, or Kapwing4. Claude + MCP: connect AI to your docsWhat it is: AI assistant connected to external databases and tools via Model Context Protocol (MCP)MCP servers let you connect sites and apps to AI platforms. That’s how Alex connected her Coda account to Claude. Now that they’re linked, Alex can pose casual questions to Claude, which can then look for things in her Coda docs.“I can actually just have a conversation with Claude and say, ‘Hey Claude, I just talked to an editor. They’re looking for articles about data privacy. Can you look at my Coda doc and see what story ideas I have that might be relevant?’”She emphasizes security considerations: journalists covering sensitive subjects should avoid this type of experimental workflow if they’re protecting anonymous source information.Try it for: Querying complex databases, finding relevant past work for new projects, analyzing patterns across your own documents, combining multiple data sources for insightsAlternatives: The Google Drive connector in Claude or ChatGPT; or a custom setup of NotebookLM.5. Claude Code: reduce repetitive workWhat it is: AI-powered coding assistant that runs locally on your computer. It helps developers code faster. It also helps non-programmers accomplish technical tasks using natural language prompts. You can use it to organize files on your laptop, create Python scripts, or make little interactive applications or games.Despite limited formal programming training, Alex has written approximately 200 Python scripts using Claude Code.She says, “Whenever you hear yourself with the deep sigh of, like, this is gonna be a drag, just go to the AI and say, hey, here’s this thing I have to do. Is there a way that could be made into a script?”Alex’s scripts have helped her combine PDFs and generate time-coded captions for video. She also used Claude Code to build her own Firefox extension for a financial tracking app.Try it for: Batch file processing, converting data, or whipping up browser extensions to solve specific-to-you problems.Alternatives: Replit, Cursor, Claude Artifacts, Windsurfp.s. CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism is launching the first fully-online bilingual (Spanish/English) M.A program. Learn more and apply by December 5! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Google Docs has new tricks to try: an audio button to hear your writing read aloud; an optional AI helper to summarize your doc; an activity dashboard to see who is viewing your work; and colorful templates to add visual spice. A billion people use GDocs, making it the most popular free writing tool in the world. It remains reliable, free and easy to use. Read on for an update on what’s new and notable. 5 notable new Gdocs features1. Get AI help compiling a new doc 🧑‍💻 “Help me create” is a new command for building a doc out of existing ones. * Select File > New > Help Me Create and type in a prompt. * How to use it: Mention existing docs with the “@” sign and describe the new doc you’d like to create out of existing ones. I used this to generate an action list out of a feedback summary document. * Caveat: Requires an eligible AI plan or Google Workspace.2. Listen to your writing 🎧Have an AI voice read back your writing. * Select Insert > Audio Buttons. Choose from seven upbeat voices. * When to use this: I like listening for awkward phrases or clunky transitions when editing my work. * Requires an eligible Google Workspace plan or individual AI subscription.Sponsored MessageTap. Hover. Discover. With Flourish, data becomes an experience. Add motion, layers, and interaction that invite your audience to explore, not just observe. It’s the difference between showing information and making it come to life.Try Flourish →3. See document activity 📊A new dashboard lets you see who else in your org has viewed a doc and when. * Select Tools > Activity Dashboard * Tip: Adjust your privacy settings within the activity dashboard if you don’t want your doc views to be showed to others. * See when a doc has been shared and with whom, alongside a a chart illustrating when comments have been added. * Caveat: Requires Google Workspace; not available in solo free accounts. 4. Insert new “building blocks” into docs 🧱Include an AI summary of your document, a decision log or other templated, editable text blocks. * Select Insert > Building Blocks and pick from a lengthy list of options. * Tip: Use the email block to draft a Gmail message within your doc — or ask AI for help starting it, based on what’s in your doc. Then send it to Gmail as a draft you can revise. 5. Try new templates 🎨Google has added 40 new designs to the 55 already in the template gallery. * Select File > New > From a Template to see the additions. * What’s good: The new project roadmap and onboarding templates are nice. The existing resume, letter, and proposal templates are also well-designed.5 of the most useful GDocs features1. Tabs let you create sections within a doc One doc instead of many. Don’t create 20 separate files for each project. Use a central doc instead with multiple tabs for organization. Share everything in one place.Try using tabs for… * A long project. When you’re writing something with multiple sections, create tabs to organize your work. Stat: docs can include up to a million characters.* Collaboration. Each person can take their own tab. No more typing over others’ words. * A class or meeting. When teaching or leading a meeting, create a single doc with instructions and questions. Duplicate the tab for each participant, or create distinct tabs for each topic. Rename the tabs. Now everyone’s input lives in an organized, collective doc.Tips for tabs* 🎍 Emoji-enhanced titles. Decorate the title of any tab with an emoji to separate sections visually.  * 🔗 Share deep links. Within the three-dot menu next to a tab’s title, choose the “Copy a link” option to share a link to a specific tab. That makes it easy to return directly to an important spot.* ↗️ Reorder tabs. Drag tabs up or down to reorder them. Drag one into another to make it into a subtab.. * 📋 Outline view. Use the “Show Outline” option in the three-dot menu next to a tab’s title to navigate through subsections. Limitations* No printing or downloading all tabs. Annoyingly, you can’t print or download everything in the the various sections at once. Solution: Go to Google Drive to download the full document, including all its tabs. Or print one tab at a time.* No granular privacy. You can’t set privacy levels distinctly for each tab. If the doc is public, each tab is public too. If the doc is private, you can’t let people see one particular tab.Design docs for the webPageless format. Many of the docs we create never need to be printed. So GDocs now offers a design option for docs you’ll only use on screen. It lets you include wider images and eliminates artificial page breaks. See a gif of Pageless view. How the pageless format is useful * Cover image. Add a photo, drawing or illustration at the top of a document as a visual header. * Collapsable sections. Click the triangle next to a section header to hide the text within it. That’s helpful for giving others a streamlined view of a doc.* Auto-adjusting images. Images and line breaks adjust to your screen size.* Better table view. Wide data tables are easier to navigate. On printable GDocs, tables sometimes get cut off. * Adjustable text width. You can adjust the text width (View > Text width) in a pageless doc. That’s helpful if you prefer broader margins or you’re on a particularly wide or narrow screen.Tips * Switch modes. You can toggle between pages or pageless mode by going to File > Page Setup. * Set a default. If you always prefer one or the other, mark it as your default in the Page Setup same menu. * Change background color. If you want a white text on a dark color background like this, just change the background color as I did in this gif. * Get help. See Google’s help page for more info. Limitations* Missing features. Page numbers, headers, footers, watermarks, and columns won’t show up in pageless format.* Hidden cover images. It can be confusing to encounter different capabilities in each mode. Having your cover image hidden when you switch into Pages mode is odd.What else is new in Google Docs ✨* Proofreading. Check for spelling, grammar, conciseness, and passive voice. Requires AI functions to be turned on. See it in action on a prior draft of this post. * Markdown. This lets you quickly format text using simple symbols, like *ital* to turn something into italics or **bold** to make something bold. Enable it under Tools > Preferences. * Smart Chips. These special snippets of text allow you to paste in a live link to docs, sheets, or slides to show a preview of that material. Or type “@” and the name of a person, place, or calendar event to insert a preview that pops up when someone scrolls over the item. See Google’s help explanation.* AI Editing. Test out GDocs’ AI for summarization or editing suggestions. Bonus posts for paid subscribers 👇 Good alternatives to Google Docs* Coda is underrated. Create interactive docs and link them to your calendar, CRM, email, or other services like Slack. Note: Coda was recently acquired and integrated into Grammarly’s suite of tools. * Craft remains my favorite tool for creating visual handouts. * Lex is like GDocs with a built-in AI assistant & custom prompts for editing suggestions.* Scrivener can help you keep long writing projects organized.* iA Writer offers a simple, minimalist writing view. What’s your favorite Google Docs feature? Leave a comment👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

15-second summary of this post: Your phone is now a pocket AI studio. Design a presentation, get voice coaching, conduct research, or make a quick infographic. The biggest players — ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Claude — all offer numerous free features on both iOS and Android. And a growing group of alternative AI apps now offer private AI for free. [See my recommendations for free, private AI on your laptop.] Read on👇 for a guide to the most notable features of the top AI chat apps.ChatGPT: Your Conversationalist 🗣️ iOS & AndroidAdvanced Voice Mode is the ChatGPT app’s most distinctive feature. Ask it to play a tough interviewer or a skeptical client as you prepare for a difficult conversation. Or have it ask questions to help you make a decision. Most of what you can do on your laptop you can do in the ChatGPT mobile app. * Create an image. Ask for an infographic, a cartoon, or a photo illustration. See examples of seven ways I use these images. * Ask for deep research. Get a detailed analysis with dozens of sources. See examples of nine ways I use this research. * Study & learn. This new mode helps you strengthen your skills & knowledge.* Analyze files or images. Turn a handwritten note into digital text, or make sense of any document, diagram, or manual. When I can’t figure out how to assemble or operate something, this offers faster help than a Google search. * Use integrated apps. You can now access Canva, Figma, Spotify, Expedia, and other tools inside ChatGPT. Try prompting for a graphic within ChatGPT while waiting in line with your phone, then edit it later in Canva.👇Pulse is ChatGPT’s best new pro mobile feature. It creates customized notes for me every morning. The AI assistant synthesizes info from my chat history, my Google Calendar, and what I’ve expressed an interest in learning. This morning’s Pulse note, for example, included tactics for using new Substack features, Penguin stories for sharing with my daughter, and breakfast ideas I had asked about for my rice cooker and bread machine. These aren’t news updates — they’re personalized resources prepared by an AI assistant. I don’t use or recommend relying on AI assistants for news searches, especially given AI’s struggles with news accuracy. Caveat: Pulse isn’t yet available for free accounts. Gemini: Your Creative Partner 🧑‍🎨 iOS & AndroidThe Gemini app has five special features, in addition to its core chat capability.* “Nano Banana” image generation model. Edit photos, blend multiple images, or design a poster. Worth trying: ask it to turn any image from your phone into a record album, book cover, or billboard poster.* Deep Research. Generate exhaustive reports with citations whenever you need thorough background on an issue. Try this prompt: “Create a step‑by‑step plan to adopt [tool/technology] in a team of [size]. Include costs, training time, change‑management risks, and how to measure success. Cite case studies.” See a few of my tips for strengthening deep research queries. * Veo 3 video generation. Paid accounts only. Create 8-second clips with Veo 3.1, Google’s new video model. Experiment: create a slick moving background for a slide. * Canvas. Make an infographic, a quiz, or a simple game. Quick test: make a self-grading quiz to challenge yourself on something you’re learning. * Guided Learning. Put Gemini in teacher mode to help you gradually strengthen your understanding of anything. Try this: ask it to walk you through the history of any concept or tech you’re curious about. When I choose Gemini: I use it as an alternative to ChatGPT and Claude when I want particular kinds of image edits and creative image designs. I also use it to experiment with generating short video clips, for guided learning, and for research reports. Sponsored MessageShare anywhere. Stay brilliant.With Flourish, your interactive charts go wherever your story lives. Embed them in websites, blogs, reports, or campaigns. Each one stays live, on-brand, and beautifully in sync as your data updates. No coding. No fuss. Just visuals that travel beautifully.Claude: Your Mobile Studio 👷 iOS & AndroidClaude’s app has a new voice mode I like. It waits for me to tap the screen to signal I’m done, so it rarely cuts me off when I pause to think—unlike ChatGPT, which often assumes I’ve finished talking. You can choose from five voices. Create on the GoCreate Artifacts — interactive little applications — from your phone. You can make games, learning resources, document templates or other useful mini programs. You can also now use Claude Code from your phone. What I most value about Claude is its excellent Projects feature, which lets me organize relevant documents and instructions for each distinct area of work. I use other tools (like ChatGPT, Gemini) for images and video, which Claude doesn’t do, but I rely on Claude for assistance with alt-text, SEO text, project planning, and other tasks where understanding my context is crucial. Copilot: A Flexible Assistant 🧑‍💼 iOS & AndroidMicrosoft’s Copilot app is a good free option that’s similar to ChatGPT and based on the same OpenAI models. One distinction is a new “real talk” mode that will sometimes challenge you. This helps address the sycophancy problem of AI chatbots blindly affirming your statements. Other useful features: Copilot can generate a podcast episode on any subject (like this one about Wonder Tools). It can also generate an image, run a deep research report, quiz you on a subject of your choice, conduct a voice chat. Like ChatGPT, it can even help you understand something in your environment. Turn on your camera or load something onto your screen, then ask Copilot questions something you’re looking at. Ask it about fine print in a document, a confusing gadget, a troubled plant🌾, or anything else. Perplexity: The Quick Researcher 🧑‍🔬 iOS & AndroidI rely on Perplexity for help understanding complex concepts. The mobile app’s voice mode is especially useful for quick searching and getting a summarized response instead of a list of links. For niche searches, adjust Perplexity’s settings to focus only on finance info, academic sources, or social sites for Reddit results. You can also use Perplexity to search your Outlook email or your Gmail and Google Calendar📆 for messages on a particular subject. Tip: Turn on incognito mode in settings anytime you’re searching on a sensitive or private subject. And as with all AI tools, avoid giving a thumbs up or down to a query because rating it signals that you’re OK with it being read and analyzed. Read more about why I find Perplexity so useful🎯 Free & Low-Cost AI App Alternatives Locally AI 📍 iOS | FreeBenefits: Free. No log-in required. Fully private. No data tracking. Easy to use.Getting started. Pick a compact open-source large language model suited for your phone’s processing power. I considered options from Qwen, Meta, and Google. Qwen 3 supports 100 languages and Meta’s Llama excels at summarization. I picked Gemma 3 QAT from Google. If you’re a tech novice or don’t care about those details, just pick Gemma as your model and you’ll be fine. Brief wait to get started. I had to keep the app open for about two minutes to download the language model to my phone. You only have to do that once. How I used it: I recently asked for a custom workout, given my constraints (no equipment, limited time) and personal fitness priorities. The result was helpful and similar to what I got from ChatGPT. Nice features * Customize or personalize your responses by inputting a prompt that will guide the app across all the individual chats. You can explain your personal or professional circumstances, for instance, or your preferences for concise or detailed answers, or any other needs you have for how the AI responds to you. * Set up Siri shortcut. You can activate Siri and say “Hey Locally AI…” to run a local AI search privately with your voice. * Well-reviewed. People seem to like it: 4.8/5 average rating with 208 reviews.* Vision tools. You can use this private AI app for text recognition, object recognition or image comprehension. That’s useful if you want to use your phone privately to understand secure documents or convert personal handwritten notes into text. To get that benefit, within the app download the Qwen 2 VL model recommended for iPhone 15 or newer phones. Caveats* Not the top models. ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini perform better for image analysis than the small mobile models this app enables. * Slow start. Expect to wait several minutes each time you download a new model, including the first time you use the app. * No plug-ins. I couldn’t connect this app to other services. Sponsored MessageFree event: Become an AI Builder in a Day (No Engineering Required) – Nov 6On November 6, 12-4 PM ET, join Section for a half-day of micro-workshops. Hear from AI experts and get practical frameworks you can apply immediately, and a certificate to showcase your new skills.Private LLM | iOS and Mac | $5 Nice features* One purchase for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Family sharing means you can share the app with five family members for free. * Choose from 60+ models. Lots of models available in this app aren’t options in Locally AI. That may not matter, unless you’re eager to use a very specific model. * Change AI models’ creativity level. Unlike Locally AI, this app allows you to adjust the “temperature” setting of your AI models to control how predictable or creative responses are. A model set to a low temperature sticks to more consistent, predictable answers, while one set to a higher temperature will generate more varied, imaginative replies. Caveats* Single chat stream. You can’t create multiple distinct chats in this app. Most other AI tools, including the Locally AI app, let you separate conversations into distinct threads for different subjects. * No help picking models. Figuring out which one to try is tricky with this app. You can click a tiny information button that links to a separate Hugging Face web page about the model, but there’s no easy-to-understand summary for novices. Locally AI has helpful concise summaries showing each model’s strengths. PocketPal AI | iOS and Android | Free Nice features* Fully Private. No conversations, prompts, or data leave your device. * Create custom “pals.” Set up multiple AI assistants or “personalities,” with different settings and system prompts.* Access models from Hugging Face. Choose from many small AI models. Caveats* May not work well on all Android phones. Depending on your phone’s age, the app might feel slow. A lot of Play Store reviewers reported this problem.* Mediocre ratings. 4.1 out of 5 with 1,200 reviews is OK, but not stellar. * The user interface lacks polish. The design isn’t as elegant as what you’ll find on Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other top-tier apps. But it’s free, and if the AI responses are useful, you may tolerate a lower-quality interface. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Short on time? Read this 30-second summary of today’s post. 👇Download a free, private AI program to run on your computer. Use it offline without any subscription cost and avoid the risk of having sensitive info ingested into a large language model like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. The newest versions of private AI tools like Jan run easily on my 2021 Mac laptop, cost nothing, are easy to use. They’re a good alternative to costlier AI platforms. 🔰 Quick start guide * Download and install the free Jan. Other good free alternatives to consider include Msty, Anything LLM, or LM Studio. * Open Jan and pick an open-source large language model. The model you use impacts the AI’s response style. You can switch anytime. I use the v1 model. * Try your first query. Here are a few quick mini prompts to start with: * “Summarize the pros and cons of using AI for [specific task].”* “Turn my rough notes below into a short summary and bullet points.”* “Turn this angry email draft to my service provider into a constructive message more likely to generate a helpful response.” * Adjust the app’s appearance settings, including font size and shortcuts. * Close other processor-intensive apps on your computer, like video editing tools, to reduce the likelihood of your computer slowing down.🕵🏻 Five reasons to use private AI* Save money: Avoid subscription fees by running AI models on your own computer. Generate unlimited responses without monthly charges. * Keep your data private. Using private AI on your computer ensures no data is sent to or stored on big tech firms’ servers. No conversations leave your device. You can even run these tools offline. * For sensitive legal, medical, financial or personal issues, ask questions without worrying about your data ending up in a large language model’s training data. * Work offline: Having full offline access is handy whether you’re traveling without WiFi, working in a remote area, or hesitant to trust a random public network.* Experiment with hundreds of open source models. Choose an open source large language model that suits you. Each is trained differently. Some are stronger at certain languages, others specialize in coding. New ones emerge regularly. Switch as often as you’d like. By contrast, ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini limit you to the platform’s own models. * Tip: Use LM Arena to compare two models’ responses side by side. * Reduce your environmental impact: If you run hundreds of daily prompts, a local AI app may mean less use of Internet infrastructure and remote data servers.💫 Jan is an excellent, free, private AI tool* Platforms: Mac, PC, Linux. What I like about it* Fast and easy to set up and use. Jan takes a minute to download and install. Using Jan is as easy as using ChatGPT, Claude, or any other chatbot, though you do have to make an initial decision about which model to use. * Assistants. Create customized AI helpers for various purposes. One for translating Chinese, another for coding. Task it to “Act as a software engineering mentor focused on Python and JavaScript. Provide detailed explanations with code examples. Use markdown formatting for code blocks.”* Projects. Organize queries into distinct folders for easy access to subjects of interest without searching through hundreds of threads. * Integrations. Link Jan to Canva, Todoist, Linear, or other tools using MCP — model context protocol — connections. * Documentation and resources. Lots of useful documentation including a handbook and blog. What’s Next: Jan AI is developing mobile versions for iOS and Android and adding integrations to link Jan to other services.Partner MessageLighthouse is the leading newsletter for CEOs, COOs, CIOs, and Transformation Leaders focused on achieving success in the digital age. Join over 40,000 subscribers who gain insights into proven AI frameworks, high-ROI strategies with minimal risk, and leadership approaches that empower teams to excel in the age of AI. Subscribe for free.🩺 A Jan case studyBecki Lee, a Senior Technical Writer, uses Jan to explore health questions she wants to keep private. “I have a chronic illness I’m struggling to get diagnosed,” she emailed me. “So I created an assistant to help interpret test results and brainstorm possible explanations for my symptoms. Obviously, it’s super important to take this with a grain of salt (a chatbot is absolutely no substitute for a doctor). However, this helps bubble up conditions I can research further on my own, and it also generates questions I can ask my actual doctor.” ✨ More free AI options for Mac, PC or LinuxMsty The free version of this well-designed app has multiple unique features. Unlike Jan, which is completely free, Msty also has paid advanced features. Its best free features include:* A built-in prompt library with hundreds of options.* Special focus and zen modes that strip away side menus. * Create multiple personas, which are assistants with distinct personalities. Each can adopt a different style or approach in answering your queries.* Knowledge Stacks let you import document collections for analysis. These can include PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoints, spreadsheets, lists of YouTube links, or even an Obsidian vault. * Advanced features, like multi-step automations, require a paid subscription. I’ve only used the free version. It’s easy to use, powerful, and well-designed. I chose the Gemma 3 Anything LLMLike Jan, this is a straightforward open-source AI app that’s a good option for novice AI users. How it’s different from Jan* You can upload files for AnythingLLM to summarize* Enable it to make simple charts * Turn on Web search, which requires a free API key from Google or Serpa.* There’s also a new beta Android version. Caveat: It’s not quite as nicely designed as Jan, and isn’t updated as often. LM Studio This more developer-friendly option is less simple for beginners. What’s notable: Florent Daudens, an AI expert and educator who used to oversee daily editorial coverage at CBC/Radio-Canada, relies on LM Studio for private AI use. I asked him why and he said, “It’s practical, with a user/developer-friendly interface, quick updates when new models drop, a server option, and helpful model compatibility info.” In a LinkedIn post, Florent shared an example of using LM Studio on his laptop. He used Google’s Gemma 3 model to analyze plane photos for extracting registration numbers as an investigative journalist might, without sending data to external servers. Check out my follow-up post for more on private AI mobile apps. ⛔ Limitations of private AI tools* Feature limits. Many special features on other AI platforms won’t work on these private AI platforms. ChatGPT’s new Plug-ins for Canva or Figma, for instance, won’t work with private AI. You may not be able to export results directly to Google Sheets or Slack, as you can with other AI tools. * No interactives or advanced visuals. You can’t create infographics and visual illustrations like ChatGPT’s. No coding and hosting interactive applications, as you can with Claude or Gemini. No advanced searches with detailed citations like those from Perplexity. * Quality variation. Some open-source models have limited or older training data, so results for certain queries may be worse. For ordinary queries and text summarization, this quality difference may not be noticeable. * Slower speed. Depending on your query, you might wait longer with some open-source models than with ChatGPT, Copilot, or other private AI platforms. Speed hasn’t been a big concern for me so far. * Can’t handle as much text at once. A smaller “context window” means that private AI tools may not be able to analyze text blocks as large as those ChatGPT or Claude can handle. Some small language models may resort to skimming longer text. They may also be more likely to hallucinate details if asked for summaries of long, complex documents. 🧑‍🎓 Additional resources* Free, open-source AI tools for journalists curated on Hugging Face by Florent Daudens. Read more about why I like Hugging Face as an open-source AI hub.* Local LLM Group on Reddit, with 546,000 members. Keep up on notable research on AI and private AI tool development. * Helpful writeup about local large language models by Stephen Turner* LinkedIn Learning Course on private large language models and Jan AI This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Claude feels like a genie to me. With its Artifacts feature I can turn any idea I have into an interactive application, visualization, or graphic. Yesterday I created a Flashcard maker and a breathing app. No coding. Just a short AI chat conversation. No complexity. I dream up an idea, and Claude makes it instantly real. I iterate with chat to make it better. Read on for a guide to making the most of Artifacts with examples and ideas you can build yourself.✨ How to turn ideas into apps (no coding)* Create a free Claude.ai account or log in if you already have one.* Navigate to the “Artifacts” tab.* Pick one of the existing templates in the Inspiration gallery to customize.* If you don’t want to use a template, click “New Artifact” in the top right corner of the Artifacts landing page. Pick a category of interest (e.g. Games, Quizzes, etc). Chat with Claude to iteratively design an artifact.* Customize your Artifact by pasting or uploading specific content you want it to use, or by defining a particular color palette or design style. Explain how you want it to work or ask Claude to guide you with questions.* Test out the Artifact. Click “Publish” when you’re ready to get a shareable link and optional embed code.* Return to the Artifact later to update or change it. * 🔁 Repeat to make as many Artifacts as you want. Free users may run into rate limits.Sponsored MessageLet your data do all the talkingTurn spreadsheets into sleek, interactive visuals without a line of code. With Flourish, you can quickly create charts, maps, and interactive content that impress clients, engage audiences, and make your insights crystal clear.💡Try These: Apps You Can Make Right Now✏️ Master Any Subject (Study tools you can make)Create a resource to help you learn whatever you want. Use specific facts, diagrams, documents, or other materials to seed the assistant, or ask Claude to suggest relevant info. The flashcard maker I created lets me paste in some text, upload a PDF, or just describe a topic of interest. It instantly generates 10 questions for me. [See my prior post on using AI for Learning].My Example: Instant Flashcard Maker📊 Visualize Your DataIn addition to summarizing documents or transforming files, you can use AI to make sense of data. Ask Claude to analyze or visualize info in specific formats or with your preferred design sensibility. You can upload reference images or your style guide, or just specify style or tone.My Example: Visualize CSV Data🎭 Design Custom QuizzesIt’s now easy to make your own version of “Which Harry Potter House Are You?” quizzes. Pick a subject and supply some questions. Or ask Claude to propose questions and you can act as the editor. These can be just silly or they can help students or colleagues figure out where they stand on an issue.My Example: What’s Your AI Personality?🔗 Make Content InteractiveInclude a link to an Artifact in your next piece of writing or presentation to add an interactive element. Invite readers or viewers to try it for themselves. Ideas: a visual story summary, a quiz, infographic, dashboard, or a customized cost calculator. 🧮How to get started: Upload or paste content you’ve created —or a transcript, if it’s audio or video— and chat with Claude about interactive supplements that might be useful for your reader.Examples - WT Conference Toolkit Guide - Note-Taking Devices — Interactive Summary Table Sponsored MessageBento Focus | In the era of AI, noise is increasing. It’s time to take your focus seriously! ✅ Test Your KnowledgeTesting yourself helps identify knowledge gaps. You can upload specific material you’re aiming to master or just ask Claude to design a quiz Artifact for you on any subject. Give it context about your level and the kinds of questions you’ll find most useful, as well as your preferred quiz length.My Example: Liquidation preference quiz🎯 Build a Decision HelperFigure out which of multiple options works for you. This kind of interactive poses a series of preference questions to determine a result based on your answers. It guides decisions based on whatever criteria and grounding info you provide. To customize my own matching tools, I use my own writing, analysis and research to serve as the basis for the Claude Artifact. I based the following examples on my own research on AI learning modes and note-taking tools.Examples - Find your preferred AI learning mode - Find Your Perfect Note-Taking Tool🧘 Create Calm (Meditation & timer apps)Claude Artifacts can employ timers and graphics. To make a simple breathing app, I gave Claude instructions about the 4-7-8 breathing pattern. 4 seconds of breathing in; 7 seconds holding; 8 seconds of exhalation. I included a link to the source article from which I drew the information, and instructed Claude to run four cycles of the breathing timer for an activity that would last about a minute.Example: My 60-second breathing relaxation app🎮 Make a GameIt’s simple to make puzzles, simple arcade-style games, or word games. Describe the game you have in mind or ask Claude to give you some ideas to work with. Create your own version of something you loved to play as a kid, or a brain teaser to give yourself a playful mental break at work.Example: Word MorphOther ideas for what to make:* A specialized assistant for single-purpose tasks like generating a QR code, cleaning up messy notes, translating phrases, or assessing headline ideas* A banner image like the one above I made for this post* A prototype site like this mood canvas to share an idea with a colleague* A document or template like this PRD maker (for product requirements) to reformat your own content* Visualizations for creativity or quick prototyping* Campaign dashboards for sharing performance metrics* Sales pipeline forecasts or other interactive charts ⚠️ Limitations to Consider* Sometimes Claude leaves out a detail or a button doesn’t work. Other times, what you’ve envisioned doesn’t look quite right. Solution: You often have to prompt the model to make corrections, which it does well.* Artifacts don’t have built-in databases to store information. So if you create a habit tracker or content calendar, what you type in during one session won’t be stored for later. You can ask it to add an export capability, but if you need the tool to store data you can return to, you’re better off with a more sophisticated AI coding tool (for so-called '“vibe coding”) like Windsurf, Bolt, or Lovable.* While powerful, these Artifacts aren’t agents that can go out to the Web and interact with multiple data sources to update an app.🔄 Similar Tools Worth TryingGemini Canvas | Google’s Gemini also excels at creating great interactives and tools. I made this little alt-text generator for Wonder Tools with a short prompt that took less than a minute. I asked it to handle multiple images and offer two alt-text options for each. Canvas is free for all users; a pro subscription gets you access to a more powerful model. Perplexity Labs lets you generate detailed reports with infographics, create visual dashboards with business or economic data, or make other interactive graphics. Here’s an example of a family museum itinerary planner, and a coffee shop’s financial dashboard. Additional examples: Check out Perplexity’s Project Gallery for inspiring ideas. Caveat: Unlike Claude Artifacts and Gemini’s Canvas, which can be used for free, Perplexity Labs requires a $20/month subscription. What will you create next? Share your Artifacts in the comments 👇 or reply to this email—I’d love to see what you build. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Not everything creative needs a prompt. The Web is increasingly flooded with AI-generated images and videos, much of it aimed at kids. Sometimes it’s nice to break free of that synthetic media. As a dad of 10 and 12-year-old daughters, I appreciate resources for kids and families that celebrate human imagination, curiosity, and hands-on exploration. I had a fruitful recent conversation about resources for kids with a fellow dad, Kevin Maguire, who writes the great newsletter The New Fatherhood. If you’re a dad looking for great reads and a sense of community, check out Kevin’s newsletter. (Also read Recalculating, by Ignacio Pereyra). Kevin wrote the section below about simplifying screens and shared the tip about muted.io.The rest of the apps and resources below are ones I’ve enjoyed in recent years with my wife and daughters. From coding with visual blocks to identifying plants on nature walks, these are some of our favorite tools for sparking creativity.🧮 Building Brains Without Bots* Scratch, developed at the MIT Media Lab, is a superb program for learning to code. It’s fun and free for kids — and adults. My daughters like assembling Scratch’s visual blocks on screen to create interactive stories, games and animations. It’s designed for kids 8 to 16. ScratchJr is a great alternative for kids 5 to 7. Free* Dash Robot lets kids program it to move, light up, and make sounds. It teaches block coding, like Scratch, and our daughters enjoy making up their own instructions to send Dash on creative adventures. For kids 5 to 14. $180.* Seek is one of our favorite family apps. Point the app at any plant, flower, animal, or bug you see on a walk to learn more about it. It’s given us insight into much of the greenery (& critters) around us. iOS & Android. Free Sponsored Message🎥 Guidde | Create how-to guides with AITired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues?Guidde is an AI-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation.* Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides* Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x faster* Share or embed your guide anywhereJust click capture on the browser extension. The app automatically generates step-by-step video guides with visuals, voiceover, and a call to action. The best part? The extension is 100% free.📚 Words That Work Wonders* Libby lets you access thousands of free ebook or audiobooks with a free library card. It works for more than 90% of public libraries in North America, and Libby can be found in 78 countries worldwide. Free* Khan Academy is the most robust online spot for helping kids with learning almost any school subject. It’s completely free. No ads. Khan Academy Kids has great learning activities and games for kids 2-8. It’s also free and ad-free, and it’s fun for both math and reading. FreeFamily Screen Time That Actually Works* Common Sense Media | Wondering if a show, movie or video game is age appropriate? Get a quick sense of whether it’s a good fit for your family. Free* Kanopy is a terrific free resource for educational videos, documentaries and classic films. Access it with your library card. A unique feature: watch Oscar-winning short films you won’t find on other streaming platforms. Kanopy Kids is a curated collection for learning, less commercial than the kids section on Netflix. Free* JustWatch | See which platform hosts a particular movie or show. Free* Nex | Like a Nintendo Wii made for 2025, this video game system gets our bodies moving with fun, non-violent, family-friendly games. It was easy to set up, pluging right into an HDMI port on our TV. It’s a little bigger than a Rubiks Cube. Four of us can play together. We like the sports, dancing and trivia games. Some titles are just for little kids (e.g. Elmo, Peppa Pig), but most are engaging for older kids and adults. The device costs $249 with five included games. An $89 annual subscription gets you 40+ more games.Read my Fast Company interview [gift link] with Nex’s founding CEO about how his game system has spread. 🎨 Making Music* Chrome Music Lab 🎼Compose little tunes, even if you have no musical experience. Explore digital instruments and sound games. Save your favorite clips to share. Google’s MusicFX is a fun alternative for generating music with a prompt. Free* Metronaut 🎶 This sheet music app lets kids play along with an accompaniment from an phone or iPad. It supports 20+ instruments ranging from strings and woodwinds to piano, guitar, and brass. $27/year on iOS.* Tomplay is another great sheet music app that works well on Android and iOS and includes a wider range of chamber music. I pay $82/year for it.* muted.io has a vibrant collection of interactive tools and visual references to help kids — or their parents — absorb music theory. Free [by Kevin Maguire]Art Adventures & Creative Experiments 🎨* Tate Kids — An Arty Playground. Play art games, watch cute videos, try out little projects, and stretch your artistic mind with this well-designed resource from one of the UK’s great art museums. Free* Make an animated drawing. Turn a sketch into a playful moving image. This service from Meta lets you turn coloring into animation. Free* Draw A Fish. This simple, low-fidelity game lets you draw a little fish with your computer mouse, then see it swim on screen. Free* Google’s Arts & Culture Experiments include dozens of playful free apps for learning about the worlds of painting, sculpture, music, and more. FreeSpark Curiosity * How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo is a wonderful guide to fabulous books for kids. It grew out of this free NYTimes guide (gift link). As of this writing, it’s $9.51 on Amazon.* The Week Junior is a terrific print magazine. It’s aimed at kids 8 to 14, but my wife and I also enjoy reading it. The 32 colorful pages feature short curated stories about the news of the week. It also includes puzzles, a weekly debate, and photography pages. Cost: 25 issues/year for $49, or $59 for print + digital access. (See the magazine layout design)📱 Simplifying Screens [by Kevin Maguire]* Consider a Light Phone 📱Experiment with freeing yourself (and your kids) from smartphone addiction with a full-on dumbphone. Reviews for the 3rd edition have been glowing — Wired gave it 8/10. $699 for version 3 or $299 for version 2. * Try the Dumb Phone app. Simulate a simple device with an app that strips away everything but simple links to the core phone functions: camera, maps, calendar, and photos. Imitate a simple device without dropping $500 on the love child of a Nokia and a Kindle. Free or $10/annual; $30/lifetime.* The Dumbest Phone Is Parenting Genius. A landline for kids? If it’s not too late, consider a tactic from Rheana Murray’s Atlantic article: install a landline. Buy that hamburger phone you always dreamed of as a kid; go with a “landline as a service” company like Tin Can and their gorgeous house phones; or if you’re more technically inclined roll your own VoIP line for a fraction of the cost. The bottom line: delay the start of smartphone life.What’s a creative resource for kids that you love? Leave a comment 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

In part one of this post, I shared my conference prep and networking toolkit. But here's the thing: conference value often gets lost the week after. You return exhausted, with a phone full of photos and a head full of ideas that slowly fade. Two things can help. A little hardware — worth its carry-on weight— and a few smart post-event tools. These streamline how I show up — and follow-up.My Conference Gear1. The Digital NotebookreMarkable Paper Pro Move This new digital notebook is like a cross between a Kindle and an iPad. It doesn’t have apps. It doesn’t send notifications. It doesn’t play video or audio. It has a screen designed to feel like you’re writing on paper. It bridges handwritten notes and searchable text.I often prefer to take live session notes on my laptop, with Granola, as noted in part one. But in some sessions, writing by hand feels less distracting. My notes are searchable later and they’re backed up and accessible on the reMarkable phone app and my laptop.I like the new templates and workbooks so I don’t always have to start with a blank page. And having digital notes means I avoid adding to the stack of paper notebooks under my desk. To justify the $450 expense for the well-made Norwegian device you’ll want to use it regularly for several years. For a cheaper reusable option, consider a Rocketbook. The mini is $20 and other— like the Flex Planner— are under $50. Read more about my exploration of paper vs digital notes.2. Backup Buddy 🎙️Sony ICD-UX570 Digital Recorder ($98) This fits comfortably in my pocket, with a pop-out USB connector for transferring recordings to my laptop. * It comes in handy if you’re in a front-row seat, where laptop typing may feel intrusive. * It beats phone apps that can crash, or a laptop mic that picks up more ambient noise.* The audio quality, while not as good as a pro device, may be decent enough for a podcast sound bite. Post-event transcription* MacWhisper is free for transcribing audio files locally on your laptop.* NotebookLM also provides fast free transcription, for files up to 200mb. * Alice enables high-quality, secure transcription for $3 to $10/hour. * Good Tape, a Danish service created by journalists for journalists, is free for three 30-min transcriptions a month, or ~$15/month billed annually for 20 hours of transcription.* Escriba is free to try for a week, then $10/month for 6 hours of transcription. Like Good Tape, it works in 90+ languages. Developed by Brazilian fact-checking organization Aos Fatos, all revenue is reinvested in the newsroom.* Want more options? Check out a recent post on the best transcription tools.3. The Quiet Saver 🎧Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Headphones Find moments of quiet and crystal-clear phone calls even in chaotic convention halls. Yes, like the reMarkable, they cost an eye-watering $450. But my last pair (XM3) lasted 7 years— and still work as a backup. That's about $5/month for daily peace of mind. The new AirPods 3 ($250) look to be a cheaper and more easily portable alternative. I may test them soon.4. A Lighter Laptop 💻13-inch MacBook Air After lugging a heavy backpack around for decades, I’m now carrying less. I bought this slender backup so I don’t have to haul my chunky Macbook Pro to and from work. For 95% of what I do, the laptops function equally well. Sponsored Message🎥 Effortless Tutorial Video Creation with GuiddeTransform your team’s static training materials into dynamic, engaging video guides with Guidde. Here’s what you’ll love:1️⃣ Easy to Create: Turn PDFs into impressive video tutorials with a single click.2️⃣ Easy to Update: Refresh video content to keep your training materials relevant.3️⃣ Easy to Localize: Generate multilingual guides to ensure global accessibility.Empower your teammates with interactive learning. And the best part? The browser extension is 100% free.II. Post-Conference Processing4. Reflect on what you’ve learnedThe OpenNews After Party Toolkit is a smart guide to conference follow-up. When a pile of work greets you, it’s easy for event takeaways to melt away. That’s why this guide is so useful, with tips to help you: * Reflect during the flight home* Write a one-pager for your boss* Host a brown-bag at work * Make follow-up handouts The guide was prepared by Emma Carew Grovum for SRCCON, a gathering of forward-looking journalists. 5. Create Your Conference Brain 🧠NotebookLM Drop your notes, slides, audio recordings, handouts, photos—into NotebookLM for an AI-powered knowledge base. Query your collection, generate audio summaries for the flight home, or create video overviews for team debriefs. You can now generate custom reports as well, focused on specific topics. The reports include helpful citations, pointing you back to the spot in your notes where something was mentioned. Upload materials daily during the conference to avoid post-event overwhelm. Here’s what I like about NotebookLM.Create a master notebook: A senior journalist at the Online News Association conference told me she uses NotebookLM to create an uber-conference notebook with notes from all the conferences she attends. That way she can query across multiple events. That’s valuable months later when it’s hard to remember which conference had the panel covering some specific topic of interest. It also helps surface recurring themes. Author Steven Johnson, who co-founded NotebookLM, does something similar, relying on a notebook that has the text of all his books and major writings. 6. Process Through Conversation 💬ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode Let AI interview you about conference takeaways. Speaking freely helps process ideas you haven't fully formed yet. Ask for a summary of your own insights to capture thoughts while they're fresh. You can also chat with Claude, Gemini or Copilot, asking your AI assistant to interview you about the conference and then summarize your responses. You can use a simple prompt “Interview me about the conference I just attended and help me think through what was most notable and what I can follow-up on.” Or draw on these more detailed prompts.7. Visualize Your Insights 📊MyLens Transform your summary notes into visual mind maps and infographics. We often remember things better when we visualize them.Alternatives: ChatGPT’s new image generation engine can create informational graphics as well. Napkin designs detailed infographics (see why I like it), while Gamma works best if you want slides rather than infographics (why Gamma is useful).ps. Here’s a Wonder Tools Interactive Conference Toolkit Guide, made w/ Claude. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I go to conferences just a few times a year. To make the most of the frenzied days, I rely on a suite of tools. Read on below for those worth trying, and then read my follow-up post: What’s in My Conference Bag 💼 I. The Week Before1. Mine Your Network GoldmineClay | This personal rolodex enhances your contact list with info from LinkedIn and whatever other social platforms you choose (Instagram, Facebook, X). You can use Nexus, its new AI-enhanced search, to surface contacts in your conference city, or people in your network with specific expertise or interests.If you connect Clay to your calendar and email, it shows you a list of past meetings and email threads you’ve exchanged with a given contact for context. At the conference you can also use it to add private notes to a contact. It’s free for up to 1,000 contacts, or $10/month billed annually for unlimited. Pro alternative: Folk is a more advanced CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool that’s useful if you’re attending conferences for sales, or if you manage a service business that involves a lot of outreach. It’s a pro tool, but surprisingly well designed. There’s a new ChatGPT integration so you can use ordinary language to query all your contacts and sales leads. If I were to run a sales-heavy project, I’d use this.2. Build Your Intelligence HubPerplexity Spaces | Create a dedicated Space for your conference—think of it as a smart folder for all your research queries. * It can be private, shared with colleagues who can contribute, or public. * Use it for queries related to conference sessions you’re attending or leading. * You can also use Spaces to plan for free time between sessions. Customize a Space’s instructions with your preferences to discover restaurants, music, museums, or whatever else interests you near the conference. * Upload files to give the AI assistant further context. Add reference docs from conference organizers, recommendations from friends, or a city guide you like.Learn more: Check my most recent Perplexity guide.. Alternative: you can similarly set up a project in Claude or ChatGPT with relevant documents and queries. Or set up a notebook in NotebookLM.For further prep: Check out this pre-conference Planning Exercise, part of a helpful OpenNews toolkit by Emma Carew Grovum. 3. Create Pop-Up Networking MealsPartiful | Set up open lunches or dinners that conference connections can join spontaneously. Group meals build on hallway small talk for relationship building. Many people eat alone because coordinating is tricky, or they don’t know where to go outside the hotel or conference center.It’s completely free. Create events during the conference, then share the QR code when you meet someone interesting—they can RSVP instantly on their phone. You can use the app to check RSVPs, or to send updates or follow-ups. Or post the RSVP link to an event discussion thread, or include it in an email. Schedule 2-3 meals throughout the conference and cap attendance at 6-8 people for rich conversations.For informal conference get-togethers Partiful is a good alternative to Lu.ma — the RSVP app I like using to send invites for my paid subscriber events online. Both are great, but Partiful integrates texting in a smart way, includes QR codes for RSVPing, and has a more social feel for spur of the moment gatherings.Sponsored Message🎥 Guidde | Create how-to guides with AITired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues?Guidde is an AI-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation.* Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides* Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x faster* Share or embed your guide anywhereJust click capture on the browser extension. The app will automatically generate step-by-step video guides complete with visuals, voiceover and call to action.The best part? The extension is 100% free.II. At the Conference: Capture What Matters4. Never Miss a MomentGranola | This hybrid note-taking app combines your typed notes with AI-enhanced transcription. Record sessions on your phone or laptop while jotting down key thoughts—Granola merges both into session summaries you can query.When my mind wanders during a session, I like being able to review the transcript to catch up. And if I have to step out for a minute or respond to an important message, I still have full notes. No audio or video is stored, just the transcript and summary. I’ve been surprised at how accurate the transcripts tend to be, even when I’m sitting in the middle of a large presentation room. It’s free for 25 meetings or $18/month for unlimited.Case in point: At the Online News Association (ONA) conference I just attended in New Orleans, I created a folder with Granola for all my session notes. Now I can query my whole collection of conference notes for follow-ups.Alternatives* Bloks is a pro option I’ve written about before. It integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other pro platforms, but it’s now $69/month billed annually after a 14-day trial, so it’s only relevant for hard-core business use.* Macwhisper is a great free app that can record and transcribe locally on your laptop, but it doesn’t show you the live transcript or let you mix in your own notes. 5. Connect with PeopleLinkedIn QR Code Scanner | Skip the business card shuffle. To use LinkedIn's free built-in QR scanner, tap the mobile app’s search bar and click the scanner icon on the far right. You can then scan someone else’s LinkedIn QR code or have them scan yours. You’re instantly connected without having to type anything. No need to spend an hour processing a stack of business cards later.Uniqode | If LinkedIn doesn’t suit you for connecting, create a free Uniqode digital business card. Save to your Apple or Google Wallet to easily share contact info without having to hunt through your photos app.Or if you want a simple way to give people you meet a link, a PDF, a group of images, or a vCard with contact info, QR Codes Unlimited lets you quickly create and download a QR code for free with customized colors and designs.6. Digitize EverythingScanner Pro by Readdle | Transform blurry photos of slides or awkward snapshots of handouts into clean, readable documents. The features I like: * Quality scans | New tech improves on previous apps I’ve tried. * Smart cropping | The app auto-detects slide or paper edges. * Conversion | I usually render scans in high-contrast black and white, unless the colors are crucial.* Organization | It’s simple to keep scans in topical folders, e.g. receipts, books, mementos, recipes, ONA25. * Less paper | At conferences I try to scan most handouts now instead of hauling a stack of paper home. It lightens my bag, limits my office paper mess, and shortens processing time back at work.* Cleaner camera roll | I prefer scans in a dedicated app so they don’t clutter up my camera roll. * Access your scans from anywhere | Use Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive for automatic backups and to see or share your scans on any device.This post is continued in Part 2 — What’s in My Conference Bag 💼. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

AI assistants are now more than simple answer machines. ChatGPT's new Study Mode, Claude's Learning Mode, and Gemini's Guided Learning represent a significant shift. Instead of just providing answers, these free tools act as adaptive, 24/7 personal tutors. Sponsored Message🎥 Guidde | Create how-to guides with AITired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues?Guidde is an AI-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation.* Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides* Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x faster* Share or embed your guide anywhereJust click capture on the browser extension. The app will automatically generate step-by-step video guides complete with visuals, voiceover and call to action.The best part? The extension is 100% free.New Tools for Studying and LearningChatGPT Study ModeGet Started: Select Study Mode from the plus menu when starting a new chat. [Screenshot]. Start with context. Tell ChatGPT what you want to learn, why, and what you already know. The model excels at adapting to your level and guiding you step by step. My take: I’ve been experimenting with AI learning modes to understand the intricacies of venture capital investing. ChatGPT initially overwhelmed me with info [screenshot], then seemed to notice I was drowning and adjusted its pace. It must have seen my confused frown. 😵‍💫 Note: You can use “Study and learn” mode on mobile and with ChatGPT in a browser, but you can’t yet access it in the desktop app or within a ChatGPT Project. Below is a quick example of a dialogue in Study Mode 👇Gemini Guided LearningGet Started: Visit g.co/gemini/guidedlearning My take: Gemini has been an excellent tutor. It replies concisely to my questions about venture capital. For example, so far it has: * Quizzed me (try a basic example)* Created a helpful infographic* Generated an audio overview, in the style of NotebookLM * Made me a custom Web page* Shared simple digital flashcards The tangible artifacts help me visualize concepts and test my own understanding. The model takes a minute or so to produce infographics and a little longer to create audio overviews. I’m repeatedly returning to these materials to review what still feels fuzzy — arcane details of valuation, cap tables, dilution, and convertible notes. Below is an example of a scientific infographic 👇Other Google Learning Tools* Illuminate turns academic papers and research into audio summaries* Learn About responds thoroughly and helpfully to any inquiry* Learning Coach Gem is an assistant you can chat with. * Little Language Lessons offers quick takeaways. * LearnLM is Google’s family of language models for learning, grounded in educational research.Claude Learning ModeGet Started: Select "Learning" from the style menu. This step initially confused me because the other options in that menu are writing styles.My take: Claude's scenario-based questions —like these— push me to think through real-world situations to practice applying what I’m learning. Tips: As you learn, ask Claude to create artifacts—little interactive apps— that help you practice what you're learning. Also request occasional challenges, case studies, or quizzes.Advantage: Unlike ChatGPT, you can use Learning Mode within Claude Projects. That allows you to benefit from personalized learning alongside your uploaded documents and context. So you can upload a slew of files, reports, and research resources and let Claude tutor you on those materials. Learn Mode vs. Answer Mode 🌟Turn on the learning features for any of these AI assistants and you’ll quickly notice the difference. * Learning modes use Socratic questioning — asking rather than telling. * They adapt to your level of understanding. * They nudge you to make your own observations. * They help you test your understanding with informal quizzes. * They guide you step-by-step through complex topics rather than rushing to throw answers at you. In learning mode, these assistants feel like tutors; in standard mode they’re more like interactive encyclopedias.The difference is significant. On previous occasions when I wanted to analyze data, I'd ask for quick insights. In study mode I've learned, among other things, how to use pivot tables more effectively so I can analyze data more thoroughly myself. Rather than getting fish handed to me, I'm learning to fish.Topics to try in learn mode* “How do tariffs impact supply chains?” or “How does cryptocurrency work?”* “Guide me through the basics of [science/math concept]”* “In what ways might Shakespeare have influenced Montaigne’s essays?”* “How do private equity firms operate? Help me understand the nuances.”4 Ways to Learn with AI 📚1. Understand a complex concept or skill 💪What it's for: Work or school topics you need to grasp thoroughly, or just topics you’re curious aboutMy experience: I'm using AI study modes to review probabilities for dice, tile and card picking for tabletop games like Qwixx, Splendor, Azul, Point Salad, and backgammon. The AI helps me move forward step-by-step, checking my progress and slowing down when I get confused. I like being able to ask dumb questions without embarrassment. 🫢2. Indulge your intellectual curiosity 🤔What it's for: Topics you find fascinating. Learning for its own sake.My experience: After reading Hernán Díaz’s Trust recently, I went down a rabbit hole learning about metafiction (stories within stories) and polyphony (stories from multiple vantage points) and discovering new connections between various authors. This pure intellectual exploration feels different from work-focused learning. It's driven by curiosity rather than necessity. I like that I can leap from tangent to tangent whenever I feel like it. I can also stop suddenly and return to a thread days later. The assistant loses no momentum and continues as if we never paused. 3. Deepen your expertiseWhat it's for: Expand your understanding of something you’ve already studied.My experience: I'm using AI learning modes to explore connections between classical composers whose music I’ve spent my life listening to and playing. I’m also sharpening the way I use spreadsheets for data analysis. The AI builds on what I already know, rather than starting from scratch.4. Learn how to learnWhat it's for: Discover how you learn best. Learn about learning and how to sharpen your brain. My experience: I'm experimenting with AI learning approaches to see what works best for me, and getting to know more about learning science. Most valuable so far: Gemini's quizzes and infographics, Claude's short answer questions, and practicing summarizing and expanding on ChatGPT’s explanations. The most useful learning mode features* Short quizzes with instant feedback that force me to apply what I’m learning * Scenarios I have to analyze that force me to make nuanced distinctions* Realistic case studies that require me to summarize new concepts* Asking as many dumb questions as I wantRequesting tangible learning artifacts, like infographics, audio overviews, flashcards, and tables In my own teaching (at CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism) I’m planning to incorporate more formative micro-assessments — brief in-class ungraded quizzes using tools like Slido and Socrative to help me check what students understand and to give them more tiny opportunities to practice what we’re learning.🌟 Take my learning quiz to pick the tool best for you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

AI assistants are surprisingly conservative by default. Push them to be unconventional, and you’ll get dramatically different results. This updated guide shares my favorite techniques for getting fresh, useful responses instead of predictable pablum.[Editor's note: Are you actually reading these episode notes? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Are they useful? Would you prefer they were shorter summaries of the post, rather than full text? Email jeremy at jeremycaplan.com if you have thoughts or feedback]The prompts below push ChatGPT, Claude, or whatever other AI tool you prefer to break its conventional patterns, progressing from bland to provocative. The payoff: your AI assistant becomes a creative crane, helping you reach in new directions. Rather than serving as a generic answer machine, your queries can point you toward unexpected angles and radical insights.5 ways to push AI to be boldAdd weird constraints. Force creative breakthroughs by setting up artificial limitations. Example: “Help me explain [X] using words a 12-year-old would understand, but make it engaging enough for experts in the field.”Channel historical problem-solvers. How might figures who made their mark on the past manage my little strategic query. Example: If Maya Angelou were mediating this team conflict, what questions would she ask that no one else is considering?Insist on strange cross-pollination. Require the borrowing of concepts, frameworks, or terminology from vastly different domains. Example: “Analyze my [business / creative project] through the lens of marine biology. What patterns or ecosystem principles could apply here?”Apply disaster movie logic. Push an AI assistant to consider a workplace problem with the urgency of a crisis scenario to explore unconventional ways to quickly address a slow-moving issue. Example: “This team project has 48 hours before catastrophic failure. What unconventional resources could we deploy? What rules would we break to succeed?’Embrace absurd analogies. Challenge the AI to reply in terms that may seem silly at first, but may yield unexpected clarity.Example: “To help me simplify the most confusing aspect of my presentation, explain my fundraising strategy [X] as if it were a board game instruction manual.”Give me strange and surprising feedbackWhen I’m in a creative rut, I paste in a section of writing and prompt AI to be bold and unconventional: “Offer 5 surprising, bold suggestions for specific ways to improve the following piece of writing. Along with each suggestion, include a detailed, creative explanation with your rationale.”“Act as an unpredictable, brilliant writing coach who offers strange, quirky, creative suggestions. Provide specific, granular input.”“Detail novel topic ideas or peculiarly provocative questions I could answer to help me disrupt the conventionality or predictability of the following outline I've begun.” “Point out blindspots. Spotlight what others with radically different perspectives might find problematic if they were to read this with a critical eye. Offer a list of unconventional suggestions for addressing these issues.”10 odd AI prompts to get radically new results What are 3 quirky, unusual analogies to explain [your phenomenon of interest]. See my ChatGPT example prompt and result. Propose 5 questions a reader would be surprised to find answered on [your topic X]. See my ChatGPT example.Who are 7 surprising, odd historical figures to cite as examples of [X]. For each individual include a detailed explanation. See my Perplexity example.What rarely discussed, counterintuitive insights on the subject of [X] might startle readers accustomed to bland observations? See my Gemini example.Give me 5 lively, colorful, unusual words to use in a description of [X]? See my Microsoft Copilot example.Provide 3 extreme, surprising examples of [X] or silly, ridiculous instances.Share 5 counterintuitive ways to address situation [X]. See my Grok example Imagine I shocked people with a one sentence answer to the following question: [X]. Give me 10 versions of that one-sentence reply. See my Jan AI example.I have [X challenge] in [Y situation]. Assume I want to surprise people with a wildly creative solution. Describe three solutions that would stun people while addressing the root of the issue. For a syllabus I’m creating on [X], imagine seven radically different people teaching the same course. Provide three bullet points representing each teacher, explaining the surprising and distinct learning outcomes each would aim for in their version of the class. How to get started with provocative prompts Step 1: Pick an AI chat tool to experiment with: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot. Step 2: Initiate a new chat by typing in a role for the AI to adopt for the prompt you’re going to give it. For example: “Act as a bold, experienced, expert who provides distinctive, unusual perspectives to push my thinking in creative new directions.”Step 3: Adapt one of the unusual AI prompt templates above to fit your context. Step 4: Follow-up. After the initial response, iterate. Steer the dialogue in a direction of interest. Ask for even more radical suggestions. AI assistants excel at generating lots and lots of ideas, out of which it’s easier to find one good one.Step 5. Set up a project (Optional). To create an ongoing space where you get bold, unconventional responses, set up a Claude Project or ChatGPT Project with instructions, and prior examples. Note: both require paid plans. A free alternative: train a bold bot on Poe. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Bland AI outputs grow stale quickly. Instead of just speeding up routine tasks, what if we used AI to slow down, challenge our thinking, and build new tools, dashboards, and experiments? Read on for creative approaches that are changing how I think about AI.1. Create your own devil's advocate assistant 👿Get thoughtful pushback on decisions. Challenge ideas.The tactic: Use AI as an intellectual sparring partner to stress-test your thinking, explore alternative perspectives, and identify potential blind spots before making important decisions. Try this: Present a plan, idea, or decision to an AI assistant with instructions to challenge your thinking constructively. Identify risks you haven't considered, consider secondary impacts, and add nuance to your analysis. Prompt template"I'm planning to [decision/plan] because [reasoning] and with a goal of [objective]. Play devil's advocate, give me multiple perspectives on this, be bold, surprising, creative, and thoughtful in your reply, and address these questions: * What are the strongest arguments against this approach? * What alternatives should I consider? * What risks might I be overlooking? * What questions should I be asking myself? * What challenges should I expect to face? * What could I do to gain more insight? * What could I do to increase the chances of success?Pro tip: Try asking your AI assistant to role-play. It can respond as a financial advisor, family member, or competitor, for varied viewpoints. Or ask it to act like a person you admire, living or dead, real or fictional.Limitation: Your AI devil’s assistant will be generic if you don’t provide detailed context. And you may get a predictable response if you don’t instruct it to be bold. Suggested model: I have found ChatGPT 5 to be excellent for this. Gemini and Claude also work well. If you’re considering anything sensitive, you may want to use a free offline private AI tool like AnythingLLM or Jan. I’ll write more soon about private AI tools like these. If you have input on those, add a comment below.Example: I described a new planned morning schedule to GPT 5. The subsequent exchange got me thinking about several new issues. The conversation helped me clarify my own thinking. It pushed me to organize and deepen my own analysis. As a bonus, GPT 5 produced a tangible artifact for me — a PDF with tables. 2. Learn something new 🧠Map out a personalized curriculumAI tools let me try out skills I thought I was too late to develop, like coding simple applications, designing graphics, analyzing large data sets, and exploring complex docs in other languages. You can also lean on AI assistants to help you develop offline skills, like learning about photography, improving your Greek, understanding crypto, sharpening project management skills, making bread by hand, or prepping for any new coverage area for a project or team. AI assistants excel at creating structured learning and practice plans tailored to your schedule, style, and goals.Try this: Give an AI assistant context about what you want to learn, why, and how. * Detail your rationale and motivation, which may impact your approach. * Note your current knowledge or skill level, ideally with examples. Summarize your learning preferences * Note whether you prefer to read, listen to, or watch learning materials. * Mention if you like quizzes, drills, or exercises you can do while commuting or during a break at work.* If you appreciate learning games, task your AI assistant with generating one for you, using its coding capabilities detailed below. * Ask for specific book, textbook, article, or learning path recommendations using the Web search or Deep Research capabilities of Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude. They can also summarize research literature about effective learning tactics. * If you need a human learning partner, ask for guidance on finding one or language you can use in reaching out. Add specificity* Mention any relevant deadlines. Note budget, time, or other constraints. * Share info about your existing schedule so the assistant can help map out optimal learning time slots. Making the plan concrete increases the likelihood you’ll follow through. ChatGPT recently generated a calendar file with a list of appointments I could easily import into my Google calendar. Pro Tip: Ask for help setting up a schedule, setting learning targets, measuring progress, choosing resources, motivating yourself, and implementing backup plans when you fall off track. Ask for a learning plan you can print out, charts you can fill in, interactive apps to track progress, resource lists you can look up, experts you can follow, and strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. One-line prompt template: Make a [timeframe] learning plan for [skill/topic] with [hours/week], my [skill level], [learning style], and [goal]—include milestones, resources, and practice ideas.Detailed prompt template 3. Stretch your creative design muscles 💪 Try this: Use AI image generation tools to experiment with visual ideas. Start with simple concepts and iterate to add nuance or complexity. Practice describing visual concepts in text, then see them realized instantly and iterate on your prompts.* Try MyLens or Napkin for creating mind maps, flow charts, timelines or various other infographics out of detailed prompts or source docs. * Use Ideogram — detailed in this post — or ChatGPT’s new image generator — detailed in this post — to describe any style of illustration, infographic or other visual. * For creative video generation, try Hypernatural, which lets you turn text into moving images. Use this to: Add creative images to presentations, experiment with social media graphics, or generate infographics for teaching, publishing, or project work.Limitation: AI image generators are improving rapidly but still struggle with precise text placement, detailed charts, and maintaining brand consistency across multiple images. Most don’t let you select specific image dimensions, though Ideogram does.Examples: I generated the images in this post with ChatGPT and Ideogram, and I’ve used Hypernatural to make video versions of past posts, like this 2-min video about Raindrop, which I wrote about last week. 4. Create a personalized dashboard 📈Build custom tracking tools and mini-applicationsWithout knowing anything about code, you can generate simple web applications for tracking anything important to you. Prompt your AI assistant to help you keep tabs on reading or eating goals, fitness metrics, project progress at school or work, or stats for Wordle or your game of choice. Try this: Ask AI to create a dashboard or tracking tool tailored to your specific needs. Experiment with Claude 4 Artifacts, Gemini's code canvas. Also try vibe coding tools like Lovable or Bolt that specialize in creating apps and sites based on prompts. For advanced projects, consider Windsurf Cascade. Pro tip: Plan to iterate. It almost always takes multiple attempts to get something workable, because you realize your needs when you see the first prototype. Start with simple tracking before requesting complex features. Ask for additional functionality with follow-up prompts. Here’a a Prompt Example.Limitation: The simplest versions of these mini applications work in your browser only. To use an application on multiple devices, you’ll need to save the code and host it with a service that allows you to create a database. For that, try Lovable, Bolt, or Windsurf. Example: I’m working on a content planning and workflow app to organize and track my newsletter work. How are YOU using AI? Leave a comment to share 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Four new AI tools caught my attention recently for solving specific problems well. They're free to try, quick to learn, and point toward where AI is heading.1. Lovart 🧑‍🎨 Create a brand kit or marketing campaign with an AI design agent Lovart’s conversational interface allows you to generate posters, social posts, branding kits, storyboards — even packaging. Unlike other image generation tools, you can generate dozens of images from a single prompt, then iterate on the results in a chat dialogue. You can also edit the images. I used an eraser to remove stray text in a promo poster. See more examples. Pricing: Free (limited use), or $15–$26/month billed annually for additional usage and pro models.2. Little Language Lessons 🎯 Brush up on French, Spanish, or other languages Polish your linguistic skills in three different ways using Google’s Little Language Lessons. Unlike Duolingo, Babbel, and other subscription language-learning systems, this is completely free. It’s just for micro-learning — picking up some words, phrases and grammar, not for developing full fluency. * Tiny Lessons: Pick from a long list of languages and type in a scenario — like hosting a meeting or going to a concert. Learn related words & phrases. * Slang Hang: Catch up on popular new chit-chat by watching a conversation thread between native speakers. While listening, you’ll see the translation. * Word Cam: Snap a picture to get translations of objects in the image, along with related phrases. Tip: use this app on a mobile device — it’ll be handier for capturing images than your computer’s Webcam.Another useful Google service: Learn About. Get tips on learning any language — or learn about whatever fascinates you. Sponsored Message 🌟📚 Training Videos Made Simple: from Boring to BrilliantSay goodbye to dense, static documents. And hello to captivating how-to videos for your team using Guidde.1️⃣ Create in Minutes: Simplify complex tasks into step-by-step guides using AI.2️⃣ Real-Time Updates: Keep training content fresh & accurate with instant revisions.3️⃣ Global Accessibility: Share guides in any language effortlessly.Make training more impactful and inclusive today.The best part? The browser extension is 100% free3. Gemini Scheduled Actions 🗓️Set up simple AI automations Scheduled actions are an emerging format where AI assistants send you personalized updates. You design the task and choose its frequency. ChatGPT Tasks, Perplexity Tasks, and Gemini’s Scheduled Actions are three I’ve been testing. Get notified when a task is completed by email, push notification, or within the app. Here are a few examples: * Generate a summary of headlines on your niche topic. I get positive news memos to counter the weight of news negativity. Ask for one-sentence takeaways, source links, specific sub-topics, or whatever else interests you.* Get weather-related wardrobe suggestions. Create morning weather updates with outfit ideas based on a list of wardrobe items you provide for personalized guidance. * Plan a creative spark moment: Get a daily — or weekly — prompt for a creative activity: writing, drawing, journaling, cooking, or whatever you love.* Catch up on your favorite teams, shows, or bands. Request updates on your favorite artists or athletes. Unlike services like Google Alerts, these AI actions let you use natural language to detail your personal interests. * Explore new restaurants to try. Ask for a weekly summary of new nearby eateries, cafes or dessert spots, with whatever criteria matters to you most. 4. MyLens 📍 Create an infographic from a link, YouTube video, or textCreating infographics can be complicated and time-consuming. I’ve been experimenting with MyLens to convert raw material into visuals. How it works: Paste in text or upload a PDF, image, or CSV/Excel file. Or add a link to a site, article, or YouTube video. I pasted a link to my recent Craft post, asked the system to choose a visual, and got the board below. 👇When editing, I clicked on cards to expand them or dig deeper into specific points. That yielded this mind map. I also shared a link to my video reflecting on writing this newsletter for 5 years. MyLens responded with this visual overview. * What you can make: Generate timelines, flow charts, tables, or quadrant diagrams. Or upload data to create line, bar or donut charts. * 📺 Watch MyLens’s one-minute demo video to see it in action.* Pricing: Free to create 3 non-editable, public infographics (“stories”) a day, or $9/month billed annually for 300 monthly editable creations. * Alternatives: I’ve covered Napkin.ai, Venngage, and apps for creating timelines.Reader survey summaryThanks to the hundreds of you who completed my recent reader survey. In addition to reading every single submission, I tasked Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT with generating detailed summaries to help me continue to improve the newsletter based on your feedback. I’ll be replying to respondents with free bonus resources and follow-ups based on their responses. Thanks, JeremyCatch up on last week’s post: What’s in your toolkit? Share your top new tools in a comment below or in this short form. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

If I could use only one app, I’d pick Craft. Craft is my favorite multipurpose document + notes tool. It looks and feels nicer than Google Docs or Apple Notes. It’s easier to use than Obsidian, Coda or Notion. And it’s flexible enough for everything from shopping lists to client proposals. Read on for why it’s so useful, new features, limitations, and more.Craft’s 8 best features 👍 * Visual: Elegant sub-page cards help Craft docs look neater & nicer than Google or Word Docs, which tend to bog down with lots of text. * Easy: Add text, images, links, tables, or sub-pages intuitively. * Shareable: Collaborate on a doc and publish & share it with a link. You can create custom links and track metrics to measure visits. * Export: Print, export as PDF or text, or transfer material to Day One, Bear, Drafts, Ulysses, Things, iA Writer, or other apps. * Calendar: Easily sync your calendar to use Craft for daily notes.* Affordable: The free version is great and the unlimited option is fairly priced.* Flexible: Works quickly and reliably on mobile, desktop or Web. You can even email material into your notes. * AI options Pick from multiple AI models within Craft, or avoid it entirely. * Templates: Starting docs for travel, events, family, and more. PricingFree for basic usage, with up to 1500 content blocks and 1gb of storage. * Free upgrade for students and educators with your school email address. * Free upgrade w/ a subsription to Setapp, $10/month for access to 200+ apps. * Plus plan: $8/month billed annually for a Plus account to create unlimited notes and documents. ($4/month with a special 50% current discount). * Team plan: $15/month for sharing with 2 to 6 people. (50% current discount)Sponsored Message🎥 Guidde | Create how-to video guides fast and easy with AITired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues?It’s time to delegate that work to AI. Guidde is a GPT-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation.* Share or embed your guide anywhere* Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides* Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x fasterJust click capture on the browser extension and the app will automatically generate step-by-step video guides complete with visuals, voiceover and call to action.The best part? The extension is 100% freeExamples of Craft Docs 👇 * Useful AI prompts excerpts from my resource for paid subscribers* Planning great class sessions excerpts from my guide for paid subscribers* Syllabus outline draft from teacher Jeremy England* Home life notes by the Craft teamExamples of Craft Templates 👇 * Simple company handbook with sections for people, policies & resources* Sales plan has sections for mission statement, team roles, action plan, etc.* Home design planner with customizable pages * Travel packing list with customizable visual sections for your next tripNew features I like* Styles For designing distinctive docs, Craft added 100 new premade styles * Collections It’s easy now to keep track of lists for projects, books, movies, etc* Whiteboards Create a freeform brainstorming page with Post-Its, images, etc * Sync with Readwise Import Kindle highlights and other clips you’ve savedPrivacy and SecurityCraft has strong policies on data security and privacy. TLDR: “Craft does not own your data, nor do we sell it to others or use it for advertising.”Limitations* Android doesn’t have a full app yet, though a mobile Web app is on the way. Join the waitlist. Craft works on Mac, iOS, VisionOS, Windows, & Web.* Tagging It's not yet easy to organize pages with tags as easily as you can with other notes tools, though the team is working on it.* No synced blocks In tools like Notion and Workflowy, you can create a synchronized block of text that stays up to date anywhere you use it.How to get started with Craft* Explore the features Check out Craft’s helpful Getting Started guide and their YouTube channel, with new video intros like this. Or visit their help center.* Watch me make a document with Craft in this 10-minute video demo. If you could only use one app what would it be? Leave a comment 👇👍 Useful post. 😑 Meh.👎 Not useful.Bonus: I created a Craft doc to show you a few more apps I’d consider beyond my desert-island app… … Paid subscribers can check out the Treasure Chest for other examples of Craft docs like this one 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Tally is the best free tool for creating surveys. They’re better-looking and more flexible than Google Forms, and they’re just as easy to create in 60 seconds. Use it for any kind of survey, whether you’re getting feedback from clients or students, collecting RSVPs, or gathering ideas. Get Started: Pick a template or a blank page. Add questions: multiple choice, open text, ranking, or many others. You can ask respondents to upload a file or make a payment. To enhance your design, add text blocks, images, or videos between questions. Read on for my updated guide to Tally, including: * A survey for you to try out Tally * My 7 favorite features* Free templates* Limitations & alternative tools.Take my new Wonder Tools survey to try Tally. You’ll get a sense for how it feels to fill out a Tally form. And this is a genuine survey. Your feedback will help me improve this newsletter. Thanks for your input. I read every response. Feeling curious? Want to try an adaptive AI version of my survey? I’m testing a different survey tool, Parliant, that adjusts questions based on your replies. Try this new AI version.My 7 favorite Tally features* Free. 99% of the features are available without paying. I haven’t upgraded because the free offering is so complete.* Privacy-focused. Based in Belgium, the company complies with Europe’s strict GDPR rules. Its software respects people’s privacy. * Easy. No complicated menus or settings. As this 30-sec video demo illustrates, you can just start typing on a blank page and press “ / “ to add a question from a list of options. For non-techies it’s easier than Typeform, Survey Monkey or Qualtrics.* Flexible. Works for any kind of form, quiz or survey. Tally is superb for feedback, market research, even selling something, as in these templates:* Sell a digital or physical product* Sell ad spots or sponsorships* Host an online quiz* Make an RSVP form* Flexible design. 🎨 Incorporate video, images or descriptions to create the feel of a readable page that’s less bureaucratic than traditional forms. Add a cover image and logo. The forms look great, like Notion pages. They’re less generically corporate than Microsoft Forms or Google Forms. * Easily shareable. Email your survey, share a link to it — as I did above — or embed it within a site.* Connect Tally to other tools. Check a box to easily share whatever data your form collects to Google Sheets, Notion, Slack, or Airtable. These simple integrations help you analyze responses easily.Tips on creating great surveys* Shortcut: type “Tally.new” in your browser bar to start a new form, if you’re logged in.* Aim for 5 to 8 questions. That’s the survey sweet spot requiring just 5 to 10 minutes of a respondent’s time. * Learn from other good surveys. Check examples of others using Tally, a pack of survey templates for growth, and lessons from newsletter surveys cited by Dan Oshinsky’s excellent Inbox Collective. * Incorporate conditional logic, sending people to a question based on a prior answer. I tested that in my new Wonder Tools feedback survey above. That ensures people only see questions relevant to them. * Use AI to categorize or summarize text replies. AI can help spot patterns. That’s useful when you have hundreds of responses to analyze. * First make a copy of survey data, stripping out names and private info.* Prompt Claude or ChatGPT for step by step analysis, not all in one shot. * With Gemini AI enabled in Google Sheets, ask for AI analysis of responses saved in a sheet.* Other AI resources: Custom GPTs like Survey Crafter or Survey Analyzer. 📺 Watch me create a Tally form in 30 seconds Templates to try* Newsletter feedback Customize this template I made. * Event registration Invite people to sign up. Offer programming choices. Spread questions over multiple pages for a clean look. * Simple feedback Let anyone provide quick input. * Grant proposal Select candidates.* Job application Find someone to help you out. 6 steps to implement your survey 1. Pick a template relevant to your project (or start with a blank page).2. Click “Use this template.” 3. Customize the questions. 4. Grab the link. 5. Share it via email, on social or on a site. 6. Return to Tally to see people’s responses. What’s new with Tally* Form Insights. See how many people are accessing your form, where they’re coming from, what devices they’re using, how long they’re spending on your form and where they’re dropping off if they don’t complete your questions. * Version History. If you’re experimenting with question wording, you can now roll back to prior versions. * Public API beta. Developers can now build new Tally integrations and automations. Limitations* Limited visualization options. For charts or detailed visuals, you’ll need a different tool.* No AI summaries or adaptation. Google Forms can now summarize responses for you with AI assistance. Tally doesn’t yet have that capability. New tools like Parliant and BetterFeedback can even adapt questions based on prior responses. Typeform AI helps word questions for you. * No mid-range subscription. You can use most Tally features for free, but the pro price of $29/monthly is a big jump for premium features. These include customized confirmation emails, custom domains, and unlimited team collaboration. You can also accept large file uploads (over 10mb) and remove Tally branding. I’m fine with the free plan, which includes unlimited forms and question types. Sponsored MessagesStop losing brilliant ideas💡forever! Supasend captures your fleeting thoughts in seconds💨 and instantly sends them to your second brain apps.🧠 The missing link between inspiration & your organized knowledge system is finally here.Try it now freeYour AI Accountant: Automate 95% of boring bookkeeping tasks. RIP QuickBooks.Even bookkeepers hate bookkeeping and so do entrepreneurs. That’s why bookeeping.ai offers Paula, your AI accountant. She automates 95% of bookkeeping tasks, including creating financial reports, auto categorization, receipt matching, sending invoices, and requesting tax forms. You can chat with her and get tasks done.With a simple chat, you can handle financial tasks to save 76 hours a month and focus on growing your business.💵 Start your free trial for 30 days hereAlternativesTally has published its own comparisons with other tools. But here’s my take on other good survey tools to consider the next time you’re making a form.* Free & Fast: Google Forms works with your existing Google account. It’s functional for registration forms or simple feedback surveys, but its features and design have stagnated over the past decade.* Elegant and Professional: Typeform presents questions one by one, making it less overwhelming for survey respondents than traditional survey tools. It remains superb for multiple reasons. It’s expensive, though, and the advanced features are complex. * Flexible and Easy: Notion Forms now lets you embed surveys export data to multiple places. They’re more flexible than Survey Monkey or Microsoft Forms, which have the stiff design feel of enterprise tools made for mass-market feedback.* Premium for Businesses: Jotform is another premium alternative for businesses. You can customize fonts and colors, and integrate a form into your CRM or any database. Or trying make an AI agent. * For DIY flexibility: Coda works well both for forms and documents. That helps you organize survey responses within existing docs. * For team productivity: Airtable, like Coda, lets you create forms with responses that flow directly into tables. That helps you sort, filter, analyze and share results efficiently.* For preference ranking: OpinionX is another specialized survey tool I’ve used and recommend for stack rankings — assessing customer preferences. Ask people to compare a series of paired options to help set priorities.* Live polling: Slido is what I prefer for quick live polling during events. What’s your preferred survey tool and why? Leave a comment 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Most bookmark tools feel like cluttered digital filing cabinets—full of folders, tags, and organizational overhead. mymind is a minimalist alternative. It’s a clean, simple online hub for saving anything you find online. Create a gorgeous private scrapbook of images, links, articles or anything else you want to save, without the hassle of labeling. It’s an opinionated tool that’s not for everyone — caveats below include no sharing or importing. And I’ve noted a bunch of strong alternatives. But mymind remains a superb example of a design-focused service that’s a pleasure to use. Since I last wrote about it, mymind has improved the way it shows visuals, Read on for an update of my previous post to learn what it’s most useful for and how to use it.6 ways to use mymind 🎨I like using mymind to save remarkable visuals, thought-provoking charts, amazing videos, beautiful poems, and memorable articles. I also use it to collect AI-related links to scan through. * Create an inspiration moodboard. Save stunning photographs, brilliant art, your favorite interior designs, cool clothing, yummy food, pictures of homes you’d love to live in someday, or whatever else catches your eye. Then the next time you’re staring at a blank page, open your moodboard for a spark. * Collect project ideas. Save links, quotes, or screenshots to inform a project. Highlight articles to save specific passages. * Curate quotes & graphics for presentations. Use the one-click save button whenever you stumble on notable material to add to a slide deck or handout. * Save articles and videos for later. The distraction-free mymind interface makes it a nice place to read long articles or watch YouTube videos. * Clip recipes. I was surprised by how helpfully mymind strips out the cruft in online recipes. It shows just the ingredients and instructions, though you can easily return to the original recipe page. * Organize shower thoughts. You can write text notes or to-do lists. Jot a few words or an essay outline.mymind is clean and simple 🧼* No ads* No data tracking* No vanity metrics or likes* No social sharing or collaboration* Read mymind’s manifesto & promise for their philosophy* No complex menus or manuals to readSponsored MessageWe’re finally seeing the no-code space shift from glue-it-together to full-stack.Tools like Softr are part of that shift—especially with their new Databases launch.Instead of stitching Airtable + Notion + Zapier together, you can:* Build your database* Link records, filter, add formulas* Build the frontend UI inside the same platformIt’s like building internal tools with Lego blocks.If you’re trying to spin up CRMs, project trackers, or dashboards—without taking up dev time—this is a solid platform to explore.How to start using mymind* Go to mymind.com and create a free account with your Google or Apple ID. * Download a browser extension and/or the iOS, Android or Mac app. * Save a few interesting sites by pressing the browser button. See an image you want to save? Right-click it. Or highlight text in an article and right-click that text to save it as a quote. You can add a note if you want to. I often save a short phrase as a reminder of what caught my attention.* Return to mymind online or on your mobile device anytime you want to see what you’ve saved. Browse your collection. Try a search term (like “book,” “pizza,” “video,” or “quote”) to surface whatever you’re looking for.* Collections: You can optionally create custom “spaces” — basically smart searches — if you like organizing your finds into sub-categories. * Serendipity mode lets you focus on one saved item at a time, enabling minimalistic deep thinking. * Pricing: It’s free to save up to 100 items or “cards.” To collect more, pay $8/month ($79/year) for unlimited cards and some advanced features, or $13/month ($129/year) for the Mastermind plan with more advanced AI, reading mode, and article backups. * Videos from mymind are a useful easy way to learn more. And mymind’s newsletter is well-curated and gorgeously-designed. tldr summary: Add a bookmarklet button to your browser to save anything to your mymind collection. Click that button anytime you see something you want to save. That’s it. No need to label, tag, or file anything.* AI-enhanced: mymind uses AI to classify everything you save. That makes it easy to find anything, even after you accumulate a large library. * New features: mymind now works for saving Bluesky posts (plus Threads and Github) and the Android and iOS apps have gotten more polish. It’s a small, indy product team focused on quality, so iterations are infrequent. Caveats* Limited flexibility. mymind’s design, while gorgeous, isn’t flexible. It’s not meant for you to rearrange, though you can pin cards. If you want to manually resize items or drag things around on a canvas, consider Milanote or a whiteboard like Miro, Mural, Lucid or Figjam. * No import. You can’t easily bring in items you’ve saved on other services — here’s why mymind discourages this — nor can you email things in or develop automations as you can with other clipping tools. * No Firefox bookmark button. If that’s your browser, this might not be for you.* Limited free plan. To save more than 100 items, you have to pick a paid plan.* No sharing. mymind is designed for privacy, not sharing. I end up saving my most valuable finds in multiple places to give my future self options. mymind is great for visual exploration, but I need other services, like Raindrop, to share my collections. If you want to share your library, consider an alternative below.👇Alternatives* Sublime is a cool new service I’m trying out for collecting online inspiration. * Unlike mymind, you can use Sublime to share finds, see others’ related discoveries, and use its canvas to move from curation to creation.* Compare it w/ other tools like Notion, Apple Notes, Readwise & Raindrop.* Pricing is free for up to 50 cards, $75/year unlimited. $100/year for premium+ subscription to The Sublime on Substack. * Raindrop is my favorite bookmark-saving service. It replaced delicio.us and Google bookmarks for me. Why Raindrop is so useful. * Best for helping you save and organize links and share them publicly. Works on all platforms & integrates free with 2,600 other services. * Less ideal for calmly exploring your collection of visuals or quotes. * Pricing: Free for almost all features. $28/annually for full-text search, backups, AI tag suggestions & other extras. I pay to help preserve the robust free tier.* Readwise is excellent if you’re mainly saving articles and videos to read and watch later. How and why I use Readwise. * Best for reading and highlighting saved articles and newsletters online or offline in great Web and mobile apps. * Less ideal for saving images or collecting links because it’s designed for reading and video viewing. * Pricing: Free for 30 days then $5.59 or $10/month for full access* Eagle is useful as a tool for organizing all your screenshots and any files on your computer. Why I like Eagle so much. * Best for giving you a great way to organize files on your computer, from screenshots to videos, audio and PDFs.* Less ideal for accessing and adding to your collection online, because your Eagle collection lives on your computer, not online, though you can back it up. No mobile version. No way to quickly share links to screenshots as you can with Cleanshot, Zight or Dropshare. * Pricing: $35 one-time purchase for Mac or Windows.* Milanote is one of the few apps that’s as elegantly designed as mymind. It lets you organize ideas and saved items on visual boards. * Best for creating your own visual collections with a variety of images, links, documents and annotations. * Less ideal for simply saving or storing images, quotes and material you encounter online. It works best for creating project-specific boards.* Pricing: Free for up to 100 notes, then $10/month billed annually for unliimited notes. A team version is $49/month. Share a comment or reaction👇👍 Liked it. I found this post useful.😑 Meh👎 Not useful or relevant for me. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

The audio for this post was generated by feeding the text of this Wonder Tools newsletter post into NotebookLM's new Audio Overview feature.Read the full post on the Wonder Tools Substack pagePerplexity is the most useful new search tool I’ve used this year. It uses AI to answer your questions using online sources. You get specific citations so you know where the info comes from and can dig deeper. The summary responses are concise and relevant, and the links help you validate the info. Read on for examples of when it’s most useful as well as limitations, and alternatives.Pricing: Free for unlimited quick searches and five Pro searches per day. Or $20/month for 300+ Pro searches and to upload and analyze unlimited files. See the feature comparison.PrivacyPerplexity lets you search privately in multiple ways.* You can search in an incognito browser tab without even creating a Perplexity account.* If you do create a free Perplexity account to store to your search results, you can turn on the Incognito setting to anonymize any individual search.* You can keep “data retention” off in your settings. (Screenshot)* Perplexity only parses publicly available information — not paywalled news. And it only reads URLs when asked a related question.What’s most useful about Perplexity* Citations Perplexity provides links to its sources, allowing you to verify information and dig deeper when needed.* Brevity Instead of long articles, get straight-to-the-point answers that respect your time.* Multi-Step Reasoning Perplexity breaks down complex queries into steps, providing more comprehensive answers.* Focusing Refine your search by specifying preferred sources or domains for more targeted results.* Follow-ups Ask follow-up questions to dive deeper into a topic, just like a conversation.* Collections Group related searches into collections for easy reference and organization.* Pages Create shareable pages to collaborate or present your findings.Examples: When to use Perplexity* Get up to speed on a topic: Need to research North Korea-China relations? Ask Perplexity for a summary and sources. You can then dig deeper as needed. See the result.* Research hyper-specific information: If you’re exploring organizations that help respond to earthquakes, ask for a list of organizations that crowdsource info about natural disasters. See the result.* Explore personal curiosities: If you're interested in Mozart’s development as a violinist, you could ask for key dates and details. See the result.More examples of search results* Gather data: “How much debt has been forgiven under the PSLF in 2023 and 2024?” See the result.* Summarize official reports: “What are the most reputable forecasts about the long-term impact of Brexit on the UK's GDP? What are the main findings of the report?” See the result.* Check public opinion: “Is there a Pew survey about discovering news through social media platforms?” See the result.* Explore historical archives: “List literacy and education programs implemented in high-growth African countries in the last decade.” See the result.* Discover patterns: “Compare residential rent to residential real estate trends in California.” See the results.Caveats* Accuracy and hallucinations: While Perplexity uses retrieval augmented generation to reduce errors, it's not flawless. Always double-check information, especially data, before using it in your work.* Real-time information: Perplexity isn’t an optimal source for up-to-the-minute information. For breaking news, rely on primary news sources instead.* Document analysis limitations: The file size limit is 50MB. For larger files, try converting them to text.* OCR capabilities: Perplexity works best with modern files that already have optical character recognition. Historical documents with hard-to-read pages or faded text may pose challenges.* Limited image generation capabilities. While Perplexity can be used to generate images, I haven’t found that to be one of its strong points. I’d recommend another service focused on images, like Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Canva or Flux. I mostly rely on DALL-E 3 as part of the ChatGPT plan I pay $20 monthly for.* The Discovery section offers quick news summaries. As with Google News, though, it's unclear how topics and sources are selected.Bonus features* The Perplexity Encyclopedia has an interesting collection of tool comparisons, like Descript vs Adobe Audition.* The free Chrome Extension lets you summon a Perplexity search from any page. The “summarize” button doesn’t always work for me, though.AlternativesFree* Google Generative Search: Google's AI search (in testing) gives summary responses like Perplexity. Early on it made embarrassing mistakes but has improved.* Arc Mobile Search: A mobile app that uses AI to browse multiple sites and provide summarized results. It has ad and tracker blocking.Free with optional paid subscription* Liner is an AI search tool aimed at university students that looks a lot like Perplexity. It’s already used at NYU, USC, UC Berkeley. It was #4 on Andreessen Horowitz’s list of the most popular Web-based gen AI tools. Pricing: Free for basic searches, or $20/month for more advanced searching.* Consensus: Excellent AI research tool. Pick a scientific or academic topic to get a summary of findings and source links. This example shows the results of a search for how cash transfers impact poverty. More useful than Google Scholar, which just gives you a laundry list of study links with no summary. Pricing: Free for unlimited searches and limited premium use; $9/month billed annually for full AI capabilities.* Elicit: Designed for research tasks, it helps with literature reviews and data analysis. This example shows a helpful response I got when exploring the extent to which Shakespeare was influenced by Montaigne. Pricing: Free for basic usage or $10/month billed annually to extract data from more PDFs. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Chronicle is a promising new tool for creating compelling visual presentations. Prioritizing design and full control over bullet points or speed, Chronicle offers a valuable alternative to PowerPoint and other popular online slide services like Gamma, Beautiful.ai, Canva, and Pitch. Because Chronicle just launched its public beta this week, some of its features aren’t full developed yet, like templates and image editing. But it’s already one of the most exciting new services for creating slick summary reports, pitch decks, and portfolios. I particularly appreciate how it lets me easily manage how each slide looks. I can start from scratch or with an AI-assisted draft. Read on for how to use it, its limitations, and alternatives. 🪜 How to get started with Chronicle* Visit ChronicleHQ.com to create a free account. It works on any browser. * Start from scratch with a blank page or generate a draft with AI. * To start with AI, provide a link, a prompt, or upload a PDF of a past presentation or report. * I prefer starting from scratch to fully manage the look of each page, unless I’m transforming a specific document I’ve created into a deck.* Edit slides by adjusting text, images, or embedded content. * Share. When you’re done editing, share in three ways.* Share a link to the presentation. * Download a PDF and share it. * Present live online or in person. Examples of slide decks made with Chronicle* Chronicle’s own demo deck* A proposal deck for a design agency* Brand Guidelines for AskTheRisk* A curated collection of design objects * Website design proposal * My draft Wonder Tools draft deck for sponsorsPricingFor now, while in public beta, Chronicle is fully free for everyone. Eventually:* Free for unlimited decks and limited AI tokens. * $30/month for a pro account to remove the Chronicle watermark, add guest editors, get additional AI credits, and import a PDF or URL to prompt the AI.🎨 Generate an AI draftIf you’re not a designer or loath spending hours designing presentations from scratch, try Chronicle’s AI. * Prompt the AI. Paste in text, upload a PDF, or share a link. * Customize the AI by adjusting your preferences: * Select the type of presentation you’re drafting (pitch, sales, proposal, etc).* Choose the number of slides (“chapters”) you want Chronicle to create. * Decide how creative vs. faithful the AI should be in adapting your text. In faithful mode it will change less of your prompt material. * Pick your language and a light or dark theme.* Review the outline. After Chronicle renders an outline, you can move chapters around or make other adjustments before it produces a draft deck for you to edit. * Edit the draft deck. Once Chronicle produces your draft, you can add or subtract slides, customize the text and images, adjust styles, embed other content, and present or share your deck. Sponsored MessageVEGA AI lets educators build Duolingo-style courses in minutes. It creates personalized tests, grades them, flags learning gaps, recommends next steps and even deploys your AI-avatar to answer doubts 24/7.🎨 Pick elements to tell your story Chronicle’s slide canvas is flexible, so you can customize each page. * Text elements: Add a heading, paragraph text, or smaller callout text.* Visuals: Upload images or embed videos or graphics from online services. * Creative cards: Drop in boxes with icon or number headers to define sections of a slide, or bring in quote cards or sticky notes for visual variety. * Gradients and grids: Apply a background gradient to an image or text box, or insert a layout grid to organize and align slide elements. * Embeds. Add an Airtable table, a Figma illustration, a Notion page, a Google Sheet, a YouTube video, or other online content. Limitations and Caveats* No templates yet. Founder Mayuresh Patole tells me they’re coming soon. * Limited photo editing capabilities so far. No direct Unsplash integration. * Overwhelming number of options. The “remix” option for re-formatting a slide has a daunting 64 different slide styles. I find it too complex and it’s tricky to figure out what style might best fit a particular slide’s content.* No mobile app, though I don’t like creating slides on a phone anyway. Chronicle’s founder on how it’s distinct I interviewed Mayuresh Patole, Chronicle’s founder, who told me the team is working on simplifying the interface and adding templates. “Every other tool out there is designed to make slides faster,” he said. “We will help you make your best presentation, a stunning output, without you having to be a designer.”Partner MessageWhat’s your most precious resource?Your time. So why waste it on confusing, biased, and overwhelmingly negative news? The DONUT makes staying informed each morning a quick, jargon-free, and surprisingly fun habit—100% free and 100% worth your time.Subscribe for free to The Donut for trustworthy news that's enjoyable to read.Good alternatives for creating presentationsBeautiful.ai A colleague and I made our slides with Beautiful.ai for a recent AI workshop. I like how it automatically reflows any slide I’m working on when I add or subtract text or images. * Consider Beautiful.ai if… you want each slide to auto-adjust so it remains well-designed even when you add new material or move elements around.* Pricing: $12/month billed annually* Read more: What I like about Beautiful.aiGamma This is a great service for teachers, creators, and anyone who wants the flexibility to create pages with varied dimensions. * Consider Gamma if… you want to turn an existing document or outline into a website, document, social post, or slides. * Example: an AI-assisted sample deck Gamma helped me create about the future of kites. * Pricing: free for basic use or $8 to $15/month billed annually for more AI access and removing watermarks. * Read more: Why Gamma is so useful. Pitch This works well for team collaboration because you can share styles and custom templates, assign tasks, and trade comments. The templates options are superb, so it’s easy to create a compelling presentation just by swapping out a template’s text and images without getting lost in the weeds of fonts, grids, or color palettes.* Consider Pitch if… you develop presentations with a team and want to track analytics to measure engagement on pitch or sales decks. * Pricing: free for basic decks, or $22/month paid annually for pro features. Typeset Create slide decks, ebooks or social posts with or without AI. I like that you can quickly preview various versions of any slide with a click of a button. I created this demo deck in 10 minutes and found Typeset easy, flexible, and fast. * Consider Typeset if… you want to create not just slides, but ebooks or social posts. * Pricing: $17 billed annually. Canva Since Canva first enabled presentations four years ago, people have created three billion slide decks, including a billion in 2024 alone. You can embed any Canva element into a slide, from tables and charts to whiteboards and videos. Magic Studio AI helps with refining images or text. When you’re done making a deck it’s easy to share or present it live, or send a pre-recorded version. * Consider Canva if… you’re already comfortable with its design interface or have a brand kit set up with your logo, color palette, templates, and image library. * Pricing: Free for basic usage; $10/month billed annually for premium content * Read my previous (subscriber) posts about making the most of CanvaWhat’s your preferred tool or tactic for creating and sharing slides? Leave a comment 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Google’s AI Studio and Labs let you experiment for free with new AI tools. I love the way these digital sandboxes — like the one from Hugging Face — let you try out creative new uses of AI. You can dabble around then download and share what you make, without having to master a complex new platform. Read on for a few Google AI experiments to try. All are free, fast, and easy to use. 1. Transform an image 🎨Upload a photo and use Gemini’s AI Studio Image Generation to transform it with prompts. Iterate on your original image until you get a version you like. The model understands natural language, so you don’t have to master prompt lingo. 2. Generate an AI voice conversation 🗣️ AI-generated voices are increasingly hard to distinguish from human ones. If you’re surprised, try Generate Speech in the AI Studio or Google’s NotebookLM. How to use Generate Speech in Google’s AI Studio * Paste in text, either for a narration or a conversation between two people* Open the settings tab to pick from 30 AI voices. Each is labeled with a characteristic — e.g. upbeat, gravelly, or mature. * Click run to generate the conversation. Optionally adjust the playback speed.* Download the file if you want to keep it, or paste in different text to try again.* Example: a silly 90-sec chat between two violinists I scripted with Gemini and rendered quickly with this Generate Speech tool. * Use case: Make a narration track for an instructional video. ElevenLabs has a better professional model for this, but AI Studio’s is free, easy and quick. Alternatives* Google’s free NotebookLM has a new mobile app, and now lets you generate an audio conversation in any of 50 languages. Unlike Generate Speech in AI Studio, NotebookLM audio overviews summarize your material, they don’t perform words as written. Why NotebookLM is so useful. * Google’s Illuminate lets you generate, listen to, share, and download AI conversations about research papers and famous books. Here’s an audio chat about David Copperfield, for example. A bit dry to listen to, but still useful.* Google’s Gemini AI app can also now generate audio overviews from files you upload, if you’re on a paid plan. Sponsored Message 🧩 Full-Stack Engine for Modern EdupreneursVEGA AI lets Edupreneurs build Duolingo-style courses in minutes. It creates personalized tests, grades them automatically, flags learning gaps, recommends next steps. It even deploys your AI-avatar to answer questions 24/7 when you’re asleep.3. Make a gif 📺 Try Magical Gif Maker, one of 20 showcase apps in the Build section of AI Studio. Try making a moving visual featuring the name of your publication, group, or event. I experimented with kinetic text and word art. Also worth trying in the Build AI Studio: Flashcard maker, Video to Learning App & Maps Planner. Alternative: You can also make a static image with Google’s Imagen 3 or the new Imagen 4. Write a short prompt and select your preferred aspect ratio. So far I still prefer Ideogram (why I like it) and ChatGPT’s new image engine.4. Generate a short video 🎞️ Google’s Veo 2 and Flow let you generate free short video clips almost instantly with a prompt. Create a clip to add vibrancy or humor to a presentation, or a visual metaphor to help you explain something. Here are 25 other quick ideas for how you might use little AI-generated video scenes.How to create a video clip with Veo 2* Pick a length (5 to 8 seconds) and select horizontal or vertical orientation* Write a prompt & optionally upload a photo to suggest a visual direction* Example: Take a look at a parakeet photo I started with and the 5-second video I generated from the photo with Veo 2.* Tip: Convert short video clips into gifs for free with Ezgif or Giphy. Unlike video files, gifs are easy to share and auto-play in an email or presentation. What’s next: Remarkably lifelike clips made with Google’s newer Veo 3 model went viral this week. These AI-generated visuals — with sound — are only available on the $250/month(!) plan for now, so try Veo 2 for free. 5. Explain things with lots of tiny cats 🐈This playful mini app creates short, step-by-step visual guides using charming cat illustrations to explain any concept, from how a violin works to the concept behind the matrix. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

One of the best AI models just got even better. Claude 4 launched yesterday and I’ve been using it for everything from analyzing files and planning projects to copy editing and creating visual dashboards. Read on for my take on its most useful features, limitations, and five ways to use it. 🚀 What’s new with Claude 4? 💭 More nuanced reasoning. Claude’s “extended thinking” mode is now even brainier. It more thoroughly analyzes complex queries. 🧑‍💻 Stronger coding. Claude could already produce code quickly, but now it’s even more useful for non-coders like me. I prompt it to design dashboards to visualize datasets, from reader analytics to public financial data. 🗣️ Better language mastery. Claude 3.7 was already good at analyzing your writing style and providing helpful editing suggestions. Now it’s even better. You can feed it your prior writings and train it to give you personalized feedback. Pricing: It’s free to use Claude 4 Sonnet on Web, iOS and Android. or $17/month billed annually ($200/year) for advanced features. Privacy: Claude’s parent company, Anthropic, prides itself on prioritizing safety and data protection. By default, Anthropic won’t use your inputs or outputs to train its models. Read more about its data policies, protections, and its privacy policy.Sponsored MessageYour data knows what it wants to beData doesn’t have to be dull. With Flourish, you go from spreadsheet to show-stopping visuals in seconds. Upload your data, get instant chart suggestions, and drop them right into your Canva design. It’s fast, easy, and looks amazing!Benefits of Claude Pro * Use Claude Projects to get dedicated spaces where you can provide instructions and relevant documents for ongoing projects. This is my favorite Claude capability. It’s more efficient than repeatedly making isolated queries.* Use Web Search to gather new, relevant information with citations. You can search with Perplexity, but Claude combines search with richer analysis. * Use Extended Thinking to slow down responses and have Claude proceed step-by-step through a challenging inquiry.* Use Claude’s top model, Claude 4 Opus to get more nuanced replies.* Connect Claude to outside material, e.g. Google Docs, Calendar and Gmail to apply AI analysis to your own material, as shown in this video 👇 My bottom line: Because I rely on Claude’s advanced features, I willingly pay the $200 annual fee as an alternative to budgeting for a personal (human) assistant. If you’re exploring Claude for basic queries, the free plan may be sufficient.Limitations and Caveats* Even as a paying user, I often run into usage limits. * The Projects I set up can only accept 30mb files. And after I add a bunch of files, Claude’s memory sometimes fills up and restricts further uploads.* Unlike ChatGPT 4o, it can’t generate images and lacks an advanced voice mode. Unlike Gemini, it can’t generate video. * Anthropic’s candid safety report notes that Claude, in rare cases, when pushed and prodded to behave badly, “sometimes takes extremely harmful actions,” that could even include trying to “blackmail people it believes are trying to shut it down.” (via Techcrunch) 😳 🧠 1. Teach YourselfMy PromptHelp me develop a learning approach …. If you need more information from me, ask me 2 key questions. If I should upload any documents that would help you do a better job, let me know…* Topic: I'd like to learn about how the most modern continuous glucose monitors work…* Further guidance: You can use a variety of methods to help me learn. You can ask me questions and then respond constructively to my replies…ResultSee for yourself: The full chat includes my prompt and Claude’s responses. Claude created an interactive visual (it calls these “artifacts”) to address my questions in an engaging, helpful way. Then it designed a learning plan for me. Bottom line Claude 4 is a great resource for learning in unconventional ways. The AI assistant can guide you step-by-step through complex topics. Coach it to act as a patient, engaging instructor that adapts to your learning style. Experiment with the kinds of interactions, explanations, exercises, and guidance that helps you most.Other examples* How can AI be useful for medical diagnosis? I asked Claude to explain some of the ways AI can be a useful ally for radiologists and other medical pros. In addition to a summary reply, it shared useful sources for me to explore. * What makes Claude 4 stand out? I asked Claude for a simple interactive visual to illustrate what’s distinct about its newest model.📊 2. Create a dashboardPromptHelp me analyze and visualize these analytics so I can better understand how readers are interacting with my publication and what potential adjustments might be worth considering…ResultClaude suggested a variety of visualizations to help me better understand and act on the analytics.* Engagement Heatmap Show open rates by subscription type and tenure* Revenue Flow Chart Visualize conversion paths from free → paid* Geographic Heat Map Show global distribution with revenue overlay* Retention Curve Plot subscriber activity over time by cohort* Churn Risk Dashboard Track at-risk subscribers by last engagement Claude also gave me a detailed list of insights about my data, ranging from conversion sources that work well to observations about my readership’s geographic distribution.Bottom lineI find interactive dashboards useful for turning complicated material into something I can see and explore. The dashboards are private by default. If you want, Claude can publish a dashboard and give you a link to share. How to make your own dashboard: Upload a file, paste in info you want Claude to visualize, or toggle on Claude’s Web Search option to look for source material. Then tell Claude the kind of dashboard you want and your design preferences, like company color palette, annotations, or source attribution you’d like included.Example: Visualization of U.S. newspaper circulation decline from 1940-2022✍️ 3. Edit thoughtfullyPromptAct as an experienced editor. Please first slowly read and analyze the following text without rewriting it. Then provide a numbered list of concise, specific, constructive, observations to help me strengthen the piece by noting any of the following issues in my writing…. (list includes grammar, spelling, syntax, sentence structure, redundancy, cliches, passive voice, etc). Full promptResultClaude serves as a consistently reliable AI copy editing assistant. Getting instant, specific, detailed, constructive, feedback on writing can help any writer improve. It helps catch errors and can point out opportunities for sharpening weak phrases or awkward sentences. Bottom lineRather than replacing your own voice with Claude’s, use it as a copy editing assistant that gives you a list of issues to consider. You retain agency in deciding whether and how to make specific changes. Unique feature: Claude is the only major model that lets you toggle particular styles for any given query. You teach it a style by feeding it a piece of your own writing. You can later toggle on any style you’ve taught it (e.g. “team onboarding manual” style) to help you edit a new version of your onboarding guide. To do something similar with ChatGPT or Gemini, make your own Custom GPTs or Gemini Gems with similar capabilities.🔎 4. Analyze a filePromptAct as a patient teacher and experienced explainer. I need help understanding a new academic publication evaluating the performance and accuracy of AI Deep Research agents… (See full prompt and the reply)ResultSee the conversation thread with my extended prompt and Claude’s reply. See Gemini 2.5 Pro’s response for comparison. I actually preferred Gemini’s reply in this case. I may have stuffed too much into my request of Claude, including the glossary. In general, both Gemini 2.5 Pro and Claude 4 perform well at analyzing, summarizing and helping me learn from complex materials. ChatGPT 4.1 also works well for this. See its helpful, concise response to this analysis query. Why use AI for file analysis? With the help of an AI assistant, I’m better able to make sense of jargon-filled, abstract academic papers. If my initial efforts to understand falter, Claude, Gemini or ChatGPT can assist me, just as I might ask a human expert for help.☑️ 5. Plan a projectPrompt Draft three potential structured plans that break down my upcoming new program development project into manageable phases. Given my outline of our overall timeline and rough project goals, suggest how we might map out the next 90 days, noting potential milestones, potential challenges to prepare for, and relevant mitigation strategies. Include decision points where we should evaluate progress before proceeding, and suggest relevant frameworks we can apply…ResultClaude gives me helpful, thorough, plans I can build on. After setting the original project parameters, goals, timeline and context, I can iterate on the specifics of the plan and explore multiple possible approaches. Tip: Start by generating multiple possible plans so you’re not limited to the first approach you see. Compare them to see what makes the most sense. Then ask for adjustments, iterate, and adapt the responses so you end up with a great plan. Bottom lineClaude Projects allow you to upload relevant documents and provide detailed context for something you’re working on. You can return to that project anytime you have a query without having to start from scratch. You won’t have to re-explain the specific context. I have projects set up for background research related to my volunteering work, subjects I’m studying, and repetitive technical tasks and dashboards. Here’s why I find Claude Projects so useful.Additional resources* Introducing Claude 4 — Anthropic [blog post]* Claude 4 Is finally here — Skill Leap AI [video]* Why everyone’s freaking out about Claude 4 — The AI Advantage [video]Partner Message 💫KnowTechie's Weekly DownloadFor 10 years, KnowTechie’s founder, Kevin Raposo, has separated tech substance from hype. Now, he distills it all into a single, potent weekly brief. Our 5,000+ subscribers stick around because we respect their inboxes and their intelligence.Each edition delivers:* The week's essential tech story — with context mainstream coverage misses* Brutally honest gear assessments — from actual use, not press releases* Reader-exclusive giveaways — no social media hoops, just reply to enter* Zero fluff. Zero sponsored opinions.Subscribe free today. Your future self will thank you every Sunday night.*AI was used to generate the top two “Claude 4” images (Ideogram) and the “product assistant” image (ChatGPT 4o). I also used AI to add an SEO text description to this post’s Substack settings, and to add alt-text to the image descriptions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve been curious lately — how might AI help my former students — and so many others looking for new jobs — in a challenging & complicated market? My conclusion: AI tools can serve as patient assistants. They can help you organize your search, reflect on career goals, and convey your strengths persuasively. Whether you're pivoting careers or moving up in your field, here's how to leverage AI to stand out and land a great opportunity.1. Explore career directions Recommended tool: Google’s Career Dreamer What it is: A career visualization tool. See a map of professional fields related to your interests. (See video demo below)How to use it: Start by typing in a current or previous role, or a type of job that interests you, using up to five words. Then optionally add the name of an organization or industry. The free service then confirms job activities of interest and shows you a variety of related career paths. Pick one at a time to explore. You can then browse current job openings, refining the search based on location, company size, or other factors you care about.Example: I’m not job hunting, but I tested out the service by typing in “journalist, writer and educator” as roles and then “journalism and education” as my industries of interest. See my quick video demo below to see the result 👇 Why it’s useful: I appreciate that Career Dreamer not only suggests a range of relevant fields, but also summarizes what a typical day in those jobs might be like. It also suggests skills you’ll develop and other jobs that might follow on that career path. Next step: After exploring potential career paths and looking at available jobs, you can jump into Gemini — Google’s equivalent of ChatGPT — for further career planning. Career Dreamer helpfully enables you to copy your career interests and skills— as a summary prompt to your clipboard. You can then jump to Gemini to paste that into a chat about your career plans. 2. Clarify your career prioritiesRecommended tool: Gemini Gem — Career Guide What it is: Gemini Gems are customized AI assistants. They are AI models tailored to be helpful in a specific context. One of the template Gems that Google created is a career guide. You can copy the Career Guide gem and edit it with your own professional interests. How to use it: Start by conducting a thorough "soul-searching" reverse interview with Gemini. Rather than Gemini answering your questions, task it to ask you the questions. Have it consistently nudge you to dig deeper into your own preferences, attitudes, objectives and needs. Then have it summarize what you’ve said. You’ll get better at understanding and articulating your own career perspectives. Try this career self-interview prompt: Give this prompt to Gemini or another AI tool of your choice to conduct a reverse interview. As Gemini — or another AI assistant— interviews you, you’ll develop a richer understanding of your own job preferences.Next steps: Use your Gemini Gem AI assistant throughout your job search to help clarify your own objectives and strengths, and to support you in developing your job search strategy. 3. Research target companiesRecommended tool: ChatGPT Deep Research What it’s useful for: Unlike typical AI chat queries, Deep Research requests enable an AI model to autonomously develop an exhaustive report after searching the Web, examining hundreds of sites and other research resources, and completing a detailed, multi-step analysis. See 9 ways to use Deep Research. You can use these personalized reports to learn more about industries of interest and specific aspects of companies that intrigue you. How to use it: Toggle on the “Deep Research” button in the ChatGPT box. Type a detailed query with your specific interests, skills, and the types of organizations you're curious about. Request a comprehensive table of relevant companies with detailed information about culture, growth trajectories, or whatever else.Example: Here’s a journalism industry query for Deep Research you can adapt for your own exploration. Benefits: Learn valuable context about companies you may apply to — and discover new organizations you weren’t aware of. Use this research to tailor your applications and to prepare for interviews by understanding industry trends.Pricing note: You get five free Deep Research queries a month on ChatGPT’s free plan, as of May 2025, or more on a paid plan. Gemini offers a good free Deep Research alternative. Perplexity also offers free Deep Research reports, though they’re not as thorough. Alternative tools: Exa’s Websets is a powerful—and pricey—new pro AI search tool that organizes results into a detailed table. It can draw on datasets like these, helping you identify great companies to target based on your own criteria.4. Organize your search Recommended tool: ChatGPT Projects What it does: Lets you set up a dedicated AI folder for your career search. You can provide instructions and resource files so that every chat you have in this project takes into account the relevant context of your job search. How to use it: Provide detailed instructions for how you’d like the AI assistant to help. Try having it guide you in building a realistic timeline for preparing applications, sending follow-ups, and reaching out for informational interviews. Ask it to assist you in designing a structured daily job search agenda. If you’re applying to many different positions and have lots of tasks to juggle, it can help to organize your plans. (Tools like Career Flow - not yet tested— also promise to assist with automated job tracking).Advanced tactic: You can upload examples of your past outreach messages or other writings as project resources. That will enable the AI assistant to help you draft new emails in your own style, whether you’re letting people know you’re open to new opportunities or reaching out to new contacts. Organize your job search tasks: ChatGPT’s “Scheduled Tasks" feature can help by sending you custom reminders. That could include an automated daily reminder of specific tasks to complete to maintain momentum. You can even ask it to periodically send encouraging messages to keep you inspired throughout what can be a lengthy, stressful process. Free alternative: ChatGPT’s Projects require a paid plan, which starts at $20/month. For a free alternative, create a Gemini Gem with similar functionality. 5. Polish your job application materialsRecommended Tool: Claude Projects What it does: Gives you personalized AI assistance to help polish any materials you’re creating. Give it specific instructions and upload background documents to ensure that it understands your preferences, strengths, and style. I have Claude Projects set up to assist with most of the things work on, from new classes I’m developing to volunteering projects. Here’s why I recommend this.How to use it: Upload past cover letters, resumes, lists of accomplishments, awards, vision statements or anything else you’ve created that you might want to build on for a new application. In your project instructions, guide the AI to maintain your authentic voice as represented in your prior writings. * Ask for feedback on writing you’re submitting, with prompts that specify the kinds of input that will be most useful, from grammar, spelling, and syntax suggestions to warnings about exaggerations, cliches, jargon, or redundancy. * Request suggestions for additional information to include based on the job descriptions you're targeting. Using the personalized AI assistant for feedback allows you to highlight your unique human value, avoiding generic AI-generated content.Alternatives* ChatGPT’s Projects & Custom GPTs have similar functionality. You can add resource files and instructions to adjust how the AI assistants support you.* Perplexity Spaces also allow you to organize prompt threads and add custom documents and instructions. * Gemini Gems, noted above, offer a free alternative. I prefer the quality of Claude’s responses and some of its features, like a custom editing style I’ve trained it to use. 6. Practice for interviews Recommended tool: ChatGPT Advanced Voice ModeHow to use it: Brainstorm interview questions specific to your target role, industry, and even the particular company you're applying to. Then practice answering these questions using voice mode for a realistic simulation. Build your confidence by practicing how you’ll answer various questions. Read more about 7 ways to use Advanced Voice Mode.Ask for detailed feedback on your responses. Prompt your voice assistant to highlight strong points and suggest areas for improvement. Ask it to be as specific as possible and to help you practice strengthening your responses. Ask it to help you prepare for whatever interview context you expect to encounter, from technical questions and case studies to fact-based questions or casual, open-ended lunch conversations.Pricing: Full access to ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode requires a paid plan, but free users can access a daily preview of advanced voice mode powered by a model slightly less advanced than the top paid models. Alternatives* Microsoft Copilot Voice is now completely free. Choose from eight voices. You can even adjust the voice speed. I like Wave, with his British-sounding accent, at 1.25 speed. * Gemini Live from Google is also an excellent voice AI assistant. Like ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode, it can even use computer vision to comment on something you show it. Initiate a conversation while pointing your phone camera at a company’s leadership org chart, for example, or public balance sheet, or a list of questions you’ve handwritten. Bonus tip: If your job search involves speaking or understanding multiple languages, you can use these voice models to practice speaking or listening in any number of tongues. It’s a great way to practice live language skills. 7. Negotiate your salaryRecommended tool: Deep Research (from Perplexity, Gemini, or ChatGPT)How to use it: Research average salaries for similar positions in your industry, accounting for variables like location, company size, and experience level. Generate comprehensive salary data in table format so you’re ready to offer a data-backed rationale for your negotiating points. You can also research relevant benefits, company culture, and other factors. I’m not actually looking for a job, but I generated these reports so you could compare real Deep Research results. Compare the Deep Research salary reports: * Perplexity Report + original Perplexity thread* ChatGPT Report* Gemini ReportPractice negotiating: Use the aforementioned voice AI tools to role-play negotiations or to prepare for difficult benefits conversations. Practice responding to everything from a surprise dream offer to one that’s below your market value.More ways to use AI in your job search* Put together a video reel Eddie AI can streamline how you create a highlight reel where you need visuals showing how you stand out. Here’s why I like it. * Make a great deck Gamma, Beautiful.ai, Pitch, and the brand-new Chronicle are great tools for turning talking points into polished slide presentations. * Others I’m learning about: Check out Aakash Gupta’s list of AI job search tools, including Poised (interview feedback). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

The AI search landscape is transforming at breakneck speed. New "Deep Research" tools from ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity autonomously search and gather information from dozens — even hundreds — of sites, then analyze and synthesize it to produce comprehensive reports. While a human might take days or weeks to produce these 30-page citation-backed reports, AI Deep Research reports are ready in minutes.What’s in this post * Examples of each report type I generated for my research, so you can form your own impressions.* Tips on why & how to use Deep Research and how to craft effective queries.* Comparison of key features and strengths/limitations of the top platforms.What’s new about Deep Research? Traditional AI queries deliver isolated answers to specific questions, while Deep Research tools conduct sophisticated investigations with dozens of interconnected searches. It’s like the difference between a quick reference check and a thorough research expedition.Why this matters for you: It’s now easy to generate your own reports to immediately advance work projects. ChatGPT’s Deep Research, the best I’ve tried so far, is now available on free accounts, with a limit of five reports per month. How to get started: After reading the guide below, customize a query for one of the AI models reviewed here. Start with one of the report types suggested below. First toggle on the “Deep Research” setting: Pick a work topic or any subject you’re curious about. Read through the resulting report and iterate on your query to get an even more useful second response. You’ll soon have a new research superpower to deploy anytime you need to dig deep into a complex subject. Security & privacy: When using AI platforms avoid sharing sensitive data, which can leak. Adjust settings so your data isn’t retained to train future models. Take the same precautions for AI Deep Research you’d adopt for other AI queries. Hallucinations? I expected substantial nonsense to pollute the reports. But extensive in-line citations help with verification and I’ve found fewer errors than I expected. Still, for subjects where data is sparse, autonomous research reports occasionally include weak sourcing, so keep an eye out for that. 9 Practical Ways to Use AI for Deep ResearchAI research tools shine when you need comprehensive information on complex topics. Here are specific use cases where they excel:1. Craft Custom Itineraries ✈️ Create detailed, personalized travel plans by specifying your destination, dates, activity preferences, budget, cultural interests, and whatever else is important to you. These AI-generated itineraries often surface unexpected gems. When planning a family trip recently, my wife and I discovered a fantastic farm stay in Pennsylvania through a Perplexity query. We wouldn't have found it otherwise. Use the results as a starting point to identify interesting possibilities, then follow up with targeted research.* Specify dietary preferences, accessibility needs, and your taste in accommodations, restaurants, and entertainment, for more tailored recommendations. I’ve saved a block of text about this to reuse. * Use follow-up queries to get more specifics on attractions or activities that appeal to you, or to compare and contrast potential itineraries.Example: Deep Research itinerary for a family vacation in Brookline, MA. Compare results from ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot. Note: If you spot errors in reports I’m sharing in this post, feel free to annotate the GDocs.2. Compile Organization Reports 📈Get comprehensive backgrounders on companies, non-profits, or any organization in minutes rather than clicking through dozens of search results. * Compare similar organizations or competitors* Specify format. Maybe you’d like a case study format, a topical report, a chronological history, or an industry context analysis.* Specify metrics of interest like funding history, revenue growth patterns, leadership changes, media coverage trends, law suits, or anything else you care about. For closely-held private organizations data may be scarce, so read results skeptically.* Advanced tip: Copy excerpts from Deep Research reports into Claude to transform them into visual dashboards— including charts and interactive elements— using Claude Artifacts. You can share those with colleagues. Watch: 📺 Grace Leung’s helpful video illustrates how and why to try this. Example: Deep Research report on Trader Joe’s 3. Research Notable People 🧓Explore backgrounds of news figures, historical personalities, or even fictional characters. Request specific information like podcast appearances, YouTube videos, or published works to build a well-rounded understanding of the individual.* Ask about connections between the person and influential contemporaries* Ask for lesser-known background details or contributions often overlooked * Specify time periods to focus on particular life phases or epochs🔎 Example: Deep Research on Michel de Montaigne4. Explore Complex Concepts 🧠 Learn about complex topics in any field — from botany 🌿 to venture capital 💰— with AI-structured explanations tailored to your knowledge level. * Ask for real-world examples, analogies, anecdotes, quotes, common misconceptions, and step-by-step explanations. * Ask for quiz or discussion questions to test your understanding. * After reading the report, generate an AI tutor with a Custom GPT, Gemini Gem, or Poe bot to further strengthen your understanding.🔎 Example: Applications for AI in medical diagnosis via Gemini & Perplexity5. Discover Places in Depth 🌍Investigate a place’s historical significance, cultural development, architecture, art, music, literature, or economic, social, or political history. I find this richer, personalized context can feel more resonant than a more generic travel guide.* Ask about little-known local events, hidden gems, or notable personalities* Specify your interest in fashion, architecture, history, sports, or whatever else* Products too: Get a backgrounder on a new type of oven 🧑‍🍳 you’re considering, or pianos 🎹 that might suit your home. 🔎 Example: Help me learn about Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts6. Analyze Debates and Controversies 🤔Explore complex controversies from multiple perspectives. Examine international conflicts, ethical debates, or local issues. Deep Research reports can present multiple viewpoints with examples and evidence to deepen your understanding of nuances. You can also ask for notable quotes and an annotated reading list.* Ask how the debate has evolved over time and who has been involved * Specify that you want evidence-based arguments from multiple disciplines* Ask for areas of common ground between opposing viewpoints🔎 Example: Is generative art revolutionizing creativity — or devaluing it? 7. Decode Cultural Works 🎶 🎨Gain insights into books, paintings, music, or other creative works by exploring critical analyses, historical context, and expert interpretations. This works particularly well when you're in the middle of reading a book or have just encountered an intriguing piece of art. At the Metropolitan 🖼️ Museum of Art last week, I saw Tang Dynasty zodiac figurines and asked AI to help me learn about them. (More info & a generated image). Caveat: as a non-expert learning about something new, I’m not always in a strong position to assess the merits of AI analysis. When in doubt, it’s helpful to have cited sources for gauging the quality of the information. * Request info about a work's influence on subsequent artists or movements* Ask for analysis of technical innovations or stylistic elements* Compare interpretations of the book, play, poem, art, or piece of music from different time periods or cultural contexts🔎 Example: Help me deepen my appreciation of Mozart’s 5th Violin Concerto8. Explore Evolving Trends 👗Investigate linguistic, political, fashion, sports, arts, business, or cultural trends in a particular place or time period, or compare trends across cultures. * Ask for predictive insights about how the trend might evolve* Include in your prompt questions about counter-trends or critics* Request data visualizations if the trend has quantitative aspects, e.g. the Beanie Baby craze 🔎 Example: What are top AI training programs for journalists around the world?9. Examine Historical Context 📝Explore historical events through multiple lenses - political, economic, social, and cultural. Direct your AI research assistant to focus on specific date ranges, if relevant. Ask it draw from diverse sources across countries and perspectives.* Request primary source recommendations* Ask for comparisons across countries, regions or time periods* Specify your prior knowledge so the report is tailored for your context🔎 Example: Help me learn more about the history of the Dozier School for BoysWhen Deep Research isn't your best option ⚠️ Use other tools when you’re not looking for a comprehensive research report, but instead want something quick, or for:* Simple factual questions like award winners or sports results are better addressed with basic Google or Perplexity searches* Breaking news where online info is limited* Multimedia searches may work better with specialized search engines, like Listen Notes for finding someone’s podcast appearances* Paywalls If the open Web lacks relevant info, don’t expect miraclesFurther Caveats* Keep an eye out for errors. Verify info in these reports. The presence of citations doesn’t guarantee accuracy. For example, some sources may publish estimates that get treated by an AI search agent as definitive data.* Research is only as good as its sources. Some subjects lack extensive source material. AI research reports may, in such cases, rely heavily on publishers with flimsy fact-checking or an axe to grind.* The bottom line: Check the source list before diving into a report. When you know of high quality sources, reference them in your prompt. This Claude thread helped me include high-quality sources for my Trader Joe’s inquiry. How to strengthen Deep Research queries 💡 The quality of your prompt significantly impacts your results:Be detailed about your topic, reasons for interest, and how you'll use the informationUnlike standard Google searches where you only provide keywords, deep research queries benefit from detailed direction. Guide your AI research assistant on specific areas of focus, recommended sourcing, prior context, and formatting: how best to present its findings.Specify your preferred tone & format —tables, lists, pros/cons, bulletsRequest tables for comparing options, pro/con lists for debates, or categorized lists for resources like podcasts, videos, and books. You can even customize language complexity—graduate-level analysis vs beginner-friendly simplicity.Provide context about your existing knowledge and audienceMention what you already know. If you’ll be sharing a report with colleagues, clarify that specific audience’s context. If you want something brief, say so.Be patient. Quality research isn’t instant. While Gemini and Perplexity typically deliver results within a few minutes, ChatGPT's deeper analysis can take a half hour. The thoroughness of these results justifies the wait vs. instant but shallower search results.Top Tools for AI Deep Research 🧐ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity are the three most useful tools I’ve tested for deep research. All work on desktop and mobile and can be used for free. Paid vs free tiers: Paid Gemini and ChatGPT users ($20/month) get access to higher-quality models than free users. Perplexity Pro users ($20/month) avoid the free account limit of three research queries per day.ChatGPT Deep Research * Strengths: Most thorough results of any platform I tested. it can generate 30 to 50-page comprehensive reports customized for your needs.* Limitations: Results can sometimes take 30 minutes.* Cost: Free ChatGPT users get 5 queries per month, as of April 24, 2025. Plus, Team, Enterprise, and Edu users get 25 queries per month. Pro users get 250.* More guidance: Read ChatGPT’s Deep Research introduction and watch Andy Stapleton’s YouTube video on how to use it to save research time.Gemini Deep Research* Strengths: Available even on free accounts; you can generate instant, free, shareable audio overviews summarizing your findings, akin to what NotebookLM produces; handy button lets you immediately export results into a Google Doc; you can edit Gemini’s research plan after it responds to your initial prompt, giving you additional agency after the initial prompt. * Limitations: Reports aren’t quite as thorough as those from ChatGPT * Cost: Free to use, though Pro users get access to a stronger 2.5 model. Pro access is temporarily free for students with an edu address. Apply here. * More guidance: Google’s Gemini Deep Research overview, and 6 tips for getting the most of itPerplexity Deep Research * Strengths: Fast results in under 3 minutes, detailed citations that you can copy/paste with the content into a doc for editing or further research. Helpful follow-up questions are provided or you can ask your own follow-ups. * Limitations: Less thorough than ChatGPT's deep dives * Cost: Free for 3 uses a day, or unlimited for Pro * More guidance: Perplexity’s Deep Research overviewWhat insights or challenges have you encountered with Deep Research? Leave a comment below to share your experience.👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I wrote the first Wonder Tools post in April 2020 to help journalists and educators navigate the pandemic shift to remote work. I was sick and feeling isolated. I wanted to focus on something bright in that dark moment. Five years, 265 posts, and 200,000 words later, the newsletter’s archive documents what I’ve found useful for creative productivity. My aim has been to be relentlessly practical, not theoretical, and to help people make the most of technology. Here’s a snapshot of some numbers, lessons, & highlights. By the numbers: Wonder Tools' first five years637 apps on my phone. I only use 10% of them regularly, and another 10% occasionally.219 apps on my laptop, about a third of which I use often. ~$300 monthly software subscription costs.~3,500 reader emails answered. Most of my replies are quick personal hellos to new readers who have responded to my welcome email. I also often answer questions, whether about apps for scanning a family photo album or research resources for work. ~200,000 words written, many on Sundays and then Wednesday nights, when sentences composed earlier beg for revision.~137 tools tested but not featured because they weren't worth your time. 65,000+ tech-curious people from 201 countries subscribe to Wonder Tools, growing at ~3% a month. 277 Substack newsletters recommend Wonder Tools. Half of the current readership found this newsletter through a recommendation. ~2,000+ hours spent researching, testing, writing, editing, and publishing.265 posts on AI, note-taking, productivity apps, focus tactics, and myriad other aspects of our digital lives at home and work. What I’ve learned to be true Utility beats pontificationHeadlines and hot takes are widely available elsewhere. Instead of offering musings or abstract analysis, I prioritize practical guidance about how to make the most of digital tools. The 100 to 1 rule: For every minute you spend reading a post, I spend 100 creating it. Each phase takes time: research, experimentation, interviewing, outlining, writing, rewriting, editing, proofreading, designing visuals, and publishing. Survival of the fittest: I often prep several versions of a post — or drafts on multiple topics — before settling on a publishable piece. The hardest part? Converting various notes, ideas, and experiments into a clear, concise, readable— and hopefully relevant— narrative. Confronting the cold start problem: Voice AI apps — like Letterly — have helped me overcome blank pages. I can start with unstructured oral musings, then edit my jumble into shape. Consistent publishing requires sacrificeSpending hours each week on a passion project like this requires tradeoffs. I devote less time to streaming, social media, and watching sports than before starting this. I also read fewer magazines. There’s no free lunch. Most apps fail the endurance test 📆If I don’t use a tool regularly after initially exploring it, I usually don’t write about it. Lots of services have disappeared from my workflow over time. Sustainable utility is often evident only after a few months. Readers supply lots of terrific tips 💌Ideogram, Raycast, Eagle, and other apps I now rely on came from subscriber suggestions. I also explore discovery hubs to experiment with new tools, some of which I end up writing about.I delete more words than I publish ✂️The hardest part of writing is subtracting. What’s omitted is more important than what’s included. When I’m nearly done with a post, I edit out 10%. I learned that in college from John McPhee. The next 122 tools on my radar 🔭My near-term exploration list includes 122 sites and apps I’ll try out over the next few months. My backlog includes 328 services I’m curious about. In the early days of this newsletter, I wondered when I’d run out of writing material. Now I wonder how to keep up with even a fraction of the emerging services. Wonder Tools readers are biologists, bakers, and bowling coaches 🎳 … from tech novices to legendary pros. I originally envisioned this newsletter serving journalists and educators, but the readership has broadened. Every week I hear from readers who work in all sorts of fields around the world. From top political officials to online celebrities, I’ve been surprised by who pops up on the subscriber list. When I started my journalism career in Newsweek’s letters department, I spent my days reading missives to the editor. Now the middleman is gone, and I relish the opportunity to correspond directly with readers. So email me or message me on Substack. I’d be happy to hear from you. Sitting in my New York City kitchen, it’s exciting to hear about a new book from a retired South African engineer or about a new data analysis tool from a math teacher in Iowa. I’m now keenly aware of our common global need for smart digital tools that enhance our screen-based work. Wonder Tools is reader-supported. To receive upcoming posts by email, consider a free or paid subscription to support this newsletter.3 of the most widely-read past posts👇 My hall of fame tool list 💎After five years of testing hundreds of tools, my enduring favorites are those I rely on consistently and frequently recommend. I would be sorely disappointed if any of these disappeared. * Craft is my go-to for creating visual documents and handouts. [Read more]* Perplexity delivers relevant, citation-backed responses to queries, not just links, making it my preferred search tool for gathering actionable info quickly. [Read more]* Claude has become a valuable thinking partner for brainstorming ideas, proofreading drafts, developing project plans, and creating SEO description text and alt-text for my posts. [Read more]* Letterly transformed how I overcome writer's block by letting me talk out my ideas and transform rough early thoughts into editable drafts. [Read more]* ChatGPT remains my AI Swiss Army knife. It helps with everything from generating illustrations to assisting with structuring lesson plans. [Read more]* NotebookLM helps me extract insights from my notes, documents, links, and recordings. It creates text and audio summaries, draws connections between ideas, assists with timelines, and avoids hallucination, remaining grounded in my materials and providing citations for verification. [Read more]* Google Docs remains a reliable workhorse. Its collaboration features and ease of use make it indispensable. [Read more]* Wakeout, which I use almost daily, is my favorite app for movement breaks.* Substack enabled Wonder Tools to become a sustainable project by facilitating its creation, distribution, and monetization, and by building a network for writers to recommend one another’s work. p.s. these services I wrote about are no longer around: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Last week I shared the tools that power my mornings. Now let's explore what I rely on from lunch to bedtime. Below you’ll see sites, apps, and gadgets that carry me from noon to night. From a niche workshop platform to my quirky 'invisible' clock, these are the tech companions that help me wrap up a fruitful day.Catch up on the first part of this post 👇12pm Lunch and thinking break 🍽️I often abandon screens for my midday pause. Other times I use apps like these:* Healthy Minds 🧠 Short audio pieces help guide me through mindfulness practices. I like the 5-10 minute “active” lessons that work well for a walking meditation. The app is free and well-designed. If I’m feeling anxious, I sometimes use the Headspace meditation app, which I also use for focus music when working. * Libby 📚 is my beloved source of free library audiobooks. I listen when I’m walking to lunch or commuting. Now: I’m loving Tiny Experiments, a superb new audiobook written & read by Anne-Laure Le Cunff.* Resy and OpenTable 🍱 Handy for quick lunch reservations.* Too Good To Go 🌮 It’s fun to try heavily discounted local restaurant food, though the quality varies. I used MealPal for a while for local lunch deals when I wasn’t as often bringing lunch from home. * The Infatuation 🍲 Helpful lists of tasty new local restaurants.1-3pm Preparing to teach 🧑‍🏫After lunch, I develop teaching plans, prepare to lead workshops, or work on other school-related projects for my job as Director of Teaching and Learning at the CUNY Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. * Craft 📄 My go-to for creating visually engaging digital handouts. It’s easy to use and works wonderfully on mobile or desktop. [Why Craft is so useful]* Text Blaze ⌨️ When I’m typing a lot, keyboard shortcuts help. I use snippets for signatures, AI prompts, addresses, and commonly-typed phrases. Raycast also works well for these shortcuts. [Why I rely on Raycast]* Tangible notes 📝 I like writing notes away from my laptop periodically to get my eyes off the screen and to change my brain mode. I alternate between:* I use a Rocketbook reusable notebook for lists and reminders.* A $20 VersaTiles memo board is great for jotting passing thoughts. * A giant whiteboard helps me draw connections. * My reMarkable Paper Pro tablet hosts notes I will return to repeatedly. [What works for me, paper vs. digital] * Arc Browser 💻 I create custom spaces for specific classes or projects, with bookmarks and account settings tailored to that context. * Kahoot, Padlet, and Slido 🤔 I rely on this trio of teaching tools to power activities that promote active learning in classes or workshops — rather than passive listening. Here are more of my favorite apps for teaching. Protecting my afternoon focus 💭* Time Out ⏳ I set this app to remind me to give my eyes a screen break every 15 minutes. It pulses over the screen to nudge me to look out the window. * Paper book 📖 I sometimes take a short mid-afternoon reading break to relax, breathe, recharge my brain, and detach from my screen. Here’s the book stack I’m dipping into this month, reflecting a mix of my interests.* Raycast Focus Mode 🧠 Blocks email and distractions during short, focused, deep work sprints. Sponsored Message🗞️ Need a newsletter for your business, but short on time? Potions will design and write your newsletter for just $100/mo. Try it free3-5pm Meetings 👥I try to schedule meetings for late afternoon. When they’re fruitful, it’s great to conclude the day with collaboration. * Granola 🤖 My favorite new app for transcribing and summarizing meetings. Its three best features: * 1. Since it records locally on my laptop, there’s no awkward bot joining the Zoom. * 2. I can incorporate my own notes during the meeting, which get blended into the AI-powered summary. * 3. Granola can draft helpful follow-up emails or Slack messages, or I can query it afterward about a meeting topic. * Butter 🧈 is my favorite tool for leading live online workshops, including live demos for Wonder Tools paid subscribers. It’s thoughtfully designed for facilitators and teachers. It lets me easily incorporate interactive elements, from polls to collaborative brainstorming. If a meeting has to be hosted on Zoom or another platform, I can use Butter Scenes for interaction.* Camera tools: Camo lets me modify my camera to zoom in, adjust lighting, or add an overlay during video calls. Prezi Video and mmhmm enable lower-thirds, annotations, and overlay visuals I occasionally use for presentations.* Sony UX570 voice recorder is my reliable $80 hardware backup for recording audio. I like that it doesn't require an open laptop or running phone. I often transcribe the audio files with MacWhisper.6pm: After work 🌙Evening and nighttime tools help with relaxation, family time, and better sleep:Commute: Snipd This smart podcast app lets me triple-tap my AirPods to save highlights to Readwise, which syncs to my digital notebook. Recent favorite: Shell Game by Evan Ratliff. Season 1 is terrific, about AI voice clones.Break: Nex I love playing the sports and workout games on this family video game system. They’re all active games played with your body, not your thumbs, and there’s no violence. I play solo or with my wife & daughters. It’s like a next-generation Nintendo Wii, which we also still play — especially tennis, skiing, and the Wii Fit balance games. We also enjoy these family tabletop games. 11pm: Bedtime 🌙* Glocusent rechargeable reading light This little $13 light clips onto any book or magazine for nighttime reading. One battery charge lasts for months. * Yogasleep Dohm white noise machine This $50 gadget masks random night sounds in noisy New York City, making it easier to sleep. * Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones I bought my WH-1000XM3 pair seven years ago, and still rely on them for listening to music before bed and focus sounds while working. I’m planning to buy a new XM6 model when they’re released this summer.* Peakeep “invisible” alarm clock I turn off the display on this $12 bedside clock so it’s hidden at night. I can tap the top to see the time if I need to. I mainly use it for its gentle morning alarm, so I can keep my tempting phone out of my bedroom.Share a thought or reaction 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Curious about my actual tech toolkit? I'm sharing the apps and tools that powered me through a recent morning, from wake-up alarm to lunchtime break. This builds on my recent focusing and timeboxing posts. I’d be delighted to hear about the tools you’re relying on today in a comment below or an email reply. [Check out part 2 of this post]7am Get ready for the day ☀️I welcome the morning by getting my body and brain moving, picking a few words of gratitude, and gauging my wellness. When I’m exhausted, running late, or otherwise 🤪 off-center, this gets blurred. * Oura Ring — I check my sleep quality and resilience score to calibrate my expectations for the day. Having an objective measure of how well I’ve slept, my heart rate volatility, and other metrics helps me decide whether to push my exercise harder or give myself grace. It also helps motivate me on dreary days. (I posted about the Oura I bought four years ago).* Brain Games Playing the NYTimes’ Spelling Bee, Wordle, and Connections with my wife and daughters is a fun breakfast ritual, and less stressful than scanning headlines. I also like Pointed, Bloomberg’s new (first) game, & various other quick thinking games. * TickTime Cube Timer I flip this onto its 1-min side to initiate a simple countdown. Having this nearby helps me stick to a new habit: a trio of 1-min core exercises. Doing these at the start of the day helps get my energy going. It also means a busy day later won’t rupture my routine. * I learned from James Clear’s Atomic Habits that even a few (consistent) minutes is better than nothing. I also use the timer for quick work sprints, focusing on something hard for five, 10, or 20 minutes at a time.8am Walk my daughter to school 🏫No tech. No tools. 8:30am Plan the day 📝Commute While commuting to work, I listen to podcasts with Snipd (here’s why I like it). If my subway isn’t too crowded for me to lift my arms to read, I use Readwise Reader to catch up on articles I’ve saved for later (why Reader is great). I also use Superhuman’s email app to check for work emergencies.When I get to work, I map out what's ahead with a digital / analog mix.* Google Calendar 📅 I check GCal for meetings. I experiment with other calendars, including Vimcal, Akiflow, Fantastical, and Notion Calendar, but on this day the simple, free GCal is sufficient. * Apple Reminders ✅ I keep at most 3 priority tasks at the top of my list. I only add to that top tier when I’ve completed one. I adopted that tactic from Oliver Burkeman’s excellent Four Thousand Weeks. * Remarkable Paper Pro 📄 I timebox my day hour by hour based on priorities, energy level, and scheduled meetings. Having a detailed plan helps me avoid decision fatigue later. And when I lose focus, it pulls me back on track. * Sometimes I use Sunsama, a digital planner. I like varying my routine, so I rotate between planning there or on my Remarkable tablet [here’s why I use it], my office whiteboard, a Rocketbook erasable notebook, or paper. 9am Writing ✍️I tackle creative work early when my focus is freshest. Tools help minimize distractions and friction so I can concentrate and think.* Letterly I dictate my thoughts into this app, which cleans up filler words and formats my dictation into an outline, summary, or series of questions to explore. It's good for getting ideas flowing before more detailed thinking and editing. When I want an AI assistant to challenge my ideas, I use ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, but Letterly is great for bionic dictation. * Lex This writing tool provides a simple interface plus an AI editor that lets me check grammar, spelling, syntax, repetition, and more. (See my writing toolkit).* Google Docs / iA Writer Reliable blank canvases with minimal friction. * Raycast Without switching apps, I can quickly add items to my Reminders or Calendar, maintaining my writing flow. (Why Raycast is a hidden gem).* Headspace Focus music without lyrics helps with concentration and blocks out city noise around my Times Square office.10am Wrangle Email 📨I set up periodic sprints to process email so it won’t consume my day.* Superhuman I use keyboard shortcuts to move through routine emails quickly. Superhuman also has helpful tags and filters so I don’t drown in messages. The automated reminders ensure I follow up on open threads. Boomerang is a great alternative for follow-ups if you use Outlook or Gmail. * Shortwave I like this AI-powered email app for easily finding, organizing, and summarizing messages.* Lazy I use a quick keyboard shortcut to clip and file important info from an email into Lazy, my notes app, with contextual info automatically included (sender, date, subject line) without having to switch out of my email app.* Flow Dictating messages saves my hands from typing fatigue. It’s remarkably accurate compared with old-fashioned dictation software. Unlike Letterly, this plugs text directly into whatever app I’m working with. Sponsored MessageThinking about building a newsletter but don't have the time to write it? Potions will design and write your newsletter for just $100/mo. Try it free11am Break 💨Wakeout This app features gifs of ordinary people doing stretching and cardio. I can imitate their movements for a variety of one-minute exercises. The exercise is minimal but at least my brain briefly pauses and my body moves. These breaks help clear my head 3x a day.11:05am Craft a presentation 📊When preparing workshops or classes, these tools help me craft engaging visual materials. I like app-smashing — using multiple apps together to benefit from their best features. * Beautiful.ai Slides automatically adjust as I add content, saving design time.* Keynote This reliable Mac presentation software works offline, supports in-person + remote presentations, and offers slick moving slide backgrounds.* iA Presenter I use this to create a visual presentation out of an outline. When I’m turning text materials into visuals, I import my words into this (non-AI) app, which displays markdown text as visuals alongside presenter notes. * Claude Projects & NotebookLM These AI tools help me find common themes, key ideas, and examples in prior materials I’ve created, so I can build on my own past work. [More on Claude Projects & NotebookLM.]* Perplexity Provides thorough, citation-backed search results powered by AI models that understand my detailed queries. The helpful search summary ensures I’m not left with hundreds of raw (Google) links to sort through. [Here’s why I find Perplexity so useful.] * ChatGPT 4o Image Generation / Ideogram These help me generate custom images for slides when needed. [I recently wrote about how to make the most of the new ChatGPT image gen and why I like Ideogram.That's a glimpse into the first half of a recent day – tools that help me plan, write, communicate, and create. In a follow-up post I’ll share the rest of the toolkit carrying me through to bedtime. 🛌What tools are YOU using today?Part 2 Continued below…. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Raycast is one of my favorite free apps. It’s a hidden gem that helps you do almost anything on your computer—add to your calendar, list tasks, search files, do math, or control apps—without touching your mouse. It’s free for Mac and coming soon to iOS and Windows. I use Raycast dozens of times daily for tasks that might take seconds individually, but cumulatively interrupt my flow. It saves me half an hour a week I can reallocate to deep work or family time.Read on for seven of my favorite ways to use Raycast and some limitations and alternatives.1. Do quick math and conversions 🧩 * Convert temperatures, currencies, time zones, or measurements* Calculate dates, like "100 days from now" or "days until Nov 7, 2028"* Perform any math equation2. Find anything you’ve copied—even days ago 🌟* Easily summon your full clipboard history to paste anything you’ve copied * Retrieve text, links, and even images easily * Save frequently used text as favorites3. Save time with text shortcuts 💬 Create shortcodes that expand into text you frequently type:* Set up snippets for your address, signatures, or common responses* Type custom text like \addr to instantly paste your mailing address or set @@ to automatically paste your email address * Create snippets for links, instructions, or anything you repeatedly type4. Add tasks, events, and notes without switching apps 💫Interact with your favorite apps with keyboard shortcuts.* Add tasks to Apple Reminders, Todoist or other apps* Create Google Calendar events using natural language* Control Spotify playback without switching windows* Send quick messages in Slack* Add notes to your favorite note-taking app, or use Raycast Notes for easy access to a digital notepad For example, by typing ⌥+Space (or your custom shortcut) followed by "remind" and your task text, you can add something to your to-do list without ever leaving your current application.Try these app integrations 🎯* Notion Add to any existing page or search for something. It also works with Capacities, Craft, Obsidian or most other note-taking tools.* Chrome/Arc — Search your browser history or quickly find a tab* CleanShot X — Take a quick screenshot or screen recording* Zoom — Start, schedule and join Zoom meetings. Also works with Google Meet, Teams and other meeting platforms.5. Control your computer settings 💻Using Raycast lets you avoid navigating through system menus.* Raycast Focus: Set timers and block distracting apps to get work done* Adjust screen brightness* Split your screen between two or more windows* Lock your computer when stepping away* Toggle system settings like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth6. Find files, tabs, and web results instantly 🔎Find exactly what you need in seconds, without having to dig through folders.* Locate files anywhere on your computer* Search the web directly with Google or Perplexity* Look up word definitions* Find specific emails* Search within applications7. Get AI help right from your keyboard (Pro) 🦾You can add AI capabilities for $8/month * Get AI input anywhere on your computer* Use natural language to control your system or to find GDocs, for example.* Generate images through AI extensionsHow to get started* Download and install: Visit Raycast.com and download the free application (Mac only for now. iOS and Windows coming soon.)* Choose your launch key: This is the magic key combination that will quickly open Raycast’s pop-up window so you can use it for all of the efficiencies detailed in this post. By default, Raycast uses [Option] and [Space], but you can customize it. I use [Control] and [Space].* Add extensions: Browse the extension store and add integrations for apps you frequently use (Google Calendar, Apple Reminders, Spotify, Notion, etc.)* Set up the clipboard manager: Try copying a few different items and access them with ⌘+Shift+V or whatever key combination you choose* Create your first snippet: Add a snippet for your email signature or address with a simple shortcode like \sig* Configure quick keys: Set up custom keyboard shortcuts for your most-used actionsBonus resources* Watch to learn more: 101 things you can do with Raycast 📺 * Get free Raycast extensions for your favorite apps: raycast.com/store* Sample Quicklinks you can add to Raycast: ray.so/quicklinks * Simple snippets you can add to Raycast: ray.so/snippets Coming next* iOS app launch (April-May 2024): Raycast’s first iPhone version will launch soon for fast access to notes, AI chat, links, and snippets. Android will follow later.* Windows version: Hundreds of people are doing alpha testing to strengthen this before launch. Snippets & AI features will arrive in the next few months.* Cross-device synchronization: Your Raycast settings and data will flow between platforms when new versions launch.Alternatives* Alfred: Offers shortcuts like Raycast, but requires more manual customization for advanced workflows. I still sometimes use this for its clipboard manager.* TextBlaze: Has advanced features I like for text expansion* Mac Spotlight: Built into macOS but with fewer features and integrations * Windows options include Keypirinha & Flowlauncher, or join the Raycast Windows waitlistBottom line: These alternatives offer overlapping functionality, but Raycast combines their best features in one free package with a more intuitive interface.Caveats* Platform limitations: Currently Mac-only, though Windows and mobile versions are in development* Learning curve: Takes time to build the habit of using keyboard shortcuts instead of opening applications* Complex advanced features. Some of the 1,000+ integrations with other apps require API keys. These special codes are like digital permission slips from applications like YouTube or ChatGPT. They require multiple steps to set up.* AI features require payment: While most features are free, AI capabilities require a $8/monthly subscription or $12/month per person for teams. * Extensions vary in quality: Some third-party extensions work better than others, so you can’t always be sure how well lesser-used extensions will work. Raycast’s founder on avoiding context switchingCo-founder and CEO Thomas Paul Mann told me recently that Raycast grew out of the founders' experience as software engineers at Facebook. “If you think about how our workspace has changed in the last 10 years, the number of tools exploded,” Mann said over Zoom. He and his co-founder witnessed firsthand the inefficiency of constantly switching contexts: “We felt like when we were going out of the terminal, you had to navigate around, oftentimes in the browser, opening a tab, getting there, clicking here, then there.” Their solution, Raycast, makes digital tools’ essential functions more accessible. “The core promise was that you've got to work with all those different tools—that's non-negotiable. But you often only need 80% of the functionality. Can we make that 80% super quickly accessible?”Now hundreds of thousands of people use Raycast. Thomas and his team have raised more than $45 million to date to expand its impact and reach new platforms.Fortune 500 employees observed in a 2022 study in Harvard Business Review switched between apps on average 1,200 times a day. That ‘toggle tax’ reduces efficiency and diminishes focus. If Raycast saves you three seconds 1,200 times a day? The Raycast calculator tells me that’s an extra hour for you to enjoy. What’s your favorite app or time-saving digital tool? Share a thought or a favorite shortcut below.👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

OpenAI just made the most significant leap in image generation I've seen over the past year. You can now type a simple prompt using ChatGPT 4o and create a remarkable photo illustration, infographic, cartoon, or just about any other visual.What makes this special? * Versatility. Create nearly any kind of visual you can imagine. * Intelligence. The AI understands your intent based on an ongoing chat thread and its understanding of the world, rather than just focusing on prompt phrases. That means you don’t have to master technical lingo or explain common concepts.* Continuity. You can create variations on any image and use consistent characters or styles for ongoing stories, presentations, or projects. * Text. I’ve been amazed at the rendering of vast amounts of text inside images, as in the parking sign above. Other AI tools struggle with more than a few words. It’s available for all ChatGPT users, whether you’re on a free or paid plan, on any platform. Read on for how to make the most of it, limitations, and alternatives.7 ways to use ChatGPT's new image AICartoons I've always wanted to draw cartoons but never had the skill. Now I can quickly prototype visual sequences. While human cartoonists bring unique creativity that AI can't replicate, this tech allows anyone to experiment.Infographics What impressed me most as I beta tested this model in recent weeks was its extraordinary level of nuance, detail and text accuracy. I created explanatory infographics for AI learners and music appreciation students. If you've spent hours building infographics or relied on stock, this may be a turning point. Caveat: The model sometimes struggles to accurately render text in non-Latin languages. Posters Create event ads, announcements, social posts, or signage without having to rely on a template. Quickly test out visual ideas that might otherwise take hours to flesh out. Slides Generate compelling images for presentations. Create wide or tall slides with big words or numbers, stylish quotes, or clarifying flowcharts. You can now use ChatGPT for help with planning a deck and designing its slides. Determining the purpose, structure, style, approach, and delivery is still your human role. Illustrations While DALL-E 3 (ChatGPT's previous image tool) worked well for some illustrations, this new 4o image generation opens up a broader range of styles, including conceptual images (like this) for blog posts, newsletters, or videos. StoriesIf you write fiction or poetry, you can now generate consistent character images. I’m delighted to be able to experiment with illustration styles for fan fiction I’m working on with my daughters based on the "Not Quite Human" series about a robot disguised as a human teenager.Designs Create icons, logos, or micro-illustrations for your projects. You can ask for multiple versions of a design in different styles, then build on the one you prefer.How to prompt ChatGPT 4o for great images1. Iterate through conversation Unlike other image generators that require a new prompt each time, ChatGPT 4o now enables an ongoing revision dialogue. Ask it to change styles, adjust elements, or create multiple related images. Caveat: asking for a correction on one element sometimes results in unexpected changes to other parts of an image. And ChatGPT will refuse some requests on content policy grounds.2. Upload reference images The multimodal nature of the model helps it understand and incorporate elements from images you share. I uploaded an image from a well-designed invitation and used it as inspiration for a private book group visual. 3. Prompt for prompts Use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini as a thought partner to suggest effective ideas or prompts based on your goals. This meta-approach helps you broaden your ideation.4. Compare across services Even with this major advancement, it's worth testing your prompts in other services, like the ones noted below, to see how results differ and which model works best for a particular project. 5. Save winning prompts When you find a formula that works well for the kind of images you'll want to generate repeatedly, save it. A snippet manager like Raycast, Alfred, or TextBlaze makes saving and reusing these prompts easy. Once created, you can just type "\illo" — or whatever keyboard shortcut you choose — to paste in your favorite illustration prompt. This allows you to add custom details while keeping your base prompt intact.LimitationsOpenAI has acknowledged several technical limitations of the new image generation model in their surprisingly candid launch post. 1. Cropping challenges When creating wide or tall infographics or slides, the AI sometimes misjudges dimensions, resulting in cut-off text or images. You may need to prompt again to fit all content properly.2. Complex information hallucinations For complicated requests like showing all elements in the periodic table, ChatGPT may struggle to track more than 10-20 items and hallucinate imaginary elements to fill gaps.3. Precise editing difficulties When you try to edit specific parts of an image, it might struggle with precision, either failing to make the requested change or altering too much. 4. Slow I feel guilty for commenting on speed for something this magical. But it can take one to two minutes to generate images, which is 10x as slow as image generation on Ideogram or other platforms. If you’re interested in ethical considerations associated with AI image generation, watch this Ted Talk by Ed Newton Rex, founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit that certifies generative AI companies that respect creators’ rights. Then watch a counterargument from artist Greg Lookerse. Strong alternatives* Ideogram also launched its new version (3.0) this week. It’s terrific, especially for abstract or metaphorical images, or for merging text with striking graphics like this. [See what I like about Ideogram.] Unlike ChatGPT, Ideogram has a menu for specifying an image’s dimensions and color palettes. And you can choose from four distinct image renderings. Ideogram can’t accurately produce lengthy text inside images like ChatGPT, though, and it lacks other advanced capabilities. For now I'll continue paying $8/month for Ideogram, though the calculus is quickly changing. * Adobe Firefly has a new standalone site. Its model is trained exclusively on material it obtained permission to use, making it a good choice for commercial projects. [See its ethics page]. * Reve is another great new AI image generation model that launched this week out of Silicon Valley. It renders typography well and abstract imagery like this. I like how you can modify images generated for you with a simple text prompt.What image generation tools have you been experimenting with, and how? 👇 Special offer: reader discount on Letterly until April 1I use Letterly to get past writer’s block, for journaling, and for ideation. It transcribes my rambling and reformats it into organized text. I use Letterly so much that its founders and I compiled a list of 50 ways to use the app.Letterly’s founder is offering a lifetime deal specifically for Wonder Tools readers. Instead of paying for an annual $80 Letterly subscription, you can pay $149 once for lifetime access. You can get it through this unique link. The deal will be briefly active, just until April 1st at 11:59pm PST. * Works on iPhone, Android, Mac, Web, iPad* Unlimited recordings, transcriptions, and rewrites* 90+ auto-recognized languages* Record online or offline; widget for quick captures; screen-off recording* 14-day money-back guarantee. You can cancel if it’s not useful for you. * You won't find this deal elsewhere online. * Transparency note: The link above is an affiliate link, so I get a small commission if you purchase through it to help fund Wonder Tools. I’m sharing this because I rely on Letterly and you might find it useful too. Sponsored messageUnlock 5,000+ ChatGPT Prompts & Supercharge Your Productivity with AIInstantly access 5,000+ ChatGPT prompts and quick, actionable AI productivity tips. Trusted by 120,000+ subscribers.Join Cyber Corsairs free AI productivity newsletter and boost your efficiency.Ready to increase your productivity? It's your turn to get smarter with AI.Join Free Now → This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s post grew out of a lively conversation I had with Mahan Tavakoli on his Partnering Leadership podcast. Listen to Mahan interview me about AI and its impact and you’ll hear my enthusiasm spilling over. His podcast focuses on leadership; my take is that this tech is of tremendous potential value to all of us, whether we’re leaders, specialists, or independents. Listen to the full podcast above, watch it on YouTube, or read on for key points and my quotes in black and white.AI’s impact as a creativity multiplier 🌼The most powerful AI tools don't just save time—they expand our consideration of what's possible. These assistants help us consider 5 or 10x the number of creative options we’d otherwise think about. AI tools I consistently rely on 🏵️Research and analysis 🧐* Perplexity: Unlike Google's long list of links, Perplexity delivers concise, citation-backed summaries that work like a “presidential brief.” This is perfect when you need to quickly understand consumer patterns, industry trends, or a complex topic. Read more of my take.* NotebookLM (and Claude Projects): Upload your own documents, examples and data to get personalized AI assistance. That ensures the replies to your prompts are anchored in your own materials and context. Now you can work with huge collections of information more efficiently and creatively. Why NotebookLM is so useful.Communication efficiency 🗣️* Shortwave: This email tool uses AI to help you find messages using natural language rather than exact keywords. Many of us waste huge amounts of time hunting for messages. Shortwave helps. (See my email toolkit)* Letterly and other voice-to-text AI tools like AudioPen and Oasis have transformed how I capture ideas. I call this "bionic dictation" because these tools don't just transcribe your voice but transform it into organized text. This is particularly powerful for people — like me — who think out loud. As you think aloud, your AI assistant acts as an “idea mirror,” reflecting back to you a coherent summary of your own key pointsMultimedia creation 🎥* Gamma (and Beautiful.ai) Create pro quality presentations without design skills. Spin up slide drafts quickly from a link, a doc, a detailed prompt or an outline. Experiment with multiple styles quickly & easily. [Why Gamma is great]. Spend time thinking and strategizing, not fussing with menus.* Hypernatural For quick video creation, paste in text a link to a newsletter or blog post, or give it some text, audio, or video. From virtually any raw material you provide it will create an original video you can revise. See how I use it.* Eddie Edit video with simple text prompts. I recently trimmed an hour long workshop to an eight-minute highlight video just by instructing Eddie into what sections were most important using natural language. Here’s why I’m impressed with it.* Descript Edit audio and video without any technical expertise. The AI removes background noise, sound gaps and filler words. And you can customize your project by trimming the transcript just as you’d edit any text document. Why I rely on it.AI tactics that work surprisingly well 🎯1. Reverse interviews 🎙️Instead of just querying AI, have it interview you. Get the AI to interview you, rather than interviewing it. Give it a little context and what you're focusing on and what you're interested in, and then you ask it to interview you to elicit your own insights."This approach helps extract knowledge from yourself, not just from the AI. Sometimes we need that guide to pull ideas out of ourselves.2. AI-assisted planning 🤔AI is particularly helpful for strategic planning. Try this: create a Claude Project — or a ChatGPT Project — and detail for your AI assistant your objectives and operating context. Have it help you think through a plan for the next month based on your goals.The benefit is comprehensive thinking. Our planning falls short when we've left something out. We've forgotten to consider various factors or haven't fully analyzed how things could go wrong.3. Identify writing weaknesses ✍️Give an AI assistant like Gemini, Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT text you've written, with a prompt asking for specific feedback. For example: * Ask for questions your writing should answer but doesn’t yet. * Prompt for a blind spot or a key point a critic might say you’ve missed. * Tell your AI aid to point out a section of your text that’s boring or bland.This approach elevates your work. In this paradigm, your assistant isn’t writing for you. It's giving you objective feedback on your work and helping you strengthen your own eye for edits. It’s pushing you to reach a higher standard.📺 Watch a 3-minute excerpt from the interview 👇 (or full video here) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Hundreds of AI tools emerge every week. I’ve picked five new ones worth exploring. They’re free to try, easy to use, and signal new directions for useful AI. 1. Sesame ⚡️ Talk with a surprisingly lifelike AI Of all the AI bots I’ve communicated with, this one sounds the most lifelike. Pick either Maya or Miles to talk with for free in Sesame’s conversational demo. Try one of these topics. You can download your conversation afterwards. It’s deleted from the company’s servers within 30 days to protect your privacy. I’ll keep an eye on this company: Sesame aims to build “an ever-present brilliant friend and conversationalist, keeping you informed and organized, helping you be a better version of yourself.” Another intriguing new AI conversationalist: I’m also intrigued by my experiments with Natura Umana’s “AI people.” Rather than one AI bot that covers everything, the NatureOS ecosystem hosts multiple conversational bots, each with a different focus. I’ve talked with Hector about well-being and Athena about fitness. The NatureOS interestingly includes hardware, so you can summon these lifelike AI characters with a quick tap of special earbuds. (See a video demo).2. Convergence 🎯 Assign tasks to an AI agent Ask Convergence’s AI agent to buy groceries for you, find a gift on Amazon, get you a restaurant reservation, research what people say about your company, or do any number of other tasks. This is just one of many new AI agents trained to use a Web browser for you, and none are yet fully reliable. When I tasked Convergence with making a list of LinkedIn profiles of speakers at the upcoming Perugia International Journalism festival, it got some right and many wrong. With simpler tasks your odds of success are higher. You can request up to five tasks for free per day, or pay $20/month for an unlimited number of tasks. 3. Scribe 🖋️ Transcribe super accurately. Temporarily freeUntil April 9, Scribe — a remarkably accurate new transcription model from ElevenLabs — is completely free. In my tests it got the names of websites right, — — most transcription tools get those wrong. It also captured tiny speech nuances so well that I’d recommend this over other tools for anything requiring top accuracy. It works in 99 languages. 4. Google Career Dreamer 🚀 Imagine a new job Dream up potential new directions for your career with this simple, well-designed free site. You don’t have to log in, enter your name, or share any personal info. Just type in the kind of work you do and confirm whether you have certain skills and interests. Add your education if you want. The AI immediately gives you a “career identity statement” and shows you a map of jobs that might interest you. Hover over any to learn more about them. You can even open up nearby job openings in that field. You can then jump to Gemini, Google’s alternative to ChatGPT, to work on a cover letter or continue your career ideation. Gems are now free You can now create a free Gemini “Gem,” which is an AI tool customized with your specific instructions and up to 10 documents you upload. It’s Google’s answer to ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs. Try this: Create a new “Career Gem” by uploading your resume, past cover letters, career planning docs, and any other relevant materials. Provide instructions if you have a particular style, language, or approach in mind. This new trained AI assistant you’ve customized can then help you anytime you return to it to refine a cover letter, update your resume, practice for an interview, or even brainstorm career ideas. Alternative: You can use Google’s default “Career Guide” gem without uploading anything, but it’s not personalized.5. Adobe Enhance Speech 🎙️ Improve audioAdobe recently upgraded its audio cleanup tool. Upload any audio recording with background noise and immediately get a clean version to download. There are new sliders for adjusting the enhancement and background noise. You can then use Adobe Podcast to edit the cleaned audio by trimming the transcript just as you would in a Google Doc. It now works for recordings in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and English.If you’re making a podcast, you can choose from royalty-free sound collections with intros, outros, transition sounds, and background music. It’s free to try for a month and included with existing Adobe subscriptions. Catch up on recent posts 👇 Peek inside Shannon Almeida’s toolkitI love learning how creative people do the work they’re most proud of. I’m curious about the tools they rely on, so I’ve been interviewing people to discover more about their workflows. Below is an example:Meet Shannon: After growing up in Mumbai and studying finance and economics at Boston University, Shannon co-founded multiple ventures, including Benefactory and Volv, a social news app that delivers nine-second article reads.Tool Philosophy: Less is More “I'm about making the best out of the least amount of things because life is overwhelming enough. It's about how to make my life as simple as possible.”Favorite Tool: Endel Shannon says the Endel sound app’s "sorcery" has transformed her productivity. She relies on its focus sounds in 25-minute increments throughout her workday. It helps her block out external distractions.Her 4 daily tools * Apple Notes serves as Shannon’s morning “brain dump” destination for capturing thoughts and tasks before organizing them elsewhere* Apple’s iCal acts as her primary calendar, connecting to all her Google accounts* Notion functions as her "second brain," with multiple databases for learning projects, life management, and product research* Meco keeps her email inbox clean by redirecting newsletter subscriptions to a dedicated app, with customized notifications for favoritesBiggest workflow challengeSaving content across platforms. Saving screenshots and social posts is tricky, Shannon says, because these either get stuck online or pile up in her camera roll. Transferring valuable content to Notion requires 30-minute weekly sessions.Current CuriosityHow culture, design and technology shape consumer needs in the economy, particularly how brands can develop long-term identity in an era dominated by algorithmic taste-making.Shannon recommends* Newsletters: Puck Line Sheet & What I’m Hearing by Lauren Sherman, Matt Belloni and others* Books: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas, and The Politics of Aesthetics by Jacques Rancière* TV & Music: White Lotus and Doechii* Podcast: "Fashion Neurosis" with Bella Freud. The appeal? Fashion designers lying down (as if in therapy) to discuss their mindsets, not their collections.What’s in your toolkit?Share the top tools in your toolkit in a comment below, or in this short form. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

I like thinking on paper. That’s why I’ve got a box under my desk with 27 old idea notebooks. But when I’m looking for a specific note scrawled early in 2020, digital notes are helpfully searchable.Given that paper and digital have distinct advantages, I’ve been experimenting lately with hybrid approaches. Read on for what I’ve found to be most useful.My current notebook of choice is a sleek digital device that feels like paper: The reMarkable Paper ProWhat it is: A specialized paper tablet originating from Oslo, Norway that feels like a cross between a Kindle and an iPad. It’s designed for writing and reading, not Web surfing, games or social apps. In touch and sound it’s closer to paper than any digital device I’ve used. It’s simple to use, well-designed, and I rarely need to charge it.Choose this if… You like the feel of paper but prefer having a single, organized device to piles of paper notebooks. It’s great if you’re easily distracted by multi-purpose devices (that’s me) or if you spend a lot of time taking notes by hand and want a luxurious, minimalist device. My favorite features* Feels like paper. You can adjust the marker (stylus) to look and feel like various pens or pencils. The screen somehow even sounds like paper. * Backup and sync. See any of your notes later on your phone, tablet, or laptop app as editable PDFs. During an online meeting you can even use the paper tablet as a whiteboard to screenshare live notes or diagrams. Note: I’ll demo this live screensharing in an upcoming live Wonder Tools workshop for paid subscribers, where I’ll share more of the device’s strengths, limitations, and alternatives. * Flexible annotations. I like annotating PDFs as I read. You can toggle your notes on/off to return to the original. Unlike the Remarkable 2, this model lets you add color annotations, though I rarely do. You might find it handy to have distinct hues for highlighting facts or quotes.* Distraction-free. No apps, email, browser, or notifications to tug at your attention. * Easy import. You can easily import articles or documents from your Web browser or from Google Drive or Dropbox.* Eye-friendly It’s easier on your eyes than an iPad or computer, and works well in the dark, too, with an adjustable, built-in backlight. * Templates. You can start with a blank page or your choice of lined or dotted page templates; calendar or task list templates; or even a Bullet Journal from the new template and workbook collection.Caveats* Single-purpose device. If you need a multi-function tablet, this isn't it. If you already have a digital watch, phone, tablet, & laptop, you may have enough. * Premium investment. The $579 price point makes this a luxury device for those who can afford to invest in a fancy note-taking tablet. * Doesn’t work with Kindle books or other reading formats. It’s great for PDFs and ePub files, and you can even import Web articles with a bookmarklet in your browser. But you can’t use it to read your Kindle books.* Feels large for reading. If you’re used to holding a small Kindle in your hand, this device feels big at 274 x 197mm (10.8’’ x 7.8’’). The reMarkable 2 is a little smaller and cheaper ($399). * No multi-document view. Unlike a laptop or an iPad, this device doesn’t let you view multiple documents at once. That’s good for staying focused, but it adds friction when you’re switching back and forth between two reference documents, as I’ve been doing lately. * Slower page turns. As with other E Ink screens, you have to wait a bit longer for each new page to load on this device than on LCD or LED screen devices. * Clunky handwriting to text conversion. You can convert handwritten notes into digital text, even if you have messy handwriting like mine, but the process involves multiple clicks and I haven’t been thrilled with the resulting conversion and formatting. * Slight learning curve. It’s easy to use out of the box. But for advanced features, like triple-tapping to cut and paste text or adding multiple annotation layers, you’ll need a bit of practice.Pricing: $579 with the Marker (stylus) or $629 with the Marker Plus, which has a built-in digital eraser. The Book Folio protective cover is $89, while the Type Folio cover, which lets you type notes, is $229. The eraser tip is worth the extra $50 for quick corrections. The cover with built-in keyboard is only necessary for those who type all the time or use the device in place of a laptop. The optional Connect subscription for backing up your device and syncing to mobile and desktop apps is $30/year after a free 100-day trial. My flexible, reusable backup notebook: RocketbookWhat it is: A reusable notebook with plastic pages (made with Polyester/ Polypropylene) that you write on with erasable FriXion pens. How it works: To digitize notes, use Rocketbook’s free smartphone app (iOS or Android) to scan a page and send it to Google Drive, Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, Box, Trello, OneNote, OneDrive, iMessage, iCloud or Google Photos. Then wipe the page off to reuse it. Choose this if… You like writing with an ink pen but want to keep notes organized in your preferred digital hub. It works well if you want a relatively low-cost, reusable notebook and don’t want another digital device. My favorite features* Reusable pages. Wipe off the ink with a damp cloth and you can repeatedly use the same pages.* Easily scan notes to your digital hub. By marking a symbol at the bottom of a given notes page, you can send that particular page to your preferred destination. You can send some pages to one place, others to another.* No subscription cost. The app is free, with no monthly fees. * Lightweight design. The spiral binding and fold-back cover makes it easy to quickly return to any page.* Easy page titling. You can write a double-hashtag at the top of any page to set its title for simpler digital categorization.* Text conversion. Transform your handwriting to searchable text as long as it’s not illegible. Caveats* Requires a special pen. You’ll need a backup supply of FriXion pens. * Different writing feel. Plastic pages feel different from traditional paper.* Occasional smudging. The erasable ink can sometimes smudge before it dries completely. Be careful about leaning your hand on fresh ink.* Cheap, light material. This is essentially a collection of coated plastic sheets, so it doesn’t have the heft of a thick notebook or a digital tablet. Pricing: $30-50 depending on the size and style. These go on sale periodically. FriXion pens cost a few dollars each. Tips: I like the $38 Fusion model because it includes 42 pages with seven different page templates. It includes monthly and weekly calendar pages, dotted, lined and list pages, and project, goal and idea templates. Size: I prefer the executive size (6 x 8.8 inches) because it’s a bit more portable than the larger letter format. The mini size can be handy if you like keeping a notebook in your pocket.I also like a new hybrid alternative, the Boogie Board Blackboard 2.0This reusable smart notebook has a permanently dark screen. It feels like writing on black glass with a special smart pen/stylus. Like the Rocketbook, you link the Blackboard to a free mobile app. From the app you can send an image or PDF of anything you’ve written or drawn to another app like Dropbox or Apple Notes.Like the Rocketbook, you don't have to worry about recharging the screen. There is, technically, a battery in the Blackboard, because it's a passive LCD screen, but you can use it for years without an issue. I’ve used other Boogie Board screens and never had to change a battery. I think of it like a grown-up Etch a Sketch. It's a fraction of the cost of the reMarkable tablet or an iPad, but its flimsy case gives it a much cheaper, more plastic-y feel. Limited space: The Blackboard 2.0 has just one page to use and then sync before running out of space. The Rocketbook, by comparison, gives you 42 pages to write on before you need to sync or erase. The reMarkable can store hundreds of thousands of pages of digital notes.Charging and syncing: If you get the Blackboard version with the Smart Pen, you do have to recharge the stylus. It’s easy to misplace either the pen or the pen cover. On the plus side, it's a little easier to sync and erase than the Rocketbook — just press a button to sync your writing or drawing to your online notes. Press another button to erase a page and start fresh.Pricing: $150 for the Blackboard 2.0 with the Smart Pen, or $45 for the same Blackboard minus the smart pen— in which case you use your phone to scan what you write into the Blackboard app, much like the Rocketbook. If you want a digital pen: Livescribe’s LivePenWhat it is: A digital pen that records what you write on special paper and converts it to digital text. Consider this if you like the feel of paper and want to backup your notes digitally without a tablet. You’ll still have to buy special notebooks so the pen’s built-in camera can track your words digitally. I like that the newest model is ultra-portable. I had an old version of this pen that felt like a chunky highlighter. The $65 LivePen bundle includes four 158-page journal-sized notebooks. Keep them in distinct locations so you can use them with your digital pen wherever inspiration strikes.Caveats* Easy to misplace. The LivePen is smaller than the other note-taking tools, meaning it’s easier to lose it. * Comfort considerations. It’s smaller than older models, but may not be as sleek as your favorite Cross pen.* Battery dependent. You’ll have to charge it every couple of weeks.* Special paper required. You’ll have to repeatedly buy Livescribe notebooks or download and print special paper files with the required micro-dots. .Transparency note: I spend hundreds of dollars monthly on products, subscriptions and services I write about. Occasionally, products are sent to me and I try them, and that was this case for this post. Whenever I write anything, my assessments reflect my own independent, candid evaluation, including what I find useful, the limitations I see, and alternatives.Prefer plain paper? Try Leuchtturm1917 What it is: A traditional, sturdy, paper notebook, with a table of contents section at the front to help make it easier to organize notes inside.Choose this if… You’re a traditionalist who wants zero distractions or if have no interest in additional gizmos to plug in. Or maybe you just enjoy the tactile experience of pen on paper. No batteries, charging, cords or software updates needed. Tips: Snap pictures of important notes and upload them to ChatGPT, which excels at recognizing handwriting and converting it to digital text. No special app needed, and you can send the converted notes to your digital hub of choice. Options: I like the $17.50 dotted model with numbered pages, two page markers, a pocket and an elastic closure band. If you often write outdoors, consider the $29 Outlines model for extra durable waterproof paper and a water resistant cover. Or if you draw, try the 120g model for $29 for low-transparency paper that won’t let ink run or colors show through to the back. Want a cheaper choice? This similar Rettacy notebook is just $8. Bottom line: I rely on a blended system ✨No one tool satisfies all of my note-taking needs. * Why all-digital isn’t optimal: I need to get away from screens on Saturdays, and periodically at work. So no digital-only system will work for me. * Why all-paper doesn’t work: Having filled up desk drawers and storage bins with old reporting notebooks, I’m not eager to accumulate more paper. And my urban life is variable — I often don’t have a paper notebook with me.* What I prefer: For now, the reMarkable Paper Pro is my preferred note-taking tool when I’m at work or doing extended brainstorming at home. * An occasional replacement: When in meetings or with my children, I sometimes prefer my Rocketbook to remove any hint of digitalia.* Paper lives on. I sometimes pull out an individual piece of paper — or index cards — and later digitize it with ChatGPT. * Other explorations: I use Letterly to take audio notes, and I experiment occasionally with Goodnotes and other iPhone and iPad apps. ✍️ See a table or take a preference quiz to see what suits youWhat do YOU use to take notes? Leave a comment👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Summary: New AI models emerge weekly, but useful prompts are surprisingly stable. I’ve found nine versatile templates to be consistently useful after experimenting with hundreds. They work well even on the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot. Read on for the templates and tactics. How to benefit from this post: Adapt these prompts as foundational formulas for getting help from your AI assistant. They’re customizable recipes rather than rigid scripts. Experiment with them. Improve them. Make them your own. Each section below has a button that will take you to the full prompt template and an example. You can add comments to those prompt pages. Pick one for a current project to expand your command of AI. Iterate on it and share your results in a comment for others’ benefit.1. Interview me 🎙️Act as an experienced interviewer. Interview me thoughtfully and creatively about [topic /project /idea]…Goal: Overcome a blank pageUse this when… * You’re stuck battling writer's block* Your thoughts are scattered* You’re trying to crystallize abstract ideasTips:* Specify how you want to be interviewed (e.g., "Ask one question at a time")* Request follow-up questions that build on your previous answers* Ask for a summary of your responses at the end to clarify your thinking2. Help me edit ✍️Act as an experienced editor. Please first slowly read and analyze the following text without rewriting it: [paste or upload text]. Then provide a numbered list of concise, specific, constructive observations to help me strengthen the piece by noting any of the following issues in my writing… Goal: Polish your wordsUse this when… * You’re refining an important message* You don’t have a friend or colleague to help with editing* You want to strengthen an early draft before sharing itTips:* Request specific feedback on common weaknesses like clichés; weak verbs; passive voice; awkward or confusing phrases; redundancy; run-on sentences; or issues with grammar, spelling or punctuation. * Ask the AI not to change your text but to provide a numbered list of potential issues for you to address, along with concise explanations of the concern. That way it’s not making changes on your behalf. You remain in full control of the editing process and the language you choose. * If you find yourself overwhelmed with editing suggestions, prompt your AI assistant to proceed like a patient editing coach progressing step-by-step, noting only one issue at a time.3. Organize my rambling 🖊️Please organize the following information into a clear, structured format: [paste or upload notes/ thoughts/ transcript]. Identify the main themes or categories, group related points together, and create a logical flow…Goal: Structure messy materialsUse this when… * You have disjointed thoughts needing structure* Your meeting notes lack organization* You've brainstormed ideas and need help categorizing themTips:* Try different organizational frameworks (chronological, thematic, priority-based)* Request specific formats like bullet points, numbered lists, or sections with headers* Transform transcripts into actionable summaries with clear next steps in a format you customize 4. Push my thinking 🤔Help me explore unusual, creative, unconventional approaches to [topic/ challenge/ issue]. First, briefly summarize what conventional wisdom typically suggests in this situation. Then, provide 5-7 surprising, unexpected, or innovative alternatives…Goal: 10x your ideasUse this when… * You suspect your thinking is limited or conventional or you may have blind spots* You’re aiming for exceptional — not satisfactory— work* You’re open to new directions or radically distinct ideasTips:* Ask specifically for "surprising, unusual, unexpected, or unconventional approaches"* Request multiple options — 5-10 different possibilities to start. Then ask for even more ideas. The AI doesn’t tire, and it might be the 9th (or 17th) idea that finally resonates.* Consider how elements of multiple responses might be combined5. Help me plan 📆Act as an expert project manager. I need to plan [project/ task/ event] with these constraints: [time/resources/ team composition/ other limitations]. My goal is to [desired outcome], and my working style is [preferences]. Please draft 3 possible structured plans… Goal: Map out a day, a long-term goal, or a complex project.Use this when… * Tackling complex projects with multiple components* Feeling overwhelmed by a task or deadline* Needing an objective perspective on your approach* Coordinating work across team members with different skillsTips:* Include specific constraints (time, resources, team composition)* Mention your preferences and working style* Specify the level of detail you need in the plan* Ask for contingency options if certain approaches don't work6. Help me understand 🧠Act as a wonderful teacher and experienced explainer. I need help understanding [concept/ document/ idea] at a [beginner/ intermediate/ advanced] level. My background knowledge is [relevant context], and I need to understand this for [purpose]. Please explain this in clear, concise language… Goal: Simplify something confusing. Use this when…* Grappling with complex or technical material* Struggling with jargon, legal language, dense research, an exhausting PDF, or bureaucratic documentation* Stuck trying to grasp a confusing point* Trying to process complicated info while tired Tips:* Specify what format would help you understand (analogies, examples, summaries)* Indicate your current knowledge level on the topic* Upload any relevant files you have on hand* Mention why you need to understand this (to explain to others, make a decision, etc.) because that may impact the nature of the response* Specify a preferred explanation length or depth based on your need7. Help me clarify 💎Act as an expert in clear communication. I need to communicate about [topic] to [specific audience] through [medium: email/ presentation/ report]. Here's my current draft or thinking: [paste content or ideas]. Please help me clarify this message by identifying areas that might be confusing…Goal: Strengthen how you’re communicating.Use this when…* Crafting important communications that need precision* Struggling to articulate an idea concisely* Preparing content for presentations or public sharing* Wanting to ensure your message is clear to a specific audienceTips:* Provide details about your audience and their background* Specify the communication medium (email, presentation, website)* Indicate tone preferences (formal, casual, technical)* Ask for multiple versions to compare different approaches8. Help me make ⚡️Act as a patient, detail-oriented instructor. I want to create [project/ item/ content] and need step-by-step guidance. My skill level is [beginner/ intermediate/ advanced], and I have access to these resources: [tools/ materials/ software]…Goal: Get customized instructions for how to do something.Use this when… * Learning a new skill or process* Experimenting with unfamiliar tools or techniques* Seeking step-by-step guidance for a project* Troubleshooting challenges in creative workTips:* Use ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot's voice mode if you need hands-free instructions* Try ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode with video so the AI can see what you're working on* Ask for adaptations if you don't have all the suggested materials* Be cautious and skeptical at first when exploring a new skill area with AI assistance, because hallucinations do arise. When in doubt, double-check with a familiar reference link or fact-check with alternative research tools. 9. Help me find 🔎I need to locate specific information about [topic] within [my docs/ online/ this database or field]. I'm looking for [exact details of what you're seeking] for the purpose of [how you'll use this information] …Goal: Locate something buried in a document or somewhere online.Use this when… * You’re searching for specific points within lengthy documents* You need targeted research on a particular topic* You’re looking for connections across multiple sources* You want to confirm the source of a data pointTips:* Unlike the other prompts in this post, this one works best with specialized AI tools. These include:* NotebookLM, which looks only at your uploaded materials [read more].* ChatGPT and Perplexity’s new “deep research” models, which provide citations.* Consensus (example) and Elicit (example) can help you research and better understand a complex issue drawing on academic publications, and you can use a detailed query for more precision. * Be as specific as possible about what you're looking for and why* Request citations so you can verify the information independentlyPower phrases to boost your prompts 🚀Five simple phrases can strengthen the responses you get from nearly any AI query. Think of these as special ingredients for getting exceptional results from otherwise ordinary requests.1. “Be surprising…” 😳“Be surprising, unexpected, and unconventional in your approach” This phrase pushes the AI beyond conventional thinking, helping you discover innovative solutions you might never have considered otherwise.2. “Be concise…” 😑“Use concise, specific language and avoid technical jargon” This ensures responses are accessible and immediately useful rather than filled with complicated terminology or vague suggestions.3. “Adopt my style” 💇“Analyze the examples I've provided and match that style in your response” This helps the AI adapt to your preferred tone and format, creating more consistent and personalized interactions.4. “Ask me…” 🙋“Ask clarifying questions if you need more information to give me the best possible response” This transforms the interaction from a one-way request to a collaborative conversation, leading to more tailored and relevant answers.5. “Do better…” 🤔“Try again with a more detailed, nuanced response that specifically improves the [accuracy/depth/creativity] of your answer” This encourages iterative refinement, pushing the AI to elevate its initial response and deliver progressively better results tailored to your specific needs.Bonus tip: Use ChatGPT or Claude to help you refine your prompts. As language engines, these AI tools excel at sharpening prompt wording. What’s your reaction to this piece, or one of your go-to prompts? Drop a comment below to share👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Books offer a compelling, slower alternative to the onslaught of negative news. With terrific new free tools, it’s increasingly easy to access print, digital and audio books. Read on for an update on my favorite book sites and apps. Thanks for reading and sharing. Libby lends out free ebooks and audiobooks through libraries in 78 countries. It works for 90% of U.S. libraries. You can search for and check out nearly anything, instantly, for free, on any device.* Audiobooks Check out and listen to audiobooks at any speed. You may not need to pay for an Audible subscription. * Definitions Click on any word in an ebook you’re reading in Libby for its definition or to see where else that name or phrase appears. * Highlight Save memorable passages for your notes.* Multiple cards You can use multiple library cards within a single Libby account. That helps you check which library has the shortest waiting list for a book in high demand. (See where you can get non-resident library cards).Limitation: Libby is digital-only — you can’t use it for physical books. That requires a separate app or site, like the NYPL app in New York. Kanopy provides free access to top-notch feature films and documentaries. I log in with my library card. Watch on the Web, iOS or Android, or on a SmartTV app like Google TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV. Limitation: libraries limit the number of videos you can watch monthly. Hoopla is an alternative to Libby that works with 3,900 library systems in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Like Libby it hosts audiobooks and eBooks, but also bundles in comics, movies, TV shows, magazines, and music. Use Hoopla to read, watch or listen from the Web or on a mobile device. I recently discovered its free Bingepasses, which allow instant access to a collection of magazines or videos for a week.World Cat tells you which of 10,000 global libraries near you have a particular book. It works in multiple languages. Search for books in print, ebook, braille, audio, or other formats. Find your next read 📚* Most Recommended Books shows you a list of smart people. Pick an expert or celeb you like and see which books they recommend, along with brief quotes on why they like each book. Check Goodbooks.io and ReadThisTwice for more expert/celeb book picks.* Whichbook’s World Map offers a creative way to find a book about any part of the world. Select a country and see books set in that region (See gif 👇). * Where to find book recs is a nice list from a Writing About Reading post. I also like the eclectic recommendations in the NYTimes’s Read Like the Wind newsletter. * BookClubs lets you find a book group near you or organize your own. * Fable hosts book clubs & communities for sharing what you’re reading. Find free and cheap books 🔦* Project Gutenberg has more than 75,000 free ebooks and audiobooks. No registration required. See the top 100 list for free reading inspiration.* The Internet Archive has searchable e-books and a free library collection.* Bookbub is handy for bargain hunters. It shows discounted and free ebooks. Availabe as a newsletter or check the site for deals. Support Independent booksellers 🪟* Alibris has 200 million titles from indy booksellers around the world. * Powell’s is the world’s largest independent bookstore. * Bookfinder lets you search online to find any book at the cheapest price.* Indiebound helps you find a nearby real-world indy bookstore. * Abebooks has great deals from independents. Check its bargain books + collections. Caveat: Amazon has owned it since 2008.* Tertulia is a well-designed online co-op bookshop owned by readers.Make your own book list ✅* Listy is free. It’s easy to look up & add books, and later export your list. (See my prior post about it).* LibraryThing is free and easy for cataloging books & tracking reading.* Free Notion book tracking template lets you customize a collection page.* Free Airtable book list template & my Airtable example: 30 authors I like. Use AI to explore and expand your taste in books 📚After making a list of books you’ve liked or learned from, prompt an AI engine (ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) for personalized reading guidance. Read my recent post for how & why this is so useful for analyzing your own reading tendencies and discovering new gems. Sponsored MessageFast & Flawless transcripts with Scribewave: trusted by journalists, researchers and creatives for its accuracy and privacy.* 🌍 Unmatched accuracy: Powered by industry-leading language models, Scribewave guarantees the most precise results on the market in 94 languages.* 📁 For power-users: Bulk upload and download files in seconds.* 📊 Flexible pricing: Choose between usage-based pricing or subscriptions.* 🔒 Self-learning: The only speech-to-text tool that learns your language.* 🖋️ Total control: Easily refine transcripts and export to Word, Google Docs, Adobe, and more.* 🚀 Save 3 hours per hour of content with Scribewave.✨ Ready to transform your workflow? Try Scribewave for free today at scribewave.com.💡 Bonus: Get 50% off your first month with coupon code WONDERTOOLS50Not enough time to read? Get the essence of great books with Shortform summaries. (affiliate link with Wonder Tools discount)Find great children’s books 🧒* Sora is a digital library for kids. Schools make ebooks and audiobooks available on the app. It works well with graphic novels, picture books, as well as comic books and textbooks. (We also use Libby for kids books).* Epic is another popular kids ebook app. It’s fun to use, but be aware that it leans into gamification and extrinsic motivation — using points and streaks to entice kids to repeatedly open the app.* Kanopy has a great kids section with video versions of books by Eric Carle, Mo Willems and other great authors to spark an interest in reading. It also has math and science lessons. Bonus tools: Check out a well-curated list of 55 useful apps for book lovers from Bookscouter, where you can buy and sell books.📚 What reading resource do you find most useful? Add a comment 👇Newsletter recommendation ✉️The Signal delivers global perspectives on tech, science and democracy—free of ideology, twice weekly. Join curious readers seeking deeper context beyond headlines. Sign up for free today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

Typing isn't always the best way to get your thoughts down. Sometimes talking through an idea leads to better clarity. New AI tools can reliably transform those spoken thoughts into clean, organized text. I've spent months experimenting with voice AI tools — first on my phone, and now on my laptop. They’ve been helping me pull ideas from my brain onto paper. The tools below have become crucial to my workflow. Read on for my five-minute guide to making the most of voice AI.Why voice AI beats traditional transcription ✍Traditional transcription simply converts speech to text. Modern voice AI does much more:* Instant transformation: Speak naturally and get a polished draft, outline, or summary* Smart cleanup: AI removes filler words and adds proper punctuation* Format flexibility: Convert speech into various formats like bullet lists or structured documents* Context awareness: AI understands context and organizes your thoughts logically. Because it’s grounded in your own words, it doesn’t hallucinate.5 ways I like using voice AI 💫Here are some scenarios where voice AI is particularly valuable:1. Journal entriesInstead of staring at a blank page, I speak my thoughts at day's end. The AI transforms my stream of consciousness into organized reflections.2. Meeting follow-upsAfter an in-person meeting, I open my voice AI app, hit record, and talk through key points while they’re still fresh. I don’t worry about the structure of my sentences or about pausing as I think. The AI waits for me and summarizes my rambling.3. Presentation planningSpeaking through presentation ideas helps me figure out my narrative flow. The AI helps me organize my thoughts into a structured outline. I can talk through multiple potential versions, then compare them on screen later. 4. Book notesTo preserve insights from something I’m reading, I turn on a voice AI app and flip through the pages or scroll through the text to remind myself out loud about intriguing passages or ideas. I then save the structured note the AI creates. I like being able to look back at the text while dictating the note. And the editing part of my brain interferes less when I’m talking than when I’m typing. 5. Daily planningStarting my day by verbally mapping out my priorities helps me think through what’s ahead more effectively than typing out a list. Voice AI apps to try 🎤Letterly 💌* Easy to use Just press the app’s big button. Up to 15 minutes per recording.* Cross-platform Record or access your past text-from-voice across automatically synchronized desktop, web, and mobile apps.* Smart format detection The magic transform option can automatically reformat your words, turning lists into bullets or structuring email drafts for quick copy-and-pasting into other apps.* Customizable outputs Transform recordings into LinkedIn posts, podcast or video scripts, structured documents, or your own custom formats.* Iterative refinement Try different transformations of the same recording until you get exactly what you need. * Multiple languages Record in any of 90 languages, or record in one language and have the app translate your text into another.* Offline and screen-off options Record anywhere, even without Internet access. Try using background mode without your screen on. I often record with my AirPods while walking with my phone in my pocket. Founder’s tip: “Don’t confuse it with dictation,” says Letterly’s founder and CEO Anton Lebedev. “You don’t need to pronounce the perfect text you want to write. Instead, think out loud, speak slowly, quickly, or even chaotically. AI will understand you. Think of it like a writing assistant you’re telling what to write. The assistant can understand you and figure out how to rewrite the text.”Letterly Pricing: $80/year after a free trialOasis 🏖️* Multi-purpose output Get your recording transformed simultaneously into various formats—from a memo or outline to a blog post or TED talk. * Make custom templates Create and name short prompts that reflect your preferred styles or formats. Those become part of your personalized prompt library for transforming future recordings. I made one for my journal entries.* Web accessibility Like Letterly and Audiopen, you can access your recordings and transformed text through a browser on any device.* Oasis pricing: $5/month or $50/year for enough credits for hundreds of monthly uses. * Read my previous post about why Oasis is so usefulAudioPen 🖊️* Customize rewrite length Customize the length setting if you’d prefer summaries of your transcribed recordings to be shorter or longer. Create and access them on your phone or on any device through your browser.* Shareable audio notes Send individual audio note links to colleagues or collaborators. Or send then to other apps with a Zapier integration. * Flexible organization Combine multiple audio notes or their summaries into larger collections. You can search for old notes or arrange them in folders. * Rich template selection Choose from various transformation templates.* AudioPen pricing: $99/year or $159/two years after a free trial. Bottom LineStart with Letterly if you want simplicity and reliability. Consider Oasis if you want a slightly cheaper option or need to simultaneously access multiple format variations of the same content. AudioPen is useful if you want to customize the length of your voice summaries or if sharing or combining audio notes is important to your workflow.Sponsored Message from Griff FoxleyFeeling creatively blocked? Dreaming up a life transition that’s overwhelming? Your internal mindset plays a crucial role in your success. As a coach, I help seekers, creatives, and solopreneurs overcome limiting beliefs, build confidence, and achieve big goals in a program tailored to you. Let's navigate the challenges of today's competitive landscape together.Book a free discovery call!Where to use voice AI 🎯Voice AI shines when typing isn't practical or when you want to think freely without your hands on a keyboard. Here are situations where you can try it:At home 🏠Comfy chair 📚 Capture book notes without interrupting your reading rhythmKitchen 🧑‍🍳 Document recipe adjustments or cooking notes while your hands are busy with ingredientsBedside 🛏️ Record late-night musings without disrupting your wind-down routine with a bright screenGarden 🌱 Log landscaping ideas or random thoughts while your hands are dirtyOn the move 🚝Walking 🚶‍♂️ Capture project ideas and inspiration during your daily strollCommute 🚊 Draft emails and plan your day while on the subway or busCar 🚗 Record thoughts safely after parking but before you forget an important ideaAt work ⚡️Quiet space 🪟 Create reflective journal entries while looking out the windowConference 🎤 Capture insights between sessions to avoid being overwhelmed when you get home.Doctor's office 🏥 Record appointment details and follow-up steps while the info is freshActive time 💫Exercise 🏃‍♀️ Outline presentations or brainstorm on the treadmill Shopping 🛒 Create lists or remind yourself about products Outdoors 🌳 Draft journal entries or creative ideas while surrounded by natureBonus resource: 50 ways to use voice AI Voice AI on your laptop 💻I used to rely exclusively on mobile voice AI apps, but lately I've been relying on laptop voice AI apps. These are less focused on transforming text and more on putting your spoken text on your clipboard so you can paste into any tool you’re using. It works with Google Docs, Word, email, or whatever else you’re using. I use these on my laptop because it’s quicker and easier for me to talk than to type. Here are three worth trying:Flow 🗣️* Quick to start Once you’ve installed the software, just hold down the function key to start recording in any of 100+ languages. Your recording gets instantly transcribed and the cleaned-up text is copied to your clipboard.* Works anywhere on your computer Paste transcribed text directly into any application—email, documents, or messaging apps.* Reduces screen and hand fatigue Record while looking away from your screen to reduce eye strain and give your hands a break. * Flow pricing: Free for up to 2,000 words/week; $12/month billed annually for unlimited words and extra features. $8/month for students and educators. TalkTastic 🎙️* Simple transcription Made by the team that created the Oasis mobile app, TalkTastic is designed to be simpler. Instead of transforming your speech into various text types, it just puts a cleaned-up version of what you say onto your clipboard to paste into any app.* Smart text transformation You can optionally set it to analyze your screen context to offer transformed versions of your text.* Free While in beta, there’s no cost for TalkTastic. MacWhisper 🧑‍💻* Advanced transcription Use this free software to transcribe online meetings, podcasts, or live dictation. You can even upload files to transcribe.* Pay once for pro features Enable YouTube transcriptions, batch uploads, translation, and top AI model usage with a one-time purchase.* MacWhisper pricing: Free for basic usage. ~$60 for pro upgrade; 20% discount with this link. Journalists, students, or non-profits can email [email protected] for 50% off.Other ways to use your voice to benefit from AI* ChatGPT has a powerful voice mode in its mobile and desktop apps. Rather than typing out AI queries, you can have a conversation with an AI bot. Here’s why that’s so useful. * Perplexity’s mobile app voice AI mode is terrific. I ask it a series of questions, like an oracle. It beats Google on many of my queries. The AI understands what I’m asking, then gathers and summarizes a helpful response. Citations in the app ensure I can check on its info sources.* Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot have recently-upgraded mobile voice modes. Converse with human-sounding AI bots without thumb typing.* Open-source options abound.📌 Share your voice with a comment👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

When’s the last time you fielded a tech support call from a parent? You want your parents — or anyone you support — to benefit from email, photo sharing, and video calls. You also have to protect them from scams, malware, and unnecessary complexity. Or maybe you are that parent and want to stay safe online. Either way, today’s post aims to support you. I periodically help my parents make sense of confusing WebEx conferencing instructions or Microsoft Word settings. So when Wonder Tools reader and tech expert Paul Schreiber offered to write a guest post based on his professional and personal experience, I welcomed his input. Below he outlines specific hardware recommendations, security steps, and practical tips you can implement today. The next section of this piece is by Paul. Paul: Over the past few years, I’ve helped my parents and some friends’ parents stay safe online. Here are some things I’ve found work well.Simplify hardwareSkip the computer…Many folks don’t need a powerful computer. They just need access to email, messaging, and the web. An iPad or Chromebook for ~$300 provides this (along with thousands of apps), while reducing the burden of maintenance.… Or pick a simple oneA MacBook Air is a great choice if they do need a computer. There’s less malware and Apple provides a single, simple source of support. No need to worry about separate or conflicting instructions from hardware and OS manufacturers. Plus, if they already have an iPhone, the Air works with it seamlessly. Replace the routerReplace their current router with one or more eero devices. Eeros:* Automatically connect to each other in a mesh for large homes — no more clunky extenders with separate network names. They also work for apartments with thick walls.* Automatically configure themselves with the right network settings* Automatically stay up-to-date* Can be monitored and administered remotely from your phoneSponsored Message Tell stories with factsScroll.ai is the AI notebook for journalists, helping you turn your sources into stories. Think Claude or Notebook LM, built specifically for research-based writing.Just add any video, audio, or article and Scroll will translate, transcribe, and summarize, all in one easy-to-use notebook.Add guardrailsMake yourself the adminWhen setting up the computer, create two accounts:* One for yourself, with administrative rights* A standard account for your parentIf they accidentally install adware or other junk, it will only affect their account, not the whole computer, and it’ll be easier to remedy. Install an ad blockerAds slow down the page and trick people into installing malware. I recommend the free uBlock Origin for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. (Note: avoid the similarly-named uBlock.) For Safari, consider buying 1Blocker, Wipr, or AdGuard.Adjust settingsSet up a family accountApple (iCloud+) and Google (Google One) both sell cloud storage that can be shared with your family. For about $10 per month, you ensure everyone’s device is backed up and their photos are synced. You can also share some apps without repurchasing them.Make yourself the recovery contactAdd your email and phone number as a recovery contact (Apple, Google) for your parents’ important accounts. This lets you help when they forget their password. It also lets you reset it if they become incapacitated or die.Set up legacy contactsUnlike recovery contacts, legacy contacts control an account after someone dies. Setting these up gives you legal permission to access the account. Each service handles it differently, so read instructions from Facebook, Apple, and Google carefully.Today is trash dayGo through your parents’ computer and/or phone. Delete unused apps. Clean up the downloads folder, removing installers (such as .pkg and .dmg files) as well duplicate or outdated files.PasswordsPasswords are a pain. Good news: you no longer need to memorize them. With a password manager, the only two passwords you’ll need to remember are those for your computer and your email. Your password manager will automatically create hard-to-guess passwords and fill them in for all other log-ins. It won’t fill your password in on sites trying to steal your information.* Set up password autofill and teach them to use it. * Spend a few hours using Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or 1Password to generate new passwords for their 25 most important sites.* Share key account passwords with yourself.Final Tips* If you want personalized advice, visit Consumer Reports’ security planner. * If your parents or relatives are easily duped by fake reviews, set up bookmarks for Consumer Reports, Wirecutter, the Good Housekeeping Institute, Vetted, or other trustworthy review services.p.s. Bonus Tools — Recommended by Jeremy* Print Friendly makes it easy to print anything online.* Postlight Reader removes clutter from articles, making reading easier. * Permission Slip is a free app from Consumer Reports that helps you learn what companies are collecting data about you or your parents or children. You can send a request that they stop selling your personal info.* Consumer Reports testing found that paid data removal services often fail to fully scrub personal information from people-search sites. * I’ve been testing Incogni, which wasn’t assessed in that report. So far it’s been helpful in requesting that data brokers erase information about me that they’re storing and selling.* See the big data broker opt-out list for more info. * CleanMyMac is a simple Mac app that makes it easy to remove old installers, duplicate files, and other files cluttering up your computer or taking up space. I’ve used it for a few years and recommend it.* Yorba is another promising new service in beta. It can help in several ways: * Unsubscribe from emails.* Wipe old unused accounts and associated logins.* Cancel subscriptions you forgot about. It’s free to start.Have a thought or suggestion to share? Leave a comment 👇 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wondertools.substack.com/subscribe