The world seems to be converging on USB-C as the universal standard, and I hope nobody invents a replacement once we get there. For now, I live in a mixed world of USB-C and USB-A gear. These tiny, inexpensive Syntech adapters are how I connect the two: a male USB-C plug on one end, a female USB-A port on the other. I keep them on my desk and in my travel bag for flash drives, charging cables, wired mice, and other older peripherals. I've tried a few brands; this one is the most reliable, with nearly 189,000 reviews and a 4.7-star average. — MF

Kevin previously recommended Jury Duty on Prime, and if you haven’t watched it you should, then immediately watch the new season called Company Retreat. It follows a temp worker hired to help run a company retreat for a fake company, called Rockin’ Grandma’s Hot Sauce, surrounded entirely by actors playing coworkers. He has no idea he’s the only real person navigating these increasingly ridiculous situations. Right after binging I rewatched each episode with the behind-the-scenes audio commentary tracks. It’s fascinating how the actors navigate multiple layers of story and reality, and how the “hero’s” genuine goodness keeps him ahead of a script he doesn’t even know exists. It makes me think about the power of suggestion, authenticity versus programming, and how heartening it is to witness someone naturally driven by values that prioritize community over self. It is equally uplifting as it is hilarious. — CD

Shadow libraries disregard copyright law, and contain digital copies of just about every book ever published. A number of these open source libraries (such as Sci-Hub) have been shut down; the current best one up and running is Anna’s Archive, hosted offshore somewhere. I am slowly turning my physical library into a digital library. From Anna’s Archive I have been downloading digital copies of any book I have purchased to create a working digital library I can use, search, apply to AI, and build upon. You can’t do that with Kindle books. Anna’s Archive also has 95 million scientific and scholarly journal articles, which is especially handy when publishers make getting a copy difficult. (Be wary: if you google Anna’s Archive you get malware sites; best to go to the links listed in the Anna’s Archive Wikipedia entry.) If a digital copy of something exists, Anna’s Archive will have it. — KK

I use a small JBL Go 4 Bluetooth speaker for podcasts and music around the house. But when I’m in the living room, I’ve started streaming phone audio to my smart TV instead. Most TVs have bigger, better speakers than any portable Bluetooth speaker — the sound is fuller, with more low end and a wider stereo image. Whether it’s AirPlay, Chromecast, or Bluetooth, almost every smart TV supports it. — MF

Recomendo is biased toward iPhones because the three of us use one. So here is a tip for Android users: Enable Google’s Circle to Search on your phone. You can then use your finger to circle any image, part of an image, product in an image, word, phrase, text – anything on the screen and it will search what you circle. You don’t have to take a screenshot. It works inside of any app. Hit the bottom navigation bar or home button and then use your finger to circle the part you want more information about. It instantly can identify products in a picture, or check to see if a message is spam, or translate text, or supply more information about a comment. Be sure the function is enabled in the Settings > Display or Navigation Mode. (I am hoping this function comes to native iPhone soon.) — KK

Recently when I was in Amsterdam, I went on a private rare book tour at the Embassy of the Free Mind. The embassy houses one of the world’s largest collections of Hermetic and occult books, and they’ve digitized thousands of manuscripts that you can read online for free. But if you’re in Amsterdam, I definitely recommend booking a guided tour. I chose the tour that focuses on alchemical texts, but they have others on magic, witchcraft, and Rosicrucianism. I didn’t get to touch any of the books, which is understandable, but I did get to smell one that was hundreds of years old and it was glorious. — CD

Most modern cars have electronic fob keys, which are great, except if you need to replace them. They can cost between $200 to $500 to replace. Our 2008 Toyota Prius had one single grungy fob that was starting to fall apart and I wanted to have a spare key cheaper than the $400 Toyota wanted to charge us. So I found Tom’s Keys, which sells a third-party fob ($98) that you can program with an existing working fob (required). The programming steps are ridiculously complex; I thought it was a joke (open, close the driver door 6 times, insert fob twice quickly, open and close door again, push both buttons on fob, repeat, etc. This complexity is from the car manufacturers, not from the key people.) But after many many tries I successfully programmed the new fob to work, so now I have a spare. Tom’s Keys customer service is flaky, and there are some complaints about not being able to program the key, but for me it was worth the try for $100. — KK

The US National Park Finder filters all 63 U.S. national parks by their best months to visit, as well as listing their top activities and best spots for stargazing. After filtering, each park card gives you sample itineraries, fun facts, travel hacks, and resources and advice pulled from Reddit. The next park on my travel wishlist is Saguaro National Park, and it’s helpful to get all this information on one page. — CD

We live on a fairly busy street, and in the summer our fans do a good job of drowning out traffic noise. But in the colder months, we rely on sound machines instead. I used to play white noise through my phone, but I worried about damaging the speaker at high volumes night after night. This $25 Hotmoon Cocoon 2 solves that. It has 40 sounds, including white, pink, green, and brown noise. I'm a fan of brown noise — it's less harsh and more mellow than white noise. — MF

I am a huge fan of walking a long distance with friends or family. It’s intensely bonding. Ideally you walk about 100 km, for six days, with comfy lodging at an inn with a meal every night, cafes along the way, carrying only a daypack, with your luggage forwarded. This is not camping, not backpacking! Walking with no gear is so very civilized. I’ve done these kinds of memorable walks all over the world. The easiest way to start is to follow a route supplied by the outfitter MacsAdventure, who will arrange the lodging and luggage forwarding, and give you a route to follow on your phone app, for very reasonable costs. You choose when you want to go. My recommendations for two easy-to-do, highly rewarding walks are the Cotswold Loop in England, and the Coastal El Camino in Portugal. Either one will give you an easy, memorable trip. Sign up with some friends or family. — KK

Midway is a tool to help people in different cities find a meetup destination they can each reach by a direct flight. You put in two or more departure cities and it shows you every destination reachable by direct flight from all of them, with filters for distance and flight time. Honestly, even if you don’t have group plans, it’s just useful as a way to see all the direct flights possible from your home airport. — CD

My wife and I go to the movies at least once a week, and AMC Stubs A-List has been a fantastic deal for us. For $27.99/month (going up $2 starting July 15), you can see up to 4 movies per week at any AMC theater — and it doesn’t matter what format: standard, Dolby Cinema, IMAX, Prime, laser, or even the lounge-chair theaters. All are included. You also get free online reservations with no booking fees. If you have an AMC near you and enjoy movies, this will save you a lot of money. — MF

The Wikipedia app (free, iOS/Android) has a locations feature that shows Wikipedia articles on a map. It’s a fun way to discover interesting spots when you travel. I've been using it around Los Angeles and have found things I never knew existed. My favorite find so far: the Hollywood Freeway chickens, a colony of feral chickens that have lived under the Vineland Avenue off-ramp of the 101 since around 1970, possibly descended from a truckload of poultry that overturned. — MF

This opinion piece on The Next Web titled “The most radical act in an age of outrage is to play” is a navigational reset for where we should put our energy. The invitation is that in a culture addicted to outrage, choosing to play—freely, creatively, and with others—is itself a radical act of resistance and repair. Which is such a good reminder. Play—along with Kindness, Truth, and Love—is a core tenet of mine. Play as a radical act is the quiet, subversive way we can reclaim our own nervous systems, our attention, and our capacity to connect. — CD

Sharpie makes pens that lay down a heavy layer of paint, instead of a thinner layer of ink. With these paint pens, you can make very visible marks on virtually anything. Sharpie Creative Markers work on glass, dark plastic, rusty metal, stone – surfaces that ordinary markers fail on. They come in lots of colors, and 3 different tip types. Artists like them on paper because they are very opaque yet don’t bleed through the other side. There are fancy brands of expensive paint pens made for artists, but the Sharpie versions are very affordable, about $1 per pen. — KK

A friend bought the under-$200 Casabrews CM5418 Espresso Machine for her boyfriend’s birthday because they were tired of paying inflated prices for Nespresso pods. I had my doubts that a machine this cheap could make decent coffee, but I have to say it’s excellent. It has a decent pump that pulls a rich shot and has a steam wand for frothing milk. Pair it with a burr grinder rather than a blade grinder — fresh, evenly ground beans make a big difference. I use a Capresso Infinity grinder. — MF

My mother used to tell me stories about her favorite great aunt in Mexico who had an aviary, and I’ve always dreamed of having my own but can’t imagine keeping birds caged. And then for Christmas, my husband gifted me the Birdfy AI Smart Bird Feeder, and it’s totally made that dream come true in a way I didn’t expect. My backyard has never been more active, and I’ve gotten to know all the visiting birds that the AI identifies, plus collect and download clips of their cute eating and fighting. The images are crisp and clear, and it feels like a whole hidden dimension of the world has opened up for me. Birdfy is the brand we have and I’m very happy with it, but I know there are more out there, and I’m really recommending the experience of a bird feeder camera more than this one specific product. — CD

My book of 800 unusual images from Asia — arranged by colors — is now available as an inexpensive digital book. Because it is so graphic the digital version works best as a PDF. You can order and download the digital Colors of Asia, anywhere in the world for $3.99. — KK

This website lets you follow the path of the Curiosity rover through every step and photo since it landed on Mars in 2012. You scroll along the rover’s path on a topographical map, and the actual raw NASA photos from that day fill the screen alongside it. It’s awe—and a super cool project. — CD

The best flashlight is the one that you are carrying, which means the tiny one on your phone is what most of us use. However I like a lot of extra light inspecting work in my workshop, hunting for things in the house, and walking at night, so I carry a small dedicated light on my keyring and in my daypack. The Olight Imini 2 is only 2 inches (42mm) long, easy to turn on with one hand, and most agreeably, can be recharged with USB. No batteries ever needed! It’s 10 times brighter than a phone and easier to handle. I use mine far more than I thought I would. — KK