Wonder Tools

• 🧠 Deep Research with AI: 9 Ways to Get Started

  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.👇 Get full access to Wonder Tools at wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

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  15:21
• 5 Years of Wonder Tools 🎂

  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: Get full access to Wonder Tools at wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

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  9:17
• My Noon-to-Night Tech Stack 🌙

  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 👇 Get full access to Wonder Tools at wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

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  7:32
• 7am to noon: my digital workflow ☀️

  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…. Get full access to Wonder Tools at wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

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  3:27
• Raycast: My favorite hidden gem 🚀

  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.👇 Get full access to Wonder Tools at wondertools.substack.com/subscribe

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