Incoming!
“Dot.calm” by Jane Silverman
It’s hard to remember a time when we didn’t Google or Zoom or “Like.” The reality of our collective new normal with telehealth, family zoom calls, online yoga and peloton classes, weddings and funerals would have sounded far-fetched not so long ago.
After a year in lockdown (including social distancing for three months in an RV), my smartphone has become genuinely indispensable. I rely on it for just about everything in “the internet of things”: online banking, cooking, driving, shopping, food delivery, photos, social media, office apps, music, movie watching, book reading, news, games, and more.
5G Whiz
A fast reliable wifi connection was the glue connecting us all during the dark days of 2020. Now more than ever we need 5G — touted as one of the most important advances in the history of mankind. Really.
Imagine the 3G wifi speed as a small babbling brook, the 4G as the Mississippi River, and 5G wifi speed as the Gulf Stream powering the entire Globe. The amount of information and options for communicating and connecting with the world and industry is limitless. If this means I can download a Netflix show quicker, then I am all-in!
Prepare for a 5G future with autonomous vehicle networks, detailed aerial mapping for drone deliveries, increased robotics, instant augmented reality meetings and concerts, and even improved sports data insights in real-time. Just you wait and see.
What’s in My Inbox
As a newsie and lover of all things cultural (and trivial), my inbox is filled with a myriad of subscription newsletters. While quarantining, it was a great way to feel connected to the world. Here’s a peek into just a few to see what’s on my mind most every day; visit the websites to sign up and start your day with a bit of history, culture, art, and new ideas:
Graydon Carter, former Vanity Fair magazine editor for 25 years, has a great digital weekly called AirMail aka Arts Intel Report (www.airmail.com) with a beautifully written wide array of stories from around the world. His Air Supply online store features a highly selective shopping list of all the things you “need” ranging from teas from Paris’ Mariage Frères to a 1951 surrey-topped Fiat 500 Topolino with woven rattan interior for $180,000.
Thought & Co (www.thoughtco.com) has in-depth articles written by authors, Ph.D.’s, and experienced instructors designed to surprise, entertain and inform in a clear, easy-to-navigate format. Sign up for their daily newsletter “What I Learned About Today” so you can learn something new every day.
The Sotheby’s auction house app (www.sothebys.com) and newsletter is a great read with top art stories and videos by world-class specialists bringing the world of art (including furniture and photography) to life. You can even bid directly from the app at online auctions in New York, London, Hong Kong, and Paris.
The Atlas Obscura website (www.atlasobscura.com) adds “wonder to your inbox with unexpected stories about hidden places and fascinating discoveries.” I love this site which also has quirky online classes; I signed-up for their cool Gastro Obscura newsletter — a definitive guide to the world’s most intriguing food and drink.
Go to www.SmithsonianMagazine.com to sign up for their free daily, weekend, or monthly newsletters on travel and culture, history, science, and “At the Smithsonian” featuring fascinating stories and mindbending topics from the Smithsonian Institution — the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.
As a self-proclaimed wordsmith, I love Word Genius (www.wordgenius.com) which sends you a “word of the day” along with its usage and etymology and multiplechoice word quizzes. If you already know the definition of sheepshank, adynaton, pandowdy, pleonasm, glyptic, or quiddity then this newsletter may not be for you….
While I trust my trusty Kindle app, I enjoy the Goodreads newsletter from www.goodreads.com. The site and app collect book reviews, recommendations and more from its millions of readers to rate and track mustreads. Join its online book clubs or create your own with your friends.
Departures magazine’s Departures Dispatch is a weekly guide to luxury filled with beautifully photographed travel, fashion, interior design, and culture. Sign up at www.departures.com. Love it! Do you have a favorite app or newsletter you would like to share? Email me at janes@janesilvermanpr.com.