JUL.19.2025 - #33

Hi all 👋, this week while writing this issue I got out to see the new Superman movie on its opening weekend—a super fun watch and easy to jump into without having to watch any “homework” movies. I enjoyed reading this interview with Grant Sinclair, creator of the GamerCard (S/O to Hiro who featured this device a few weeks back and got me interested). I've also been testing out creating some of my own skills (basically AI prompt templates) in the Dia browser in an attempt to speed up some job-application related tasks (one of the only tasks I use AI for). There's a great resource here if you want a clearer picture of what skills are. As usual, the comments on the Dia video are a goldmine for people hating on The Browser Company for abandoning Arc (which will never get old). Also, this weekend the streets of Toronto are being transformed to hold the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy race—unfortunately I wasn't able to attend on Friday or Saturday, but I'll be watching the main event on live TV tomorrow.

In keeb-related news: Razer just dropped a huge collaboration with Pokémon across their product line-up. Lofree (maker of popular low-profile boards) is offering 20% off all products for the month of July, Mode still has some remaining stock in their warehouse sale, and Epomaker has a big AliExpress sale ongoing.

Continue on for this weeks amazing features!

clicks 🔗

SALE, SALE, SALE

→ Matt Corey unites hundreds of independent and small app creators with Indie App Sales—a re-occurring event that highlights sales and discounts across a huge variety of apps. The last edition was held for Black Friday of last year, and this new edition concluded on the 16th, but that doesn't mean the deals are over! Some developers have chosen to extend their offerings for a few extra days/weeks. My faves that are still discounted are Quick Capture for Obsidian, Plinky, Expenses, Left Widgets and the Sunlitt/Moonlitt duo (both featured in a previous c 'n c issue)! All the reduced rates are accessible through the apps' respective in-app purchase screens, no discount codes or special links needed. It's astounding to see all these amazing creators and their creations highlighted in one place—hats off to Matt and all the hard work it took for this year's edition. New updates and additions to the list of deals are being made year-round, so check out the site and stay tuned for the 2025 Black Friday edition (Nov 28 - Dec 3)!

Set your thoughts free

→ Kinopio is a unique way to map out your mind—thoughts, ideas, dreams, notes, research, journals, and so much more. Made by Pirijan, Kinopio presents you with a blank canvas to visually organize anything you want, like text or images. It can all be done individually or collaboratively, quickly and securely on the web or on the accompanying iOS app. I appreciate that you don't even have to create an account to start using the app, just make a new private space and start throwin' ideas down—super simple. The free tier of Kinopio is also incredible generous, with 100 cards (anything you place on the canvas) available and offers a super simple premium upgrade. I was delighted to read about how Kinopio is run and was built and even more delighted to read Pirijan's take on what they call “Organic software”. I have a soft spot for real people making real products that they love and wanting to share with the world—it's features like this that are my favourite. Additionally, I'd give the blog a read if you want to read up on the app's progress over the years and get an idea of how others are using Kinopio.

Elegant clicks

→ Lunar Artefacts recently added 6 new transparent-themed colours, dubbed Chroma, to their Pointer Instrument line of computer mice. These elegant devices are designed to fit into any setup, with a plethora of metal bases and interchangeable top covers to choose from. The heavy-metal base gives the mouse a hefty premium feel, and I appreciate Lunar's efforts to increase the longevity of their devices with easy disassembly, and replacement/repair components available. I've seen a few of these devices in some setups lately and have heard good things so far—maybe not the mouse to get for gaming or ultra-portability, but a great high-quality statement piece that performs adequately well.

clacks ⌨️

Rebooting the classic

→ After acquiring the Commodore brand and trademarks, Christian ‘Peri Fractic’ Simpson and the Retro Recipes YouTube channel are bringing back the best-selling 8-bit home computer in a big way. Available for pre-order now is a new official Commodore 64 system! It's powered by FPGA (hardware re-creation/emulation) and you can play all your old C64 carts or load-up any of the 50+ titles included with this device. It's all-new, all-improved, and debuts with 2 new colourways—Starlight edition (transparent case and keycaps) and Founders edition (gold-plated badges, gold keys, and an amber-clear case). This classic device is loaded with a few modern upgrades like HDMI output, USB, built-in WiFi, more memory, and keyboard macros to help make the overall experience more accessible. I'm glad to have found this device now, as I wasn't aware of the Retro Recipes channel and their quest to acquire and continue the Commodore legacy (a quest ongoing for over a year now). I'll be sure to keep a close eye on how their journey progresses further, and I'm excited to see what comes next.

What's the bright idea?

→ Light up your setup with this lamp accessory from KeyGem, a precious little companion to fidget with while simultaneously adding some ambiance to your desk. It reminds me of the Staples Easy button I had on my childhood desk, except this one won't be repeating any obnoxious catch-phrases as I mindlessly spam press it (for the good of everyone around me). This lamp comes in few different colours, has some stickers included to turn it into a variety of key-styles, and it's available for pre-order right now on the KeyGem website.

Going old school

→ Reviving classics just like the Commodore 64, PBTfans have designed a new keycap set to commemorate the release of the first Macintosh in 1984. This set rocks that old school beige colour, with iconography and fonts inspired by the keyboard and interface of early Macs. It's got a super unique “glass microsphere” dye-sublimation process which gives the caps a slightly thicker profile (leading to a deeper sound-signature) and creates a unique textured sheen (I think this contributes well to the retro look). You can pick up these caps from global vendor KBDFans, available for pre-order right now.

That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoyed it, and now it’s time to hear from YOU 🫵. I want to know your opinion—what you liked, what you loved, what you didn’t like, what you skipped. Reach out at mail.clicksnclacks.com (or reply to this email!) and have a great weekend!!