WindowSwap, Narrated Guide, Unpluq, Interactive Stories

Open a window somewhere in the world, physical key to unlock apps, storytelling apps

Author

Brenda Zhang
July 09, 2024

In partnership with

Good morning! This is Brenda, back with another edition of Insanely Cool Tools, covering a wander-ful (you’ll get this pun later) mix of tools, curated with founders, tech enthusiasts, and amusement in mind.

Today, we have a fresh new look to match our fresh new website (please excuse the bugs and pretend they’re features — I’m working on it).

Tell me if you hate it. Definitely tell me if you love it.

— Brenda (@cooltoolsnews)

Before we begin, a quick shoutout to our sponsor. Something perfect for many of you bootstrapped entrepreneurs and indie hackers in this space…

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Now, to the tools!

Whether you need to stay grounded in reality after being on the internet for too long or flat out escape reality, there’s something for you in today’s list.

While these are a very mixed set of sites and apps, they’re tied together by a common thread of exploration and storytelling.

Here’s hoping you get some inspiration for the soul after all those SEO tools last week.

A quick snapshot of today’s issue (can click to skip to a section in the web version).

TL;DR

Look through someone else’s window, somewhere in the world. When you’re tied to your desk but feel the wanderlust in you start to tug at your brain, get lost viewing windows from around the globe. I use it all the time now when I’m totally not procrastinating.

Seriously though — it’s a truly humanizing experience and reminds us that the internet connects us all, no matter where we are.

Imagine wandering the streets of London, Rome or Kyoto with a personal storyteller in your ear, bringing the sights and sounds around you to life with fascinating narratives. This tool brings you immersive storytelling audio guides. You just choose a destination and listen as you explore.

Need some help getting off your screen and out into the world? Or just need to stop procrastinating so that you have time to? Only access distracting apps by unlocking them with the Unpluq Tag, a physical key for your phone. With the frequency at which I lose keys, I will probably never get back on those apps.

Maybe you need to be grounded in reality, but you probably want let your children live in their imaginations while they can. With Fairy Tales World, you can create a customizable reading experience: record your voice, track progress, switch modes, access stories offline, and more.

With a wide variety of stories, high quality illustrations, and high customizability, this app will help you foster a love for reading in your children.*

*A message from our sponsor.

If you’re tired after a long day of work or side projecting or both and don’t have the energy to tell a bedtime story, Sleepytales can cover for you. This app allows you to create custom bedtime stories with lifelike narration. It tailors the stories with your child's name, favorite characters, and beloved themes to make story time truly enchanting.

Looking for more resources? Check out a few other newsletters that are great for founders, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts here! 💌

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