Jason and Jess talk about the holidays, along with a few of their favorite gifts this year. Then, looking ahead, they get into some of the tools and tips that can help everyone start 2021 productively.  Graeter’s Ice Cream Skyline Chili Ember Mug Grovemade Desk Pad AeroPress Fantastical Things Trello Basecamp Notion Episode 008 - Interview with Shawn Blanc The Best iPhone app is Siri + Reminders AppleInsider Year-in-Review Episode Jason on Twitter Jess on Twitter

Jason and Jess talk about the things they learned this year, especially about working remotely, as well as personally. Maybe more important, they talk about what they look forward to in the coming year. There's also plenty of conversation about Christmas cookies, because, well, decorating Christmas cookies on Zoom is the most 2020 thing we can think of. Also, Jason talks a bit about his experience using the AirPods Max.  Jason's Christmas cookies Jason on Twitter Jess on Twitter

Yeah, it's episode 20 of 2020! Jason and Jess talk about tips for being productive and avoiding burnout while working from home, especially considering a lot of people are going to be doing just that for a while. Of course, they also had to talk about how much Jess likes her new MacBook Air, and the recent announcement of Apple’s AirPods Max, which are $550 headphones. Does anyone need $550 headphones? Anker 8 in 2 USB-C Hub Tips for Working Remotely Light therapy lamp HappyFeed app Facebook Is Getting Sued by the FTC and a lot of states.

Mostly, Jason and Jess talk about how we're all doing pretty much everything wrong. Sure, we made it through Thanksgiving, but it was a lot different than in the past. That includes shopping for gifts on Black Friday/Cyber Monday, but doesn't stop there.  We also talked about Salesforce buying Slack and what that means for people working remotely. Oh, and Microsoft introduced a "tool" that was really a way to monitor what their teams are doing. It's creepy and we talked about what it means, as well as Microsoft's updated response to the pushback.  Finally, we talked about how most people aren't willing to put in the extra effort when it comes to sending messages on LinkedIn. I think we agree it's a useful tool, especially for freelancers or people looking for work, but only if you do it right--which most people aren't. Best Gadgets Gifts for techies.  Microsoft's Productivity Score is Creepy Fortunately, they made some changes Salesforce Spent $27.7 Billion on Slack.  Honestly, that's a steal for Salesforce. Stop doing this on LinkedIn - it's hurting your brand.

Happy Thanksgiving. Jason and Jess talk a little about her new M1 MacBook Air, but mostly about the things we're looking forward to about the holidays. Of course, that includes our favorite traditions and Christmas movies. No, it's not too early for Christmas movies. For that matter, Jason already has two Christmas trees up already. Jason's M1 MacBook Air Review iOS apps on the Mac are, well, bad. Thoughts about the HomePod mini Comcast is about to make it more expensive to work from home. Salesforce is buying Slack, maybe.  

Jason and Jess talk about Apple's new HomePod mini, as well as the new M1 Macs, whether they're worth it, and who should consider buying one.  I Flew Delta During the Pandemic. It Wasn't Scary at All. M1 Mac Benchmarks MacBook Air Configuration Thoughts about using the MacBook Air MacBook Air Battery Life Thread

Jason and Jess talk about Apple's Event announcing the new M1 Macs, especially the MacBook Air. More importantly, they talk about why they actually matter. Things also get deep as they talk about the importance of having a job that fits the type of life you really want to live.  Apple's M1 Mac Event "One More Thing" Apple's New MacBook Air Is Really Just Showing Off Tell us what you think on Twitter Jason Jess

There’s a lot going on this week as we continue to wait to find out the results of the election. So, we’re going to talk about other stuff. Like, for example, why the gig economy is going to be so important in the future, and why Proposition 22 is a good thing. Jason and Jess also talk about their own experience freelancing, and describe some practical steps you can use to get started.  We also talk about Apple’s announcement that it’s holding an event next week to launch new laptops powered by Apple Silicon. We’ve known these were coming, but now we get to see if Apple can actually pull off what we all expect - a fast, lightweight, powerful laptop with all-day battery life. We’ll know soon. Uber’s win over California is a big win for the gig economy. MuckRack 10 Best iOS 14 Apps for the iPhone 12 Apple Event “One more thing.”

Technical difficulties meant that this episode is late, which just means you're going to get to listen to us twice this week! Also, Jess had a birthday, and we're not asking how old she is. And Jason was in New York to see a car. It was a very nice car. On to the show notes. Jason and Jess talk about the iPhone 12, and whether or not it's worth it for the cameras and the 5G (definitely not the latter). They also talk about why Ted Lasso is such a hit, as well as favorite TV shows in general. It's official, Ted Lasso is exactly what 2020 (and Apple TV+) needed. On more substantive topics they talk about the best iPhone apps for staying organized and getting stuff done and how to improve workplace culture when you can't all be together.

Jason interviews Jeff and Erin Youngren, photographers and entrepreneurs in San Diego, CA. The Youngrens run a large photography business that includes weddings, commercial photography, and corporate events. In their conversation, they talk about what it's been like managing a team during the pandemic, at a time when in-person events aren't a thing. They also go in-depth describe how they manage their time and get things done while running a business and raising a family. One of the highlights is the way the Youngrens and their team use time blocking to be more intentional and effective at how they prioritize work and fit everything into a very busy life. Creative Rising Podcast (be sure to listen to episode 401) The Youngrens on Instagram The Youngrens (website) Asana Jeff's Egg Timer