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From left: Nahvalur Original Plus in Ocellatus Gold, Pilot Custom 823 in Amber, Lamy 2000 (Limited Edition Bauhaus Blue - sorry!) and Pilot Custom 74 in Blue Stone.
We’re reaching the six-month midpoint of 2023, and typically around this time I’m on vacation and using the time off to summarize my favorite releases, reviews, and store arrivals for the year. Due to some family travel, our schedule has been thrown a bit and vacation moved up to last month, so for the first time in years I’m actually spending the month of June at home! I’ll of course be doing some mid-year recaps, but perhaps with a slightly different approach than in the past.
From Left: Endless Creator, Pilot Vanishing Point, and Platinum Matte Curidas
In the shop, 2023 has seen us build out our selection of fountain pens, after spending the first two years thinking very carefully about what we wanted to carry. To date, the focus has been on “workhorse” pens that you can use for daily writing, spanning a range of price points, filling systems, and designs that now include a couple of recently released retractable nib pens. Today’s post highlights what we’ve added so far this year, and we have more on the way!
Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen. Since starting the shop, I’ve been waiting to bring in the Lamy 2000 line in its entirety, and we’re most of the way there. By far my favorite workhorse for everyday writing, the Lamy 2000 is one of my most-recommended fountain pens for those looking for a no-nonsense piston filler.
Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen. Similar to the Lamy 2000, the Pilot Custom 74 is one of those no-brainer recommendations where it’s hard to go wrong. Now available in 8 different demonstrator finishes with EF through Broad 14k nibs. Check out my recent “Review Revisited” for a closer look at the Custom 74.
Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pen. Slightly larger than the Custom 74 and featuring a high-capacity vacuum filling system, the Pilot Custom 823 is the first “upgrade” for many fountain pen enthusiasts looking for a more technical fountain pen that’s remains approachable and not overly complex. The Custom 823 got the “Workhorse Pens” review treatment back in April.
Kaweco Sport and Skyline Sport Fountain Pens. Of course you need a pocket fountain pen in your rotation, and the standard Kaweco Sport (gold trim) and Skyline Sport (silver trim) is the first stop for most. It’s really hard to compete with the Mocha, Mint, and Fox Skyline colors!
Platinum Curidas Matte Fountain Pens. A retractable fountain pen? Of course we need one in our lineup. You can say I’m sort of obsessed with these Matte Curidas pens at the moment, especially the blue. I hope that Platinum continues to make this specific model.
Endless Creator Retractable Fountain Pen. I’m happy to see that there is more of a pricing spectrum with retractable nib fountain pens. Endless - makers of the “Recorder” notebook series, has released their “Creator” fountain pen at the $50 price point, and so far I’ve been impressed at what they’ve been able to do here with an original design while still keeping the price relatively accessible.
Platinum Preppy Wa “Modern Maki-e” Limited Editions. One reason I absolutely love the Preppy Wa is because it brings the fun of fountain pen limited editions to the lowest price point of all. The Platinum Preppy is an excellent entry level fountain pen, and the “Wa” series (now in it’s third rendition), continues with these Maki-e style designs.
Lamy AL-Star, Safari, and Vista. We plan to begin carrying the standard Lamy colors of the AL-Star and Safari in the near future, and currently stock a selection of the special release colors, including the Lilac and Petrol AL-Star fountain pens.
TWSBI Special Releases, including the ECO-T Saffron, ECO Persian Green, and Diamond Mini Grape. I may have to do a post specific to TWSBI in the near future, because over the past 12 months they have released some of my all-time favorite editions in some of my favorite colors. (Saffron and Purple? These could turn into classic TWSBI releases.)
Nahvalur Original Plus New Colors and Trim. Originally announced late last year, Nahvalur reworked it’s “Original” lineup to include a vacuum filling system in the original transparent acrylic demonstrators, and then two new models with rose gold trim.
The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.
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Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
A heads up for Open Culture readers: This spring, Stanford Continuing Studies has a rich lineup of online courses, and they’re offering a special 15% discount to our readers. Just use the promo code CULTURE during checkout.
Serving lifelong learners everywhere, Stanford Continuing Studies will launch its spring curriculum next week (the week of April 3), letting you choose from over 100 courses. Among the courses, you will find some notable mentions:
Defending Democracy at Home and Abroad features three Stanford scholars (including the former US ambassador to Russia Mike McFaul) who will examine the uncertain state of democracy at home and abroad. Together, they will explore 1) the merits of democracy compared with the alternatives, 2) challenges to democracy both in the US and across the globe, and 3) solutions for protecting and advancing democracy everywhere.
With Stanford Monday University: 2023, five Stanford scholars will focus on important trends currently shaping our society, especially after the pandemic. What’s the future of working from home, and how will remote work affect the economy of the United States? Why have addictions—including to devices and screens—skyrocketed in the US, and how can a dopamine fast help bring them under control? Why has the modern economy left behind so many working-class communities in America, and how can investment in these communities help address the wealth inequalities in our country? These, and other questions, will be explored in the course.
Finally, in The Book of Change: Ovid, Art, and Us, art historian Alexander Nemerov–voted one of Stanford’s top 10 professors by Stanford students–will examine Ovid’s Metamorphoses and the great works of art inspired by the Roman classic. Along the way, he will explore paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Diego Velázquez, and Nicolas Poussin, plus sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Stanford Continuing Studies also offers a large number of online creative writing courses and online business courses. See the complete lineup of courses here. And remember to use the promo code CULTURE during checkout to get your 15% discount. The code expires on April 30.
The Pixel 7 in a lovely "hazel" color. (credit: Google)
We have a smorgasbord of discounts ranging from some of the latest Android smartphones to HP's desktop PCs, as well as savings on solid-state drives, headphones, and more. So whether you need to upgrade your storage, or you want to get a new Galaxy or Pixel phone, there's something in there to help you stay productive and entertained.
Samsung's Galaxy S23 launched not too long ago, and we're starting to see discounts on the company's flagship handset series. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra promises solid photography capabilities, with Samsung's "Nightography" for low-light images and the controversial 100X Space Zoom. Outside of the bump to a 200-megapixel sensor, this year's upgrades are more modest: You still get a similar design to the prior S22 series, and the faster, more efficient processor is considered a nice quality-of-life update. So while it may not be worth it for someone with last year's flagship to upgrade, if you're coming from an older phone, the S23 promises fast speeds, 5G connectivity, and a great camera experience.
If you prefer Google's Android operating system, the Pixel 7 delivers the purest version of the OS. Though the Pixel 7 doesn't come with the Galaxy's high zoom and megapixel count, Google's investment in AI and computation photography is no slouch, and the Pixel 7 delivers some of the best images captured on a smartphone with its unique camera bar design on the rear, and now you can get all that with up to a 25 percent discount. The larger Pixel 7 Pro has a 5x optical telephoto lens that can capture images with up to 30x Super Res zoom with digital cropping, whereas the non-Pro version lacks the telephoto shooter.
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Enlarge / Frostpunk, an alternate history survival city building simulation game. (credit: GOG.com)
Several staff members are big fans of the GOG games marketplace, primarily for two reasons: the games are DRM-free, and there are many classic DOS games from the '80s and '90s.
GOG has been running its annual Spring Sale for a few days now. This time around, we worked with GOG to curate a list of Ars Technica picks. These are discounted games chosen by Ars staffers Samuel Axon and Lee Hutchinson that we think Ars readers might enjoy—assuming you haven't played them already.
If you haven't, discounts during this sale range from 20 percent to as much as 75 or 80 percent. Since most of them are classics, they generally weren't too pricy to begin with.
My audiobook trilogy is on sale through Apple: all 3 books for $5!!!
It’s a… steal.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Expercom. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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