Hand-Picked Links — September 30, 2024

We’ve got a great Kickstarter, a cool charity, an ice cream recco, tips on designing for dark mode, and some fun facts about Austin, Texas for you today. Plus, it’s your last chance to get something in our hands for Submission Impossible. 

The Falcon Mechanical Pencil

Currently available on Kickstarter but ending soon (Friday, October 4), our friend Andy Sanderson is back with an all-new design for his sixth successful campaign. Available in either bead blasted stainless steel or limited edition Cerakote. The Falcon looks like a sleek, comfortable, compact pencil. Perfect for the every day carry.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Fresh off a Cotton Bureau field trip to Texas, the changes since our first visit in 2011 are hard to believe. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is now processing over 22 million passengers per year (up from 9 million) on only 34 gates (37 if you include the “South Terminal”) and two runways. For comparison, our hometown Pittsburgh International Airport has 56 active gates (75 total) and four runways including one that is positioned for cross-wind takeoffs and landings while handling only 9 million passengers last year.

While plans are in place to add a new terminal with 20 additional gates, construction won’t be complete until 2030 at the earliest.

If you hypothetically find your flight to Charlotte unexpectedly delayed causing you to miss your connecting flight home and you need a pick me up, do yourself a favor and get a Mexican vanilla milkshake with a shot of espresso at Amy’s.

Austin Skyline

For anyone old enough to have been around for the Twitter/Foursquare era at SXSW, comparing the current skyline with the skyline of the late 2000s is quite a trip.

The 20 tallest buildings in Austin have been built in the last 20 years including Sixth & Guadalupe, The Independent, The Austonian, Block 1985, Fairmont Austin, 360 Condiminiums, 44 East Avenue, Indeed Tower, Hanover Republic Square, Frost Bank Tower, W Austin Hotel & Residences, Fifth & West, 300 Colorado, Spring, Northshore, The Bowie, 70 Rainey, Ashton, JW Marriott Convention Hotel, and the Four Seasons Residences Austin. All over 400 feet tall.

Dark Mode Icons

With iOS 18 officially out, everyone now has access to the new icon modes. I like dark mode as much as the next person, but the current implementation is rough.

For a smarter, more attractive take, read icon artist extraordinaire Louie Mantia’s take.

tldr: don’t naively paint icons black, use your brain, consider smart use of darker hues and shades.

Submission Impossible: Last Call

Today’s the final final day to get your entries in for Submission Impossible. Don’t miss out on an excellent chance to take home a free iPhone 16 Pro.

That’s it for this week. Don’t forget Cotton Bureau is donating $10 for every kids tee sold to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the end of the day. Use code CB4Kids at checkout to get free shipping in the U.S. for all on demand products. Every shirt on Cotton Bureau is available in kids styles, so there’s no excuse not to find one you love for back to school season.