Utilities
LocalSend
LocalSend for Android, iPhone and PC: when local file sharing fits, how to check a transfer, and what to do when devices cannot see each other.
THE FIELDNOTES FINDERA little direction.
A little direction.
A better discovery.
Choose a device, an interest and your reading time. We’ll narrow down this edition using those choices.
149 matching fieldnotes
Matches use platform labels, editorial collections and estimated reading time. No visitor profiling.
Media
VLC for Android
An established player for local video, audio, subtitles, and network streams.
Browsers
Firefox for Android
Android browsing with extensions, tracking protection, and optional device sync.
Travel
Organic Maps
Downloadable maps and navigation for walking, cycling, and driving.
Media
AntennaPod
An open podcast player with RSS subscriptions and downloadable episodes.
Utilities
KDE Connect
KDE Connect for Android and PC: decide whether file sharing, remote controls and phone integration justify a paired-device workflow.
Strategy
Mindustry
A factory-building and tower-defense sandbox for players who enjoy systems.
Racing
SuperTuxKart
A community-developed kart racer for Android and desktop computers.
Getting started
Before you install: a practical checklist
Check the source, compatibility, costs and permissions before adding an app or game.
Explained
APK or app bundle: what is the difference?
Why Android downloads do not always arrive as one interchangeable file.
Field guide
How to choose an app: compare the task, cost and exit options
A practical app-selection method with a LocalSend and KDE Connect example, a small trial task, and checks before committing your files.
Life simulation
Stardew Valley
A country-life RPG for building a farm, exploring and getting to know a small town.
PC eventsEndedSources checked 2026-10-01
Steam Autumn Sale 2026
Valve’s announced autumn sale window, with a reminder to compare the games rather than just the discounts.
PC eventsEndedSources checked 2026-09-30
Steam Next Fest · October 2026
A week for trying demos of upcoming PC games, according to Valve’s official schedule.
Productivity
Obsidian
An adaptable notebook for connecting ideas, with local files at the centre of the workflow.
Productivity
Joplin
A notebook for text, attachments and web clippings, with a choice of sync services.
Privacy
Bitwarden
A cross-device password manager for replacing scattered logins with a deliberate vault.
Creativity
OBS Studio
A flexible recording and streaming workspace for scenes, sources and audio.
Creativity
Krita
A drawing and painting application for building illustrations with brushes and layers.
Creativity
Audacity
A desktop audio editor for recording, trimming and assembling sound.
Productivity
LibreOffice
A desktop office suite for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
Creativity
GIMP
A desktop image editor for layered adjustments, retouching and composition.
Sandbox
Terraria · PC
A side-scrolling world for building, exploring and working towards the next discovery.
Strategy
Slay the Spire · PC
A card-based climb where your choices shape the deck and the route ahead.
Action
Vampire Survivors · PC
A survival action game built around movement, upgrades and escalating crowds.
Strategy
Balatro · PC
A poker-inspired deckbuilder about scoring combinations and building a strategy across a run.
Action
Dead Cells · PC
A combat-focused action platformer built around repeated attempts and changing equipment.
Puzzle
Mini Metro
A minimalist transport puzzle about connecting stations as a city changes.
Simulation
OpenTTD
A transport simulation for players who enjoy growing and revising a network.
Strategy
Bloons TD 6 · PC
A tower-defence game about placement, upgrade choices and increasingly demanding waves.
Privacy
Review Android app permissions without guessing
A practical way to connect each permission request to the feature you actually want to use.
Getting started
Understand Get, price and Open in the App Store
Know what the store button means, then inspect the app before confirming a download.
Subscriptions
Find and review subscriptions billed by Google Play
Check the billing account and renewal details before assuming that deleting an app ends a subscription.
Subscriptions
Review an Apple-billed app subscription
Use the billing record and the subscription page to understand renewal status and cancellation.
Game saves
Steam Cloud: what to check before switching computers
A cloud feature is useful only when the game’s supported files and your expected progress line up.
Getting started
Read a PC game’s requirements before buying
Platform names, client requirements and hardware details answer different compatibility questions.
Recording
Make a short, private test recording in OBS
Establish a reliable picture, audio source and save location before recording a long session.
Privacy
Understand a browser extension’s permission request
Connect requested access to a concrete feature before adding another extension to your browser.
Recording
Record an iPhone screen and check the clip before sharing
Use the built-in recorder, decide whether the microphone belongs in the clip and inspect the saved result.
Backups
Keep a recoverable copy of your notes
Use synchronization for convenience and a separate, checked copy for recovery.
Gaming eventsEndedSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Cooking Fest 2026
Plan a tasting menu of games: decide whether you want kitchen pressure, experimentation or a relaxed evening.
Gaming eventsEndedSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Scream V 2026
Build a horror shortlist around the atmosphere and intensity you actually enjoy.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Auto-Battler RPG Fest 2026
Look beyond the battle effects and ask whether the decisions between fights are interesting.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Winter Sale 2026
Prepare a focused wishlist for the year-end sale without making the discount your only reason to buy.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Desktop Companion Fest 2027
Decide what a desktop companion should add to your day—and what should stay out of the way.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Shop Keeper Fest 2027
Compare shop games by the daily work you want: arranging, serving, planning or expanding.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Couch Co-Op Fest 2027
Prepare a shared-screen game night around your players, controllers and available space.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-28
Steam Next Fest · February 2027
Keep a small demo journal so a promising first impression becomes a useful wishlist decision.
Updates
Android’s September 2026 security update: what to check
Check the security patch date on your own device and distinguish an Android update from an app update.
Updates
September 2026 iPhone and iPad updates: check your route
Use Apple’s release list and your own Software Update screen to identify the update offered to your device.
Utilities
7-Zip · Windows
An archive utility for compressing folders and opening common archive formats, with a September 2026 maintenance release.
Media
foobar2000 · Windows
A local audio player with library organization, tagging and an expandable component system.
Browsers
Vivaldi · Android
A configurable browser with tab organization, built-in notes and optional encrypted synchronization.
Travel
OsmAnd · mobile maps
Offline mapping and route planning with free and paid options that deserve a closer look before a trip.
Creativity
Inkscape · vector artwork
A free vector editor for diagrams, icons and artwork that needs to scale beyond one fixed image size.
Productivity
Thunderbird · desktop email
An email client that brings existing mailboxes, calendars and contacts into a desktop workspace.
Privacy
KeePassXC · local password vault
A desktop password manager built around an encrypted database under your control.
Productivity
Todoist · everyday tasks
A task manager for collecting work, assigning dates and organizing projects across devices.
Action
Celeste · PC
A single-player platforming adventure built around jumping, dashing and climbing through demanding rooms.
Simulation
Factorio · PC
A factory-building game about turning resource gathering into increasingly elaborate production systems.
Strategy
Into the Breach · PC
Compact turn-based battles where reading the next enemy attack matters as much as dealing damage.
Puzzle
Dorfromantik · landscape puzzles
A tile-placement game that joins fields, forests and villages into a growing landscape.
Life simulation
Spiritfarer · Farewell Edition
A management adventure about caring for passengers, building a boat and eventually saying goodbye.
Racing
Trackmania · PC
Precision racing with community-created tracks and different access levels to check before spending.
Sandbox
Luanti · block-building games
An open-source platform for choosing and playing voxel games, formerly known as Minetest.
Strategy
The Battle for Wesnoth
A fantasy strategy game with turn-based battles, single-player campaigns and multiplayer options.
Getting started
Offload or delete an iPhone app: what happens to your data?
Choose between offloading, deleting and removing an app from the Home Screen, with checks for stored files, subscriptions and recovery.
Privacy
Read an iPhone App Privacy Report without jumping to conclusions
Use recorded sensor access and network activity to ask better questions about an app.
Subscriptions
Before a Google Play trial renews: check these details
Find the billing account, renewal terms and cancellation record before deciding whether to keep a trial.
Recording
Separate microphone and game audio in an OBS recording
Keep an easy-to-play mixed track while recording separate sources for later editing.
Updates
September Android update: shared Keep notes in Messages
Google’s September announcement adds a way to work on a shared note from a conversation, with rollout availability to check.
Explained
iCloud sync and backup: know which copy you are relying on
A clearer way to think about information kept current across devices and information included in a device backup.
Field guide
Prepare an offline map before the connection disappears
A practical route-and-download check for using a mobile mapping app away from reliable reception.
Game saves
Steam Cloud conflict: identify the save before choosing
Work out which Steam save contains your progress before resolving a cloud conflict, with a session checklist and precautions before overwriting.
Backups
Before changing Android phones, inspect the backup details
Check the account, included data and app-specific recovery needs while your old phone is still available.
Updates
Android developer verification: the September 2026 rollout scope
Google’s rollout starts with selected stores in four countries; that is more specific than a worldwide installation change.
PC eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-29
Steam Spring Sale 2027
Valve lists its 2027 spring seasonal sale for 18–25 March; individual offers are not established by the calendar.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-29
Steam Racing Fest 2027
A racing-themed Steam event scheduled for 12–19 April 2027, with the final selection still to be checked.
Utilities
ShareX · capture workflows
A Windows screenshot and recording tool whose configurable tasks deserve attention before you start sharing.
Media
HandBrake · video conversion
Convert an existing recording for a destination device, with a preview before committing to a long encode.
Browsers
Falkon · Linux browsing
KDE’s browser offers a different desktop browsing setup; check your distribution’s package before switching.
Travel
Google Maps · offline areas
Downloaded areas help with some journeys, but offline Google Maps does not offer every online direction mode.
Creativity
Blender · first 3D projects
A broad 3D creation package is easier to approach when the first project has one object and one clear output.
Productivity
Zotero · research library
Collect references, organize a reading project and create citations while checking the metadata you import.
Privacy
Aegis · authenticator vault
An Android authenticator with an encrypted vault and export options; recovery planning is part of setup.
Strategy
0 A.D. · historical strategy
A free historical strategy game whose February 2026 release changed both its version label and supported systems.
Action
Hades · repeated escape attempts
A dungeon action game that ties repeated attempts to changing ability combinations and an unfolding story.
Racing
art of rally · finding a rhythm
A stylized rally game viewed from above, with leaderboard challenges alongside its driving focus.
Life simulation
Cozy Grove · a daily island visit
A life simulation built around helping island spirits over repeated daily visits rather than one uninterrupted weekend.
Sandbox
WorldBox · world experiments
A world-building sandbox in which creating conditions and watching civilizations develop is the central activity.
Puzzle
Baba Is You · move the rules
A puzzle game in which moving words changes the rules governing the level, not just the route through it.
Simulation
Parkitect · build and operate
A theme-park builder that asks you to think about efficient operation alongside rides and scenery.
Getting started
Choose your default browser on Android
Change the browser used for ordinary web links, then check the result with a simple link.
Privacy
What an iPhone tracking request actually controls
Understand the scope of App Tracking Transparency before interpreting Allow or Ask App Not to Track.
Subscriptions
Check whether an Apple subscription can be shared
Family Sharing does not make every app purchase or subscription available to the whole household.
Recording
Record an Android screen with a quick privacy check
Make a short sample first so you know what the recording includes and where it is saved.
Updates
Check a Firefox desktop update through the right channel
The correct update route depends on where Firefox was installed, not just which version number you saw online.
Explained
Vector or raster? Choose an editable original and a delivery copy
A logo file and a photograph can need different editing tools, even when both end up as images on a website.
Field guide
Plan a useful Steam Next Fest demo session
Use the October 2026 event to answer a few buying questions instead of building an unmanageable demo queue.
Game saves
Locate a Factorio save before making a manual copy
Find the user-data folder rather than assuming the game installation contains your saved factory.
Backups
Back up a Zotero library without confusing it with an export
A reference export is useful for exchange, but it is not a complete replacement for your working library.
Gaming eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-29
Steam Rhythm Fest 2027
Valve lists 8–15 March 2027 for a festival focused on games built around responding in time with a beat.
PC eventsUpcomingSources checked 2026-09-29
Steam Summer Sale 2027
The announced summer sale runs from 24 June to 8 July 2027; individual offers remain a separate decision.
Updates
Signal backups are now cross-platform — what that changes when you switch devices
Signal’s September 28 backup update expands hosted Secure Backups and on-device backups across supported operating systems.
Updates
Android 17 privacy and security: six changes worth understanding
Six announced controls to understand before relying on Android 17 privacy and security features.
Updates
Before updating to iOS 27, iPadOS 27 or macOS 27: a short preparation checklist
Prepare your device, backup and essential apps before installing Apple’s major software updates.
Updates
Apple Arcade’s October 1, 2026 lineup: five announced games
Apple says five games join Arcade on October 1: Pusheen’s Place, River City Survivors, Terraria+, Touchgrind BMX 2+ and 4 Pics 1 Word+.
Reading
SumatraPDF: a Windows reader for PDFs, ebooks and comics
A focused document reader to consider when you want to read files rather than build a document-editing workflow.
Writing
Notepad++: when a plain-text editor fits your Windows workflow
A free Windows text editor for notes, source files and text you want to keep under your control.
Space simulation
Endless Sky: choose a job before choosing a bigger ship
A free, open-source space-trading and combat game where cargo, passengers and missions lead to ship upgrades.
Media
VLC on Android: fix a subtitle delay without changing everything
Check the subtitle track, adjust timing and test later scenes before deciding the problem is solved.
Video workflow
HandBrake: preview a difficult scene before encoding the whole video
Use a short sample to check motion, fine text, audio and compatibility before spending time on a full encode.
Creative files
Krita: saving, autosave and backups solve different problems
Keep a native project, understand crash recovery and avoid treating an autosave as a permanent copy.
Photography
darktable: build a photo workflow around your originals
Non-destructive photo editing and collection tools for photographers who want to work with RAW files.
Astronomy
Stellarium desktop: start with a place, a time and one object
Explore a simulated night sky with a free desktop planetarium; distinguish a simulation from conditions outdoors.
Real-time strategy
OpenRA: classic RTS ideas with a different rulebook
A free project that rebuilds and modernizes classic real-time strategy games, with its own controls and balance.
Turn-based strategy
Unciv: learn one turn before planning an empire
An open-source civilization-style strategy game focused on systems and moddability rather than elaborate presentation.
Device settings
iPhone notifications: scheduling is different from rewriting
Use Scheduled Summary to choose delivery times; distinguish it from Apple Intelligence notification summaries.
Device settings
Android battery settings: review the app before restricting it
Read battery usage and background controls carefully, with Pixel-specific paths clearly identified.
Video editing
Kdenlive: finish a short edit before building a long timeline
A free desktop video editor with timeline, audio and subtitle tools; begin with a small project and a checked export.
Platform games
SuperTux: a run-and-jump game beyond one familiar name
An open-source 2D platform game with a story mode, community levels and an integrated editor.
Transport strategy
OpenTTD path signals: decide where the whole train can wait
Understand safe waiting positions before adding signals around a railway junction.
Creative files
Kdenlive files: keep the project, the media and the movie distinct
A rendered movie is useful to share; keeping an editable project also requires knowing which source files it uses.
Animation
Pencil2D: begin with a few drawings that move
A focused hand-drawn animation tool, with a useful distinction between a project, a camera frame and a finished movie.
Video editing
Shotcut: choose the export source before sharing the edit
A desktop video editor with native-format editing; a saved project and an exported video serve different purposes.
Music library
MusicBrainz Picard: identify the release before rewriting its tags
A music-file tagger that uses MusicBrainz information; identification and file changes still need your review.
Reading and libraries
calibre: organize the library before converting every book
An ebook manager with viewing, metadata and conversion tools; the quality of a conversion depends on its source.
File synchronization
FreeFileSync: understand what the comparison is proposing
Folder comparison and synchronization tools can help organize copies, but the direction and deletion rules matter.
Documents
Okular: read, mark up and check the document you will send
KDE’s document viewer combines reading and annotation tools; platform packages and format support deserve a closer look.
Settlement strategy
Widelands: approach a settlement as a chain of decisions
An open-source real-time strategy project with campaigns and multiplayer; a small learning goal is more useful than rushing expansion.
Project status
Unknown Horizons: separate the legacy game from the new port
The project’s download page distinguishes an older playable edition from a Godot port that is not yet offered as a playable release.
Real-time strategy
Warzone 2100: learn a mode before optimizing an army
A free real-time strategy game with a campaign, local skirmishes and network play; those modes make different demands.
Empire strategy
Freeciv: choose the desktop client and read the ruleset
The standalone Freeciv project offers several desktop interfaces; a client choice and a game’s rules are separate decisions.
Audio files
Audacity: keep an editable project and a listening copy
Saving an AUP3 project and exporting a WAV or MP3 answer different questions. Keep the roles clear before sharing.
Audio editing
Audacity: check the tracks that reach your final mix
Mute, solo, gain and pan can change the listening result. Check the intended mix before treating an export as finished.
Animation
Krita animation: plan the shot before adding more frames
Krita’s frame-by-frame workflow needs planning around frames, layers and memory. Start with one clearly defined movement.
Animation files
Pencil2D: preserve the project before exporting a clip
The editable project, camera field and exported movie need separate checks when you finish a short animation.
Video files
Shotcut: inspect From before exporting the timeline
The export source can differ from the clip currently on screen. Check it before rendering a long edit.
Ebook files
calibre conversion: inspect a difficult page, not just the cover
A completed conversion is the start of a reading check. Tables, footnotes and chapter navigation can reveal problems a cover cannot.
Music files
Picard: decide which tags should survive a metadata update
Existing comments, ratings or genre tags can be changed by a tagging job. Review the settings with a copied sample first.
Folder copies
FreeFileSync Mirror: read deletion proposals before synchronizing
Mirror can delete destination files to match the source. Verify the folder roles and proposed actions before running the job.
Strategy learning
Widelands: make the first objective a learning session
A campaign or tutorial task is a chance to understand one relationship before attempting a sprawling settlement.
Strategy modes
Warzone 2100: campaign, skirmish and multiplayer are different starts
Choose the mode around what you want to learn, and check the version requirements before arranging a network session.
Game settings
SuperTuxKart: use a repeatable test for graphics changes
A consistent performance test is more useful than comparing two very different laps. The official tool starts with SuperTuxKart 1.5.
Document sharing
LibreOffice: check the recipient’s format before sending a file
Opening or saving a Microsoft Office format is useful, but the recipient’s application still needs a representative check.
Video editing
Shotcut: use proxies for editing, keep the original media
A smaller editing preview and a finished video have different jobs. Keep the original clips available while trying Shotcut’s proxy workflow.
Audio editing
Audacity: choose the export format for the listener
Choose the destination and listening task before choosing an audio format. Keep an editable project as well as the delivery copy.
Animation
Pencil2D: use onion skin to compare a small movement
Nearby drawings can guide a movement, but a crowded canvas can hide the drawing you are editing. Start with a small onion-skin comparison.
Document review
Okular: check that annotations travel with the document
Seeing a note in your own reader is only the first check. Save a suitable copy and confirm the recipient can see the annotations they need.