Merlin Mann
Encyclopedia
Merlin Dean Mann III writes the blog 43 Folders. He received a B.A.
from New College of Florida
, and he currently resides in San Francisco, California
with his wife, Madeline Mann, and their daughter, Eleanor Flannery Mann.
On August 18, 2009, Mann announced that he was writing a book titled Inbox Zero, which will be "about how to reclaim your email, your attention, and your life." , the book has an Amazon.com launch date of February 21, 2012. He has since spoken about the book on MacBreak Weekly 154 and launched the Inbox Zero Tumblr, where he documents the book's progress. April 22, 2011 Mr. Mann announced that he had quit his book project.
Mann also writes for his personal blog, Kung Fu Grippe.
In the past, Mann has written articles for the magazines Macworld
, Make
, and Popular Science
.
As a companion to 43 Folders, Mann launched the 43 Folders Podcast in 2005. After a nearly two-year hiatus that began in August 2007, the podcast returned in January 2009, but again went quiet in March 2009.
Mann has also produced QPR: Quotidian Public Radio, an audio podcast launched in January 2009 that is billed as "audio comfort food for annoyed liberals in fleece."
Mann was one of the hosts on the MacBreak
video podcast and a core host on the MacBreak Weekly
audio podcast. He has been a long-time member of the MacBreak Weekly cast dating back to the third episode, "So New It Doesn't Exist," although it was said that he wanted to take some time off and has only been on the show occasionally since late 2008. Merlin Mann had been absent from Macbreak Weekly since episode 104 only appearing once on episode 122, but returned on episode 154 to promote his upcoming book, and indicated he may return for future episodes.
In the past, Mann has also appeared on other podcasts, including as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
radio show/podcast Spark, The ProfHacker Podcast, Scruffy Thinking and various episodes of Dan Benjamin
's The Conversation.
Since January 18, 2011, he has co-hosted the weekly "Back to Work" podcast with Dan Benjamin on 5by5.
In September 2011, Mann launched Roderick on the Line, a weekly conversation with musician/writer John Roderick.
On February 26, 2007, Mann launched The Merlin Show, a video podcast primarily dedicated to long form interviews.
Mann has also published a long-running series of video shorts named That Phone Guy.
, a paper-based, DIY
personal organizer that uses design cues found in David Allen's Getting Things Done.
Mann is also known for his work with Quicksilver
, a program used for quickly executing actions from the keyboard in Mac OS X
, along with The Omni Group
's OmniFocus
.
Mann was a member of the indie rock band Bacon Ray from 1994 to 1999 in Tallahassee, Florida
Additionally, he started a cover song project of Will Oldham
's song "I Am a Cinematographer."
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from New College of Florida
New College of Florida
New College of Florida is a public liberal arts college located in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded originally as a private institution and is now an autonomous honors college of the State University System of Florida.-History:...
, and he currently resides in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with his wife, Madeline Mann, and their daughter, Eleanor Flannery Mann.
Writing
Mann is the founder of and writer behind 43 Folders, a blog about "finding the time and attention to do your best creative work."On August 18, 2009, Mann announced that he was writing a book titled Inbox Zero, which will be "about how to reclaim your email, your attention, and your life." , the book has an Amazon.com launch date of February 21, 2012. He has since spoken about the book on MacBreak Weekly 154 and launched the Inbox Zero Tumblr, where he documents the book's progress. April 22, 2011 Mr. Mann announced that he had quit his book project.
Mann also writes for his personal blog, Kung Fu Grippe.
In the past, Mann has written articles for the magazines Macworld
Macworld
Macworld is a web site and monthly computer magazine dedicated to Apple Macintosh products. It is published by Mac Publishing, which is headquartered in San Francisco, California...
, Make
Make (magazine)
Make is an American quarterly magazine published by O'Reilly Media which focuses on do it yourself and/or DIWO projects involving computers, electronics, robotics, metalworking, woodworking and other disciplines...
, and Popular Science
Popular Science
Popular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
.
Podcasts
In 2007, Mann, Adam Lisagor, and Scott Simpson launched You Look Nice Today, a comedy podcast that bills itself as "a journal of emotional hygiene." On 43 Folders, Mann has written: "Don’t tell anyone, but 'You Look Nice Today' is my favorite thing I do."As a companion to 43 Folders, Mann launched the 43 Folders Podcast in 2005. After a nearly two-year hiatus that began in August 2007, the podcast returned in January 2009, but again went quiet in March 2009.
Mann has also produced QPR: Quotidian Public Radio, an audio podcast launched in January 2009 that is billed as "audio comfort food for annoyed liberals in fleece."
Mann was one of the hosts on the MacBreak
MacBreak
MacBreak is an internet TV show hosted by Leo Laporte, Kendra Arimoto, Alex Lindsay, Justine Ezarik and Emery Wells from the TWiT.tv network and the Pixel Corps. The podcast is dedicated to Apple's Mac computers and other Apple products such as the iPod....
video podcast and a core host on the MacBreak Weekly
MacBreak
MacBreak is an internet TV show hosted by Leo Laporte, Kendra Arimoto, Alex Lindsay, Justine Ezarik and Emery Wells from the TWiT.tv network and the Pixel Corps. The podcast is dedicated to Apple's Mac computers and other Apple products such as the iPod....
audio podcast. He has been a long-time member of the MacBreak Weekly cast dating back to the third episode, "So New It Doesn't Exist," although it was said that he wanted to take some time off and has only been on the show occasionally since late 2008. Merlin Mann had been absent from Macbreak Weekly since episode 104 only appearing once on episode 122, but returned on episode 154 to promote his upcoming book, and indicated he may return for future episodes.
In the past, Mann has also appeared on other podcasts, including as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
radio show/podcast Spark, The ProfHacker Podcast, Scruffy Thinking and various episodes of Dan Benjamin
Dan Benjamin
Dan Paul Benjamin is a software developer, user interface designer, writer, and podcaster.In 2010, Benjamin started 5by5, a podcast production outlet that currently produces twenty shows, including several co-hosts such as Back to Work with Merlin Mann, The Big Web Show with Jeffrey Zeldman, The...
's The Conversation.
Since January 18, 2011, he has co-hosted the weekly "Back to Work" podcast with Dan Benjamin on 5by5.
In September 2011, Mann launched Roderick on the Line, a weekly conversation with musician/writer John Roderick.
Videos
In early 2009, Mann produced a short video series, Most Days.On February 26, 2007, Mann launched The Merlin Show, a video podcast primarily dedicated to long form interviews.
Mann has also published a long-running series of video shorts named That Phone Guy.
Other work
Mann is the namer and popularizer of the Hipster PDAHipster PDA
The Hipster PDA is a paper-based personal organizer, popularized by Merlin Mann. Originally a tongue-in-cheek reaction to the increasing expense and complexity of personal digital assistants, the Hipster PDA simply comprises a sheaf of index cards held together with a binder clip...
, a paper-based, DIY
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
personal organizer that uses design cues found in David Allen's Getting Things Done.
Mann is also known for his work with Quicksilver
Quicksilver (software)
Quicksilver is a computer utility software program for Mac OS X, originally developed by Blacktree Software and distributed freely. It is essentially a graphical shell for the Mac OS X operating system, allowing users to use the keyboard to rapidly perform tasks such as launching...
, a program used for quickly executing actions from the keyboard in Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, along with The Omni Group
The Omni Group
The Omni Group is a company that develops software for the Mac OS X platform. The Omni Group was informally founded as a NEXTSTEP consulting company in 1989 by Wil Shipley, who immediately brought on Ken Case and Tim Wood. The three incorporated together under the name Omni Development, Inc. in...
's OmniFocus
OmniFocus
OmniFocus is a personal task manager by The Omni Group for Mac OS X and iOS. The declared goal of the program is to be able to capture thoughts and ideas into to do lists....
.
Mann was a member of the indie rock band Bacon Ray from 1994 to 1999 in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
Additionally, he started a cover song project of Will Oldham
Will Oldham
Will Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
's song "I Am a Cinematographer."
External links
- Official Website
- 43Folders
- Kung Fu Grippe
- Inbox Zero
- You Look Nice Today
- Dan Benjamin's The Pipeline: Merlin Mann Interview
- An interview with Merlin Mann on The Marketplace of Ideas
- An interview with Merlin Mann about his podcast Back to Work on The Marketplace of Ideas