# Newsletter #4

Published: 2025-10-31T00:00:00.000Z
Canonical: https://wow.pjh.is/journal/newsletter-4

## Claude updates

1. **Skills:** ["Skills" are better than Projects](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-skills) for teaching Claude to do things. ⭐

2. **Memory:** [Claude now gets to know you](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11817273-using-claude-s-chat-search-and-memory-to-build-on-previous-context#h_c1c0b33879), much like ChatGPT does. You can [review and correct Claude's memories](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11817273-using-claude-s-chat-search-and-memory-to-build-on-previous-context#h_8b88533c67). And you might want to [have ChatGPT tell Claude who you are](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/llm-who-am-i), or vice versa.

3. **Keep using Opus:** Opus 4.1 ([extended thinking](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-extended-thinking)) is sometimes more insightful than Sonnet 4.5. For non-trivial tasks, [ask both models](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/ask-many-models).

## Good to know

4. **Google Docs:** [How to get Google Doc comments into your LLMs](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/google-doc-comments).

5. **Transcription:** [MacWhisper](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/how-to-transcribe-audio-and-video-files) is the best way to transcribe audio and video files. It takes less than 10 seconds for 30 minutes of audio.

6. **Wispr Flow:** It's still the best [dictation app](https://wisprflow.ai/) for most people. But you should enable "Privacy mode" in the settings. Without that, they may use your "anonymised" data "for any business purpose".

## Help your team make better use of AI

7. **Guide:** It's time to take AI adoption about as seriously as hiring. I'm drafting [a playbook](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/how-to-support-ai-adoption). ⭐

8. **Workshops:** Run weekly LLM sessions using this [workshop template](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/llm-workshop-template).

9. **For beginners:** [30 days of ChatGPT](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/30-days-of-chatgpt).

10. **Automation:** Try [the 5x rule](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/the-5x-rule)—if you do something five times a month, consider automating it.

## Coding

11. **Coding agents:** In October, it was [Claude Code for frontend, Codex for everything else](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-codex-vs-codex).

12. **November outlook:** [Droid CLI](https://docs.factory.ai/cli/getting-started/quickstart), which uses Codex *and* Claude models, is getting [strong reviews](https://every.to/source-code/vibe-check-i-canceled-two-ai-max-plans-for-factory-s-coding-agent-droid). Cursor just shipped [a major redesign](https://cursor.com/blog/2-0), and can now [test its own work using a web browser](https://cursor.com/docs/agent/browser).

13. **Web apps:** Start with the [Vercel Supabase Starter](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/vercel-supabase-starter) for authentication, database, and UI. Pair with AI SDK.

## Try this

14. **Lapel microphone:** [Lapel mics](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/lapel-mic) let you dictate quietly in a shared office or café. They may improve your posture in a private office, and audio quality on your calls. ⭐

15. **Context:** [Grant access to your calendar, email and to-do lists](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/let-ai-see-your-calendar-and-email) to get help with daily plans. Ask: "What's new in my email? What *must* I do today? What's most important this week?" ⭐

16. **Make graphs:** [Take a screenshot, get a graph](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/make-graphs-with-claude-artifacts). They're really nice. ⭐

17. **Build:** Got a few minutes? Ask Claude to make a [simple software tool](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-artifacts) or [prototype a web app](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-artifacts-prototyping). No coding required.

18. **Multi-agent workflows:** [OpenAI Agent Builder](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/openai-agent-builder) now competes with [Lindy](https://lindy.ai/), [Make](https://make.com/) and [Zapier](https://zapier.com/ai). It has a much smaller feature set, but it's easier to play with.

19. **ChatGPT:** [make a FigJam flowchart](https://www.figma.com/blog/turn-your-chatgpt-brainstorms-into-figjam-diagrams/) to design a system, or [make a tricky decision](https://x.com/figma/status/1975260022558126455).

## A very good frame...

20. **Azeem Azhar:** [Use LLMs to define tasks, not just do them](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/use-llms-to-define-tasks-not-just-do-them).

***

Want more? [Subscribe](https://peterhartree.substack.com/subscribe?utm_source=wow_pjh_is).

[Please email me](mailto:wow@pjh.is)! Show me something cool. Ask for advice. Stop me being wrong on the internet.