The Brooks Review

Month: July 2015

  • Goodbye, Android

    Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai:

    As security expert Cem Paya put it, that was a conscious decision Google made when it created Android. Paya called it a Faustian deal: “cede control over Android, get market-share against iPhone.” Basically, Google was happy to let carriers put their bloatware on their Android phones in exchange to having a chance to fight Apple for in the mobile market. The tradeoff was giving carriers and manufacturers control over their Android releases, leaving Google unable to centrally push out operating system updates.

    I think that is giving Google far too big of a pass. Google could have still ceded this control to carriers, while still maintaining a way to push security updates, but they either didn’t think of it, or didn’t care to do that. That would infuriate me even more if I were an Android user.

    More:

    Let me stress this out once more: the patches are ready to go. They were approved by Google months ago. But you won’t get them for another few weeks (if you’re lucky) or months (most likely) or never (a very solid possibility) depending how old your phone is—if it’s too old manufacturers just stop supporting them—and how lackadaisical your manufacturer and carrier are with regards to updates. Given the open nature of Android, pushing out updates, as Android Central put it, is a “messy, unpredictable business” that requires a lot of “moving parts.”

    Good lord.

  • Marco Arment and Context

    Jonathan Poritsky:

    I understand Marco’s dilemma. He’s opinionated and loves blogging. But he sometimes acts oblivious to his standing in the tech community. His success has bred him an audience; his words hold more weight because of his status. I have trouble believing he didn’t know there would be an “Influential iOS developer Marco Arment says…” narrative thread others would pick up on from his post.

    I love this entire post, really well said. Same thoughts I have been having lately.

  • The Security Flaw Google Built Into Android

    Tom Simonite:

    The text message vulnerability revealed today can’t be fully fixed by upgrading apps. And it’s not unlikely that most vulnerable phones will never get the security patches for Android that Google has developed and will offer up to manufacturers and cellular operators. Joshua Drake, the researcher who discovered the text message flaw, guesses that between 20 and 50 percent of devices will receive the update, based on his past experience with Android updates.

  • The GORUCK 10L Bullet Ruck

    I stand by the fact that the best all around backpack is the GORUCK GR1, but I also think it looks a little bit silly carrying a tiny little MacBook in the larger GR1. Not to mention, quite often, it is overkill for what I need to carry for the day.

    When I tried out the 15L Shoulder Bag from GORUCK, I mentioned how it wasn’t actually much smaller than the GR1, so that was out too. I wanted a smaller bag — I’ve wanted one for a while — so that I could use the bag for small trips. I also wanted a smaller bag to carry around at conferences, or on vacation with the family.

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  • Things will not change

    Tobias Tom:

    Also, of course everybody seems to know better than Apple. Once their proposed change to the store, the operating system or the platform were to be implemented everybody would be happy. Everyone will get rich. Nobody seems to see that they seem to do something right, at least. Otherwise, why would everyone want to be part of their platform.

  • Short Term Memory with Due

    I’ve long owned Due, but it always just kind of sat there being unused — I often didn’t even have it installed on my phone. Lately Justin Blanton, and CGP Grey have been talking about it — in fact it was the latter of those gents that got me interested in picking the app back up.

    CGP Grey talked about how Due is great for reminding you of things, as the app notifications on your Apple Watch will tap your wrist every minute until you tell it you did that thing. Which is quite perfect if used correctly — I immediately put Due to work.

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  • Luma Legacy

    Karol Muñoz:

    Just as always, we value tangible objects more than files in a computer. There is a disconnect between our most precious objects and the images, songs, videos and stories that make those objects so special. Our favorite story from the research came from a woman who had lost her father a year before. Her husband wanted a way to gift her father’s last voicemail but couldn’t find a beautiful way to do this. Luma Legacy could have helped him put this file in a beautiful object to be experienced in a manner that honors it’s sentiment.

  • Day One as Running Diary

    What a neat use case.

  • The Verge’s Mobile Web Sucks

    Joe Steel:

    This is not Apple’s fault. This is literally The Verge’s domain.

  • Keyboard Maestro 7.0

    So. much. new. stuff. I can’t wait to dive deep.

  • A Simple Toiletry Trick — Updated

    Updated with a great tip from a reader — for the less frequent travelers out there.

  • Apple Retina Laptop Shootout

    Bare Feats on why they didn’t test the MacBook Air lineup:

    As I indicated in the first paragraph of this article, the newest MacBook Air lacks a Retina screen. That makes it almost obsolete in an Apple product line that includes not only three models of Retina laptops but also a Retina iMac, a Retina iPad, a Retina iPhone, and Retina iPod.

  • Let It Be

    I’ve started to notice and interesting trend among the people I follow on Twitter and people converse with in my small nerdverse™. The trend goes something like this: “Does anyone know how to make X app, look/work/feel/do something like Y app?”

    In other words they are looking at using a new application, but something about that new application doesn’t work how they want it to work, based only on other applications they have used in the past. It could be the UI itself, a niche feature, or any number of other things.

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  • Never trust a computer you can’t lift

    There are very few, a select few, people that put up with me. One of them is Stephen Hackett — and truthfully he is a great guy. He’s decided to go full time with his site and Relay FM.

    He’s started a T-Shirt drive because THAT IS WHAT YOU DO. Anyways, go buy a bunch and support the most authoritative source on the web for old Mac support. ((Sorry Brand, you win for Newtons though.))

  • Coda for iOS

    I’ve had the pleasure of testing this app for sometime now, and it really is stellar. One of the best iPad apps, and now it is on the iPhone. Coda on iOS is how I update the status page for this site.

  • Importance of Sleep

    This three part series on sleep has been making the rounds and just last night I read through all three. Wow, really interesting stuff and something I think everyone should read.

    Needless to say I went to bed a bit earlier last night.

  • Ulysses 2.1 for Mac and iPad

    Great update that brings backups to Ulysses. I’ve been using it for a while and it’s yet another solid update to the best writing app money can buy.

  • A Simple Toiletry Trick

    Years ago I read an article (which I sadly can’t find) about keeping your toiletry bag fully stocked at all times. I took that to heart and have, since reading that, always kept my toiletries bag ready to go.

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  • Push-Triggered Sync in OmniFocus

    Yet another reason why OmniFocus is amazing, this new push based sync system works with custom WebDAV syncing too. Full security and full convenience.

  • Quote of the Day: Shawn Blanc

    “If you’re also slowing down this summer to think about what’s in store for the next season of life, instead of trying to figure out how you’re going to do it all, maybe try to do one thing really well.”