The Brooks Review

Author: Ben Brooks

  • Quote of the Day: MG Siegler

    “So why is the situation so shitty? Partially because for all the promise of Android disrupting the mobile game, Google has essentially just been turned into the carrier’s and OEM’s bitch. “

  • What iMessage Did to Neven Mrgan’s Text-Messaging Usage

    That’s a huge drop. For comparison here’s what iMessage did to our family’s text message usage:

    It’s important to note that I was using iOS 5 since July, but that not many others were that I would normally text with. Also as you can see we didn’t have nearly as dramatic of a drop off as others had, yet we do text with a ton of iPhone users.

    I noticed that in late November and early December a lot more blue bubbles started to pop-up. That is, I believe, people are just now moving onto iOS 5 — these text numbers should keep dropping.

  • ‘I am done with the Freemium Business Model’

    Tyler Nichols:
    >Free customers are higher maintenance than paying customers.

  • ‘Gradually, Then Suddenly’

    A fantastic take by Larry Downes on why Best Buy is going to fail:
    >The reasons for the company’s dwindling prospects are easy to find. Just walk into one of the company’s retail locations or shop online. And try, really try, not to lose your temper.

    This is a long post but, as far as I am concerned, it is a must read.

  • Misconceptions About iOS Multitasking

    Fraser Speirs lays it out:
    >If someone tells you that all the apps in the multitasking bar are running, using up memory or sucking power, they are wrong.

    A really great post with some superb information about how background apps work in iOS. I have never once tried to “manage” which apps are in the multitasking tray, but I have heard tons of people advise others to “quit” some apps.

  • 21st Century Manners — or the Lack Thereof

    A nice rundown of a few things that really bug me by Armin Brott. I largely agree with everything said, but the dinner texting/phone call situation is a tricky one.

    I fully agree that if you get a phone call you can answer it at the table, but only if you intend to excuse yourself immediately after saying something like “Hi, hold on one second.” Being in my profession means that there will always be a work phone call while you are around family and friends — I always try to excuse myself and go in the other room to take the call.

    For texting, I don’t mind it that much if you tap out a quick message and put the phone away — unless you do so while we were in the middle of a conversation (e.g. we were the only ones engaging, not one person talking to the “group”). Of course this shouldn’t be done if you are on a date or in a very formal setting.

    Checking sports scores is fine if you are in a bar, everywhere else you just look douchey. Twitter? No. Facebook? No. LinkedIn? Knock yourself out, dumb ass.

  • Galaxy Nexus Power Analysis

    iansmith6:

    >The first was to see how much power the Galaxy Nexus could draw from the USB connection. This turns out to be about 4.5W. (0.9A at 5V)

    And:

    >Now the real test… Google Maps.
    >This varied a LOT. Minimum was 4W with some steady peaks of 5.1W!

    And that, folks, is how you drain a cellphone battery while it is attached to a charger.

  • Proposed Law Prohibits TSA Employees From Dressing Like Cops

    Cory Doctorow:
    >The STRIP Act, proposed in the US House of Reps, would require TSA employees to stop dressing like police officers, because they aren’t cops, and when they give orders to travellers, travellers assume that these are the orders of real law enforcement officers […]

    Let’s pass this.

  • ‘Shutting Down My Porno Site’

    Pat Dryburgh on shutting down his Simple Desks website:
    >Just pointless, casual, look-at-this-empty-fucking-desk-you’ll-never-have porn.

    This kind of awareness is rare. Good for Pat for making the decision that’s never easy.

  • Last Idiotic Post of 2011?

    Ben Kunz is trying for that honor with two choice passages in his latest piece of … article:
    >Jobs’s quote is good advice for his successor as chief executive officer, Tim Cook, who needs a hit.

    *Clearly* Cook needs a hit to turn around the flailing Apple since Jobs’ passing. *Clearly*. It’s not like Apple is, I don’t know, the most valuable company or anything. ((Ok so when I wrote this Apple’s market cap was below Exxon’s. Which *clearly* invalidates everything I say here. *Clearly*. So how about we just agree that I meant Tech company.))

    Then:

    >Could Apple put holograms in every home, break the stranglehold of cable companies, and unlock a $14 billion TV revenue stream? It’s an audacious and perhaps crazy idea.

    Sounds like a joke, but then Kunz follows it up with:

    >Tim Cook, I like the way you think.

    Oh goodness. Anyone who thinks that Apple will enter the TV market by just competing on a feature basis — which is what a hologram TV would be — is an idiot in my book.

    Does anyone even want a hologram TV? I mean a [Holodeck](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodeck), hell yes, but hologram? That’s *so* 1980.

  • The B&B Podcast – Episode 40: The Last Show of 2011

    My cats fight a little in this episode, so that’s an added bonus for everyone. We talk about the past year and the coming year as well as site redesigns and using iPads with keyboards.

  • Tweet of the Day: @Harrymccracken

    “When Verizon says it won’t charge $2 for online payments, it’s saying it’ll get $2 out of you in some less obvious manner. Some victory.”
    — Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) December 30, 2011

  • Verizon Says It’s Scrapping $2 Online-Payment Fee

    CNN:
    >Verizon Wireless said it will scrap proposed $2 fee for one-time payments, citing “customer feedback.”

    Just what did they think the “customer feedback” would be? Joy?

  • Automate Your Dropbox

    It’s like ifttt for Dropbox. There’s actually some pretty neat things that it can do too.

  • bitpocket

    Roll your own Dropbox using the extra storage on any server you have SSH access to.

  • Insync, Dropbox Like Syncing, Not the Band

    Jon Russell:
    >Shortly after loading, it will request access to your Google account, from which it creates a new ‘Dropbox’ folder which contains physical copies of all the files on your Google Docs account. The rest is easier, as Insync updates your Google Docs account with any changes you make to the files on your PC or Mac.

    This solves the biggest problem I had with Google Docs, nice.

  • ‘It’s Time to Give GoDaddy a Break’

    [Meet Todd Wasserman](http://mashable.com/2011/12/30/its-time-to-give-godaddy-a-break/), an idiot. ((Via [Stephen Hackett](http://512pixels.net/mashable-its-time-to-cut-go-daddy-a-break/).)) He starts off just dandy:

    >First, the obvious: Go Daddy runs horrible, sexist Super Bowl ads.

    Yep.

    >In addition, those who believe, as I do, that Go Daddy was on the wrong side of the SOPA issue, should also have no qualms if they cut their ties with the company before it changed course.

    For sure.

    >What’s troubling, however, is the anger against the company for not fully internalizing the opposition to SOPA. It seems as if nothing short of a North Korean-style show of emotion will convince Go Daddy haters at this point and that’s just weird. People even got ticked off that it took Go Daddy a full four days — and this was over the Christmas weekend mind you — to get off the House’s list of SOPA supporters.

    Wrong. What’s troubling is that GoDaddy thinks that SOPA was OK and that they weren’t against it from the outset. It doesn’t matter how long it took them to respond, or over which weekend this erupted, nor does it matter if they now publicly denounce SOPA. What matters is that they still likely think SOPA is ok.

    That’s not that hard to understand and the fact that Wasserman can’t understand that shows why is opinion isn’t really that interesting. He then devolves to talking about Kelly Clarkson and Ron Paul… yay?

    Let’s recap the GoDaddy problems as I see them:

    1. Horriblely sexist ads that shove a scantly clad Joan Rivers in my face.
    2. A crappy website that makes it nearly impossible to properly manage domains — thier primary business.
    3. No respect for customers (see point 2).
    4. Elephant hunting.
    5. Supporting SOPA and thinking nothing of that support.
    6. Did I mention the Joan Rivers thing?

    >Now that Go Daddy has unequivocally opposed SOPA, haters are still up in arms because the company seems to have only done it because its business was at risk. Wasn’t this the point?

    I mean shouldn’t we all do business with unethical copmanies so long as they cave to the will of the loudest complainer — afterall it makes good business sense for them…

    *Idiot.*

    **Update:** [They also helped write SOPA](http://donttreadonmike.com/2011/12/24/godaddy-not-only-helped-write-sopa-they-are-also-exempt-from-it-scumbags/?queenelizabeth), but you know they now claim not to support it so who cares. Right? RIGHT? ((Via [
    Dan Gribbin](https://twitter.com/dangribbin/status/152813768571756545)))

  • Amazon Item of the Week: SOG Twitch II Knife

    My little sister and her boyfriend gave me this knife for Christmas and I love it. It’s my new everday carry knife. It feels fantastic, is a bit bigger than my other carry, but very slim. It is heavier though, yet I don’t mind that.

    It also opens faster than any other knife I have ever owned. I find it quite nice too look at and to hold.

    What a great gift.

  • Missing the Point

    Peter Burrows penned a post basically urging Apple to start licensing patents to Android handset makers and thus begin to make more money. He says repeatedly that Apple won’t be able to stop Android devices from being sold and thus their attempts to do so are futile.

    I say Burrows is completely missing the point. ((Shocking, I know.))

    It’s pretty clear to everyone that Steve Jobs had one goal: stop Android from ripping off Apple patents. Largely referred to as “copying”. With Jobs gone you have to consider how on board Cook and the board of Apple are with that plan — and I think a reasonable assumption is that they are on board for now.

    So we know the goal and the people in charge seem to back that goal. The plan is self-evident: lawsuits.

    That just leaves the *why*.

    Why does Apple care about this? If they only cared because they feel like they should be getting paid, then yes licensing is the best option — but it seems pretty damned clear that is not the why as Apple sees it.

    I don’t know the why here, but if I had to guess I would say that Apple only wants users to have an iOS experience on an iOS device. And if that is the why, then licensing doesn’t solve a damned thing.

  • Verizon Wireless To Charge You To Conveniently Pay Your Bill

    Marguerite Reardon:
    >Verizon Wireless plans to charge subscribers a new $2 fee every time they pay their wireless bills online or directly over the phone.

    Can you hear me *now*?