The Brooks Review

Category: Articles

  • Right, About VPNs

    If you haven’t heard, the Republican Party pushed through a change which removes the FCC from its ability to oversee how data is used from ISPs. Effectively, this would allow someone like say, Comcast, to legally sell your internet traffic records. Things like: the sites you visit and where you visit them — anything you are doing on the web which isn’t HTTPS will be known and able to be sold. Even with HTTPS where you go is still known by the ISP.

    This is clearly very bad. The only way to now truly maintain internet privacy (once 45 signs this into law) — even at home — is to use a VPN. This fact has not slipped through the eyes of VPN providers.

    Having spent some time using VPNs full time, I need to tell you right now: it sucks. Doesn’t matter what service you use, it’s a lessened experience. The connections are choppy at times, slow at others, and never as fast as your internet connection.

    (more…)

  • Fastmail

    From the first day I had the brooksreview.net domain name, I’ve hosted the email myself in various forms — which has been about 7 years now. At first, I hosted with with Media Temple using their built in tools, then as I moved hosts through the years I moved the email hosting with it. Each move was a royal pain in the ass, and typically resulted in at least a long stretch without working email in some way, shape, or form.

    About 5 times a year my email would also shit the bed in ways I didn’t comprehend. Plainly put: the advantages of hosting and “owning” my email system was far outweighed by the fact that my email was insanely unreliable.

    (more…)

  • iPad Productivity Report — 3/27/17

    I want a to play a little what if, rumor speculation, this week — as it specifically relates to iPad Pros. If we make the assumption that at some point in the next year we will get two new iPad Pro models: one in the 10.5″ configuration, and another in 12.9″ — both with a reduction of bezels overall. The 10.5″ effectively is the 9.7″ model footprint, with smaller bezels to get the larger screen. The 12.9″ model is the same screen size, but reduction of the device footprint to be tighter to the screen edges.

    Or, put another way: we get a smaller iPad with a bigger screen, and a smaller bigger screened iPad — though I am not sure that is any less confusing…

    You must be a member to read the rest of this content.

  • Apple’s New Workflow

    Matthew Panzarino:

    Workflow the app is being acquired, along with the team of Weinstein, Conrad Kramer, Ayaka Nonaka and Nick Frey. In a somewhat uncommon move for Apple, the app will continue to be made available on the App Store and will be made free later today.

    This was amazing, because it set off a lot of people last night. Workflow was also quickly updated by Apple to kill off a lot of Google based integrations. Most notably for Chrome and switching mapping to Apple Maps.

    This was likely a legal move, as Marco Arment noted this morning on Twitter. Even so, the future is completely unknown to those outside of Apple right now. The app will either slowly die, be fully integrated into iOS, or live somewhere in the middle — gaining native integration, but with a more limited scope than before.

    And either outcome is just fine.

    (more…)

  • iPad Productivity Report — 3/20/17

    ## Together with DEVONThink

    When I started using DEVONThink I was very skeptical, and not all that enamored with the app out of the gate. I started using it to both track lists of things I would like to buy, as well as various research information which I might never use, but would like to have around.

    The deal breaker with DEVONThink for me is the archaic syncing systems. I wanted a tool which would sync in the background, seamlessly, without me having to watch sync indicators before I could even use the app.

    You must be a member to read the rest of this content.

  • GORUCK 10L Bullet Ruck (version 2) Review

    I’ve long been a huge 10L Bullet Ruck fan, as it is a fantastic backpack for the size. Well made, and sized to both be small, but not look stupidly small on a person’s back. This is such a hard balancing act that the Bullet Ruck is the only backpack I have found under 20L which can pull this off for me. That includes GORUCK’s own Echo too.

    So, naturally I sold my version 1 Bullet Ruck.

    (more…)

  • Adventure Core Nano Wallet

    I’ve been searching for a small tote to help me carrying some of the flashlights I’ve been testing as well as a pen, knife, and lockpicks (seemingly more and more handy for helping friends). I stumbled upon the Microkit from TripleSeven and wanted to get one, but they remain sold out.

    So I snagged a Core Nano Adventure Wallet, which started as a Kickstarter project. The idea is a wallet for wallet things, but which can also carry EDC things like those listed above.

    (more…)

  • New Stuff Day Two (video)

    You must be a member to view this content.

  • iPad Productivity Report — 3/13/17

    It’s hard to escape the upcoming rumors about the possible new iPad Pros coming — but even harder to escape the nonsensical wishes of people better suited to using Macs instead.

    ## Clamshell iPad Pros, Kickstands, Surface Pros, and Shit Like That

    When I decided to go [iPad Pro only](https://brooksreview.net/2015/11/the-full-ipad/) back in November of 2015, I took a few beats to [try the biggest iPad Pro competitor](https://brooksreview.net/2015/12/surface-pro-4/): Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4. If the iPad is a “big iPhone” then the Surface is a laptop with tablet-like features. Both are compromised products, but in massively different ways. One struggling to find its place on desktops, and the other struggling to find its place on couches.

    You must be a member to read the rest of this content.

  • EDC Pouch (video)

    A quick video of a new EDC pouch I am trying.

    You must be a member to view this content.

  • GORUCK GR1: Revisiting the Ultimate Backpack

    I’ve been saying for years now that the GORUCK GR1 is the best backpack you can buy. But is it still? After testing a lot of backpacks over the years, and continually buying new ones — both inexpensive and bank breaking — I have yet to find a better backpack than the GR1. This post isn’t another review, but rather a reflection of why the GR1 still holds its ground to this day.

    It has admittedly been a while since the GR1 was an everyday bag for me, but it is still my go to bag when I travel — be it weekend or longer. I emptied my closet the other day and pulled out a dozen or so backpacks, and started giving them away to friends. The GR1 is honestly just too perfect and thus I don’t need these other packs.

    (more…)

  • Finding a Flashlight Part Two: Everyday Carry

    Finding a flashlight which my life can depend on is a lot easier than this part: finding something to carry everyday everywhere. A robust, solid flashlight, is easier because size doesn’t matter — all that matters is that it always works and works well.

    With an EDC light, there are a lot more factors:

    1. Size: it needs to fit on your person in a manner you are comfortable with.
    2. Longevity: assuming you use it a lot, you’ll want to be able to use it a lot.
    3. Features: you likely will want to vary the light output, among other things.

    You also have to value appearance here, because it’s something you are going to be using a lot and you want it to not look dorky (for lack of a better word). I mean, it will, because you are the person with a flashlight, but still.

    (more…)

  • iPad Productivity Report — 3/6/17

    Let’s get back to talking about iPad productivity for a change.

    ## Applicable Producitivty

    [Denny Henke writing](http://beardyguycreative.com/blog/2017/03/02/ipad-journal-a-mess-of-stuff-getting-in-my-way/) about his explorations into some of the more robust productivity options for iPad users:

    > But I spent the better part of two hours with Copied and just came away frustrated. It may be that it’s just not suited to the way I work or maybe I need to spend more time learning it. Or, just as likely, it may be that I don’t write the kind of content or perform the kinds of tasks that benefit from that kind of app.

    You must be a member to read the rest of this content.

  • New Stuff Day (video)

    Take a quick look at some stuff that arrive in the office, from a knife to Crystal Pepsi.

    You must be a member to view this content.

  • Finding a Flashlight Part One: My Life Depends on It

    Flashlights, like my previous adventures with backpacks and pocket knives, are a deep rabbit hole. You can get some really good lighting for really cheap, or you can spend hundreds of dollars on one light. It is a nightmare for people, like me, who want to find the best in categories.

    As with pocket knives, size and materials matter, but there are a few more factors with flashlights to consider. So before we move on, some ground work needs to be laid to get everyone on the same page:

    (more…)

  • iPad Productivity Report — 2/27/17

    This update seems to have taken a bit negative stance on the overall reporting on iPad usage, as well as an app everyone loves to tell me they love. However, this is an article I label “real talk” because someone *has* to say it, and that typically means: me.

    ## Let’s Not Get Carried Away

    That was my mantra this past week — as there was no shortage of publishing related to the iPad Pro and productivity. Whether it was going crazy with [clipboard management](https://www.macstories.net/ios/ipad-diaries-clipboard-management-with-copied-and-workflow/), or with [speculation of future hardware](http://www.macworld.com/article/3173253/ios/for-a-bigger-ipad-to-work-ios-needs-some-interface-improvements.html) — let’s just not get carried away. (Though you can’t do [notes with the Pencil on a Mac](https://brooksreview.net/2017/02/using-the-ipad-for-taking-notes-and-planning/).)

    You must be a member to read the rest of this content.

  • GORUCK 10L Bullet Ruck version 2 (video)

    You must be a member to view this content.

  • Outlier S120 No Pocket Pivot

    In writing the Traveling Light guide, I wrote about the Wool & Prince merino wool dress shirts — and how much I like them. I still wear that shirt almost all the time, however I recently picked up Outlier’s S120 no pocket Pivot shirt, another all merino button down.

    This shirt is quite a bit more money than the Wool & Prince shirts, but also quite different. The shirt itself has a slimmer, more tailored, cut which depending on your body shape might be a deal breaker. For me it fits my body near perfectly in XL.

    (more…)

  • Yohann iPad Stands (video)

    A few people have been asking me about the Yohann iPad stands, I made a quick video to show them off.

    You must be a member to view this video.

  • Brooks Review: Video

    One of the things I wanted to start doing when I relaunched the membership system was to mix in some video. It just so happened I didn’t know how I would do that.

    I’ve finally decided on a format, which is post-review looks at products, first looks at products before I review them, and reader Q&A. In this post is one of my first videos, a post-review look at the Filson Original Briefcase. All videos going forward will be exclusive for members.

    (more…)