The Brooks Review

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Leica Sofort 2June 13, 2024
The Hype: Yoshida & Co’s Porter BagsAugust 26, 2025
Casio Duro MDV-106 Re-ReviewDecember 15, 2022

Recent Articles

  • Membership Drive & Giveaway

    It’s time for free stuff and supporting the site.

    I haven't held a membership drive in quite some time, so here we go. As most readers know, there are two funding sources for this site: affiliate revenue, and membership revenue. On an average month I make about 70% of the money for this site from memberships.

    Reviewing things not only takes me considerable time (even just finding things which might be good to review), but it also costs considerable money. I only receive items in exchange for a review about 30% of the time — the remainder of the time I am left spending my own money on these items.

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  • A Couple Great Non-Travel Clothing Options

    A great hoodie and a great Henley.

    I’ve never been a hoodie kind of a guy, but working from home lends itself to wearing a hoodie quite well. So I knew I wanted to get a decent one — something built to last — and I ended up with a Flint and Tinder 10-year Hoodie, in black.

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  • How it Makes You Feel

    Spencer Bentley: People who say, ‘it’s not the camera, it’s the photographer,’ are missing the boat. Sure if you put a ten thousand dollar camera in the hands of a blind raccoon you’re probably not going to get any great photos. But in the same vein, if Ansel Adams, Robert Capa, or Vivian Maier had…

    Spencer Bentley:

    People who say, ‘it’s not the camera, it’s the photographer,’ are missing the boat. Sure if you put a ten thousand dollar camera in the hands of a blind raccoon you’re probably not going to get any great photos. But in the same vein, if Ansel Adams, Robert Capa, or Vivian Maier had left their cameras at home how much poorer would we all be.

    Fantastic post.

  • Damned if They Do, Damned if They Don’t

    Uh, why wouldn’t you want Apple to make some sweet podcasting money?

    I tried to ignore this podcasting hubbub, but I failed. Marco Arment writes about Apple’s position with podcasts:

    The biggest player app: Apple’s built-in iOS Podcasts app is the biggest podcast player in the world by a wide margin, holding roughly 60–70% marketshare.
    The biggest podcast directory: The iTunes Store’s Podcasts directory is the only one that matters, and being listed there is essential for podcasts to be easily found when searching in most apps.

    In other words: podcasters are so worried about what Apple might do, because anything Apple does with podcasts will essentially become the defacto standard for podcasts given Apple’s actual role in podcasts being too important to podcasting. Apple holds the best keys to discovery, and the largest market share for podcasting apps.

    Or: if your podcast isn’t listed in iTunes, then do you really have a podcast?

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  • Traveling Light: Undershirts

    If you only get one, make it Merino wool.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    I’ve previously spent a lot of time, and money, trying to find the best undershirt you can wear. And while I stand by my assessment that Underfit shirts are the best ones you can buy, travel undershirts are a different breed. Whereas with my daily wear undershirts I just need something which is comfortable and looks good under my shirts, with travel undershirts I need them to also be:

    • Stink resistant
    • Regulate my body temperature well
    • Weigh as little as possible
    • Dry overnight

    Once you start down this path you end up looking at two types of shirts: Merino wool, or synthetic. I personally felt that synthetic must be the way to go, however after a lot of research it seemed very clear to me Merino wool was the way to go. Which sucks, because those shirts are very pricey.

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  • New Yorker App and News Apps

    Succinct is hard, but it is what we want.

    I recently wrote, on Medium, how all of my news is sourced through three iOS apps: Reeder, Economist Espresso, and Medium. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with these apps as they offer the perfect way to consume news:

    1. Headlines
    2. Summaries
    3. Full thing if you need it

    Add to this list now, the New Yorker Today app and the Quartz News app. The New Yorker has always been very hit and miss for me over the years — often what they write is too long and dense on a topic which doesn’t hold enough interest for me to want to read it. But 2-3 times a month, they hit the nail on the head. The hard part: finding that stuff.

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  • Moving From OmniFocus

    Chris Bowler on his switch to 2Do: Indeed. 2Do strikes the right balance. 2Do is such a fantastic app — but OmniFocus has also been a on tear lately with new features. Glad to see some renewed competition here. For now, I am still very happy with 2Do.

    Chris Bowler on his switch to 2Do:

    Indeed. 2Do strikes the right balance.

    2Do is such a fantastic app — but OmniFocus has also been a on tear lately with new features. Glad to see some renewed competition here. For now, I am still very happy with 2Do.

  • Traveling Light: Jackets

    I only ever pack two jackets, which work together to keep me warm and dry.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    I only ever take two jackets (if any) when I travel: a rain jacket, and/or a thin down type jacket. ((The only exception here is if I need a suit, then of course I take an appropriate jacket as needed.)) If it is cold, I take the down and the rain jacket, if it is forecast to be warm then I take the rain jacket. The only time I won’t take a rain jacket is if the weather will be over 80° the entirety of my stay, as even if it rains then, my clothes will dry fast enough and it will be warm enough, I won’t need a jacket (usually).

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  • My Tablet Has Stickers

    Steven Sinofsky writing about his new iPad Pro: It is a good idea for the debate not to center on “developer” scenarios since the vast majority of people don’t do these things, especially when one considers the degree to which many on earth will experience a smartphone as their first and only “computer”. The first…

    Steven Sinofsky writing about his new iPad Pro:

    It is a good idea for the debate not to center on “developer” scenarios since the vast majority of people don’t do these things, especially when one considers the degree to which many on earth will experience a smartphone as their first and only “computer”.

    The first half of his post is a fantastic analysis of how iPad adoption is likely going to play out. He then dives into his likes and dislikes of the iPad Pro, culminating in this:

    The shift to this new form factor and new platform will bring with it cultural changes that take advantage of what are perceived as disadvantages. As makers, being early is essential, otherwise you are late.”

    Very astute.

    Oh, and I went the sticker route too:

  • Traveling Light: Toiletries

    Keep it packed, and pack only what you need.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    There are two things I hate when it comes to trying to pack toiletries light: travel toothbrushes and the idea that you can buy what you need, where you are going. Travel toothbrushes, which are too small to hold comfortably, and fold in half and thus are never great to begin with.

    Just use a regular toothbrush for crying out loud.

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  • Traveling Light: Socks

    I travel with regular cotton socks, because even I have my limits.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    This might be the shortest of all these posts: I don’t buy special socks for travel. There are tons of great options out there which are Merino wool and thus fast drying, anti-stink, and more. They are good socks, and the socks I certainly should be traveling with, but I don’t.

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  • Traveling Light: Packing Aids

    Packing cubes, packing rolls, stuff sacks — you usually don’t need them.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    Packing cubes, packing rolls, field pockets, stuff sacks — every where you turn there’s no shortage of people offering smaller bags to put inside of your larger bags. The promises range from the mundane of being more organized, to the comical of offering ways to keep your clothing wrinkle free. I’ve been fortunate(?) enough to try most of these, and after that testing there’s only a handful of them I would recommend.

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  • Looking at the Future

    Craig Hockenberry in the iPad Pro 9.7 display: After using this iPad for a couple of weeks, I’ve realized it’s like the advances of Retina in an important way: I never want to use a lesser display again. And as with higher density, I think it’s obvious that Apple will eventually update all its products…

    Craig Hockenberry in the iPad Pro 9.7 display:

    After using this iPad for a couple of weeks, I’ve realized it’s like the advances of Retina in an important way: I never want to use a lesser display again. And as with higher density, I think it’s obvious that Apple will eventually update all its products to use this improved screen technology. I can’t wait!

    It’s a fantastic display. Can’t wait to get it on all my devices.

  • Traveling Light: Bags

    Yes, let’s talk more about bags.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    Another excuse to talk about bags, most excellent. While backpacks rule the roost for me, I want to cover four different bags.

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  • iOS 10: Wishes and Concept Video

    Federico Viticci: I don’t believe Apple should move away from the app-based model of file management on iOS. However, both document providers and iCloud Drive ought to be faster to operate, more transparent, and as versatile as they would be a on desktop computer. I still don’t think the file system matters that much —…

    Federico Viticci:

    I don’t believe Apple should move away from the app-based model of file management on iOS. However, both document providers and iCloud Drive ought to be faster to operate, more transparent, and as versatile as they would be a on desktop computer.

    I still don’t think the file system matters that much — but damn if Viticci doesn’t have some compelling ideas. The video is fantastic too.

  • Five Weeks

    David Sparks: As iOS further matures, I’m just not so sure I’ll have much need for a laptop. Trust me. I’m as surprised by this realization as anybody else. He is thinking he will only need a desktop, but I suspect that it won’t be but another year before people like Sparks are wondering what…

    David Sparks:

    As iOS further matures, I’m just not so sure I’ll have much need for a laptop. Trust me. I’m as surprised by this realization as anybody else.

    He is thinking he will only need a desktop, but I suspect that it won’t be but another year before people like Sparks are wondering what they need the desktop for…

  • Traveling Light: Underwear

    Even I was surprised at how well these underwear met the marketing expectations.

    Editor’s Note: I’m going to be writing some posts about how I travel light. I’ll pull them all back together at the end with one larger post and hopefully a video. I am not a super minimalist packer, I am however a light packer. This will also be very geared to men, sorry to all the women — I just have no way of writing about that.

    One pair per day, right? Gone five days? Then five pairs of underwear are needed. At least that’s how I used to pack. Travel underwear? No thanks.

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  • Taking Risks

    Kevin Hoctor: If you live a life with the impossible notion of having zero risk, you may be happy but you won’t know how much happier you could have been if you explored new experiences with some risk attached.

    Kevin Hoctor:

    If you live a life with the impossible notion of having zero risk, you may be happy but you won’t know how much happier you could have been if you explored new experiences with some risk attached.

  • What Is the Apple Watch Good For?

    Great post from Richard on how he uses and sees the Apple Watch. I particularly love his term for the app icons on the watch.

    Great post from Richard on how he uses and sees the Apple Watch. I particularly love his term for the app icons on the watch.

  • He Who Holds the Data

    Gabe Weatherhead on a disturbing trend: This new era where every app maker wants to hold my data is not a future I look forward to. This is the one change to TextExpander that I dislike the most. It’s also becoming increasingly more common. Sync is not a business model.

    Gabe Weatherhead on a disturbing trend:

    This new era where every app maker wants to hold my data is not a future I look forward to.

    This is the one change to TextExpander that I dislike the most. It’s also becoming increasingly more common. Sync is not a business model.