The Brooks Review

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Casio Duro MDV-106 Re-ReviewDecember 15, 2022
Grand Seiko SBGX261February 23, 2023
The Hype: Yoshida & Co’s Porter BagsAugust 26, 2025

Recent Articles

  • Tom Bihn Yeoman Duffel

    Holy big bag Batman.

    Note: Tom Bihn sent me the Yeoman Duffel bag for review purposes. No agreements were made as to what that review may or may not look like, as is my standard practice I retain full editorial control.

    I’ve always liked the idea of big duffel bags, or duffel bags in general, as there is something about the look of them that draws me in. Something about the idea of just throwing everything in that huge expanse, zipping it shut and heading off. Perhaps it is because I travel minimally and pack tightly and neatly in very small bags, that the idea of having copious amounts of space in which to pack seems like freedom.

    I’m not sure.

    I do have a small, classic looking, duffel bag which I have been using for years on weekend getaways. I transitioned it to be the bag for Sloane’s travel stuff when she was born, but with two kids it has become way too small.

    (more…)

  • Indonesia is burning. So why is the world looking away?

    George Monbiot: Fire is raging across the 5,000km length of Indonesia. It is surely, on any objective assessment, more important than anything else taking place today. And it shouldn’t require a columnist, writing in the middle of a newspaper, to say so. It should be on everyone’s front page. It is hard to convey the…

    George Monbiot:

    Fire is raging across the 5,000km length of Indonesia. It is surely, on any objective assessment, more important than anything else taking place today. And it shouldn’t require a columnist, writing in the middle of a newspaper, to say so. It should be on everyone’s front page. It is hard to convey the scale of this inferno, but here’s a comparison that might help: it is currently producing more carbon dioxide than the US economy. And in three weeks the fires have released more CO2 than the annual emissions of Germany.

    Holy shit.

  • Who are you reading this for?

    “Saving you time since I figured this out.”

    Often I start reading an article which I saved to read later, and I think “yeah this is good stuff, I know it all, but it’s good stuff” and then I stop.

    Why am I still reading this?

    Who am I reading this for?

    (more…)

  • Where in the House Am I?

    For crying out loud Apple, figure out where in my house I am, so we can get some shit done.

    A few nights ago I sat down on my couch — the chaise lounge section of course — and got ready to start watching some TV. But the far lamp in our living room was turned on and from the spot I was sitting in that lamp casts a glare on the TV.

    So it must be turned off.

    (more…)

  • Dialing Down

    CGP Grey: I’m taking this month to dial the volume down. But the problem is more difficult than it used to be. I'm having to do similar things as it will be the only way I can meet the crazy goals I set for myself this month.

    CGP Grey:

    I’m taking this month to dial the volume down. But the problem is more difficult than it used to be.

    I'm having to do similar things as it will be the only way I can meet the crazy goals I set for myself this month.

  • Fine Tuning Keyboards

    That stupid thing I do where I compare computer electronics to cars, and everyone disagrees.

    Since we finally have a new keyboard out from Apple, it is high time we look at what keyboard options there are. Since Keyboards map well to cars I think it is best to look at the in this vein. People tend to care a lot about their car, or not at all, and for the small group that resides somewhere in the middle: they tend to only know what cars they do not like. It is in that sense that I think keyboards fall into the same relationship with people, as do cars.

    Most people probably don’t care about their keyboard.

    And those that do care, typically care deeply.

    There is the same small group as with cars, who just know what they do not like in their keyboard.

    (more…)

  • My NaNoWriMo Challenge

    Does it bug anyone else that there are two lowercase letters between W and M, instead of just one?

    I’ve known about NaNoWriMo for years, but the thing is: 50,000. That’s a big number, like almost an insurmountable number. I’ve never felt like I wanted to participate, but I always was impressed with those who did manage to at least try.

    So this year I am going to do it.

    But I’m not writing a novel.

    (more…)

  • Sleeps to Christmas 2 Premium

    Here's another app from a co-worker (lots this week). It's tvOS / iOS and is a nice little countdown to Christmas.

    Here's another app from a co-worker (lots this week). It's tvOS / iOS and is a nice little countdown to Christmas.

  • Tac-Tics for tvOS

    Another app from a co-worker. That link? Yeah it won't work. Why? Because you can't link to tvOS only apps. Clever right? grumbles It's a tic tac toe game, and to find it you search for: “Tac-tics”.

    Another app from a co-worker. That link? Yeah it won't work. Why? Because you can't link to tvOS only apps. Clever right? grumbles

    It's a tic tac toe game, and to find it you search for: “Tac-tics”.

  • The Magic Keyboard and Trackpad

    David Sparks: I think the case for a Magic Trackpad 2 upgrade is stronger than it is the Magic Keyboard. The bigger size and easier click at the top are compelling and while Force Touch isn’t all that just yet, I suspect it eventually will be. Funny that the selling points for both devices is…

    David Sparks:

    I think the case for a Magic Trackpad 2 upgrade is stronger than it is the Magic Keyboard. The bigger size and easier click at the top are compelling and while Force Touch isn’t all that just yet, I suspect it eventually will be.

    Funny that the selling points for both devices is in part their size. Except it is the keyboard getting smaller and the trackpad getting larger. Goes to show just how important touch controls are becoming, even on a Mac.

  • Cosmos – Infinite Space on the App Store

    Great tvOS game by my co-worker Alex Repty.

    Great tvOS game by my co-worker Alex Repty.

  • Ben Brooks /now

    Love this little /now page movement. I created my own.

    Love this little /now page movement. I created my own.

  • Review: GORUCK Bullet 10L

    Nat Wagstaff: It feels like the Bullet has been honed and refined, right down to the core essence of what you’d want a ruck to do. All bulk and excess weight didn’t make the cut and you’re left with a product that gives you a refreshing experience. Agreed.

    Nat Wagstaff:

    It feels like the Bullet has been honed and refined, right down to the core essence of what you’d want a ruck to do. All bulk and excess weight didn’t make the cut and you’re left with a product that gives you a refreshing experience.

    Agreed.

  • Alto’s Adventure is out on Apple TV

    Awesome, I bet it looks great.

    Awesome, I bet it looks great.

  • Mextures, Snapseed and Pixelmator

    It's crazy to me the amount of cool stuff Erin creates on her iPhone. She only ever uses her Mac for writing.

    It's crazy to me the amount of cool stuff Erin creates on her iPhone. She only ever uses her Mac for writing.

  • Write Like You Talk

    Paul Graham: It seems to be hard for most people to write in spoken language.

    Paul Graham:

    It seems to be hard for most people to write in spoken language.

  • More Amazon Stuff: Amazon Elements Baby Wipes

    I won’t say that I have tried all the wipes out there, but of the ones that I have tried, I like these. They have three things going for them: Cheap Subscribe & Save (auto delivery) They are better than Costco brand. Both my wife and I prefer these to any other wipes we would…

    I won’t say that I have tried all the wipes out there, but of the ones that I have tried, I like these. They have three things going for them:

    1. Cheap
    2. Subscribe & Save (auto delivery)
    3. They are better than Costco brand.

    Both my wife and I prefer these to any other wipes we would buy.

  • Amazon Item: Matador Pocket Blanket

    I finally picked a couple of these up for the family and they are super nice. That’s why I am telling you about them now that picnic season is well over. Hmm. Anyways, I thought the biggest issue would be folding them back up into the little pouch, but that’s no issue. The blanket has…

    I finally picked a couple of these up for the family and they are super nice. That’s why I am telling you about them now that picnic season is well over. Hmm.

    Anyways, I thought the biggest issue would be folding them back up into the little pouch, but that’s no issue. The blanket has little guides sewn in which work really well. Very happy with this blanket.

    Best of all, I can keep two of them in the car and you wouldn’t know it.

  • Fixing Evernote

    Bradley Chambers: For a service I pay for, Evernote had become quite annoying. Instead of making its core features even better, it adding features like Work Chat, and became seriously annoying with notifications about explaining new features….over and over again.

    Bradley Chambers:

    For a service I pay for, Evernote had become quite annoying. Instead of making its core features even better, it adding features like Work Chat, and became seriously annoying with notifications about explaining new features….over and over again.

  • Incase ICON Backpack

    A fantastic backpack, purpose built for digital haulers.

    Note: This item was provided to me from Incase for the purpose of this review.

    There’s really two extremes to bag design, the first is a big vast pit in which to throw things — like a duffle bag. The other end of the spectrum is bags that have a pocket for each specific thing, perfectly tailored to those items: pens, business cards, laptop, charger, Kindle, tablet, and the list can go on and on.

    Most the the bags which I have tested to date, fall on the side of being a large open bag. They typically are not well structured bags, and they typically are not solely designed to carry electronics.

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